bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Purification and characterization of polygalacturonases produced by the hyphal fungus Aspergillus niger
Authors: Kester HC , Visser J.
Published: October 2023

Five endo‐polygalacturonases (poly(1,4‐alpha‐D‐galacturonide) glycanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.15) and one exo‐polygalacturonase (poly(1,4‐alpha‐D‐galacturonide) galacturonohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.67) were isolated from a commercial pectinase preparation derived from Aspergillus niger. All five endo‐enzymes could be purified to homogeneity by affinity chromatography on cross‐linked alginate, ion‐exchange chromatography, chromatofocusing, and gel permeation chromatography. The exo‐polygalacturonase was only partially purified but free from endo‐polygalacturonase activity. The two most abundant endo‐polygalacturonases (endo‐I and endo‐II), with molecular masses of 55 and 38 kDa, respectively, are quite different with respect to their isoelectric point, specific activity, mode of action on oligomeric substrates, and amino acid composition. The physicochemical properties of the other three endo‐polygalacturonases (endo‐IIIA, endo‐IIIB, and endo‐IV), present in low amounts, are quite similar to those of the endo‐I type. The pH optima of all these endo‐polygalacturonases are in the range of 4.3–4.9.
Optimization of enzyme‐mediated peptide bond formation
Authors: Schwarz A. , Steinke D. , Kula MR , Wandrey C.
Published: October 2023

Enzyme‐catalyzed peptide bond formation requires thorough examination and optimization of each coupling step. In order to identify factors influencing the selectivity between aminolysis and hydrolysis, a systematic study was carried out for the kinetically controlled peptide synthesis. The reaction temperature, the type of C‐terminal protecting group, and different organic cosolvents showed little influence on the selectivity. The enzyme, excess nucleophile, pH, N‐terminal protecting group, and ionic strength of the solution were identified as major factors controlling the selectivity and, therefore, the yield of the dipeptide synthesis. Under optimized conditions, the selectivity of the chymotrypsin‐catalyzed synthesis of PheSer could be increased from 35 to 100%.
Immobilized uroporphyrinogen I synthetase from Rhodopseudomonas palustris
Authors: Kotler ML , Juknat AA , Batlle AM
Published: October 2023

Rhodopseudomonas palustris uroporphyrinogen I synthetase (URO‐S) has been chemically attached to Sepharose 4B and some of its properties have been studied. When 7–8 mg protein/ml activated Sepharose was used, immobilized URO‐S retained 45% of the activity of the original soluble preparation, with a coupling yield of 66% after a period of 15 h. Optimal incubation conditions for the activity of gel‐enzyme were determined. Unlike the soluble enzyme, the Sepharose‐bound URO‐S showed a biphasic substrate saturation curve, indicating that a protein conformational change had occurred during the process of immobilization. Immobilized URO‐S stored at 4 degrees C for 35 days retained 90% of activity and when repeatedly used, up to 5 times, retained 48% of the original activity. Attachment of URO‐S to Sepharose led to an enhanced thermal stability.
Nucleotide sequence of a gene which enhances the activity of glyoxalase I in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Inoue Y. , Feng L. , Bong‐Young C. , Ginya H. , Murata K. , Kimura A.
Published: October 2023

A gene whose product enhances glyoxalase I activity in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells was cloned as a 6‐kbp DNA fragment in the vector YEp13. The DNA fragment was subcloned in approximately 2 kbp and its base sequence determined. An open reading frame with 318 nucleotide pairs (encoding 106 amino acids) was found. According to Northern blotting analysis, the yeast transformed with the hybrid plasmid harboring the 2‐kbp fragment yielded two different transcripts. From the DNA sequence of the fragment, it is deduced that the gene product would contain seven cysteine residues, five of which would be located near the carboxy terminus of the peptide.
Mass spectrometric characterization of recombinant human interleukins 1 beta
Authors: Pucci P. , Siciliano R. , Ferranti P. , Malorni A. , Marino G.
Published: October 2023

The cDNA coding for amino acid residues 121–269 of human interleukin 1 beta was cloned and expressed at Sclavo Research Center by C. Baldari et al. (1987, EMBO J. 6, 229–234) using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as the host cell. The purified protein showed a very low specific activity when compared to that of a mature recombinant interleukin expressed from Escherichia coli. Preliminary experiments indicated the occurrence of post‐translational events in the yeast‐derived protein. In an attempt to correlate the structural modifications and the biological activity of recombinant interleukins, the two proteins were characterized by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB/MS) following the FAB‐mapping procedure. The amino acid sequence of interleukin expressed in E. coli was identical to that expected whereas the mass spectrometric analysis of the recombinant S. cerevisiae protein confirmed the occurrence of covalent modifications. In particular, the asparagine residue at position 7 (numbering follows the mature active protein sequence) was shown to be glycosylated and the two cysteine residues at position 8 and 71 were involved in an S‐S bridge. The results demonstrate the value of FAB/MS in the quality control of recombinant interleukins.
Medium scale production of L‐myo‐inositol 1‐phosphate
Authors: Feth F. , Wagner R. , Baydoun H. , Wray V. , Wagner KG
Published: October 2023

L‐myo‐Inositol‐1‐phosphate synthetase was purified from baker's yeast, grown in a fermenter in an inositol‐deficient medium and analyzed using a new HPLC assay for inositol. This enzyme was used in a procedure, developed from methods partially described in the literature, for the medium scale production and purification of L‐myo‐inositol 1‐phosphate. The identity and purity of the product were confirmed by 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopy.
Coproduction of surfactin and iturin A, lipopeptides with surfactant and antifungal properties, by Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Sandrin C. , Peypoux F. , Michel G.
Published: October 2023

Of the 13 strains of Bacillus subtilis tested for the coproduction of the lipopeptide surfactin and the antifungal lipopeptides of the iturin family, only 1 produced both lipopeptides with a high yield. The cultures were made in a synthetic medium. Several L‐amino acids and various carbon sources were good substrates for the lipopeptide production. The maximum yield of surfactin was about 110 mg/liter and that of iturin A about 39 mg/liter/absorbance unit for the best strain, B. subtilis S 499.
Characterization of a thermostable Bacillus stearothermophilus alpha‐amylase
Authors: Vihinen M. , Mantsala P.
Published: October 2023

Liquefying‐type Bacillus stearothermophilus alpha‐amylase was characterized. The coding gene was cloned in Bacillus subtilis and the enzyme was produced in three different host organisms: B. stearothermophilus, B. subtilis, and Escherichia coli. Properties of the purified enzyme were similar irrespective of the host. Temperature optimum was at 70–80 degrees C and pH optimum at 5.0–6.0. The enzyme was stable for 1 h in the pH range 6.0–7.5 at 80 degrees C. The enzyme was stabilized by Ca2+, Na+, and bovine serum albumin. About 50% of the activity remained after heating at 70 degrees C for 5 days or 45 min at 90 degrees C. Metal ions Cd2+, Cu2+, Hg2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+ were inhibitory, whereas EDTA, ethylene glycol bis(beta‐aminoethyl ether) N,N,N',N'‐tetraacetic acid, and Tendamistat were without effect. The enzyme was fully active after treatment in acetone or ethanol at 55 or 70 degrees C, respectively, for 30 min. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (1%) did not affect stability, whereas 6 M urea denatured totally at 70 degrees C. The Km value for soluble starch was 14 mg/ml. Mr is 59,000 and pI 8.8. The only difference between the enzymes produced in different hosts was in signal peptide processing.
Bacterial production and purification of recombinant human prolactin
Authors: Paris N. , Rentier‐Delrue F. , Defontaine A. , Goffin V. , Lebrun JJ , Mercier L. , Martial JA
Published: October 2023

Escherichia coli cells transformed with a recombinant plasmid (pT7L) containing the coding sequence of human prolactin (hPrl) expressed a new protein. This protein, comigrating with human Prl on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)‐polyacrylamide gels, represented 50% of the total bacterial extract. Immunoprecipitation of [35S]methionine‐labeled bacterial lysate with a rabbit antiserum to hPrl followed by SDS‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) analysis showed that the major component had a Mr identical to that of standard hPrl. The majority of the recombinant hPrl (r‐hPrl) accumulated in inclusion bodies. Analysis of these inclusion bodies by SDS‐PAGE under nonreducing conditions showed that they are composed mostly of fully reduced monomers. Solubilization of the inclusion bodies and protein denaturation were performed in 8 M urea. Refolding during the renaturation procedure was confirmed by SDS‐PAGE under nonreducing conditions. r‐hPrl was further purified by gel permeation chromatography on a fast protein liquid chromatography column. More than 95% of the molecules were recovered as oxidized monomeric forms. The refolded molecule was tested for its bioactivity in the Nb2 lymphoma mitogenic assay. The dose‐response curves obtained with either r‐hPrl or pituitary‐derived hPrl showed a complete parallelism. Furthermore, Nb2 cell proliferation was completely blocked by addition of hPrl antiserum to both preparations. Recombinant hPrl is identical to natural hPrl except for an additional methionine group at the amino terminal end.
Immunoaffinity purification and immunoassay determination of human erythrocyte acylphosphatase
Authors: Degl'Innocenti D. , Berti A. , Stefani M. , Liguri G. , Ramponi G.
Published: October 2023

Specific anti‐human erythrocyte acylphosphatase antibodies were raised in rabbits, purified by affinity chromatography, and used to develop an enzyme purification procedure based on an immunoaffinity chromatography step. This procedure permitted the rapid purification of the enzyme, with a high final yield and with a specific activity very similar to that found for the enzyme purified by the standard procedure. The noncompetitive enzyme‐linked immunoadsorbent assay developed with the affinity‐purified antibodies was very specific and sensitive in that a positive reaction could be detected in the presence of antigen amounts of as little as 0.01 ng/ml. By this assay the enzyme content was determined in normal cells, tissues, and organs as well as in blood samples from hemopathy‐affected patients. This test could possibly have clinical applications.
Construction and characterization of adriamycin‐loaded canine red blood cells as a potential slow delivery system
Authors: Tonetti M. , Astroff B. , Satterfield W. , de Flora A. , Benatti U. , DeLoach JR
Published: October 2023

Adriamycin was internalized in canine red blood cells (RBC) by two procedures involving (a) simple diffusion of the drug into cells and (b) hypotonic dialysis followed by isotonic resealing. The two procedures yielded comparable amounts of encapsulated adriamycin, around 35 micrograms/10(9) RBC. Exposure of adriamycin‐loaded RBC to 0.16% glutaraldehyde consistently slowed down the rate of efflux of the drug as compared with non‐glutaraldehyde‐treated cells: after 1 h of incubation at 37 degrees C, greater than 80% of adriamycin was still present inside the glutaraldehyde‐treated RBC, while at 24 h it was 66%, compared to 10% and 1%, respectively, in the adriamycin‐loaded, non‐glutaraldehyde‐treated cells. Canine RBC showed a higher rate of transformation of adriamycin than the human cells, the only intracellular metabolite being adriamycinol, which is apparently formed by the NADPH‐dependent enzyme aldehyde reductase. Production of adriamycinol was remarkably lower in the glutaraldehyde‐treated RBC, as a result of progressive and extensive inactivation of hexose monophosphate shunt activity responsible for NADPH formation. These results, coupled with the known selective targeting of glutaraldehyde‐treated RBC to liver, hold promise as to in vivo applications of this drug delivery system in antineoplastic therapy.
New insolubilized derivatives of ribonuclease and endonuclease for elimination of nucleic acids in single cell protein concentrates
Authors: Martinez MC , Sanchez‐Montero JM , Sinisterra JV , Ballesteros A.
Published: October 2023

Two derivatives of pancreatic ribonuclease and endonuclease of Staphylococcus aureus, insolubilized on corn cob, have been used to reduce the percentage of nucleic acids in single cell protein (SCP) concentrates from yeasts. These derivatives are thermostable and active at 45 degrees C. At these temperatures the contamination by bacteria is negligible. The thermostability is remarkable, since the native nuclease is deactivated at above 39 degrees C. The hydrolysis of the nucleic acids in SCP is carried out first with the ribonuclease derivative followed by the endonuclease derivative. The catalytic activity of the insolubilized derivatives is similar to that of the native enzymes in the hydrolysis of RNA but not of DNA. The percentage of nucleic acids is reduced from 5–15 to 0.5%, with a loss of protein of 6%. These percentages are lower than those previously reported.
Economic Stress and Suicide: Multilevel Analyses
Authors: Dooley David , Catalano Ralph , Rook Karen , Serxner Seth
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: Of the research on health and economic stress, the approach that has produced the strongest findings has been the aggregate time‐series analysis of unemployment and suicide rates. A review of the literature indicates that this aggregate work has been disputed on both methodological and interpretive grounds. To address these issues, two studies of the relationship between economic stress and suicide were conducted on the same population. The first, reported in this paper (Part 1), replicated the aggregate time‐series work with improvements in method, using monthly data for 1975–1982 for Los Angeles. A second study (reported in Part 2) combined aggregate economic indicators with individual‐level measures of stressful events, symptoms, and suicidal ideation.
Suicidal Behavior in Adolescent and Young Adult Gay Men
Authors: Schneider Stephen G. , Farberow Norman L. , Kruks Gabriel N.
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: The relationship of homosexuality to suicidal behavior was explored by questionnaire responses from 52 men in gay‐and‐lesbian college organizations and 56 men in gay rap groups. A family background of alcoholism and physical abuse, social supports perceived as rejecting of homosexuality, and no religious affiliation were associated with a history of suicidal ideation, reported by 55% of the participants. Racial/ethnic minorities tended to be overrepresented among suicidal as compared to nonsuicidal gay men. Suicide attempts, reported by 20% of the sample, were most often associated with intrapersonal distress, and occurred most often while individuals were “closeted” and/or in the context of recent rejection for being homosexual. Nearly all attempters were aware of their homosexual feelings, but had not yet established a “positive gay identity” at the time of their first suicide attempt. Suicidal behavior in gay youths may be the product both of familial factors that predispose youths to suicidal behavior, and of social and intrapersonal stressors involved in coming to terms with an emerging homosexual identity.
Self‐Reported Suicidal Behavior in Dutch Secondary Education Students
Authors: Kienhorst C. W. M. , de Wilde E. J. , van den Bout J. , Broese van Groenou M. I. , Diekstra R. F. W. , Wolters W. H. G.
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: From nearly 10,000 secondary education students in The Netherlands, aged 14–20, data were collected on the prevalence of suicide attempts and recent thoughts about suicide and death. In this sample, 3.3% of the girls and 1.3% of the boys indicated that they had attempted suicide. The youngest students already reported as many attempts as the eldest, which is remarkable. Differences between boys and girls and between various types of schools were not substantial. We also found that 5.2% of the girls and 2.2% of the boys currently had thoughts of suicide. Again, there was no substantial difference as regards sex, type of school, and age. There was, however, a (small) difference between boys and girls concerning thoughts of death—namely, 9.3% of the girls versus 4.8% of the boys.
Student Recognition of and Response to Suicidal Peers
Authors: Lawrence Margaret T. , Ureda John R.
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: A survey of 1,131 university freshmen revealed that they were able to recognize suicidal behavior in their peers, but were unsure of a helpful response to make to them. A model of self‐efficacy, emotional comfort, knowledge of a helpful response, and knowledge of suicidal behavior predicted a student's intention to ask a suicidal peer directly, “Are you thinking about killing yourself?” (R2 = .38). Results of the study suggest that suicide prevention programs for adolescents should include educational experiences such as modeling, skill training, and role playing to increase self‐efficacy and emotional comfort in affect‐laden situations.
Interpersonal Loss and Self‐Mutilation
Authors: Rosen Paul M. , Walsh Barent W. , Rode Sarah A.
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: Self‐mutilation was hypothesized to increase in frequency during periods of interpersonal loss in a treatment program for seriously disturbed adolescents. The study examined changes in the frequency of acts of self‐mutilation, aggression, and running away for 32 teenagers who experienced interpersonal loss when staff members left employment. Data were collected for a 4‐year period. Statistical findings indicated that the frequency of self‐mutilation increased significantly during the time period of anticipated loss, 2 weeks prior to staff terminations. There was no significant increase in the frequency of self‐mutilation immediately following the staff terminations. Also, there was no significant change in the rates of aggression or running away either before or after the loss events. It was concluded that the time of anticipated loss was the period of highest risk for these adolescents in terms of self‐mutilative behavior.
The Impact of a Medical Student's Suicide
Authors: Kaltreider Nancy B.
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: The suicide of a medical classmate can have a profound effect upon the survivors. After the violent death of a third‐year medical student at the University of California–San Francisco, the level of concern expressed in discussion groups suggested a need to study the impact in more detail. Interviews and scale data from 20 volunteer medical students identified a pattern of posttraumatic symptoms persisting over several months. The interviewees' tendency to identify with the victim was related to the prevalent experience of medical student depression. Specific suggestions are made both for immediate crisis management and for preventive intervention strategies within a medical school.
An Application of the Empirical Bayes Approach to Directly Adjusted Rates: A Note on Suicide Mapping in California
Authors: Lui Kung‐Jong , Martinez Beverly , Mercy James
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: A simple, reliable, and comparable measure for suicide mapping and other health problems is needed. Because standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) may not indicate the relative meaning of their magnitudes when compared with one another, and statistical significance levels of tests for SMRs overlook the areas that have small populations, neither of these approaches provides a satisfactory index. The results using directly adjusted rates can be ordered directly according to their magnitudes. However, because of the lack of reliable estimates of local age‐specific rates, the usefulness of directly adjusted rates in mapping suicide is also limited. To extend the usefulness of directly adjusted rates, an empirical Bayes approach whereby information from other areas is borrowed to improve the precision of the estimates of local age‐specific rates in calculating directly adjusted rates—especially in the areas with small population sizes—is proposed. When an empirical Bayes approach was applied to the 1983 suicide data for California counties, a more reasonable conclusion than could be obtained by using directly adjusted rates was reached.
Jonestown—Two Faces of Suicide: A Durkheimian Analysis
Authors: Black Albert
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: This paper takes exception to much of the literature on Jonestown. The authors of this literature claim that an explanation of the mass suicide in Jonestown requires an understanding of how its residents came to a common consciousness. Such an analysis implies that the residents of Jonestown died for essentially the same reason. This paper, using Durkheim's typology of suicides, demonstrates that the residents of Jonestown died for very different reasons and that two types of suicide occurred simultaneously on November 18, 1978: altruistic and fatalistic. Some of the residents of Jonestown died because they put the group above the self; they committed altruistic suicide. The majority, however, died for fatalistic reasons. Jonestown in fact had become a hopeless, demeaning, and antagonistic environment. The analysis here suggests caution to those who assume that a mass suicide is necessarily a homogeneous event.
Psychological Autopsies: Methods and Ethics
Authors: Beskow Jan , Runeson Bo , Åsgård Ulf
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: Essential knowledge on suicide is derived from studies that include interviews with survivors. In this paper, we discuss methodological and ethical issues pertaining to the interview method known as “psychological autopsy”; the discussion is based on our application of the method to three studies of suicides in Sweden and on a review of other investigations. Interviewing a survivor is a delicate matter, and the integrity of the deceased, the integrity and health of the informant, and the psychological strain on the interviewer must all be taken into consideration. The interviewer should have clinical experience in order to be prepared to deal with interviewees in grief. Contact by telephone, followed by an introductory letter, provides an opportunity to meet survivors in an empathic manner and has a low rejection rate. A 2‐ to 6‐month interval between suicide and interview is recommended. The survivor's reactions to the interview should be evaluated in order to expand the empirical base for ethical considerations. Studies on the validity and reliability of the method are necessary.
Violent Death in the West: Suicide and Homicide in New Mexico, 1958–1987
Authors: Becker Thomas M. , Samet Jonathan M. , Wiggins Charles L. , Key Charles R.
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: We examined New Mexico vital statistics data for suicides and homicides among the state's Hispanics, Native Americans, and non‐Hispanic whites collected from 1958 to 1987. We found high age‐adjusted rates for both suicides and homicides among Hispanic and Native American males, in comparison with rates for non‐Hispanic white males. Suicide rates among Native American women were comparatively low, contrasting with their high homicide rates. Homicide rates for males in all three ethnic groups increased substantially over the 30‐year study period. We conclude that death from violent causes, both suicide and homicide, is a major public health problem in New Mexico, and disproportionately affects minority males.
An ABCB transporter regulates anisotropic cell expansion via cuticle deposition in the moss Physcomitrium patens
Authors: Zhang Liechi , Sasaki‐Sekimoto Yuko , Kosetsu Ken , Aoyama Tsuyoshi , Murata Takashi , Kabeya Yukiko , Sato Yoshikatsu , Koshimizu Shizuka , Shimojima Mie , Ohta Hiroyuki , Hasebe Mitsuyasu , Ishikawa Masaki
Published: October 2023

Anisotropic cell expansion is crucial for the morphogenesis of land plants, as cell migration is restricted by the rigid cell wall. The anisotropy of cell expansion is regulated by mechanisms acting on the deposition or modification of cell wall polysaccharides. Besides the polysaccharide components in the cell wall, a layer of hydrophobic cuticle covers the outer cell wall and is subjected to tensile stress that mechanically restricts cell expansion. However, the molecular machinery that deposits cuticle materials in the appropriate spatiotemporal manner to accommodate cell and tissue expansion remains elusive.

Here, we report that PpABCB14, an ATP‐binding cassette transporter in the moss Physcomitrium patens, regulates the anisotropy of cell expansion. PpABCB14 localized to expanding regions of leaf cells. Deletion of PpABCB14 resulted in impaired anisotropic cell expansion.

Unexpectedly, the cuticle proper was reduced in the mutants, and the cuticular lipid components decreased. Moreover, induced PpABCB14 expression resulted in deformed leaf cells with increased cuticle lipid accumulation on the cell surface.

Taken together, PpABCB14 regulates the anisotropy of cell expansion via cuticle deposition, revealing a regulatory mechanism for cell expansion in addition to the mechanisms acting on cell wall polysaccharides.
A Novel Intraoperative Posture‐Adjustment Apparatus for Correction of Cervical Lordosis in Anterior Cervical Surgery
Authors: Deng Yifei , Wang Beiyu , Liu Hao , Meng Yang , Rong Xin , Wu Tingkui , Chen Hao , Hong Ying
Published: October 2023

Objective

Cervical alignment is a crucial factor related to the success of anterior cervical surgical procedures. In patients with severe spinal cord compression, a traditional neck pillow (TNP) may not adequately correct cervical position during surgery. Therefore, the aim of this study was to introduce this innovative intraoperative posture‐adjustment apparatus (IPAA), and explored its clinical and radiological results in cervical angle correction against TNP in patients who had undergone anterior cervical surgery.

Methods

The clinical and radiological data of 86 patients who underwent anterior cervical surgery with a minimum follow‐up period of 1 year were retrospectively reviewed. Of these, 58 patients underwent IPAA, whereas 28 underwent TNP. Radiological parameters such as the degree of C2‐C7 lordosis (CL), functional spinal unit angle (FSUA), C7 slope (C7S), fusion rate, and adjacent segment disease (ASD) were recorded and compared between the groups. Clinical outcomes including the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA), neck disability index (NDI), visual analogue scale (VAS) for neck and arm were recorded. Complications such as kyphosis, dysphagia, Braden Scale score, revision surgery, hematoma, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, wound infection, and deep venous thrombosis were also recorded. The independent t‐test or Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare continuous data, and categorical variables were assessed using the Pearson's chi‐square test or Fisher's exact test.

Results

Compared with the pre‐operative data, the post‐operative CL, FSUA, and C7S were significantly increased in both groups. CL, FSUA, and C7S in the IPAA group (14.44 ± 4.94°, 7.36 ± 2.91°, 16.54 ± 4.63°) were significantly higher than those in the TNP group (7.17 ± 8.19°, 4.99 ± 5.36°, 14.19 ± 4.48°; P < 0.05). Although there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of VAS arm and JOA scores, the post‐operative and final follow‐up NDI and VAS neck scores in the IPAA group were significantly lower than those in the TNP group (p < 0.05). At the last follow‐up, the TNP group had significantly more kyphotic patients than the IPAA group (2 vs. 0, p = 0,041). There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of fusion rate, ASD, or complications such as dysphagia, Braden's Scale score, revision surgery, hematoma, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, wound infection, or deep venous thrombosis.

Conclusion

IPAA was shown to be more effective than TNP in adjusting cervical alignment (CL, FSUA, and C7S). These findings suggest that IPAA could be used as an alternative way to TNP in neck setting and cervical alignment adjustment and IPAA could potentially improve clinical outcomes after anterior cervical surgery.
Custodial and SUSY 2HDM breaking under interfering condensates’ Goldstone bosons
Authors: Maalouf Hani W.
Published: October 2023

The Higgs condensates are proven along with the minimal versions of the hyper-symmetric 2HDM extensions when containing Supersymmetry that can play the role of oscillators for the CPC and CPV interferences, up to via [Formula: see text]. With the uncharged Higgs inclusion (considering the uncharged Goldstone Bosons compared to the spontaneously broken SM-like Higgs), the symmetric [Formula: see text] and anti-symmetric [Formula: see text] linear combinations of an ‘[Formula: see text]’ and a rescaled [Formula: see text], where masses of [Formula: see text]GeV and [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]GeV, such as under the condensate’s boundary impacts. The range of the [Formula: see text]s would be up to where the composed singlet and triplet can interchange, then, they approach the Custodial SUSY at a Triple point transition with a Goldstone-type order mass [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]GeV, as well into their Dark Matter sectors’ cut-off [Formula: see text], (including [Formula: see text]) up to order 1.7[Formula: see text]TeV. That will lead to opening the way to measure the existence of Supersymmetry, indirectly at the least, through any dominance of [Formula: see text]-violating Higgs decays.
FREQUENCY SYNCHRONIZATION REVEALS THAT SPIKE-WAVE DISCHARGES IN WAG/RIJ RATS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY NONLINEAR PHENOMENON
Authors: DOLININA ANASTASIYA YU. , SYSOEVA MARINA V. , VAN RIJN CLEMENTINA M. , SYSOEV ILYA V.
Published: October 2023

In this work, we studied the time-frequency dynamics of spike-wave discharges in rats with predisposition to absence epilepsy (WAG/Rij line) in two frequency ranges: 7–12,Hz and 14–24,Hz. The first and the second harmonics of the seizure main frequency lie in these ranges. Recordings of brain local field potentials of eight animals in eleven experiments of eight hour duration were analyzed. The method was based on the fast Fourier transform with a Hann’s window, and skeletons were constructed based on the obtained spectrograms. Using the skeletons, a visual and automated numerical assessment of the main frequency evolution was performed. As a result of this analysis, it was shown that temporal dynamics of the main frequency in the range 14–24,Hz follows the dynamics of the main frequency in the range 7–12,Hz. Since during the baseline activity the main frequencies in two considered ranges were developing independently, our finding indicates that the discharge is a significantly nonlinear process.
THE INFLUENCE OF FRACTAL DIMENSION OF OXIDE LAYER ON PASSIVE OXIDATION OF THE C/SiC COMPOSITE
Authors: ZHU QINGYONG , HUANG JINQUAN , XIAO XIAO
Published: October 2023

The C/SiC composite is a promising material for ablation-resistant thermal protection in near-space hypersonic environments. The formation of an SiO2 oxide layer through passive oxidation on the surface of the composite is a significant factor influencing its performance. It is essential to accurately predict the thickness of the SiO2 oxide layer and the recession and mass loss of the C/SiC composite during passive oxidation. The SiO2 oxide layer is a typical porous media exhibiting self-similarity and thus fractal theory can be applied to establish the relation between the oxygen flow rate and microstructural parameters of the oxide layer. The Weierstrass–Mandelbrot (WM) function is employed to simulate the rough interfaces between the SiO2 oxide layer and the C/SiC composite to evaluate the influence of the fractal dimensions of the oxide layer on the performance of thermal protection of the C/SiC composite. The results show that the C/SiC composite exhibits improved thermal protection performance when accompanied by a lower tortuosity fractal dimension and a higher pore area fractal dimension of the oxide layer. Conversely, the composite demonstrates enhanced ablation resistance with a higher tortuosity fractal dimension and a lower pore area fractal dimension of the oxide layer. The predictions of the calculation model show good agreement with the experimental data and demonstrate the critical influence of microstructural parameters of the oxide layer on passive oxidation of the composite, providing practical implications for designing materials with desired thermal protection or ablation resistance properties.
Bathochromically shifted absorption and near IR emission in bismuth(III) porphyrins with meso-fluorophenyl and methoxyphenyl substitutions
Authors: Holzer Noah , Brown Amanda , Hamza Jam Riyan , Sharma Jatan K. , D’Souza Francis , Poddutoori Prashanth K.
Published: October 2023

A series of bismuth(III) porphyrins with varying degrees of electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups in their meso-positions have been synthesized. All the porphyrins were synthesized successfully and characterized spectroscopically. The absorption studies reveal bathochromically shifted spectra, up to [Formula: see text]60 nm, compared to their corresponding free-base porphyrins which is common for [Formula: see text]-type hyperporphyrins. Interestingly, all the samples exhibited broad near-IR phosphorescence at room temperature. The spectroscopic studies indicate that the demetallation occurs in both solution and solid states to form corresponding free-base porphyrin and this process is much faster in meso-trimethoxyphenyl substituted bismuth(III) porphyrin. Nevertheless, the study reveals interesting optical properties of bismuth(III) porphyrins, particularly red-shifted absorption and near IR emission bands.
A New Method of Kronecker Product Decomposition
Authors: Wu Yi
Published: October 2023

Kronecker product decomposition is often applied in various fields such as particle physics, signal processing, image processing, semidefinite programming, quantum computing, and matrix time series analysis. In the paper, a new method of Kronecker product decomposition is proposed. Theoretical results ensure that the new method is convergent and stable. The simulation results show that the new method is far faster than the known method. In fact, the new method is very applicable for exact decomposition, fast decomposition, big matrix decomposition, and online decomposition of Kronecker products. At last, the extension direction of the new method is discussed.
Creating a New Normal? Technosocial Relations, Mundane Governance and Pandemic-Related Disruption in Everyday Life
Authors: Deejay Aleks , Henne Kathryn
Published: October 2023

In many parts of the world, individuals and groups have managed significant disruptions prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This article draws on data collected through interviews with 40 Australia-based participants regarding their day-to-day routines and technological engagement as they navigated mobility restrictions intended to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease. We use insights from Science and Technology Studies to shed light on how their technosocial relations enabled and regulated participants’ sociality while informing their desires for normalcy. Findings highlight perspectives and practices that diverge from popular framings of the pandemic as giving rise to a ‘new normal’. Instead, our analysis shows how human and non-human actors became inextricably linked in the management of everyday disruptions, illustrating forms of mundane governance. We conclude by reflecting on how Science and Technology Studies-informed approaches to the mundane glean important insight for the sociological study of the pandemic specifically and of everyday life generally.
Automatic Detection of Thyroid Nodule Characteristics From 2D Ultrasound Images
Authors: Han Dongxu , Ibrahim Nasir , Lu Feng , Zhu Yicheng , Du Hongbo , AlZoubi Alaa
Published: October 2023

Thyroid cancer is one of the common types of cancer worldwide, and Ultrasound (US) imaging is a modality normally used for thyroid cancer diagnostics. The American College of Radiology Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (ACR TIRADS) has been widely adopted to identify and classify US image characteristics for thyroid nodules. This paper presents novel methods for detecting the characteristic descriptors derived from TIRADS. Our methods return descriptions of the nodule margin irregularity, margin smoothness, calcification as well as shape and echogenicity using conventional computer vision and deep learning techniques. We evaluate our methods using datasets of 471 US images of thyroid nodules acquired from US machines of different makes and labeled by multiple radiologists. The proposed methods achieved overall accuracies of 88.00%, 93.18%, and 89.13% in classifying nodule calcification, margin irregularity, and margin smoothness respectively. Further tests with limited data also show a promising overall accuracy of 90.60% for echogenicity and 100.00% for nodule shape. This study provides an automated annotation of thyroid nodule characteristics from 2D ultrasound images. The experimental results showed promising performance of our methods for thyroid nodule analysis. The automatic detection of correct characteristics not only offers supporting evidence for diagnosis, but also generates patient reports rapidly, thereby decreasing the workload of radiologists and enhancing productivity.
A deep CNN architecture with novel pooling layer applied to two Sudanese Arabic sentiment data sets
Authors: Mhamed Mustafa , Sutcliffe Richard , Quteineh Husam , Sun Xia , Almekhlafi Eiad , Retta Ephrem Afele , Feng Jun
Published: October 2023

Arabic sentiment analysis has become an important research field in recent years. Initially, work focused on Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), which is the most widely used form. Since then, work has been carried out on several different dialects, including Egyptian, Levantine and Moroccan. Moreover, a number of data sets have been created to support such work. However, up until now, no work has been carried out on Sudanese Arabic, a dialect which has 32 million speakers. In this article, two new public data sets are introduced, the two-class Sudanese Sentiment Data set (SudSenti2) and the three-class Sudanese Sentiment Data set (SudSenti3). In the preparation phase, we establish a Sudanese stopword list. Furthermore, a convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture, Sentiment Convolutional MMA (SCM), is proposed, comprising five CNN layers together with a novel Mean Max Average (MMA) pooling layer, to extract the best features. This SCM model is applied to SudSenti2 and SudSenti3 and shown to be superior to the baseline models, with accuracies of 92.25% and 85.23% (Experiments 1 and 2). The performance of MMA is compared with Max, Avg and Min and shown to be better on SudSenti2, the Saudi Sentiment Data set and the MSA Hotel Arabic Review Data set by 1.00%, 0.83% and 0.74%, respectively (Experiment 3). Next, we conduct an ablation study to determine the contribution to performance of text normalisation and the Sudanese stopword list (Experiment 4). For normalisation, this makes a difference of 0.43% on two-class and 0.45% on three-class. For the custom stoplist, the differences are 0.82% and 0.72%, respectively. Finally, the model is compared with other deep learning classifiers, including transformer-based language models for Arabic, and shown to be comparable for SudSenti2 (Experiment 5).
Investigation of stochastic toolpath strategy in three-axis ball-end milling of 2D and free-form surfaces
Authors: Kharat Nilesh Ashok , Agarwal Ankit , Grimm Tyler , Mears Laine
Published: October 2023

The machining of free-form components by ball-end milling inherently produces surface error in the form of scallops. The objective of any free-form toolpath strategy is to balance productivity while minimizing scallop height to reduce surface error. Conventional machining strategies produce repeatable material patterns (constant scallop height) that may limit workpiece function in areas such as lubricity, directional anisotropy, and aesthetic appearance. These strategies also involve steady-state cuts, which allow accumulation of temperature, restrict the permissible depth and speed. In the present paper a novel complex stochastic toolpath strategy has been proposed that comprises pseudo-random circular contours concatenated into a smooth path. The approach enables continuous variation of chip load, force, and direction, and avoids conditions of continuous, periodic high cutting loads and heat accumulation. Based on initial testing, it has been observed that stochastic toolpaths are longer than conventional toolpaths. However, a decrease in average cutting loads enable reduction in cutting time with feed optimization. Additionally, the proposed strategy resulted in lower scallop height than conventional machining, thereby improving surface condition.
The analysis of the effect of varying feed values in each pass on tool wear and surface roughness in turning of AISI 4140
Authors: Sönmez Fikret
Published: October 2023

Machining is a complex process between the cutting tool and the workpiece, and in this process, the cutting tool constantly wears out with various wear mechanisms. Tool-wear estimation in turning is a complicated process; thus, there is a need for a study to reveal the time-dependent behavior of tool wear. In this study, tool wear and surface roughness change during the turning process of AISI 4140 steel at low cutting speeds were examined in detail with variable feed values for the first time. For this purpose, a half-minute cutting time was applied for each pass to analyze the tool wear as gradually as possible. Tool wear (flank, notch, and nose), surface roughness (Ra, Rz, and Rt), and chip morphologies were examined after each turning operation. The flank wear reached 0.3 mm, which is one of the tool life criteria according to ISO 3685, and the experiments were terminated at the 149th minute. Initially, a significant surface improvement (approx. 300%) was observed due to the decrease in feed values. In subsequent experiments, the effect of feed was significantly reduced due to increased tool wear, and limited surface roughness improvement (approx. 30%) was observed. At the beginning of the experiment, the chip breaker function of the cutting insert was successful at almost all feeds. However, in subsequent experiments, it was found that even at higher feeds, the chip breaker geometry of the insert deteriorated due to tool wear, causing changes in chip morphology, and resulting in long and undesirable chips.
Stiffness analysis and optimization of an asymmetric 3T1R parallel mechanism
Authors: Zhu Wei , Ma Zhilong , Ma Zhiyuan , Shen Huiping
Published: October 2023

In this paper, an asymmetric 3T1R parallel mechanism is proposed that has higher stiffness in specific directions. The stiffness model is established by using virtual spring theory, and the Cartesian stiffness matrix is obtained. The stiffness performance evaluation indices are deduced by the dimensionless parameterization method. Under the condition of satisfying the high-speed performance and dexterity, the optimal size parameters of the mechanism are got by using the DE (differential evolution) algorithm with stiffness performance as the index. By comparing the stiffness performance atlases before and after the optimization, it is showed that the stiffness performance has been improved and the reachable workspace has been increased. The results verify the feasibility of the proposed performance indices and optimization algorithm.
Numerical research on contact friction force with different structural brush seal hysteresis characteristics under differential pressure
Authors: Tang Junfeng , Liu Meihong , Tao Mengqi , Xu Jiahui , Li Chuan
Published: October 2023

The problems of leakage, frictional wear, and flow heat transfer caused by the hysteresis characteristics of brush seals are prominent, and existing models for solving the hysteresis characteristics of brush seals have convergence difficulties owing to the extreme degree of nonlinearity caused by additional contacts. In this study, numerical models based on the finite element software ABAQUS were proposed to address the hysteresis characteristics of brush seals with three different structures: basic, low-lag hysteresis, and low-wear high-pressure bearing. The models accounted for the contacts between: the brush, brush and the baffle, and brush and the rotor, while damping was introduced to improve the convergence of the models. The hysteresis of the three structures under differential pressure was investigated and compared with theoretical calculations and experimental test results. The hysteresis of the bristles was normalised by the contact force, the shift of the contact area, and the contact friction force when the hysteresis effect occurred in the brush seal. The results show that the basic model has the most obvious hysteresis characteristics in the presence of differential pressure. Although the low-lag hysteresis model and the low-wear high-pressure bearing model have the weakest hysteresis effect, the deformation variables of the last row of bristles of these two structures are larger than those of the basic model; therefore, the contact position is prone to fatigue fracture. Simultaneously, the hysteresis effect was verified by varying the contact area and contact friction force, and it was found that the larger the contact area and contact friction force, the larger the hysteresis.
Design and modeling of hexapod robot using telescopic legs connected to pivot joints at the hips
Authors: Mohamed Shuaiby , Quang Le Hoan , Kim Youngshik , Shin Buhyun
Published: October 2023

Hexapod robots are widely used in applications such as search and rescue, exploration, and surveillance due to their improved mobility and stability on uneven terrain. However, conventional hexapod robots typically suffer from issues such as heavy weight and complex design, which limits their effectiveness in certain scenarios. In this paper, we propose a new hexapod robot that addresses the issues of weight and complexity often associated with conventional hexapod robots. Our proposed design uses telescopic legs connected to pivot joints at the hips, resulting in a two-DOFs-leg configuration. The robot’s six legs are aligned with a parallelepiped body, with each leg configured with a revolute joint and a prismatic joint. With a total of twelve degrees of freedom (DOFs), the proposed robot can move in a straight line or turn. Our solution for stabilizing the robot’s horizontally oriented body on uneven terrain, using analytical kinematics, inverse kinematics, and geometric analysis, is a valuable contribution. Additionally, we present simulation of path generation and gait design for various inclined planes and stairs using a virtual prototype modeled in MATLAB/Simulink Simscape Multibody. The results of our simulated and physical prototype experiments demonstrate that the proposed design and body control algorithm effectively maintain the orientation of the robot’s body usually stable while it moves on different types of surfaces. Overall, our proposed hexapod robot using telescopic legs offers a promising solution for achieving improved mobility and stability on uneven terrain, with reduced weight and complexity compared to conventional hexapod robots.