bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantitative CT at Follow-Up of COVID-19 Pneumonia: Relationship with Pulmonary Function Tests
Authors: Colombi Davide , Petrini Marcello , Risoli Camilla , Mangia Angelo , Milanese Gianluca , Silva Mario , Franco Cosimo , Sverzellati Nicola , Michieletti Emanuele
Published: October 2023

Background: The role of quantitative chest computed tomography (CT) is controversial in the follow-up of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. The aim of this study was to test during the follow-up of COVID-19 pneumonia the association between pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and quantitative parameters extrapolated from follow-up (FU) CT scans performed at least 6 months after COVID-19 onset. Methods: The study included patients older than 18 years old, admitted to the emergency department of our institution between 29 February 2020 and 31 December 2020, with a diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia, who underwent chest CT at admission and FU CT at least 6 months later; PFTs were performed within 6 months of FU CT. At FU CT, quantitative parameters of well-aerated lung and pneumonia extent were identified both visually and by software using CT density thresholds. The association between PFTs and quantitative parameters was tested by the calculation of the Spearman’s coefficient of rank correlation (rho). Results: The study included 40 patients (38% females; median age 63 years old, IQR, 56–71 years old). A significant correlation was identified between low attenuation areas% (%LAAs) <950 Hounsfield units (HU) and both forced expiratory volume in 1s/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) ratio (rho −0.410, 95% CIs −0.639–−0.112, p = 0.008) and %DLCO (rho −0.426, 95% CIs −0.678–−0.084, p = 0.017). The remaining quantitative parameters failed to demonstrate a significant association with PFTs (p > 0.05). Conclusions: At follow-up, CT scans performed at least 6 months after COVID-19 pneumonia onset showed %LAAs that were inversely associated with %DLCO and could be considered a marker of irreversible lung damage.
Effects of Structural Relaxation of Glass-Forming Melts on the Overall Crystallization Kinetics in Cooling and Heating
Authors: Schmelzer Jürn W. P. , Tropin Timur V. , Schick Christoph
Published: October 2023

In the theoretical treatment of crystallization, it is commonly assumed that the relaxation processes of a liquid proceed quickly as compared to crystal nucleation and growth processes. Actually, it is supposed that a liquid is always located in the metastable state corresponding to the current values of pressure and temperature. However, near and below the glass transition temperature, Tg, this condition is commonly not fulfilled. In such cases, in the treatment of crystallization, deviations in the state of the liquid from the respective metastable equilibrium state have to be accounted for when determining the kinetic coefficients governing the crystallization kinetics, the thermodynamic driving force of crystallization, and the surface tension of the aggregates of the newly evolving crystal phase including the surface tension of critical clusters considerably affecting the crystal nucleation rate. These factors may greatly influence the course of the overall crystallization process. A theoretical analysis of the resulting effects is given in the present paper by numerical solutions of the J(ohnson)–M(ehl)–A(vrami)–K(olmogorov) equation employed as the tool to model the overall crystallization kinetics and by analytical estimates of the crystallization peak temperatures in terms of the dependence on cooling and heating rates. The results are shown to be in good agreement with the experimental data. Possible extensions of the theory are anticipated and will be explored in future analysis.
Experimental Predictions for Norm-Conserving Spontaneous Collapse
Authors: Snoke D. W. , Maienshein D. N.
Published: October 2023

Previous work has shown that nonlocal collapse in quantum mechanics can be described by a deterministic, non-unitary operator added to the standard Schrödinger equation. In terms of key aspects, this term differs from prior work on spontaneous collapse. In this paper, we discuss the possible predictions of this model that can be tested by experiments. This class of collapse model does not intrinsically imply unique experimental predictions, but it allows for the possibility.
Complex Networks and Interacting Particle Systems
Authors: Abadi Noam , Ruzzenenti Franco
Published: October 2023

Complex networks is a growing discipline aimed at understanding large interacting systems. One of its goals is to establish a relation between the interactions of a system and the networks structure that emerges. Taking a Lennard-Jones particle system as an example, we show that when interactions are governed by a potential, the notion of structure given by the physical arrangement of the interacting particles can be interpreted as a binary approximation to the interaction potential. This approximation simplifies the calculation of the partition function of the system and allows to study the stability of the interaction structure. We compare simulated results with those from the approximated partition function and show how the network and system perspective complement each other. With this, we draw a direct connection between the interactions of a molecular system and the network structure it forms and assess the degree to which it describes the system. We conclude by discussing the advantages and limitations of this method for weighted networks, as well as how this concept might be extended to more general systems.
Effects of COVID-19 on First-Year Undergraduate Research in Physical Geography
Authors: Chutko Krystopher J. , Guo Xulin
Published: October 2023

Having confirmed that including research in first-year undergraduate teaching can actually help students understand the research process, link research with concepts, and improve both their academic and professional skills, we intended to evaluate how this experiential learning component fared during the COVID-19 challenge. For a first-year three-credit physical geography class, we have included a First Year Research Experience (FYRE) project for six iterations. A cluster analysis grouped students’ perceptions obtained from survey questions into five categories, from high to low. The results showed an overall improvement in perception of the FYRE during the pandemic, driven primarily by soft-skill development related to time management and self-motivation. Students were also able to better connect the research project with the theoretical content of the course. Components of the FYRE that suffered during the pandemic include engaging with course instructors and completing the oral presentation phase of the research. Soft-skill development continued through the second year of the pandemic, although students’ dissatisfaction with continued restrictions on in-person contact was evident.
Analyzing Teachers’ Perception of the Development of Lifelong Learning as Personal, Social and Learning to Learn Competence in University Students
Authors: García-Toledano Eduardo , Gracia-Zomeño Andrea , Farinho Paula , Picado Luís Miguel Correia Marujo
Published: October 2023

In recent decades, European education systems and policies have prioritized the need for lifelong learning for all citizens, both within and outside the education system. This research is an observational study using a cross-sectional quantitative design involving 446 participants from Spain, Mexico and Chile. The objective of this study is as follows: To understand how active methodologies impact the development and mastery of Personal, Social and Learning to Learn competence (PSLL) throughout the life of university students. The INNOVAPRENDE questionnaire, previously validated by 17 university experts and comprised of 43 items, was implemented. It is considered essential for students to develop a series of competences, in addition to acquiring knowledge, since lifelong learning is a necessity. It has been shown that less experienced teachers (vs. more experienced teachers), men (vs. women), and teachers with PSLL training during their university studies (vs. teachers with training during their work experience or without experience) have a more negative perception of their students’ overall development of PSLL. In conclusion, it should be emphasized that lifelong learning as PSLL is an educational paradigm open to any educational stage of teachers’ and learners’ lives.
Educational Seismology through an Immersive Virtual Reality Game: Design, Development and Pilot Evaluation of User Experience
Authors: Maragkou Vaia , Rangoussi Maria , Kalogeras Ioannis , Melis Nikolaos S.
Published: October 2023

Virtual Reality (VR), especially in its immersive form, is a promising technology employed to support education and training in various fields. VR offers unique opportunities to experience situations and environments that are otherwise inaccessible or risky. Educational Seismology aims to inform and educate the public on earthquakes; to this end, the use of VR is investigated as an attractive solution. VRQuake is an immersive VR application designed and developed for Educational Seismology purposes. VRQuake is structured in five consecutive scenes and is organized as a game. It allows users to interact with virtual objects in real time and apply learned rules and good practices in reaction to an earthquake, thus providing a dynamic learning environment. A pilot evaluation of VRQuake is performed by volunteer university students who play the game and then answer a questionnaire with closed- and open-type questions referring mostly to the user experience. Analysis of the answers has shown positive results regarding usability, clarity and acceptance of the application. Answers are also encouraging as to the educational potential of VRQuake. Furthermore, qualitative analysis of open-type questions has contributed user suggestions and demands that point to interesting new directions for further improvement of user experience and learning outcomes.
S2AC: Self-Supervised Attention Correlation Alignment Based on Mahalanobis Distance for Image Recognition
Authors: Wang Zhi-Yong , Kang Dae-Ki , Zhang Cui-Ping
Published: October 2023

Susceptibility to domain changes for image classification hinders the application and development of deep neural networks. Domain adaptation (DA) makes use of domain-invariant characteristics to improve the performance of a model trained on labeled data from one domain (source domain) on an unlabeled domain (target) with a different data distribution. But existing DA methods simply use pretrained models (e.g., AlexNet, ResNet) for feature extraction, which are convolutional models that are trapped in localized features and fail to acquire long-distance dependencies. Furthermore, many approaches depend too much on pseudo-labels, which can impair adaptation efficiency and lead to unstable and inconsistent results. In this research, we present S2AC, a novel approach for unsupervised deep domain adaptation, that makes use of a stacked attention architecture as a feature map extractor. Our method can fuse domain discrepancy with minimizing a linear transformation of the second statistics (covariances) extended by the p-norm, while simultaneously designing pretext tasks on heuristics to improve the generality of the learning representation. In addition, we have developed a new trainable relative position embedding that not only reduces the model parameters but also enhances model accuracy and expedites the training process. To illustrate our method’s efficacy and controllability, we designed extensive experiments based on the Office31, Office_Caltech_10, and OfficeHome datasets. To the best of our knowledge, the proposed method is the first attempt at incorporating attention-based networks and self-supervised learning for image domain adaptation, and has shown promising results.
PSRGAN: Perception-Design-Oriented Image Super Resolution Generative Adversarial Network
Authors: Wu Tao , Xiong Shuo , Liu Hui , Zhao Yangyang , Tuo Haoran , Li Yi , Zhang Jiaxin , Liu Huaizheng
Published: October 2023

Among recent state-of-the-art realistic image super-resolution (SR) intelligent algorithms, generative adversarial networks (GANs) have achieved impressive visual performance. However, there has been the problem of unsatisfactory perception of super-scored pictures with unpleasant artifacts. To address this issue and further improve visual quality, we proposed a perception-design-oriented PSRGAN with double perception turbos for real-world SR. The first-perception turbo in the generator network has a three-level perception structure with different convolution kernel sizes, which can extract multi-scale features from four 14 size sub-images sliced by original LR image. The slice operation expands adversarial samples to four and could alleviate artifacts during GAN training. The extracted features will be eventually concatenated in later 3 × 2 upsampling processes through pixel shuffle to restore SR image with diversified delicate textures. The second-perception turbo in discriminators has cascaded perception turbo blocks (PTBs), which could further perceive multi-scale features at various spatial relationships and promote the generator to restore subtle textures driven by GAN. Compared with recent SR methods (BSRGAN, real-ESRGAN, PDM_SR, SwinIR, LDL, etc.), we conducted an extensive test with a ×4 upscaling factor on various datasets (OST300, 2020track1, RealSR-Canon, RealSR-Nikon, etc.). We conducted a series of experiments that show that our proposed PSRGAN based on generative adversarial networks outperforms current state-of-the-art intelligent algorithms on several evaluation metrics, including NIQE, NRQM and PI. In terms of visualization, PSRGAN generates finer and more natural textures while suppressing unpleasant artifacts and achieves significant improvements in perceptual quality.
A Binary Neural Network with Dual Attention for Plant Disease Classification
Authors: Ma Ping , Zhu Junan , Zhang Gan
Published: October 2023

Plant disease control has long been a critical issue in agricultural production and relies heavily on the identification of plant diseases, but traditional disease identification requires extensive experience. Most of the existing deep learning-based plant disease classification methods run on high-performance devices to meet the requirements for classification accuracy. However, agricultural applications have strict cost control and cannot be widely promoted. This paper presents a novel method for plant disease classification using a binary neural network with dual attention (DABNN), which can save computational resources and accelerate by using binary neural networks, and introduces a dual-attention mechanism to improve the accuracy of classification. To evaluate the effectiveness of our proposed approach, we conduct experiments on the PlantVillage dataset, which includes a range of diseases. The F1score and Accuracy of our method reach 99.39% and 99.4%, respectively. Meanwhile, compared to AlexNet and VGG16, the Computationalcomplexity of our method is reduced by 72.3% and 98.7%, respectively. The Paramssize of our algorithm is 5.4% of AlexNet and 2.3% of VGG16. The experimental results show that DABNN can identify various diseases effectively and accurately.
An Experimental and Detailed Kinetics Modeling Study of Norbornadiene in Hydrogen and Methane Mixtures: Ignition Delay Time and Spectroscopic CO Measurements
Authors: Sandberg Matthew G. , Grégoire Claire M. , Mohr Darryl J. , Mathieu Olivier , Petersen Eric L.
Published: October 2023

High-energy-density compounds such as norbornadiene (NBD) are being considered as potential cost-effective fuel additives, or partial replacements, for high-speed propulsion applications. To assess the ability of NBD to influence basic fuel reactivity enhancement and to build a database for developing future NBD kinetics models, ignition delay times were measured in two shock-tube facilities at Texas A&M University for H2/O2, CH4/O2, H2/NBD/O2, and CH4/NBD/O2 mixtures (ϕ = 1) that were highly diluted in argon. The reflected-shock temperatures ranged from 1014 to 2227 K, and the reflected-shock pressures remained near 1 atm for all of the experiments, apart from the hydrogen mixtures, which were also tested near 7 atm, targeting the second-explosion limit. The molar concentrations of NBD were supplemented to the baseline mixtures representing 1–2% of the fuel by volume. A chemiluminescence diagnostic was used to track the time history of excited hydroxyl radical (OH*) emission, which was used to define the ignition delay time at the sidewall location. Spectroscopic CO data were also obtained using a tunable quantum cascade laser to complement both the ignition and the chemiluminescence data. The CH4/O2 mixtures containing NBD demonstrated reduced ignition delay times, with a pronounced effect at lower temperatures. Conversely, this additive increased the ignition delay time dramatically in the H2/O2 mixture, which was attributed to changes in the fundamental chemistry with the introduction of molecules containing carbon bonds, which require stronger activation energies for ignition. Correlations were developed to predict the ignition delay time, which depends on species concentration, temperature, and pressure. Additionally, one tentative mechanism was tested, combining base chemistry from NUIGMech 1.1 with pyrolysis and oxidation reactions for NBD using the recent efforts from experimental and theoretical literature studies. The numerical predictions show that the rapid decomposition of NBD provides a pool of active H-radicals, significantly increasing the reactivity of methane. This study represents the first set of gas-phase ignition and CO time-history data measured in a shock tube for hydrogen and methane mixtures containing the additive NBD.
Ammonia Combustion in a Spark-Ignition Engine Supported with Dimethyl Ether
Authors: Tutak Wojciech , Pyrc Michał , Gruca Michał , Jamrozik Arkadiusz
Published: October 2023

This paper presents the results of experimental tests with a spark-ignition engine powered using ammonia and DME (dimethyl ether). The tests were carried out on a CFR (cooperative fuel research) engine with a compression ratio of 10 and a rotational speed of 600 rpm. DME was used as a fuel to facilitate the initiation and then accelerate the combustion in the SI (spark-ignition) engine. It turned out that only about 10% of the energy share of DME ensures the correct combustion process. DME has a positive effect on the combustion stages, reduces the ignition delay time, and shortens the combustion duration. Thanks to this, for 18% of the energy share of NH3, the highest engine efficiency (29.8%), the highest value of the average indicated pressure IMEP (712 kPa), and the minimum value of specific energy consumption (12.1 MJ/kWh) were obtained. Even the smallest DME content ensured the high repeatability of IMEP, below the permissible limit of 5%.
Stability Evaluation of Horizontal Salt Caverns for Gas Storage in Two Mining Layers: A Case Study in China
Authors: Zhao Kai , Ma Hongling , Li Yinping , Liu Yuanxi , Cai Rui , Liang Xiaopeng , Huang Si , Zeng Zhen , Wang Xuan , Li Haoran
Published: October 2023

To increase natural gas storage capacity and further utilize salt mine resources, salt cavern gas storage in the Yunying salt mine, Hubei Province, China, was simultaneously constructed in two different mining layers (K3 and K4). The purpose of this study was to investigate the long-term feasibility of operating salt caverns for gas storage in two mining layers. Based on the geological conditions and sonar test results, the geometric parameters for the salt caverns in the two mining layers were designed, and a 3D geomechanical model was built to predict the cavern stability. The corresponding evaluation index included the displacement, volume shrinkage rate, equivalent strain, and dilatancy factor. The results show that simultaneously operating salt cavern gas storage in two mining layers is feasible, and the operational pressures for the salt caverns in mining layers K3 and K4 should be no less than 4–9 and 7–12 MPa, respectively, to satisfy the stability requirements. The surrounding rock of the salt caverns presents a larger displacement and volume reduction compared with cases in which the salt caverns are operated in a single mining layer. Increasing the injection–withdrawal frequency increases the deformation of the surrounding rock.
Effects of Vertical Unbundling on the Operational and Environmental Efficiency of Chinese Thermal Power Firms
Authors: Yu Renjie , Yuan Peng , Yang Fandi , Jiang Gongxiong
Published: October 2023

Since the 1980s, many electricity markets around the world have undergone restructuring aimed at improving efficiency. In 2002, the Chinese government also introduced a vertical unbundling reform to dismantle vertical monopolies and boost efficiency in the power sector. This study estimates the unified, operational, and environmental efficiency to comprehensively assess the impact of China’s vertical unbundling on the production performance of thermal power firms. A non-radial data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach is employed to measure these efficiencies. Subsequently, a difference-in-difference model is used to assess the reform’s effects. Empirical results show that the vertical unbundling improved the unified efficiency of firms. Further analysis indicates that the reform improved the operational efficiency of firms by increasing their capacity utilization and coal quality. Additionally, we find that the reform led to an increased utilization of source control technologies but resulted in a reduction in the use of end-of-pipe treatments. Due to the opposing effects on different pollution treatment stages, the reform did not have a significant impact on environmental efficiency.
Prediction of Thermal Conductivity of Litz Winding by Least Square Method and GA-BP Neural Network Based on Numerical Simulations
Authors: Dong Qi , Fu Xiaoli
Published: October 2023

This paper proposes a Litz winding numerical-simulation model considering the transposition effect, and uses the transient-plane-source method to verify the numerical-simulation method. In addition, numerical methods were adopted to further investigate the impact of filling rate and epoxy-resin type, and their combined effects, on thermal conductivity. To facilitate engineering design, the discrete data points were fitted using the least square method to obtain a straightforward and application-friendly polynomial empirical formula. On this basis, the GA-BP neural network was used to analyze the data in order to seek out more accurate prediction results for the entire data set. As a result, compared with the least square method, the error between the prediction result and the target value in the x direction was reduced by 87.04%, and the error in the z direction was reduced by 84.97%.
Adaptability to Enhance Heavy Oil Recovery by Combination and Foam Systems with Fine-Emulsification Properties
Authors: Ding Mingchen , Liu Ping , Wang Yefei , Zhang Zhenyu , Dong Jiangyang , Duan Yingying
Published: October 2023

Emulsification is increasingly emphasized for heavy oil recovery through chemical flooding. However, whether systems with fine-emulsification (FE) properties significantly outperform conventional ultra-low interfacial tension (IFT) systems, especially under varying water-oil viscosity ratios, remains unclear. In this research, two FE systems and one conventional ultra-low IFT system are compared in terms of their IFTs, emulsification properties, foaming behaviors, and heavy oil recovery (in the form of combination flooding and foam flooding). The results show that FE systems 1# and 2# can generate more stable emulsions of heavy oil than the traditional ultra-low IFT variant 3#. During the first combination flooding, FE systems recover 24.5% and 27.9% of the oil after water, obviously surpassing 21.0% of the ultra-low IFT system 3#; but as this ratio increases to 0.45, those factors become very similar to ones of 33.2%, 34.5% and 32.9%, with the former no longer outperforming the latter. In the second trials of foam flooding, at a lower water-oil viscosity ratio of 0.05, FE foam 1# becomes less effective than the ultra-low IFT 3#, with oil recovery factors of 27.2% and 31.6%, respectively; but foam 2# (combining medium emulsification and ultra-low IFT) remains optimal, with the highest recovery factor of 40.0%. Again, as this ratio becomes 0.45, the advantages of FE systems over the ultra-low IFT system are almost negligible, generating similar oil recoveries of 39.2%, 41.0% and 39.4%.
Native Bamboo (Indosasa shibataeoides McClure) Invasion of Broadleaved Forests Promotes Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration in South China Karst
Authors: Chen Zedong , Xu Xiangyang , Wu Zhizhuang , Huang Zhiyuan , Gao Guibin , Zhang Jie , Zhang Xiaoping
Published: October 2023

Bamboo invasion into broadleaf forests is a common phenomenon in karst areas; however, the effect of bamboo invasion on soil organic carbon (SOC) in karst areas and the mechanism of the effect are not clear. We selected the study site with broad-leaved forests (BF), mixed forests (MF), and pure bamboo (Indosasa shibataeoides McClure) forests (IF). Furthermore, we sampled the soil from 0 cm to 20 cm and 20 cm to 40 cm layers in the region and investigated the soil properties, organic carbon fractions, and microbial communities. At the same time, we sampled the litterfall layer of different stands and determined the biomass. The results showed that bamboo invasion increased the litterfall biomass per unit area of karst forest, increased the bulk weight of the 0–20 cm soil layer, and lowered the soil pH in the 0–20 cm and 20–40 cm soil layers, bamboo invasion consistently increased the content of soil AN and AK, whereas the content of AP was significantly reduced after bamboo invasion. Both active organic carbon groups (MBC, DOC, and EOC) and passive organic carbon groups (Fe/Al-SOC and Ca-SOC) increased significantly after bamboo invasion. The bamboo invasion increased the diversity of soil microorganisms and bacterial communities; the relative abundance of Actinobacteriota increased in MF and IF, while the relative abundance of Firmicutes decreased in IF. The structure of fungal communities was altered during the bamboo invasion, with an increase in the relative abundance of Mortierellomycota and a decrease in the relative abundance of Basidiomycota at the level of fungal phyla. Partial least squares path modeling analysis identified bamboo invasion enhanced SOC sequestration mainly by increasing litterfall biomass and altering the structure of the fungal community, and the effect of bacteria on SOC was not significant. Our study suggests that bamboo invasion of broadleaf forests is more favorable to soil organic carbon sequestration in karst areas.
Stronger Cumulative than Lagged Effects of Drought on Vegetation in Central Asia
Authors: Yang Miao , Zou Jie , Ding Jianli , Zou Wensong , Yahefujiang Heran
Published: October 2023

In the context of global warming, the strength and frequency of drought events are projected to grow in the future, and the onset of drought can have dramatic effects on vegetation growth in terrestrial ecosystems. Central Asia is the largest non-territorial drought area in the world, and the response of vegetation to drought events is extremely sensitive in the area. However, few studies have quantified and compared the vegetation gross primary productivity (GPP) response to the lagged and cumulative effects of drought. In this research, the solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence GPP and Standardized Precipitation Evaporation Index (SPEI) were used to analyze the time and space patterns of vegetation GPP and the SPEI in Central Asia and to quantify and compare the lagged and cumulative effects of drought on the GPP of various vegetation types. During the period from 2000 to 2018, the general trends of vegetation GPP showed a slight increase in Central Asia, with the ratio of variation being 1.35 g C m−2 y−1 and a spatially decreasing distribution from north to south. SPEI showed a trend of decreasing and then increasing over a period of 19 years, with a slight decreasing (drying) trend and a rate of change of −0.02 y−1, and the overall spatial pattern was drying out from north to south. In 13 months, 72.44% of regional droughts had lagged impacts on vegetation. The maximum correlation coefficients of vegetation and the lagged effectiveness of drought were concentrated in the range of 0.15–0.35, and the high correlation was distributed in southern and northwestern Kazakhstan, which are prairie regions. Of the regions in Central Asia, 75.86% showed cumulative drought effects concentrated at 9–12 months. The maximum correlation coefficients were concentrated in the range of 0.20–0.50, and the high correlation regions were primarily situated in south Kazakhstan and east Uzbekistan. Comparing the correlation coefficients of the lagged effect of vegetation GPP and SPEI with the cumulative effect shows that the cumulative rather than lagged impacts of drought on vegetation cover were found in 86.75% of the regions in Central Asia. This research enhances our comprehension of the influence of drought events on ecosystems in arid regions and has a certain reference value for helping arid region ecosystems to cope with global climate change.
Evaluation of the Oriented Strand Board Properties Produced Using Tropical Wood Mixtures
Authors: Aguiar Diego Lima , Júnior Geraldo Bortoletto , Jankowsky Ivaldo Pontes , Candaten Luana , Cavalcante Annie Karoline de Lima , Klingenberg Debora , de Souza Elias Costa , Surdi Paula , Moutinho Victor Hugo Pereira
Published: October 2023

The objective of this study was to evaluate the composition of OSB panels created using the Amazonian species Caryocar villosum Aubl., Erisma uncinatum Warm., and Hymenolobium excelsum Ducke. The OSB was produced using a phenol–formaldehyde adhesive at a ratio of 30:40:30 for each layer. Different mixtures of Amazonian wood and Pinus caribaea var. caribaea. were tested. Physical (water absorption and thickness swelling after 2 and 24 h of immersion in water and non-return rate in thickness) and mechanical (internal bond and parallel and perpendicular static bending) tests were performed. The OSB panels composed of wood mixtures absorbed less water after 2 and 24 h of immersion when compared to the OSB produced using pine wood. After 24 h of immersion in water, the T3 panel (40% Pinus caribaea + 40% Hymenolobium excelsum + 20% Caryocar villosum) presented the lowest absorption value. In terms of swelling in thickness at 2 h and 24 h, the panel composed of 100% pine strands showed the highest swelling value, while the T3 treatment exhibited the lowest swelling value at 2 and 24 h, as well as for the rate of non-return in thickness. Regarding mechanical properties, we observed that all panels exhibited similar resistance for both parallel and perpendicular Modulus of Rupture, as well as parallel and perpendicular Modulus of Elasticity, except for the internal bond, where T3 demonstrated the highest resistance. Additionally, some OSB panels met the requirements of the EN 300 standard for OSB panels.
On Coefficient Inequalities of Starlike Functions Related to the q-Analog of Cosine Functions Defined by the Fractional q-Differential Operator
Authors: Taj Yusra , Malik Sarfraz Nawaz , Cătaş Adriana , Ro Jong-Suk , Tchier Fairouz , Tawfiq Ferdous M. O.
Published: October 2023

This article extends the study of q-versions of analytic functions by introducing and studying the association of starlike functions with trigonometric cosine functions, both defined in their q-versions. Certain coefficient inequalities like coefficient bounds, Zalcman inequalities, and both Hankel and Toeplitz determinants for the new version of starlike functions are investigated. It is worth mentioning that most of the determined inequalities are sharp with the support of relevant extremal functions.
A Discrete-Time Homing Problem with Two Optimizers
Authors: Lefebvre Mario
Published: October 2023

A stochastic difference game is considered in which a player wants to minimize the time spent by a controlled one-dimensional symmetric random walk {Xn,n=0,1,…} in the continuation region C:={1,2,…}, and the second player seeks to maximize the survival time in C. The process starts at X0=x>0 and the game ends the first time Xn≤0. An exact expression is derived for the value function, from which the optimal solution is obtained, and particular problems are solved explicitly.
Evaluation of Immunomodulatory Effects of Fusarium Mycotoxins Using Bacterial Endotoxin-Stimulated Bovine Epithelial Cells and Macrophages in Co-Culture
Authors: Shandilya Umesh K. , Sharma Ankita , Xu Ran , Muniz Maria Malane M. , Karrow Niel A.
Published: October 2023

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by a variety of fungi that contaminate animal food and feeds and are capable of inducing a wide range of toxicities. Predictive in vitro models represent valuable substitutes for animal experiments to assess the toxicity of mycotoxins. The complexities of the interactions between epithelial and innate immune cells, vital for upholding barrier integrity and averting infections, remain inadequately understood. In the current study, a co-culture model of bovine epithelial cells (MAC-T) and macrophages (BoMac) was used to investigate the impact of exposure to Fusarium mycotoxins, namely deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), enniatin B (ENB), and beauvericin (BEA), on the inflammatory response elicited by the bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin. The MAC-T cells and BoMac were seeded on the apical side of a Transwell membrane and in the lower chamber, respectively, and mycotoxin exposure on the apical side of the membrane was carried out with the different mycotoxins (LC20; concentrations that elicited 20% cytotoxicity) for 48 h followed by an LPS immunity challenge for 24 h. The culture supernatants were collected from the basolateral compartment and these samples were submitted for cytokine/chemokine multiplex analysis. RNA-Seq analysis was performed using total RNA extracted from the MAC-T cells to acquire a more detailed insight into their cellular functions. The multiplex analysis indicated that IFN-γ, IL-1α, IL-8, and MCP-1 were significantly induced post-DON treatment when compared to control cells, and levels of IL-1α and IL-8 were enhanced significantly in all mycotoxin-treated groups post-LPS challenge. Analysis of the sequencing results showed that there were 341, 357, and 318 differentially expressed MAC-T cell genes that were up-regulated in the DON, ENB, and BEA groups, respectively. Gene ontology and pathway analysis revealed that these DEGs were significantly enriched in various biological processes and pathways related to inflammation, apoptosis signaling, and Wnt signaling. These results provide a comprehensive analysis of the co-culture cytokine/chemokine production and MAC-T cells’ gene expression profiles elicited by Fusarium mycotoxins, which further contributes to the understanding of early endotoxemia post-mycotoxin exposure.
Evaluation of the Resilience of the Catering Industry in Hong Kong before and after the COVID-19 Outbreak Based on Point-of-Interest Data
Authors: Liu Yijia , Shi Wenzhong , Yu Yue , Peng Linya , Zhang Anshu
Published: October 2023

COVID-19 has caused a serious economic shock which challenges the resilience of businesses around the world. Understanding the spatial distribution pattern of business resilience, as well as identifying factors that promote business resilience, is crucial to economic recovery. Most existing studies mainly analyze one side of the concept of resilience, such as how businesses closed, expanded, and innovated, while no studies take all the characteristics of resilience into account and analyze them from a geographical view. To fill this gap, this study first relates the method of calculating stability in ecology to geography, and proposes a point of interest (POI)-based index to evaluate an industry’s resilience in a city. Then, with the catering industry in Hong Kong as an example, the spatial distribution of resilience in June 2020 and December 2020 is investigated using the local indicators of spatial association (LISA) approach. An ordinary least squares (OLS) regression model is adopted to identify impactful factors on resilience. The results reveal that the resilience of restaurants is quite stable in local central areas, but areas near the checking points at Shenzhen in mainland China are severely affected. Most traditional location factors had the benefit of stabilization, while hospitals had negative responses. The presented analysis framework is possible to be easily generalized to other industries or cities. The overall result of the study provides a spatial understanding which would be essential as a reference for future urban planning regarding post-pandemic recovery.
The Preventive Effects of Salubrinal against Pyrethroid-Induced Disruption of Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Mice
Authors: Toltin Abigail C. , Belkadi Abdelmadjid , Gamba Laura M. , Hossain Muhammad M.
Published: October 2023

Environmental factors, including pesticide exposure, have been identified as substantial contributors to neurodegeneration and cognitive impairments. Previously, we demonstrated that repeated exposure to deltamethrin induces endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, reduces hippocampal neurogenesis, and impairs cognition in adult mice. Here, we investigated the potential relationship between ER stress and hippocampal neurogenesis following exposure to deltamethrin, utilizing both pharmacological and genetic approaches. To investigate whether ER stress is associated with inhibition of neurogenesis, mice were given two intraperitoneal injections of eIf2α inhibitor salubrinal (1 mg/kg) at 24 h and 30 min prior to the oral administration of deltamethrin (3 mg/kg). Salubrinal prevented hippocampal ER stress, as indicated by decreased levels of C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP) and transcription factor 4 (ATF4) and attenuated deltamethrin-induced reductions in BrdU-, Ki-67-, and DCX-positive cells in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus. To further explore the relationship between ER stress and adult neurogenesis, we used caspase-12 knockout (KO) mice. The caspase-12 KO mice exhibited significant protection against deltamethrin-induced reduction of BrdU-, Ki-67-, and DCX-positive cells in the hippocampus. In addition, deltamethrin exposure led to a notable upregulation of CHOP and caspase-12 expression in a significant portion of BrdU- and Ki-67-positive cells in WT mice. Conversely, both salubrinal-treated mice and caspase-12 KO mice exhibited a considerably lower number of CHOP-positive cells in the hippocampus. Together, these findings suggest that exposure to the insecticide deltamethrin triggers ER stress-mediated suppression of adult hippocampal neurogenesis, which may subsequently contribute to learning and memory deficits in mice.
Apolipoprotein D as a Potential Biomarker in Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Authors: del Valle Eva , Rubio-Sardón Nuria , Menéndez-Pérez Carlota , Martínez-Pinilla Eva , Navarro Ana
Published: October 2023

Neuropsychiatric disorders (NDs) are a diverse group of pathologies, including schizophrenia or bipolar disorders, that directly affect the mental and physical health of those who suffer from them, with an incidence that is increasing worldwide. Most NDs result from a complex interaction of multiple genes and environmental factors such as stress or traumatic events, including the recent Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic. In addition to diverse clinical presentations, these diseases are heterogeneous in their pathogenesis, brain regions affected, and clinical symptoms, making diagnosis difficult. Therefore, finding new biomarkers is essential for the detection, prognosis, response prediction, and development of new treatments for NDs. Among the most promising candidates is the apolipoprotein D (Apo D), a component of lipoproteins implicated in lipid metabolism. Evidence suggests an increase in Apo D expression in association with aging and in the presence of neuropathological processes. As a part of the cellular neuroprotective defense machinery against oxidative stress and inflammation, changes in Apo D levels have been demonstrated in neuropsychiatric conditions like schizophrenia (SZ) or bipolar disorders (BPD), not only in some brain areas but in corporal fluids, i.e., blood or serum of patients. What is not clear is whether variation in Apo D quantity could be used as an indicator to detect NDs and their progression. This review aims to provide an updated view of the clinical potential of Apo D as a possible biomarker for NDs.
Immunostimulating Commensal Bacteria and Their Potential Use as Therapeutics
Authors: McCuaig Bonita , Goto Yoshiyuki
Published: October 2023

The gut microbiome is intimately intertwined with the host immune system, having effects on the systemic immune system. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiome has been linked not only to gastrointestinal disorders but also conditions of the skin, lungs, and brain. Commensal bacteria can affect the immune status of the host through a stimulation of the innate immune system, training of the adaptive immune system, and competitive exclusion of pathogens. Commensal bacteria improve immune response through the production of immunomodulating compounds such as microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs), short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and secondary bile acids. The microbiome, especially when in dysbiosis, is plastic and can be manipulated through the introduction of beneficial bacteria or the adjustment of nutrients to stimulate the expansion of beneficial taxa. The complex nature of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) ecosystem complicates the use of these methods, as similar treatments have various results in individuals with different residential microbiomes and differential health statuses. A more complete understanding of the interaction between commensal species, host genetics, and the host immune system is needed for effective microbiome interventions to be developed and implemented in a clinical setting.
Inflammatory Cytokine Elaboration Following Secondhand Smoke (SHS) Exposure Is Mediated in Part by RAGE Signaling
Authors: Curtis Katrina L. , Homer Kyle M. , Wendt Ryan A. , Stapley Brendan M. , Clark Evan T. , Harward Kaden , Chang Ashley , Clarke Derek M. , Arroyo Juan A. , Reynolds Paul R.
Published: October 2023

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a key contributor to immune and inflammatory responses in myriad diseases. RAGE is a transmembrane pattern recognition receptor with a special interest in pulmonary anomalies due to its naturally abundant pulmonary expression. Our previous studies demonstrated an inflammatory role for RAGE following acute 30-day exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS), wherein immune cell diapedesis and cytokine/chemokine secretion were accentuated in part via RAGE signaling. However, the chronic inflammatory mechanisms associated with RAGE have yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we address the impact of long-term SHS exposure on RAGE signaling. RAGE knockout (RKO) and wild-type (WT) mice were exposed to SHS using a nose-only delivery system (Scireq Scientific, Montreal, Canada) for six months. SHS-exposed animals were compared to mice exposed to room air (RA) only. Immunoblotting was used to assess the phospho-AKT and phospho-ERK activation data, and colorimetric high-throughput assays were used to measure NF-kB. Ras activation was measured via ELISAs. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cellularity was quantified, and a mouse cytokine antibody array was used to screen the secreted cytokines. The phospho-AKT level was decreased, while those of phospho-ERK, NF-kB, and Ras were elevated in both groups of SHS-exposed mice, with the RKO + SHS-exposed mice demonstrating significantly decreased levels of each intermediate compared to those of the WT + SHS-exposed mice. The BALF contained increased levels of diverse pro-inflammatory cytokines in the SHS-exposed WT mice, and diminished secretion was detected in the SHS-exposed RKO mice. These results validate the role for RAGE in the mediation of chronic pulmonary inflammatory responses and suggest ERK signaling as a likely pathway that perpetuates RAGE-dependent inflammation. Additional characterization of RAGE-mediated pulmonary responses to prolonged exposure will provide a valuable insight into the cellular mechanisms of lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Ex Vivo Anti-Leukemic Effect of Exosome-like Grapefruit-Derived Nanovesicles from Organic Farming—The Potential Role of Ascorbic Acid
Authors: Castelli Germana , Logozzi Mariantonia , Mizzoni Davide , Di Raimo Rossella , Cerio Annamaria , Dolo Vincenza , Pasquini Luca , Screnci Maria , Ottone Tiziana , Testa Ugo , Fais Stefano , Pelosi Elvira
Published: October 2023

Citrus fruits are a natural source of ascorbic acid, and exosome-like nanovesicles obtained from these fruits contain measurable levels of ascorbic acid. We tested the ability of grapefruit-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) to inhibit the growth of human leukemic cells and leukemic patient-derived bone marrow blasts. Transmission electron microscopy and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) showed that the obtained EVs were homogeneous exosomes, defined as exosome-like plant-derived nanovesicles (ELPDNVs). The analysis of their content has shown measurable amounts of several molecules with potent antioxidant activity. ELPDNVs showed a time-dependent antiproliferative effect in both U937 and K562 leukemic cell lines, comparable with the effect of high-dosage ascorbic acid (2 mM). This result was confirmed by a clear decrease in the number of AML blasts induced by ELPDNVs, which did not affect the number of normal cells. ELPDNVs increased the ROS levels in both AML blast cells and U937 without affecting ROS storage in normal cells, and this effect was comparable to ascorbic acid (2 mM). With our study, we propose ELPDNVs from grapefruits as a combination/supporting therapy for human leukemias with the aim to improve the effectiveness of the current therapies.
Down-Regulation of CYP3A4 by the KCa1.1 Inhibition Is Responsible for Overcoming Resistance to Doxorubicin in Cancer Spheroid Models
Authors: Ohya Susumu , Kajikuri Junko , Kito Hiroaki , Matsui Miki
Published: October 2023

The large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel, KCa1.1, plays a pivotal role in cancer progression, metastasis, and the acquisition of chemoresistance. Previous studies indicated that the pharmacological inhibition of KCa1.1 overcame resistance to doxorubicin (DOX) by down-regulating multidrug resistance-associated proteins in the three-dimensional spheroid models of human prostate cancer LNCaP, osteosarcoma MG-63, and chondrosarcoma SW-1353 cells. Investigations have recently focused on the critical roles of intratumoral, drug-metabolizing cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs) in chemoresistance. In the present study, we examined the involvement of CYPs in the acquisition of DOX resistance and its overcoming by inhibiting KCa1.1 in cancer spheroid models. Among the CYP isoforms involved in DOX metabolism, CYP3A4 was up-regulated by spheroid formation and significantly suppressed by the inhibition of KCa1.1 through the transcriptional repression of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein, CEBPB, which is a downstream transcription factor of the Nrf2 signaling pathway. DOX resistance was overcome by the siRNA-mediated inhibition of CYP3A4 and treatment with the potent CYP3A4 inhibitor, ketoconazole, in cancer spheroid models. The phosphorylation levels of Akt were significantly reduced by inhibiting KCa1.1 in cancer spheroid models, and KCa1.1-induced down-regulation of CYP3A4 was reversed by the treatment with Akt and Nrf2 activators. Collectively, the present results indicate that the up-regulation of CYP3A4 is responsible for the acquisition of DOX resistance in cancer spheroid models, and the inhibition of KCa1.1 overcame DOX resistance by repressing CYP3A4 transcription mainly through the Akt-Nrf2-CEBPB axis.