bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hierarchically structured task-agnostic continual learning
Authors: Hihn Heinke , Braun Daniel A.
Published: December 2022

One notable weakness of current machine learning algorithms is the poor ability of models to solve new problems without forgetting previously acquired knowledge. The Continual Learning paradigm has emerged as a protocol to systematically investigate settings where the model sequentially observes samples generated by a series of tasks. In this work, we take a task-agnostic view of continual learning and develop a hierarchical information-theoretic optimality principle that facilitates a trade-off between learning and forgetting. We derive this principle from a Bayesian perspective and show its connections to previous approaches to continual learning. Based on this principle, we propose a neural network layer, called the Mixture-of-Variational-Experts layer, that alleviates forgetting by creating a set of information processing paths through the network which is governed by a gating policy. Equipped with a diverse and specialized set of parameters, each path can be regarded as a distinct sub-network that learns to solve tasks. To improve expert allocation, we introduce diversity objectives, which we evaluate in additional ablation studies. Importantly, our approach can operate in a task-agnostic way, i.e., it does not require task-specific knowledge, as is the case with many existing continual learning algorithms. Due to the general formulation based on generic utility functions, we can apply this optimality principle to a large variety of learning problems, including supervised learning, reinforcement learning, and generative modeling. We demonstrate the competitive performance of our method on continual reinforcement learning and variants of the MNIST, CIFAR-10, and CIFAR-100 datasets.
Increasing the number of ribosomal uL6 mRNA copies accelerates aging of the budding yeast
Authors: Mołoń Mateusz , Zaciura Monika , Wojdyła Dominik , Molestak Eliza
Published: December 2022

Background

Aging is a biological process from which there is no escape. Diverse factors contribute to aging, most notably cell energy metabolism. Ribosome biogenesis and translation are the two main energy-consuming processes that contribute to longevity. It has repeatedly been shown that translation disorders caused by deletion of ribosomal genes delay aging. However, the effect of increasing the amount of ribosomal proteins has remained elusive.

Methods and results

We determine the relative level of the uL6A and uL6B mRNA derived from the genome and the plasmid. The appearance of additional copies of plasmid-derived uL6 leads to an increase in uL6A and uL6B derived from the BY4741 genome (mainly form B). The relative amount of mRNA of plasmid form B is several times greater than the amount of mRNA in plasmid form A. The level of mRNA derived from the plasmid is increased many times compared to the mRNA of genomic origin. Additionally, the study indicates that excess of uL6A is a limiting or even harmful factor in the reaction to stressful conditions. Therefore, our hypothesis states that uL6A transcription or mRNA uL6A degradation in yeast cells are tightly regulated. our data clearly demonstrate that aging is accelerated when additional copies of uL6 paralogs appear.

Conclusion

Overexpression of both uL6A or uL6B accelerates aging in the budding yeast. The level of uL6A mRNA is tightly controlled by yeast cell. The uL6a protein plays a pivotal role in the response to environmental stress, including oxidative and osmotic stress, and thus may fall into the class of moonlighting ribosomal proteins with extra-ribosomal function.
Adaptively restarted block Krylov subspace methods with low-synchronization skeletons
Authors: Lund Kathryn
Published: December 2022

With the recent realization of exascale performance by Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Frontier supercomputer, reducing communication in kernels like QR factorization has become even more imperative. Low-synchronization Gram-Schmidt methods, first introduced in Świrydowicz et al. (Numer. Lin. Alg. Appl.28(2):e2343, 2020), have been shown to improve the scalability of the Arnoldi method in high-performance distributed computing. Block versions of low-synchronization Gram-Schmidt show further potential for speeding up algorithms, as column-batching allows for maximizing cache usage with matrix-matrix operations. In this work, low-synchronization block Gram-Schmidt variants from Carson et al. (Linear Algebra Appl.638:150–195, 2022) are transformed into block Arnoldi variants for use in block full orthogonalization methods (BFOM) and block generalized minimal residual methods (BGMRES). An adaptive restarting heuristic is developed to handle instabilities that arise with the increasing condition number of the Krylov basis. The performance, accuracy, and stability of these methods are assessed via a flexible benchmarking tool written in MATLAB. The modularity of the tool additionally permits generalized block inner products, like the global inner product.
On Robin’s inequality
Authors: Axler Christian
Published: December 2022

Let $$\sigma (n)$$

σ
(
n
)

denote the sum of divisors function of a positive integer n. Robin proved that the Riemann hypothesis is true if and only if the inequality $$\sigma (n) < \textrm{e}^{\gamma }n \log \log n$$

σ

(
n
)

<

e
γ

n
log
log
n

holds for every integer $$n > 5040$$

n
>
5040

, where $$\gamma $$
γ
is the Euler–Mascheroni constant. In this paper we establish a new family of integers for which Robin’s inequality $$\sigma (n) < \textrm{e}^{\gamma }n \log \log n$$

σ

(
n
)

<

e
γ

n
log
log
n

hold. Further, we establish a new unconditional upper bound for the sum of divisors function. For this purpose, we use an approximation for Chebyshev’s $$\vartheta $$
ϑ
-function and for some product defined over prime numbers.
Penalized for Challenging Traditional Gender Roles: Why Heterosexual Relationships in Which Women Wear the Pants May Be More Precarious
Authors: Vink Melissa , Derks Belle , Ellemers Naomi , van der Lippe Tanja
Published: December 2022

There is growing evidence that heterosexual relationships in which traditional gender roles are reversed because women have attained higher societal status than their male partner are more precarious. We argue that this is the case because both partners in role-reversed relationships are evaluated more negatively than partners in more egalitarian or traditional gender role relationships. In two experimental studies conducted in the United States (N = 223) and the Netherlands (N = 269), we found that when encountering role-reversed relationships, participants perceive the woman as the more dominant and agentic one and the man as the weaker one in the relationship. They also perceive women in role-reversed relationships as less likeable, have less respect for men in role-reversed relationships, and expect that such relationships are less satisfying. In addition, in a third partner study (N = 94 heterosexual couples), we found that both male and female partners in role-reversed relationships considered the man to be the weaker one and the woman to be the more dominant one. Moreover, perceiving the man as the weaker one predicted lower relationship satisfaction in role-reversed couples. Overall, this research indicates that gender stereotypes about heterosexual relationships should be considered in efforts to achieve gender equity.
Towards the multileveled and processual conceptualisation of racialised individuals in biomedical research
Authors: Malinowska Joanna Karolina , Żuradzki Tomasz
Published: December 2022

In this paper, we discuss the processes of racialisation on the example of biomedical research. We argue that applying the concept of racialisation in biomedical research can be much more precise, informative and suitable than currently used categories, such as race and ethnicity. For this purpose, we construct a model of the different processes affecting and co-shaping the racialisation of an individual, and consider these in relation to biomedical research, particularly to studies on hypertension. We finish with a discussion on the potential application of our proposition to institutional guidelines on the use of racial categories in biomedical research.
Meshfree Digital Image Correlation Using Element Free Galerkin Method: Theory, Algorithm and Validation
Authors: Chen B. , Coppieters S.
Published: December 2022

Background

The association of advanced digital image correlation (DIC) and numerical simulation has been widely used for inverse parameter identification.

Objective

It is attractive to develop an accurate DIC method sharing the common features with numerical simulation, which can lead to better synergy between experiments and simulations.

Methods

A new meshfree digital image correlation (MF-DIC) using element free Galerkin method (EFGM) is proposed for deformation measurement. The EFGM is a classical meshfree method in numerical studies, and it is directly used to construct the shape function in MF-DIC from a set of scattered nodes for image matching. The MF-DIC is principally different from the classical local DIC and global DIC since it does not rely on the concept of a subset or an element.

Results

In MF-DIC, the $${C}^{1}$$

C

1

-continuous displacement for every point is constructed based on a group of scattered nodes in a small support domain surrounding it. The continuous strain map can then be directly derived from the displacement, instead of using an additional smoothing technique as required in classical local DIC or post-processing used in global DIC. A performance assessment based on the Metrological Efficiency Indicator (MEI), as defined in DIC Challenge 2.0, shows that the proposed MF-DIC yields an excellent balance between spatial resolution and measurement resolution for both displacement and strain measurements.

Conclusions

Given that the proposed MF-DIC shares common features with the classical meshfree method in computational mechanics, it paves the way for an enhanced synergy between experiments and simulations required for robust inverse parameter identification methods.
In-Situ Monitoring of Phase Transition and Microstructure Evolution in Ni-Based Superalloys by Electrical Resistivity: Direct Comparison With Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Application to Case Studies
Authors: Utada Satoshi , Sasaki Ryo , Reed Roger C. , Tang Yuanbo T.
Published: December 2022

In this study, resistivity measurements are made during continuous heating and cooling on four different Ni-based superalloys of different grain structures and with different phases (i.e.,γ′ and carbide). The results are directly compared with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) profiles to identify the material’s resistivity response. The resistivity measurements have been performed using an electro-thermal mechanical testing (ETMT) system having a capability of heating and cooling a sample at a rate of up to 100 K/s by Joule heating, which is not possible with standard heating methods used in previousin-situmicrostructure analysis approaches. By comparing different precipitate variations and thermal histories,γ′ volume fraction and precipitate number density are found to be the most important factors determining the resistivity of the materials.In-situresistivity measurement was applied to several case studies to show that it can provide microstructural information in complex high temperature experiments.
The US9-Derived Protein gPTB9TM Modulates APP Processing Without Targeting Secretase Activities
Authors: Brandimarti Renato , Irollo Elena , Meucci Olimpia
Published: December 2022

Alteration of neuronal protein processing is often associated with neurological disorders and is highly dependent on cellular protein trafficking. A prime example is the amyloidogenic processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) in intracellular vesicles, which plays a key role in age-related cognitive impairment. Most approaches to correct this altered processing aim to limit enzymatic activities that lead to toxic products, such as protein cleavage by β-secretase and the resulting amyloid β production. A viable alternative is to direct APP to cellular compartments where non-amyloidogenic mechanisms are favored. To this end, we exploited the molecular properties of the herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) transport protein US9 to guide APP interaction with preferred endogenous targets. Specifically, we generated a US9 chimeric construct that facilitates APP processing through the non-amyloidogenic pathway and tested it in primary cortical neurons. In addition to reducing amyloid β production, our approach controls other APP-dependent biochemical steps that lead to neuronal deficits, including phosphorylation of APP and tau proteins. Notably, it also promotes the release of neuroprotective soluble αAPP. In contrast to other neuroprotective strategies, these US9-driven effects rely on the activity of endogenous neuronal proteins, which lends itself well to the study of fundamental mechanisms of APP processing/trafficking. Overall, this work introduces a new method to limit APP misprocessing and its cellular consequences without directly targeting secretase activity, offering a novel tool to reduce cognitive decline in pathologies such as Alzheimer’s disease and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders.
Effects of corn straw cover years on soil organic matter and compactness in typical black soil areas of Songnen Plain
Authors: Song Chunwei , Du Huishi
Published: December 2022

China is a huge agricultural country with rich straw resources. However, the problem to be solved urgently is to find means to use crop straw effectively and reasonably. To study the influence of no-tillage straw mulching measures on soil compactness and soil organic matter, taking the black soil straw mulching no-tillage test field in Gaojia Village, Lishu County, Jilin Province as the research object, the characteristics of soil compactness and organic matter in different tillage layers under different cover years of no-till straw are discussed. The results show the following: (1) in the 0–50 cm tillage layer, the highest treatment method of soil organic matter is NT1 (no-tillage corn stover mulching for one year), with an average value of 2.62%, and the soil organic matter content of NT1 treatment increased by 57.46% compared with RT (ridge tillage). (2) The compactness of surface soil (0–20 cm) no-tillage soil is higher than RT, with an increase of more than 6.87%, and the compactness of deep soil (20–50 cm) no-tillage soil is lower than RT, with a decrease of more than 23.48%. (3) No-tillage can improve the agglomeration structure of the surface soil, increase the moisture content of the surface soil, reduce the volume of the surface soil, and improve the organic matter content of the surface soil, thus increasing the firmness of the surface soil. This study can provide a theoretical basis for promoting the comprehensive utilization of straw resources and developing eco-agriculture.
Excluded or Part of the Team? Investigating of the Role of Grandparents in Christian Faith Nurture, Using Discourse Analysis
Authors: Holmes Sarah E.
Published: December 2022

Background

Existing literature emphasised the spiritual value of grandparents in a child's faith nurture, but this was not reflected in contemporary understandings or practices of the Christian community.

Purpose

The discourses surrounding the perceptions and practices of grandparents themselves, the local church and wider Christian society were investigated; uncovering the dynamics of cross-generational relationships and interactions with a child's spiritual journey.

Methods

Data was gathered from Christian media, resourcing organisations, denominational websites and focus group interviews with grandparents and church representatives, to reveal the discourses conveyed by individuals, institutions and the wider Christian community. Critical discourse analysis was used to investigate perceptions and implications.

Results

Grandparents unanimously reported collective worth and purpose in their grandparent-grandchild relations. However, church representatives observed barriers and tensions regarding their involvement in faith nurture, citing a culture of privacy surrounding faith. Denominational websites and Christian media indicated that grandparents were not integral to church strategies, being rarely mentioned, resourced or empowered. The dominant discourses were of grandparents being passive agents with background involvement. Resourcing primarily conveyed romanticism and nostalgia rather than addressing contemporary family life. For some, these relationships facilitated discussions about faith, whilst others said their family's faith identity was unspoken. The grandparents were primarily motivated personally and independently of external bodies, often adopting a ‘trial and error’ mentality, suggesting a highly individual rather than collective approach to faith nurture of grandchildren. The local church rarely championed grandparents in this role, leading to grandparents being passive and feeling excluded. Many lacked confidence and were disengaged with faith nurture.

Conclusions and Implications

The value of grandparents needs better communicating, moving them from being minor contributors at the periphery of the team to being more actively and intentionally involved. This requires enhanced understanding at institutional and societal levels of grandparents’ role, and improvement in the functionality and efficacy of interactions between grandparents and their grandchildren. Redressing of the power dynamics at play within congregations and society is required to bring grandparents more equally into the equation. A paradigm shift is required at all levels to equip, empower and include grandparents more fully. This would lead to improved Christian faith transmission.
Self-harm in Young People: Investigating the Role of Resilience and Posttraumatic Stress Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Nearchou Finiki
Published: December 2022

Evidence shows that young people may have experienced increased levels of posttraumatic stress and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the landscape on self-harm is still unclear. This study aimed to examine the role of COVID-19 related posttraumatic stress, depression and resilience as predictors of self-harm with and without suicidal intent. Participants were 625 young people aged 17–25 years old (M = 20.2 years, SD = 2.47). Resilience was measured using the self-reported Child & Youth Resilience Scale Measure – Revised (CYRM-R). Posttraumatic stress related to COVID-19 were measured using the Impact of Event Scale- Revised. Depression was measured using the depression subscale of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale–21. Self-harm was evaluated with two dichotomous items. Participants reported high levels of depression and COVID-19 posttraumatic stress, and a significant percentage reported engaging in self-harm. Hierarchical logistic regressions showed that caregiver resilience decreased approximately 20% the odds of engaging in self harm with and without suicidal intent remaining a consistent predictor even after accounting posttraumatic stress and depression in the models. Posttraumatic stress and depression predicted a one-fold increase in the odds of engaging in self-harm with and without suicidal intent. However, posttraumatic stress was no longer a significant predictor when depression was entered in the model in self-harm without suicidal intent. The COVID-19 pandemic may have increased the likelihood of engaging in self-harm in young people. However, caregiver resilience seems to operate as a protective factor. This important finding carries implications beyond the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Success concepts for causal discovery
Authors: Genin Konstantin , Mayo-Wilson Conor
Published: December 2022

Existing causal discovery algorithms are often evaluated using two success criteria, one that is typically unachievable and the other which is too weak for practical purposes. The unachievable criterion—uniform consistency—requires that a discovery algorithm identify the correct causal structure at a known sample size. The weak but achievable criterion— pointwise consistency—requires only that one identify the correct causal structure in the limit. We investigate two intermediate success criteria—decidability and progressive solvability—that are stricter than mere consistency but weaker than uniform consistency. To do so, we review several topological theorems characterizing which discovery problems are decidable and/or progressively solvable. These theorems apply to any problem of statistical model selection, but in this paper, we apply the theorems only to selection of causal models. We show, under several common modeling assumptions, that there is no uniformly consistent procedure for identifying the direction of a causal edge, but there are statistical decision procedures and progressive solutions. We focus on linear models in which the error terms are either non-Gaussian or contain no Gaussian components; the latter modeling assumption is novel to this paper. We focus especially on which success criteria remain feasible when confounders are present.
An Adaptive Nonlinear Iterative Method for Predicting Seafloor Topography From Altimetry‐Derived Gravity Data
Authors: Xu Chuang , Li Jinbo , Jian Guangyu , Wu Yunlong , Zhang Yu
Published: December 2022

The ocean covers 71% of the Earth's surface. At present, only about 20% of the seafloor topography (ST) has been directly measured by ships, and most areas are predicted from satellite altimetry‐derived gravity products. In this study, an adaptive nonlinear iterative (ANI) method is proposed to address two major problems in gravity ST inversion: linear approximation and empirical seafloor density contrast (SDC). In ANI, the SDC is adaptively estimated as an output, while higher‐order Parker expansion and modified Bott's iteration are combined to recover nonlinear topography. We apply our new method using the DTU21GRA altimetric gravity model and single‐beam bathymetry to predict the ST in a part of the South China Sea. Results reveal that the average SDC in the study area is 1.24 g/cm3, which compares well to CRUST1.0. The root‐mean‐square (RMS) error between the nonlinear model and single‐beam checkpoints is 102.1 m, which is improved by 34.5%, 29.2%, and 18.3% compared with the non‐gravity model, topo_24.1, and linear model, respectively. The RMS error between the nonlinear model and multibeam bathymetry is 91.0 m, which is better than the linear model. Analysis of two‐dimensional profiles shows that the nonlinear model reveals more terrain details than the linear model.
Dietary inclusion of nitrite-containing frankfurter exacerbates colorectal cancer pathology and alters metabolism in APCmin mice
Authors: Crowe William , Pan Xiaobei , Mackle James , Harris Adam , Hardiman Gary , Elliott Christopher T. , Green Brian D.
Published: December 2022

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most prevelant malignancy in Europe and diet is an important modifiable risk factor. Processed meat consumption, including meats with preservative salts such as sodium nitrite, have been implicated in CRC pathogenesis. This study investigated how the CRC pathology and metabolic status of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) multiple intestinal neoplasia (min) mice was perturbed following 8 weeks of pork meat consumption. Dietary inclusions (15%) of either nitrite-free pork, nitrite-free sausage, or nitrite-containing sausage (frankfurter) were compared against a parallel control group (100% chow). Comprehensive studies investigated: gastrointestinal tract histology (tumours), aberrant crypt foci (ACF), mucin deplin foci (MDF), lipid peroxidation (urine and serum), faecal microbiota, and serum metabolomics (599 metabolites). After 8 weeks mice consuming the frankfurter diet had 53% more (P = 0.014) gastrointestinal tumours than control, although ACF and MDF did not differ. Urine and serum lipid peroxidation markers were 59% (P = 0.001) and 108% (P = 0.001) higher, respectively in the frankfurter group. Gut dysbiosis was evident in these mice with comparably fewer Bacteriodes and more Firmicutes. Fasting serum levels of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and numerous triglycerides were elevated. Various serum phosphotidylcholine species were decreased. These results demonstrate that nitrite-containing sausages may exaccerbate the development of CRC pathology in APCMin mice to a greater extent than nitrite-free sausages, and this is associated with greater lipid peroxidation, wide-ranging metabolic alternation and gut dysbiosis.
Water pumping effect over the organic ions defined graphene oxide membrane impulses high flux desalination
Authors: Gong Dian , Liu Xing , Wu Ping , Wang Yue , Guo Bing , Liu Sijia , Chen Huiling , Yin Yichen , Liu Guojuan , Liu Minghao , Miao Qiyang , Yu Chengbing , Fan Jingrui , Li Zhi , Shi Guosheng , Sun Yuhan , He Yue , Zeng Gaofeng
Published: December 2022

Graphene oxide (GO) membranes have shown great potential in ionic sieving from aqueous solutions. However, it remains challenging for GO membranes to exclude small ions with a large water flux. Herein, organic ions are confined onto the GO interlaminations to form a precisely restricted 2D channel size of 0.71 nm, which presents >99.9% NaCl rejections and high freshwater fluxes via the pervaporation method, both being orders of magnitude higher than that of common GO membranes. Theoretical calculations reveal that, apart from controlling the 2D channel size of GO by strong cation–/anion–π and π–π interactions, the organic ions act as vapor traps to remarkably shorten vapor diffusion distance and then as water pumps to significantly enlarge water permeability. It not only theoretically explains the low permeability over the common GO membranes with large 2D channels, but also experimentally demonstrates fast and complete desalination on the organic ions-GO membrane.
DYRK2 downregulation in colorectal cancer leads to epithelial–mesenchymal transition induction and chemoresistance
Authors: Wu Chunrong , Sun Guiyin , Wang Fan , Chen Jiangyan , Zhan Fangbiao , Lian Xiaojuan , Wang Jie , Weng Fanbin , Li Bo , Tang Weijun , Quan Jin , Xiang Debing
Published: December 2022

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most prominent causes of cancer-associated mortality in the world, with chemoresistance representing one of the leading causes of treatment failure. However, the mechanisms governing such chemoresistance remain incompletely understood. In this study, the role of DYRK2 as a mediator of CRC cell drug resistance and the associated molecular mechanisms were assessed by evaluating human tumor tissue samples, CRC cell lines, and animal model systems. Initial analyses of The Cancer Genome Atlas database and clinical tissue microarrays revealed significant DYRK2 downregulation in CRC in a manner correlated with poor prognosis. We further generated LoVo CRC cells that were resistant to the chemotherapeutic drug 5-FU, and found that such chemoresistance was associated with the downregulation of DYRK2 and a more aggressive mesenchymal phenotype. When DYRK2 was overexpressed in these cells, their proliferative, migratory, and invasive activities were reduced and they were more prone to apoptotic death. DYRK2 overexpression was also associated with enhanced chemosensitivity and the inhibition of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) induction in these LoVo 5-FUR cells. Co-immunoprecipitation assays revealed that DYRK2 bound to Twist and promoted its proteasomal degradation. In vivo studies further confirmed that the overexpression of DYRK2 inhibited human CRC xenograft tumor growth with concomitant Twist downregulation. Overall, these results thus highlight DYRK2 as a promising therapeutic target in CRC worthy of further investigation.
Vickers hardness prediction from machine learning methods
Authors: Dovale-Farelo Viviana , Tavadze Pedram , Lang Logan , Bautista-Hernandez Alejandro , Romero Aldo H.
Published: December 2022

The search for new superhard materials is of great interest for extreme industrial applications. However, the theoretical prediction of hardness is still a challenge for the scientific community, given the difficulty of modeling plastic behavior of solids. Different hardness models have been proposed over the years. Still, they are either too complicated to use, inaccurate when extrapolating to a wide variety of solids or require coding knowledge. In this investigation, we built a successful machine learning model that implements Gradient Boosting Regressor (GBR) to predict hardness and uses the mechanical properties of a solid (bulk modulus, shear modulus, Young’s modulus, and Poisson’s ratio) as input variables. The model was trained with an experimental Vickers hardness database of 143 materials, assuring various kinds of compounds. The input properties were calculated from the theoretical elastic tensor. The Materials Project’s database was explored to search for new superhard materials, and our results are in good agreement with the experimental data available. Other alternative models to compute hardness from mechanical properties are also discussed in this work. Our results are available in a free-access easy to use online application to be further used in future studies of new materials at www.hardnesscalculator.com.
In vitro evaluation of immunomodulatory, anti-diabetic, and anti-cancer molecular mechanisms of Tribulus terrestris extracts
Authors: Khalid Abdullah , Nadeem Tariq , Khan Muhammad Asaf , Ali Qurban , Zubair Muhammad
Published: December 2022

Dampened immunity and impaired wound healing in diabetic patients may lead to diabetic foot ulcer disease, which is the leading cause of limb amputations and hospitalization. On the other hand, cancer is the most significant cause of mortality globally, accounting for over 10 million fatalities in 2020, or nearly one in every six deaths. Plants and herbs have been used to treat chronic diseases due to their essential pharmaceutical attributes, such as mitigating drug resistance, ameliorating systemic toxicities, reducing the need for synthetic chemotherapeutic agents,and strengthening the immune system. The present study has been designed to evaluate the effects of Tribulus terrestris on wound healing, cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory responses against HepG-2 liver cancer cell line. Two solvents (methanol and ethanol) were used for root extraction of T. terrestris. The wound healing potential of the extracts was studied on diabetic cell culture line by scratch assay. The anti-oxidant and cytotoxic potentials were evaluated by in vitro assays against HepG2 cell line. The methanolic root extract resulted in the coverage of robust radical scavenging or maximum inhibition of 66.72%,potent cytotoxic activity or reduced cell viability of 40.98%, and anti-diabetic activity having mighty α-glucosidase inhibition of 50.16% at a concentration of 80 μg/ml. Significant reduction in the levels of LDH leakage (56.38%), substantial ROS (48.45%) and SOD (72.13%) activities were recorededMoreover, gene expression analysis demonstrated the down-regulation of inflammatory markers (TNF-α, MMP-9, Bcl-2, and AFP) in HepG-2 cells when treated with T.terresteris methanolic extract as compared to stress. Furthermore, the down-regulation of inflammatory markers was validated through ELISA-mediated protein estimation of IL-1β and TNF-α. It is expected that this study will lay a foundation and lead to the development of efficient but low-cost, natural herbs extract-based dressing/ointment for diabetic patients and identify potential drug metabolites to treat out-of-whack inflammatory responses involved in cancer onset, progression, and metastasis.
Prevalence of infectious diseases in preterm infants: a 2-year follow-up from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study
Authors: Tamura Kentaro , Matsumura Kenta , Tsuchida Akiko , Yoshida Taketoshi , Inadera Hidekuni ,   The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) Group, Kamijima Michihiro , Yamazakii Shin , Ohya Yukihiro , Kishi Reiko , Yaegashi Nobuo , Hashimoto Koichi , Mori Chisato , Ito Shuichi , Yamagata Zentaro , Nakayama Takeo , Sobue Tomotaka , Shima Masayuki , Nakamura Hiroshige , Suganuma Narufumi , Kusuhara Koichi , Katoh Takahiko
Published: December 2022

Evidence regarding the long-term risk of infections in preterm infants is lacking. In this study, we examined whether preterm infants developed various common childhood infections more frequently than full-term infants by the age of 2 years by analyzing data from a questionnaire completed by 67,282 mother–toddler pairs in a nationwide birth cohort study. Of the target population, 2885 (4.3%) were born prematurely. After covariate adjustment for maternal and children factors, lower respiratory tract infections appeared more frequent in preterm than in full-term infants at both 1 and 2 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05–1.41, and aOR 1.27, 95% CI 1.11–1.46, respectively). However, there was no significant difference in the frequencies of lower respiratory tract infection between preterm and full-term infants after Palivizumab administration. The risk of other common infections, such as in the upper respiratory tract infection, otitis media, urinary tract infection, gastroenteritis, herpangina, hand-foot-and-mouth disease, chickenpox, influenza virus, and adenovirus infections, was not higher in preterm than in full-term infants after covariates adjustment for maternal and children factors. These findings suggest Palivizumab prophylaxis could reduce the frequencies of lower respiratory tract infection in preterm to the same level as in full-term infants.
Morphoanatomical and biochemical factors associated with rice resistance to the South American rice water weevil, Oryzophagus oryzae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Authors: de Bastos Pazini Juliano , da Silva Martins José Francisco , da Rosa Dorneles Keilor , Lopes Crizel Rosane , da Silva Fernando Felisberto , Clasen Chaves Fábio , Fernando Juliana Aparecida , Dallagnol Leandro José , Seidel Enio Júnior , Stout Michael Joseph , Grützmacher Anderson Dionei
Published: December 2022

The rice water weevil, Oryzophagus oryzae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is an economically important pest of flooded rice paddies throughout South America, and species with similar life histories are present in many rice-producing regions globally (collectively referred to here as RWWs). Plant resistance is a key strategy for management of RWWs; however, the mechanisms responsible for rice resistance to RWWs are poorly understood. We investigated morphoanatomical and biochemical plant traits potentially involved in rice resistance to O. oryzae. Resistance-associated traits were characterized in two cultivars, ‘Dawn’ (resistant) and ‘BRS Pampa CL’ (‘Pamp’ = susceptible), which were selected from among six cultivars on 2-year field screenings. Anatomical and morphological traits of leaf tissues from ‘Pamp’ and ‘Dawn’ were similar, which perhaps explains the lack of antixenosis during host plant selection. However, significant antibiosis effects were found. The activities of antioxidant enzymes involved in plant defense, as well the content of hydroxycinnamic and hydroxybenzoic acids derivatives and lignin, were higher in roots of ‘Dawn’ than in ‘Pamp’, over the period of larval infestation in the field. Additionally, ‘Dawn’ exhibited a root sclerenchyma arranged in three layers of lignified cells, which differed from the arrangement of cells in ‘Pamp’, regardless of larval infestation. Our results provide the first evidence for specific resistance-related traits associated with mortality and malnutrition of RWWs in rice.
Molecular Tetris by sequence-specific stacking of hydrogen bonding molecular clips
Authors: Lee Hyun , Lee Dongwhan
Published: December 2022

A face-to-face stacking of aromatic rings is an effective non-covalent strategy to build functional architectures, as elegantly exemplified with protein folding and polynucleotide assembly. However, weak, non-directional, and context-sensitive van der Waals forces pose a significant challenge if one wishes to construct well-organized π-stacks outside the confines of the biological matrix. To meet this design challenge, we have devised a rigid polycyclic template to create a non-collapsible void between two parallel oriented π-faces. In solution, these shape-persistent aromatic clips self-dimerize to form quadruple π-stacks, the thermodynamic stability of which is enhanced by self-complementary N–H···N hydrogen bonds, and finely regulated by the regioisomerism of the π-canopy unit. With assistance from sufficient electrostatic polarization of the π-surface and bifurcated hydrogen bonds, a small polyheterocyclic guest can effectively compete against the self-dimerization of the host to afford a triple π-stack inclusion complex. A combination of solution spectroscopic, X-ray crystallographic, and computational studies aided a detailed understanding of this cooperative vs competitive process to afford layered aromatics with extraordinary structural regularity and fidelity.
Expanding agroforestry can increase nitrate retention and mitigate the global impact of a leaky nitrogen cycle in croplands
Authors: Elrys Ahmed S. , Uwiragiye Yves , Zhang Yanhui , Abdel-Fattah Mohamed K. , Chen Zhao-xiong , Zhang Hui-min , Meng Lei , Wang Jing , Zhu Tong-bin , Cheng Yi , Zhang Jin-bo , Cai Zu-cong , Chang Scott X. , Müller Christoph
Published: December 2022

The internal soil nitrogen (N) cycle supplies N to plants and microorganisms but may induce N pollution in the environment. Understanding the variability of gross N cycling rates resulting from the global spatial heterogeneity of climatic and edaphic variables is essential for estimating the potential risk of N loss. Here we compiled 4,032 observations from 398 published15N pool dilution and tracing studies to analyse the interactions between soil internal potential N cycling and environmental effects. We observed that the global potential N cycle changes from a conservative cycle in forests to a less conservative one in grasslands and a leaky one in croplands. Structural equation modelling revealed that soil properties (soil pH, total N and carbon-to-N ratio) were more important than the climate factors in shaping the internal potential N cycle, but different patterns in the potential N cycle of terrestrial ecosystems across climatic zones were also determined. The high spatial variations in the global soil potential N cycle suggest that shifting cropland systems towards agroforestry systems can be a solution to improve N conservation.
Computational demonstration of isomer- and spin-state-dependent charge transport in molecular junctions composed of charge-neutral iron(ii) spin-crossover complexes
Authors: Montenegro-Pohlhammer Nicolás , Kuppusamy Senthil Kumar , Cárdenas-Jirón Gloria , Calzado Carmen J. , Ruben Mario
Published: December 2022

Molecular structure- and spin-state-dependent conductance and spin-filtering efficiencies are demonstrated.
Zn0.4Mg0.6Fe2O4 nanoenzyme: a novel chemo-sensitizer for the chemotherapy treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Chen Liang , Kong Qingmei , Tian Mingxing , Zhang Qian , Xia Chengwan , Deng Chao
Published: December 2022

Zn0.4Mg0.6Fe2O4 could serve as a promising novel chemo-sensitizer in the treatment of OSCC.
Revealing nanomechanical deformation at the interface and degradation in all-thin-film inorganic electrochromic devices
Authors: Dong Dongmei , Lou Lihua , Orikasa Lopez Kazue , Agarwal Arvind , Bhansali Shekhar
Published: December 2022

Recently, progress in electrochromic (EC) devices has been made in optimizing electrode and device configurations and performance.
Monitoring hydrogen transport through graphene byin situsurface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Wy Younghyun , Park Jaesung , Huh Sung , Kwon Hyuksang , Goo Bon Seung , Jung Jung Young , Han Sang Woo
Published: December 2022

A surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy-basedin situanalytical tool for the sensitive and rapid monitoring of hydrogen transport through graphene was developed.
N-type polymer semiconductors incorporating heteroannulated benzothiadiazole
Authors: Hu Xiantao , Basu Aniruddha , Rimmele Martina , Marsh Adam V. , Aniés Filip , He Qiao , Anthopoulos Thomas D. , Heeney Martin
Published: December 2022

A series of four n-type semiconducting copolymers containing a 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (BT) based acceptor annulated with a 2-(1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene)malonitrile group are synthesized and their optoelectronic properties investigated.
Thermo- and pH-responsive poly[(diethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate)-co-(2-diisopropylamino ethyl methacrylate)] hyperbranched copolymers: self-assembly and drug-loading
Authors: Selianitis Dimitrios , Pispas Stergios
Published: December 2022

P(DEGMA-co-DIPAEMA) hyperbranched copolymers self-assemble into large polymeric aggregates in aqueous media, when the amino groups of DIPAEMA segments are fully protonated at extreme temperatures (25 °C and 55 °C).
PEO composite solid polymer electrolytes with the synergistic effect of cryogenic engineering and trace BP nanosheets for nearly room temperature and 4 V class all-solid-state lithium batteries
Authors: Tan Jiewen , Wang Zhen , Cui Jiawu , Chen Yuhua , Jia Zhanhui , Yang Mingyu , Gemingjiang Naziyila , Xiao Zichun , Wang Xiaowei , Gao Wangjiang , Tian Wensheng , Zhang Chao , Tang Wei , Wu Yuping
Published: December 2022

A novel PEO-based SPE with a synergistic effect of black phosphorus (BP) nanosheets and a cryogenic method, which can combine the advantages of the fast Li+ pathways of BP nanosheets and the low PEO crystallization of cryogenic method.
Favoring the generation and utilization of photocatalytic reactive species over g-C3N4 nanosheets by controllable edge C modification
Authors: Ji Tingshuo , Liu Yangyang , Jin Peng , Wei Xue , Li Xuetong , Zhang Shouren , Wei Xuefeng , Yang Baocheng , Guo Yanzhen
Published: December 2022

Defect engineering is an effective strategy to broaden the light-harvesting range and increase the separation efficiency of photogenerated charge carriers in semiconductor photocatalysts.
Weak grid integrated solar photovoltaic‐based distributed generation system proficient in supplying VAR requirement with current restriction
Authors: Pradhan Subarni , Singh Bhim , Panigrahi Bijaya Ketan
Published: December 2022

This study presents a grid interactive solar photovoltaic (PV) system proficient with low voltage ride through capability. When the supply voltage drops more than 10%, the solar PV system remains connected and continues to supply the active power to the loads as well as to the grid. Along with the active power supply, the solar PV array system supplies the reactive power for stabilising the system. Due to the supply of both the active and reactive powers, there is a chance for a grid fed inverter (GFI) current to exceed the maximum current limit. It may result in the tripping of inverter protection. Therefore, a current limiting logic is incorporated to keep the inverter current within the safe limit. The unbalanced voltages are responsible for circulation of negative sequence currents in the system. As the prime aim of the present work deals with the supply of positive sequence currents to the grid, it is required to estimate the positive and negative sequence voltages separately. Intending the estimation of sequence voltages from unbalanced supply voltages, a frequency adaptive higher order complex filter (FAHOCF) is used. A MATLAB model of grid interactive solar PV array is developed and simulated results are verified with test results.
Enhanced parallel salp swarm algorithm based on Taguchi method for application in the heatless combined cooling‐power system
Authors: Shan Jie , Xie Bo‐Lin , Zhang Yong‐Jun , Pan Jeng‐Shyang , Xie Yu‐Hong , Fu Yang
Published: December 2022

Salp swarm algorithm (SSA) is an excellent meta‐heuristic algorithm, which has been widely used in the engineering field. However, there is still room for improvement in terms of convergence rate and solution accuracy. Therefore, this paper proposes an enhanced parallel salp swarm algorithm based on the Taguchi method (PTSSA). The parallel trick is to split the initial population uniformly into several subgroups and then exchange information among the subgroups after a fixed number of iterations, which speeds up the convergence. Communication strategies are an important component of parallelism techniques. The Taguchi method is widely used in the industry for optimizing product and process conditions. In this paper, the Taguchi method is adopted into the parallelization technique as a novel communication strategy, which improves the robustness and accuracy of the solution. The proposed algorithm was also tested under the CEC2013 test suite. Experimental results show that PTSSA is more competitive than some common algorithms. In addition, PTSSA is applied to optimize the operation of a heatless combined cooling‐power system. Simulation results show that the optimized operation provided by PTSSA is more stable and efficient in terms of operating cost reduction.
Resultados a corto plazo del tratamiento de fracturas de cadera en población infantil
Authors: Hodgson Ovalle Felipe , Moller Francesca , Angulo Manuela , Figueroa Maria-Jesus , Gündel Alejandro , Cañete Ismael
Published: December 2022

Introducción Las fracturas del fémur proximal pediátricas son infrecuentes, se asocian a traumas de alta energía, y presentan complicaciones devastadoras. La mayoría de los casos se tratan en forma quirúrgica utilizando diversos tipos de fijación. El objetivo de este estudio es reportar los resultados de una serie de casos de pacientes quirúrgicos en dos hospitales de referencia en Chile.

Materiales y métodos Serie de casos tratados entre el 2004y el 2018, en la que se incluyeron pacientes pediátricos con diagnóstico de fractura de fémur proximal que fueron operados. Se realizó estadística descriptiva de las variables demográficas, la energía del accidente, la clasificación según Delbet, el tipo de tratamiento, la técnica de osteosíntesis, la aparición de complicaciones, y la evaluación clínico-radiológica.

Resultados Se evaluaron 17 casos, de los cuales un 76,5% fueron secundarios a accidentes de alta energía. La mediana de edad de la muestra fue de 7 años, y había un 58,8% de niñas. Hubo 3 casos de tipo II en la clasificación de Delbet, 9 de tipo III, y 5 de tipo IV. Como método de fijación, se utilizaron tornillos canulados (9 casos), placa de compresión de bloqueo (locking compression plate, LCP, en inglés; 5 casos), tornillo dinámico de cadera (dynamic hip screw, DHS, en inglés; 2 casos), y placa de compresión dinámica (dynamic compression plate, DCP, en inglés; 1 caso). La mediana de seguimiento fue de 2,3 años (rango: 0,5 a 12,8 años). Se presentaron complicaciones: coxa vara en un caso, y discrepancia de longitud de extremidades inferiores en otro caso, y no hubo osteonecrosis. Se realizó retiro de osteosíntesis en siete pacientes. Se obtuvieron buenos resultados en todos los pacientes según los criterios de Ratliff.

Conclusiones La mayoría de las fracturas se asociaron a traumas de alta energía, siendo el tipo más frecuente el III de Delbet. Todos los pacientes fueron tratados en forma quirúrgica, con buenos resultados, sin observar osteonecrosis.

Nivel de evidencia: 4.