bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can dark matter–dark energy interaction alleviate the cosmic coincidence problem?
Authors: Jesus J. F. , Escobal A. A. , Benndorf D. , Pereira S. H.
Published: March 2022

In this paper we study a model of interacting dark energy–dark matter where the ratio between these components is not constant, changing from early to late times in such a way that the model can solve or alleviate the cosmic coincidence problem (CP). The interaction arises from an assumed relation of the form $$\rho _x\propto \rho _d^\alpha $$

ρ
x

∝

ρ
d
α

, where $$\rho _x$$

ρ
x

and $$\rho _d$$

ρ
d

are the energy densities of dark energy and dark matter components, respectively, and $$\alpha $$
α
is a free parameter. For a dark energy equation of state parameter $$w=-1$$

w
=
-
1

we found that, if $$\alpha =0$$

α
=
0

, the standard $$\Lambda $$
Λ
CDM model is recovered, where the coincidence problem is unsolved. For $$0<\alpha <1$$

0
<
α
<
1

, the CP would be alleviated and for $$\alpha \sim 1$$

α
∼
1

, the CP would be solved. The dark energy component is analyzed with both $$w=-1$$

w
=
-
1

and $$w\ne -1$$

w
≠
-
1

. Using Supernovae type Ia and Hubble parameter data constraints, in the case $$w=-1$$

w
=
-
1

we find $$\alpha =0.109^{+0.062}_{-0.072}$$

α
=
0
.

109

-
0.072

+
0.062

at 68% C.L., and the CP is alleviated. For $$w\ne -1$$

w
≠
-
1

, a degeneracy arises on the w–$$\alpha $$
α
plane. In order to break such degeneracy we add cosmic microwave background distance priors and baryonic acoustic oscillations data to the constraints, yielding $$\alpha =-0.075\pm 0.046$$

α
=
-
0.075
±
0.046

at 68% C.L.. In this case we find that the CP is not alleviated even for 2$$\sigma $$
σ
interval for $$\alpha $$
α
. Furthermore, this last model is discarded against flat $$\Lambda $$
Λ
CDM according to BIC analysis.
Application of regularization maps to quantum mechanical systems in two and three dimensions
Authors: Harikumar E. , Panja Suman Kumar , Guha Partha
Published: March 2022

In this paper, we generalize the application of the Levi-Civita (L-C) and Kustaanheimo–Stiefel (K-S) regularization methods to quantum mechanical systems in two and three dimensions. Schrödinger equations in two and three dimensions, describing a particle moving under the combined influence of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] potentials are mapped to that of a harmonic oscillator with inverted sextic potential, and interactions, in two and four dimensions, respectively. Using the perturbative solutions of the latter systems, we derive the eigen spectrum of the former systems. Using Bohlin–Sundmann transformation, a mapping between the Schrödinger equations describing shifted harmonic oscillator and H-atom is also derived. Exploiting this equivalence, the solution to the former is obtained from the solution of the latter.
Finite series representation for the bound states of a spiked isotropic oscillator with inverse-quartic singularity
Authors: Alhaidari A. D.
Published: March 2022

In this paper, we use the tridiagonal representation approach to obtain a finite series solution of the radial Schrödinger equation in three dimensions for a spiked oscillator with inverse quartic singularity.
Tunable isotropy on the mechanical properties of wavy hexachiral metamaterials: Numerical simulation and additive manufacturing
Authors: Zeng Zhuohong , Han Changjun , Sun Chen-Nan , Kandukuri Sastry , Zhu Yilin , Huang Jiazhao , Wei Qingsong , Zhou Kun
Published: March 2022

Hexachiral auxetic metamaterials can exhibit unconventional behaviors of negative Poisson’s ratio that can achieve superior mechanical properties including energy absorption and indentation resistance. The thickness ratio between the wavy ligament and center ring, which is denoted as [Formula: see text], has a critical influence on the isotropic mechanical properties of the hexachiral structures. This work aims to investigate the effect of [Formula: see text] on the isotropic auxeticity of wavy hexachiral structures under tensile and compressive loadings through simulations and experiments. A parametric study on hexachiral unit cells with [Formula: see text] values ranging from 0.25 to 1.5 was conducted with finite element analysis. With a decrease in [Formula: see text] values, the deformation mechanism showed improved coiling of the wavy hexachiral structure with thinner ligaments and thicker center rings, which exhibits better bending and rotational deformations, respectively. The wavy hexachiral structure with the [Formula: see text] value of 0.33 achieved the lowest average effective Poisson’s ratio of −0.94 and anisotropic factor of 0.00023. The tunable isotropic auxeticity is validated by the experimental Poisson’s ratios and deformations of the wavy hexachiral structures fabricated by laser additive manufacturing up to 3.33% tensile strain and 20% compressive strain. These findings provide insights on the design of mechanical isotropy of chiral metamaterials for additive manufacturing.
Data Mining Techniques and Machine Learning Algorithms in the Multimedia System to Enhance Engineering Education
Authors: Yinying Cai , Li Juan , Wang Bo
Published: March 2022

In the current digital era, engineering education worldwide faces a massive challenge in education and career development. By authorizing educators and administrators to migrate to the actions, cloud services technology has transformed into the educational environment. A
Multimedia assisted smart learning system (MSLS)
has been suggested in this paper where universities/colleges will advocate future development and begin skill-set enhancement courses by e-learning. To classify their employment prospects at the early stage of graduation, this proposed system measures learners' academic/skill data. Machine learning and Data mining are advanced research fields whose accelerated advancement is attributable to developments in data processing research, database industry growth, and business requirements for methods capable of extracting useful information from massive data stores. In addition, for skill set evaluation, a practical algorithm is suggested to find different groups of students that lack the appropriate skill set. The anticipated student groups can be provided with opportunities by e-learning to enhance their required skill set. The findings suggest that more critical choices can boost employment prospects and overall educational development by implementing the new engineering education system.
Social Media Event Prediction using DNN with Feedback Mechanism
Authors: Ma Wanlun , Hu Xiangyu , Chen Chao , Wen Sheng , Choo Kkwang Raymond , Xiang Yang
Published: March 2022

Online social networks (OSNs) are a rich source of information, and the data (including user-generated content) can be mined to facilitate real-world event prediction. However, the dynamic nature of OSNs and the fast-pace nature of social events or hot topics compound the challenge of event prediction. This is a key limitation in many existing approaches. For example, our evaluations of six baseline approaches (i.e., logistic regression latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA)-based logistic regression (LR), multi-task learning (MTL), long short-term memory (LSTM) and convolutional neural networks, and transformer-based model) on three datasets collected as part of this research (two from Twitter and one from a news collection site

1

), reveal that the accuracy of these approaches is between 50% and 60%, and they are not capable of utilizing new events in event predictions. Hence, in this article, we develop a novel DNN-based framework (hereafter referred to as event prediction with feedback mechanism—
EPFM
. Specifically, EPFM makes use of a feedback mechanism based on emerging events detection to improve the performance of event prediction. The feedback mechanism ensembles three outlier detection processes and returns a list of new events. Some of the events will then be chosen by analysts to feed into the fine-tuning process to update the predictive model. To evaluate EPFM, we conduct a series of experiments on the same three datasets, whose findings show that EPFM achieves 80% accuracy in event detection and outperforms the six baseline approaches.We also validate EPFM’s capability of detecting new events by empirically analyzing the feedback mechanism under different thresholds.
Effect of Neotame and pH on LiTaO3 Chemical Mechanical Polishing
Authors: Wang Weilei , Xu Qiufeng , Xu Fan , Liu Weili , Song Zhitang
Published: March 2022

LiTaO3 has piezoelectric, ferroelectric and pyroelectric optical properties with a broad transparent range from ultraviolet to infrared. In order to ensure good performance of the LiTaO3 substrate, the surface of the LiTaO3 substrate must be smooth. Chemical mechanical polishing has been used for planarization of integrated circuits or to obtain substrates of high surface quality. In this paper, neotame was studied as an additive for LiTaO3 slurry, which plays an important role in the polishing process. In addition, this paper introduced that different pH and different concentrations of neotame have a strong influence on the polishing rate, and the surface roughness of the LiTaO3 substrate after polishing is different, and the surface roughness of the LiTaO3 substrate can be reduced to 0.112 nm. More importantly, neotame could improve the work-life of the polishing slurry and reduce the coefficient of friction, thereby reducing the fragmentation rate. Finally, the possible chemical reaction mechanism of neotame to accelerate polishing efficiency was given.
Effect of Corrosion Inhibitor BTA on Silica Particles and their Adsorption on Copper Surface in Copper Interconnection CMP
Authors: Wang Yazhen , Zhang Shihao , Tan Baimei , Li Wei , Ji Jinbo , Yan Mei , Cui Zihan
Published: March 2022

In the process of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of multilayer copper wiring of integrated circuits, benzotriazole (BTA) as corrosion inhibitors and silica particles as abrasives are important components of polishing slurry. At the same time, they are also the main objects of post CMP cleaning. Under alkaline conditions (pH 10), the addition of BTA will affect the stability of silica particles, such as particle size and zeta potential, so as to affect the adsorption of particles on the copper surface. The effects of different concentrations of BTA on the adsorption of silica particles on copper surface were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the corresponding adsorption mechanism was also analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The adsorption energies of BTA molecule and SiO2 molecule on copper surface were calculated by molecular dynamics simulation. The results show that 3 mM BTA reduces the adsorption capacity of SiO2 particles, and increasing the concentration of BTA will increase the adsorption capacity of SiO2 particles on the copper surface.
Silicon and Germanium Vertical Super-Thin Body (VSTB) FET: A Comparative Performance Overview Including Architectural Stress-Strain Impact
Authors: Barman Kuheli Roy , Baishya Srimanta
Published: March 2022

This article aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the comparative performance of a vertical super-thin body (VSTB) FET in terms of two device material variations (silicon/Si and germanium/Ge) first time with the aid of 3D Senaturus TCAD tool. More importantly, the influence of the inevitable architectural stress (exerted over the thin body by the thick dielectric walls) on the transfer characteristic of the device is also addressed for Si/Ge device. From the perspective of suitability in high-performance circuits, Ge outperforms Si by enhancing on-state current (I

on
) by 30.28, 30.29, 29.91, and 26.98 μA at channel length of 10, 20, 30, and 40 nm, respectively, with an improvable deterioration in off-state leakage current, subthreshold swing, and drain-induced-barrier-lowering. Further, a three-dimensional stress analysis reveals that stress increases I

on
more in Ge-device compared to its Si-counterpart. As expected, a similar nature is observed for the strain application. Finally, the radio-frequency study shows that although the relative performance of Ge with respect to Si in terms of input capacitance, gate-drain capacitance, and output conductance is inferior, the greater transconductance of Ge than Si lowers intrinsic delay and enhances the peaks of intrinsic gain, unit-gain cut-off frequency, and gain-bandwidth-product.
Electron Transport across Phycobiliprotein Films and Its Optoelectronic Properties
Authors: Nawade Ashwini , Pancha Imran , Mukhopadhyay Sabyasachi
Published: March 2022

Biomolecules such as proteins, peptides being the most crucial life-forms, have an intimate relationship with various life activities for biological functions. Recent, contemporary work with biomolecules mainly focuses on its evolving potential associated with nanoscale electronics where proteins and peptides are integrated as sensing materials. We have explored the optoelectronics functionality of combined proteins known as phycobiliproteins. We have investigated electron transport behavior across the phycobiliproteins films under dark and white light illumination. We affirm that the photochemical activity of the protein is more stable in a solid-state/ thin film with tightly bonded water molecules than its presence in a buffer solution. Furthermore, our studies demonstrate that phycobiliproteins films modulate their electrical conductivity within their different conformation states. We speculate that the electrical conductance variation could originate from the chemical alteration of cysteine-conjugated bilin chromophores to protein and the electrostatic environment around the chromophores.
Evaluation of the Antioxidant and Anticancer Activities of Hydroalcoholic Extracts of Thymus daenensis Čelak and Stachys pilifera Benth
Authors: Barmoudeh Zahra , Ardakani Maryam Tajali , Doustimotlagh Amir Hossein , Bardania Hassan
Published: March 2022

Herein, the effects of hydroalcoholic extracts of Thymus daenensis Celak (TDC) and Stachys pilifera Benth (SPB) plants on HepG2 cell line were investigated by using different analyses. Cytotoxicity and apoptosis of extracts were investigated by MTT method, AnnV/PI apoptosis assay, and their antioxidant capacity was evaluated by total thiol and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) assay. The results revealed that the SBP extract was more cytotoxic compared with the TDC extract and increased over time (128.49 µg/mL vs 107.11 µg/mL IC50 values for 24 and 72 h, respectively). Although, AnnV/PI apoptosis assay showed apoptosis induction for both extracts, but the caspase-3 activity assay revealed that TDC extract significantly increased caspase-3 activity compared with the control and SPB extract. Increasing the activity of GPX by SPB extract revealed that it has high antioxidant capacity. In conclusion, the TDC and SPB with high antioxidant capacity have high cytotoxicity against HepG2 cancer cells and have high capability as a medicinal plant.
Impact Damage Analysis of Fiber Reinforced Plastic Structure with Rib
Authors: Linghua Xiong , Zhimao Ming , Kelun Zhao , Fan Wang
Published: March 2022

Fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) is a widely used structural form in engineering. FRP ribs can absorb most of the impact energy to protect the structure from damage. The purpose of this study is to obtain the impact resistance of FRP ribs by test and simulation. Taking glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) oil sump as the object, the damage degree of structure under different impact angles, impact velocity, and impactor masses is compared and analyzed by material test, impact test, and simulation. It can be seen from the test results that the design of surface ribs has a great influence on the energy absorption effect of the shell. The constitutive parameters of the shell material are obtained by testing, and the failure mode of the ribs is analyzed by finite element simulation. The impact effects of flying stones with different incident angles, velocities, kinetic energy, and geometric dimensions on the shell are compared and analyzed. The results show that, at the same impact energy, the impact resistance characteristics change regularly under different working conditions. Under a certain incident angle, the damage effect caused by flying stones in a specific mass range is greater. Beyond a certain incident angle, the damage begins to occur, and the larger the incident angle is, the greater the damage effect is. Combined with the actual situation and road standards, the defense of medium quality flying stones is a major concern in the design of oil pan. The results are helpful for designing reasonable ribs to improve the reliability of FRP structures.
A New Conway Maxwell–Poisson Liu Regression Estimator—Method and Application
Authors: Akram Muhammad Nauman , Amin Muhammad , Sami Faiza , Mastor Adam Braima , Egeh Omer Mohamed , Muse Abdisalam Hassan
Published: March 2022

Poisson regression is a popular tool for modeling count data and is applied in medical sciences, engineering and others. Real data, however, are often over or underdispersed, and we cannot apply the Poisson regression. To overcome this issue, we consider a regression model based on the Conway–Maxwell Poisson (COMP) distribution. Generally, the maximum likelihood estimator is used for the estimation of unknown parameters of the COMP regression model. However, in the existence of multicollinearity, the estimates become unstable due to its high variance and standard error. To solve the issue, a new COMP Liu estimator is proposed for the COMP regression model with over‐, equi‐, and underdispersion. To assess the performance, we conduct a Monte Carlo simulation where mean squared error is considered as an evaluation criterion. Findings of simulation study show that the performance of our new estimator is considerably better as compared to others. Finally, an application is consider to assess the superiority of the proposed COMP Liu estimator. The simulation and application findings clearly demonstrated that the proposed estimator is superior to the maximum likelihood estimator.
A Multisource Data Fusion Modeling Prediction Method for Operation Environment of High‐Speed Train
Authors: Li Decang , Zhang Juhui , Xu Ruxun , Meng Jianjun , Wang Jianming , Chen Xiaoqiang , Jia Xin , Ma Junhui
Published: March 2022

Providing accurate and reliable railway regional environmental data is a key consideration in operation control and dynamic dispatching of high‐speed train. However, there are problems of low reliability and high uncertainty in the single data processing of high‐speed train operating area environment. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel multisource sensor data fusion method based on a three‐level information fusion framework. Firstly, the feature of the same kind of sensor data is extracted by the Kalman Filter (KF) algorithm as the input of back propagation neural network (BPNN). Then input the sample site into the BPNN for training and recognition, the feature fusion of heterogeneous sensor data is carried out, the decision output of BPNN is obtained, the output results are normalized, and its output is used as the basic probability assignment of Dempster–Shafer (D‐S) evidence theory and synthesis rules. Finally, the decision fusion of multisource data is realized by D‐S evidence theory. The simulation results show that compared with the traditional single fusion algorithm, the algorithm improves the accuracy of the prediction of high‐speed train operation environment and reduces the MAPE from 13.82% to 7.455%, and the RMSE from 0.77 to 0.69, and meanwhile, increases the R2 from 0.87 to 0.97.
Multiple Vulvar Giant Fibroepithelial Polyps: A Rare Case Occurrence
Authors: Kurniadi Andi , Rinaldi Andi , Yulianti Herry , Bazar Abi Ryamafi , Prasetyawati Rose Dita , Tjandraprawira Kevin Dominique
Published: March 2022

Fibroepithelial polyps or acrochordons are benign skin tumors of mesenchymal and ectodermal origin. They are seen in 25% of the population, and their frequency increases with age. They are often found in areas with skin folds, such as the neck, axilla, submandibular, or inguinal region. However, they can also be located in the genital tract. Hormone imbalances may facilitate the development of fibroepithelial polyp s (e.g., high levels of estrogen and progesterone during pregnancy). Larger lesions are likely to arise from the proliferation of mesenchymal cells within the hormonally sensitive subepithelial stromal layer of the lower. Generally, their size does not exceed 5 millimeters. We present a 28-year-old patient with multiple giant fibroepithelial polyps with size of

20
×
12
×
8
 
cm

and

9
×
4
×
2
 
cm

, located on both sides of her vulva. Herein, we presented our patient along with the review of current literature pertaining to the diagnosis and the treatment of fibroepithelial polyps (FEPs) and the factors leading to excessive growth.
Research on the Prediction of Popularity of News Dissemination Public Opinion Based on Data Mining
Authors: Tian Jing , Fan Huayin , Hou Zengwen
Published: March 2022

The development of news public opinion presents the characteristics of dynamic changes, and its life cycle is generally relatively short. For news public opinion to be welcomed by everyone, that is, to become hot news, it must be able to spread to a large number of readers in a short time. And, some of its characteristic attributes must satisfy the interests of most users and arouse users’ desire to read. Therefore, it is particularly important to extract and study these characteristic attributes that determine the popularity of news public opinion and finally establish a model to describe the relationship between the popularity of news public opinion and these characteristic attributes. Based on data mining, this article mainly studies the popularity of news public opinion from two aspects. First is the sampling and attribute feature extraction of news. Then, considering the nonlinear relationship between the features, an improved principal component analysis method is proposed to analyze the correlation of the features. This can select important features from many irrelevant features and effectively reduce the original high-dimensional features. Second, the application of neural network in the prediction of news public opinion is studied. BP is an efficient data mining method. Considering BP network has some shortcomings. This work uses an improved particle swarm optimization to optimize the initial parameters for BP network, which can compensate for the defects of BP network. After that, the BP network with optimized parameters is used to establish a prediction model for the popularity of news public opinion. The experimental results prove that the neural network model proposed can accurately predict the popularity of news public opinion.
SCoT, ISSR, and SDS-PAGE Investigation of Genetic Diversity in Several Egyptian Wheat Genotypes under Normal and Drought Conditions
Authors: Shaban Abdelghany S. , Arab S. A. , Basuoni Mostafa M. , Abozahra Mahmoud S. , Abdelkawy Aisha M. , Mohamed M. M.
Published: March 2022

Using agronomic parameters, ISSR (inter simple sequence repeat), and SCoT (start codon targeted) markers, ten potential wheat genotypes were examined for genetic diversity under normal and drought conditions. Significant agronomic features have been identified, as well as a low drought susceptibility index. Using seven SCoT and seven ISSR primers, a total of 112 amplified DNA fragments were synthesized, resulting in 61 and 51 bands, respectively. For SCoT and ISSRs, the percentage of polymorphism was 93.4% and 78.4%, respectively. Two markers, ISSR and SCoT, were found to be effective in detecting polymorphism among the examined genotypes, with mean PIC values of 0.61 and 0.62, respectively. In terms of marker index (MI), resolving power (Rp), and polymorphism percentage, SCoT markers exhibited the most significant values. The examination of seed storage proteins revealed 21 subunits with a mass ranging from 22 to 110 kDa. A cluster analysis of the data and morphological features contributed to identifying different molecular and biochemical bands that could be linked to genotype 4’s drought-resistance capabilities.
Comprehensive Analysis of Colorectal Cancer Immunity and Identification of Immune-Related Prognostic Targets
Authors: Wen Huijuan , Li Fazhan , Bukhari Ihtisham , Mi Yang , Guo Chenxu , Liu Bin , Zheng Pengyuan , Liu Simeng
Published: March 2022

Colorectal cancer (COAD) is ranked as the third most common cancer and second in terms of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Due to its poor overall survival and prognosis, the incidents of COAD are significantly increasing. Although treatment methods have greatly been improved in the last decade, it is still not good enough to have satisfactory treatment outcomes. In recent years, immunotherapy has been successful to some extent in the treatment of many cancers but still, many patients do not respond to immunotherapy. Therefore, it is essential to have a deeper understanding of the immune characteristics of the tumor microenvironment and identify meaningful immune targets. In terms of immune targets, COAD has been poorly explored; thus, in the current study, based on the immune cell infiltration score and differentially expressed genes, COAD tumors were classified into hot and cold tumors. The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression analysis was used to identify hub genes, construct a prognostic model, and screen potential immune targets. In total, 12 genes (CLK3, CYSLTR2, GJA10, CYP4Z1, FAM185A, LINC00324, EEF1A1P34, EEF1B2P8, PTCSC3, MIR6780A, LINC01666, and RNU6.661P) differentially expressed between hot and cold tumors were screened out. Among them, CYSLTR2 was considered as a potential candidate gene, because it showed a significant positive correlation with immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoints (PDCD1, CD274, and CTLA4). Finally, we constructed and validated a new prognostic model for COAD showing 0.854 AUC for the ROC curve, and these results provide sufficient potential to choose CYSLTR2 as an important immune target for the prognosis of COAD.
A Multiscale Symbolic Dynamic Entropy Analysis of Traﬃc Flow
Authors: Cui Zhanyou , Chen Gaoli , Liu Bing , Li Deguang
Published: March 2022

The complexity analysis of traffic flow is important for understanding the property of traffic system. Being good at analyzing the regularity and complexity, multiscale SamEn has attracted much attention and many methods have been proposed for complexity analysis of traffic flow. However, there may exist discontinuity of the calculated entropy value which makes the regularity of the traffic system difficult to understand. The phenomenon occurs due to an inappropriate selection of the parameter r in the multiscale SamEn. Moreover, it is diﬃcult to select an appropriate r for the accurate evaluation of the complexity, which limits the application of multiscale entropy for traffic flow analysis. To solve this problem, a new entropy-based method, multiscale symbolic dynamic entropy, for evaluating the traﬃc system is proposed here. To verify the eﬀectiveness of the proposed method, traﬃc data collected from stations in diﬀerent cities are preprocessed by the proposed method. Both results of two cases show that the weekend patterns and weekday patterns are eﬀectively distinguished using the proposed method, respectively. Speciﬁcally, compared with the traditional methods including multiscale SamEn and the multiscale modiﬁed SamEn, the complexity of the corresponding traﬃc system can be better evaluated without considering the selection of r, which demonstrates the eﬀectiveness of the proposed method.
Gu-Ben-Zhi-Ke-Zhong-Yao Alleviated PM2.5-Induced Lung Injury via HMGB1/NF-κB Axis
Authors: Hou Wenxiao , Zhang Hongchun , Jiang Meng , Wu Yina , Li Tao , Cong Luhong , Duan Jun
Published: March 2022

Background. Inhalation of particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) among air pollutants may cause lung damage. Gu-Ben-Zhi-Ke-Zhong-Yao (GBZK) is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription that has a beneficial effect on the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the effect of GBZK on PM2.5-induced lung injury remains to be elucidated. Methods. We constructed a mice lung injury model through PM2.5 stimulation and simultaneously performed GBZK gavage treatment. After 4 weeks, the lung tissues of the mice were collected for pathological staining to analyze the degree of damage. The activities of myeloperoxidase (MPO), malondialdehyde (MDA), and oxidative stress-related factors (superoxide dismutase, SOD; glutathione peroxidase, GSH-Px) were detected by commercial kit in lung tissue. Furthermore, the number of neutrophils and related inflammatory factors (interleukin-1, IL-1β; tumor necrosis factor α, TNF-α; interleukin-6, IL-6) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum were collected and tested to evaluate the effect of GBZK on inflammation. Masson staining was used to detect the level of lung fibrosis in mice. The activation of HMGB1 (high-mobility group protein 1) and NFκBp65 (nucleus factor kappa B) in lung tissue was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and western blot. Results. The result revealed that PM2.5 induces lung damage, and GBZK gavage treatment could reduce the degree of injury in a concentration-dependent manner in mice. After GBZK treatment, the MPO activity, MDA content, and oxidative stress level in the lung tissues of mice decreased. And after GBZK treatment, the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines in BALF and blood were decreased. GBZK treatment also improved pulmonary fibrosis in mice. In addition, we also found that GBZK prevented the up-regulation of the HMGB1/NF-κB axis in the lungs of mice. Conclusion. These results indicated that GBZK might protect mice from PM2.5-induced lung injury by inhibiting the HMGB1/NFκB pathway, thus repressing inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis.
Association of Serum Triglycerides and Renal Outcomes among 1.6 Million US Veterans
Authors: Soohoo Melissa , Hashemi Leila , Hsiung Jui-Ting , Moradi Hamid , Budoff Matthew J. , Kovesdy Csaba P. , Kalantar-Zadeh Kamyar , Streja Elani
Published: March 2022

Background: Previous studies have suggested that metabolic syndrome (MetS) components are associated with renal outcomes, defined as a decline in kidney function or reaching end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Elevated triglycerides (TGs) are a component of MetS that have been reported to be associated with renal outcomes. However, the association of TGs with renal outcomes in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients independent of the other components of the MetS remains understudied. Methods: We examined 1,657,387 patients with data on TGs and other components of MetS in 2004–2006 and followed up until 2014. Patients with ESRD on renal replacement therapy were excluded. We examined time to ESRD, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) slope (renal function decline), and time to incident CKD (eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2) among baseline normal kidney function (non-CKD) patients, using Cox or logistic regression, adjusted for clinical characteristics and MetS components. We also stratified analyses by the number of MetS components. Results: The cohort was on average 64 years old and comprised 5% females, 15% African Americans, and 24% with nondialysis-dependent CKD. Among non-CKD patients, the adjusted relationship of TGs with time to incident CKD was strong and linear. Compared to TGs 120–<160 mg/dL, higher TGs were associated with a faster renal function decline across all CKD stages. Elevated TGs ≥240 mg/dL were associated with a faster time to ESRD among non-CKD and CKD stages 3A–3B, while the risk gradually declined to null or lower in CKD stages 4–5. Models were robust after MetS component adjustment and stratification. Conclusion: Independent of MetS components, high TGs levels were associated with a higher incidence of CKD and a faster renal function decline, yet showed no or inverse associations with time to ESRD in CKD stages 4–5. Examining the effects of TGs-lowering interventions on incident CKD and kidney preserving therapy warrants further studies including clinical trials.
Metabolic Syndrome Is Associated with Impaired Survival after Surgery for Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors
Authors: Awwad Fayez , Ozga Ann-Kathrin , Amin Tania , Schlueter Catarina , Kailani Sajeda , Perez Daniel , Wolter Stefan , Sauter Guido , Izbicki Jakob , Lohse Ansgar Wilhelm , Schrader Joerg
Published: March 2022

Introduction: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms. Surgery is the only curative treatment option. However, our understanding of predictors of survival after surgery remains incomplete. The aim of the study was to evaluate metabolic syndrome (MetS) as a prognostic factor in pNET. Methods: In a retrospective single-center cohort study, we examined the influence of MetS in 120 patients with curative intended resection of pNETs on overall survival (OS), recurrence-free survival, and outcome after recurrence. Results: MetS was present in 32 patients (26.6%). Patients with MetS had an impaired OS after curative intended surgery compared to patients without MetS (median OS 72 months [95% CI 13.3–130.7] vs. not reached, p < 0.001). The shortest survival was observed in patients with MetS in the presence of oligometastatic disease at time of surgery. In a multivariable Cox regression analysis, MetS was identified as an independent risk factor for mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 4.54, 95% CI [1.88–11.00], p = 0.01). In our dataset, MetS was not associated with tumor recurrence or recurrence-free survival. Nevertheless, in patients with recurrence, MetS was associated with shorter time to recurrence (median 3.4 months, 95% CI [2.48–4.24], vs. 20.1 months, 95% CI [10.8–29.49], p < 0.001), and poor outcome (HR = 5.03, 95% CI [1.25–20.20], p = 0.01). Conclusions: We identified MetS as a negative prognostic factor after curative intended surgery for pNET. In particular, patients with oligometastatic disease might not benefit from extensive surgery in the presence of MetS. Furthermore, MetS had a strong impact on survival after recurrence.
A new species of Progomphus Selys, 1854 (Odonata: Anisoptera: Gomphidae) from Minas Gerais state, Southeastern Brazil
Authors: VILELA DIOGO SILVA , DE SOUZA MARCOS MAGALHÃES
Published: March 2022

Progomphus teolitavius sp. nov. (Odonata: Anisoptera: Gomphidae) is described and diagnosed based on a specimen collected in a gallery forest of Cerrado from Barroso municipality, Minas Gerais state, Brazil (-21.2238, -43.9895, 1033 m, 30.iii.2021, G.S. Santos leg.). The new species can be distinguished from congeners by its enlarged basal externo-lateral dilatation of cerci (which bears large teeth), and epiproct morphology.
Neotype designation of the Short-tailed Albatross Phoebastria albatrus (Pallas, 1769) (Aves: Procellariiformes: Diomedeidae)
Authors: YAMASAKI TAKESHI , EDA MASAKI , SCHODDE RICHARD , LOSKOT VLADIMIR
Published: March 2022

The Short-tailed Albatross Phoebastria albatrus (Pallas, 1769) is a threatened seabird widely distributed in the northern Pacific Ocean with its largest breeding sites on the Senkaku Islands and Torishima Island, Japan, which are separated by over 1700 km. A recent taxonomic revision based on morphological, behavioral, and DNA sequence evidence has revealed that this species consists of two cryptic species: a smaller species which breeds mainly in the Senkaku Islands, and a larger species which breeds mainly on Torishima Island. However, it has remained unclear to which of these species the scientific name Phoebastria albatrus applies, because the type specimens are lost. Here a neotype is designated to resolve this taxonomic issue. From now on, the scientific name Phoebastria albatrus should be applied only to the smaller species breeding on the Senkaku Islands. The name of the larger species is more problematic, as the types of each synonym of P. albatrus must be traced, found, and examined.
Cleaner Skies during the COVID-19 Lockdown
Authors: Voigt Christiane , Lelieveld Jos , Schlager Hans , Schneider Johannes , Curtius Joachim , Meerkötter Ralf , Sauer Daniel , Bugliaro Luca , Bohn Birger , Crowley John N. , Erbertseder Thilo , Groß Silke , Hahn Valerian , Li Qiang , Mertens Mariano , Pöhlker Mira L. , Pozzer Andrea , Schumann Ulrich , Tomsche Laura , Williams Jonathan , Zahn Andreas , Andreae Meinrat , Borrmann Stephan , Bräuer Tiziana , Dörich Raphael , Dörnbrack Andreas , Edtbauer Achim , Ernle Lisa , Fischer Horst , Giez Andreas , Granzin Manuel , Grewe Volker , Harder Hartwig , Heinritzi Martin , Holanda Bruna A. , Jöckel Patrick , Kaiser Katharina , Krüger Ovid O. , Lucke Johannes , Marsing Andreas , Martin Anna , Matthes Sigrun , Pöhlker Christopher , Pöschl Ulrich , Reifenberg Simon , Ringsdorf Akima , Scheibe Monika , Tadic Ivan , Zauner-Wieczorek Marcel , Henke Rolf , Rapp Markus
Published: March 2022

During spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused massive reductions in emissions from industry and ground and airborne transportation. To explore the resulting atmospheric composition changes, we conducted the BLUESKY campaign with two research aircraft and measured trace gases, aerosols, and cloud properties from the boundary layer to the lower stratosphere. From 16 May to 9 June 2020, we performed 20 flights in the early COVID-19 lockdown phase over Europe and the Atlantic Ocean. We found up to 50% reductions in boundary layer nitrogen dioxide concentrations in urban areas from GOME-2B satellite data, along with carbon monoxide reductions in the pollution hot spots. We measured 20%–70% reductions in total reactive nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and fine mode aerosol concentration in profiles over German cities compared to a 10-yr dataset from passenger aircraft. The total aerosol mass was significantly reduced below 5 km altitude, and the organic aerosol fraction also aloft, indicative of decreased organic precursor gas emissions. The reduced aerosol optical thickness caused a perceptible shift in sky color toward the blue part of the spectrum (hence BLUESKY) and increased shortwave radiation at the surface. We find that the 80% decline in air traffic led to substantial reductions in nitrogen oxides at cruise altitudes, in contrail cover, and in resulting radiative forcing. The light extinction and depolarization by cirrus were also reduced in regions with substantially decreased air traffic. General circulation–chemistry model simulations indicate good agreement with the measurements when applying a reduced emission scenario. The comprehensive BLUESKY dataset documents the major impact of anthropogenic emissions on the atmospheric composition.
The modalism debate on Karl Barth’s doctrine of the Trinity
Authors: Tae Dong-Yaul
Published: March 2022

Karl Barth is best known for renewing interest in the doctrine of the Trinity in the mid to late 20th century and into the present day. However, criticism has been continuously raised that he fell into modalism in his understanding of the Trinity. Barth’s usage of the terms ‘repetition’ and ‘modes of being’ is at the heart of the debate. In other words, the crux of the critics’ argument is that his refusal to call the three hypostases of the Trinity as persons and his insistence on calling them repetitions or modes led him to fall into modalism. In particular, relatively recently Michael Ovey, in the same vein as the previous criticisms, and more specifically and sharply than them, argues that Barth’s use of repetition language makes the Son a repetition of the Father and causes the ultimate elimination of plurality of the three hypostases, resulting in a distinct modalism. This article will respond especially to this criticism of Ovey, demonstrating that the contention that Barth avoided modalism when pursuing appropriate expression about God is a defensible claim. Specifically, this research will show that the repetition that Barth refers to is not the repetition of the Father, but the repetition of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. It will also show that Barth consistently holds the distinction of the three hypostases in expounding the doctrine of the Trinity.
Electrical properties of melt-mixed polypropylene and as-grown carbon nanofiber composites: Analysis of their interphase via the AC conductivity modeling
Authors: Paleo Antonio J , Aribou Najoia , Nioua Yassine , Samir Zineb , Fernandes Lisete , Moreira J Agostinho , Achour Mohammed E.
Published: March 2022

The morphology, crystallinity, and electrical conductivity (σ′ and σ″) as a function of frequency of polypropylene (PP) melt-extruded with different amounts of as-grown carbon nanofibers (CNFs) from 0 to 1.4 vol. % are examined. The PP/CNF composites present CNF aggregates randomly distributed within the PP and an insulator–conductor transition at CNF contents near 0.9 vol. %. The degree of crystallinity of PP/CNF composites with loadings of 1.4 vol. % increases ∼15% with respect to the neat PP (∼34%), with σ´ ∼ 8.6 × 10−5 S m−1 (σ″ ∼ 8.3 × 10−4 S m−1) at 2 MHz. In addition, the values of the electrical conductivity σint´ ∼2.9 × 10−6 S m−1 (σint″∼3.7 × 10−4 S m−1) at 2 MHz, as a result of the interphase (ϕint ∼0.05 vol. %) of the 1.4 vol. % PP/CNF composites, are estimated by the use of a modified generalized effective medium model (GEM). The analysis gathered in here indicates that the interphase between the polymer and the conducting particle may have a quantifiable effect on the electrical properties of carbon-based polymer composites, and this fact should not be neglected in the production of conducting polymer composites (CPCs) with enhanced electrical properties.
Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Sleep Quality in People With Drug Addiction and Non-Addicts and the Role of Resilience Between Them
Authors: He Jingzhen , Wang Rufang , Liu Jun , Yip Peter
Published: March 2022

People with drug addiction are more likely to suffer from sleep disorders than non-addicts. The roles that childhood adversity experiences and resilience play in the development of sleep disorders will be explored in this study. A total of 459 participants with drug addiction and 400 non-addicts were investigated with the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale from April 2019 to December 2020. Our results suggested that participants with drug addiction had worse sleep quality compared to non-addicts. Resilience acted as a mediator and significantly affected the relationship between ACEs and sleep quality. For all participants who experienced ACEs, individuals with high resilience reported lower PSQI score, the regulatory effect of medium and high resilience on sleep quality was better than that of low resilience. Moreover, comparing to the non-addicts who experienced mild ACEs, high resilience showed a good buffer effect on the sleep quality for people with drug addiction. And high resilience played a stronger regulatory role in females as compared to males. The results help to broaden the relevant research in the field of sleep and we should pay attention to the role of resilience in regulating sleep quality.
Supporting Community Partners in Reducing HIV-Related Health Disparities: Technical Assistance Across a Spectrum of Intensity
Authors: Mangosing Daryl , Kumalo-Sakutukwa Gertrude , Bourdeau Beth , Rebchook Greg , Lightfoot Marguerita , Myers Janet J
Published: March 2022

The HIV epidemic remains a public health threat in the U.S., and the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based prevention and care programs are critical to addressing significant HIV health disparities. The provision of technical assistance (TA) to program providers and evaluators is key for uptake of these programs. The University of California San Francisco Prevention Research Center (UCSF PRC) model for TA delivery uses topics and strategies adapted to address HIV health disparities for a global audience. This model specifically matches TA requests to a TA provider who has expertise in that area upon receiving a request through various communication channels. Areas of expertise include research methods, community engagement strategies, interventions, and Implementation Sciences. Our evaluation of diverse TA services indicates that on-demand TA is effective for light-touch requests and well-suited for moderate to intensive requests. The model is a promising, broad-reaching, and responsive alternative for providing TA to a multitude of HIV workforce recipients.
Is ‘Representation’ a Folk Term? Some Thoughts on a Theme in Science Studies
Authors: Hammersley Martyn
Published: March 2022

An influential strand within Science and Technology Studies (STS) rejects the idea that science produces representations referring to objects or processes that exist independently of it. This radical ‘turn’ has been framed as ‘constructionist’, ‘nominalist’, and more recently as ‘ontological’. Its central argument is that science constructs or enacts rather than represents. Since most practitioners of science believe that it involves representation, an implication of the radical turn must be that ‘representation’ is a folk concept; perhaps even a myth or an ideology. This paper explores this anti-representationalism and its implications for the relationship between STS and mainstream social science, in part through drawing parallels with ethnomethodology. 1
Osteitis in Eosinophilic Chronic Rhinosinusitis
Authors: Tsuda Takeshi , Takeda Kazuya , Terada Risa , Tanaka Shohei , Waki Sadanori , Akama Toshiyuki , Nishimura Hiroshi
Published: March 2022

Objectives

Eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (ECRS) is an allergic inflammatory disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the sinus mucosa, and sometimes, osteitis. This study aimed to investigate the pattern of osteitis in ECRS and the relationship between bony thickening of the middle turbinate and recurrence of ECRS.

Methods

A total of 246 patients with paranasal diseases were included in the study. The patients’ data on bone thickening level, mucosal thickening, polyp score, clinical severity, and laboratory data were retrospectively evaluated.

Results

In total, 38, 186, and 22 patients had ECRS, non-ECRS (NECRS), and odontogenic sinusitis, respectively. The Lund–Mackey (LM) score and Global Osteitis Scoring Scale (GOSS) scores in patients with ECRS were higher than those in patients with other paranasal diseases. There was a significant positive correlation between the GOSS score and ECRS clinical disease severity. Postoperative recurrence was significantly increased in patients with ECRS associated with bony thickening of the middle turbinate.

Conclusion

Both mucosal inflammation and osteitis were more severe in patients with ECRS than in patients with other diseases, and clinical disease severity was correlated with osteitis. Furthermore, the postoperative recurrence rate tended to increase in patients with ECRS who had bony thickening of the middle turbinate.