bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using marine brown algae (Cystoseira) extract comprising sol–gel, and combustion techniques based on dye-sensitized solar cells application
Authors: jalali Tahmineh , Ghanavati Fatemeh , Osfouri Shahriar
Published: May 2023

The ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using marine brown algae (Cystoseira) extract and calcination. For comparison, combustion, and sol–gel methods were employed to synthesize nanoparticles to use as material in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) photoanode. The produced nanoparticles were characterized using structural and morphological studies by FTIR, SEM, and XRD experiments, respectively. The results revealed that the net hexagonal crystal structure was achieved with a crystal size of less than 100 nm, good purity, spherical shape, and a suitable dimension for fabricating DSSCs. They exhibit enhanced properties due to the variation in their characteristics such as average size, size distribution, and morphology. The ZnO nanoparticles were used to fabricate the DSSCs by the doctor blade method, and the efficacy of each cell was evaluated using voltage–current measurement. The results were in good agreement with the characteristic curve of the commercialized DSSC. The best performance for the fabricated DSSCs was achieved using green synthesized ZnO nanoparticles, because of the influence of their morphology such as smaller crystal size, more grain boundaries, and bigger surface area. The cell’s solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency, short-circuit current, open-circuit voltage, and fill factor were measured as ∼1.13%, 3.8[Formula: see text]mA/cm2, 620[Formula: see text]mV, and 54.3%, respectively. The enhanced photovoltaic properties were ascribed to the flower-like morphological structures of the ZnO nanoparticles prepared using the green synthesis method.
A Rolling Bearing Fault Diagnosis Method Based on Improved CEEMDAN and RCMFE
Authors: Luo Zhiyong , Zhu Guangming , Dong Xin , Tan Hongkai , Li Jialin
Published: May 2023

Considering the problem of residual noise and spurious modes in the complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN), a rolling element bearing malfunction diagnostic method based on improved CEEMDAN (ICEEMDAN) is proposed. First, different from the CEEMDAN, which directly adds Gaussian white noise with a mean of zero, the proposed method adds the [Formula: see text]th component obtained from white noise decomposed by empirical mode decomposition (EMD) to the vibration signal, and then the ICEEMDAN is employed to decompose the signal into several intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). Second, aiming at the uncertainty problem of entropy estimation in multi-scale fuzzy entropy (MFE), a refined composite multi-scale fuzzy entropy (RCMFE) is proposed to obtain the characteristic from the selected IMFs. Finally, smoothing factor of PNN is determined by fruit fly optimization algorithm (FOA), and the extracted features are input into the FOA-PNN model to achieve condition identification. Experimental results illustrate that the identification accuracy is more than 99%, which indicates its high effectiveness and superiority.
FRICTION STIR BUTT WELDABILITY OF DISSIMILAR ALLOYS AA5754 AND AA1050
Authors: KARAGÖZ İDRİS , ÇAKIR RECEP , ÇOBAN OZAN , BOUMERZOUG ZAKARIA
Published: May 2023

The main objective of this study was to assemble by friction stir welding two dissimilar sheets made with AA5754 Al-Mg alloy and AA 1050 aluminum, which are intensely used in the automotive industry. The applied welding speed was 75[Formula: see text]mm/min with different tool rotational speeds (780, 1330 and 2440[Formula: see text]rpm). The mechanical properties and the microstructure of the welded joint were investigated by the tensile test, the three-point bending test, the microhardness measurements, the optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersion spectrometry (EDS). The main zones were observed in the welded joint. Optimum mixing was achieved during the assembly process with a welding tool rotation speed of 2440[Formula: see text]rpm. It was determined that the microstructures formed had a significant effect on the hardness and tensile strength of welded dissimilar materials such as the precipitated phases in the nugget zone. The best result in terms of tensile strength was obtained at 780[Formula: see text]rpm with 80% performance.
Synthesis of the new bis-pyridine adduct [TTDPzFe(py)2]⋅2H2O, and its detailed solid state properties examined by its magnetic behavior
Authors: Donzello Maria Pia , Murray Keith S. , Ercolani Claudio
Published: May 2023

The air-stable hydrated FeII species [TTDPzFe(py)2]⋅2H2O (1; TTDPz = tetrakis(thiadiazole)- porphyrazinato dianion) is reproducibly obtained by reaction of the corresponding unmetalated species [TTDPzH2] with the FeII salt (NH[Formula: see text]Fe(SO[Formula: see text]⋅6H2O. Experimental interconnection between the bis-pyridine derivative 1 and the bis-adduct of known crystal structure [TTDPzFe(DMSO)2] (2) and the desolvated complex [TTDPzFe] (3) has been observed possible, with the formation in the air from the latter of the hydrated species [TTDPzFe]⋅2H2O (4). Reported here are the general properties of complex 1 accurately examined as a solid in terms of its physicochemical properties, in comparison with those of the phthalocyanine analog [PcFe(py)2], in terms of the magnetic behavior examined via Mössbauer spectra and magnetic susceptibility measurements under specified experimental conditions over a large range of temperature (300-4 K).
Evaluation the Effects of Wave Scattering Resonance from Complex Topographies Using Boundary Element Method
Authors: Isari Mohsen , Tarinejad Reza , Foumani Ramtin Sobhkhiz , Ghalesari Abbasali Taghavi
Published: May 2023

One of the important factors in the amplification of seismic waves arriving the ground surface is site effects. Site effects, known as topographic irregularities, lead to seismic wave scattering, and this phenomenon can amplify or reduce the displacement recorded in different parts of a site. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate these effects for an accurate evaluation of the dynamic response of the structures built on these sites. One of the topics that has been given little attention is the interaction effects of topographic irregularities on each other’s dynamic responses. Using the three-dimensional boundary element method (3D-BEM) in the frequency domain, this study investigated the dynamic response of the site with canyons and hills adjacent to each other at different intervals and under SH seismic waves with different angles and dimensionless frequencies and with the hill in different geometries (semi-elliptical, triangular, semi-circular). The obtained results indicated that parts of the canyon that are adjacent to the hill underwent the greatest amplification, especially when the distance between the canyon and the hill is small. It was also found that the incident angle of the waves is one of the important parameters in the obtained displacement pattern on the site. Although the wave hit the canyon-hill site vertically, the results revealed that an asymmetric displacement pattern was experienced on the dynamic response of the site due to the phenomenon of amplification of seismic wave dispersion.
On the broadcast independence number of circulant graphs
Authors: Laouar Abdelamin , Bouchemakh Isma , Sopena Éric
Published: May 2023

An independent broadcast on a graph [Formula: see text] is a function [Formula: see text] such that (i) [Formula: see text] for every vertex [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] denotes the diameter of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] the eccentricity of vertex [Formula: see text], and (ii) [Formula: see text] for every two distinct vertices [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text]. The broadcast independence number [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] is then the maximum value of [Formula: see text], taken over all independent broadcasts on [Formula: see text]. We prove that every circulant graph of the form [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], admits an optimal [Formula: see text]-bounded independent broadcast, that is, an independent broadcast [Formula: see text] satisfying [Formula: see text] for every vertex [Formula: see text], except when [Formula: see text], or [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] is even. We then determine the broadcast independence number of various classes of such circulant graphs, and prove in particular that [Formula: see text], except for [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], or [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] denotes the independence number of [Formula: see text].
In Search of an Accuracy-Tuneable Accelerator Platform for Ubiquitous Computing
Authors: Pilipovic Ratko , Pejovic Veljko , Machidon Octavian
Published: May 2023

Paving the way towards the realization of Mark Weiser's vision of ubiquitous computing [1], the research community has made incredible advancements on several fronts. When it comes to interacting with humans, for example, computers can already use pretty much anything as a touchpad [2]. Similarly, when it comes to sensing the environment, computers can unobtrusively detect anything from a driver fatigue [3] to the presence of the queen bee in a hive [4]. When compared with these, advancements on the "core" front - the computing itself - appear to be rather orthodox and limited.
Unveiling the Insecurity of Operational Cellular Emergency Services (911): Vulnerabilities, Attacks, and Countermeasures
Authors: Hu Yiwen , Chen Min-Yue , Tu Guan-Hua , Li Chi-Yu , Wang Sihan , Shi Jingwen , Xie Tian , Xiao Li , Peng Chunyi , Tan Zhaowei , Lu Songwu
Published: May 2023

The cellular network offers a ubiquitous emergency call service with its pervasive coverage. In the United States, it can be consumed by dialing 911 for cellular users, and the emergency call is forwarded to the public safety answer point (PSAP), which handles emergency service requests. According to regulatory authority requirements [1,2,3] for cellular emergency services, anonymous user equipment (UE) is allowed to access them without a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card, a valid mobile subscription, or a roaming agreement with the visited cellular network. Such support of the cellular emergency services requires different operations from conventional cellular services, thereby increasing the attack surface of the cellular infrastructure.
Investigation on the Mechanical Properties of Powder Metallurgy-Manufactured AA7178/ZrSiO4 Nanocomposites
Authors: Srinivasan R. , Karunakaran S. , Hariprabhu M. , Arunbharathi R. , Suresh S. , Nanthakumar S. , Ahammad S. K. H. , Mayakannan S. , Jayakumar Mani
Published: May 2023

The versatility of metal matrix composites (MMCs) makes them a promising material for various industrial applications. The current study used a ball milling to mechanically AA7178 powder and strengthened with zirconium silicate (ZrSiO4) nanoparticles. In addition, the AA7178 matrix was ball-milled to distribute the ZrSiO4 nanoparticles throughout the material. The AA7178 reinforced with ZrSiO4 nanoparticles was compacted and consolidated using two distinct powder metallurgy (PM) sequences: double pressing, double sintering, and hot pressing. In tests measuring microhardness, compression strength, and elongational break, the new nanocomposites surpassed the AA7178. The adequate interfacial bonding and even distribution of ZrSiO4 nanoparticles throughout the AA7178 matrix were essential to the strengthening mechanism. With the use of hot pressing, the mechanical characteristics of the nanocomposites were enhanced. As reinforcement concentration increased beyond 2.5% by weight, mechanical properties drastically degraded due to ZrSiO4 nanoparticles clumping and unequal distribution. Improved mechanical parts attain through the uniform distribution of ZrSiO4 nanoparticles in the AA7178 and the maintenance of their mechanical properties.
Towards Supercomputing Categorizing the Maliciousness upon Cybersecurity Blacklists with Concept Drift
Authors: Carriegos M. V. , DeCastro-García N. , Escudero D.
Published: May 2023

In this article, we have carried out a case study to optimize the classification of the maliciousness of cybersecurity events by IP addresses using machine learning techniques. The optimization is studied focusing on time complexity. Firstly, we have used the extreme gradient boosting model, and secondly, we have parallelized the machine learning algorithm to study the effect of using a different number of cores for the problem. We have classified the cybersecurity events’ maliciousness in a biclass and a multiclass scenario. All the experiments have been carried out with a well-known optimal set of features: the geolocation information of the IP address. However, the geolocation features of an IP address can change over time. Also, the relation between the IP address and its label of maliciousness can be modified if we test the address several times. Then, the models’ performance could degrade because the information acquired from training on past samples may not generalize well to new samples. This situation is known as concept drift. For this reason, it is necessary to study if the optimization proposed works in a concept drift scenario. The results show that the concept drift does not degrade the models. Also, boosting algorithms achieving competitive or better performance compared to similar research works for the biclass scenario and an effective categorization for the multiclass case. The best efficient setting is reached using five nodes regarding high-performance computation resources.
Interference Effect of Closely Spaced Foundation Footing on Settlement Variation
Authors: Melese Damtew , Genemo Dekebi , Boru Yada , Desisa Alemineh , Mezmur Tigist , Tamru Mulatu
Published: May 2023

Industrialization and urbanization have run into situations where the construction of buildings is close to each other. This closeness arises due to the restricted available space in a practical construction manner. Such a situation was a reason for the cause of footing of the same and adjacent structures coming closer. This condition causes interference effects, soil-structure interaction, and the stress zone impact to behave differently other than the continuum soil media in the vicinity under the base of the foundation due to overlap stress distribution, which results in excessive foundation settlement. Therefore, the study aims to assess the interference effect of closely spaced footing on settlement variation. In this regard, comprehensive experimental soil properties were conducted using the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) testing procedures to characterize soil behavior. The interference of two footings in the settlement is studied using 3D finite element analysis. The hardening soil was used to model the foundation soil medium using the Plaxis 3D program. Certain vital factors of two neighboring footings for differing maximum loads, distance, embedment ratio, soil layer, and groundwater level are discovered to impact overlapping footing influence. It is observed that the spacing between the footings increases, and the interference impact on the overlapping footings declines, reaching the isolated footing condition at spacing higher than five foundation footing dimensions and increasing when the spacing between the footings decreases.
Agronomic Performance, Yield, and Nutritional Value of Grasses Affected by Agroecological Settings in Ethiopia
Authors: Adnew Wubetie , Asmare Bimrew
Published: May 2023

One of the major limiting factors of livestock production in Ethiopia is the very low quantity and quality of livestock feeds supplied in the country. This calls for seeking forages that complement poor quality feeds in the country. Hence, the target of this article was to compare three types of grass agronomic performance, yield, and chemical composition under three different agroecologies and three harvesting dates (60, 90, and 120 days). The field experiment was carried out in selected three districts in 2017/2018 in the main cropping season. The treatments were laid out in a factorial RCBD (the randomized complete block design) arrangement with three replications. The treatments contained the combinations of three altitudes and three harvesting dates. Agronomic, yield, and chemical composition data were collected from the current study and subjected to analysis of variance procedures with a

P
<
0.05

significance test. In most agronomical and chemical compositions, the interactions of altitudes and harvesting dates were significant for all tested grasses (Mulato II, Napier, and Rhodes grasses). The highest plant height (PH) and dry matter yield (DMY) by Napier and the number of tillers per plant (NTPP) by Mulato II were recorded. There were significant values (

P
<
0.05

) for DMY and CP for all grasses at the interactions of harvesting dates and altitudes. The significant difference in DMY was observed as the harvesting date advanced, but CP was contrariwise. Of all tested species, the highest crude protein value and the least value of NDF and ADF (best forage quality parameters) were recorded by Mulato II. Thus, the results of this study revealed that Brachiaria hybrid cv. Mulato II has great potential to fulfil the demands for quality feeds for livestock production, especially at low altitudes. Nevertheless, in areas where, Napier and Rhodes grass are available, they can be alternative forage for Mulato II grass. Generally, for effective utilization of the tested grasses, the comparative feed value for animals must be conducted.
T cell–Mediated Development of Stromal Fibroblasts with an Immune-Enhancing Chemokine Profile
Authors: Yan Ran , Moresco Philip , Gegenhuber Bruno , Fearon Douglas T.
Published: May 2023

Stromal fibroblasts reside in inflammatory tissues that are characterized by either immune suppression or activation. Whether and how fibroblasts adapt to these contrasting microenvironments remains unknown. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) mediate immune quiescence by producing the chemokine CXCL12, which coats cancer cells to suppress T-cell infiltration. We examined whether CAFs can also adopt an immune-promoting chemokine profile. Single-cell RNA sequencing of CAFs from mouse pancreatic adenocarcinomas identified a subpopulation of CAFs with decreased expression of Cxcl12 and increased expression of the T cell–attracting chemokine Cxcl9 in association with T-cell infiltration. TNFα and IFNγ containing conditioned media from activated CD8+ T cells converted stromal fibroblasts from a CXCL12+/CXCL9− immune-suppressive phenotype into a CXCL12−/CXCL9+ immune-activating phenotype. Recombinant IFNγ and TNFα acted together to augment CXCL9 expression, whereas TNFα alone suppressed CXCL12 expression. This coordinated chemokine switch led to increased T-cell infiltration in an in vitro chemotaxis assay. Our study demonstrates that CAFs have a phenotypic plasticity that allows their adaptation to contrasting immune tissue microenvironments.
TABLE 1 from EGFR Inhibition by Cetuximab Modulates Hypoxia and IFN Response Genes in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Chaudhary Ritu , Slebos Robbert J.C. , Noel Leenil C. , Song Feifei , Poole Maria I. , Hoening Dirk S. , Hernandez-Prera Juan C. , Conejo-Garcia Jose R. , Guevara-Patino Jose A. , Wang Xuefeng , Xie Mengyu , Tan Aik Choon , Chung Christine H.
Published: May 2023

Patient characteristics in Moffitt cohort
Supplementary Table S8 from EGFR Inhibition by Cetuximab Modulates Hypoxia and IFN Response Genes in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Chaudhary Ritu , Slebos Robbert J.C. , Noel Leenil C. , Song Feifei , Poole Maria I. , Hoening Dirk S. , Hernandez-Prera Juan C. , Conejo-Garcia Jose R. , Guevara-Patino Jose A. , Wang Xuefeng , Xie Mengyu , Tan Aik Choon , Chung Christine H.
Published: May 2023

Supplementary Table S8. Hypoxia-Immune classification of Schmitz et al., window-of-opportunity trial (GSE109756)
Supplementary Table S2 from EGFR Inhibition by Cetuximab Modulates Hypoxia and IFN Response Genes in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Chaudhary Ritu , Slebos Robbert J.C. , Noel Leenil C. , Song Feifei , Poole Maria I. , Hoening Dirk S. , Hernandez-Prera Juan C. , Conejo-Garcia Jose R. , Guevara-Patino Jose A. , Wang Xuefeng , Xie Mengyu , Tan Aik Choon , Chung Christine H.
Published: May 2023

Supplementary Table S2. CPTAC Cohort
Supplementary Figure S1 from EGFR Inhibition by Cetuximab Modulates Hypoxia and IFN Response Genes in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Chaudhary Ritu , Slebos Robbert J.C. , Noel Leenil C. , Song Feifei , Poole Maria I. , Hoening Dirk S. , Hernandez-Prera Juan C. , Conejo-Garcia Jose R. , Guevara-Patino Jose A. , Wang Xuefeng , Xie Mengyu , Tan Aik Choon , Chung Christine H.
Published: May 2023

(A, B) Heatmap of molecular subgroups in two different HNSCC datasets (A) TCGA and (B) CPTAC. RNA expression data was z-normalized, each row represents a single gene in the hypoxia-immune signature gene list, each column represents a patient sample. Samples were reordered according to its molecular subgroup: Immune (blue), Mixture (black) and Hypoxia (red). (C) Kaplan–Meier survival plots for overall survival stratified according to the hypoxia-immune signature for TCGA (n = 518) HNSCC patient cohorts.
FIGURE 1 from EGFR Inhibition by Cetuximab Modulates Hypoxia and IFN Response Genes in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Chaudhary Ritu , Slebos Robbert J.C. , Noel Leenil C. , Song Feifei , Poole Maria I. , Hoening Dirk S. , Hernandez-Prera Juan C. , Conejo-Garcia Jose R. , Guevara-Patino Jose A. , Wang Xuefeng , Xie Mengyu , Tan Aik Choon , Chung Christine H.
Published: May 2023

Molecular classification and validation of hypoxia-immune signature in HNSCC. A, Heatmap of molecular subgroups in the Moffitt (n = 228) HNSCC cohort. RNA expression data were z-normalized, each row represents a single gene in the hypoxia-immune signature gene list, each column represents a patient sample. Samples were reordered according to its molecular subgroup: Immune (blue), Mixture (black), and Hypoxia (red). B, Kaplan–Meier survival plots for overall survival stratified according to the Hypoxia-Immune signature for the Moffitt (n = 184) HNSCC patient cohort.
Long-Term Outcomes of Early Coronary Artery Disease Testing After New-Onset Heart Failure
Authors: Zheng Jimmy , Heidenreich Paul A. , Kohsaka Shun , Fearon William F. , Sandhu Alexander T.
Published: May 2023

BACKGROUND:

Coronary artery disease (CAD) testing remains underutilized in patients with newly diagnosed heart failure (HF). The longitudinal clinical impact of early CAD testing has not been well-characterized. We investigated changes in clinical management and long-term outcomes after early CAD evaluation in patients with incident HF.

METHODS:

We identified Medicare patients with incident HF from 2006 to 2018. The exposure variable was early CAD testing within 1 month of initial HF diagnosis. Covariate-adjusted rates of cardiovascular interventions after testing, including CAD-related management, were modeled using mixed-effects regression with clinician as a random intercept. We assessed mortality and hospitalization outcomes using landmark analyses with inverse probability-weighted Cox proportional hazards models. Falsification end points and mediation analysis were employed for bias assessment.

RESULTS:

Among 309 559 patients with new-onset HF without prior CAD, 15.7% underwent early CAD testing. Patients who underwent prompt CAD evaluation had higher adjusted rates of subsequent antiplatelet/statin prescriptions and revascularization, guideline-directed therapy for HF, and stroke prophylaxis for atrial fibrillation/flutter than controls. In weighted Cox models, 1-month CAD testing was associated with significantly reduced all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.91–0.96]). Mediation analyses indicated that ≈70% of this association was explained by CAD management, largely from new statin prescriptions. Falsification end points (outpatient diagnoses of urinary tract infection and hospitalizations for hip/vertebral fracture) were nonsignificant.

CONCLUSIONS:

Early CAD testing after incident HF was associated with a modest mortality benefit, driven mostly by subsequent statin therapy. Further investigation on clinician barriers to testing and treating high-risk patients may improve adherence to guideline-recommended cardiovascular interventions.
Timing of Antihypertensive Drug Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials
Authors: Maqsood Muhammad Haisum , Messerli Franz H. , Skolnick Adam H. , Newman Jonathan D. , Berger Jeffrey S. , Bangalore Sripal
Published: May 2023

Background:

The timing of antihypertensive drugs administration is controversial. The aim was to compare the efficacy of dosing of antihypertensive drugs in the morning versus evening.

Methods:

A PubMed, EMBASE, and
clinicaltrials.gov
databases search for randomized clinical trials of antihypertensive therapies where patients were randomized to morning versus evening dosing. The outcomes were ambulatory blood pressure (BP) parameters (day-time, night-time, and 24/48-hour systolic blood pressure [SBP] and diastolic blood pressure [DBP]) and cardiovascular outcomes.

Results:

Of 72 randomized controlled trials included, evening dosing significantly reduced ambulatory BP parameters: 24/48-hour SBP (mean difference [MD]=1.41 mm Hg; [95% CI, 0.48–2.34]), DBP (MD=0.60 mm Hg [95% CI, 0.12–1.08]), night-time SBP (MD=4.09 mm Hg [95% CI, 3.01–5.16]), DBP (MD, 2.57 mm Hg [95% CI, 1.92–3.22]), with a smaller reduction in day-time SBP (MD=0.94 mm Hg [95% CI, 0.01–1.87]), and DBP (MD=0.87 mm Hg [95% CI, 0.10–1.63]), and numerically lower cardiovascular events compared with morning dosing. However, when controversial data by Hermida (23 trials, 25  734 patients) were omitted (
P
heterogeneity
<0.05 for most outcomes), the above effect of evening dosing attenuated with no significant effect on 24/48-hour ambulatory blood pressure, day-time BP, and major adverse cardiac event and smaller reduction in night-time ambulatory SBP and DBP.

Conclusions:

Evening dosing of antihypertensive drugs significantly reduced ambulatory BP parameters and lowered cardiovascular events but the effect was mainly driven by trials by Hermida group. Unless the intention is to specifically lower night-time BP, antihypertensive drugs should be taken at a time of day that is convenient, optimizes adherence, and minimizes undesirable effects.
Location-Specific Hematoma Volume Cutoff and Clinical Outcomes in Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Teo Kay-Cheong , Fong Sze-Man , Leung William C.Y. , Leung Ian Y.H. , Wong Yuen-Kwun , Choi Olivia M.Y. , Yam Ka-Keung , Lo Rachel C.N. , Cheung Raymond T.F. , Ho Shu-Leong , Tsang Anderson C.O. , Leung Gilberto K.K. , Chan Koon-Ho , Lau Kui-Kai
Published: May 2023

Background:

Major intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) trials have largely been unable to demonstrate therapeutic benefit in improving functional outcomes. This may be partly due to the heterogeneity of ICH outcomes based on their location, where a small strategic ICH could be debilitating, thus confounding therapeutic effects. We aimed to determine the ideal hematoma volume cutoff for different ICH locations in predicting ICH outcomes.

Methods:

We retrospectively analyzed consecutive ICH patients enrolled in the University of Hong Kong prospective stroke registry from January 2011 to December 2018. Patients with premorbid modified Rankin Scale score >2 or who underwent neurosurgical intervention were excluded. ICH volume cutoff, sensitivity, and specificity in predicting respective 6-month neurological outcomes (good [modified Rankin Scale score 0–2], poor [modified Rankin Scale score 4–6], and mortality) for specific ICH locations were determined using receiver operating characteristic curves. Separate multivariate logistic regression models were also conducted for each location-specific volume cutoff to determine whether these cutoffs were independently associated with respective outcomes.

Results:

Among 533 ICHs, the volume cutoff for good outcome according to ICH location was 40.5 mL for lobar, 32.5 mL for putamen/external capsule, 5.5 mL for internal capsule/globus pallidus, 6.5 mL for thalamus, 17 mL for cerebellum, and 3 mL for brainstem. ICH smaller than the cutoff for all supratentorial sites had higher odds of good outcomes (all
P
<0.05). Volumes exceeding 48 mL for lobar, 41 mL for putamen/external capsule, 6 mL for internal capsule/globus pallidus, 9.5 mL for thalamus, 22 mL for cerebellum, and 7.5 mL for brainstem were at greater risk of poor outcomes (all
P
<0.05). Mortality risks were significantly higher for volumes that exceeded 89.5 mL for lobar, 42 mL for putamen/external capsule, and 21 mL for internal capsule/globus pallidus (all
P
<0.001). All receiver operating characteristic models for location-specific cutoffs had good discriminant values (area under the curve >0.8), except in predicting good outcome for cerebellum.

Conclusions:

ICH outcomes differed with location-specific hematoma size. Location-specific volume cutoff should be considered in patient selection for ICH trials.
Roundtable on John Clark's The Asian Modern
Authors: Juneja Monica , Minglu Gao , Sambrani Chaitanya , Taylor Nora Annesley , Tiampo Ming
Published: May 2023

The book, The Asian Modern, by John Clark (with an Introduction by the Manila-based critic and curator, Patrick Flores) seeks to construct a “cross-Asian” account through a detailed historical and empirical focus on 30 artists spanning Southeast, East, and South Asia, as well as Australia. At the core of the book is the premise that the given place, “Asia,” is the locus for a critique of the normative account of modernism tethered to another locale, identified by Clark as “Euramerica.” These focused geographic arenas provide the basis for novel itineraries, dynamic dispersals, and alternative sightlines that reject the conventional frame of the nation. Given the ambitious scale and scope of Clark's project, the ARTMargins editors invited five historians of modern and contemporary art in Asia—Monica Juneja, Ming Tiampo, Nora Taylor, Gao Minglu, and Chaitanya Sambrani—to critically reflect upon the methodological and scholarly implications of his undertaking for the narratives of art history in Asia and beyond. Their responses point up both the limits and merits of The Asian Modern, and address important themes and debates in approaches to global art history, more broadly.
Chronological Dyslexia: Remembering/Representing/Performing Aids
Authors: Jones Amelia
Published: May 2023

Exploring two major books on the visual and performance histories of the ongoing and historical AIDS crisis in the US and beyond—Brian Getnick's edited volume Final Transmission and Avram Finkelstein's firsthand account, After Silence—this review asks how we have come to contemplate and understand the intensities, losses, and absences of the AIDS catastrophe. Drawing on theories on death, dying, and the cultural expressions around them, the review puts pressure on the particular offerings of these two very different books, ultimately pulling out passionate moments of vulnerability and self-reflexivity in each book as the most effective and powerful ruminations on global crises such as the AIDS pandemic.
Controversies and progress on standardization of large-scale brain network nomenclature
Authors: Uddin Lucina Q. , Betzel Richard F. , Cohen Jessica R. , Damoiseaux Jessica S. , De Brigard Felipe , Eickhoff Simon B. , Fornito Alex , Gratton Caterina , Gordon Evan M. , Laird Angela R. , Larson-Prior Linda , McIntosh A. Randal , Nickerson Lisa D. , Pessoa Luiz , Pinho Ana Luísa , Poldrack Russell A. , Razi Adeel , Sadaghiani Sepideh , Shine James M. , Yendiki Anastasia , Yeo B. T. Thomas , Spreng R. Nathan
Published: May 2023

Progress in scientific disciplines is accompanied by standardization of terminology. Network neuroscience, at the level of macroscale organization of the brain, is beginning to confront the challenges associated with developing a taxonomy of its fundamental explanatory constructs. The Workgroup for HArmonized Taxonomy of NETworks (WHATNET) was formed in 2020 as an Organization for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM)–endorsed best practices committee to provide recommendations on points of consensus, identify open questions, and highlight areas of ongoing debate in the service of moving the field toward standardized reporting of network neuroscience results. The committee conducted a survey to catalog current practices in large-scale brain network nomenclature. A few well-known network names (e.g., default mode network) dominated responses to the survey, and a number of illuminating points of disagreement emerged. We summarize survey results and provide initial considerations and recommendations from the workgroup. This perspective piece includes a selective review of challenges to this enterprise, including (1) network scale, resolution, and hierarchies; (2) interindividual variability of networks; (3) dynamics and nonstationarity of networks; (4) consideration of network affiliations of subcortical structures; and (5) consideration of multimodal information. We close with minimal reporting guidelines for the cognitive and network neuroscience communities to adopt.
Description of two new species of Central African freshwater crabs from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda (Brachyura: Potamoidea: Potamonautidae)
Authors: CUMBERLIDGE NEIL , KRAJENKA GRACE E.
Published: May 2023

This work focuses on two species of freshwater crabs from Central Africa: Longipotamonautes bolobo n. sp. (from the Democratic Republic of the Congo), and Rotundopotamonautes rwanda n. sp. (from Rwanda). These two taxa are described based on newly identified museum material. Diagnoses, illustrations, and a distribution map are provided for these species, and their conservation status is discussed.
Low Molecular Weight Heparin Is Superior for Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in High-Risk Geriatric Patients
Authors: Deusenberry Christina M. , Bardsley Casey , Sharon Mindy , Hobbs Gerald R. , Wilson Alison M. , Bardes James M.
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a source of preventable morbidity and mortality in critically ill trauma patients. Age is one independent risk factor. Geriatric patients embody a population at high thromboembolic and hemorrhagic risk. Currently, there is little guidance between low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and unfractionated heparin (UFH) for anticoagulant prophylaxis in the geriatric trauma patient.

Methods

A retrospective review was conducted at an ACS verified, Level I Trauma center from 2014 to 2018. All patients 65 years or older, with high-risk injuries and admitted to the trauma service were included. Choice of agent was at provider discretion. Patients in renal failure, or those that received no chemoprophylaxis, were excluded. The primary outcomes were the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism and bleeding associated complications (gastrointestinal bleed, TBI expansion, hematoma development).

Results

This study evaluated 375 subjects, 245 (65%) received enoxaparin and 130 (35%) received heparin. DVT developed in 6.9% of UFH patients, compared to 3.3% with LMWH ( P = .1). PE was present in 3.8% of UFH group, but only .4% in the LMWH group ( P = .01). Combined rate of DVT/PE was significantly lower ( P = .006) with LMWH (3.7%) compared to UFH (10.8%). 10 patients had documented bleeding events, and there was no significant association between bleeding and the use of LMWH or UFH.

Conclusions

VTE events are more common in geriatric patients treated with UFH compared to LMWH. There was no associated increase in bleeding complications when LMWH was utilized. LMWH should be considered the chemoprophylatic agent of choice in high risk geriatric trauma patients.
Evaluating the Effect of Timing on Point-of-Care Testing of INR
Authors: Son Joanne , Kim Elise M.
Published: May 2023

Objectives: To evaluate if there is a difference in International Normalized Ratio (INR) readings taken within the 15 second time frame after lancing the finger vs 30-60 seconds of obtaining a blood drop utilizing a CoaguChek® XS Plus point-of-care (POC) INR machine in patients on warfarin therapy. Methods: All adult patients on anticoagulation therapy with warfarin who were managed in a pharmacist-run anticoagulation clinic were considered for inclusion in the study. The mean difference of INR readings taken less than 15 seconds vs between 30-60 seconds after the blood drop was obtained from the finger was assessed. Results: A total of 62 pairs of INR results were included in the study. There was a mean difference in INR of .076 (95% CI 0.011-.140; P = .0217) when comparing INR readings taken less than 15 seconds and between 30-60 seconds after the blood drop was obtained from the finger. Conclusions: There was a significant difference in INR readings taken less than 15 seconds vs 30-60 seconds after obtaining the blood drop when utilizing a POC INR machine. INR readings taken 30-60 seconds after obtaining a blood drop with the CoaguChek® XS Plus POC INR machine is not acceptable for use to monitor patients on warfarin.
A Glance at the Efficiency of Marital Sexual Intimacy Interventions: The Different Outcomes on Couples and Women
Authors: Azimi Somayeh , Javadivala Zeinab , Alizadeh Mizani Mahasti , Pourrazavi Sara , Fathifar Zahra , Chattu Vijay Kumar , Allahverdipour Hamid
Published: May 2023

Marital sexual intimacy (MSI), as one of the dimensions of intimacy, may decrease during the couple's life which could be a major concern for both families and psychologists. This study aimed to categorize and classify the research articles focused on the impact of interventional programs on MSI improvement. This systematic review and meta-analysis were performed on published articles reporting interventions on MSI, which focused on couples or women of reproductive age in PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, SID, and Magiran databases till March 2022. Mean differences (MDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Further, the heterogeneity between studies and the quality of evidence was assessed using the I2 statistic and the Cochrane risk of bias tool, respectively. This review collected 43 articles with 2,001 participants. Findings were classified into three categories: Education/Communication skills, Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), and Emotional therapy. The interventions for both couples (MD: 3.31, 95% CI  =  2.62 to 4.00, I2  =  95.3%, p  =  .0001) and women (MD: 3.58, 95% CI  =  2.80 to 4.35, I2  =  89.4%, p  =  .0001) had signiﬁcant impact on improving sexual intimacy with more effect on women. The CBT had a more significant effect size on couples than women's MSI. All interventions have a large effect on both couples’ and women's MSI. However, because of the high heterogeneity of the findings and inadequacy of the studies in some subgroups, and the existence of uncertainty about MSI's true effect, further well-designed interventions are required to determine the long-term effects of MSI improvement programs.
On learning and unlearning
Authors: Papastephanou Marianna , Drousioti Kalli
Published: May 2023

The concept of learning has obtained great popularity in many fields. In common cause with neo-liberal ideology, learning has led to a learnification process that turns social pathologies into individual deficits. Various ways out of this situation have been sought; chief among them is the recruitment of unlearning as a promising negation of learning and of its politics. Educational-philosophical, sociological, decolonial, as well as organizational and policy discourses valorize unlearning for different and often opposing reasons. However, as this article shows, unlearning has already been co-opted and utilized by learning discourses to advance the neo-liberal conception of learning. A further reaction to this usurpation of unlearning has been a tendency to premodify unlearning as ‘critical’ or ‘deep’. The present article critiques these conceptualizations and operationalizations of unlearning and argues for a more complex outlook on learning and unlearning than that which is currently predominant.
Alpha-linolenic acid enhances the facilitation of GABAergic neurotransmission in the BLA and CA1
Authors: Pidoplichko Volodymir I , Figueiredo Taiza H , Braga Maria FM , Pan Hongna , Marini Ann M
Published: May 2023

Hyperexcitability is a major mechanism implicated in several neuropsychiatric disorders, such as organophosphate-induced status epilepticus (SE), primary epilepsy, stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorders. Underlying mechanisms are diverse, but a functional impairment and loss of GABAergic inhibitory neurons are common features in many of these disorders. While novel therapies abound to correct for the loss of GABAergic inhibitory neurons, it has been difficult at best to improve the activities of daily living for the majority of patients. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is an essential omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid found in plants. ALA exerts pleiotropic effects in the brain that attenuate injury in chronic and acute brain disease models. However, the effect of ALA on GABAergic neurotransmission in hyperexcitable brain regions involved in neuropsychiatric disorders, such as the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and CA1 subfield of the hippocampus, is unknown. Administration of a single dose of ALA (1500 nmol/kg) subcutaneously increased the charge transfer of inhibitory postsynaptic potential currents mediated by GABAAreceptors in pyramidal neurons by 52% in the BLA and by 92% in the CA1 compared to vehicle animals a day later. Similar results were obtained in pyramidal neurons from the BLA and CA1 when ALA was bath-applied in slices from naïve animals. Importantly, pretreatment with the high-affinity, selective TrkB inhibitor, k252, completely abolished the ALA-induced increase in GABAergic neurotransmission in the BLA and CA1, suggesting a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-mediated mechanism. Addition of mature BDNF (20 ng/mL) significantly increased GABAAreceptor inhibitory activity in the BLA and CA1 pyramidal neurons similar to the results obtained with ALA. ALA may be an effective treatment for neuropsychiatric disorders where hyperexcitability is a major feature.
The deacetylation of Akt by SIRT1 inhibits inflammation in macrophages and protects against sepsis
Authors: Jia Yanhui , Shen Kuo , Liu Jiaqi , Li Yan , Bai Xiaozhi , Yang Yunshu , He Ting , Zhang Yue , Tong Lin , Gao Xiaowen , Zhang Zhi , Guan Hao , Hu Dahai
Published: May 2023

Sepsis is characterized by uncontrolled inflammatory response and altered polarization of macrophages at the early phase. Akt is known to drive macrophage inflammatory response. However, how macrophage inflammatory response is fine-tuned by Akt is poorly understood. Here, we found that Lys14 and Lys20 of Akt is deacetylated by the histone deacetylase SIRT1 during macrophage activation to suppress macrophages inflammatory response. Mechanistically, SIRT1 promotes Akt deacetylation to inhibit the activation of NF-κB and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Loss of SIRT1 facilitates Akt acetylation and thus promotes inflammatory cytokines in mouse macrophages, potentially worsen the progression of sepsis in mice. By contrast, the upregulation of SIRT1 in macrophages further contributes to the inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines via Akt activation in sepsis. Taken together, our findings establish Akt deacetylation as an essential negative regulatory mechanism that curtails M1 polarization.
The (im)possibilities of queer girlhoods: Chinese girls negotiating queerness and filial piety
Authors: Xie Xumeng
Published: May 2023

This paper examines the experiences of nine Chinese girls and young women as they explore and negotiate queer subjectivities within the constraints of patriarchal and (hetero)sexual norms surrounding girlhood and young femininity. I focus on filial piety ( xiaoshun) as a normative gendered discourse being reconfigured in changing gender, familial and other power dynamics in China. I argue that the discourse of filial piety continues to naturalise a heteronormative girlhood that will smoothly transition into young womanhood prepared to take on responsibilities of ‘getting married and having kids’. This narrative, however, is in tensions with girls and young women’s diversified expressions of sexualities. Through the participants’ own accounts of queer explorations, I demonstrate how they actively engage and reflect on these tensions with familial and filial discourses while navigating the (im)possibilities of becoming queer girls across varied socioeconomic and family backgrounds. The findings of this study offered new insights into how familism and filial piety are woven into Chinese gender and sexual politics and being constantly (re)negotiated. My conceptualisation of queer girlhoods in China shows how queer girls and young women are marginalised in and around family. In the meantime, it demonstrates the emergent strategies of queer resistance and negotiations of filial piety through delaying marriage and managing familial intimacy.
Field epidemiology, clinical findings and outcome of Scrub typhus patients admitted at Gedu District Hospital, Chhukha, Bhutan
Authors: Nepal Tej Nath , Chhetri Geeta
Published: May 2023

Objectives:

This study aimed to understand the field epidemiology, clinical findings, diagnostic reports and outcome of Scrub typhus patients admitted at Gedu District Hospital, Bhutan.

Methods:

The researcher extracted data from the records of patients admitted at the hospital from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2020, with diagnosis of Scrub typhus. A total of 185 records were used to study the demographic distribution, results of rapid diagnostic test for Scrub typhus, presence of eschar, treatment outcome and duration of admission in the hospital.

Results:

The months of May to October had increased admissions of 137 (74%) patients with a peak in September. Three gewogs (sub-districts) had 173 (93.5%) patients; age range was 6 months to 84 years and a greater proportion of patients were females.

Conclusion:

Scrub typhus is endemic in the district. The absence of recorded fever or a negative rapid diagnostic test report may not exclude the diagnosis of Scrub typhus.
Heterogeneity of Water Justice and the Question of Nile Solidarity
Authors: Abazeed Abeer
Published: May 2023

This article analyses the recent contestation over the Nile River due to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and its implications for the agrarian question and water justice. The article focuses on the commodification of the Nile by national governments, whereby technology, rationality, and regulations have become the driving force of the river’s development. The engagement of civil society actors in the GERD dispute reveals several perceptions of “riverhood” of the Nile. As a result, water justice is heterogeneous and challenges building a wide-basin movement.