bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The compositional diversity and temporal evolution of an active andesitic arc stratovolcano: Tongariro, Taupō Volcanic Zone, New Zealand
Authors: Pure Leo R. , Wilson Colin J. N. , Charlier Bruce L. A. , Gamble John A. , Townsend Dougal B. , Leonard Graham S.
Published: April 2023

New geochemical data, including Sr–Nd–Pb isotopes for whole-rock and groundmass samples, are reported for edifice-forming eruptives at Tongariro volcano, New Zealand, which span its ~ 350 ka to late Holocene history. Tongariro eruptives are medium-K basaltic-andesites to dacites (53.0–66.2 wt% SiO2) that evolved via assimilation-fractional crystallisation (AFC) processes partly or mostly in the uppermost 15 km of the crust. When ordered chronologically using a high-resolution 40Ar/39Ar-dated eruptive stratigraphy, the compositional data show systematic 10–130 kyr cycles. Mafic replenishment events inferred from MgO values occurred at ~ 230, ~ 151, ~ 88 and ~ 56 ka and in the late Holocene, with high-MgO flank vents erupting at ~ 160, ~ 117, ~ 35 and ~ 17.5 ka. Cycles in Sm/Nd, 87Sr/86Sr, 143Nd/144Nd and Pb isotopic ratios, which are decoupled from MgO, K2O and Rb/Sr cycles, indicate periods of prolonged crustal residence of magmas from ~ 230 to ~ 100 ka and ~ 95 to ~ 30 ka. AFC modelling shows that intermediate and silicic melt compositions, with r-values between 0.1 and 1, are needed to reproduce Tongariro compositional arrays. AFC models also indicate that ~ 20% of the average Tongariro magma comprises assimilated (meta)sedimentary basement material. Locally, Tongariro and adjacent Ruapehu volcanoes attain their most crust-like 87Sr/86Sr and 143Nd/144Nd compositions at ~ 100 and ~ 30 ka, paralleling with zircon model-age crystallisation modes at the rhyolitic Taupō volcano ~ 50 km to the NNE. These coincidences suggest that the timing and tempo of magma assembly processes at all three volcanoes were contemporaneous and may have been tectonically influenced since at least 200 ka.
CREB fusion–associated epithelioid mesenchymal neoplasms of the female adnexa: three cases documenting a novel location of an emerging entity and further highlighting an ambiguous misleading immunophenotype
Authors: Trecourt Alexis , Macagno Nicolas , Ngo Carine , Philip Charles-André , Lopez Jonathan , Ferreira Joana , Alves-Vale Catarina , Ray-Coquard Isabelle , Genestie Catherine , Agaimy Abbas , Devouassoux-Shisheboran Mojgan
Published: April 2023

EWSR1/FUS-CREB-rearranged mesenchymal neoplasms are an emerging heterogeneous group of soft tissue tumors that encompasses low-grade lesions (angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma/AFH) and a group of predominantly intra-abdominal aggressive sarcomas with epithelioid morphology and frequent keratin expression. Both entities occasionally harbor EWSR1::ATF1 fusions as alternate to the more frequent EWSR1/FUS::CREB1/CREM fusions. Although EWSR1/FUS-CREB-rearranged epithelioid malignant neoplasms have been described in diverse intra-abdominal sites, none involved the female adnexa. Herein, we describe three cases involving uterine adnexa in young females (41, 39, and 42-year-old); two associated with constitutional inflammatory symptoms. The tumors presented as a serosal surface mass of the ovary without parenchymal involvement (Case 1), as circumscribed nodule within ovarian parenchyma (Case 2), and as a periadnexal mass extending into the lateral uterine wall with lymph node metastasis (Case 3). They were composed of sheets and nests of large epithelioid cells with numerous stromal lymphocytes and plasma cells. The neoplastic cells expressed desmin and EMA, and variably WT1. One tumor expressed in addition AE1/AE3, MUC4, synaptophysin, chromogranin, and ALK. None expressed sex cord-associated markers. RNA sequencing identified EWSR1::ATF1 fusions in two cases and an EWSR1::CREM fusion in one. Exome-based RNA capture sequencing and clustering methods showed high transcriptomic proximity of tumor 1 with soft tissue AFH. This novel subset of female adnexal neoplasms should be included in the differential diagnosis of any epithelioid neoplasm involving female adnexa. Their aberrant immunophenotype can be misleading, underlining a wide spectrum of differential diagnosis.
Note on modular equations in the theory of signature 4
Authors: Kumar B. R. Srivatsa , Guruprasad P. S. , Udupa N. V. Sayinath , Raksha
Published: April 2023

In 2009, M. S. M. Naika et al. obtained Schl$$\ddot{a}$$

a
¨

fli type modular equations of degree 4. Motivated by their work, in the present work, we prove a class of modular equations in Ramanujan’s alternative theory of elliptic functions using theory of signature 4. In particular, the composite degrees of modular equations {1, 2, 4}, {1, 3, 9}, {1, 5, 25} and {1, 7, 49}.
Promoting physical activity among cancer survivors: an umbrella review of systematic reviews
Authors: Qiu Lin , Ye Maodie , Tong Yang , Jin Yongmei
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Exercise is the core element of rehabilitation for cancer patients. However, most of the patients’ exercise levels failed to meet the indicators recommended by the guidelines or even decreased. Therefore, this umbrella review aims to provide an overview of review articles addressing the evidence of interventions to promote physical activity behavior change and increase physical activity among cancer patients.

Methods

We searched nine databases from inception to 12 May 2022 to obtain systematic reviews and meta-analyses of interventions to promote physical activity among cancer patients. The AMSTAR-2 was used for the quality assessment.

Results

Twenty-six individual systematic reviews including 13 studies performed meta-analyses. A total of 16 studies’ designs were all in randomized controlled trial. Most reviews included studies that were mainly delivered in home settings. The most frequent and mean duration of the interventions was 12 weeks. Interventions mainly included electronic, wearable health technology-based, behavior change techniques (BCTs), and theory-based strategies.

Conclusions

Electronic, wearable health technology-based, BCTs, and theory-based interventions were effective and feasible in promoting physical activity in cancer survivors. Clinical practitioners should take corresponding intervention measures according to the characteristics of patients in different groups.

Implications for cancer survivors

Future research may benefit cancer survivors by more comprehensively applying electronic, wearable health technology-based, BCTs, and theory-based interventions.
Analyzing the potential of active learning for document image classification
Authors: Saifullah Saifullah , Agne Stefan , Dengel Andreas , Ahmed Sheraz
Published: April 2023

Deep learning has been extensively researched in the field of document analysis and has shown excellent performance across a wide range of document-related tasks. As a result, a great deal of emphasis is now being placed on its practical deployment and integration into modern industrial document processing pipelines. It is well known, however, that deep learning models are data-hungry and often require huge volumes of annotated data in order to achieve competitive performances. And since data annotation is a costly and labor-intensive process, it remains one of the major hurdles to their practical deployment. This study investigates the possibility of using active learning to reduce the costs of data annotation in the context of document image classification, which is one of the core components of modern document processing pipelines. The results of this study demonstrate that by utilizing active learning (AL), deep document classification models can achieve competitive performances to the models trained on fully annotated datasets and, in some cases, even surpass them by annotating only 15–40% of the total training dataset. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that modern AL strategies significantly outperform random querying, and in many cases achieve comparable performance to the models trained on fully annotated datasets even in the presence of practical deployment issues such as data imbalance, and annotation noise, and thus, offer tremendous benefits in real-world deployment of deep document classification models. The code to reproduce our experiments is publicly available at https://github.com/saifullah3396/doc_al.
Virulence, antimicrobial resistance, and molecular characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in a hospital in Shijiazhuang City from China
Authors: Guo Yumei , Liu Faqiang , Zhang Yulan , Wang Xiaoli , Gao Weili , Xu Baohong , Li Yuxue , Song Ning
Published: April 2023

Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP), as one of the most common drug-resistant bacteria threatening human health, is hyper-resistant to multiple antimicrobial drugs and carbapenems, which can be dealt with only limited clinical treatment options. This study described the epidemiological characteristics of CRKP in this tertiary care hospital from 2016 to 2020. Specimen sources included blood, sputum, alveolar lavage fluid, puncture fluid, secretions from a burn wound, and urine. Among the 87 carbapenem-resistant strains, ST11 was the predominant isolate, followed by ST15, ST273, ST340, and ST626. These STs were in broad agreement with the STs defined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis clustering analysis in discriminating clusters of related strains. Most CRKP isolates contained the blaKPC-2 gene, some isolates carried the blaOXA-1, blaNDM-1, and blaNDM-5 genes, and the isolates carrying carbapenem resistance genes were more resistant to the antimicrobials of β-lactams, carbapenems, macrolides, and fluoroquinolone. The OmpK35 and OmpK37 genes were detected in all CRKP strains, and the Ompk36 gene was detected in some CRKP strains. All detected OmpK37 had 4 mutant sites, and OmpK36 had 11 mutant sites, while no mutant sites were found in OmpK35. More than half of the CRKP strains contained the OqxA and OqxB efflux pump genes. The virulence genes were most commonly combined with urea-wabG-fimH-entB-ybtS-uge-ycf. Only one CRKP isolate was detected with the K54 podoconjugate serotype. This study elucidated the clinical epidemiological features and molecular typing of CRKP, and grasped the distribution of drug-resistant genotypes, podocyte serotypes, and virulence genes of CRKP, providing some guidance for the subsequent treatment of CRKP infection.
Insights into the primate trade into the European Union and the United Kingdom
Authors: Svensson Magdalena S. , Nijman Vincent , Shepherd Chris R.
Published: April 2023

Illegal and/or unsustainable trade is a major obstacle to effective primate conservation. The wildlife trade in the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) is significant, but for many species, such as primates, the trade is poorly understood and sparsely reported. All EU countries are Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES); all primates are listed on Appendix I or II of CITES and are included on Annex A or B of Regulation (EC) No 338/97. We here combine data from several databases (CITES, UN Comtrade, TRAFFIC WiTIS) and seizure reports, to provide a narrative of the trade in primates into and within Europe. The legal import of live primates (2002–2021) amounted to 218,000–238,000 individuals (valued at US$ 869 million), with France, the UK, and Spain as the main importers and Mauritius, Vietnam, and China as the main exporters. Over 21,000 primate parts (trophies, skulls, bodies) were imported mainly from African countries, and UN Comtrade data suggests that ~ 600 tonnes of primate meat was imported mainly from Asia. The vast majority of live primates are either captive-born or captive-bred, and this proportion has increased over time. Reports of the illegal primate trade are far from complete, but the illegal trade of specific species or primate meat can have negative impacts of wild populations of already imperiled species. Stronger policies and more effective enforcement in consumer countries, such as the EU, would also aid in, and garner support for, better protecting primates in primate range states.
Revisiting the upper Visean mud mounds from Derbyshire (UK): the role of brachiopods in their growth
Authors: Carniti Alessandro P. , Della Porta Giovanna , Banks Vanessa J. , Stephenson Michael H. , Angiolini Lucia
Published: April 2023

Several brachiopod-rich mud mounds occur in the upper Visean (Brigantian) of the Derbyshire Carbonate Platform succession in UK. The re-evaluation of the lithofacies architecture of a Derbyshire mud mound complex, developed in an intraplatform middle-ramp environment, led to the recognition of three lithofacies associations: (a) a 10 m thick basal unit of automicrite boundstone with siliceous sponge spicules and brachiopod–bryozoan packstone to wackestone beds; (b) a 10 m thick, 250 m wide, lens-shaped, convex-up massive core of clotted peloidal micrite and fenestellid bryozoan boundstone with sponge spicules; (c) inclined brachiopod–bryozoan–crinoid packstone flank beds. In the mud mound complex core, most of the carbonate mud with clotted peloidal and structureless micrite fabric is the result of biologically induced and influenced in-situ precipitation processes (automicrite). Brachiopods are not, as previously thought, limited to storm-scoured “pockets” in the mud mound complex core but are abundant and diverse in all lithofacies and lived on the irregular mud mound complex surface concentrating in depressions sustained by automicrite boundstone and the growth of bryozoans and sponges. The upper Visean Derbyshire mud mounds are, thus, representatives of a newly defined fenestellid bryozoan–brachiopod–siliceous sponge mud mound category, occurring in various middle–upper Visean Western European sites, a sub-type of the fenestellid bryozoan–crinoid–brachiopod Type 3 buildups of Bridges et al. (1995). These mud mounds, and other types of brachiopod-rich buildups, developed in carbonate platform settings between fair-weather and storm wave base, in dysphotic environments with dispersed food resources during the Visean. Brachiopod mud mound colonisation was favoured by moderate water depth, availability of food resources, and diverse substrates.
Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC) enhanced the clearance of Cryptococcus deneoformans during infection in vivo
Authors: He Tianli , Jin Zhiran , Hu Wei , Xia Xiaoxue , Li Donghui , Yao Weiyun , Li Guangnan , Zhou Xuefeng , Song Guoqiang
Published: April 2023

Cryptococcal species often cause lung infections and are the main cause of fungal meningitis. Claudin-4 appears to be a major structural component that maintains a tight alveolar barrier and prevents fluid and electrolyte leakage into the alveolar space. We aimed to determine whether S7-tetrahydrocurcumin (THC) could clearance of C. deneoformans and regulate claudin-4 expression during C. deneoformans infection. We investigated the effect of THC on C. deneoformans infection and its possible mechanism in vivo. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the ultrastructure of the lung tissue and the invasion of Cryptococcus. To clarify the effect of THC, we examined claudin-4, c-Jun, and Smad2 expression. We also measured claudin-4 expression in pulmonary specimens from clinical patients. THC reduced cryptococcal cell invasion in the lungs, improved alveolar exudation, and reduced inflammation. Pretreatment with THC suppressed c-Jun and Smad2 expression, resulting in significantly increased claudin-4 levels. In contrast, the expression of claudin-4 in clinical specimens from patients with cryptococcal infection was higher than that in normal specimens. THC enhanced the clearance of C. deneoformans during infection in vivo. We investigated the expression of claudin-4 and the possible mechanism of THC against C. deneoformans infection.
Tilapia aquaculture, emerging diseases, and the roles of the skin microbiomes in health and disease
Authors: Debnath Sanjit Chandra , McMurtrie Jamie , Temperton Ben , Delamare-Deboutteville Jérôme , Mohan Chadag Vishnumurthy , Tyler Charles R.
Published: April 2023

Aquaculture is playing an increasingly important role in global food security, especially for low-income and food-deficit countries. The majority of aquaculture production occurs in freshwater earthen ponds and tilapia has quickly become one of the most widely adopted culture species in these systems. Tilapia are now farmed in over 140 countries facilitated by their ease of production, adaptability to a wide range of environmental conditions, fast growth, and high nutritional value. Typically, tilapia have been considered a hardy, disease resilient species; however, the disease is increasing with subsequent threats to the industry as their production is intensified. In this review, we discuss tilapia production, with a focus on Bangladesh as one of the top producing countries, and highlight the problems associated with disease and treatment approaches for them, including the misuse of antimicrobials. We address a key missing component in understanding health and disease processes for sustainable production in aquaculture, specifically the role played by the microbiome. Here we examine the importance of the microbiome in supporting health, focused on the symbiotic microbial community of the fish skin mucosal surface, the abiotic and biotic factors that influence the microbiome, and the shifts that are associated with diseased states. We also identify conserved taxa of skin microbiomes that may be used as indicators of health status for tilapia offering new opportunities to mitigate and manage the disease and optimize environmental growing conditions and farming practices.
Informative Feedback and Explainable AI-Based Recommendations to Support Students’ Self-regulation
Authors: Afzaal Muhammad , Zia Aayesha , Nouri Jalal , Fors Uno
Published: April 2023

Self-regulated learning is an essential skill that can help students plan, monitor, and reflect on their learning in order to achieve their learning goals. However, in situations where there is a lack of effective feedback and recommendations, it becomes challenging for students to self-regulate their learning. In this paper, we propose an explainable AI-based approach to provide automatic and intelligent feedback and recommendations that can support the self-regulation of students’ learning in a data-driven manner, with the aim of improving their performance on their courses. Prior studies have predicted students’ performance and have used these predicted outcomes as feedback, without explaining the reasons behind the predictions. Our proposed approach is based on an algorithm that explains the root causes behind a decline in student performance, and generates data-driven recommendations for taking appropriate actions. The proposed approach was implemented in the form of a dashboard to support self-regulation by students on a university course, and was evaluated to determine its effects on the students’ academic performance. The results revealed that the dashboard significantly enhanced students’ learning achievements and improved their self-regulated learning skills. Furthermore, it was found that the recommendations generated by the proposed approach positively affected students’ performance and assisted them in self-regulation
Preferences for Types of Inclusive Family Violence Services Among LGBTQ People in Australia
Authors: Amos Natalie , Hill Adam O , Lusby Stephanie , Carman Marina , Parsons Matthew , McNair Ruth , Lyons Anthony , Bourne Adam
Published: April 2023

Purpose

LGBTQ people are less likely to seek support and face significant barriers in accessing affirmative family violence support services. Efforts to improve family violence service access must be grounded in the preferences of LGBTQ people themselves.

Method

Data from a large nationwide Australian survey of the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ adults were analysed. 4,148 participants expressed a preference for family violence service provision. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to identify factors associated with preferences for family violence service provision, comparing mainstream services that are not known to be inclusive, mainstream services that are known to be LGBTQ-inclusive, and LGBTQ-specific services.

Results

In total, 8.8% (n = 363) of participants indicated a preference for mainstream services, 57.5% (n = 2,383) for mainstream services that are known to be LGBTQ-inclusive and 33.8% (n = 1,402) for LGBTQ-specific services. Trans and non-binary identified people were more likely to prefer LGBTQ-specific services than cisgender participants, while bisexual, pansexual and asexual people were more likely to prefer mainstream LGBTQ-inclusive services. Participants with a regular general practitioner were more likely to prefer LGBTQ-inclusive services. Participants who had not felt supported the most recent time they reported an experience of family violence were more likely to prefer LGBTQ-specific services.

Conclusion

Family violence and healthcare services require training in LGBTQ issues to provide inclusive and affirming care. The findings have implications for policy and practice in family violence care and illustrate an urgent need to reform the current narrative of family violence, which frequently excludes LGBTQ communities.
A conceptual framework for sustainable waste management in small municipalities: the cases of Langebaan, South Africa and Swakopmund, Namibia
Authors: Kadhila Timoteus , de Wit Martin P. , Schenck Rinie
Published: April 2023

Municipal waste management is a major challenge for local governments in South Africa and Namibia, as in other developing countries. The circular economy concept in waste management is an alternative sustainable development framework that has the potential to combat resource depletion, pollution, and poverty while achieving the SDGs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the current waste management systems in Langebaan and Swakopmund municipalities resulting from municipal policies, procedures, and practices in the context of a circular economy. A mixed method approach was used to collect qualitative and quantitative data through structured in-depth interviews, document analyses, and direct observation. The study found that the Langebaan and Swakopmund municipalities have not yet fully implemented the circular economy concept into their waste management systems. A mix of waste consisting of papers, plastics, cans, tyres, and organic products is dumped into landfills weekly at a rate of about 85%. The main challenges to implementing the circular economy concept include: lack of technical solutions, inadequate regulatory frameworks, insufficient financial resources, lack of private sector involvement, insufficient human resource capacity, and inadequate information and knowledge. A conceptual framework was therefore proposed to guide the municipalities of Langebaan and Swakopmund in implementing the circular economy concept in their waste management systems.
Labellable Phylogenetic Networks
Authors: Francis Andrew , Steel Mike
Published: April 2023

Phylogenetic networks are mathematical representations of evolutionary history that are able to capture both tree-like evolutionary processes (speciations) and non-tree-like ‘reticulate’ processes such as hybridization or horizontal gene transfer. The additional complexity that comes with this capacity, however, makes networks harder to infer from data, and more complicated to work with as mathematical objects. In this paper, we define a new, large class of phylogenetic networks, that we call labellable, and show that they are in bijection with the set of ‘expanding covers’ of finite sets. This correspondence is a generalisation of the encoding of phylogenetic forests by partitions of finite sets. Labellable networks can be characterised by a simple combinatorial condition, and we describe the relationship between this large class and other commonly studied classes. Furthermore, we show that all phylogenetic networks have a quotient network that is labellable.
Automated geometry characterization of laser-structured battery electrodes
Authors: Hille Lucas , Hoffmann Paul , Kriegler Johannes , Mayr Andreas , Zaeh Michael F.
Published: April 2023

Micro structuring of battery electrodes with pulsed laser radiation substantially increases the performance of lithium-ion batteries. For process design and monitoring, determining the resulting hole diameters and depths is essential. This study presents an automated, model-based approach for the geometry characterization of laser-drilled structures in battery electrodes. An iteratively re-weighted least squares algorithm is used for fitting of a reference plane to confocal laser scanning microscopy images of laser-structured electrodes. Using a threshold-based segregation of the generated weights, the holes are segmented from the pristine electrode surfaces. The results from the automated geometry determination were found to coincide well with manual measurements. By reducing the image resolution, the runtime of the code could be decreased, which yet lowered the accuracy of the hole depth prediction. In a sensitivity analysis, the algorithm performed stably under changes in the recording conditions, such as altered image brightness, frame rate, or vertical resolution. In conclusion, the presented method reduces the effort and increases the reproducibility for analyzing large experimental data sets in laser electrode structuring. Furthermore, the approach can be successfully transferred to other applications, which is demonstrated by indentations in battery current collector foils stemming from electrode calendering.
Mobile Apps for Sexual and Reproductive Health Education: a Systematic Review and Quality Assessment
Authors: Muehlmann Marlene , Tomczyk Samuel
Published: April 2023

Purpose of Review

The aim of this study was to present the current state of research on mobile health apps for sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education. Apps were analysed based on contents (by using the World Health Organization’s SRH framework), features, intended audiences and quality of evidence (by applying the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach). Taking German sexuality education apps as an example, the rapid development in the field of SRH apps over the last 3 years has been revealed by comparing the quality of apps available in 2019 with apps from 2022.

Recent Findings

SRH apps allow health information to be disseminated quickly, at low thresholds and in a practical and cost-effective manner. Moreover, they allow for anonymous usage independently of time and place. In the absence of network coverage, offline use is also possible. Previous research focused on individual SRH aspects (e.g. human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), contraception). However, some studies were designed to cover a broader range of SRH topics, but identified only a few relevant apps.

To improve SRH, it would be helpful if the apps would be of high-quality design and be made up of relevant content. Furthermore, they should be tailored to the target group and have been tested in real-life settings. A total of 50 SRH apps with sufficiently high-quality ratings were included. The apps cover a variety of SRH topics, but they often lack field-based evaluation. The effectiveness of SRH apps has not yet been sufficiently studied in a scientific manner. Only 9 apps were deemed to be adequate for a moderate GRADE level. Despite this grading, the study nevertheless shows that there are several apps that could potentially promote SRH.
Effect of low dose denosumab on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis after a transition from 60 mg dose: a prospective observational study
Authors: Khan Aliya A. , AbuAlrob Hajar , M’Hiri Iman , Ali Dalal S. , Dandurand Karel , Said Hosay , Alkassem Hisham , Hakami Yasser , Hweija Ismail , Iqbal Salman , Romanovschi Mihai , Mehmood Shehryar , Zariffeh Heather , Guyatt Gordon , Ibrahim Quazi , Brignardello-Petersen Romina , Syed Hamza I.
Published: April 2023

Introduction

Denosumab is an effective antiresorptive molecule and reduces the risk of fracture in postmenopausal osteoporosis. Cessation of denosumab therapy however is associated with rapid declines in bone mineral density (BMD), rises in bone remodeling, and an increased risk of fracture. We evaluated the effect of low dose denosumab (30 mg every 6 months) on the prevention of bone loss following a switch from standard dose (60 mg of denosumab every 6 months) in a prospective observational study.

Methods

We recruited 114 women 50–90 years of age with postmenopausal osteoporosis at a moderate fracture risk without prior fragility fractures, who had been on denosumab 60 mg every 6 month. These women switched to low dose denosumab 30 mg every 6 months. Mean percentage change in lumbar spine (LS), femoral neck (FN), total hip (TH) and 1/3 distal radius (1/3RAD) BMD at 12 and 24 months were evaluated. Predictors for change in BMD were explored. Subgroup analysis for patients on denosumab 60 mg every 6 months for <3 years and for ≥3 years before switching to low dose denosumab 30 mg was evaluated.

Results

At 12 months following a switch from 60 mg to 30 mg of denosumab every 6 months we observed an increase in LS BMD mean percentage change (+2.03%, 95% CI 1.18–2.88, p < 0.001). BMD was stable at the hip and radial sites. Age was found to be a predictor of the mean percentage change in LS BMD for the overall sample. At 24 months, there was a further increase in LS BMD mean percentage change (+3.44%, 95% CI 1.74–5.12, p < 0.001), with stable BMD at other skeletal sites. The 12 month mean BMD percentage change at the LS (p = 0.015), FN (p < 0.001), TH (p < 0.001), and 1/3 RAD (p < 0.001) were found to be predictors of the 24 month mean BMD percentage change. No clinical fractures were reported during 24 months of follow up.

Conclusion

We observed stable BMD following a switch from denosumab 60 mg every 6 months to 30 mg every 6 months in this prospective observational study conducted in postmenopausal women at a moderate fracture risk
Attenuation of Age-Related Hearing Impairment in Senescence-Accelerated Mouse Prone 8 (SAMP8) Mice Treated with Fatty Acid Synthase Inhibitor CMS121
Authors: Pham Tammy B. , Boussaty Ely Cheikh , Currais Antonio , Maher Pamela , Schubert David R. , Manor Uri , Friedman Rick A.
Published: April 2023

In the senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mouse model, oxidative stress leads to premature senescence and age-related hearing impairment (ARHI). CMS121 inhibits oxytosis/ferroptosis by targeting fatty acid synthase. The aim of our study was to determine whether CMS121 is protective against ARHI in SAMP8 mice. Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were used to assess baseline hearing in sixteen 4-week-old female SAMP8 mice, which were divided into two cohorts. The control group was fed a vehicle diet, while the experimental group was fed a diet containing CMS121. ABRs were measured until 13 weeks of age. Cochlear immunohistochemistry was performed to analyze the number of paired ribbon-receptor synapses per inner hair cell (IHC). Descriptive statistics are provided with mean ± SEM. Two-sample t-tests were performed to compare hearing thresholds and paired synapse count across the two groups, with alpha = 0.05. Baseline hearing thresholds in the control group were statistically similar to those of the CMS121 group. At 13 weeks of age, the control group had significantly worse hearing thresholds at 12 kHz (56.5 vs. 39.8, p = 0.044) and 16 kHz (64.8 vs. 43.8, p = 0.040) compared to the CMS121 group. Immunohistochemistry showed a significantly lower synapse count per IHC in the control group (15.7) compared to the CMS121 group (18.4), p = 0.014. Our study shows a significant reduction in ABR threshold shifts and increased preservation of IHC ribbon synapses in the mid-range frequencies among mice treated with CMS121 compared to untreated mice.
Important oncogenic and immunogenic roles of SPP1 and CSF1 in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Xiang Tianxin , Cheng Na , Huang Bo , Zhang Xujun , Zeng Ping
Published: April 2023

The treatment and prognosis of liver cancer remain the focus of medical research. Studies have shown that SPP1 and CSF1 play important roles in cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Therefore, this study analyzed the oncogenic and immunologic roles of SPP1 and CSF1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We found that the expression levels of SPP1 and CSF1 in HCC were markedly increased and positively correlated. High SPP1 expression was significantly associated with poor OS, DSS, PFS, and RFS. It was not affected by gender, alcohol use, HBV, or race, whereas CSF1 was affected by these factors. Higher expression levels of SPP1 and CSF1 indicated higher levels of immune cell infiltration and a higher immune score with the R software package ESTIMATE. Further analysis revealed that many genes work co-expressed between SPP1 and CSF1 with the LinkedOmics database, which were mainly involved in signal transduction, the integral components of the membrane, protein binding, and osteoclast differentiation. In addition, we screened ten hub genes using cytoHubba, among which the expression of four genes was significantly associated with the prognosis of HCC patients. Finally, we demonstrated the oncogenic and immunologic roles of SPP1 and CSF1 using the vitro experiments. Reducing the expression of either SPP1 or CSF1 could significantly reduce the proliferation of HCC cells and the expression of CSF1, SPP1, and the other four hub genes. This study suggested that SPP1 and CSF1 interact with each other and have the potential to be therapeutic and prognostic targets for HCC.
A Challenge for Indexical Reliabilism
Authors: Ask Zaar Balder Edmund
Published: April 2023

The new evil demon problem amounts to a difficult challenge for the externalist about epistemic justification. Many solutions to the problem have been proffered in the almost 40 years since its first appearance in the literature. Among the more promising responses is indexical reliabilism, a combination of two versions of actual world reliabilism where “actual” denotes either the world of utterance or a rigidly determined actual world. This paper does three things. First, it attempts to clarify indexical reliabilism and how it purports to solve the new evil demon problem. Second, it attempts to mitigate some of the prominent criticism that has been leveled against the theory. Third, it poses an explanatory challenge for the theory which remains even after all of the premises supporting indexical reliabilism are accepted. The conclusion is that indexical reliabilism is not tenable until a linguistic mechanism for the use of “actually reliable” has been offered that explains how the theory avoids collapsing into a two-concepts response to the new evil demon problem.
Hif-1α/Slit2 Mediates Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotypic Changes in Restenosis of Bypass Grafts
Authors: Li Sen , Gao Zhiwei , Li Haiqing , Xu Chang , Chen Bing , Zha Qing , Yang Ke , Wang Weilin
Published: April 2023

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are involved in restenosis of bypass grafts and cause artery graft occlusion. This study aimed to explore the role of Slit2 in phenotypic switching of VSMCs and its effect on restenosis of vascular conduits. An animal model of vascular graft restenosis (VGR) was produced in SD rats and assessed by echocardiography. The expression of Slit2 and Hif-1α was measured in vivo and in vitro. After Slit2 overexpression, the migration and proliferation of VSMCs were detected in vitro, and the restenosis rates and phenotype of VSMCs were tested in vivo. The arteries of the VGR model presented significant stenosis, and Slit2 was decreased in VSMCs of the VGR model. In vitro, Slit2 overexpression inhibited the migration and proliferation of VSMCs, but Slit2 knockdown promoted migration and proliferation. Hypoxia induced Hif-1α but reduced Slit2, and Hif-1α negatively regulated Slit2 expression. Moreover, Slit2 overexpression weakened the rate of VGR and maintained the patency of artery bypass grafts, which suppressed the phenotypic switching of VSMCs. Slit2 inhibited the synthetic phenotype transformation to inhibit the migration and proliferation of VSMCs and delayed the VGR via Hif-1α.
Comparison of Ganoderma boninense Isolate’s Aggressiveness Using Infected Oil Palm Seedlings
Authors: Lo Mei Lieng , Thanh Tu Anh Vu , Midot Frazer , Lau Sharon Yu Ling , Wong Wei Chee , Tung Hun Jiat , Jee Mui Sie , Chin Mei-Yee , Melling Lulie
Published: April 2023

Basal stem rot incidence caused by a white-rot fungus, Ganoderma boninense, is the major disease of oil palm in Southeast Asia. The rate of disease transmission and host damage are affected by variations in pathogen aggressiveness. Several other studies have used the disease severity index (DSI) to determine G. boninense aggressiveness levels while verifying disease using a culture-based method, which might not provide accurate results or be feasible in all cases. To differentiate G. boninense aggressiveness, we employed the DSI and vegetative growth measurement of infected oil palm seedlings. Disease confirmation was performed through scanning electron microscopy and molecular identification of fungal DNA from both infected tissue and fungi isolated from Ganoderma selective medium. Two-month-old oil palm seedlings were artificially inoculated with G. boninense isolates (2, 4A, 5A, 5B, and 7A) sampled from Miri (Lambir) and Mukah (Sungai Meris and Sungai Liuk), Sarawak. The isolates were categorized into three groups: highly aggressive (4A and 5B), moderately aggressive (5A and 7A), and less aggressive (2). Isolate 5B was identified as the most aggressive, and it was the only one to result in seedling mortality. Out of the five vegetative growth parameters measured, only the bole size between treatments was not affected. The integration of both conventional and molecular approaches in disease confirmation allows for precise detection.
The influence of the heat generation during deformation on the mechanical properties and microstructure of the selected TWIP steels
Authors: Jabłońska Magdalena Barbara , Jasiak Katarzyna , Kowalczyk Karolina , Skwarski Mateusz , Rodak Kinga , Gronostajski Zbigniew
Published: April 2023

The TWIP (Twinning Induced Plasticity) steels are one of the most promising materials in reducing the weight of vehicles. Despite a lot of research on TWIP steel, there are some issues that are not explained enough. Due to the future use of TWIP steel and the manufacturing of the final part by metal forming, three issues still need to be clarified. The first one, which is the most important, is the increase of the temperature due to the conversion of the deformation work into heat. TWIP steel has a high limit strain, strength and lower conductivity than conventional steel, therefore the heat generation of TWIP steel is greater than for other materials. The second and third issues are combined. They concern the influence of V microadditions on the stress–strain curves, the strain hardening coefficient n and the strain rate sensitivity coefficient m under cold deformation conditions. These properties determine the cold formability of TWIP steels. In the research, two TWIP steels were used with and without V microadditions (MnAl and MnAl-V steel). The special methodology using strain and temperature measurement systems as well as light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were applied. Research shows a significant increase of the temperature in the material due to high plastic deformations as well as a high level of yield stress. In the neck area, for the highest strain rate of 0,1 s -1, at the moment of rupture, the temperature reaches more than 200 °C. The difference between the average temperature in the rupture area and the maximum temperature is equal to 100° C. Its high increase can lead e.g. to changes in the deformation mechanism from twinning to dislocation gliding, which is also connected with a worsened workability, and thus also energy consumption of the bodywork elements. MnAl-V steel has better or similar ductility for the deep drawing in comparison to MnAl steel at low strain rates for almost isothermal conditions (constant temperature during deformation). However the MnAl steel has better ductility for the larger strain rates over 0.1 s−1 then there is large heat concentration in a very narrow area for MnAl-V steel. The obtained results are very important from an application point of view. The strain rate sensitivity coefficient m of the steel MnAl has very low, and even negative, values, which can make the production of complicated drawpieces difficult. Higher values of the strain rate sensitivity coefficient are exhibited by steel MnAl-V, i.e. at the level of 0,05, which is almost constant in the whole range of the obtained deformations.
An Mw 7.8 Earthquake on 6 February 2023 on the East Anatolian Fault, Turkey
Authors: Chadha R. K.
Published: April 2023

An earthquake of Mw7.8 occurred on 6 February 2023 at a depth of 18 km on the NE-SW trending East Anatolian Fault (EAF) in southern Turkey bordering Syria. This is the first time that an earthquake of Mw≥7.0 has occurred on EAF since 1900. The region lies on the triple-junction between the Arabian, African and Anatolian plates. The epicenter was located 32 km WNW of the Gaziantep city close to the Kahramanmaras Triple Junction (KMTJ) where the NNE-SSW Dead Sea transform fault (DSF) intersects the EAF. Based on the distribution of immediate aftershocks of 4.0≤Mw≤6.7 it is inferred that the fault rupture was bidirectional and broke a ~300 km fault length of EAF in three segments of Amanos, Pazarcik and Erkenek. This earthquake triggered an event of Mw7.5 on the E-W Surgu Fault, ~100 km north of the mainshock. Eleven cities suffered the worst damage where several multistoried structures collapsed killing more than 43,000 people. While the structures in the epicentral region collapsed due to very strong shaking induced by these two shallow and large earthquakes the collapse of structures in cities as far as 300 km suggests strong role of seismic wave amplification due to local site effects in addition to poor construction practices and non-compliance of seismic codes. The rupture of a ~300 km fault length in three segments of EAF and its influence to trigger future large earthquakes in the adjacent four segments of Puturge, Palu, Ilica and Karliova in eastern Turkey by stress transfer in a cascading manner is discussed.
Seismic Response of Pile-raft Foundations of a Building on Layered Soil-based Design in South India
Authors: Vignesh R. , Muttharam M.
Published: April 2023

This study aims to assess the seismic effects of a mid-rise building on the layered soil medium and to estimate the dynamic impacts of pile raft performance that have been studied using PLAXIS 3D-based finite element analysis, optimization of BSDPT, and economical building design. Further, to understand the stiffness of the raft and the effect of the piles on the surface and inside an excavation. The geotechnical analysis of raft with piles PLAXIS 3D simulation, Poulos-Davis-Randolph (PDR), and Stress Distribution on Pile Top (BSDPT) optimization method indicate the displacements have been reduced by 60% based on superstructure design. The column reactions were estimated by Indian standard code using STAAD-Pro. The study reveals that when the building is as-built on the ground, piled-raft foundations have a considerable favourable influence on the seismic behaviours of the building structure, such as a 20% reduction in load and 2.36 cubic meters (m³) pile volume reduction. This study provides insight into the impacts of pile-raft foundations on the seismic response of pile-raft foundations of the superstructures, helping to fill a knowledge gap and better understanding the dynamic assessment of the layered soil settings.
A Spatial Distribution of Organic Carbon status in Koppal and Yadgir Taluks of Karnataka, India using GIS and Geostatistics
Authors: Hegde Rajendra , Kumar M.B. Mahendra , Niranjana K.V. , Seema K.V. , Dhanorkar B.A.
Published: April 2023

Spatial distribution of Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) status is necessary for enhancing crop and soil productivity. In this study, soil samples were collected from Koppal and Yadgir taluks (Northern dry zone and Northeastern dry zone) of Karnataka at 320 m grid interval at 0-15 cm depth and assessed for organic carbon and map was prepared under GIS using Arc GIS 10.4 Geo-wizard Kriging method. The results of the study showed that, SOC was medium in 37 per cent and high in 26 per cent of the total area (1,38,298 ha) in Koppal taluks. Whereas, in Yadgir taluks, SOC status was medium in 38 per cent and high in 31 per cent of the total area (1,71,060 ha). The descriptive statistics were positively skewed with positive kurtosis value. The spatial variability showed a moderate spatial dependence with spherical model in both the taluks. Therefore, the study showed that, most of the soils were medium in SOC status. There is a need of integrated nutrient management with additional emphasis for enhancing SOC for sustainable crop production.
Prioritization of Sub-watersheds for the Categorization of Surface Runoff and Sediment Production Rate Based on Geo-spatial Modeling and PCA Approach: A Case from Upper Beas River, Himachal Pradesh, India
Authors: Kumar Mohit , Tiwari Reet Kamal , Kumar Kamal , Rautela Kuldeep Singh
Published: April 2023

Studying geo-morphometric parameters using Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) tools is crucial to routing runoff and remaining hydrological processes. A geo-spatial model and principal component analysis (PCA) approach are used in this study to prioritize sub-watersheds of the upper Beas river up to Pandoh dam. Dendritic drainage patterns throughout its sub-watersheds characterized the 6th-order Beas river. The sub-watersheds show a lithological uniformity that indicates that the entire watershed has structurally impermeable materials at both surface and sub-surface levels. Moreover, the aerial and relief aspects of the sub-watershed indicate fine drainage textures, steep slopes, immediate peak flows, a hydrograph with multiple peaks, and a low concentration time. In other words, the sub-watershed may not be able to manage flash floods during the storm period. Surface runoff and sediment production rates (SPR) were estimated in the present study ranged from 3.576 - 5.240 sq. km-cm/sq.km and 0.101 - 0.234 ha-m/100sq.km/year, respectively. Finally, the study concluded that the sub-watersheds in the upper regions produced high runoff and sediments, usually carried into the mainstream. Further, the PCA technique was applied to find the redundant morphometric parameters and then the same results were utilized to determine the effective way to prioritize the watershed. The present study will serve as a basis for developing appropriate policies and practices for peak flooding and promoting the sustainability of the watershed.
Automated facial expression recognition using novel textural transformation
Authors: Tuncer Turker , Dogan Sengul , Subasi Abdulhamit
Published: April 2023

Facial expressions demonstrate the important information about our emotions and show the real intentions. In this study, a novel texture transformation method using graph structures is presented for facial expression recognition. Our proposed method consists of five steps. First the face image is segmented and resized. Then the proposed graph-based texture transformation is used as feature extractor. The exemplar feature extraction is performed using the proposed deep graph texture transformation. The extracted features are concatenated to obtain one dimensional feature set. This feature set is subjected to maximum pooling and principle component analysis methods to reduce the number of features. These reduced features are fed to classifiers and we have obtained the highest classification accuracy of 97.09% and 99.25% for JAFFE and TFEID datasets respectively Moreover, we have used CK + dataset to obtain comparison results and our textural transformation based model yielded 100% classification accuracy on the CK + dataset. The proposed method has the potential to be employed for security applications like counter terrorism, day care, residential security, ATM machine and voter verification.