bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bactericidal Mechanisms of Chlorine Dioxide against Beta-Hemolytic Streptococcus CMCC 32210
Authors: Liu Huan , Zhang Jingju , Liu Jing , Cao Guangjie , Xu Fei , Li Xiubo
Published: June 2023

Chlorine dioxide is a globally recognized green and efficient disinfectant. This study aims to investigate the bactericidal mechanism of chlorine dioxide using beta-hemolytic Streptococcus (BHS) CMCC 32210 as a representative strain. BHS was exposed to chlorine dioxide, the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of chlorine dioxide against BHS were determined by the checkerboard method in preparation for subsequent tests. Cell morphology was observed using electron microscopy. Protein content leakage, adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity, and lipid peroxidation were determined by kits, and DNA damage was determined using agar gel electrophoresis. The concentration of chlorine dioxide during disinfection showed a linear relationship with the concentration of BHS. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results showed that chlorine dioxide caused significant damage to the cell walls of BHS at a concentration of 50 mg/L, but had no significant effect on Streptococcus exposed to different exposure times. Furthermore, the extracellular protein concentration increased with increasing chlorine dioxide concentration, while the total protein content remained unchanged. The activities of Na+/K+-ATPase and Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase decreased with increasing chlorine dioxide concentration. Chlorine dioxide treatment led to significant lipid peroxidation and DNA degradation in BHS. Leakage of intracellular components indicated that chlorine dioxide damaged the cell membrane of BHS. Chlorine dioxide exposure resulted in oxidative damage to lipids and proteins, which negatively impacted the cell wall and membrane of Streptococcus. This caused increased permeability and inactivation of key enzymes (Na+/K+-ATPase and Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase) involved in respiratory metabolism, ultimately leading to DNA degradation and bacterial death due to either content leakage or metabolic failure.
Bioactive Calcium Phosphate Coatings for Bone Implant Applications: A Review
Authors: Drevet Richard , Fauré Joël , Benhayoune Hicham
Published: June 2023

This review deals with the design of bioactive calcium phosphate coatings deposited on metallic substrates to produce bone implants. The bioceramic coating properties are used to create a strong bonding between the bone implants and the surrounding bone tissue. They provide a fast response after implantation and increase the lifespan of the implant in the body environment. The first part of the article describes the different compounds belonging to the calcium phosphate family and their main properties for applications in biomaterials science. The calcium-to-phosphorus atomic ratio (Ca/P)at. and the solubility (Ks) of these compounds define their behavior in a physiological environment. Hydroxyapatite is the gold standard among calcium phosphate materials, but other chemical compositions/stoichiometries have also been studied for their interesting properties. The second part reviews the most common deposition processes to produce bioactive calcium phosphate coatings for bone implant applications. The last part describes key physicochemical properties of calcium phosphate coatings and their impact on the bioactivity and performance of bone implants in a physiological environment.
Orthorhombic YBa2Cu3O7−δ Superconductor with TiO2 Nanoparticle Addition: Crystal Structure, Electric Resistivity, and AC Susceptibility
Authors: Barood Fatma , Kechik Mohd Mustafa Awang , Tee Tan Sin , Kien Chen Soo , Pah Lim Kean , Hong Kai Jeat , Shaari Abdul Halim , Baqiah Hussein , Karim Muhammad Khalis Abdul , Shabdin Muhammad Kashfi , Mohd Shariff Khairul Khaizi , Hashim Azhan , Suhaimi Nurbaisyatul Ermiza , Miryala Muralidhar
Published: June 2023

This article reports the effect of a nanoscale addition of TiO2 on the structure and superconducting parameters of the high-temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O7-δ (Y123). Polycrystalline compounds of Y123 with different percentages of TiO2, x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0, were fabricated using the thermal treatment method. An analysis using X-ray diffraction confirmed the formation of Y123 phases for all composite samples. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis revealed the growth of grain size and decrease in porosity, with a sign of partial melting of grains for the samples with TiO2 addition. The magnetic and electric transport properties were investigated using AC susceptibility measurement and the four-probe method, respectively. It was observed that the superconducting transition temperature, Tc-onset, for a pure sample determined by ACS and 4PP was 95.6 K and 95.4 K, respectively. These values were found to decrease with the addition of TiO2, while the superconducting transition (∆Tc) improved with TiO2 addition except for the sample at x = 0.2 wt.%, which showed the broadest transition width. The sharpest superconducting transition (∆Tc) was observed for the sample at x = 1.0 wt.%, indicating that the addition of TiO2 nanoparticles is expected to serve as artificial pinning centres and strengthen the connection among the grains in the Y123 ceramic.
Applicability Analysis of Nickel Steel Plate Friction Coefficient Model Based on Fractal Theory
Authors: Zhu Min , Lu Xiaohan , Li Haiyan , Cao Hongjun , Wu Fei
Published: June 2023

In the field of aerospace, weapons and other complex assembly, there are more than 50 factors affecting the performance degradation of joint structures, among which the friction coefficient is the main factor. Nickel steel is widely used in large complex equipment due to its advantages of high strength. Therefore, this paper first establishes a theoretical model of friction coefficient based on fractal theory. Secondly, the friction coefficient experiment was carried out to measure the friction coefficient of nickel steel plates with different roughness under different normal loads. Finally, the experimental results are compared with the theoretical results, and the accuracy and error analysis of the model is carried out. The results show that the friction coefficient increases with the increase in roughness. When the normal load is greater than 50 kg, the friction coefficient gradually tends to be stable. The error of identification results of correction factor a was all within 5%. The error between theoretical model prediction and experimental data is 6%–15%, which indicates that the calculation of the friction coefficient has high accuracy. The results of this study can provide data and theoretical support for the friction coefficient evaluation of nickel steel plate joint structures, and contribute to the health detection and reliability evaluation of nickel steel plate joint structures.
TRPS1: A Marker of Follicular Differentiation
Authors: Rybski Kristin J. , Zengin Hatice B. , Smoller Bruce R.
Published: June 2023

The trichorhinophalangeal syndrome type 1 (TRPS1) immunohistochemical (IHC) stain has increased in use in recent years as a marker for breast carcinomas. The TRPS1 gene is involved in various tissues, including the growth and differentiation of hair follicles. This article seeks to evaluate the IHC expression of TRPS1 in cutaneous neoplasms with follicular differentiation, such as trichoblastoma (TB), trichoepithelioma (TE), and basal cell carcinoma (BCC). IHC studies were performed on 13 TBs, 15 TEs, and 15 BCCs with an antibody against TRPS1. The study found a variable staining expression of TRPS1 in the tumor nests of TB, TE, and BCC. BCCs were distinct in that none of the BCCs demonstrated intermediate or high positivity, while TBs and TEs showed intermediate-to-high positivity in 5/13 (38%) and 3/15 (20%) of cases, respectively. We observed a distinct staining pattern among the mesenchymal cells of TB and TE. We found that TRPS1 highlighted perifollicular mesenchymal cells adjacent to the nests of TB and TE tumor cells. This staining pattern was absent in BCCs, where only scattered stromal cells were positive for TRPS1. Papillary mesenchymal bodies were also highlighted by TRPS1 in TB and TE. TRPS1 stained various parts of the normal hair follicle, including the nuclei of cells in the germinal matrix, outer root sheaths, and hair papillae. TRPS1 may be a useful IHC marker for follicular differentiation.
Dynamic and Static 18F-FDG PET/CT Imaging in SMARCA4-Deficient Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Response to Therapy: A Case Report
Authors: Wumener Xieraili , Ye Xiaoxing , Zhang Yarong , Jin Shi , Liang Ying
Published: June 2023

SMARCA4-deficient non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a more recently recognized subset of NSCLC. We describe the 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT findings in a rare case of SMARCA4-deficient NSCLC and response to therapy. A 45-year-old male patient with a history of heavy smoking (10 years) underwent an 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT dynamic (chest) + static (whole-body) scan for diagnosis and pre-treatment staging. 18F-FDG PET/CT showed an FDG-avid mass in the upper lobe of the left lung (SUVmax of 22.4) and FDG-avid lymph nodes (LN) in the left pulmonary hilar region (SUVmax of 5.7). In addition, there were multiple metastases throughout the body, including in the distant LNs, adrenal glands, bone, left subcutaneous lumbar region, and brain. Pathological findings confirmed SMARCA4-deficient NSCLC. After four cycles of chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), the patient underwent again an 18F-FDG PET/CT scan (including a dynamic scan) for efficacy evaluation. We report a case that deepens the understanding of the 18F-FDG PET/CT presentation of SMARCA4-deficient NSCLC as well as dynamic imaging features and parametric characteristics.
Imaging Outcomes of Emergency MRI in Patients with Suspected Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Happonen Tatu , Nyman Mikko , Ylikotila Pauli , Kytö Ville , Laukka Dan , Mattila Kimmo , Hirvonen Jussi
Published: June 2023

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a rare neurological emergency condition with non-specific symptoms. Imaging options to rule out CVST are computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study aimed to determine the imaging outcomes of emergency MRI as a first-line imaging method in patients with suspected CVST. In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed emergency brain MRI referrals from a five-year period in a tertiary hospital for suspicion of CVST. We recorded patient characteristics, risk factors mentioned in the referrals, and imaging outcomes. Altogether 327 patients underwent emergency MRI on the grounds of suspected CVST. MRI showed evidence of CVST among five patients (1.5%). Imaging showed other clinically significant pathology in 15% of the patients and incidental findings in 5% of the patients. Despite clinical suspicion, the diagnostic yield of emergency MRI for CVST is low and similar to that previously reported for CT. MRI is an alternative imaging method devoid of ionizing radiation in patients with suspected CVST.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Anti-Neuronal Autoantibodies in COVID-19-Associated Limbic Encephalitis with Acute Cerebellar Ataxia and Myoclonus Syndrome: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Yiannopoulou Konstantina , Vakrakou Aigli G. , Anastasiou Aikaterini , Nikolopoulou Georgia , Sourdi Athina , Tzartos John S. , Kilidireas Constantinos , Dimitrakopoulos Antonios
Published: June 2023

Since the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) in 2019, various rare movement disorders and cognitive changes have been recognized as potential neurological complications. The early treatment of some of these allows rapid recovery; therefore, we must diagnose these manifestations in a timely way. We describe the case of a 76-year-old man infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 who presented with confusion and hallucinations and was admitted to our hospital 14 days after the onset of symptoms. One day later, he developed generalized myoclonus, dysarthria and ataxia, and tonic clonic seizures and was admitted to the intensive care unit. A diagnosis of COVID-19-associated autoimmune encephalitis with characteristics of limbic encephalitis and immune-mediated acute cerebellar ataxia and myoclonus syndrome was supported by alterations in the limbic system shown in magnetic resonance imaging, lateralized discharges shown in electroencephalography, a slightly elevated protein level in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and indirect immunofluorescence in the CSF with autoantibody binding to anatomical structures of the cerebellum and hippocampus. The patient improved with 2 weeks of corticosteroid treatment and four sessions of plasmapheresis. Our current case study describes a rare case of COVID-19-related limbic encephalitis with immune-mediated acute cerebellar ataxia and myoclonus syndrome (ACAM syndrome) and strengthens the need for tissue-based assays (TBAs) to screen the serum and/or CSF of patients highly suspected to have autoimmune encephalitis. We believe that the timely diagnosis and targeted aggressive immunotherapy were mainly responsible for the patient’s total recovery.
Unsupervised Low-Light Image Enhancement Based on Generative Adversarial Network
Authors: Yu Wenshuo , Zhao Liquan , Zhong Tie
Published: June 2023

Low-light image enhancement aims to improve the perceptual quality of images captured under low-light conditions. This paper proposes a novel generative adversarial network to enhance low-light image quality. Firstly, it designs a generator consisting of residual modules with hybrid attention modules and parallel dilated convolution modules. The residual module is designed to prevent gradient explosion during training and to avoid feature information loss. The hybrid attention module is designed to make the network pay more attention to useful features. A parallel dilated convolution module is designed to increase the receptive field and capture multi-scale information. Additionally, a skip connection is utilized to fuse shallow features with deep features to extract more effective features. Secondly, a discriminator is designed to improve the discrimination ability. Finally, an improved loss function is proposed by incorporating pixel loss to effectively recover detailed information. The proposed method demonstrates superior performance in enhancing low-light images compared to seven other methods.
Culturally Responsive Practices or Assimilation? Views and Practices on Linguistic Diversity of Community College Instructors Working with Multilingual Learners
Authors: Sivira-Gonzalez Yohimar
Published: June 2023

Despite the recent growth of multilingual learners in community colleges, research is still scarce on how instructors perceive and interact with students institutionally classified as English as a second language (ESL). In this paper, I use racialization of language and culturally relevant pedagogy to explain how 6 instructors from first-year freshmen in a community college, serving a high percentage of immigrant multilingual learners, view, understand and operationalize culturally and linguistically responsive practices in their classrooms. I use a qualitative critical approach to analyze data from interviews, fieldnotes, and observations from a year-long study in a community college in a mid-sized city in the South of the United States. I show evidence of instructors’ views of students regarding their cultural, linguistic, educational, and class backgrounds. Findings suggest that even when instructors celebrate differences in the classroom and are aware of the cultural differences, their opinions, and academic expectations were sometimes focused on students’ lack of confidence to advocate for themselves and their failure to assimilate into the mainstream culture. Despite the best intentions, these expectations still enclosed assimilationist views of language and personhood that require students to communicate in ways that often resemble the American traditional monolingual college student. The study of language from a racial perspective can promote powerful ways to understand how institutions structure and operationalize services to multilingual learners; conscious changes in services may result in more equitable practices for these students.
Graphene Multi-Frequency Broadband and Ultra-Broadband Terahertz Absorber Based on Surface Plasmon Resonance
Authors: Chen Zihao , Cai Pinggen , Wen Qiye , Chen Hao , Tang Yongjian , Yi Zao , Wei Kaihua , Li Gongfa , Tang Bin , Yi Yougen
Published: June 2023

When surface plasmon resonance (SPR) occurs, the incident light is absorbed by the surface of the SPR structure, thus minimizing the intensity of the reflected light. Therefore, the SPR method is adopted in this paper to achieve perfect absorption of the absorbent. In this paper, we first propose a multi-frequency broadband absorber structure based on graphene SPR, which uses the continuous resonance of patterned graphene surface plasmon in the frequency spectrum to form a multi-frequency broadband absorption. In this simulation, a sandwich-stack structure was adopted, whereby the patterned graphene is situated on top of the SiO2 layer and the metal layer. The broad-band absorption bands of the absorber were obtained as 4.14–4.38 THz, 5.78–6.36 THz, and 7.87–8.66 THz through the analog simulation of finite-difference time-domain method (FDTD) solutions. Then, based on the multi-layer resonant unit structure, through the superposition and combination of absorbing units responding to different frequency bands, the perfect absorption of ultra-wideband is achieved. The data results illustrate that the total absorption bandwidth of the absorber is 2.26 THz, and the relative absorption bandwidth Bw is equal to 28.93%. The electric field in X-Y direction of the absorber in the perfect absorption band is analyzed, respectively, and the dynamic tunability of the absorber is studied. Finally, we studied whether the absorbing structure still has efficient absorption characteristics for the two polarization modes when the incident angle is changed from 0° to 70°. The structure model proposed has potential value for application in terahertz photoelectric detection, filtering, and electromagnetic shielding.
Passivity-Based Control and Current Balance Control of a Current-Source Pulse-Width-Modulation Rectifier
Authors: Zeng Huarong , Li Jianguo , Yang Qi , Xu Kui , Ma Xiaohong , Zhao Biao
Published: June 2023

To improve the static performance, dynamic performance, and current balance of a current-source PWM rectifier with multi-modules, a comprehensive control method with passivity-based control and current balance control is proposed in this paper. Current balance control, which is based on AC voltage sequencing, has the advantages of being easy to implement and not being limited by the number of modules. Mathematical modelling, controller design, and simulation verification were conducted successively, and the results show that the comprehensive control method has a low current impact and high power quality. At the same time, module currents are well balanced, even under external disturbance, when using current balance control.
Microclimate Analysis of the High-Impact Weather for the Power Grid Operation in the Jibei Region of China
Authors: Rongfu Sun , Qiuji Ding , Xiaowei Fan , Ran Ding , Haixiang Xu , Yubao Liu , Ping Li , Haomeng Zhang , Ercheng Li
Published: June 2023

High-impact weather affects the safety and economic operation of power systems. In this study, to provide regional microclimate of high-impact weather for the local power grid system in the northern Heibei province (known as the Jibei region in China), ERA5-Land global reanalysis data during 1981–2020 with a 0.1° grid size (about 9 km) are adopted to analyze the climate statistics and changes of the disastrous weather that affects the power grids. The results show that there have been significant climate changes in the region, including a temperature increase of about 1 °C, evident humidity and precipitation reductions, for the Jibei region and the six sub-regions that concentrated with wind and solar energy development in the 40 years. Due to the differences in terrain, the climate changes differ significantly among the six renewable energy development regions. The main types of high-impact weather that affect the power grid in the region are heavy fog and icing events, followed by cold waves, snowstorms, and rainstorms. In general, with climate changes in the last several decades, the weather disasters in Jibei region have become more frequent. Since most high-impact weather events have a small scale, it is necessary to simulate the weather processes with high-resolution models to accurately quantify the characteristics of the weather processes that affect the power grid. Therefore, a refined regional meteorological model (with grid size of 2 km) based on four-dimensional data assimilation (JB-FDDA) is established for the Jibei region. With one year of model reanalysis data, we found that JB-FDDA can significantly improve the accuracy of the local meteorological fields, and properly depicted the details of severe weather that affect the power grid operation. This study provide an analytical approach for regional electricity meteorological disasters by using reanalysis data.
Determination of 12 Combustion Products, Flame Temperature and Laminar Burning Velocity of Saudi LPG Using Numerical Methods Coded in a MATLAB Application
Authors: Cisneros Roberto Franco , Rojas Freddy Jesús
Published: June 2023

The characterization of a specific fuel has always been an important point for developing and designing new components or systems with the maximum efficient possible. Studying the laminar burning velocity can lay a necessary prerequisite for the accurate poststudy of the turbulent range and to understand how the combustion process takes place. The study of the combustion products from a specific reaction is a requisite for any system in order to understand the elements that are taken in the process and if it is possible to improve it. In this study, a new open code methodology was developed for the determination of combustion products, flame temperature and laminar burning velocity using numerical methods (Newton–Raphson, Taylor series and Gaussian elimination) in an application codified in MATLAB. The MATLAB application was applied for the study of Saudi LPG setting parameters such as initial temperature, pressure and equivalence ratio that are meaningful because they have a great effect on the results. In addition, simulation in Ansys Chemkin using San Diego and RedSD mechanisms was carried out. The results from the MATLAB application were compared with other experimental research and Ansys Chemkin simulation. These are presented in different plots and it is shown that: (1) For the laminar burning velocity results, the numerical method agrees with the experimental results for ratios (0.6–1.2) by other authors and the simulation in Ansys Chemkin. (2) For the highest studied equivalence ratios (1.3–1.7) the laminar burning velocity results between all the resources have more difference. (3) The combustion products calculated by the MATLAB application agree with those simulated in Ansys Chemkin except N and NO. (4) The MATLAB application gives a maximum value of 40.35 cm/s, that is greater than 35 ± 0.91, the one determined by Bader A. Alfarraj. (5) The flame temperature calculated by the MATLAB application overestimates that simulated in Ansys Chemkin but has the same behavior for all the calculated ratios. (6) The MATLAB application has also been developed for the study and analysis of other fuels.
Determinants of the Corporate Financing Structure in the Energy and Mining Sectors; A Comparative Analysis Based on the Example of Selected EU Countries for 2012–2020
Authors: Barburski Jacek , Hołda Artur
Published: June 2023

The main aim of the paper is to examine the interdependence of corporate financing structure on selected determinants in the energy and mining sectors of the economy. In addition, a comparison of the results between these economic sectors is made. In order to increase the representativeness of the sample, countries from both the “old” European Union (Germany, France, Great Britain, Spain, Italy, and Sweden) and newly admitted countries (Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and Bulgaria) were included in the study. The research used data from the Orbis database for 2012–2020. A one-factor linear panel model was used to verify the hypotheses. The research partly confirmed the hypotheses. A negative relationship between the financing structure and profitability in both analysed sections was clearly established. The second determinant whose influence on the financing structure in both sections was found to be unambiguous was the ratio of current liabilities to current assets. However, this influence was positive. Another determinant whose influence on the financing structure was confirmed to be unequivocal and positive in nature was the size of the company. This occurred only in the energy sector. The research revealed that other determinants, such as asset structure, interest, and noninterest tax shields, also affect the financing structure of companies, but the statistical significance of these relationships is ambiguous.
Review of Thermal Management Technology for Electric Vehicles
Authors: Dan Dan , Zhao Yihang , Wei Mingshan , Wang Xuehui
Published: June 2023

The burgeoning electric vehicle industry has become a crucial player in tackling environmental pollution and addressing oil scarcity. As these vehicles continue to advance, effective thermal management systems are essential to ensure battery safety, optimize energy utilization, and prolong vehicle lifespan. This paper presents an exhaustive review of diverse thermal management approaches at both the component and system levels, focusing on electric vehicle air conditioning systems, battery thermal management systems, and motor thermal management systems. In each subsystem, an advanced heat transfer process with phase change is recommended to dissipate the heat or directly cool the target. Moreover, the review suggested that a comprehensive integration of AC systems, battery thermal management systems, and motor thermal management systems is inevitable and is expected to maximize energy utilization efficiency. The challenges and limitations of existing thermal management systems, including system integration, control algorithms, performance balance, and cost estimation, are discussed, along with potential avenues for future research. This paper is expected to serve as a valuable reference for forthcoming research.
Hibiscus hamabo Rootstock-Grafting Improves Photosynthetic Capacity of Hibiscus syriacus under Salt Stress
Authors: Zhang Shuqing , Yu Wanwen , Lu Zhiguo , Xiang Peng , Wang Zhiquan , Hua Jianfeng , Gu Chunsun , Cai Jinfeng , Lu Yan
Published: June 2023

Hibiscus syriacus, a woody ornamental plant with great economic value, is vulnerable to salinity. Hence, its cultivation in saline areas is severely restricted. Although grafting H. syriacus onto H. hamabo rootstock can greatly improve H. syriacus’s salt resistance, the photosynthetic response of H. syriacus to grafting and salt stress remains largely unknown. To address this question, self-rooted (Hs), self-grafted (Hs/Hs), and H. hamabo-grafted (Hs/Hh) H. syriacus were exposed to 0 or 300 mM NaCl. Salt significantly reduced the net and maximum photosynthetic rates, chlorophyll content, and maximum (Fv/Fm) and actual (ΦPSII) photochemical quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII), as well as the apparent electron transport rate, in Hs and Hs/Hs. However, these reductions were largely alleviated when H. syriacus was grafted onto H. hamabo. In line with the changes in the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, the expression of genes encoding subunits of PSII and PSI in Hs/Hh was higher than that in Hs and Hs/Hs under saline conditions. Moreover, H. hamabo rootstock grafting upregulated the genes involved in the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle in H. syriacus under salt conditions. These results indicate that grafting can ameliorate the inhibition of salinity on the photosynthetic capacity of H. syriacus, mainly resulting from alleviated limitations on photosynthetic pigments, photochemical efficiency, and the Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle.
Optimization of the Core Compound for Ytterbium Ultra-Short Cavity Fiber Lasers
Authors: Rybaltovsky Andrey , Yashkov Mikhail , Abramov Alexey , Umnikov Andrey , Likhachev Mikhail , Lipatov Denis
Published: June 2023

Highly ytterbium-, aluminum- and phosphorus-co-doped silica fibers with low optical losses were fabricated by the MCVD method, utilizing an all-gas-phase deposition technique. Optical and laser properties of the active fibers with a phosphosilicate and aluminophosphosilicate glass cores doped with 1.85 mol% and 1.27 mol% Yb2O3 were thoroughly investigated. With the help of hydrogen loading, it was possible to induce highly reflective Bragg grating in both fiber samples using the standard phase-mask technique and 193 nm-UV laser irradiation. The ultra-short (less than 2 cm long) Fabry–Perot laser cavities were fabricated by inscribing two fiber Bragg gratings (highly and partially reflective FBGs) directly in the core of the fiber samples. The highest pump-to-signal conversion efficiency of 47% was demonstrated in such laser configuration using phosphosilicate fiber. The reasons for the low efficiency of aluminophosphosilicate fiber are discussed.
Hierarchical Interaction between Food Diversity and Competition in Brackish Fish Species in South Korea
Authors: Yu Tae-Sik , Ji Chang Woo , Kwak Ihn-Sil
Published: June 2023

Information about the food sources for fish is important not only for predation and food competition, but also for the direct impact on organism interactions, relationships, and biodiversity within aquatic ecosystems. We analyzed the food sources of 21 fish species in 9 families of 6 orders based on the literature data from brackish ecosystems in South Korea to improve the understanding of the estuarine ecosystem. The food sources of the 21 fish species contained 173 families, 86 orders, 39 classes, and 22 phyla. The 21 fish species were classified into 4 groups using hierarchical analysis based on their food sources: Group 1 fishes mainly consumed Amphipoda; Group 2 fishes were zooplanktivores; Group 3 were omnivorous; and Group 4 consumed small food sources, such as Nematoda, Corophiidae, and Harpacticidae. The feeding competition index was relatively high within each group, but the competition index for Group 3, the omnivorous fishes, was low. Network analysis and hub scores represented the importance of food sources consumed by each fish species by showing the connections between the fish and their prey. Polychaeta, Actinopterygii, and Decapoda were the most commonly consumed food sources. Food source diversity was high for zooplanktivores (group 2). Additionally, the food contents of each fish species were classified into freshwater and marine sources for identifying the habitats of the food sources. Trophic level measuring values using the data were similar to the reported literature data. This study can be utilized for understanding estuarine ecosystems and identifying food relationships.
Relationship between Determinants of Food Choices and Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors of Individuals with Hepatitis B and C in the Amazon Region
Authors: Carvalhal Manuela Maria de Lima , Silva Rayzza Marcelly Jesus da , Pereira Tayna Carvalho , Monteiro Camila Rodrigues , Gomes Daniela Lopes , Quaresma Juarez Antônio Simões
Published: June 2023

Knowing the determinants of food choices allows the nutritionist to develop more assertive guidelines considering biopsychosocial factors to produce effective changes in eating practices. This cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study aimed to test the correlation between the determinants of food choices and the socioeconomic and demographic factors of individuals with hepatitis B and C. Patients with hepatitis B and/or C aged between 20 and 74 years were evaluated from August 2020 to August 2021. Their socioeconomic and demographic data and clinical data were collected, and The Eating Motivation Survey (TEMS) was applied. A total of 145 individuals were evaluated, with a mean age of 53.54 ± 12.14 years. There were positive weak correlations between gender (p2 = 0.193; p = 0.020) and age (p2 = 0.177; p = 0.033) with the scale “preference”; negative correlations between age and the scales “price” (p2 = −0.204; p = 0.014) and “emotion control” (p2 = −0.168; p = 0.044); negative correlations between education and the scales “convenience” (p2 = −0.172; p = 0.039) and “social norms” (p2 = −0.206; p = 0.013); and income showed a negative correlation with “price” (p2 = −0.208; p = 0.012) and a positive correlation with “weight control” (p2 = 0.186; p = 0.025). These findings contribute to the development of more realistic and feasible eating strategies that favor food autonomy.
Recent Progress in Modeling the Macro- and Micro-Physics of Radio Jet Feedback in Galaxy Clusters
Authors: Bourne Martin A. , Yang Hsiang-Yi Karen
Published: June 2023

Radio jets and the lobes they inflate are common in cool-core clusters and are known to play a critical role in regulating the heating and cooling of the intracluster medium (ICM). This is an inherently multi-scale problem, and much effort has been made to understand the processes governing the inflation of lobes and their impact on the cluster, as well as the impact of the environment on the jet–ICM interaction, on both macro- and microphysical scales. The developments of new numerical techniques and improving computational resources have seen simulations of jet feedback in galaxy clusters become ever more sophisticated. This ranges from modeling ICM plasma physics processes such as the effects of magnetic fields, cosmic rays, and viscosity to including jet feedback in cosmologically evolved cluster environments in which the ICM thermal and dynamic properties are shaped by large-scale structure formation. In this review, we discuss the progress made over the last ∼decade in capturing both the macro- and microphysical processes in numerical simulations, highlighting both the current state of the field, as well as the open questions and potential ways in which these questions can be addressed in the future.
The Dynamics and Energetics of Remnant and Restarting RLAGN
Authors: Mahatma Vijay H.
Published: June 2023

In this article, I review past, current, and future advances on the study of radio-loud AGN (RLAGN; radio-loud quasars and radio galaxies) lifecycles exclusively in the remnant and restarting phases. I focus on their dynamics and energetics as inferred from radio observations while discussing their radiative lifetimes, population statistics, and trends in their physical characteristics. I briefly summarise multi-wavelength observations, particularly X-rays, that have enabled studies of the large-scale environments of RLAGN in order to understand their role in feedback. Furthermore, I discuss analytic and numerical simulations that predict key properties of remnant and restarting sources as found in wide-area surveys, and discuss the prospects of future surveys that may shed further light on these elusive subpopulations of RLAGN.
Study on Water-Soluble Phenolic Resin Gels for High-Temperature and High-Salinity Oil Reservoir
Authors: Ran Yunling , Zhang Guicai , Jiang Ping , Pei Haihua
Published: June 2023

High water cut of produced fluid is one of the most common problems in reservoir development. At present, injecting plugging agents and other profile control and water plugging technologies are the most widely used solutions. With the development of deep oil and gas resources, high-temperature and high-salinity (HTHS) reservoirs are becoming increasingly common. Conventional polymers are prone to hydrolysis and thermal degradation under HTHS conditions, making polymer flooding or polymer-based gels less effective. Phenol–aldehyde crosslinking agent gels can be applied to different reservoirs with a wide range of salinity, but there exist the disadvantage of high cost of gelants. The cost of water-soluble phenolic resin gels is low. Based on the research of former scientists, copolymers consisting of acrylamide (AM) and 2-Acrylamido-2-Methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS) and modified water-soluble phenolic resin were used to prepare gels in the paper. The experimental results show that the gelant with 1.0 wt% AM-AMPS copolymer (AMPS content is 47%), 1.0 wt% modified water-soluble phenolic resin and 0.4 wt% thiourea has gelation time of 7.5 h, storage modulus of 18 Pa and no syneresis after aging for 90 days at 105 °C in simulated Tahe water of 22 × 104 mg/L salinity. By comprehensively comparing the effectiveness of the gels prepared by a kind of phenolic aldehyde composite crosslinking agent and modified water-soluble phenolic resin, it is found that the gel constructed by the modified water-soluble phenolic resin not only reduces costs, but also has shorter gelation time and higher gel strength. The oil displacement experiment with a visual glass plate model proves that the forming gel has good plugging ability and thus improves the sweep efficiency. The research expands the application range of water-soluble phenolic resin gels, which has an important implication for profile control and water plugging in the HTHS reservoirs.
Possible Effects of Uremic Toxins p-Cresol, Indoxyl Sulfate, p-Cresyl Sulfate on the Development and Progression of Colon Cancer in Patients with Chronic Renal Failure
Authors: Di Paola Rossella , De Ananya , Izhar Raafiah , Abate Marianna , Zappavigna Silvia , Capasso Anna , Perna Alessandra F. , La Russa Antonella , Capasso Giovambattista , Caraglia Michele , Simeoni Mariadelina
Published: June 2023

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) induces several systemic effects, including the accumulation and production of uremic toxins responsible for the activation of various harmful processes. Gut dysbiosis has been widely described in CKD patients, even in the early stages of the disease. The abundant discharge of urea and other waste substances into the gut favors the selection of an altered intestinal microbiota in CKD patients. The prevalence of bacteria with fermentative activity leads to the release and accumulation in the gut and in the blood of several substances, such as p-Cresol (p-C), Indoxyl Sulfate (IS) and p-Cresyl Sulfate (p-CS). Since these metabolites are normally eliminated in the urine, they tend to accumulate in the blood of CKD patients proportionally to renal impairment. P-CS, IS and p-C play a fundamental role in the activation of various pro-tumorigenic processes, such as chronic systemic inflammation, the increase in the production of free radicals and immune dysfunction. An up to two-fold increase in the incidence of colon cancer development in CKD has been reported in several studies, although the pathogenic mechanisms explaining this compelling association have not yet been described. Based on our literature review, it appears likely the hypothesis of a role of p-C, IS and p-CS in colon cancer development and progression in CKD patients.
An Assessment of the Longitudinal Construct Validity of the Pain Behavioral Scale (PaBS) in a Saudi Population with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Alimam Dalia , Alhowimel Ahmed , Alodaibi Faris , Alotaibi Mazyad , Alzahrani Hosam , Almutairi Nouf , Alqahtani Ali , Alrashed Alhumaid Lolwah , Leaver Andrew , Mackey Martin
Published: June 2023

Background: The Pain Behavioral Scale (PaBS) measures the presence and severity of pain behavior. We examine the longitudinal construct validity of the PaBS using convergent and known-groups approaches on a population of 23 participants with chronic lower back pain (LBP) undergoing routine physiotherapy care and pain neuroscience education. Methods: Participants who satisfied study inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited from patients who attended two testing sessions at physiotherapy clinics in Saudi Arabia. Participant pain behavior was initially measured using the PaBS scale; participants performed standardized physical tests (e.g., repeated trunk flexion) and provided baseline demographic, clinical data, and self-reported measurements using the Modified Roland and Morris disability questionnaire (MODI), fear-avoidance questionnaire (FABQ), and pain catastrophizing scale (PCS). In subsequent visits, a physiotherapist provided usual care to participants, and weekly sessions were established for online pain-neuroscience education. During week six, participants repeated the same questionnaires and physical performance tests with the PaBS. Paired t-tests are used to compare changes in health characteristics from baseline responses to those in week six. Correlations between changes in PaBS from baseline to week six, with changes in outcome measures (i.e., disability, pain intensity, fear-avoidance beliefs, catastrophizing), were determined. To assess known-group validity, we also used a general linear model. Results: A total of 23 participants completed the PNE and follow-up data collection. The mean change from baseline in the PaBS score was statistically significant, as were changes in MODI, FABQ, and PCS. Almost 70% of participants improved their PaBS scores over the six-week period, with PaBS scores of almost 40% of them improving by three units or more. The change in PaBS score correlated significantly with changes in the PCS-rumination subscale, supporting a proposed approach to estimate convergent validity (r = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.04–0.72, p = 0.035). Conclusions: The mean change from baseline in the PaBS score is statistically significant, as are changes in MODI, FABQ, and PCS, supporting its convergent validity. According to our STarT Back groups, the medium to low-risk group had a lower PaBS score, and high-risk group had a higher PaBS score, indicating that PaBS use in clinical assessment may identify people according to pain-behavior severity, or those at increased risk of developing disability.
An Exploration of Overconfidence and the Disposition Effect in the Stock Market
Authors: Ikram Benomar , Fouad Ben El Haj , Sara Chelh
Published: June 2023

This paper offers a comprehensive empirical overview of the impact of overconfidence in the stock market, thus contributing to the existing research literature on this topic. The study employs a bibliometric approach that utilizes the VOSviewer to extract and analyze 277 articles registered between 1992 and January 2023. By providing a detailed analysis of the literature, this research expands our understanding of the impact of overconfidence in the stock market and offers avenues for future studies in this area. The results of this analysis are noteworthy, as they reveal several important findings. These include the exponential growth of scientific production in recent decades, the concentration of research in specific journals indexed in the Journal Citation Reports, the presence of institutional co-author networks, and the thematic and temporal segregation of financial behavior concepts. The most significant finding of this study is the identification of six major clusters: investor behavior during times of crisis; behavioral finance; herding and risk-taking concepts; psychological and cognitive decisions; emotions and decision-making; and the performance of stocks. This temporal evolution of research demonstrates the emergence of various perspectives on the relationship between individual financial behavior and the global market. This study represents a pioneering effort in the field of bibliometric analysis as it is the first to specifically examine the subject of overconfidence in the stock market using this method.
USP15-USP7 Axis and UBE2T Differential Expression May Predict Pathogenesis and Poor Prognosis in De Novo Myelodysplastic Neoplasm
Authors: de Carvalho Luiz Gustavo Almeida , Komoto Tatiana Takahasi , Moreno Daniel Antunes , Goes João Vitor Caetano , de Oliveira Roberta Taiane Germano , de Lima Melo Mayara Magna , Roa Mariela Estefany Gislene Vera , Gonçalves Paola Gyuliane , Montefusco-Pereira Carlos Victor , Pinheiro Ronald Feitosa , Ribeiro Junior Howard Lopes
Published: June 2023

The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of USP7, USP15, UBE2O, and UBE2T genes in Myelodysplastic neoplasm (MDS) to identify possible targets of ubiquitination and deubiquitination in MDS pathobiology. To achieve this, eight datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were integrated, and the expression relationship of these genes was analyzed in 1092 MDS patients and healthy controls. Our results showed that UBE2O, UBE2T, and USP7 were upregulated in MDS patients compared with healthy individuals, but only in mononucleated cells collected from bone marrow samples (p < 0.001). In contrast, only the USP15 gene showed a downregulated expression compared with healthy individuals (p = 0.03). Additionally, the upregulation of UBE2T expression was identified in MDS patients with chromosomal abnormalities compared with patients with normal karyotypes (p = 0.0321), and the downregulation of UBE2T expression was associated with MDS hypoplastic patients (p = 0.033). Finally, the USP7 and USP15 genes were strongly correlated with MDS (r = 0.82; r2 = 0.67; p < 0.0001). These findings suggest that the differential expression of the USP15-USP7 axis and UBE2T may play an important role in controlling genomic instability and the chromosomal abnormalities that are a striking characteristic of MDS.
A Pacific Oyster-Derived Antioxidant, DHMBA, Protects Renal Tubular HK-2 Cells against Oxidative Stress via Reduction of Mitochondrial ROS Production and Fragmentation
Authors: Ho Hsin-Jung , Aoki Natsumi , Wu Yi-Jou , Gao Ming-Chen , Sekine Karin , Sakurai Toshihiro , Chiba Hitoshi , Watanabe Hideaki , Watanabe Mitsugu , Hui Shu-Ping
Published: June 2023

The kidney contains numerous mitochondria in proximal tubular cells that provide energy for tubular secretion and reabsorption. Mitochondrial injury and consequent excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production can cause tubular damage and play a major role in the pathogenesis of kidney diseases, including diabetic nephropathy. Accordingly, bioactive compounds that protect the renal tubular mitochondria from ROS are desirable. Here, we aimed to report 3,5-dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzyl alcohol (DHMBA), isolated from the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) as a potentially useful compound. In human renal tubular HK-2 cells, DHMBA significantly mitigated the cytotoxicity induced by the ROS inducer L-buthionine-(S, R)-sulfoximine (BSO). DHMBA reduced the mitochondrial ROS production and subsequently regulated mitochondrial homeostasis, including mitochondrial biogenesis, fusion/fission balance, and mitophagy; DHMBA also enhanced mitochondrial respiration in BSO-treated cells. These findings highlight the potential of DHMBA to protect renal tubular mitochondrial function against oxidative stress.
Plasma Galectin-4 Levels Are Increased after Stroke in Mice and Humans
Authors: Jujic Amra , Vieira João P. P. , Matuskova Hana , Nilsson Peter M. , Lindblad Ulf , Olsen Michael H. , Duarte João M. N. , Meissner Anja , Magnusson Martin
Published: June 2023

Epidemiological studies have associated plasma galectin-4 (Gal-4) levels with prevalent and incident diabetes, and with an increased risk of coronary artery disease. To date, data regarding possible associations between plasma Gal-4 and stroke are lacking. Using linear and logistic regression analyses, we tested Gal-4 association with prevalent stroke in a population-based cohort. Additionally, in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD), we investigated whether plasma Gal-4 increases in response to ischemic stroke. Plasma Gal-4 was higher in subjects with prevalent ischemic stroke, and was associated with prevalent ischemic stroke (odds ratio 1.52; 95% confidence interval 1.01–2.30; p = 0.048) adjusted for age, sex, and covariates of cardiometabolic health. Plasma Gal-4 increased after experimental stroke in both controls and HFD-fed mice. HFD exposure was devoid of impact on Gal-4 levels. This study demonstrates higher plasma Gal-4 levels in both experimental stroke and in humans that experienced ischemic stroke.