bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neoantigen architectures define immunogenicity and drive immune evasion of tumors with heterogenous neoantigen expression
Authors: Roerden Malte , Castro Andrea B , Cui Yufei , Harake Noora , Kim Byungji , Dye Jonathan , Maiorino Laura , White Forest M , Irvine Darrell J , Litchfield Kevin , Spranger Stefani
Published: November 2024

Background

Intratumoral heterogeneity (ITH) and subclonal antigen expression blunt antitumor immunity and are associated with poor responses to immune-checkpoint blockade immunotherapy (ICB) in patients with cancer. The underlying mechanisms however thus far remained elusive, preventing the design of novel treatment approaches for patients with high ITH tumors.

Methods

We developed a mouse model of lung adenocarcinoma with defined expression of different neoantigens (NeoAg), enabling us to analyze how these impact antitumor T-cell immunity and to study underlying mechanisms. Data from a large cancer patient cohort was used to study whether NeoAg architecture characteristics found to define tumor immunogenicity in our mouse models are linked to ICB responses in patients with cancer.

Results

We demonstrate that concurrent expression and clonality define NeoAg architectures which determine the immunogenicity of individual NeoAg and drive immune evasion of tumors with heterogenous NeoAg expression. Mechanistically, we identified concerted interplays between concurrent T-cell responses induced by cross-presenting dendritic cells (cDC1) mirroring the tumor NeoAg architecture during T-cell priming in the lymph node. Depending on the characteristics and clonality of respective NeoAg, this interplay mutually benefited concurrent T-cell responses or led to competition between T-cell responses to different NeoAg. In tumors with heterogenous NeoAg expression, NeoAg architecture-induced suppression of T-cell responses against branches of the tumor drove immune evasion and caused resistance to ICB. Therapeutic RNA-based vaccination targeting immune-suppressed T-cell responses synergized with ICB to enable control of tumors with subclonal NeoAg expression. A pan-cancer clinical data analysis indicated that competition and synergy between T-cell responses define responsiveness to ICB in patients with cancer.

Conclusions

NeoAg architectures modulate the immunogenicity of NeoAg and tumors by dictating the interplay between concurrent T-cell responses mediated by cDC1. Impaired induction of T-cell responses supports immune evasion in tumors with heterogenous NeoAg expression but is amenable to NeoAg architecture-informed vaccination, which in combination with ICB portrays a promising treatment approach for patients with tumors exhibiting high ITH.
Magnitude of antigen-specific T-cell immunity the month after completing vaccination series predicts the development of long-term persistence of antitumor immune response
Authors: Liao John B , Dai James Y , Reichow Jessica L , Lim Jong-Baeck , Hitchcock-Bernhardt Katie M , Stanton Sasha E , Salazar Lupe G , Gooley Theodore A , Disis Mary L
Published: November 2024

Background

For best efficacy, vaccines must provide long-lasting immunity. To measure longevity, memory from B and T cells are surrogate endpoints for vaccine efficacy. When antibodies are insufficient for protection, the immune response must rely on T cells. The magnitude and differentiation of effective, durable immune responses depend on antigen-specific precursor frequencies. However, development of vaccines that induce durable T-cell responses for cancer treatment has remained elusive.

Methods

To address long-lasting immunity, patients with HER2+ (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) advanced stage cancer received HER2/neu targeted vaccines. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot measuring HER2/neu IFN-γ T cells were analyzed from 86 patients from three time points: baseline, 1 month after vaccine series, and long-term follow-up at 1 year, following one in vitro stimulation. The baseline and 1-month post-vaccine series responses were correlated with immunity at long-term follow-up by logistic regression. Immunity was modeled by non-linear functions using generalized additive models.

Results

Antigen-specific T-cell responses at baseline were associated with a 0.33-log increase in response at long-term follow-up, 95% CI (0.11, 0.54), p=0.003. 63% of patients that had HER2/neu specific T cells at baseline continued to have responses at long-term follow-up. Increased HER2/neu specific T-cell response 1 month after the vaccine series was associated with a 0.47-log increase in T-cell response at long-term follow-up, 95% CI (0.27, 0.67), p=2e-5. 74% of patients that had an increased IFN-γ HER2 response 1 month after vaccines retained immunity long-term. As the 1-month post-vaccination series precursor frequency of HER2+IFN-γ T-cell responses increased, the probability of retaining these responses long-term increased (OR=1.49 for every one natural log increase of precursor frequency, p=0.0002), reaching an OR of 20 for a precursor frequency of 1:3,000

Conclusions

Patients not destined to achieve long-term immunity can be identified immediately after completing the vaccine series. Log-fold increases in antigen-specific precursor frequencies after vaccinations correlate with increased odds of retaining long-term HER2 immune responses. Further vaccine boosting or immune checkpoint inhibitors or other immune stimulator therapy should be explored in patients that do not develop antigen-specific T-cell responses to improve overall response rates.
Comparison of a voclosporin-based triple immunosuppressive therapy to high-dose glucocorticoid-based immunosuppressive therapy: a propensity analysis of the AURA-LV and AURORA 1 studies and ALMS
Authors: Dall'Era Maria , Kalunian Kenneth , Solomons Neil , Truman Matt , Hodge Lucy S , Yap Ernie , Askanase Anca D
Published: November 2024

Introduction

High-dose glucocorticoid (GC)-based dual immunosuppressive treatment regimens are still frequently used in active lupus nephritis (LN) despite their known association with dose-dependent toxicities and incomplete efficacy. We hypothesised that the addition of voclosporin to low-dose GCs and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) would reduce exposure to the toxicities of high-dose GC-based dual immunosuppressive therapy regimens, resulting in an improved safety profile without compromising efficacy.

Methods

Propensity score matching generated two groups of matched participants from the voclosporin arms (in combination with MMF (2 g/day) and low-dose GCs) of the Phase 2 AURA-LV and Phase 3 AURORA 1 studies and the MMF (3 g/day) and intravenous cyclophosphamide (IVC) arms (both in combination with high-dose GCs) of the Aspreva Lupus Management Study (ALMS) induction study. Safety and efficacy outcomes were assessed over 6 months.

Results

There were 179 matched participants identified between the AURA-LV/AURORA 1 studies and ALMS. The overall incidence of adverse events (AEs) was higher in IVC- and MMF-treated participants of ALMS; more voclosporin-treated participants reported AEs by preferred term of glomerular filtration rate decreased, hypertension and anaemia. The incidence of serious AEs was similar across treatments. There were four (2.2%) deaths in IVC- and MMF-treated participants of ALMS compared with seven (3.9%) deaths in voclosporin-treated participants. Significantly more voclosporin-treated participants achieved a ≥25% reduction in urine protein creatinine ratio (UPCR) from baseline at 3 months and ≥50% reduction in UPCR from baseline at 6 months.

Conclusions

Compared with the high-dose GC-based regimens used in ALMS, voclosporin-based triple immunosuppressive therapy resulted in fewer AEs overall and greater and earlier reductions in proteinuria over the first 6 months of treatment. These data reinforce the feasibility of using low doses of GCs and MMF to treat LN when combined with voclosporin as a third agent.
Biomechanical validation of the field-expedient pelvic splint
Authors: Savakus Jonathan C , Skacel T , Jindia M , Al-Madani Y , Spoletini L , C Ross R , Gehring A , J Stinner D
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Morbidity and mortality from pelvic ring injuries can be mitigated by early and effective external pelvic stabilisation. The field-expedient pelvic splint (FEPS) is a recently described technique to improvise an effective pelvic binder for an austere environment. This technique has not been biomechanically validated. We hypothesise that the FEPS will be biomechanically equivalent to a commercially available pelvic binder routinely used in the austere environment.

Methods

Compressive force generation of the FEPS was measured using a commercial load frame. A SAM Pelvic Sling was used as a control. The FEPS was tested for initial force generation, persistence of force generation over a 6-hour longitudinal test period and force generation after repeated assembly/disassembly.

Results

The FEPS generated 203N (±7N) with one windlass turn and 420N (±34N) with two windlass turns. The SAM Pelvic Sling generated 197N (±11N) of force. There was no significant difference between FEPS after one windlass crank and the SAM Pelvic Sling but the force generated by the FEPS with two windlass cranks was significantly higher than the SAM Pelvic Sling. Longitudinal testing showed that after 6 hours of continuous compression, the FEPS generated 189N (±19N) and the force generated at hour 6 was not significantly different from the initial force generated by SAM Pelvic Sling. Reusability testing showed no significant difference with force generation by the FEPS after repeated assembly/disassembly with one crank of the windlass but there was a significantly increased force generation by FEPS after repeated use trials with two cranks of the windlass.

Conclusion

The FEPS exerted equivalent pelvic compressive forces to its commercial equivalent and this force generation persists at effective levels over a 6-hour time course. The FEPS remained effective after repeated use. The FEPS is a viable alternative in the austere or resource-limited environment for temporary pelvic stabilisation.
Intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring during cardiac surgery: an observational cohort study
Authors: Brown James , Iyanna Nidhi , Yousef Sarah , Serna-Gallegos Derek , Zhu Jianhui , Yoon Pyongsoo , Kaczorowski David , Bonatti Johannes , Chu Danny , Balzer Jeffrey , Subramaniam Kathirvel , Thirumala Parthasarathy D , Sultan Ibrahim
Published: November 2024

Objective

To evaluate the impact of intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) on stroke and operative mortality after coronary and/or valvular operations.

Methods

This was an observational study of coronary and/or valvular heart operations from 2010 to 2021. Baseline characteristics and postoperative outcomes were compared by the use or non-use of IONM, which included both electroencephalography and somatosensory-evoked potentials. Propensity-score matching was employed to assess the association of IONM usage with operative mortality and stroke.

Results

A total of 19 299 patients underwent a cardiac operation, of which 589 (3.1%) had IONM. Patients with IONM were more likely to have had baseline cerebrovascular disease (60% vs 22%). Patients with IONM had increased operative mortality (5.3% vs 2.5%) and stroke (4.9% vs 1.9%). Moreover, stroke and mortality were highly correlated, with 14% of strokes resulting in death, while only 2% of non-strokes resulted in death (p<0.001). The unadjusted Kaplan-Meier survival estimate was significantly lower among the group with IONM (p<0.001, log-rank). After propensity matching, however, there was no difference in operative mortality or stroke across each group: 3.6% vs 5.3% for mortality and 3.7% vs 5.4% for stroke. In the propensity-matched cohort, the Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were not significantly different across each group (p=0.419, log-rank).

Conclusions

Adjusting for baseline risk, there was no significant difference in adverse outcomes across each group. IONM may serve as a biomarker of cerebral ischaemia, and empirical adjustments based on changes may provide benefits for neurologic outcomes in high-risk patients. The efficacy of IONM during cardiac surgery should be prospectively validated.
Epidemiology of myocarditis following COVID-19 or influenza and use of diagnostic assessments
Authors: Butler Oisin , Raisi-Estabragh Zahra , Han Yuchi , Frenz Ann Kathrin , Harz Cornelia , Kelle Sebastian , Schulz-Menger Jeanette , Michel Alexander , Kim Jiwon
Published: November 2024

Background

Previous research has suggested a heightened risk of acute myocarditis after COVID-19 infection. However, it is not clear from existing work whether this risk is higher than would be expected after comparable viral respiratory infections. This information is important to guide risk assessments and clinical practice.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of US administrative health claims was conducted to compare the rates of myocarditis after COVID-19 with that after influenza infection and describe the clinical use of diagnostic assessments.

Patients with either incident COVID-19 diagnosis (between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2021) or incident influenza diagnosis (between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2018), with at least 12 months of continuous enrolment prior to index date and without a previous diagnosis of myocarditis were included.

The primary outcome was clinically diagnosed acute myocarditis recorded after COVID-19 or influenza infection. Results are reported as covariate-adjusted subdistribution HRs from competing risk regression with COVID-19 considered as the exposure of interest and influenza as the reference group. Death was considered a competing risk.

Results

1 120 760 adult COVID-19 patients and 439 278 adult influenza patients were identified, of which 669 (0.06%) adult COVID-19 patients and 91 (0.02%) adult influenza patients received a diagnosis of myocarditis. The myocarditis rate per 1000 person-years was 0.73 (95% CI 0.67 to 0.78) for adult COVID-19 patients and 0.24 (95% CI 0.19 to 0.28) for adult influenza populations. In models comprehensively adjusted for demographic and clinical risk factors, COVID-19 diagnosis (compared with influenza diagnosis), cardiac comorbidities, being male and under the age of 30 were independently associated with an increased risk of myocarditis in the year after diagnosis.

Conclusions

These findings support a distinct link between COVID-19 and myocarditis, which appears greater than after a similar viral respiratory infection. As such, a greater degree of clinical suspicion and investigation according to existing diagnostic pathways is recommended.
Three cases of IgG4-RD complicated by splenic artery aneurysm: a complication of IgG4-RD?
Authors: Zeng Wenhuan , Zhou Hang , Wang Tianqi , Liu Yanying
Published: November 2024

Immunoglobulin 4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is known for its potential to affect nearly every organ, particularly a preference for large and middle-sized arteries when vascular involvement occurs. However, instances of splenic artery aneurysms are exceedingly rare with only two cases reported in the literature. We have summarised the clinical manifestations and laboratory characteristics of the three patients we reported along with the two patients previously reported. It is noteworthy that all five patients had involvement of the salivary glands and only one patient had other arterial involvement. The three patients we reported had no new organ onset or worsening of existing organ involvement and normal or not significantly elevated serum IgG4 levels when the artery aneurysm was identified. These aneurysms may be the result of vascular damage from prior involvement that was not recognised previously. The cases we reported here highlight a potential association between IgG4-RD and concurrent splenic artery aneurysms.
Thinned slash pine (Pinus elliottii) stand response to midrotation vegetation control and fertilization on flatwoods sites
Authors: Dickens E. David , Clabo David C. , Frye Mark J.
Published: November 2024

Midrotation management, including vegetation control and fertilization, can improve growth and yield of southern pine stands. This study investigated the 12-year response of slash pine ( Pinus elliottii), thinned at midrotation to additional treatments of herbicide, fertilization, liming (one site), and combinations of these treatments in the Coastal Plain region of Georgia, USA. There was a significant treatment × stand age interaction observed at the Ware County site for height ( p < 0.001), diameter at breast height (dbh) ( p < 0.001), and individual tree green weight ( p < 0.001). The herbicide + NPK and herbicide treatments resulted in the most consistent growth improvements 0 to 4 years post-treatment compared to the untreated control. The lime + NPK and herbicide treatment resulted in the longest lived (4–12 years) significantly improved growth response. Results revealed no tested treatments improved growth during the 12-year study duration at the Wayne County site. Results from this study suggest that thinned slash pine stands with diagnostics indicating midrotation fertilization or vegetation control may be beneficial do not always respond as expected to inputs. When stands are responsive, single application midrotation treatments can offer long-term growth improvements, yet growth response can differ depending on time since application.
Charge distribution and total kinetic energy in the fission of Rn, Ra and U
Authors: Butuza Andrei
Published: November 2024

For the even nuclei of $$^{204-208}$$

204
-
208

Rn, $$^{214-218}$$

214
-
218

Ra and $$^{232-234}$$

232
-
234

U, the simultaneous description of charge distribution and total kinetic energy are studied within the scission-point model. The calculated data are compared with experimental data from the literature. Correlations between these observables and other quantities of interest are analysed.
Neutron transfer in 7Li+205Tl system
Authors: M. Prasanna , Parkar V. V. , Jha V. , Pandit S. K. , Parmar A. , Shrivastava A. , Mahata K. , Ramachandran K. , Palit R. , Kanagalekar Bhushan , Hegde B. G.
Published: November 2024

Neutron transfer cross sections for 7Li+205Tl system were measured near Coulomb barrier energies using online $$\gamma $$
γ
-ray detection technique. One neutron stripping, two neutron stripping, and one neutron pickup cross sections have been extracted and are compared with the Coupled Reaction Channel (CRC) calculations. The systematics of one and two neutron stripping and pickup cross sections with a 7Li projectile on several targets show an approximate universal behaviour. A comparison of integrated neutron transfer cross sections with complete and incomplete fusion cross sections available with 7Li projectile is presented to understand the systematic behaviour. The neutron transfer along with cumulative sum of complete and incomplete fusion was found to explain the estimated reaction cross section in 7Li+205Tl system.
On holonomy groupoid of vertex operator algebra bundles on foliations
Authors: Zuevsky A.
Published: November 2024

For a foliation [Formula: see text] defined on a smooth complex manifold [Formula: see text] we introduce the category of vertex operator algebra [Formula: see text] bundles with sections provided by vectors of elements of the space of algebraically extended [Formula: see text]-module [Formula: see text]-valued differentials. An intrinsic coordinate-independent formulation for such bundles is given. Finally, we identify the cohomology of the spaces of sections for a vertex operator algebra [Formula: see text] bundle with vertex operator algebra cohomology of the holonomy groupoid [Formula: see text].
Statistical manifolds equipped with semi-symmetric connection and Ricci-soliton equations
Authors: Kazemi Balgeshir Mohammad Bagher , Panahi Gharehkoshan Samira , Ilmakchi Mohammad
Published: November 2024

Since the semi-symmetric connections have been categorized to metric and non metric cases we study both types of these connections on Ricci-solitons where the ambient manifold involves the statistical structure. We apply the statistical Kenmotsu structure on manifold and determine the constant value [Formula: see text] on Ricci-soliton equation via dimension of manifold. A non-trivial example is provided for these results.
SURFACE WETTABILITY STUDIES ON LASER TEXTURED Ti-6Al-4V AND 316L STAINLESS STEEL
Authors: ANSARI MOHAMMAD AHAD , THANIGAIVELAN R. , KAVYA VINOD , RATHINASAMY K. , JAGADEESHA T.
Published: November 2024

The surface wettability of laser-textured Ti-6Al-4V and 316L SS is compared in this work. The surface of Ti-6Al-4V and 316L SS was micro-laser textured with varying dimple distances with the help of a nanosecond fiber laser. The composition of the material is evaluated using Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy and the surface roughness of the laser-textured samples was evaluated using a 3D optical profilometer. The results of the measurement of contact angle reveal information on the substrate’s wettability. The contact angle of Ti-6Al-4V was significantly reduced from 9[Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text] for 100[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m dimple distance at 98% energy while 316L SS contact angle was reduced from [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text] for 200[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m at 98% energy.
ULTRASONICALLY ENHANCED PVA-PVP-PEG BLENDS WITH STRONTIUM AND LANTHANUM OXIDES: ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL INSIGHTS
Authors: BEWYN JOSEPH P. , SURESH BABU S. K. , GODWIN CHRISTUS SELVIN J.
Published: November 2024

In this study, metal oxides of Strontium oxide (SrO) and Lanthanum oxide (La2O3) were incorporated into a polymer blend of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and polyethylene glycol (PEG). Specifically, the blends PVA-PVP-PEG, PVA-PVP-PEG-SrO, PVA-PVP-PEG-La2O3, and PVA-PVP-PEG-SrO-La2O3 were prepared using casting techniques enhanced by ultrasonic casting methods. The resulting polymer membranes exhibited both semi-crystalline and amorphous characteristics, with the addition of SrO and La2O3 leading to prominent crystalline peaks. The electrical properties of these polymer blends were analyzed using impedance spectroscopy and an I-V source meter, which allowed for the determination of their resistance ranges. Notably, the PVA-PVP-PEG-SrO-La2O3 membrane exhibited a significant elongation of 102.6%, as indicated by Young’s modulus measurements, underscoring its potential use as an active layer for flexible electronics applications.
MANUFACTURING OF FGM AL BASE COMPOSITE SHEETS VIA COMBINED POWDER METALLURGY AND HOT ROLLING
Authors: QIU PANPAN , KUMAR RAKESH , SHARMA ROHIT , SINGH RAHUL , NIEDERREITER JAMES
Published: November 2024

Nowadays, functionally graded materials are popular due to their unique ability to provide multiple and sometimes opposite properties together for use in different applications. This makes them needed in various industries, such as the coating industry, turbomachinery and aerospace industry. The aim of this study is to manufacture functionally graded material sheets of aluminum-based composites with Al2O3 reinforcing particles, via combined powder metallurgy and hot rolling methods as its novelty. In this regard, the amount of Al2O3 particles in the direction of thickness has been changed from 0 to 4 vol.%. Then, samples were prepared in four steps including ball-milling, degassing, cold pressing, sintering, and then, were hot-rolled up to three passes. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of the FGM samples including their tensile, flexural strength and hardness were measured and reported. Finally, using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), the fracture surfaces in the tensile and flexural tests were observed. The ultimate tensile strength, yield strength and hardness of samples increase by increasing the number of layers and particles ratio in all FGM samples. According to SEM results, Al2O3 particles have a uniform scattering through the matrix. Also, hardness and strength are improved at higher Al2O3 values and rolling passes. Moreover, the main fracture mode in a pure aluminum layer is the initiation and propagation of cracks. The separation of two phases is responsible for crack initiation in the layers.
EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF ELECTRO-DISCHARGE MACHINING CHARACTERISTICS OF WELDED JOINTS OF AISI 1541H
Authors: RATHORE VIVEK , SINGH BHARAT , YADAV AKASH , SINGHAL PIYUSH
Published: November 2024

The demand for precision machining in high-strength materials has led to increased interest in understanding the electro-discharge machining (EDM) behavior of welded joints in industrial applications. This study explores the effects of key EDM parameters, such as electrode material, peak current, and pulse duration, on AISI 1541H welded joints. It evaluates the material removal rate (MRR), tool wear rate (TWR), surface roughness (SR), and microstructure, revealing important correlations between EDM settings and the quality of machined surfaces. The study investigates the machining characteristics of oxy-acetylene gas (OAG) and tungsten-inert gas (TIG) welded samples across the fusion zone (FZ), heat-affected zone (HAZ), and unaffected zone (UAZ). For the OAG-welded sample, MRR in the FZ was 15.077[Formula: see text]mg/min which is less than the MRR of HAZ, and UAZ. It was fine-grain structure has a high MRR in comparison to Coarse grain. Whereas, TWR was 0.22[Formula: see text]mg/min, 0.32[Formula: see text]mg/min, and 0.185[Formula: see text]mg/min in the FZ, HAZ and UAZ respectively. SR values were found Lowest in UAZ at 7.11[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m, and SR was reported at 8.33[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m in FZ, and 7.32[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m in HAZ. Measured microhardness values were 196 HV0.5 in FZ which is 6.2% higher than the microhardness of HAZ. Similar trends were observed in the TIG welded sample, where the MRR was 17.113[Formula: see text]mg/min (FZ), 17.436[Formula: see text]mg/min (HAZ), and 17.811[Formula: see text]mg/min in UAZ. The study reveals that TIG-welded joints outperform OAG joints in terms of machining performance, material removal rates (MRRs), hardness, and surface finish due to lower porosity and better grain distribution whereas the OAG process shows microporosity due to shielding limitations.
MICROSTRUCTURAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF GAS METAL ARC-WELDED ZIRCALOY PIPE: A FRAMEWORK
Authors: SUBRAMANIYAN SIVARAJ , NARAYANASAMY BABU , SUBRAMANIYAN MOHAN KUMAR
Published: November 2024

Gas metal arc welding (GMAW) was used to fabricate Zircaloy-2 pipe, producing flawless welds applicable in the nuclear, aerospace, and marine industries. This technique was optimized by testing a great deal and identifying the ideal process parameters (13.6[Formula: see text]V, 135[Formula: see text]A, 3[Formula: see text]mm arc length and welding speed of 170[Formula: see text]mm/min). Optical microscopy of the welded microstructure of the material demonstrated the presence of columnar and equiaxed dendrites near the weld metal (WM), mostly constituted of [Formula: see text]-zirconium and [Formula: see text]-zirconium phases. The mechanical properties of welded pipe have been considerably improved by these microstructural changes, which are the result of constitutional supercooling and thermal histories. Tensile strength of weldment increased by 4.3% to 501.9[Formula: see text]MPa, while base metal (BM) showed 485.2[Formula: see text]MPa of strength. Results of the tensile test show a simulated error percentage of less than 1%. Notably, the welded pipe showed better mechanical strength than BM, and a 180∘ bend test proved its ductility by revealing no symptoms of cracking. Evaluations of microhardness revealed a decrease in hardness in the BM area (179–186[Formula: see text]HV), in contrast to maximum values found in the WM (219–243[Formula: see text]HV).
Characterizations Strengthening and Wear Performance of the TIG Clad Ceramics-Reinforced Hard Composites on TA18
Authors: LI JIANQUAN , LIU HAOJING , MA QINGYU
Published: November 2024

The hard coating was formed by TIG cladding (TC) of the Stellite31-NB powders on TA18 titanium alloy, enhancing greatly the performance of the TA18 surface. This TC coating was investigated by the characterization means, indicating that a great number of the fine particles gathered near to the rod-shape precipitates, also restraining the growth of, so partial of the formed rods exhibited the acicular-shape morphologies. Due to the complex chemical compositions between the crystals and the amorphous phases (APs), the interface region owned the different lattices parameters, favoring the lattice distortions to be produced after a solidification process. The wear volume loss of the TC coating of the arc-treated specimen was about 1/5 of TA18, the better wear performance of a TC coating can be primarily ascribed to the features of this TC coating, such as the including ceramics also the other hard compounds.
OPTIMIZATION OF CUTTING PARAMETER IN TURNING OF SUPER DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL-SDSS 2507 WITH TEXTURED TOOLS UNDER MQL CONDITIONS
Authors: CHATURVEDI A. K. , JAGADEESHA T. , TAMANG SANTOSH KUMAR , THANIGAIVELAN R. , PERIYASAMY R.
Published: November 2024

Super-duplex stainless steel (SDSS) 2507 is well known for its complex microstructure and alloying components, which contribute to its exceptional mechanical qualities and resistance to corrosion. Nevertheless, these features provide considerable difficulties during machining. In order to address these challenges and advance sustainability, this work presents a novel machining technique that combines minimal quantity lubrication (MQL) with surface-textured tools. Two different kinds of texture tools were examined: one with linear grooves and the other with a hybrid texture that combined both circular pits and holes. A CNC center lathe machine operating under MQL conditions was used for the experiments. It had two distinct cooling conditions, different tool textures, and cutting parameters like depth of cut, feed rate, and speed. Cutting speed, followed by feed rate, was the most important factor affecting cutting force and tool flank wear, according to analysis of variance (ANOVA). Comparing the hybrid-textured tool under MQL to dry machining conditions, the cutting force was reduced by 40%. A cutting speed of 40[Formula: see text]m/min, feed rate of 0.1[Formula: see text]mm/rev, and depth of cut of 0.4[Formula: see text]mm were found to be the optimal machining parameters employing MQL and hybrid-textured tools for minimizing cutting force and tool wear, the optimal values are 119.57[Formula: see text]N and 113.875[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m respectively. These findings provide notable enhancements in machinability and sustainability for SDSS 2507, demonstrating the efficiency and usefulness of the suggested approach in MQL machining.
Wrapped processes on circular lattices for planar directions
Authors: Gatto Riccardo
Published: November 2024

This paper introduces a class of stochastic processes making jumps around the circle. These circular processes are the wrapped versions of the Poisson, the negative binomial, the binomial processes and of extensions thereof obtained by compounding with a secondary frequency distribution. Their prevailing application is for modeling planar motions. These processes can be weakly stationary, can have uniform stationary distribution, can have independent or stationary circular increments. Their autocovariance functions, one-dimensional trigonometric moments and wrapped distributions are obtained. For the wrapped Poisson process, it is shown that the formula for the one-dimensional distribution can be obtained either by discrete Fourier transform or by wrapping the Poisson distribution around the circle and by simplifying it with the generalized hyperbolic function. Some numerical illustrations and comparisons are provided.
Assessing the Efficiency of Transformer Models with Varying Sizes for Text Classification: A Study of Rule-Based Annotation with DistilBERT and Other Transformers
Authors: Sbei Arafet , ElBedoui Khaoula , Barhoumi Walid
Published: November 2024

This study presents a comparative analysis of transformer models for text classification, utilizing a hybrid approach that integrates rule-based regular expressions with fine-tuned neural network models. Initially, regular expressions are employed to annotate sentences in a cost-effective manner, providing an efficient alternative to manual labeling. The annotated dataset, comprising around 33,000 instances across three classes (Reminder, Scheduled Activity, General) and also restructured into two classes (Reminder and General) by merging “Scheduled Activity” with “Reminder”, is then used to fine-tune various transformer models, including DistilBERT, BERT, RoBERTa, ALBERT, Electra, Ernie 2.0, XLNet, and GPT-2. Our methodology involves freezing all layers except the final one during fine-tuning, allowing the models to learn nuanced linguistic patterns while mitigating overfitting. Results reveal that DistilBERT, despite its smaller size (66 million parameters), outperforms larger models such as BERT and GPT-2 in terms of accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. Likewise, we demonstrated that the proposed method can work better than generative AI large language models for both zero-shot and one-shot learning, namely GPT-3.5, GPT-4, GPT-4o and LLaMA-3 70B. This efficiency is attributed to the distillation process that retains essential features while reducing computational demands. Notably, DistilBERT achieved an overall accuracy of 0.86, significantly surpassing BERT’s 0.55, GPT-2’s 0.36, XLNet’s 0.51, Ernie 2.0’s 0.72, Electra’s 0.74, ALBERT’s 0.72, and RoBERTa’s 0.71. The study highlights the importance of model size and architecture in achieving optimal performance, especially in resource-constrained scenarios. This investigation underscores the efficacy of combining rule-based methods with advanced transformer models for text annotation, demonstrating that a balanced approach leveraging both handcrafted rules and learned representations can generalize better than relying solely on one technique. The proposed hybrid method offers a robust and adaptable solution for sentence annotation pipelines, enhancing performance in diverse natural language processing applications with limited labeled data. Code is available at https://github.com/arafet/Text-annotation-using-rule-based-method-and-Transformers .
Modification of Electrons Transport Layer and Perovskite Material to Improve the Current Density of Organic-Inorganic Perovskite Solar Cell
Authors: Hussain Saddam , Khan M. I. , Alhodaib Aiyeshah , Saghir Ibrahim , Iqbal Munawar , Rodríguez-Rodríguez Margarita , Pellegrini-Cervantes Manuel J. , Núñez-Jaquez R. E. , Barrios-Durstewitz C. P.
Published: November 2024

Utilizing the sol–gel technique, we deposited 5% Mo-doped MAPbI2Br films onto fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)-glass substrates. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the cubic structure of all films, with the 5% Mo-doped film exhibiting a notably large grain size of 32.34[Formula: see text]nm. UV–visible spectroscopy further validated these findings, indicating a reduced band-gap energy of 1.94[Formula: see text]eV and a heightened refractive index of 2.64 and an extinction coefficient of 2.21 in the 5% Mo-doped film. The manipulation of the conduction and valence band edges facilitated enhanced charge transport between the layers. In order to increase the current density, a layer of SnO2 has been added near the electron transport layer (ETL). XRD and Raman spectra show the formation of crystalline SnO2. The absorption spectra show the high transmittance in the visible region, which is good for ETL. Solar cells based on these films were constructed with the configuration glass FTO/TiO2/SnO2/Mo-MAPbI2Br/spiro-OMeTAD/Au. The bilayer composed of 5% Mo-MAPbI2Br and a SnO2 layer demonstrated excellent performance, characterized by a current density of 11.88[Formula: see text]mA/cm2, an open circuit voltage of 1.07[Formula: see text]V, a fill-factor of 0.83, and an efficiency of 10.03%. The improvement in performance may be credited to the increased speed of electron transport and decreased likelihood of recombination at the interface between TiO2, SnO2, and perovskite layers in the bilayer structure.
Hu’s AnGeng decoction combined with femostom for treating menopausal syndrome: A randomized trial and network pharmacology study
Authors: Chen Xiaozhi , Zhou Jing , Mou Xiaoshui , Yu Xinmei , Niu Fang , Wang Ling
Published: November 2024

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the clinical effects and underlying mechanisms of Hu’s AnGeng Decoction combined with Femostom in treating menopausal syndrome (MD) associated with Kidney Yin deficiency and disharmony between the heart and kidney, to provide a safe and effective therapeutic option. METHODS: A total of 324 menopausal participants were randomly allocated into three groups: An experimental group receiving Hu’s AnGeng Decoction combined with Femostom (1/10[Formula: see text]mg) ([Formula: see text]), control group 1 receiving only Hu’s AnGeng Decoction ([Formula: see text]), and control group 2 receiving Femostom (1/10[Formula: see text]mg) only ([Formula: see text]). Using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), TCM-ID, and GeneCards, we retrieved the active ingredients and target proteins of Hu’s AnGeng Decoction along with MD-related targets. A protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed, followed by gene ontology (GO) function enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. RESULTS: The experimental group exhibited significantly better scores in the Modified Kupperman Index (mKI), Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), and estrogen (E2) levels compared to both control group 1 and control group 2. A total of 119 targets related to Hu’s AnGeng Decoction were identified, along with 17 genes associated with MD, and three common targets were determined through Venny 2.1 analysis. The PPI network highlighted three key targets through topological analysis. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated multiple disease-relevant pathways. Conclusion: Hu’s AnGeng Decoction significantly alleviates MD, likely through active components such as quercetin, beta-sitosterol, naringenin, and beta-carotene, which may exert therapeutic effects by modulating key targets such as estrogen receptor 2 (ESR2), CYP1B1, and AR. This study identified 119 drug target genes and 17 target genes related to menopausal symptoms, illustrating the integrative therapeutic potential of Hu’s AnGeng Decoction.
Molecular Identification of Selected Cervid Helminths in Supplementarily Fed European Bison Population
Authors: Świsłocka-Cutter Magdalena , Kowalczyk Rafał , Borkowska Anetta , Kamiński Tomasz , Kołodziej-Sobocińska Marta
Published: November 2024

Background: Wild animals often suffer from infections with multiple species of parasites simultaneously. The exchange of parasites between different host species is common in nature and often involves intermediate hosts or sharing space such as pastures or watering holes. Supplementary feeding, leading to large aggregations of individuals, can have several adverse effects on wild ungulate populations, despite being a widespread management practice. One such effect is an increased risk of parasitic infections, particularly in social animals. We quantified the prevalence of selected helminths typically found in cervids, in samples of the European bison faeces, using molecular methods, and compared endoparasite species richness between supplementarily fed and nonfed European bison herds in the Białowieża Primeval Forest, NE Poland.

Methods: Using the diagnostic PCR method, we analysed the faecal samples for molecular markers of nine parasite species which are typically found in cervids: moose, red deer, and roe deer.

Results: All analysed samples tested positive for at least one parasite species, and the average number of parasite species per sample was 3.2. The most prevalent parasites were gastrointestinal nematodes: Ostertagia leptospicularis and Ostertagia antipini, found in 89.2% and 50.6% of the European bison faecal samples, respectively. We found significant differences in the prevalence of four parasite species between supplementarily fed and nonfed European bison herds. Co‐occurrence analysis showed that most of the associations between parasite species pairs were random.

Conclusion: Management practices, such as supplementary feeding, can influence the spread of parasite infections in social mammals. This study also promotes the application of molecular methods for noninvasive parasitological monitoring of wildlife populations of endangered ruminant species sharing resources with other ungulates.
Bacterial Cell Lysates of Bacillus sp. F Isolated From Permafrost Diminish DNA Damage by Hydrogen Peroxide in Murine Blood Cells Ex Vivo
Authors: Brouchkov A. V. , Averin M. V. , Callender T. , Griva G. I. , Gapeev A. B. , Ignatov S. G. , Khramov R. N. , Man Y. G. , Marshall P. , Shcherbatyuk T. G. , Rukavtsova E. B. , Zakharchenko N. S.
Published: November 2024

Nowadays, there is growing interest in new compositions and drugs that can preserve and maintain human health. There are many studies on both known probiotics and new sources of biologically active substances which may potentially be new avenues for human longevity. Here, we describe the protective effect of cell lysates of the relict bacteria Bacillus sp. F (Bacilus Lyuba), isolated from the ancient permafrost of Central Yakutia, upon DNA damage, induced by hydrogen peroxide. The DNA damage was monitored by a comet assay in leukocytes isolated from the peripheral blood of experimental animals (BALB/c mice). Cell lysates were prepared using the French Press and ultrasonic treatment. The levels of DNA damage in the presence of bacterial lysates upon the stress test (20 μM hydrogen peroxide for 10 min at 37°C) were almost twice lower, compared with the buffer control. Of note, the maximal protective effect was observed in the temperature range of 50°C–60°C; with the increase of the temperature, this effect vanished. The obtained results do not give a clear answer on the mechanism of the protective properties of Bacillus sp. F. (Bacilus Lyuba) lysates. To answer this question, a detailed analysis of the protein composition of bacterial lysate at different temperatures should be performed.
Capacity Limitations and Work Ability in Patients With Neurological Conditions With and Without Work Phobic Anxiety
Authors: Henning Anne , Muschalla Beate
Published: November 2024

Objective: Work phobic anxiety can occur as an additional problem in any somatic illness and is often associated with work capacity limitations and sick leave. This study investigates work‐related capacity limitations in patients with and without work phobic anxiety who are undergoing neurological rehabilitation. It was conducted in the rehabilitation facility Brandenburgklinik Berlin‐Brandenburg in Germany.

Methods: Work phobic anxiety was assessed with the Workplace Phobia Scale (WPS). The response rate was 69.51%. Capacity limitations (Mini‐ICF‐APP) were compared between 19 patients with neurological conditions and work phobic anxiety and 209 patients with neurological conditions without work phobic anxiety. Work participation restrictions were examined and compared using the self‐ and observer rated Index for Measuring Participation (IMET, IMEP‐O). The work ability assessments regarding the patients’ last occupation as well as the general labor market were conducted by the treating physicians as part of their medical reports and compared between the subgroups. The work ability was rated as less than 3 h, 3 to less than 6 h, or 6 h or more a day for more than 6 months, with the latter being an indication for prognostic work ability and potential reintegration into the labor market. This is a common classification in sociomedical assessments in Germany.

Results: Independent t‐tests showed that patients with work phobic anxiety were significantly more limited in their planning and structuring of tasks (t[20.104] = 2.310, p = 0.032, d = 0.68), flexibility (t[217] = 3.586, p < 0.001, d = 0.86), assertiveness (t[19.613] = 2.151, p = 0.044, d = 0.70), group integration (t[19.534] = 2.274, p = 0.034, d = 0.76), and mobility capacities (t[16.616] = 2.198, p = 0.042, d = 0.76) and significantly more restricted in participating in work compared to patients without work phobic anxiety (IMEP‐O: t[23.549] = 2.298, p = 0.031, d = 0.40; IMET: t[27.191] = 4.581, p < 0.001, d = 0.78). Chi‐squared tests revealed no significant differences in the physicians’ work ability assessments between patients with and without work phobic anxiety.

Conclusions: While work phobic anxiety seems to not be decisive concerning early retirement assessments, it is associated with greater capacity limitations and work participation restrictions. The results highlight the need for identifying work phobic anxiety and associated capacity limitations in clinical practice.
The Fitness of Molnupiravir-Signed SARS-CoV-2 Variants: Imputation Analysis Based on Prescription Counts and Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data Analyses by Country
Authors: Focosi Daniele , McNally Dave , Maggi Fabrizio
Published: November 2024

Introduction: Molnupiravir is one of the oral direct-acting antivirals against SARS-CoV-2, largely deployed during the COVID-19 pandemic since the 2022 Omicron wave. While efficacy has been questioned in post-marketing clinical trials (leading to the EMA withdrawing its authorization), growing concerns have mounted regarding its possible mutagenic effects on the virus. While it has been assumed that either all the host viral load was cleared by the drug or drug-generated variants were not fit enough to survive, several lineages with a high transition/transversion ratio (a signature of molnupiravir action) have been recently reported from GISAID. Methods: We report here a systematic analysis of the GISAID database for sequences showing a molnupiravir signature, exposing a public web-based interface (https://ukcovid.xyz/molnupiravir/), and performing an imputation analysis based on per-country prescription (corrected by sequencing). Results: Our analysis confirms a direct correlation between the number of molnupiravir courses and the number of mutationally signed sequences deposited in GISAID in individual countries. Conclusions: Molnupiravir can generate fit SARS-CoV-2 variants that transmit in the general population.