bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Trajectories of physical symptom burden and psychological distress during the last year of life in patients with a solid metastatic cancer
Authors: Shafiq Mahham , Malhotra Rahul , Teo Irene , Ozdemir Semra , Kanesvaran Ravindran , Malhotra Chetna ,   COMPASS Study Group
Published: August 2021

AbstractObjectiveTo delineate the trajectories of physical symptoms and psychological distress among patients with a solid metastatic cancer during the last year of life.MethodsWe used data of 345 decedents from a prospective cohort of 600 patients with a Stage IV solid cancer. Using group‐based trajectory modelling, we assessed (a) demographic (age, gender, education, cancer site) predictors of trajectory membership, (b) shift in trajectories associated with planned and unplanned hospitalizations, emergency room visits and chemotherapy, and (c) the association between trajectory membership and place of death.ResultsWe identified three trajectories of physical symptoms—“persistent mild” (56%), “progressive moderate” (36%), and “progressive severe” (8%), and two for psychological distress—“persistent mild” (72%) and “progressive distress” (28%). Females (β = 1.40 [SE = 0.55], p‐value = 0.01) and highly educated patients (β = 1.46 [SE = 0.62], p‐value = 0.02) were more likely to experience progressive severe symptoms compared to persistent mild symptoms. Older patients were less likely (β = −1.01 [SE = 0.33], p‐value = 0.003), while those with gynecological cancers (β = 1.51 [SE = 0.65], p‐value = 0.02) were more likely to experience progressive distress compared to persistent mild distress. Planned and unplanned hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and chemotherapy were associated with a worsening in trajectories. Patients with higher distress were more likely to die in a hospice compared to a hospital.ConclusionsInterventions to improve physical symptoms and distress can focus on patients at risk of being in worse trajectories and at critical time points in the last year of life—hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and chemotherapy.
Perylene Diimide‐Based Pseudo‐Crown Ether I: Supramolecular Aggregates for Sensing of Pb2+ and Diethanolamine
Authors: Singh Prabhpreet , Kaur Navdeep , Kaur Rajdeep 
Published: August 2021

AbstractA pseudo‐Crown ether (open chained podand) containing two rigid and bulky perylene diimide units as terminal end‐group (diPDI 2) has been synthesized. The diPDI 2 selectively binds with Pb2+ ions to form 2 : 1 sandwich type complex (Job's plot, NMR and SPECFIT) in solution. The complexation led to significant changes in fluorescence and absorbance; in NMR chemical shifts (Δδ=0.5–0.6 ppm) and in size of the aggregates (DLS, AFM). We further demonstrated formation of diPDI 2‐Pb2+ host‐guest supramolecular complex using Cyclic voltammetry (CV), powder X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetry (TGA), Infrared, Raman spectroscopies. The Hill coefficient (nH) value of >3.7 indicates cooperativity in Pb2+ binding process at high concentrations. We also demonstrated utility of diPDI 2+Pb2+ complex in a ‘turn‐on’ sensing of biological relevant amines such as spermine and diethanolamine (DEA) using displacement approach. The dissociation of diPDI 2+Pb2+ complex with these amines via sequestration of Pb2+ results in restoration of optical and NMR chemical shift signals. The reversibility of diPDI 2+Pb2+ complex with DEA offers fabrication of IMPLICATION logic gate.
2‐Dimethylaminofluorene‐Labeled 2'‐Deoxyuridine as a Turn‐On Fluorescent Probe for i‐Motif DNA
Authors: Hong Seung Woo , Oh Gon Ji , Hwang Gil Tae 
Published: August 2021

Abstracti‐Motif (iM) DNA, a cytosine‐rich sequence having a four‐stranded structure, is believed to play an important role in regulating gene expression. In this study, we replaced each of the four thymidine units of the human telomeric iM sequence individually with a 2‐dimethylaminofluorene–substituted 2'‐deoxyuridine derivative (UDAF), then evaluated the formation of the iM structures with respect to pH through melting temperature measurements and circular dichroism, fluorescence, and UV‐Vis spectra. Introduction of the UDAF residue did not adversely affect the formation or stability of the iM structure; one of these strands functioned as an efficient fluorescent probe for iM formation.
Critical systems practice 2: Produce—Constructing a multimethodological intervention strategy
Authors: Jackson Michael C. 
Published: August 2021

AbstractThis is the second of a series of papers on the stages of critical systems practice. Critical systems practice is a multimethodology that seeks to employ the ideas developed in critical systems thinking to intervene in and improve complex real‐world problem situations. It has four stages—Explore (the problem situation), Produce (an intervention strategy), Intervene (flexibly) and Check (on progress)—called to mind as EPIC. The aim is to set out where thinking has reached on the best way to carry out each of these stages and to invite comment on what more needs doing. This second stage, Produce, is concerned with the design of an appropriate multimethodological intervention strategy based on the outcomes of Explore. The first pass through the Produce stage concludes when it becomes possible to set objectives for the intervention and to structure and schedule its delivery.
Axion-Like Particles at the ILC Giga-Z
Authors: Steinberg Noah , Wells James D. 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
Axion-Like Particles (ALPs) are a generic, calculable, and well motivated extension of the Standard Model with far reaching phenomenology. ALPs that couple only to hypercharge represent one subset of such models, coupling the ALP to both photons and the Z boson. We examine the current constraints on this class of models with an ALP mass in the 100 MeV to 100 GeV range, paying particular attention to the region between 100 MeV to 10 GeV, a portion of parameter space which is ill constrained by current experiments. We show that the more than 109Z bosons produced in the Giga-Z mode of the future ILC experiment, combined with the highly granular nature of its detectors, will allow for ALPs coupled to hypercharge to be discovered with couplings down to nearly 10−5 GeV−1 over a range of masses from 0.4 to 50 GeV.
Sterile neutrinos with non-standard interactions in β- and 0νββ-decay experiments
Authors: Dekens W. , de Vries J. , Tong T. 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
Charged currents are probed in low-energy precision β-decay experiments and at high-energy colliders, both of which aim to measure or constrain signals of beyond-the-Standard-Model physics. In light of future β-decay and LHC measurements that will further explore these non-standard interactions, we investigate what neutrinoless double-β decay (0νββ) experiments can tell us if a nonzero signal were to be found. Using a recently developed effective-field-theory framework, we consider the effects that interactions with right-handed neutrinos have on 0νββ and discuss the range of neutrino masses that current and future 0νββ measurements can probe, assuming neutrinos are Majorana particles. For non-standard interactions at the level suggested by recently observed hints in β decays, we show that next-generation 0νββ experiments can determine the Dirac or Majorana nature of neutrinos, for sterile neutrino masses larger than $$ \mathcal{O}(10) $$
O

10

eV.
Optimal pairs trading with dynamic mean-variance objective
Authors: Zhu Dong-Mei , Gu Jia-Wen , Yu Feng-Hui , Siu Tak-Kuen , Ching Wai-Ki 
Published: August 2021

AbstractPairs trading is a typical example of a convergence trading strategy. Investors buy relatively under-priced assets simultaneously, and sell relatively over-priced assets to exploit temporary mispricing. This study examines optimal pairs trading strategies under symmetric and non-symmetric trading constraints. Under the assumption that the price spread of a pair of correlated securities follows a mean-reverting Ornstein-Uhlenbeck(OU) process, analytical trading strategies are obtained under a mean-variance(MV) framework. Model estimation and empirical studies on trading strategies have been conducted using data on pairs of stocks and futures traded on China’s securities market. These results indicate that pairs trading strategies have fairly good performance.
Identification of a specific surface epitope of OmpC for Escherichia coli O157:H7 with protein topology facilitated affinity mass spectrometry
Authors: Wang Wenbin , Zhou Xinyue , Sang Yunong , Liang Xiaxia , Liu Jianxin , Pan Saikun , Wang Luxin 
Published: August 2021

Abstract

The goal of this work was to identify the target protein and epitope of a previously reported Escherichia coli O157:H7 (ECO157)–specific monoclonal antibody (mAb) 2G12. mAb 2G12 has shown high specificity for the recovery and detection of ECO157. To achieve this goal, the target protein was first separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and located by Western blot (WB). The protein spots were identified to be the outer membrane protein (Omp) C by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF–MS). After that, the target protein was purified by immunoaffinity chromatography (IAC) and subjected to in situ enzymatic cleavage of the vulnerable peptides. Eight eluted peptides of OmpC identified by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) were further mapped onto the homologous protein structure of E. coli OmpC (2IXX). The topology of OmpC showed that three peptides had extracellular loops. Epitope mapping with overlapping peptide library and sequence homology analysis revealed that the epitope consisted of a specific peptide, “LGVING,” and an adjacent conservative peptide, “TQTYNATRVGSLG.” Both peptides loop around the overall structure of the epitope. To test the availability of the epitope when ECO157 was grown under different osmolarity, pH, and nutrition levels, the binding efficacy of mAb 2G12 with ECO157 grown in these conditions was evaluated. Results further demonstrated the good stability of this epitope under potential stressful environmental conditions. In summary, this study revealed that mAb 2G12 targeted one specific and one conservative extracellular loop (peptide) of the OmpC present on ECO157, and the epitope was stable and accessible on ECO157 cells grown in different environment.

Key points
• OmpC is the target of a recently identified ECO157-specific mAb 2G12.
• Eight peptides were identified from the OmpC by using LC–MS/MS.
• The specificity of mAb 2G12 is mainly determined by the “LGVING” peptide.
Organizational Determinants of Whistleblowing. A Study of Italian Municipalities
Authors: Previtali Pietro , Cerchiello Paola 
Published: August 2021

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to provide a deeper understanding of how to develop whistleblowing systems in public administrations, by focussing on the organisational variables that lead to actual reporting being made. The research is based on an empirical analysis of 400 major Italian municipalities and the whistleblowing systems they have implemented as anti-corruption measures. The results show that actual reporting is positively correlated with the presence of specific whistleblowing procedures as well as training and education programs. Anonymous reporting plays a relevant role.
About the Altitude Profile of the Atmospheric Cut-Off of Cosmic Rays: New Revised Assessment
Authors: Mishev Alexander , Poluianov Stepan 
Published: August 2021

AbstractCosmic rays, high-energy subatomic particles of extraterrestrial origin, are systematically measured by space-borne and ground-based instruments. A specific interest is paid to high-energy ions accelerated during solar eruptions, so-called solar energetic particles. In order to build a comprehensive picture of their nature, it is important to fill the gap and inter-calibrate ground-based and space-borne instruments. Here, we focus on ground-based detectors, specifically neutron monitors, which form a global network and provide continuous recording of cosmic ray intensity and its variability, used also to register relativistic solar energetic particles. The count rate of each neutron monitor is determined by the geomagnetic and atmospheric cut-offs, both being functions of the location. Here, on the basis of Monte Carlo simulations with the PLANETOCOSMICS code and by the employment of a new verified neutron monitor yield function, we assessed the atmospheric cut-off as a function of the altitude, as well as for specific stations located in the polar region. The assessed in this study altitude profile of the atmospheric cut-off for primary cosmic rays builds the basis for the joint analysis of strong solar proton events with different instruments and allows one to clarify recent definitions and related discussions about the new sub-class of events, so-called sub-ground-level enhancements (sub-GLEs).
Theoretical Studies of the Self Cleavage Pistol Ribozyme Mechanism
Authors: Serrano-Aparicio Natalia , Świderek Katarzyna , Tuñón Iñaki , Moliner Vicent , Bertran Joan 
Published: August 2021

AbstractRibozymes are huge complex biological catalysts composed of a combination of RNA and proteins. Nevertheless, there is a reduced number of small ribozymes, the self-cleavage ribozymes, that are formed just by RNA and, apparently, they existed in cells of primitive biological systems. Unveiling the details of these “fossils” enzymes can contribute not only to the understanding of the origins of life but also to the development of new simplified artificial enzymes. A computational study of the reactivity of the pistol ribozyme carried out by means of classical MD simulations and QM/MM hybrid calculations is herein presented to clarify its catalytic mechanism. Analysis of the geometries along independent MD simulations with different protonation states of the active site basic species reveals that only the canonical system, with no additional protonation changes, renders reactive conformations. A change in the coordination sphere of the Mg2+ion has been observed during the simulations, which allows proposing a mechanism to explain the unique mode of action of the pistol ribozyme by comparison with other ribozymes. The present results are at the center of the debate originated from recent experimental and theoretical studies on pistol ribozyme.
The relationship between CD204 M2-polarized tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs), tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and microglial activation in glioblastoma microenvironment: a novel immune checkpoint receptor target
Authors: Kurdi Maher , Alghamdi Badrah , Butt Nadeem Shafique , Baeesa Saleh 
Published: August 2021

Abstract
Background
Tumour associated macrophages (TAMs) and tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are considered dominant cells in glioblastoma microenvironment.

Aim
The purpose of this study was to assess the expression of CD204+ M2-polarized TAMs in glioblastomas and their relationship with CD4+TILs, Iba+microglia, and IDH1 mutation. We also exploreed the prognostic value of these markers on the recurrence-free interval (RFI).

Methods
The expressions of CD204+TAMs, CD4+TILs, and Iba1+microglia were quantitively assessed in 45 glioblastomas using immunohistochemistry. Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox hazards were used to examine the relationship between these factors.

Results
CD204+TAMs were highly expressed in 32 tumours (71%) and the remaining 13 tumours (29%) had reduced expression. CD4+TILs were highly expressed in 10 cases (22%) and 35 cases (77.8%) had low expression. There was an inverse correlation between CD204+TAMs and CD4+TILs, in which 85% of tumours had a high expression of CD204+TAMs and a low expression of CD4+TILs. Nevertheless, there was no significant difference in IDH1 mutation status between the two groups (p = 0.779). There was a significant difference in Iba1+microglial activation between IDH1mutant and IDH1wildtype groups (p = 0.031). For cases with a high expression of CD204+TAMs and a low expression of CD4+TILs, there was a significant difference in RFI after treatment with chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy (p = 0.030).

Conclusion
Glioblastoma with a dense CD204+TAMs and few CD4+TILs is associated with IDH1wildtype. These findings suggest that TAMs masks tumour cell and suppress T-cell tumoricidal functions via immunomodulatory mechanisms. Blockade of the CD204-TAM receptor may prevent this mechanism and allow the evolution of TILs.
The macroeconomics of COVID-19 exit strategy: the case of Japan
Authors: Kubota So 
Published: August 2021

AbstractIn this paper, I use a simple SIR Macro model to examine Japan’s soft lockdown policies in 2021 under the COVID-19 crisis. As real-time research, this paper consists of two parts written during two different research periods. The first part, which was originally reported in February 2021, studies the Japan’s second soft lockdown policy (state of emergency declaration) from January to March 2021. After the model is calibrated using 2020 data, the results show that a long enough lockdown can avoid future lockdowns, improving both the infection and the economy. In addition, I propose the ICU targeting policy, which keeps the number of severe patients at a constant level, mimicking the monetary policy’s inflation targeting. The model’s prediction is evaluated from an ex-post perspective in the second part, written in July 2021. I find that the model broadly captures the realized consequences of the second soft lockdown and the subsequent paths. Furthermore, the simulation is projected to the end of the pandemic under a revised scenario, incorporating the proliferation of COVID-19 variants. Finally, I discuss the effectiveness of the inverse lockdown (economic stimulus) policy in the fall of 2021 under the dynamic infection externality.
Smoothing Skeleton Avatar Visualizations Using Signal Processing Technology
Authors: Gauss Joela F. , Brandin Christoph , Heberle Andreas , Löwe Welf 
Published: August 2021

AbstractMovements of a person can be recorded with a mobile camera and visualized as sequences of stick figures for assessments in health and elderly care, physio-therapy, and sports. However, since the visualizations flicker due to noisy input data, the visualizations themselves and even whole assessment applications are not trusted in general. The present paper evaluates different filters for smoothing the movement visualizations but keeping their validity for a visual physio-therapeutic assessment. It evaluates variants of moving average, high-pass, and Kalman filters with different parameters. Moreover, it presents a framework for the quantitative evaluation of smoothness and validity. As these two criteria are contradicting, the framework also allows to weight them differently and to automatically find the correspondingly best-fitting filter and its parameters. Different filters can be recommended for different weightings of smoothness and validity. The evaluation framework is applicable in more general contexts and with more filters than the three filters assessed. However, as a practical result of this work, a suitable filter for stick figure visualizations in a mobile application for assessing movement quality could be selected and used in a mobile app. The application is now more trustworthy and used by medical and sports experts, and end customers alike.
Lifetime and reliability improvements in modular multilevel converters using controlled circulating current
Authors: Kadandani Nasiru B. , Dahidah Mohamed , Ethni Salaheddine , Muhammad Musbahu 
Published: August 2021

AbstractCirculating current has been an inherent feature of modular multilevel converters (MMC), which results in second-order harmonics on the arms currents. If not properly controlled, the circulating current can affect the lifetime and reliability of a converter by increasing the current loading, loss distribution, and junction temperature of its semiconductor devices. This paper proposes controlled circulating current injection as a means of improving the lifetime and reliability of an MMC. The proposed method involves modifying the reference modulating signals of the converter arms to include the controlled differential voltage as an offset. The junction temperature of the semiconductor devices obtained from an electro-thermal simulation is processed to deduce the lifetime and reliability of the converter. The obtained results are benchmarked against a case where the control method is not incorporated. The incorporation of the proposed control method results in a 68.25% increase in the expected lifetime of the converter and a 3.06% increase on its reliability index. Experimental results of a scaled down laboratory prototype validate the effectiveness of the proposed control approach.
ENERGY CONCENTRATION PROPERTIES OF A p-GINZBURG–LANDAU MODEL
Authors: LEI YUTIAN 
Published: August 2021

AbstractThis paper is concerned with the p-Ginzburg–Landau (p-GL) type model with
$p\neq 2$
. First, we obtain global energy estimates and energy concentration properties by the singularity analysis. Next, we give a decay rate of
$1-|u_\varepsilon |$
in the domain away from the singularities when
$\varepsilon \to 0$
, where
$u_\varepsilon $
is a minimizer of p-GL functional with
$p \in (1,2)$
. Finally, we obtain a Liouville theorem for the finite energy solutions of the p-GL equation on
$\mathbb {R}^2$
.
Hypoxia combined with chilling maintains the quality of irradiated Drosophila flies: a simulated shipment experiment
Authors: Enriquez Thomas , Sassù Fabiana , Cáceres Carlos , Colinet Hervé 
Published: August 2021

AbstractDrosophila suzukii is an invasive fruit pest in Europe and America. Females lay eggs into mature fruit that larvae consume causing important losses. Sterile insect technique (SIT) is under development to control this pest. The efficiency of this technique relies on insect quality. However, during the process from mass production to field release, several steps may compromise insect quality and therefore SIT success. Shipment of sterile insects after irradiation is a key step of SIT programmes. Generally, insects are shipped as pupae and conditions during transport need to be adapted to prevent emergence before field release, while guaranteeing insect quality. To do so, transport is usually performed under low temperature, hypoxia or a combination of both. However, the impact of multiple stressors such as irradiation followed by chilling combined with hypoxia is poorly described and has not been studied in D. suzukii. Therefore, the aim of this study was to simulate a shipment of D. suzukii pupae (irradiated or not) under different conditions (chilling combined or not with hypoxia) for various durations, and to assess consequences on emerged adults. Irradiation followed by hypoxia and/or chilling only weakly altered emergence. However, 48 h of hypoxia without chilling altered the flight ability of flies whether or not they were irradiated. Conversely, when hypoxia was combined with chilling, flight ability remained similar to that of untreated flies. The use of chilling in combination with hypoxia for 48 h could be implemented as a transportation method for SIT programme on D. suzukii.