bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
STING-activating nanoparticles normalize the vascular-immune interface to potentiate cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Wang-Bishop Lihong , Kimmel Blaise R. , Ngwa Verra M. , Madden Matthew Z. , Baljon Jessalyn J. , Florian David C. , Hanna Ann , Pastora Lucinda E. , Sheehy Taylor L. , Kwiatkowski Alexander J. , Wehbe Mohamed , Wen Xiaona , Becker Kyle W. , Garland Kyle M. , Schulman Jacob A. , Shae Daniel , Edwards Deanna , Wolf Melissa M. , Delapp Rossane , Christov Plamen P. , Beckermann Kathryn E. , Balko Justin M. , Rathmell W. Kimryn , Rathmell Jeffrey C. , Chen Jin , Wilson John T.
Published: May 2023

The tumor-associated vasculature imposes major structural and biochemical barriers to the infiltration of effector T cells and effective tumor control. Correlations between stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway activation and spontaneous T cell infiltration in human cancers led us to evaluate the effect of STING-activating nanoparticles (STANs), which are a polymersome-based platform for the delivery of a cyclic dinucleotide STING agonist, on the tumor vasculature and attendant effects on T cell infiltration and antitumor function. In multiple mouse tumor models, intravenous administration of STANs promoted vascular normalization, evidenced by improved vascular integrity, reduced tumor hypoxia, and increased endothelial cell expression of T cell adhesion molecules. STAN-mediated vascular reprogramming enhanced the infiltration, proliferation, and function of antitumor T cells and potentiated the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive T cell therapy. We present STANs as a multimodal platform that activates and normalizes the tumor microenvironment to enhance T cell infiltration and function and augments responses to immunotherapy.
Atypical case of infective endocarditis
Authors: Ittyachen Abraham M , Peter Ancy , Sukumaran Anjely , Vinu Joy
Published: May 2023

A man in his late 40s presented to the emergency department with generalised tiredness and breathlessness. He was a known case of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and also had a recent history of COVID-19. At arrival, he was in respiratory failure. Blood culture grewStreptococcus parasanguinis, a commensal gram-positive bacterium and a primary coloniser of the human oral cavity. Echocardiogram revealed the presence of a flail mitral valve with vegetation suggestive of infective endocarditis. Although biomarkers of inflammation/infection had improved, he continued to be in cardiac failure, and hence he underwent mitral valve replacement with a mechanical valve. This case is unique in many ways; the patient was young, had a history of COVID-19, had native valve infective endocarditis and presented with type 2 respiratory failure and not the usual ‘typical’ manifestations of infective endocarditis. He had refractory heart failure requiring early valve replacement. His blood culture grewS. parasanguinis, a rare cause for infective endocarditis.
Delivery strategies for malaria vaccination in areas with seasonal malaria transmission
Authors: Grant Jane , Diawara Halimatou , Traore Seydou , Koita Fatoumata , Myers Jessica , Sagara Issaka , Chandramohan Daniel , Dicko Alassane , Greenwood Brian , Webster Jayne
Published: May 2023

Background

Seasonal vaccination with the RTS,S/AS01Emalaria vaccine given alongside seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) substantially reduces malaria in young children. The WHO has recommended the use of RTS,S/AS01E, including seasonal vaccination, in areas with seasonal malaria transmission. This study aimed to identify potential strategies to deliver RTS,S/AS01E, and assess the considerations and recommendations for delivery of seasonal malaria vaccination in Mali, a country with highly seasonal malaria.

Methods

Potential delivery strategies for RTS,S/AS01Ein areas with seasonal malaria were identified through a series of high level discussions with the RTS,S/AS01Eplus SMC trial investigators, international and national immunisation and malaria experts, and through the development of a theory of change. These were explored through qualitative in-depth interviews with 108 participants, including national-level, regional-level and district-level malaria and immunisation programme managers, health workers, caregivers of children under 5 years of age, and community stakeholders. A national-level workshop was held to confirm the qualitative findings and work towards consensus on an appropriate strategy.

Results

Four delivery strategies were identified: age-based vaccination delivered via the Essential Programme on Immunisation (EPI); seasonal vaccination via EPI mass vaccination campaigns (MVCs); a combination of age-based priming vaccination doses delivered via the EPI clinics and seasonal booster doses delivered via MVCs; and a combination of age-based priming vaccination doses and seasonal booster doses, all delivered via the EPI clinics, which was the preferred strategy for delivery of RTS,S/AS01Ein Mali identified during the national workshop. Participants recommended that supportive interventions, including communications and mobilisation, would be needed for this strategy to achieve required coverage.

Conclusions

Four delivery strategies were identified for administration of RTS,S/AS01Ealongside SMC in countries with seasonal malaria transmission. Components of these delivery strategies were defined as the vaccination schedule, and the delivery system(s) plus the supportive interventions needed for the strategies to be effective. Further implementation research and evaluation is needed to explore how, where, when and what effective coverage is achievable via these new strategies and their supportive interventions.
Efficient protocol for the preparation of α-heteroaryl acetaldehydes
Authors: Huxley Cohan , Lucas Callum , Bruno Juan Manuel Mesa , Anketell Matthew J. , Davison Emma K. , Muir Garrett , Nodwell Matthew B. , Meanwell Michael , Silverman Steven M. , Britton Robert , Campeau Louis-Charles
Published: May 2023

α-heteroaryl acetaldehydes have become important building blocks in the synthesis of synthetic nucleosides. Novel organocatalytic cascades have enabled the rapid generation of nucleosides, which are valuable building blocks in the development of antisense oligonucleotides or as stand-alone antiviral and anticancer therapies, obviating the need for laborious synthetic routes relying on chiral pool starting materials and inefficient synthetic routes. This manuscript describes a robust and scalable protocol to α-heteroaryl acetaldehydes from readily available building blocks.
Evolving a Pipeline Approach for Abstract Meaning Representation Parsing Towards Dynamic Neural Networks
Authors: Macicasan Florin , Frasie Alexandru , Vezan Nicoleta-Teodora , Lemnaru Camelia , Potolea Rodica
Published: May 2023

Abstract Meaning Representation parsing aims to represent a sentence as a structured, Directed, Acyclic Graph (DAG), in an attempt to extract meaning from text. This paper extends an existing 2-stage pipeline AMR parser with state-of-the-art techniques in dependency parsing. First, Pointer-Generator Networks are used for out-of-vocabulary words in the concept identification stage, with an improved initialization via the use of word-and character-level embeddings. Second, the performance of the Relation Identification module is improved by jointly training the Heads Selection and the Arcs Labeling components. Last, we underline the difficulty of end-to-end training with recurrent modules in a static deep neural network construction approach and explore a dynamic construction implementation, which continuously adapts the computation graph, thus potentially enabling end-to-end training in the proposed pipeline solution.
A Bandwidth Scanning Game with a Sophisticated Adversary
Authors: Garnaev Andrey , Trappe Wade
Published: May 2023

Scanning a large bandwidth of radio spectrum for anomalous signals is a fundamental challenge that must be addressed in building a secure spectrum sharing system. When designing a bandwidth scanning algorithm, the system engineer faces a problem of which band to scan and how long to scan each band. Traditionally, in such a problem, the adversary is considered as one who wants to achieve a malicious goal, e.g., to sneak usage of a particular band while being undetected. In this paper, we deal with a new type of adversary, called a sophisticated adversary, who, besides the basic goal of being malicious and undetected, also has a secondary goal to achieve the basic goal in the most unpredictable way. As a metric for such unpredictability we consider the entropy associated with the adversary’s strategy. The problem is modeled by a two-player game between an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) and the adversary. The equilibrium is found in closed form. Finally, weighting coefficients for the basic and secondary goals of the adversary are optimized via proportional fairness criteria.
Some Computational Study of the Root Distribution of Ehrhart Polynomials
Authors: Hachimori Masahiro , Yamada Yumi
Published: May 2023

In this paper, we investigate the root distribution of the Ehrhart polynomials of lattice polytopes. When the lattice polytope is reflexive, the roots of the Ehrhart polynomial distribute symmetrically with respect to the line [Formula: see text]. A special case of this distribution is when all the roots lie on this line. Our main concern is to find out which reflexive polytopes satisfy this special condition. Such lattice polytopes are called CL-polytopes. Another special case opposite to this is when all the roots are real. Such lattice polytopes are called real polytopes. The first topic of this paper is the Ehrhart polynomials of equatorial spheres, which are related to graded posets. We discuss the CL-ness of the equatorial Ehrhart polynomials for complete graded posets and zig-zag posets. The second topic is to investigate the relation of the root distribution of the Ehrhart polynomials of a reflexive polytope [Formula: see text] and its dual [Formula: see text]. We discuss the CL-ness and realness of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] in pair, of dimensions up to 4. Throughout this paper, we investigate these problems by computer calculation.
An Enhanced Probabilistic-Shaped SCMA NOMA for Wireless Networks
Authors: Thirunavukkarasu Ramya , Balasubramanian Ramachandran
Published: May 2023

The future digital evolution poses challenges that need to be spectral and energy-efficient, as well as highly reliable and resilient. The non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) accomplishes massive connectivity, spectral efficiency, effective bandwidth utilization, and low latency. The proposed work involves the code domain NOMA scheme called Sparse Code Multiple Access (SCMA) which provides shaping gain through multi-dimensional constellation and the best performance in terms of bit error rate (BER). It achieves overloading of users through the non-orthogonal allocation of resources which enhances the spectral efficiency and serves more users. The shaping gain can be further improved by reducing the BER and enhancing the capacity of the channel through constellation shaping. This work employs a probabilistic-shaped (PS) constellation where each symbol is transmitted with different probabilities which achieves a reduction of average symbol power and forward error correction (FEC) through channel coding using polar codes which aid in energy efficiency. The output is two-dimensionally spread over Orthogonal Frequency Code Division Multiplexing (OFCDM) subcarriers to achieve a flexible transmission rate through a variable spreading factor. Computer simulations showed better BER performance under AWGN and Rayleigh channels with remarkable gain in SNR which paves the way for future applications in Fifth Generation (5G) beyond networks.
Study on Ontological Knowledge Integration of Micromachining for Collaborative Process
Authors: Liang Jeremy S.
Published: May 2023

In collaborative manufacturing environment, the knowledge integration in collaborative process is very crucial, especially the heterogeneous information distributed among various cooperative suppliers. To tackle the optimization of knowledge consolidation in co-manufacturing, a knowledge integration with ontological framework is proposed in this study. First, by representing the collaborative business activities for cooperative suppliers, an architecture of knowledge integration with ontological schema is generated. The ontological model of knowledge concepts is explored in terms of the analysis of the ontological structure of knowledge. Aiming at the concept, an approach of ontology integration on the basis of ontological similarity is promoted. There are two portions included in this approach, mapping and combination, which are implemented through the analysis of similarity in two ontologies namely universal and regional. To integrate the two ontologies, the relations and restrictions among fields are definitely depicted by the Semantic Web Rule Language. Eventually, the presented framework is illustrated through a case study, and the outcomes satisfy the needs of knowledge combination to assure that the effectiveness of the presented method is confirmed.
Construction and approximation for a class of feedforward neural networks with sigmoidal function
Authors: Meng Xinhong , Yan Jinyao , Ye Hailiang , Cao Feilong
Published: May 2023

As we know, feedforward neural networks (FNNs) with sigmoidal activation function are universal approximators. Theoretically, for any continuous function defined on a compact set, there exists an FNN such that the FNN can approximate the function with arbitrary accuracy, which constitutes a theoretical guarantee that FNN can be used as an efficient learning machine. This paper addresses the construction and approximation for FNNs. We construct an FNN with sigmoidal activation function and estimate its approximation error. In particular, an inverse theorem of the approximation is established, which implies the equivalence characterization theorem of the approximation and reveals the relationship between the topological structure of the FNN and its approximation ability. As keys in this study, the concepts of modulus of continuity of function, K-functional, and their relationship are utilized, and two Bernstein-type inequalities are established.
Integrating temporal and spatial variabilities for identifying ion binding proteins in phage
Authors: Zou Hongliang , Yu Zizheng , Yin Zhijian
Published: May 2023

Recent studies reported that ion binding proteins (IBPs) in phage play a key role in developing drugs to treat diseases caused by drug-resistant bacteria. Therefore, correct recognition of IBPs is an urgent task, which is beneficial for understanding their biological functions. To explore this issue, a new computational model was developed to identify IBPs in this study. First, we used the physicochemical (PC) property and Pearson’s correlation coefficient (PCC) to denote protein sequences, and the temporal and spatial variabilities were employed to extract features. Next, a similarity network fusion algorithm was employed to capture the correlation characteristics between these two different kinds of features. Then, a feature selection method called F-score was utilized to remove the influence of redundant and irrelative information. Finally, these reserved features were fed into support vector machine (SVM) to discriminate IBPs from non-IBPs. Experimental results showed that the proposed method has significant improvement in the classification performance, as compared with the state-of-the-art approach. The Matlab codes and dataset used in this study are available at https://figshare.com/articles/online_resource/iIBP-TSV/21779567 for academic use.
A Tenth-Order Sixth-Derivative Block Method for Directly Solving Fifth-Order Initial Value Problems
Authors: Ramos Higinio , Momoh Adelegan Lukuman
Published: May 2023

This work proposes a hybrid block numerical method of tenth order for the direct solution of fifth-order initial value problems. The formulas that constitute the block method are derived from a continuous approximation obtained through interpolation and collocation techniques. In order to obtain better accuracy, sixth-order derivatives are incorporated to develop the formulas. The main characteristics of the method are analyzed, namely, the order, local truncation errors, zero-stability, consistency and convergence. The proposed strategy performs well, as shown by some numerical examples and the corresponding efficiency curves. Compared to existing numerical methods in the literature, the proposed method is competitive and the numerical approximations it provides are significantly close to the precise solutions.
Stable Computational Techniques for the Advection–Dispersion Variable Order Model
Authors: Yadav Poonam , Singh Aman , Singh Vineet Kumar
Published: May 2023

In this paper, a novel approximation to the Caputo time fractional derivative of variable order (VO) [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text]) is established. Since time fractional derivatives are integral, with a weakly singular kernel the discretization on the uniform mesh may not lead to satisfactory accuracy. So, numerical approximation is constructed on nonuniform meshes based on Newton interpolation polynomial. As a result, the novel approximation can be viewed as the modification of the existing method [Shen, S., Liu, F., Chen, J., Turner, I. and Anh, V. [2012] “Numerical techniques for the variable order time fractional diffusion equation,” Appl. Math. Comput. 218(22), 10861–10870]. The truncation errors and some significant properties of coefficients are analyzed. Furthermore, we derived Scheme-I and Scheme-II with second-order accuracy in spatial direction to solve the mobile–immobile advection–dispersion model (MIMADM) based on the VO Caputo derivative. The designed scheme converts the considered problems into a linear system of equations. Moreover, the stability properties of Scheme-I are discussed in detail. Ultimately, the proposed scheme is examined on several text examples demonstrating the high precision and effectiveness of the scheme. Also, comparative study between the outcomes achieved by implementing the suggested scheme with other numerical scheme in the existing literature is provided and also the acquired numerical results of these applications indicate that the suggested technique performs extremely well in terms of reliability and capability.
An Introduction to Programming Physics-Informed Neural Network-Based Computational Solid Mechanics
Authors: Bai Jinshuai , Jeong Hyogu , Batuwatta-Gamage C. P. , Xiao Shusheng , Wang Qingxia , Rathnayaka C. M. , Alzubaidi Laith , Liu Gui-Rong , Gu Yuantong
Published: May 2023

Physics-informed neural network (PINN) has recently gained increasing interest in computational mechanics. This work extends the PINN to computational solid mechanics problems. Our focus will be on the investigation of various formulation and programming techniques, when governing equations of solid mechanics are implemented. Two prevailingly used physics-informed loss functions for PINN-based computational solid mechanics are implemented and examined. Numerical examples ranging from 1D to 3D solid problems are presented to show the performance of PINN-based computational solid mechanics. The programs are built via Python with TensorFlow library with step-by-step explanations and can be extended for more challenging applications. This work aims to help the researchers who are interested in the PINN-based solid mechanics solver to have a clear insight into this emerging area. The programs for all the numerical examples presented in this work are available at https://github.com/JinshuaiBai/PINN_Comp_Mech .
Electromagnetic Wave Absorption Properties of Silver-Decorated Nickel-Coated Copper with Frequency Selective Surface
Authors: Wang Qiang , Liu Yi , Zhang Sen , Su Xiaolei , Xu Jie , Lu Linlin
Published: May 2023

In this study, Ag-decorated Ni@Cu powders were prepared by electroless plating method with Ni@Cu powders as the raw material. The various characteristics of the composite powders, such as their phase composition and structure, were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The effects of different Ag content on the size distribution of the particles were also studied by a laser particle size analyzer. The network vector analyzer additionally measured the electromagnetic properties of Ag-decorated Ni@Cu powders/paraffin samples. The electromagnetic wave absorption properties of the samples with different thicknesses were studied. The results of XRD and SEM show that with the increase of Ag content, the Ag plating effect of Ni@Cu powders increases first and then decreases. The results of laser particle size analyzer show that with the increase of Ag content, the particle size and distribution of Ag-decorated Ni@Cu powders become larger and wider. Through the analysis of the microwave absorption performance of Ag-decorated Ni@Cu powders/paraffin sample, it can be concluded that in the frequency range of 8.2–12.4[Formula: see text]GHz, when the thickness is 2.6[Formula: see text]mm, the Ag-decorated Ni@Cu powders with a silver mass ratio of 25[Formula: see text]wt.% have good electromagnetic wave absorption performance. The reflection loss is less than −10 dB in the whole frequency range, and the peak value reaches −55.36 dB at 9.92[Formula: see text]GHz. In addition, the frequency selective surface coupled by circular element and square ring element improves the microwave absorption performance of the sample containing 15[Formula: see text]wt.% Ag content with 2[Formula: see text]mm thickness. The reflection loss is lower than −10 dB with the peak reflection loss of −36.73 dB at 10.98[Formula: see text]GHz in the whole frequency range. The simulation results show that the loading frequency selective surface can reduce the silver content and make it have better microwave absorption performance and low cost.
Design and Analysis of Lead-Free Tin-Halide-Based All-Inorganic Perovskite Solar Cell for High Efficiency
Authors: Kumar Hemant , Verma Piush , Raj Balwinder
Published: May 2023

This research work presents a lead-free, environment-friendly, tin-halide-based perovskite solar cell (PSC). In our research, we employed Cs2SnI6 as an absorber layer, which is coupled with several different inorganic electron transport layers (ETLs) and hole transport layers (HTLs) for experimental purposes. These various permutations of the device structure are simulated and optimized in the SCAPS-1D simulator to achieve the highest possible efficiency. In our work, we suggested the architecture of ZnO/Cs2SnI6/Cu2O which is the most suitable for effective and long-lasting PSCs with exceptional device performance. In addition, we investigated and evaluated the impact of several parameters like HTLs, ETLs, absorber thicknesses, defect densities, operating temperature and series resistance over device performance. The proposed configuration displayed excellent power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 30.11% with 1.49[Formula: see text]V, 27.25 mA/cm2 and 73.66% of open-circuit voltage ([Formula: see text], short-circuit current ([Formula: see text] and fill factor (FF), respectively, and is pertinent for lead-less, tin-halide-based PSCs in the future.
Differential transformation method for free vibration analysis of an axially loaded overhung rotor
Authors: Bensabri Omar , Hamza-Cherif S. M. , Mankour Abdeljelil
Published: May 2023

The aim of this work is to analyze the dynamic behavior of axially loaded Timoshenko flexible shafts with cantilevered overhung disk based on the differential transformation analysis. The equations of motion are derived using Hamilton’s principle. The set of the latter consists of four coupled partial differential equations, which can be reduced to a set of two coupled equations by using a complex transformation to further improve the computational effort. An efficient mathematical recursive technique called the differential transformation method (DTM) is then used to solve the differential equations of motion. The natural frequencies of the shaft are obtained, the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic parameters on the natural frequencies is investigated, and the results are compared to those found in the literature. The results reflect the high accuracy and precision of the DTM. The novelty of the work is the application of the DTM to determine the frequency characteristics and the stability of an axially loaded overhung rotor’s free vibration analysis. These results show that the current analysis is accurate and offers an effective approach that is relatively simple and more direct regarding previous modal analyses.
External Supply Chain Operational Risk and Operational Performance. Mediating Role of Supply Chain Integration as DCV
Authors: Malik Tahir Mumtaz , Hassan Syed , Tufail Muhammad
Published: May 2023

The purpose of this study is to create a theoretical framework for analyzing the causal relationship between external operational risks in the supply chain, such as supply risk (SR), demand risk (DR), supply chain integration (SCI), and operational performance (OP), in the automobile industry. A quantitative research approach was adopted, in which a structured online questionnaire using google Form was utilized to collect data from the automotive industry of Pakistan. Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the model. Empirical analysis reveals that although SR and DR both have a negative impact on OP, SR has a particularly adverse effect. However, the study discovered that SCI has a partial mediation effect on the relationship between SR and OP, and DR and OP. Accordingly, this study is unusual in its conclusion that DR as compared to SR, has no significant impact on OP in emerging economies, like Pakistan, and also is not a significant factor that limits SCI. This study is novel in the way that it analyzes the mediating role of SCI to evaluate the relationship between external supply chain operational risks and OP in the growing automotive sector of Pakistan’s economy. The study also discovered that incorporating SCI into organizations mitigates the negative impacts of SCR and helps managers to further enhance OP. As a result, the findings add to the body of increasingly complicated research that evaluates the function of SR and DR in the OP of the automotive sectors. Additionally, the scale and the models can be used to evaluate how companies in the automobile industry respond to external supply chain operational risk with SCI to attain OP.
Anti-Tuberculous Drug Copper Pyrazinamide: Synthesis, Characterization, Theoretical DFT, Bioactivity and Toxicity Studies in the Liver
Authors: Olawale Margaret D. , Ola-Mudathir Fausat K. , Akintemi Eric O. , Obaleye Joshua A.
Published: May 2023

Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes tuberculosis, an infectious disease. Pyrazinamide is a tuberculosis treatment. Metal–ligand–drug complexation can be used to improve the therapeutic efficacy of drugs. Copper pyrazinamide (CuPZA), a newly synthesized drug, is being considered for tuberculosis treatment. CuPZA was synthesized by soft synthetically reacting Cu (II) metal with pyrazinamide. The metal-drug complexes were characterized using elemental analysis, melting point determination, TGA analysis, FT-IR spectrometer, hot-stage microscopic study and X-ray crystallography. Copper (II) coordination with pyrazinamide was clearly demonstrated by the results of the characterization. For molecular modeling of the CuPZA novel compound, the density functional theory (DFT) method with B3LYP functional and 6-31G(d,[Formula: see text] basis set was used. Chemical reactivity parameters such as the energy gap, global hardness and softness and the electrophilicity index demonstrate that the complex is chemically reactive in aqueous medium. Pharmacokinetic parameters studied revealed that the complex is a promising drug material, with good oral bioavailability and higher activity than first-line tuberculosis medications. The enzymes alanine aminotransferase (AST) and aspartate aminotransferase (ALT) were used to assess liver damage, whereas malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were used to assess liver antioxidant status. ALT, AST and GSH levels were not significantly different across all test parameters, but GST activity and MDA levels were significantly higher (p 0.05) in the 20[Formula: see text]mg CuPZA group compared to the control. CuPZA’s LD50 was lower (47.962[Formula: see text]g/ml) than PZA’s (83.624[Formula: see text]g/ml). According to the findings, pyrazinamide does not cause oxidative stress and is thus safer than CuPZA. CuPZA did not reduce antioxidant levels in rats, but it did cause oxidative stress. Furthermore, oxidative stress has no effect on liver enzyme levels, which are indicators of liver damage, indicating that the animals are in the early stages of oxidative stress. Copper pyrazinamide is a promising tuberculosis inhibitor with potential activity greater than first-line tuberculosis treatments. Copper pyrazinamide, on the other hand, should be used for tuberculosis treatment for a shorter period of time than pyrazinamide.
Exhumation of high-pressure rocks: role of late faulting (Eastern Ossa–Morena Complex, Iberian Massif)
Authors: Díez Fernández Rubén , Novo-Fernández Irene , Moreno-Martín Diana , Arenas Ricardo , Rojo-Pérez Esther , Martín Parra Luis Miguel , Matas Jerónimo
Published: May 2023

Exhumation of high-pressure (P) rocks may require a long path and multiple deformation phases. During this journey, late faults and folds can introduce changes to the primary tectonic stacking and lead to misleading conclusions regarding subduction polarity and plate reconstructions. This hypothesis has been tested positively via mapping and structural analysis in the eastern section of the Central Unit (Eastern Ossa–Morena Complex, Iberian Massif), which comprises Devonian high-P rocks subducted during the Variscan Orogeny. Following subduction beneath Gondwana, exhumation was assisted by in-sequence underthrusting of the continental crust, along with thinning of the overlying and formerly accreted crust. Convergence persisted and was accommodated by Gondwana-directed, out-of-sequence thrusts. Subsequent extension favoured erosion and basin inception during the Early Carboniferous, whereas further convergence produced late folding and faulting during Late Carboniferous sinistral transpression. Late faults duplicated the Devonian suture zone several times, producing a series of closely-spaced exposures of a single suture. The manner in which late faults affected the Devonian suture produced an outcome that could be mistaken for a collection of individual suture zones. Late faults may distort the primary relationships between upper and lower plates; however, they provide a geometry-based approach for restoring the primary geometry of suture zones.
Cadomia origins: paired Ediacaran ophiolites from the Iberian Massif, the opening and closure record of peri-Gondwanan basins
Authors: Arenas Ricardo , Vérard Christian , Albert Richard , Rojo-Pérez Esther , Sánchez Martínez Sonia , Novo-Fernández Irene , Moreno-Martín Diana , Gerdes Axel , Garcia-Casco Antonio , Díez Fernández Rubén
Published: May 2023

The recent discovery of Ediacaran ophiolites in the SW Iberian Massif has made it possible to pinpoint the evolution of the Cadomian basement of Europe. The Calzadilla and Mérida ophiolites (gabbroic protoliths dated at
c.
600 and 594 Ma, respectively) have geochemical characteristics typical of supra-subduction zone ophiolites. They are interpreted as originating during the initial opening of a forearc basin with boninitic magmatism (Calzadilla), followed by the formation of a back-arc basin with arc-tholeiites (Mérida). Widening of the back-arc led to the rifting and drifting of a section of the active continental margin (Cadomia). Closure of these oceanic domains initiated rapid contraction, culminating in the collision of Cadomia with Gondwana (
c.
590–540 Ma). The application of a PANALESIS model to this palaeogeographic setting confirms the plausibility of Cadomian rifting and the likely opening of broad oceanic domains. It also confirms the final collision of Cadomia with Gondwana, although the synthetic and regional data disagree in the precise chronology of the convergence and collision of Cadomia with the West Africa Craton. This work shows that the evolution of the Cadomian basement is much more complex than traditionally considered.
High Expression of Ten Eleven Translocation 1 Is Associated with Poor Prognosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Wen Haopeng , Ji Tengfei , Lin Liteng , Cheng Nan , Zhu Kangshun , Cao Liangqi
Published: May 2023

Background. DNA methylation patterns have been found to be distinct between tumor and normal patients. However, the effect of DNA demethylation enzymes, ten eleven translocation (TET) proteins, has not been comprehensively characterized in liver cancer. In this research, we sought to unravel the linkage of TET proteins with prognosis, immune characteristics and biological pathways in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods. Four independent datasets with gene expression data and clinical data of HCC samples were downloaded from public databases. CIBERSORT, single sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA), MCP-counter, and TIMER were implemented to evaluate immune cell infiltration. limma was employed to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two groups. The demethylation-related risk model was established by using univariate Cox regression analysis, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and stepwise Akaike information criterion (stepAIC). Results. TET1 was significantly higher expressed in tumor samples than that in normal samples. HCC patients with advanced stages (III+IV) and grades (G3+G4) had higher TET1 expression compared to early stages (I+II) and grades (G1+G2). HCC samples with high TET1 expression had worse prognosis than that with low expression. High and low TET1 expression groups had distinct immune cell infiltration and response to immunotherapy and chemotherapy. We identified 90 DEGs related to DNA demethylation in high vs. low TET1 expression groups. Furthermore, we established a risk model based on 90 DEGs containing seven key prognostic genes (SERPINH1, CDC20, HACD2, SPHK1, UGT2B15, SLC1A5, and CYP2C9) with effectiveness and robustness in predicting HCC prognosis. Conclusions. Our study suggested TET1 as a potential indicator in HCC progression. TET1 was closely involved in immune infiltration and activation of oncogenic pathways. The DNA demethylation-related risk model was potential to be applied for predicting HCC prognosis in clinics.
Profiling the Somatic Mutational Landscape of Breast Tumors from Hispanic/Latina Women Reveals Conserved and Unique Characteristics
Authors: Ding Yuan Chun , Song Hanbing , Adamson Aaron W. , Schmolze Daniel , Hu Donglei , Huntsman Scott , Steele Linda , Patrick Carmina S. , Tao Shu , Hernandez Natalie , Adams Charleen D. , Fejerman Laura , Gardner Kevin , Nápoles Anna María , Pérez-Stable Eliseo J. , Weitzel Jeffrey N. , Bengtsson Henrik , Huang Franklin W. , Neuhausen Susan L. , Ziv Elad
Published: May 2023

Somatic mutational profiling is increasingly being used to identify potential targets for breast cancer. However, limited tumor-sequencing data from Hispanic/Latinas (H/L) are available to guide treatment. To address this gap, we performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) and RNA sequencing on 146 tumors and WES of matched germline DNA from 140 H/L women in California. Tumor intrinsic subtype, somatic mutations, copy-number alterations, and expression profiles of the tumors were characterized and compared with data from tumors of non-Hispanic White (White) women in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Eight genes were significantly mutated in the H/L tumors including PIK3CA, TP53, GATA3, MAP3K1, CDH1, CBFB, PTEN, and RUNX1; the prevalence of mutations in these genes was similar to that observed in White women in TCGA. Four previously reported Catalogue of Somatic Mutations in Cancer (COSMIC) mutation signatures (1, 2, 3, 13) were found in the H/L dataset, along with signature 16 that has not been previously reported in other breast cancer datasets. Recurrent amplifications were observed in breast cancer drivers including MYC, FGFR1, CCND1, and ERBB2, as well as a recurrent amplification in 17q11.2 associated with high KIAA0100 gene expression that has been implicated in breast cancer aggressiveness. In conclusion, this study identified a higher prevalence of COSMIC signature 16 and a recurrent copy-number amplification affecting expression of KIAA0100 in breast tumors from H/L compared with White women. These results highlight the necessity of studying underrepresented populations.

Significance:

Comprehensive characterization of genomic and transcriptomic alterations in breast tumors from Hispanic/Latina patients reveals distinct genetic alterations and signatures, demonstrating the importance of inclusive studies to ensure equitable care for patients.

See related commentary by Schmit et al., p. 2443
The Australambrysus plax (La Rivers, 1967) species complex (Heteroptera: Naucoridae), with descriptions of three new species
Authors: SITES ROBERT W.
Published: May 2023

The taxonomy of the neotropical saucer bug genus Australambrysus Reynoso & Sites, 2021 is poorly understood. Although 24 species have been described, the genus is in need of revision and many new species await description. A clade of species of Australambrysus exhibits a similar appression of the propleura to the prosternum as do species of the North American Ambrysus Stål, 1862 subgenus Syncollus La Rivers, 1965. Three new species in this clade are described here: Australambrysus aguaro n.sp., A. alvarado n.sp., and A. clavieri n.sp. In addition, Australambrysus planus plax (La Rivers, 1967) is elevated to species level, and thus becomes A. plax n.stat.
New species of Neanuridae (Collembola) living on the endemic tree Zelkova abelicea in Crete
Authors: SMOLIS ADRIAN , SKARŻYŃSKI DARIUSZ , GWIAZDOWICZ DARIUSZ J.
Published: May 2023

Six new species from Crete belonging to the family Neanuridae are described and illustrated in detail. Friesea schulzi sp. nov. is characterized by having white body, 3 + 3 ocelli, 4 anal spines and furca and retinaculum absent (stage 5). Friesea cretensis sp. nov. can be easily identified by 5 + 5 ocelli, 4 anal spines and 6 microchaetae in furcal field. Characteristic and recognizable character of Pseudachorutella ellisi sp. nov. is very long buccal cone. Deutonura schulzi sp. nov. differs from other taxa in the genus in the presence of internal tooth on claw. Endonura zelkovae sp. nov. is especially distinctive due to the presence 3+s and 4+s chaetae De on Th. II and III. The main characteristics of Cryptonura ellisi sp. nov. include a massive mandibles and high number of mandibular teeth.
Thermal, Structural, and Mechanical Properties of Strands of Blends of Liquid-Crystalline Copolyester and Copolyesteramide with Poly(ethylene terephthalate)
Authors: Kyotani Mutsumasa , Kaito Akira , Nakayama Kazuo
Published: May 2023

Rheological, thermal, structural, and mechanical properties of strands of two kinds of blends containing a liquid-crystalline copolyester (LCP-A) and a liquid-crystalline copolyesteramide (LCP-B) with poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), respectively, were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry, x-ray diffraction measurements, scanning electron microscopy, and tensile testing. The apparent melt viscosity of LCP-A/PET blends was slightly smaller than that of LCP-B/PET blends. Thermal behaviour of the two LCP/PET blends showed that both LCP-A and LCP-B are incompatible with PET. The cold crystallization temperature and the phase transition heat of the PET component became a little lower with increasing a draw ratio of the strands only for LCP-A/PET blends. The LCP-A component formed oriented fibrils more easily in the strands of blends below 50% LCP-A content even at low draw ratios, while the LCP-B one tended to form many spherical or elliptical structures. As a result, the strands of LCP-A/PET blends had better tensile properties than those of LCP-B/PET ones in this work.
Shrinkage Control in Fibre Reinforced Polymers I: Toughness Improvements Expected
Authors: Piggott M.R.
Published: May 2023

The fracture toughness of polymer composites made with glass and carbon fibres is not very great; they tend to split and delaminate easily and can also break easily across the fibres. While delamination resistance can be markedly improved by using tough polymers, this is not the case with across-the-grain toughness. Instead, the polymer shrinkage stress needs to be reduced. In this paper an earlier theory on the effect of the polymer shrinkage stress on toughness is developed further to eliminate some approximations and to take account of the fibre debonding process. It is shown that debonding can be a factor which limits the toughness achievable. Thus, although very large increases in toughness are possible if the shrinkage stress is reduced to an optimum value, the actual toughness that can be achieved is determined by the fibre-matrix bond strength. Consequently a well bonded composite can only be toughened to a limited extent: further improvements are dependent on weakening the bond, with consequent loss in shear strength. Nevertheless, there is a window of opportunity for toughness improvement if the shrinkage pressure can be controlled by chemical or other means.
Image Analysis Method for Estimating 2-D Fibre Orientation and Fibre Length in Discontinuous Fibre Reinforced Composites
Authors: Pourdeyhimi B. , Ramanathan R.
Published: May 2023

In discontinuous fibre reinforced composites (DFRC), the fibre length and orientation influence greatly the ultimate physical and mechanical properties of the material.

A number of attempts dealing with methods for measuring fibre orientation are reported in the literature. These methods however, are unable to characterize fibre length. Fibre length may be affected by the type of processing involved.

This study reports on the use of image analysis techniques for determining both fibre orientation and length. To verify the accuracy of the methods used, simulated images with known characteristics are used.
Elastic Behaviour and Damage of Three-Dimensional Woven Fabric Composites
Authors: Kuo Wen-Shyong
Published: May 2023

The goal of this research was to investigate the elastic properties and damage behaviour of three-dimensional woven fabric composites. Transformed stiffness and compliance matrices have been obtained in closed-form expressions for orthotropic materials. We introduced three orthotropic constants which enable the transformation to be greatly simplified. A deformation model has been established based on the force equilibrium of a slice of a fabric. Two three-dimensional woven fabrics with different weaving structures and yarn cross-sections were examined. Experiments have been conducted for the three-axis fabrics. Comparisons have been made between experimental and analytical results. The damage mechanisms due to tensile and flexural loads have been observed. In both loading cases, defects around the through-the-thickness yarns have been found to be critical in crack initiation. Being the crack initiators, these defects can be detrimental to the in-plane properties.
A Review of Liquid Injection Techniques for the Manufacture of Aerospace Composite Structures
Authors: Abraham D. , McIlhagger R.
Published: May 2023

This paper reviews the current state of liquid injection moulding technology for the manufacture of aerospace composite components. The requirements of the process are based on the material specifications, which stipulate low void contents below 1%, high volume fractions of fibre and an optimised cure cycle. The liquid injection process must also be economically competitive with current aerospace composite production techniques. Most liquid injection techniques have been developed with consideration for automobile requirements which mainly use glass fibre preforms at relatively low fibre volume fractions when compared with aerospace requirements. High production rates for automobile components are also necessary, which in most cases leads to high void contents. Polyester resins are also commonly used whereas aerospace demands the physical properties of epoxy resins. This review discusses reported investigations and possible process variations which have the potential to deliver economically competitive, high performance and high quality composite material when compared with current aerospace processing.
The Impact of Storytelling Advertising on Consumer Advertising Experiences and Brand Equity
Authors: Teraiya Vibhu , Namboodiri Sooraj , Jayswal Rachita
Published: May 2023

Video ads that tell stories have become a popular method of connecting with viewers and making them feel emotionally invested in a product or a service. Long-form videos, as opposed to shorter types of advertising like TV spots and print advertising, can persuade viewers with a sincere and compelling brand story, creating favourable brand associations. We empirically investigated the impacts of narrative transportation caused through audio-visual storytelling advertising on consumers’ affective, sensory, cognitive, behavioural experiences and brand equity states using structural equation modelling in SPSS Amos 25.0. Our research supports the relationship between ad-elicited narrative transportation and various brand effects. We also evaluated the moderating effect of previous negative online purchase experiences (POPE) on all forms of advertising experience. The impact of high-quality competing advertising on the impressions formed by consumers who have had negative prior experiences and the strategies employed by brands to use negative experiences build positive equity for their brands. Discussions and implications are discussed.
Spatial patterns and spatially-varying factors associated with childhood acute respiratory infection: data from Ethiopian demographic and health surveys (2005, 2011, and 2016)
Authors: Tesfaye Solomon Hailemariam , Seboka Binyam Tariku , Sisay Daniel
Published: May 2023

Background

In Ethiopia, acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children under five years. Geographically linked data analysis using nationally representative data is crucial to map spatial patterns of ARIs and identify spatially-varying factors of ARI. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate spatial patterns and spatially-varying factors of ARI in Ethiopia.

Methods

Secondary data from the Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey (EDHS) of 2005, 2011, and 2016 were used. Kuldorff’s spatial scan statistic using the Bernoulli model was used to identify spatial clusters with high or low ARI. Hot spot analysis was conducted usingGetis-OrdGistatistics. Eigenvector spatial filtering regression model was carried out to identify spatial predictors of ARI.

Results

Acute respiratory infection spatially clustered in 2011 and 2016 surveys year (Moran’sI:-0.011621–0.334486). The magnitude of ARI decreased from 12.6% (95%, CI: 0.113–0.138) in 2005 to 6.6% (95% CI: 0.055–0.077) in 2016. Across the three surveys, clusters with a high prevalence of ARI were observed in the North part of Ethiopia. The spatial regression analysis revealed that the spatial patterns of ARI was significantly associated with using biomass fuel for cooking and children not initiating breastfeeding within 1-hour of birth. This correlation is strong in the Northern and some areas in the Western part of the country.

Conclusion

Overall there has been a considerable decrease in ARI, but this decline in ARI varied in some regions and districts between surveys. Biomass fuel and early initiation of breastfeeding were independent predictors of ARI. There is a need to prioritize children living in regions and districts with high ARI.