bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Edaravone dexborneol protects cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury through activating Nrf2/HO‐1 signaling pathway in mice
Authors: Xu Lili , Gao Yaran , Hu Ming , Dong Yanhong , Xu Jing , Zhang Jiawei , Lv Peiyuan
Published: April 2022

Stroke is the leading cause of disability and death. When blood flow is restored after prolonged ischemia and hypoxia, it leads to excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), increased local inflammation, and apoptosis, which are the cause of most cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury (CIRI), leading to secondary brain tissue damage. Edaravone dexborneol is a novel neuroprotective agent consisting of edaravone and borneol. Studies have shown that it has synergistic antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory effects. However, whether Edaravone dexborneol stimulates the Nrf2/HO‐1 pathway to regulate NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) remains unclear. In this study, wild‐type (WT) mice and Nrf2 knockout (KO) mice were used to investigate the antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and anti‐apoptotic effects of Edaravone dexborneol on CIRI and its mechanism. The cognitive function of mice was evaluated with the Morris water maze (MWM), test and the cell structures of hippocampus were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Nrf2, HO‐1, and NOX2 proteins and apoptosis‐related proteins Bcl‐2, Bax, and Caspase 3 were detected by western blotting. Nrf2, HO‐1, NOX2, and inflammatory factors TNF‐α, IL‐1β, IL‐4, and IL‐10 were detected by real‐time polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that Edaravone dexborneol treatment improved learning and memory performance, neuronal damage, and enhanced antioxidant, inflammation, and apoptosis in CIRI mice. In addition, Edaravone dexborneol induced the activation Nrf2/HO‐1 signaling pathway activation while inhibiting NOX2 expression. Overall, these results indicate that Edaravone dexborneol ameliorates CIRI‐induced memory impairments by activating Nrf2/HO‐1 signaling pathway and inhibiting NOX2.
SIFTR‐ing through the development of cultural awareness at home and abroad
Authors: Guerrero‐Rodríguez Paola , Lomicka Anderson Lara , Lord Gillian
Published: April 2022

Today's language learners benefit from cultural awareness, which can be fostered through experiences both at home and during study abroad. One approach to exploring culture that has gained popularity has been the use of geolocation technologies, which can help engage students in class and beyond. The sense of community developed through these collaborations can enhance or even recreate the classroom experience in virtual environments. This exploratory project uses a geolocation tool (Siftr, www.siftr.org) in two contexts, at home and abroad, to explore how technology can help foster cultural awareness in these two different contexts. Identified trends suggest that, regardless of context, Siftr can be incorporated in various learning contexts to open pathways to intercultural understanding and help learners intentionally notice their own culture and that of others.
Switchgrass cropping systems affect soil carbon and nitrogen and microbial diversity and activity on marginal lands
Authors: Li Xiufen , Petipas Renee H. , Antoch Amanda A. , Liu Yuan , Stel Holly V. , Bell‐Dereske Lukas , Smercina Darian N. , Bekkering Cody , Evans Sarah E. , Tiemann Lisa K. , Friesen Maren L.
Published: April 2022

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), as a dedicated bioenergy crop, can provide cellulosic feedstock for biofuel production while improving or maintaining soil quality. However, comprehensive evaluations of how switchgrass cultivation and nitrogen (N) management impact soil and plant parameters remain incomplete. We conducted field trials in three years (2016–2018) at six locations in the North Central Great Lakes Region to evaluate the effects of cropping systems (switchgrass, restored prairie, undisturbed control) and N rates (0, 56 kg N ha−1 year−1) on biomass yield and soil physicochemical, microbial, and enzymatic parameters. Switchgrass cropping system yielded an aboveground biomass 2.9–3.3 times higher than the other two systems (Jayawardena et al., unpublished data) but our study found that this biomass accumulation did not reduce soil dissolved organic C, total dissolved N (TDN), or bacterial diversity. The annual aboveground biomass removal for bioenergy feedstock, however, reduced soil microbial biomass C (MBC) and microbial biomass N (MBN) and bacterial richness in the second and third years; despite this, continuous monocropping of switchgrass improved soil TDN, inorganic N, bacterial diversity, and shoot biomass in the second and/or third years compared with the first year. N fertilization increased aboveground biomass yield by 1.2 times and significantly increased soil TDN, MBN, and the shoot biomass of switchgrass compared with the unfertilized control. Locations with higher C and N contents and lower C:N ratio had higher aboveground biomass, MBC, MBN, and the activity of BG, CBH, and UREA enzymes; by contrast, locations with higher pH had higher soil TDN and activity of NAG and LAP enzymes. Our research demonstrates that switchgrass cultivation could improve or maintain soil N content and N fertilization can increase plant biomass yield. The comprehensive data also can inform future biogeochemical models to successfully implement switchgrass for bioenergy production.
Factors associated with renal function change after unilateral adrenalectomy in patients with primary aldosteronism
Authors: Lu Yu‐Cheng , Liu Kao‐Lang , Wu Vin‐Cent , Wang Shuo‐Meng , Lin Yen‐Hung , Chueh Shih‐Chieh Jeff , Wu Kwan‐Dun , Huang Kuo‐How ,   the Taiwan Primary Aldosteronism Investigation Study Group
Published: April 2022

Objectives

Decreased glomerular filtration rate has been reported in patients with primary aldosteronism after unilateral adrenalectomy. Glomerular hyperfiltration has been assumed to mask the preoperative subtle renal impairment. In this study, we investigated predictors for decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate after adrenalectomy in patients with primary aldosteronism.

Methods

From January 2006 through September 2018, 328 patients with confirmatory diagnoses of primary aldosteronism received unilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy and subsequent follow‐up for 12 months. We prospectively collected related parameters of the clinical outcomes and renal function to identify predictors of renal function impairment at 12 months after surgery.

Results

Patients were stratified into three groups by preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate level: 144 (43.9%) with estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥90, 130 (39.6%) with estimated glomerular filtration rate within 60–89.9, and 54 (16.5%) with estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. The estimated glomerular filtration rate decreased significantly at the 6th month and remained stable at the 12th month, postoperatively. Patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥90 had better clinical outcome with 59.6% success rate (P = 0.006) among three groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (odds ratio 1.012, P = 0.02) and hypokalemia (odds ratio 2.018, P = 0.024) were associated with renal impairment at 12th month after adrenalectomy. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed high preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (β = 0.261, P < 0.001), high preoperative systolic blood pressure (β = 0.168, P = 0.003), high level of microalbuminuria (β = 0.024, P = 0.001), and low level of serum potassium (β = −4.883, P = 0.007) were associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate percentage decline at 12th month after adrenalectomy.

Conclusions

Estimated glomerular filtration rate declined significantly after adrenalectomy in patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥90. The study provided important information to identify primary aldosteronism patients with higher risk of estimated glomerular filtration rate decline after adrenalectomy and might help to adopt early interventions to improve the outcomes.
Reputational risks in banks: A review of research themes, frameworks, methods, and future research directions
Authors: Adeabah David , Andoh Charles , Asongu Simplice , Gemegah Albert
Published: April 2022

This study examined the research trends on reputational risk in banks using a systematic literature review and network analysis (SLRNA) approach on 35 research articles published between 2010 and 2020. It was found that only developed countries (i.e., the United States and Europe) have been actively contributing to research on reputational risks in banks, suggesting that reputational risks management of banks has not gained the global attention it deserves. Moreover, we identified five broad research themes from the thematic network analysis, namely, reputational risk of operational losses, reputational effects of media tone, performance implications of reputational risk management, management of reputational risk in banks, sustainability practices and reputational risk of banks in the project finance market. Nonetheless, there still a number of areas that require further attention. These include conceptualization of reputational risk management in banks that explore the dynamic and interdependencies in a system thinking framework, the role of corporate governance, environmental and social issues on reputational risk, how sustainability practices shape reputational risk management, the role of political connections in mitigating reputational effect of operational loss events, and how information and communication technology (ICT) mechanisms impact reputational risk management in banks.
“We Understand You Hate Us”: Latinx Immigrant‐Origin Adolescents' Coping with Social Exclusion
Authors: López Hernández Guadalupe
Published: April 2022

Little research has focused on how adolescents are faring with the national context of exclusion. Growing evidence suggests that exclusionary efforts signal messages of who belongs (and who does not) in the United States. This study draws from a risk and resilience model to understand how Latinx immigrant‐origin adolescents react and adapt to social exclusion. A total of 41 adolescents between the ages of 13 to 24 (Mage = 18.85) completed a semistructured interview. Results revealed participants' use of avoidant and active coping strategies to deal with exclusion. There was a shift in coping responses across developmental stages. Future research and recommendations are provided to address systems that need to be dismantled to foster a sense of belonging for adolescents.
Cancer sleep symptom‐related phenotypic clustering differs across three cancer specific patient cohorts
Authors: Kairaitis Kristina , Madut Ayey S. , Subramanian Harini , Trivedi Ritu , Man Hong , Mather Marius , Brand Alison , Elder Elisabeth , Howle Julie , Mann Graham J , Amis Terence C. , De Fazio Anna
Published: April 2022

Specific sleep disorders have been linked to disease progression in different cancers. We hypothesised sleep symptom clusters would differ between cancer types. The aim of this study was to compare sleep symptom clusters in post‐treatment melanoma, breast and endometrial cancer patients. Data were collected from 124 breast cancer patients (1 male, 60 ± 15 years, 28.1 ± 6.6 kg/m2), 82 endometrial cancer patients (64.0 ± 12.5 years, 33.5 ± 10.4 kg/m2) and 112 melanoma patients (59 male, 65.0 ± 18.0 years, 29.1 ± 6.6 kg/m2). All patients completed validated questionnaires to assess sleep symptoms, including the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire‐10 (FOSQ‐10). Snoring, tiredness, observed apneas, age, BMI, and gender data were also collected. Binary values (PSQI, ISI, FOSQ), or continuous variables for sleepiness (ESS) and perceived sleep quality (PSQI), were created and sleep symptom clusters were identified and compared across cancer cohorts. Four distinct sleep symptom clusters were identified: minimally symptomatic (n = 152, 47.7%); insomnia‐predominant (n = 87, 24.9%); very sleepy with upper airway symptoms (n = 51, 16.3%), and severely symptomatic with severe dysfunction (n = 34, 11.1%). Breast cancer patients were significantly more likely to be in the insomnia predominant or severely symptomatic with severe dysfunction clusters, whereas melanoma patients were more likely to be minimally symptomatic or sleepy with upper airway symptoms (p <0.0001). Endometrial cancer patients were equally distributed across symptom clusters. Sleep symptom clusters vary across cancer patients. A more personalised approach to the management of sleep‐related symptoms in these patients may improve the long term quality of life and survival.
Heavy metal induced regulation of plant biology: Recent insights
Authors: Sharma Anket , Kapoor Dhriti , Gautam Shristy , Landi Marco , Kandhol Nidhi , Araniti Fabrizio , Ramakrishnan Muthusamy , Satish Lakkakula , Singh Vijay Pratap , Sharma Priyanka , Bhardwaj Renu , Tripathi Durgesh Kumar , Zheng Bingsong
Published: April 2022

The presence of different forms of heavy metals in the earth crust is very primitive and probably associated with the origin of plant life. However, since the beginning of human civilisation, heavy metal use and its contamination to all living systems on earth have significantly increased due to human anthropogenic activities. Heavy metals are nonbiodegradable, which directly or indirectly impact photosynthesis, antioxidant system, mineral nutrition status, phytohormones and amino acid‐derived molecules. Due to the toxic behaviour of some heavy metals, the endogenous status of chemical messengers like phytohormones may get significantly influenced, leading to harmful impacts on plant growth, development and overall yield of the plants. It has been noticed that exogenous application of phytohormones, that is, abscisic acid, salicylic acid, auxins, brassinosteroids, cytokinins, ethylene and gibberellins can positively regulate the heavy metal toxicity in plants through the regulation of the ascorbate–glutathione cycle, nitrogen metabolism, proline metabolisms, transpiration rate, and cell division. Furthermore, it may also restrict the entry of heavy metals into the plant cells, which aids in the recovery of plant growth and productivity. Besides these, some defence molecules also assist the plant in dealing with heavy metal toxicity. Therefore, the present review aims to bridge the knowledge gap in this context and present outstanding discoveries related to plant life supportive processes during stressful conditions including phytohormones and heavy metal crosstalk along with suggestions for future research in this field.
Exploring farm‐to‐restaurant relations and the potential of a local food hub: A case study in the city‐region of Groningen, the Netherlands
Authors: Smaal Sara A. L.
Published: April 2022

Urban restaurants are increasingly putting local food on the menu. How do farm‐to‐restaurant relations fit into the local food movement, and how can these collaborations be supported by food policies and programmes of urban governments? Through a qualitative case study in the city‐region of Groningen (The Netherlands), this article explores the values urban restaurants, local food suppliers and urban governments attribute to local food, the trust and barriers these actors experience in their collaborations, and their views on the municipality's preliminary plans for a local food hub. In line with the concepts of reflexive localism and values‐based territorial food networks, and taking into account the perspectives, benefits, pitfalls and conditions uncovered in this study, a farm‐to‐restaurant‐oriented food hub would need to (1) embrace the complex and relational nature of place, (2) foster reciprocal and practical partnerships, (3) negotiate reflexive and values‐based goals and (4) broker between and unburden the involved parties.
Integrating a deep forest algorithm with vector‐based cellular automata for urban land change simulation
Authors: Zhuang Haoming , Liu Xiaoping , Yan Yuchao , Zhang Dachuan , He Jialyu , He Jinqiang , Zhang Xinchang , Zhang Honghui , Li Manchun
Published: April 2022

With the capacity to represent irregular geographical entities precisely, vector‐based cellular automata (VCA) have been extensively employed in urban land change simulation at the land parcel level. However, while more driving factors are considered, modeling the complicated nonlinear relationship between land parcel attributes and multiple land‐use changes is increasingly difficult. Moreover, in VCA, the driving factors are unstructured and cannot be directly modeled by traditional deep learning methods, which can only be applied to structured data processing. In order to address these problems, a new VCA model DF‐VCA that adopts the deep forest (DF) algorithm for mining CA transition rules was proposed to simulate urban land‐use change at the parcel level. The DF algorithm is a new deep learning method that can directly mine high‐level features from unstructured data and obtain accurate land‐use transition rules. The proposed DF‐VCA model was applied to simulate the urban land change in Shenzhen, China. Compared with several traditional VCA models, the DF‐VCA model achieved the best simulation performance at parcel‐level (Figure of Merit = 39.88%), pattern‐level (similarity = 96.47%), and community‐level (correlation coefficient = 0.9269). The results show that the DF‐VCA model with strong representative learning ability could simulate urban land change at fine scales precisely. Furthermore, the proposed DF‐VCA model was applied in Shenzhen's future land change simulations to guide sustainable urban development.
Defining a visual metonym: A hauntological study of polar bear imagery in climate communication
Authors: O'Neill Saffron
Published: April 2022

From television news bulletins, newspapers and magazines, documentaries and films, social media memes and cartooning, to protest and art – even to the images that spontaneously come into our minds – polar bears are now ubiquitously associated with climate change. Indeed, polar bear visuals now often mean nothing but climate change. Why do polar bear images, as a particular type of climate change imagery, continue to thrive and to circulate – and indeed, to haunt – our imaginings of climate change? This paper seeks to understand the tangled social, cultural, political, and scientific histories of polar bear visuals through defining a new concept, a ‘visual metonym’. This concept is worked through using a longitudinal analysis of visual evidence arising from political, social, scientific, and cultural domains and using a hauntological approach that is sensitive to the spectre‐like nature of polar bear imagery. This reveals three periods in which the work that polar bear visuals has undertaken has changed: polar bear (1990s–mid‐2000s), political bear (mid‐2000s), and climate bear (mid‐2000s onwards). By the time of the ‘climate bear’ period, polar bear images had become entrenched and irreducible from (i.e., they haunt) climate change. As polar bear images came to stand in for much wider debates – of climate scepticism and political (in)action – they became a visual metonym. The paper concludes by presenting the visual metonym concept as a way to explore and understand how particular image types gain power, agency, and meaning and how they come to act as signalling devices representing complex engagements with contemporary issues. The visual metonym concept can be used to understand, interrogate, and critique naturalised and pervasive issue‐led imagery.
Adapted technique for demonstrating argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions in the cytologic samples of canine mast cell tumors
Authors: Mann Thaís R. , Engelmann Ana M. , Mello Camila B. E. , de Andrade Cinthia M.
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) are nonhistone argyrophilic nucleolar proteins associated with ribosomal genes found in the nucleolar organizer region that reflect cell proliferation and have an affinity for silver. AgNOR staining may be useful to evaluate prognosis in several neoplasms because higher AgNOR counts are related to higher grade tumors, metastases, and shorter survival times.

Objective

We aimed to report on a quick and practical technique to identify AgNORs adapted for use in routine cytology.

Materials and methods

The cytopathologic diagnosis of mast cell tumor (MCT) in samples collected by fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) was determined. Next, slides were impregnated with a solution containing silver nitrate; the main modification of our technique included incubation of these slides at a controlled temperature of 25 °C. Some slides were previously stained with Diff‐Quik and others were only fixed with methanol. The slides were analyzed under a microscope, and the number of blackened intranuclear points (AgNORs) was counted.

Results

Slides prestained with Diff‐Quik were easily counted compared with slides only fixed in methanol. Technical issues encountered with the methanol‐fixed slides included insufficient cellularity, background precipitation, and an absence of silver impregnation.

Conclusions

The technique reported in this study showed satisfactory results for AgNOR counting in cytologic smears from MCT, such as good impregnation and the elimination of background interferents. Further evaluation of this method comparing AgNOR counts with histologic examinations, tumor grades, other prognostic markers, and survival times are needed to fully evaluate the benefit of this technique.
Medicalization of Exercise Through Vigilance, Productivity, and Self-Care: A Secondary Data Analysis of Qualitative Interviews Among Those With Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Adamson Brynn , Adamson Matthew , Kinnett-Hopkins Dominique , Motl Robert
Published: April 2022

Exercise is becoming more integrated into the management of multiple sclerosis (MS) and is promoted to manage impairments and symptoms. Whereas extensive research outlines factors impacting participation, less is known regarding how medicalized exercise promotion might impact views of exercise and self. We conducted a secondary data analysis to understand how medicalized exercise-promotion paradigms impact the meaning and roles of exercise among those with MS. Twenty-two interviews were selected for reanalysis with an interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology and a critical disability studies lens. Three themes were identified: Constant Vigilance (worry about exercise), Productivity and Social Engagement (exercise to feel productive, engage socially, and enhance self-worth), and Exercise as Medicine/Self-Care (exercise to manage MS, relax, improve mental well-being, prevent/reverse disability, and stay healthy). This research underscores that exercise occupies many contradictory roles reflecting a medicalized exercise-promotion paradigm for those with MS, and this should inform exercise promotion practices.
A Comprehensive and Updated Review of the Performance Profile Technique
Authors: Castillo Elmer A.
Published: April 2022

The performance profile (PP) technique is a standard intervention employed by mental performance consultants to enhance a range of psychological outcomes within individuals and groups. Since its inception, the PP has generated much applied and research interest in the field of sport and performance psychology. The last decade has seen a resurgence of performance profiling publications, including applied reflections and empirical investigations, as well as extending use of the technique to novel populations. In addition to novel applications, more psychological outcomes, formal adaptations, theoretical extensions, and validity data have been provided. This paper distills previous and recent PP literature so as to provide a comprehensive and updated overview of the popular PP procedure. To this end, the PP technique’s implementation overview, theoretical roots, established variations, validity, and impacts to date are thoroughly discussed. Limitations of the technique and future directions to extend the performance profiling literature are offered. Collectively, this information provides readers with insight as to the flexibility, utility, and effectiveness of the PP technique and implications for professional practice.
Endolysin Regulation in Phage Mu Lysis
Authors: Chamblee Jake S. , Ramsey Jolene , Chen Yi , Maddox Lori T. , Ross Curtis , To Kam H. , Cahill Jesse L. , Young Ry
Published: April 2022

Host cell lysis is the terminal event of the bacteriophage infection cycle. In Gram-negative hosts, lysis requires proteins that disrupt each of the three cell envelope components, only one of which has been identified in Mu: the endolysin gp22.
Cenozoic mountain building in eastern China and its correlation with reorganization of the Asian climate regime
Authors: Yu Jingxing , Zheng Dewen , Pang Jianzhang , Li Chaopeng , Wang Ying , Wang Yizhou , Hao Yuqi , Zhang Peizhen
Published: April 2022

The Cenozoic Asian climate system experienced a transformation from a zonal pattern to a monsoon-dominant pattern around the Paleogene-Neogene boundary. A series of dynamic mechanisms, such as uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, retreat of the Paratethys Sea, expansion of the South China Sea, and decreasing atmospheric CO2 content, has been suggested to be responsible for the transformation of the Asian climate pattern. However, the role of topographic growth in eastern China has been rarely considered. As the natural divides of geography, climate, and biology, the two most distinct sets of topographic relief in eastern China, the Qinling and Taihang Mountains, play an important role in shaping the Asian climate pattern. We report low-temperature thermochronology data from the Qinling and Taihang Mountains and use age-elevation relationships and thermal history modeling to show that both mountain ranges experienced a phase of rapid exhumation during the late Oligocene and early Miocene. The building of the Qinling and Taihang Mountains around the Oligocene-Miocene boundary temporally and spatially coincided with the reorganization of the Cenozoic Asian climate regime, suggesting that the mountain building in eastern China acted as a possible driving mechanism for the alleged reorganization of the Cenozoic Asian climate regime.
Possible bipolar global expression of the P3 and P4 glacial events of eastern Australia in the Northern Hemisphere: Marine diamictites and glendonites from the middle to upper Permian in southern Verkhoyanie, Siberia
Authors: Davydov V.I. , Budnikov I.V. , Kutygin R.V. , Nurgalieva N.G. , Biakov A.S. , Karasev E.V. , Kilyasov A.N. , Makoshin V.I.
Published: April 2022

Three intervals of glaciomarine diamictites with extensive glendonites in middle to upper Permian sediments were found in the Kobyume River, southern Verkhoyanie, Russia. The successions are biostratigraphically constrained as middle to upper Permian. The middle Permian diamictite horizons extend over a large area with a lateral distance of >1000 km. The upper Permian diamictites developed only locally. The diamictites are interpreted as glaciomarine sediments containing ice-rafted debris. Two glacial episodes in Siberia temporally correspond to the P3 (middle Permian) and P4 (late Permian) glacial events of eastern Australia, strongly suggesting a global bipolar climate and well-developed climatic belts during the middle to late Permian.
Influence of bacterial suspension type on the strength of biocemented sand
Authors: Ma Guoliang , He Xiang , Xiao Yang , Chu Jian , Cheng Liang , Liu Hanlong
Published: April 2022

Soil properties, the chemical composition of cementation solution, injection technique, and environmental conditions have all been extensively studied as variables influencing microbially induced carbonate precipitation performance. However, despite the fact that different researchers have used different bacterial suspensions, the influence of bacterial suspension type, more specifically some organic matters in bacterial suspensions, which can play a key role in the morphology and mechanical properties of CaCO3, has often been overlooked. In this study, the harvested bacterial solutions were centrifuged to separate bacterial cells and supernatant. The precipitated cells were then diluted with three distinct solutions: supernatant (RB), fresh culture medium (FB), and 0.9% NaCl solution (NB), which were subsequently utilized to stabilize the sand. The results indicated that the bacterial suspension type could greatly impact the strength of biocemented sand, particularly coarse and medium sand. Differences in unconfined compressive strength can be related to differences in precipitated CaCO3 microstructures, morphologies, and compositions, which were examined using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.
Evaluation of Brain Functional Connectivity from Electroencephalographic Signals Under Different Emotional States
Authors: García-Martínez Beatriz , Fernández-Caballero Antonio , Martínez-Rodrigo Arturo , Alcaraz Raúl , Novais Paulo
Published: April 2022

The identification of the emotional states corresponding to the four quadrants of the valence/arousal space has been widely analyzed in the scientific literature by means of multiple techniques. Nevertheless, most of these methods were based on the assessment of each brain region separately, without considering the possible interactions among different areas. In order to study these interconnections, this study computes for the first time the functional connectivity metric called cross-sample entropy for the analysis of the brain synchronization in four groups of emotions from electroencephalographic signals. Outcomes reported a strong synchronization in the interconnections among central, parietal and occipital areas, while the interactions between left frontal and temporal structures with the rest of brain regions presented the lowest coordination. These differences were statistically significant for the four groups of emotions. All emotions were simultaneously classified with a 95.43% of accuracy, overcoming the results reported in previous studies. Moreover, the differences between high and low levels of valence and arousal, taking into account the state of the counterpart dimension, also provided notable findings about the degree of synchronization in the brain within different emotional conditions and the possible implications of these outcomes from a psychophysiological point of view.
Phylogenetic Analysis: A Novel Method of Protein Sequence Similarity Analysis
Authors: Li Wei , Yang Lina , Meng Zuqiang , Qiu Yu , Wang Patrick Shen-Pei , Li Xichun
Published: April 2022

Protein sequence similarity analysis (PSSA) is a significant task in bioinformatics, which can obtain information about unknown sequences such as protein structures and homology relationships. Protein sequence refers to the series of amino acids with rich physical and chemical properties, namely the basic structure of proteins. However, sequence similarity analysis and phylogenetic analysis between different species which have complex amino acid sequences is a challenging problem. In this paper, nine properties of amino acids were considered and the sequence was converted into numerical values by principal component analysis (PCA); with Haar Wavelet Transform, and Higuchi fractal dimension (HFD), a new feature vector is constructed to represent the sequence; Spearman distance was selected to calculate the distance matrix and the phylogenetic tree was constructed. In this paper, two representative protein sequences (9 ND5 (NADH dehydrogenase 5) and 8 ND6 (NADH dehydrogenase 6)) were selected for similarity analysis and phylogenetic analysis, and compared with MEGA software and other existing methods. The extensive results show that our method is outperforming and results consistent with the known facts.
Dynamics and Synchronization of Complex-Valued Ring Networks
Authors: Zhao Xiu , Liu Jian , Chen Guanrong , Chai Lin , Wang Dan
Published: April 2022

Networks of coupled oscillators have been used to model various real-world self-organizing systems. However, the dynamics, especially chaos and bifurcation, of complex-valued networks are rarely investigated. In this paper, a ring network of interacting complex-valued van der Pol oscillators is studied to model the formation of ring dynamics. Although there are only stable limit cycles in a complex-valued van der Pol oscillator, chaos, hyperchaos, and coexisting chaotic attractors are observed from the ring network, which are analyzed by using the Lyapunov exponent spectrum, bifurcation diagram and 0–1 test. In addition, complexity analysis on nonlinear coefficients and coupling strengths illustrates that the range of parameters within the chaotic (hyperchaotic) region has positive correlation with the number of oscillators. It is shown that the chaotic bifurcation path is highly robust against the size variation of the ring network, which always evolves to chaos directly from period-1 and quasi-periodic states, respectively. Moreover, it is demonstrated that complete synchronization and phase synchronization of oscillations are stable in a large-scale ring network, while chaotic phase synchronization is unstable in a small-scale network.
Planar Kolmogorov Systems with Infinitely Many Singular Points at Infinity
Authors: Diz-Pita Érika , Llibre Jaume , Otero-Espinar M. Victoria
Published: April 2022

We classify the global dynamics of the five-parameter family of planar Kolmogorov systems [Formula: see text] which is obtained from the Lotka–Volterra systems of dimension three. These systems have infinitely many singular points at inifnity. We give the topological classification of their phase portraits in the Poincaré disc, so we can describe the dynamics of these systems near infinity. We prove that these systems have 13 topologically distinct global phase portraits.
Effects of Amplitude, Maximal Lyapunov Exponent, and Kaplan–Yorke Dimension of Dynamical Oscillators on Master Stability Function
Authors: Shafiei Kafraj Mohadeseh , Nazarimehr Fahimeh , Ghosh Dibakar , Rajagopal Karthikeyan , Jafari Sajad , Sprott J. C.
Published: April 2022

Obtaining the master stability function is a well-known approach to study the synchronization in networks of chaotic oscillators. This method considers a normalized coupling parameter which allows for a separation of network topology and local dynamics of the nodes. The present study aims to understand how the dynamics of oscillators affect the master stability function. In order to examine the effect of various characteristics of oscillators, a flexible oscillator with adjustable amplitude, Lyapunov exponent, and Kaplan–Yorke dimension is used. Not surprisingly, it is demonstrated that the amplitude of the oscillations has no substantial effect on the master stability function, i.e. the coupling strength needed for the complete synchronization is not changed. However, the flexible oscillators with larger maximal Lyapunov exponent synchronize with larger coupling strength. Interestingly, it is shown that there is no linear connection between the Kaplan–Yorke dimension and coupling strength needed for complete synchronization.
Vegetation Pattern Formation and Transition Caused by Cross-Diffusion in a Modified Vegetation-Sand Model
Authors: Zhang Feifan , Li Yingxin , Zhao Yilong , Liu Zezheng
Published: April 2022

Vegetation pattern generated by aeolian sand movements is a typical type of vegetation pattern in arid and semi-arid areas. Considering the effects of sand movements on vegetation diffusion as a cross-diffusion term, an improved vegetation-sand is studied to explore the effects of cross-diffusion on vegetation pattern formation and transition. Turing bifurcation analysis and amplitude analysis are performed. Theoretical analysis shows that three types of vegetation patterns can be formed: stripes, hexagons and mixture of stripes and hexagons. Numerical simulations on the vegetation pattern formation are consistent with theoretical results, which also show hysteresis in pattern transition process. Moreover, when striped vegetation is formed, with the increase of cross-diffusion coefficient, vegetation stripes break into spots. And when spotted vegetation is formed, with the decrease of cross-diffusion coefficient, spots persist but the statistics of vegetation pattern vary.
Bifurcation Analysis for a Class of Cubic Switching Systems
Authors: Wang Xiangyu , Wu Yusen , Guo Laigang
Published: April 2022

In this paper, we consider a class of switching systems perturbed by cubic homogeneous polynomials. This class of systems is separated by a straight line: [Formula: see text], and has three equilibria: [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] which are in the separation line. A new version of the Gasull–Torregrosa method based on Poincaré return maps is presented, and used to compute the Lyapunov constants. Based on this method, a complete classification on the center conditions is obtained for the studied class of systems. Furthermore, by perturbing the cubic switching integral system with cubic homogeneous polynomials, we show that at least ten small-amplitude limit cycles are obtained around one of the centres. This is a new lower bound for the number of limit cycles bifurcating from a center in such switching systems with cubic homogeneous nonlinearities.
Model selection using baryon acoustic oscillations in the final SDSS-IV release
Authors: Melia F. , López-Corredoira M.
Published: April 2022

The baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) peak, seen in the cosmic matter distribution at redshifts up to [Formula: see text]3.5, reflects the continued expansion of the sonic horizon first identified in temperature anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background. The BAO peak position can now be measured to better than [Formula: see text]1% accuracy using galaxies and [Formula: see text]1.4–1.6% precision with Ly-[Formula: see text] forests and the clustering of quasars. In conjunction with the Alcock–Paczyński (AP) effect, which arises from the changing ratio of angular to spatial/redshift size of (presumed) spherically-symmetric source distributions with distance, the BAO measurement is viewed as one of the most powerful tools to use in assessing the geometry of the Universe. In this paper, we employ five BAO peak measurements from the final release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV, at average redshifts [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], to carry out a direct head-to-head comparison of the standard model, [Formula: see text]CDM, and one of its principal competitors, known as the [Formula: see text] universe. For completeness, we complement the AP diagnostic with a volume-averaged distance probe that assumes a constant comoving distance scale [Formula: see text]. Both probes are free of uncertain parameters, such as the Hubble constant, and are therefore ideally suited for this kind of model selection. We find that [Formula: see text] is favored by these measurements over the standard model based solely on the AP effect, with a likelihood [Formula: see text]75% versus [Formula: see text]25%, while Planck-[Formula: see text]CDM is favored over [Formula: see text] based solely on the volume-averaged distance probe, with a likelihood [Formula: see text] versus [Formula: see text]20%. A joint analysis using both probes produces an inconclusive outcome, yielding comparable likelihoods to both models. We are therefore not able to confirm with this work that the BAO data, on their own, support an accelerating Universe.
Ranking Decision-Making Units Using Interval Data Envelopment Analysis: Extension and Application
Authors: Zanboori Ehsan , Ghobadi Saeid
Published: April 2022

In the current world, dealing with some problems with interval data is inevitable. In this case, the methods applied for real data could not be employed. To solve these problems, the modified version of previous methods or new methods should be presented. In this paper, the two-stage ranking method that already has been proposed by the authors is modified to solve the mentioned problems. In each stage, two optimistic and pessimistic attitudes are considered and their corresponding models are presented. Then, an appropriate algorithm for classifying the units based on their obtained interval efficiency is proposed. To demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method, 30 branches of the social security insurance organization in Iran are classified. Also, the validity and consistency of the proposed method are confirmed. The main contributions of this paper are as follows: Decision-making units (DMUs) are ranked with interval inputs and outputs. Inefficiency of the first projection (obtained in the first stage) is applied in the unit rank score. All units are classified in separate classes and all units of each class are ranked. Pareto-efficient projections (practical benchmarks) are obtained for all inefficient units. The proposed model is always feasible and unit invariant.
High-speed all-optic optical coherence tomography and photoacoustic microscopy dual-modal system for microcirculation evaluation
Authors: Lin Yang , Yu Menghan , Wang Yi , Meng Ziyue , Li Ang , He Zhonghai , Wang Qiaoyun , Liu Jian , Yu Yao , Zhao Yuqian , Zhu Xin , Ma Zhenhe
Published: April 2022

We propose a high-speed all-optic dual-modal system that integrates spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and photoacoustic microscopy (PAM). A [Formula: see text] coupler-based interferometer is used to remotely detect the surface vibration caused by photoacoustic (PA) waves. Three outputs of the interferometer are acquired simultaneously with a multi-channel data acquisition card. One channel data with the highest PA signal detection sensitivity is selected for sensitivity compensation. Experiment on the phantom demonstrates that the proposed method can successfully compensate for the loss of intensity caused by sensitivity variation. The imaging speed of the PAM is improved compared to our previous system. The total time to image a sample with [Formula: see text] pixels is [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]s. Using the proposed system, the microvasculature in the mouse auricle is visualized and the blood flow state is accessed.
Clustering by hybrid K-Means and black hole entropic fuzzy clustering algorithm for medical data
Authors: Jaya Mabel Rani A. , Pravin A.
Published: April 2022

Today clustering-based machine learning algorithms are the important field in data mining. Here, medical data clustering is one of the core applications of data mining to predict and identify the risk factor of the disease. At the same time, medical data clustering is a very important and challenging task due to its complexity and high frequency of data. In order to achieve proper data clustering, this paper proposed a hybrid data clustering algorithm by the combination of [Formula: see text]-Means and Black Hole Entropic Fuzzy Clustering (BHEFC). [Formula: see text]-Means is the first and one of the most popular and low-computation cost partitioned-based clustering algorithms. There are two modules in this hybrid clustering, first some number of iterations are executed by the first module of this hybrid clustering algorithm, which is [Formula: see text]-Means clustering. After some number of iterations, the clustering solutions are shifted to the second module of this hybrid clustering algorithm, which is Entrophic Fuzzy Clustering. So, it can get the advantages of both algorithms. [Formula: see text]-Means clustering algorithm can produce fast clustering solution due to its low-computation cost. But it can go for premature convergence. To overcome this problem, the second module used BHEFC, which can use large amount of high-frequency medical data. The experimental results are done with the medical practitioners to predict the risk factors of the heart disease patients and doctors can give the suggestions based on the risk factors. Finally, the efficiency of the proposed Hybrid [Formula: see text]-Means and BHEFC is analyzed by three different performance measures.
Tissue Immunity in the Bladder
Authors: Bowyer Georgina S. , Loudon Kevin W. , Suchanek Ondrej , Clatworthy Menna R.
Published: April 2022

The bladder is a major component of the urinary tract, an organ system that expels metabolic waste and excess water, which necessitates proximity to the external environment and its pathogens. It also houses a commensal microbiome. Therefore, its tissue immunity must resist pathogen invasion while maintaining tolerance to commensals. Bacterial infection of the bladder is common, with half of women globally experiencing one or more episodes of cystitis in their lifetime. Despite this, our knowledge of bladder immunity, particularly in humans, is incomplete. Here we consider the current view of tissue immunity in the bladder, with a focus on defense against infection. The urothelium has robust immune functionality, and its defensive capabilities are supported by resident immune cells, including macrophages, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, and γδ T cells. We discuss each in turn and consider why adaptive immune responses are often ineffective in preventing recurrent infection, as well as areas of priority for future research.
Hibernation is super complex: distribution, dynamics, and stability of electron transport system supercomplexes in Ictidomys tridecemlineatus
Authors: Hutchinson Amalie J. , Duffy Brynne M. , Staples James F.
Published: April 2022

Complexes of the electron transport system can associate with each other to form supercomplexes (SCs) within mitochondrial membranes, perhaps increasing respiratory capacity or reducing reactive oxygen species production. In this study, we determined the abundance, composition, and stability of SCs in a mammalian hibernator, in which both whole animal and mitochondrial metabolism change greatly throughout winter. We isolated mitochondria from thirteen-lined ground squirrels ( Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) in different hibernation states, as well as from rats ( Rattus norvegicus). We extracted mitochondrial proteins using two nonionic detergents of different strengths and quantified SC abundance using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting. Rat heart and liver had fewer SCs than ground squirrels. Within ground squirrels, SCs are dynamic, changing among hibernation states within a matter of hours. In brown adipose tissue, Complex III composition in different SCs differed between the torpid and interbout euthermic phase of a hibernation bout. In heart and liver, complex III composition changed between winter and summer. We also evaluated the stability of liver SCs using a stronger detergent and found that the stability of SCs differed; torpor SCs were more stable than the SCs of ground squirrels in other states and rats. This study is the first report of SC changes during hibernation and the first to demonstrate their dynamics on a short timescale.