bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of putative orthologs of clinically relevant antimicrobial peptides in the equine ocular surface and amniotic membrane
Authors: Hisey Erin A. , Martins Bianca C. , Donnelly Callum G. , Cassano Jennifer M. , Katzman Scott A. , Murphy Christopher J. , Thomasy Sara M. , Leonard Brian C.
Published: December 2022

Objectives

This study aimed to define the antimicrobial peptide (AMP) expression pattern of the equine ocular surface and amniotic membrane using a targeted qPCR approach and 3'Tag‐sequencing. It will serve as a reference for future studies of ocular surface innate immunity and amniotic membrane therapies.

Procedures

A targeted qPCR approach was used to investigate the presence of orthologs for three of the most highly expressed beta‐defensins (DEFB1,DEFB4B, andDEFB103A) of the human ocular surface and amniotic membrane in equine corneal epithelium, conjunctiva, and amniotic membrane. 3'Tag‐sequencing was performed on RNA from one sample of corneal epithelium, conjunctiva, and amniotic membrane to further characterize their AMP expression.

Results

Equine corneal epithelium, conjunctiva, and amniotic membrane expressedDEFB1,DEFB4B,andDEFB103A.DEFB103Awas expressed at the highest amounts in corneal epithelium, whileDEFB4Bwas most highly expressed in conjunctiva and amniotic membrane. 3'Tag‐sequencing from all three tissues confirmed these findings and identified expression of five additional beta‐defensins, 11 alpha‐defensins and two cathelicidins, with the alpha‐defensins showing higher normalized read counts than the beta‐defensins.

Conclusions

This study identified AMP expression in the equine cornea and conjunctiva, suggesting that they play a key role in the protection of the equine eye, similar to the human ocular surface. We also determined that equine amniotic membrane expresses a substantial number of AMPs suggesting it could potentiate an antimicrobial effect as a corneal graft material. Future studies will focus on defining the antimicrobial activity of these AMPs and determining their role in microbial keratitis.
Assessing the risk of bias of quantitative analytical studies: introducing the vision for critical appraisal within JBI systematic reviews
Authors: Munn Zachary , Stone Jennifer , Aromataris Edoardo , Klugar Miloslav , Sears Kim , Leonardi-Bee Jo , Barker Timothy Hugh
Published: December 2022

A key step in the systematic review process is the assessment of the methodological quality (or risk of bias) of the included studies. At JBI, we have developed several tools to assist with this evaluation. As evidence synthesis methods continue to evolve, it has been necessary to revise and reflect on JBI’s current approach to critical appraisal and to plan a strategy for the future. In this first paper of a series focusing on risk of bias assessment, we introduce our vision for risk of bias assessment for JBI. In future papers in this series, the methodological approach taken for this revision process will be discussed, along with the revised tools and guidance for using these tools.
Multi-Physics Models of a Low-Voltage Power Semiconductor System-in-Package for Automotive Applications
Authors: Mauromicale Giuseppe , Calabretta Michele , Scarcella Giuseppe , Scelba Giacomo , Sitta Alessandro
Published: December 2022

Power converters and semiconductor devices are spreading their application fields, due to new renewable energy and automotive frameworks. In the electrified vehicles context, the even more stringent requirements, both in terms of performances and reliability, pose new challenges in the design phase of power switches. This paper analyzes, by means of finite-element simulations, a low-voltage power semiconductor system-in-package devoted to automotive applications, which integrates a MOSFET-based half bridge and a controller. Three simulation physical domains integrated in a unique flow are considered: thermo-mechanical, electromagnetic, and thermal numerical models. The aim is to develop a new comprehensive methodology which starts with a thermo-structural simulation of the package, then computes the on-state resistance and parasitic components to assess the electrical behavior of the package. Finally, a simulation check is made to verify if the power device performances are thermally consistent with applicative conditions.
On the Unsteady Rotationally Symmetric Flow Between a Stationary and a Finite Rotating Disk With a Given Change in the Axial Velocity
Authors: Zhao Bo , Tang Wansong , Lin Pengzhi , Wang Quan
Published: December 2022

We consider the scenario of an unsteady viscous flow between two coaxial finite disks, one stationary and the other rotating with an axial velocity changing impulsively from zero to a constant value. The three-dimensional (3D) incompressible Navier–Stokes equations are analytically solved by postulating the polynomial profiles for the axial and circumferential velocity components and by employing the open-end condition of zero pressure difference and an integral approach. It is shown that the time-dependent squeezing of the fluid between the disks and the edge effects of the finite open-ended disks in the flow domain are determined by the compressing Reynolds number and the rotating Reynolds number for the case of laminar flow at low Reynolds numbers and small aspect ratios. The general explicit formulae are derived for the velocity and pressure distributions as a function of the compressing and rotating Reynolds numbers in this unsteady flow process (and the steady-state solutions are then obtainable as the compressing Reynolds number vanishes). A simple theoretical relationship between the radial and axial pressure gradients is deduced to hinge the radial and circumferential velocity components together. The values of the compression and rotation Reynolds numbers suitable to this theory are also suggested for the problem of rotating disk flows at low Reynolds numbers. The validity of the theoretical predictions for the circumferential, radial, and axial velocity components is partially verified through comparison with previous steady experimental and numerical results. These analytical results have the immediate engineering applications of fluid flows with varying gap widths, including wet brakes, wet clutches, hydrostatic bearings, face seals, and rotating heat exchangers.
Multi-Objective Optimization of Economy, Safety and Emissions for the Startup Scheduling of a Steam Turbine
Authors: Chen Jianhong , Hu Ziwei , Li Wei , Mao Zhiwei , Wu Wenjian , Gu Zhenghao
Published: December 2022

With the rapid development of renewable energy, traditional power generation such as combined cycle unit needs to startup or change load quickly to balance the variability brought by renewable resources. In the combined cycle unit, the startup of steam turbine has a great influence on the whole set, and it is necessary to ensure safety, shorten the startup time, and reduce pollutant emissions. These optimization objectives are inter-related and have complex contradiction, which is the difficulty for multi-objective optimization. Costs function consisting of startup costs, fatigue life damage costs, pollutant emissions costs, and revenue gained from electricity is proposed to balance the contradiction more objectively. Finite exhaustive method (FEM) combining thermal-structural finite element calculation and multi-objective optimization is proposed for multi-objective startup process optimization, and its results are compared with those of minimum startup time and minimum fatigue life damage optimization. It can automatically search for a unique global optimal solution for engineering practice, rather than solution sets obtained by Pareto Optimality, which is beneficial for application in different combined cycle steam turbines and startup process. Multi-objective optimization scheduling shortens startup time from 105 to 93 min, reduces maximum stress from 493 MPa to 440 MPa, and reduces costs function by 66.6%. The comparison with the multi-objective optimization results of the response surface method (RSM) proves the reliability and validity of this method. The practical inspection results prove that the optimal scheduling is safe and effective.
Anisotropic Plastic Constitutive Properties of SAC305 Single Crystal Solder Joints
Authors: Deshpande Abhishek , Jiang Qian , Dasgupta Abhijit
Published: December 2022

Micro-scale Sn-Ag-Cu (SAC) solder interconnects have oligocrystalline grain structure with one to few grains in each solder joint. As well documented in the literature, SAC solder joint consisting of 96.5% β-Sn is highly anisotropic due to the inherently anisotropic mechanical behavior of β-Sn. Therefore, each joint exhibits a unique mechanical response. However, due to the complexities in the quantification of microstructure and finite element (FE) modeling methodology, engineers typically model solder joints as homogenous isotropic structures with directionally averaged mechanical properties. These approximations cause inaccurate prediction of strain levels in the solder and in turn leads to uncertainties in lifetime predictions. A key challenge in grain-scale anisotropic modeling of solder joints, is the lack of widely accepted anisotropic inelastic mechanical properties of solder grains in the literature.

The goal of this paper is to determine rate-independent plastic constitutive behavior of Anisotropic SAC305 single grains. Monotonic tensile and shear tests are conducted at room temperature on a set of single-grain SAC305 solder joints. The grain structure for each test specimen is characterized with EBSD and finite element modeling is used to iteratively extract model constants for Hill-Holloman continuum plasticity model, which utilizes Hill’s anisotropic yield criterion along with a Holloman Power-Law plasticity model to represent each grain. Plastic deformation in the grain boundaries is ignored.
Dual Converging Jets for Enhanced Liquid Impingement Cooling
Authors: Whitt Reece , Estrella Rafael , Huitink David
Published: December 2022

Jet impingement cooling is an advanced thermal management technique for high heat flux applications. Standard configurations include single, axisymmetric jets with orifice, slot, or pipe nozzles. This choice in nozzle shape, number of jets and jet inclination greatly influences the turbulence generated caused by fluid entrainment due to differences in initial velocity profiles and location of secondary stagnation points. Regarding high power electronics with integrated jet impingement schemes, turbulence and heat transfer rates must be optimized to meet the extreme cooling requirements. In this study, the heat transfer rates of dual inclined converging jets are investigated experimentally. Emphasis is placed on the comparison of different jet schemes with respect to geometrical parameters including nozzle pitch, incline angle, and nozzle-to-targe plate spacing. A parametric experimental investigation is performed as a point of comparison using a modular, additively manufactured jet setup. Thermal energy is applied to an aluminum base plate using a 200 W resistive heater to emulate a hot spot generated in high-power electronics. It is observed that the introduction of inclined and parallel jets can have the simultaneous effect of increasing heat transfer and creating more predictable heat transfer.
High Brightness Illumination Based on Laser Light Diffusion With Mie Scattering
Authors: Azarifar Mohammad , Cengiz Ceren , Ocaksönmez Kerem , Onal Asim , Nizamoglu Sedat , Arik Mehmet
Published: December 2022

Limited luminous flux per wafer area of light emitting diodes (LEDs) for high power solid state illumination causes some packaging real estate issues. This problem can be tackled with laser diodes (LDs). At high current densities, LDs offer higher efficiency, however with very low etendue and divergent angle. This significantly increases the complexity of color conversion for white light generation. Concentrated light can carbonize the color conversion unit and have high speckle contrast. These problems can be addressed by efficient diffusion of the laser beam and this paper is aimed to introduce the first laser diffusion system based on TiO2 Mie particles. Based on a series of ray tracing simulations, an idealized cost-effective system is modeled and results showed an almost lossless diffusion with a guiding system based on reflection resulting in an almost uniform irradiance level with only 17% power loss. Furthermore, offered design can reduce the challenges for the compact packaging of white LDs by eliminating the heat sink for color conversion coating and enabling a safe light intensity for utilizing quantum dots for color engineering.
Experimental Investigation of R134a Flow Boiling in Copper Foam Evaporators for High Heat Flux Electronics Cooling
Authors: Kisitu Deogratius , Caceres Carol , Zlatinov Metodi , Schaffarzick Denver , Ortega Alfonso
Published: December 2022

Stochastic cellular structured materials have been previously studied as enhanced surfaces for heat sinks used in cooling of modern electronics. Open-cell metallic foam has been shown to be an effective medium for gas-cooled and liquid-cooled heat sinks. Numerous studies exist for metal-foam cold plates using single phase water but there are few studies pertinent to two-phase evaporators. Because of the latent heat of vaporization and higher heat transfer coefficients, flow boiling is more efficient for cooling of high heat fluxes, as compared to single-phase flow. This paper presents an experimental study on the thermohydraulic performance of compressed and uncompressed copper foam evaporators using R134a refrigerant. The foam samples had the same starting pore size of 40 PPI and porosities of 0.62–0.91, with a heated footprint area of 25.4 × 25.4 mm and a height of 2.5 mm. Experiments were conducted for heat flux ranging from 7 to 174 W/cm2, with mass flux varying from 150 to 375 kg/m2s at fixed inlet saturation temperatures of 31 to 33 °C. Compressing the foam by up to 4X resulted in proportionally smaller effective hydraulic diameter, higher surface area per unit volume, higher metal volume fraction, and higher bulk thermal conductivity. The compressed foam results demonstrated up to three-times lower unit thermal resistance and improved critical heat flux. The apparent heat transfer coefficient in the tested compressed 4X foam evaporator maximized at exit vapor qualities of about 70 to 75%, and the pressure drop increased linearly with exit quality.
A myocardial infarct border-zone-on-a-chip demonstrates distinct regulation of cardiac tissue function by an oxygen gradient
Authors: Rexius-Hall Megan L. , Khalil Natalie N. , Escopete Sean S. , Li Xin , Hu Jiayi , Yuan Hongyan , Parker Sarah J. , McCain Megan L.
Published: December 2022

After a myocardial infarction, the boundary between the injured, hypoxic tissue and the adjacent viable, normoxic tissue, known as the border zone, is characterized by an oxygen gradient. Yet, the impact of an oxygen gradient on cardiac tissue function is poorly understood, largely due to limitations of existing experimental models. Here, we engineered a microphysiological system to controllably expose engineered cardiac tissue to an oxygen gradient that mimics the border zone and measured the effects of the gradient on electromechanical function and the transcriptome. The gradient delayed calcium release, reuptake, and propagation; decreased diastolic and peak systolic stress; and increased expression of inflammatory cascades that are hallmarks of myocardial infarction. These changes were distinct from those observed in tissues exposed to uniform normoxia or hypoxia, demonstrating distinct regulation of cardiac tissue phenotypes by an oxygen gradient. Our border-zone-on-a-chip model advances functional and mechanistic insight into oxygen-dependent cardiac tissue pathophysiology.
Controlling chaotic itinerancy in laser dynamics for reinforcement learning
Authors: Iwami Ryugo , Mihana Takatomo , Kanno Kazutaka , Sunada Satoshi , Naruse Makoto , Uchida Atsushi
Published: December 2022

Photonic artificial intelligence has attracted considerable interest in accelerating machine learning; however, the unique optical properties have not been fully used for achieving higher-order functionalities. Chaotic itinerancy, with its spontaneous transient dynamics among multiple quasi-attractors, can be used to realize brain-like functionalities. In this study, we numerically and experimentally investigate a method for controlling the chaotic itinerancy in a multimode semiconductor laser to solve a machine learning task, namely, the multiarmed bandit problem, which is fundamental to reinforcement learning. The proposed method uses chaotic itinerant motion in mode competition dynamics controlled via optical injection. We found that the exploration mechanism is completely different from a conventional searching algorithm and is highly scalable, outperforming the conventional approaches for large-scale bandit problems. This study paves the way to use chaotic itinerancy for effectively solving complex machine learning tasks as photonic hardware accelerators.
Shifts in food webs and niche stability shaped survivorship and extinction at the end-Cretaceous
Authors: García-Girón Jorge , Chiarenza Alfio Alessandro , Alahuhta Janne , DeMar David G. , Heino Jani , Mannion Philip D. , Williamson Thomas E. , Wilson Mantilla Gregory P. , Brusatte Stephen L.
Published: December 2022

It has long been debated why groups such as non-avian dinosaurs became extinct whereas mammals and other lineages survived the Cretaceous/Paleogene mass extinction 66 million years ago. We used Markov networks, ecological niche partitioning, and Earth System models to reconstruct North American food webs and simulate ecospace occupancy before and after the extinction event. We find a shift in latest Cretaceous dinosaur faunas, as medium-sized species counterbalanced a loss of megaherbivores, but dinosaur niches were otherwise stable and static, potentially contributing to their demise. Smaller vertebrates, including mammals, followed a consistent trajectory of increasing trophic impact and relaxation of niche limits beginning in the latest Cretaceous and continuing after the mass extinction. Mammals did not simply proliferate after the extinction event; rather, their earlier ecological diversification might have helped them survive.
Diamond-based microwave quantum amplifier
Authors: Sherman Alexander , Zgadzai Oleg , Koren Boaz , Peretz Idan , Laster Eyal , Blank Aharon
Published: December 2022

Amplification of weak microwave signals with minimal added noise is of importance to science and technology. Artificial quantum systems, based on superconducting circuits, can now amplify and detect even single microwave photons. However, this requires operating at millikelvin temperatures. Natural quantum systems can also be used for low-noise microwave amplification using stimulated emission effects; however, they generate a higher noise, especially when operating above ~1 K. Here, we demonstrate the use of electron spins in diamond as a quantum microwave amplifier operating with quantum-limited internal noise, even above liquid nitrogen temperatures. We report on the amplifier’s design, gain, bandwidth, saturation power, and noise. This capability can lead the way to previously unavailable quantum science, engineering, and physics applications.
Penicillin Binding Protein 7/8 Is a Potential Drug Target in Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Russo Thomas A. , Carlino-MacDonald Ulrike , Alvarado Cassandra L. , Davies Connor J. , Barnes Oscar , Trivedi Grishma , Mathur Parijat , Hutson Alan , Adams Felise G. , Zang Maoge , Ascari Alice , Eijkelkamp Bart A.
Published: December 2022

Limited therapeutic options dictate the need for new classes of antimicrobials active against carbapenem-resistant
Acinetobacter baumannii
. Presented data confirm and extend penicillin binding protein 7/8 (PBP 7/8) as a high-value target in the CR
A. baumannii
strain HUMC1.
Cation Homeostasis: Coordinate Regulation of Polyamine and Magnesium Levels in Salmonella
Authors: Iwadate Yumi , Golubeva Yekaterina A. , Slauch James M.
Published: December 2022

Polyamines are organic cations that are important in all life forms and are essential in plants and animals. However, their physiological functions and regulation remain poorly understood.
Can we balance early exogenous surfactant therapy and non-invasive respiratory support to optimise outcomes in extremely preterm infants? A nuanced review of the current literature
Authors: Glaser Kirsten , Bamat Nicolas A , Wright Clyde J
Published: December 2022

Therapeutic advances have significantly improved the survival of premature infants. However, a high burden of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) persists. Aiming at prevention of neonatal lung injury, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and non-invasive ventilation (NIV) strategies have replaced mechanical ventilation for early respiratory support and treatment of respiratory distress syndrome. Multiple randomised controlled trials have demonstrated that broad application of CPAP/NIV decreases exposure to mechanical ventilation and reduces rates of BPD. Here, we explore why this treatment effect is not larger. We discuss that today’s neonatal intensive care unit population evolving from the premature to the extremely premature infant demands better targeted therapy, and indicate how early and accurate identification of preterm infants likely to fail CPAP/NIV could increase the treatment effect and minimise the potential harm of delaying exogenous surfactant therapy in these infants. Finally, we argue that less invasive modes of surfactant administration may represent both a pragmatic and beneficial approach in combining CPAP/NIVandearly surfactant. Beneficial treatment effects might be higher than reported in the literature when targeting this approach to preterm infants suffering from respiratory failure primarily due to surfactant deficiency. Considering ongoing limitations of current approaches and focusing both on prospects and potential harm of modified strategies, this commentary ultimately addresses the need and the challenge to prove that pushing early CPAP/NIV and strategies of early and less invasive surfactant application prevents lung injury in the long term.
Diagnosis and clinical presentation of two individuals with a rareTCF20pathogenic variant
Authors: Schneeweiss Michelle Robyn , Dale Breanne , Ejaz Resham
Published: December 2022

TCF20-associated neurodevelopmental disorder (TAND) is a rare and phenotypically variable genetic condition. Common features include intellectual disability, neurobehavioural concerns, postnatal tall stature and hypotonia.

Two unrelated early adolescent males were referred to genetics for assessment of developmental delay. The first male of Caucasian descent had a history of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), mitral valve prolapse and subtle craniofacial dysmorphisms. The second male of Somali descent had a history of intellectual disability, thick corpus callosum and ASD. Whole-exome sequencing revealed a pathogenic variant inTCF20in both individuals. Further testing revealed that the former individual’s mother was mosaic for theTCF20 pathogenic variant.

We report two individuals withTCF20pathogenic variants presenting with unique findings, including thick corpus callosum, family history of mosaicism and cardiac anomalies. These examples expand the TAND phenotype, describe associated dysmorphism in a minority group and highlight the importance of rare disease research.
Inferior vena cava agenesis: a rare cause of deep vein thrombosis
Authors: Williams Gareth John , Chowdhury Peter , Packham Stuart
Published: December 2022

The development of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is influenced by a myriad of risk factors which are seen across a wide spectrum of healthcare settings. We present a previously fit and well male in his early 40s with extensive bilateral lower limb DVT associated with total inferior vena cava (IVC) agenesis. The diagnosis was made with contrast-enhanced CT imaging of the abdomen and pelvis. With no demonstrable subhepatic IVC, the majority of the venous drainage was via large azygous veins and distended collateral vessels. Lifelong anticoagulation was advised by both haematology and vascular surgery teams. IVC agenesis represents a very rare and largely unknown clinical entity within the medical community with currently no firmly established pathogenesis, guideline for future VTE prophylaxis or standardised follow-up strategy.
Two rare cases of bullous pemphigoid associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors
Authors: Mazumder Anika , Darji Kavita , Smith Kristin , Guo Mary
Published: December 2022

Bullous pemphigoid is a rare and severe adverse reaction to immune-checkpoint inhibitors that can be life-threatening. Here, we present two cases of bullous pemphigoid secondary to nivolumab and ipilimumab+nivolumab therapy, respectively. Both cases presented months after discontinuation of immunotherapy. Our first case highlights the life-threatening nature of bullous pemphigoid due to its potential to cause laryngeal oedema. Our second case illustrates that cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein-4 inhibitors can rarely lead to bullous pemphigoid, in addition to programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) inhibitors. Both cases emphasise the importance of skin examinations and dermatological follow-up for patients during and even after discontinuation of immunotherapy.
How achievable are STRIDE-II treatment targets in real-world practice and do they predict long-term treatment outcomes?
Authors: Meade Susanna , Routledge Emma , Sharma Esha , Honap Sailish , Zeki Sebastian , Ray Shuvra , Anderson Simon H C , Sanderson Jeremy , Mawdsley Joel , Irving Peter M , Samaan Mark A
Published: December 2022

Objective

The second iteration of the Selecting Therapeutic Targets in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (STRIDE-II) initiative recommends use of the Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn’s disease (SES-CD) as a treatment target for patients with CD. We aimed to assess whether the STRIDE-II endoscopic endpoints are achievable and whether the degree of mucosal healing (MH) affects long-term outcomes.

Design/method

We performed a retrospective observational study between 2015 and 2022. Patients with CD who had baseline and follow-up SES-CD scores after biological therapy initiation were included. The primary outcome was treatment failure, defined as the need for: (1) change of biological therapy for active disease (2) corticosteroid use (3) CD-related hospitalisation or (4) surgery. We compared rates of treatment failure with the degree of MH achieved. Patients were followed up until treatment failure or study end (August 2022).

Results

50 patients were included and followed up for median 39.9 (34.6–48.6) months. Baseline characteristics: 62% male, median age 36.4 (27.8–43.9) years, disease distribution (L1: 4, L2: 11, L3: 35, perianal: 18). The proportion of patients achieving STRIDE-II end-points were: SES-CD ≤ 2–25 (50%) and >50% reduction in SES-CD—35 (70%). Failure to achieve SES-CD ≤ 2 (HR 11.62; 95% CI 3.33 to 40.56, p=0.003) or >50% improvement in SES-CD (HR 30.30; 95% CI 6.93 to 132.40, p<0.0001) predicted treatment failure.

Conclusion

Use of SES-CD is feasible in real-world clinical practice. Achieving an SES-CD ≤ 2 or a greater than 50% reduction, as set out by STRIDE-II, is associated with reduced rates of overall treatment failure including CD-related surgery.
Gene of the month: PALB2
Authors: Hamdan Omar , Nowak Klaudia M
Published: December 2022

The partner and localiser of BRCA2 (PALB2) gene, located on chromosome 16, functions as a tumour suppressor that plays a critical role in homologous recombination repair after DNA double-strand breaks. It encodes proteins involved in the BRCA2 and BRCA1, and RAD51 pathways. Heterozygous germline mutations in PALB2 have been implicated in the development of breast, pancreatic and ovarian cancers. Whereas biallelic mutations of PALB2 have been associated with Fanconi anaaemia. Currently, 604 distinct PALB2 variants have been discovered. However, only 140 variants are thought to be pathogenic and approximately 400 are variants of unknown significance. Further studies are needed before the presence of PLAB2 mutations can be implemented as a routine clinical biomarker.
Soybean (Glycine max L.) seed germination in response to waterlogging and cold climate: a review on the genetics and molecular mechanisms of resistance to the abiotic stress
Authors: Suo Rongzhen , Sandhu Kulbir , Wang Mingjiu , You Frank , Conner Robert , Cober Elroy , Hou Anfu
Published: December 2022

Soybean ( Glycine max L.) is the most important legume crop in the world and provides protein and oil for human consumption and animal feed. Cold and waterlogging or flooding are abiotic stress that are commonly encountered during soybean germination in short-season growing conditions in the Northern latitudes. Imbibition of cold water during the germination disrupts the cell membranes and increases leakage of their contents and makes seeds vulnerable to biotic stress. The cold tolerance is associated with the ability of cells to avoid or repair the damage to their membranes and organelles, restoring membrane function and metabolism, and managing the reactive oxygen species generated during the process. Excess moisture impedes aerobic respiration by oxygen deprivation and increases the likelihood of soil-borne diseases further reducing the germination rate. Tolerance to waterlogging is associated with mechanisms that slow down the rate of water uptake and help maintain efficient anaerobic metabolism. The quantitative trait loci mapping, transcriptomics, and proteomic studies have revealed several genes and pathways that likely play a role in seed response to cold and waterlogging stress. This review discusses the effects of cold and waterlogging on soybean seed germination at the physiological level, describes the molecular mechanisms involved, and provides an overview of soybean waterlogging and cold tolerance research. The methodologies commonly used to study the molecular mechanisms controlling tolerance to waterlogging and cold stress are also reviewed and discussed.
Design, construction and commissioning of a high-flow radon removal system for XENONnT
Authors: Murra M. , Schulte D. , Huhmann C. , Weinheimer C.
Published: December 2022

A high-flow radon removal system based on cryogenic distillation was developed and constructed to reduce radon-induced backgrounds in liquid xenon detectors for rare event searches such as XENONnT. A continuous purification of the XENONnT liquid xenon inventory of 8.4 tonnes at process flows up to 71 kg/h (200 slpm) is required to achieve a radon reduction by a factor larger than two for radon sources inside the detector. To reach such high flows, the distillation column’s design features liquid xenon inlet and outlets along with novel custom-made bath-type heat exchangers with high liquefaction capabilities. The distillation process was designed using a modification of the McCabe–Thiele approach without a bottom product extraction. The thermodynamic concept is based on a Clausius–Rankine cooling cycle with phase-changing medium, in this case the xenon itself. To drastically reduce the external cooling power requirements, an energy efficient heat pump concept was developed applying a custom-made four cylinder magnetically-coupled piston pump as compressor. The distillation system was operated at thermodynamically stable conditions at a process flow of $$({91\pm 2})\,\mathrm{kg/h}$$

(

91
±
2

)

kg
/
h

(($$258\pm 6$$

258
±
6

) slpm), 30% over design. With this flow, a "Image missing" activity concentration $$<1\,\upmu $$

<
1

μ

Bq/kg is expected inside the XENONnT detector given the measured radon source distribution.
Thick branes in Born–Infeld determinantal gravity in Weitzenböck spacetime
Authors: Yang Ke , Yu Hao , Zhong Yi
Published: December 2022

By adopting the idea of Born–Infeld electromagnetism, the Born–Infeld determinantal gravity in Weitzenböck spacetime provides a way to smooth the Big Bang singularity at the classical level. We consider a thick braneworld scenario in the higher-dimensional extension of this gravity, and investigate the torsion effects on the brane structure and gravitational perturbation. For three particular parameter choices, analytic domain wall solutions are obtained. They have a similar brane configuration that the brane thickness becomes thinner as the spacetime torsion gets stronger. For each model, the massless graviton is localized on the brane with the width of localization decreasing with the enhancement of the spacetime torsion, while the massive gravitons propagate in the bulk and contribute a correction term proportional to $${1}/{(k r)^{3}}$$

1
/

(
k
r
)

3

to the Newtonian potential. A sparsity constraint on the fundamental 5-dimensional gravitational scale is estimated from the gravitational experiment. Moreover, the parameter ranges in which the Kaluza–Klein gravitons are tachyonic free are analyzed.
VOLATILITY SMILE INTERPOLATION WITH RADIAL BASIS FUNCTIONS
Authors: DONFACK HERMANN AZEMTSA , SOH CELESTIN WAFO , KOTZE ANTONIE
Published: December 2022

The Radial Basis Functions (RBF) interpolation is a popular approximation technique used to smooth scattered data in various dimensions. This study uses RBF interpolation to interpolate the volatility skew of the S&P500 index options. The interpolated skews are used to construct the risk-neutral densities of the index and its local volatility surface. The RBF interpolation is contrasted throughout the study with the cubic spline interpolation. An analysis of the densities and the local volatility shows that RBF are an effective and practical tool for interpolating the implied volatility surface.
Braided anti-flexible bialgebras
Authors: Zhang Tao , Yao Hui-Jun
Published: December 2022

We introduce the concept of braided anti-flexible bialgebra and construct cocycle bicrossproduct anti-flexible bialgebras. As an application, we solve the extending problem for anti-flexible bialgebras by using some non-abelian cohomology theory.
A network-based dynamic criterion for identifying prediction and early diagnosis biomarkers of complex diseases
Authors: Huang Xin , Su Benzhe , Wang Xingyu , Zhou Yang , He Xinyu , Liu Bing
Published: December 2022

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) seriously threatens human health and generally results from dysfunction of relevant module molecules, which dynamically change with time and conditions, rather than that of an individual molecule. In this study, a novel network construction algorithm for identifying early warning network signals (IEWNS) is proposed for improving the performance of LUAD early diagnosis. To this end, we theoretically derived a dynamic criterion, namely, the relationship of variation (RV), to construct dynamic networks. RV infers correlation [Formula: see text] statistics to measure dynamic changes in molecular relationships during the process of disease development. Based on the dynamic networks constructed by IEWNS, network warning signals used to represent the occurrence of LUAD deterioration can be defined without human intervention. IEWNS was employed to perform a comprehensive analysis of gene expression profiles of LUAD from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The experimental results suggest that the potential biomarkers selected by IEWNS can facilitate a better understanding of pathogenetic mechanisms and help to achieve effective early diagnosis of LUAD. In conclusion, IEWNS provides novel insight into the initiation and progression of LUAD and helps to define prospective biomarkers for assessing disease deterioration.
Propagation of novel traveling wave envelopes of Zhiber–Shabat equation by using Lie analysis
Authors: Butt Asma Rashid , Akram Nimra , Jhangeer Adil , Inc Mustafa
Published: December 2022

In this paper, we aim to find novel forms of wave structures by employing some innovative ideas. Various solitary wave solutions of the Zhiber–Shabat equation have been extracted using the Lie symmetry analysis and the extended direct algebraic method. In the mathematical community, the considered model has several applications, notably in integral quantum field theory, fluid dynamics, and kink dynamics. First of all, the Lie symmetry has been used to determine the corresponding similarity reductions through similarity variables and wave transformation with the help of optimal systems. Afterward, the method described has been used to create new complex, hyperbolic, rational, and trigonometric forms of solutions to the problem. Depending on the strength of the propagating pulse, these solutions reflect dark, bright, kink-type, and periodic solitary wave envelopes. Further, two-dimensional (2D), three-dimensional (3D), as well as contour 2D graphics of the results have been analyzed by giving some specific values to parameters. At last, sensitivity analysis of the evolution equation has been observed.
Nonlinear optical microscopy for skinin vivo: Basics, development and applications
Authors: Zhao Jianhua , Zhao Yuan , Wu Zhenguo , Tian Yunxian , Zeng Haishan
Published: December 2022

Multi-photon microscopy (MPM) and coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) are two advanced nonlinear optical imaging techniques, which provide complementary information and have great potential in combination for noninvasive in vivo biomedical applications. This paper provides a detailed discussion of the basics, development and applications of these technologies for in vivo skin research, covering the following topics: The principle and advantage of MPM and CARS, instrumentation development for in vivo applications, MPM and CARS of normal skin, application of MPM and CARS in skin cancer and disease diagnosis; application of MPM in skin disease intervention, i.e., imaging guided two-photon photothermolysis.
A Survey of Implicit Discourse Relation Recognition
Authors: Xiang Wei , Wang Bang
Published: December 2022

A discourse containing one or more sentences describes daily issues and events for people to communicate their thoughts and opinions. As sentences are normally consist of multiple text segments, correct understanding of the theme of a discourse should take into consideration of the relations in between text segments. Although sometimes a connective exists in raw texts for conveying relations, it is more often the cases that no connective exists in between two text segments but some implicit relation does exist in between them. The task of
implicit discourse relation recognition
(IDRR) is to detect implicit relation and classify its sense between two text segments without a connective. Indeed, the IDRR task is important to diverse downstream
natural language processing
tasks, such as text summarization, machine translation and so on. This article provides a comprehensive and up-to-date survey for the IDRR task. We first summarize the task definition and data sources widely used in the field. We categorize the main solution approaches for the IDRR task from the viewpoint of its development history. In each solution category, we present and analyze the most representative methods, including their origins, ideas, strengths and weaknesses. We also present performance comparisons for those solutions experimented on a public corpus with standard data processing procedures. Finally, we discuss future research directions for discourse relation analysis.
How virtual and mechanical coupling impact bimanual tracking
Authors: Peña-Pérez Nuria , Eden Jonathan , Ivanova Ekaterina , Farkhatdinov Ildar , Burdet Etienne
Published: December 2022

We showed that the uninstructed addition of a virtual and/or a mechanical coupling can induce both hands to actively contribute in a continuous redundant bimanual tracking task without impacting performance. In addition, we showed that the task asymmetry can only alter the effort distribution when the hands are not connected, independent of the connection stiffness. Our findings suggest that virtual coupling could be used in the development of simpler VR-based training devices.
Safety and effects of a therapeutic 15 Hz rTMS protocol administered at different suprathreshold intensities in able-bodied individuals
Authors: Brihmat Nabila , Allexandre Didier , Bayram Mehmed B. , Saleh Soha , Guan Xiaofei , Yue Guang H. , Zhong Jian , Forrest Gail F.
Published: December 2022

The results of this pilot study show the effects of a therapeutically promising 15 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) protocol, administered at different suprathreshold intensities in able-bodied individuals. Although tolerable and feasible with a neuromodulatory potential, 15 Hz rTMS might result in persistent excitability that needs to be closely monitored if administered at suprathreshold stimulation intensity. These results reaffirm the importance of feasibility studies, especially in translational animal-to-human research.
Connected Transit Bus Dynamic Priority Weight Modeling and Conflicting Request Resolution Control at the Signalized Intersection
Authors: He Shuxian , Han Haihang , Zhang Huan , Sun Shanzhi , Qiu Tony Z.
Published: December 2022

Multiaccess edge computing (MEC) and connected vehicle (CV) technologies have shown great potential and strength for traffic perception and real-time computing, which can be applied to enhance the efficiency of connected transit bus operations under their lower penetration conditions. Moreover, for the transit signal priority system, how to establish a model to measure traffic demand for conflicting priority request resolution and improve system response time has been widely researched for the last few decades. This paper proposes a dynamic priority weight (DPW) model for connected transit buses and a traffic signal control approach to coordinate multidirectional conflicting priority requests at a signalized intersection. The proposed model takes advantage of vehicle location, speed, and signal timing data to build time to change (TTOC) correlation functions to measure priority weights of both single-vehicle and directionality accumulation with consideration of vehicles arriving during the current green phase and conflict phase conditions; then, the aggregated priority weight value of each movement can be calculated in real-time. Once the maximum aggregated priority weight value among all movements is determined, the corresponding phase switch strategy is presented for the conflicting request resolution control problem. Homologous algorithm software for distributed deployment can be subsequently used for swift response. Simulation results show that the proposed DPW model-based traffic signal control method shows significant performance advancement, where the queueing vehicle number decrease exceeds 1 pcu/s and the throughput rate of major movements increases by approximately 2% without sacrificing the performance of minor movements in a large amount. What is more, it shows better delay optimization for social vehicles than the algorithm with delay as the objective while declining bus delay appreciable quantity with 43.4 s in average. Field test results also show that this method has excellent abilities to improve intersectional traffic capacity, for which queueing vehicle number and throughput rate indicators of all phases dramatically improved with 1.92 pcu/s and 6.68% on average, except for a slight degradation of individual minor traffic movements with 0.99 pcu/s and 0.11%.
INSM1 Expression in Mesenchymal Tumors and Its Clinicopathological Significance
Authors: Zhang Qian , Dong Yuting , Zhou Meidong , Guo Yujuan , Lou Liping , Qu Zhiling , Zheng Yiyun , Duan Yaqi
Published: December 2022

Background. Insulinoma‐associated protein 1 (INSM1) has been identified as a nuclear marker of neuroendocrine tumors. Although INSM1 appears to be a subtle and specific biomarker for neuroendocrine tumor, its expression and clinicopathological significance in mesenchymal tumors remain unclear. Methods. We analyzed INSM1 mRNA level in GEO database and conducted immunohistological staining to detect the expression of INSM1 on 576 mesenchymal tumors from pathology department of Tongji Hospital. Results. At transcription level, INSM1 expression in AITL (angioimmunoblastic T‐cell lymphoma) was higher than their adjacent normal tissues as well as Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Moreover, INSM1 expression in well‐differentiated liposarcoma (WDLPS) was significantly higher than normal fat (P = 0.014) and dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS) (P = 0.0248). At protein level, the positive rate of INSM1 in AITL was 18/48 (47.4%), while in DDLPS was 9/20 (45%). INSM1 expression in AITL was significantly higher than Hodgkin’s lymphoma (P = 0.008). And INSM1 expression in WDLPS was significantly lower than DDLPS (P = 0.015). Conclusion. The combination of GEO data and immunohistochemistry data indicated that the expression level of INSM1 was higher in AITL compared with normal control, suggesting that INSM1 may be involved in pathogenesis of AITL. The abnormal expression of INSM1 was found in WDLPS, and the positive rate of INSM1 was higher in DDLPS than in WDLPS. INSM1 may be involved in the regulation of liposarcoma development. There were significant differences in the expression of INSM1 between AITL and Hodgkin’s lymphoma and WDLPS and DDLPS. These findings may assist in the differential diagnosis of these tumors when common markers are difficult to identify, enriching the diagnostic index system of mesenchymal tumors.
Analyzing the Therapeutic Mechanism of Mongolian Medicine Zhonglun-5 in Rheumatoid Arthritis Using a Bagging Algorithm with Serum Metabonomics
Authors: Wang Xiye , Jiang Mingyang , Li Dan , Xu Liang
Published: December 2022

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex autoimmune disorder. Zhonglun-5 (ZL), a traditional Mongolian medicine, exhibits an excellent clinical effect on RA; however, its molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this study, rat serum metabolomic analysis was performed to identify potential biomarkers for RA and investigate its treatment mechanism. A Dionex Ultimate 3000 ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography system coupled with a Q-Exactive Focus Orbitrap mass spectrometer was used for metabonomics analysis. Bootstrap aggregation (bagging) classification algorithm was applied to process data from control (CG), model (MG), and treatment administration groups. The classification accuracy was 100.00% (6/6) in the decision tree model and 83.33% (5/6) in the K-nearest neighbor (KNN) model, accompanied by 18 training samples and 6 testing samples. Using volcanic map analysis, 24 biomarkers were identified between CG and MG, including those related to glycosphingolipid biosynthesis, arachidonic acid, fatty acids, amino acids, bile acids, vitamins, and sphingolipids. A set diagram of the heatmap and drug-biomarker network of potential biomarkers was constructed. After ZL administration, the levels of these biomarkers returned to normal, indicating that ZL had a therapeutic effect in rats with RA. This study established a solid theoretical foundation to promote further research on the clinical applicability of ZL.