bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Salt Stress Affects the Photosynthetic and Chlorophyll Fluorescence Responses in Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)
Authors: Adhikari Bikash , Olorunwa Omolayo J. , Barickman T. Casey
Published: June 2022

Lettuce is a salt-sensitive crop and has a threshold electrical conductivity of 1.3–2.0 mS cm-1 and above that is considered detrimental. As there has been very little information on the physio-logical response of different critical stages of lettuce under different salt stress (SS), the current study is focused on investigating the effects of SS on the critical physiological traits influencing the carbon assimilation in different growth stages of lettuce. The experiment was conducted in deep-water culture hydroponic system in a greenhouse condition. Four levels of sodium chloride salt treatments (EC: 20, 16, 8, and 1.8 mS cm-1) were applied. During both growth stages (day 11 (GS1) and day 19 (GS2) after salt treatment), the leaf transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and intercellular CO2 were severely decreased. However, the carbon assimilation rate remained unchanged under SS. Similarly, the water use efficiency increased under the SS. It is concluded that the increasing SS increased stomatal and non-stomatal limiting factors during GS1 suggesting the enhanced limitation in photosynthetic activity while no such trend was observed during GS2. The decreased gm with increased SS at GS1 and GS2 suggested that SS induced the irreversible decrease of gm, which in turn can be responsible for the transient reduction in the Vcmax and Jmax during GS2. Taken together, the evidence from this research recommends that varying the SS levels can significantly affect the physiological performance of lettuce at both growth stages.
Design of a Compact Energy Storage with Rotary Series Elastic Actuator for Lumbar Support Exoskeleton
Authors: Al-Dahiree Omar Sabah , Ghazilla Raja Ariffin Raja , Tokhi Mohammad Osman , YAP Hwa Jen , Albaadani Emad Abdullah
Published: June 2022

Lumbar support exoskeletons with active and passive actuators are currently the cutting-edge technology for preventing back injuries in workers while lifting heavy objects. However, many challenges still exist in both types of exoskeletons, including rigid actuators, risks of human-robot interaction, high battery consumption, bulky design, and limited assistance. In this paper, the design of a compact, lightweight energy storage device combined with rotary series elastic (ES-RSEA) is proposed for use in a lumbar support exoskeleton to increase the level of assistance and exploit the human bioenergy during the two stages of the lifting task. ES takes the responsibility to store and release passive mechanical energy while RSEA provides excellent compliance and prevents injury from the human body's undesired movement. The experimental tests on the spiral spring showed excellent linear characteristics (above 99%) with an actual spring stiffness of 9.96 Nm/rad. The results demonstrate that ES-RSEA can provide maximum torque assistance in the ascent phase with 66.6 Nm while generating nearly 21 Nm of spring torque during descent without turning on the DC motor. Ultimately, the proposed design can maximize the energy storage of human energy, exploit the biomechanics of lifting tasks, and reduce the burden on human effort to perform lifting tasks.
Численное моделирование развития турбулентных пятен в сверхзвуковом пограничном слое на пластине
Authors: Егоров Иван Владимирович , Egorov Ivan Vladimirovich , Новиков Андрей Валерьевич , Novikov Andrei Valer'evich , Чувахов Павел Владимирович , Chuvakhov Pavel Vladimirovich
Published: June 2022

Проведено прямое численное моделирование развития турбулентных пятен в пограничном слое на плоской пластине под нулевым углом атаки при числе Маха набегающего потока $\mathrm{M}_\infty=6$. Рассмотрено распространение искусственно возбуждeнных локализованных трeхмерных вихревых возмущений с различными начальными амплитудами, которые при распространении вниз по потоку развиваются в турбулентные пятна. Моделирование выполнено в рамках решения уравнений Навье--Стокса для пространственных течений сжимаемого газа с помощью авторского расчeтного кода, реализующего неявный метод сквозного счeта. Показано, что универсальная квазимонотонная численная схема позволяет корректно оценивать основные характеристики турбулентных пятен - угол поперечного раскрытия и скорости переднего и заднего фронтов. Продемонстрировано согласование полученных параметров пятен с результатами других авторов.
Gray matter abnormalities in a drug resistant patient with early-onset schizophrenia: a case report and review of literature
Authors: Pitzianti Mariabernarda , Fagioli Sabrina , Muti Marco , Bartolucci Elisa , Rapaccini Valentina , Principi Massimo , Spiridigliozzi Simonetta , Pasini Augusto
Published: June 2022

Introduction. Neuroimaging studies have shown the presence of structural and functional brain anomalies at different stages of Schizophrenia. Structural and functional abnormalities affect the candidate brain areas for Schizophrenia and are associated with significant cognitive and behavioral impairment. Early-onset schizophrenia (EOS) is associated with poorer outcome if not diagnosed early and treated continuously. Case presentation. We propose a detailed description of the volumetric variations in a 15-year-old female patient with Early-Onset Schizophrenia who developed drug resistance, and an overview of the main structural abnormalities reported in Schizophrenia. Moreover, we discuss the antipsychotic treatment effects and propose the possible consequences of drug resistance. Our clinical case shows a peculiar trend of volumetric variations probably due to drug resistance; furthermore, scientific findings converge on the presence of structural brain abnormalities at any age in Schizophrenia. Conclusion. Based on the available findings so far, it is possible to affirm that, the antipsychotic treatment with atypical neuroleptics (especially if started early and effective on the first episode) might influence the development trajectories of cerebral nervous system in Early-Onset Schizophrenia.
Clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with glioblastoma with infratentorial leptomeningeal dissemination
Authors: Kawauchi Daisuke , Ohno Makoto , Honda-Kitahara Mai , Miyakita Yasuji , Takahashi Masamichi , Yanagisawa Shunsuke , Tamura Yukie , Kikuchi Miyu , Ichimura Koichi , Narita Yoshitaka
Published: June 2022

Background
Leptomeningeal dissemination (LMD) is a severe complication of glioblastoma (GBM) and has become a more common and indispensable clinical proposition with improved patient prognosis. Although infratentorial leptomeningeal dissemination (ITD) of GBM is rare, it is clinically significant as it may largely influence patient prognosis. Here, we investigated the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with ITD.
Methods
Data of patients with newly diagnosed isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-wildtype GBM treated at our institution between October 2008 and December 2018 were reviewed. ITD was defined as the dissemination of GBM, which first emerged as a supratentorial tumor, and later disseminated in the infratentorial region as the first recurrent site.
Results
Of 160 patients with newly diagnosed IDH-wildtype GBM, seven (4.4%) were classified as having ITD. ITD lesions were in the fourth ventricle in two patients, extra-cerebellum or extra-brainstem in two, and intra-cerebellum in three. The primary symptoms of ITD were gait disturbance (85.7%, n = 6), nausea and vomiting (28.6%, n = 2), cerebellar mutism (14.3%, n = 1), and none (14.3%, n = 1). In four cases (57.1%), symptoms were confirmed before ITD discovery. The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of the patients were 12.2 and 19.7 months, respectively. Radiotherapy was performed in five patients, and all the patients received chemotherapy. The PFS and OS from ITD diagnosis were 2.9 and 7.1 months, respectively. Patients with favorable prognoses were younger and had higher Karnofsky performance status (KPS) scores.
Conclusions
Radiotherapy or molecular-targeted therapy may be effective in some cases of ITD and may contribute to extending survival. Carefully checking the infratentorial region of patients with GBM during follow-up and rapidly treating ITD before their KPS score starts declining are crucial.
Why Economists Disagree: An Illustration of Irreconcilability Using the US State Level Unemployment Rate Data
Authors: Luitel Hari Sharan , Mahar Gerry J.
Published: June 2022

In the literature, the unemployment rate has been explained by two hypotheses: the natural rate hypothesis vs. the hysteresis hypothesis. The former hypothesis refers to the rate of unemployment towards which the economy naturally gravitates in the long run. The latter hypothesis refers to the long-lasting effects of shocks on the unemployment rate. We test these two competing hypotheses using conventional unit root tests on the US unemployment rate at the state level and provide empirical evidence for both the hysteresis and the natural rate hypotheses. We then explain why reconciliation of opposite views regarding the unemployment rate is unlikely.JEL Classification: C22, C23, E24, J64
Quad Element Beamforming Microstrip Antenna for Indoor User Equipment Localization at 6 Ghz Band
Authors: Govindasami Thirunavukkarasu , Govindasamy Murugesan , Aziz Azrina Abd , S Kowsikkumar
Published: June 2022

Beamforming is one of the vibrant emerging techniques for the next generation of wireless communication. It has many applications including localization of objects in indoor and outdoor environment, radar, D2D communication, vehicular networks, astronomy, and biomedical instruments. The main requirements of beamforming are the antenna with narrow beamwidth and a network for steering the beam in the desired direction. In this paper, a Quad-element microstrip array antenna with H-type feeding and corporate feeding are proposed as beamforming antennas to locate the user equipment in indoor WiFi, and WLAN environment. The performance metrics such as, voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), return loss and gain are also evaluated for the variety of arrangement of array elements with the single element microstrip antenna. The test result shows that the proposed array antenna provides unidirectional at 2.26 GHz and 6.35 GHz. It measures a VSWR of less than 2 dB which is desirable. Moreover, it gives a return loss of -12.63 dB at 6.54 GHz and -16.21 dB at 6.63 GHz. It shows that designed antenna is suitable for beamforming for user equipment localization at indoor environment.
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adult with longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination: Case report
Authors: GUPTA ANIRBAN , Pandey Sudheer , Dhull Pawan , Sr Amit , Barki Satish , Kumar Krishna , Kompella Kiran Kumar
Published: June 2022

Introduction: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults (MIS-A) after SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination is a known complication. However, longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM) as a manifestation of MIS-A after SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination has not been reported before.Case presentation: 38-year old female, known case of hypothyroidism with history of mild SARS-Cov-2 infection in May 2021 and recent second dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (on 1st November 2021, COVISHIELD TM Oxford/Astra Zeneca) presented with acute onset progressive flaccid quadriparesis with bowel and bladder involvement since 26th December 2021. Over next 3 days she developed fever, maculopapular rash , shock, myocarditis, breathlessness, Jaundice, acute kidney injury. Investigations revealed polymorphonuclear leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, deranged Liver and renal function , severe left ventricular dysfunction. C reactive protein, D-dimer, procalcitonin, Interleukin-6 levels were raised. MRI whole spine revealed LETM from C6 to conus medullaris. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for SARS-CoV-2 infection was negative. SARS-CoV-2 antibody titre was raised. Diagnosed as a case of MIS-A with LETM. Managed with ventilatory and ionotropic support, Intravenous Iimmunoglobulin, antibiotics, hemodialysis and intravenous methyl prednisolone and oral steroid. Improved gradually and discharged. Presently patient has grade 5/5 power in both upper limbs and 2/5 power in both lower limbs with improving bowel and bladder control.Conclusions: This is the first reported case of LETM associated with MIS-A after SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination. With wider availability of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, various side effects are emerging. However as these side effects are rare, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination represents the hope for mankind to overcome this global pandemic.
A robust ensemble drought index: construction and assessment
Authors: Mi Qianchuan , Ren Chuanyou , Wang Yanhua , Gao Xining , Liu Limin , Li Yue
Published: June 2022

Drought indices have been commonly used in drought monitoring and assessments, but selecting the most appropriate one under different geographical and climatic conditions is difficult. With the widely used Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), and Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), self-calibrated Palmer Drought Severity Index (scPDSI), Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) using the Thornthwaite and the Penman-Monteith methods, we constructed a multi-timescale integrated drought index, the Ensemble Drought Index (EDI), for more robust and reliable drought assessments. The EDI can more accurately describe the major historical drought events, and has high, as well as significant, correlation with historical monthly soil moisture and annual runoff data all over China regardless of difference in region among those indices participating in integration. We also showed that the EDI greatly improved monitoring accuracy in the arid and semi-arid regions of China, where the assessments are always thorny. At the meantime, we revealed how the reference period of fitting statistical parameters affects the accuracy of drought assessments, and concluded that the long-term stationary climate variables series (i.e., without trend) can bring more accurate conclusions.
Alternative splicing and genetic variation of MHC-E: Implications for rhesus cytomegalovirus-based vaccines
Authors: Brochu Hayden , Wang Ruihan , Tollison Tammy , Pyo Chu-Woo , Thomas Alexander , Tseng Elizabeth , Law Lynn , Picker Louis , Gale Michael , Geraghty Daniel , Peng Xinxia
Published: June 2022

Rhesus cytomegalovirus (RhCMV)-based vaccination against Simian Immunodeficiency virus (SIV) elicits MHC-E-restricted CD8 + T cells that stringently control SIV infection in ~ 55% of vaccinated rhesus macaques (RM). However, it is unclear how accurately the RM model reflects HLA-E immunobiology in humans. Using long-read sequencing, we identified 16 Mamu-E isoforms and all Mamu-E splicing junctions were detected among HLA-E isoforms in humans. We also obtained the complete Mamu-E genomic sequences covering the full coding regions of 59 RM from a RhCMV/SIV vaccine study. The Mamu-E gene was duplicated in 32 (54%) of 59 RM. Among four groups of Mamu-E alleles: three ~ 5% divergent full-length allele groups (G1, G2, G2_LTR) and a fourth monomorphic group (G3) with a deletion encompassing the canonical Mamu-E exon 6, the presence of G2_LTR alleles was significantly (p = 0.02) associated with the lack of RhCMV/SIV vaccine protection. These genomic resources will facilitate additional MHC-E targeted translational research.
A Novel Intelligent Channel Estimation Strategy for the 5G Wireless Communication Systems
Authors: Lakshmi Maddala Vijaya , Lakshmi Meeniga Vijaya , Naveena Ambidi
Published: June 2022

Nowadays, the Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is an important method used in wireless communications, especially in 5G cellular communications. As in a wireless network, the input signals pass through a channel, and the input signal undergoes phase shift, attenuation, and interference. So, the password from the user side and the received signals are not the same. Thus, an effective channel estimator is essential to make cellular communication better. Hence, a novel hybrid technique called Chimp-based CatBoost channel estimation (CbCBCE) was proposed. This technique is the combination of the Chimp optimization algorithm and CatBoost algorithm. The channel parameters are estimated and then reduced using the Chimp optimization algorithm. Finally, the proposed model is validated with the case study. Then, the result of the proposed model was estimated, and it was compared with other existing techniques. It is observed that the outcome of the proposed design is more compared with the other conventional methods. The presented model is executed in the MATLAB platform, and it is proved that the proposed model has high throughput, high energy efficiency, less BER, and a high data transfer rate.
Reproducibility and Repeatability of a Semi-Automated Pipeline to Quantify Trapeziometacarpal Joint Angles Using Dynamic Computed Tomography
Authors: Kuczynski Michael T. , Wang Kendra , Tse Justin J. , Bugajski Tomasz , Manske Sarah L.
Published: June 2022

Background
The trapeziometacarpal (TMC) joint is a mechanically complex joint and is commonly affected by musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoarthritis. Quantifying in vivo TMC joint biomechanics, such as joint angles, with traditional reflective marker-based methods can be difficult due to the joint’s location in the hand. Dynamic computed tomography (CT) can facilitate the quantification of TMC joint angles by continuously capturing three-dimensional volumes over time. However, post-processing of dynamic CT datasets can be time intensive and automated methods are needed to reduce processing times to allow for application to larger clinical studies. The purpose of this work is to introduce a fast, semi-automated pipeline to quantify joint angles from dynamic CT scans of the TMC joint and evaluate the associated error in joint angle computation by means of a reproducibility and repeatability study.
Methods
Ten cadaveric hands were scanned with dynamic CT using a passive motion device to move thumbs in a radial abduction-adduction motion. Static CT scans and high-resolution peripheral quantitative CT scans were also acquired to generate high-resolution bone meshes. Abduction-adduction, flexion-extension, and axial rotation angles were computed using a joint coordinate system. Reproducibility and repeatability were assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients, Bland-Altman analysis, and root mean square errors. Target registration errors were computed to evaluate errors associated with image registration.
Results
Repeatability was found to be moderate to excellent for flexion-extension and abduction-adduction, and poor to excellent for axial rotation. Reproducibility was poor to excellent for all three angles. Specimens with greater joint degeneration had lower repeatability and reproducibility. We found that the difference in resulting joint angles were likely due to differences in segment coordinate system definition between multiple raters, rather than due to registration errors.
Conclusions
The proposed semi-automatic processing pipeline was fast, repeatable, and moderately reproducible when quantifying TMC joint angles. This work provides a range of errors for TMC joint angles from dynamic CT scans using manually selected anatomical landmarks.
Amelioration of injury-induced tissue acidosis by a nonsteroidal analgesic attenuates antinociceptive effects of the pH-dependent opioid agonist NFEPP
Authors: Celik Melih Özgür , Negrete Roger , Rosso Riccardo Di , Machelska Halina , Stein Christoph
Published: June 2022

Opioid agonists are powerful drugs for managing pain. However, their central side effects are limiting their use and drugs with similar potency, but a lower risk profile are needed. (±)-N-(3-fluoro-1-phenethylpiperidine-4-yl)-N-phenylpropionamide (NFEPP) is a novel opioid agonist that preferentially activates opioid receptors at acidic extracellular pH. NFEPP was designed to activate peripheral opioid receptors in injured tissue, therefore precluding side effects elicited at normal pH in brain or intestinal wall. Considering the common combination of opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in multimodal analgesia, we investigated the interaction between NFEPP and a widely prescribed prototypical NSAID, diclofenac (DCF), in a rat model of unilateral hindpaw inflammation induced by complete Freund’s adjuvant. We evaluated the effects of systemically applied DCF on the paw tissue pH, on the expression of inflammatory mediators in immune cells from inflamed paws and on the expression of opioid receptors in dorsal root ganglia. Additionally, we investigated the antinociceptive efficacy of NFEPP injected into the inflamed paws after DCF treatment. We found that DCF reduced inflammation-induced nociceptive responses and tissue acidosis, but did not change the mRNA expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-4, NGF, or of mu-, delta-, or kappa-opioid receptors. The treatment with DCF moderately reduced the antinociceptive efficacy of NFEPP, suggesting a correlation between an increase in local tissue pH and the decreased antinociceptive effect of this pH-sensitive opioid agonist.
ALDH2 knockout played a protective role in the aorta dissection.
Authors: Luo Chentao , Zhou Bing , Cui Yong , Liu Zhifang , Wang Shuwei
Published: June 2022

Background
The incidence and mortality of thoracic aortic dissection(TAD) are increasing. In clinicopathological studies, macrophage, T lymphocytes and dendritic cells were found infiltrating in the aortic middle layer. Acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2(ALDH2) gene polymorphism is associated with high incidence of hypertension in Asian populations. However, there is no clear evidence of the relationship between ALDH2 and TAD in Asians. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of aortic dissection in different ALDH2 genotypes and explore changes in the vascular wall.
Materials and methods
Three-week-old male mice were administered by freshly prepared β-aminopropionitrile(BAPN) solution dissolved in drinking water(1 g/kg/d) for 28 days to induce TAD. The animal ultrasound imaging system was used to observe the formation of arterial dissection. Subsequently, mice were killed by cervical dislocation. The aortic were fixed for HE staining and EVG staining to observe the aortic elastic fiber tears and pseudoluma formation under the microscope.
Results
Knockout(KO) of ALDH2 mitigated BAPN-induced TAD formation in animal studies. Ultrasound results showed that ALDH2 knockout reduced the degree of ascending aortic widening and the incidence of aortic dissection rupture. Pathological sections of multiple aortic segments showed that the protective effect of ALDH2 knockout included not only the ascending aorta but also the aortic arch and descending aorta. The expressions of NK CD56bright cells, Th17 cells, T cells and T helper cells were decreased in the ALDH2 KO mice treated with BAPN for 28 days.
Conclusions
ALDH2 knockout played a protective role in the aorta dissection by altering inflammatory response, immune response and protecting elastic fibers.
Cephy: a stand-alone, free and open-source toolkit for hydrocarbon in place evaluation by ordinary kriging
Authors: Mulekya Patient K. , Kabasele Ilunga , Numbi Kasongo , Nwankwo Princess C. , Babalola Tomisin B.
Published: June 2022

Cephy is a software toolkit written in Java that enables the user to perform spatial interpolation of subsurface data by ordinary kriging. Key features of the software include data exploration by map plot with symbol dimension proportional to the magnitude of the property at a given location; variogram modeling and interpolation of petrophysical properties; as well as oil in place estimation per area unit throughout the reservoir. Cephy enables the user to define the tolerance and the minimum number of pairs required to validate the experimental variogram of the corresponding lag distance when learning the relationship between geolocated data. The software is entirely made of a graphical user interface for adjusting the variogram modeling parameters and visualizing the subsequent interpolationally-generated map. Cephy is applied on Kinkasi reservoir in Kinkasi field (Coastal basin of DR Congo) to demonstrate its functionalities. The result supports a better understanding of oil distribution throughout the reservoir and can be used as a baseline for the suggestion of new infill drilling locations.
Characterization of polymorphic microsatellite markers for the Japanese endangered land snail Mandarina
Authors: Nishida Shu , Mimura Kotaro , Mori Hideaki , Chiba Satoshi
Published: June 2022

Objective: Mandarina is an endangered land snail genus of the oceanic Ogasawara archipelago. On Chichijima Island, the largest inhabited island in Ogasawara, this genus is almost extinct in the wild due to predation by invasive species. Although ex situ conservation programs started in 2010, genetic diversity and population structure remain unclear due to a lack of genetic markers with sufficient genetic variation. In this study, we designed polymorphic microsatellite markers of Mandarina to enable genetic analysis and to develop appropriate conservation plans.Results: Twenty-three polymorphic microsatellite markers were identified from the genomic DNA of wild samples of Mandarina mandarina. We assessed the genetic diversity of each marker. In 16 markers, neither linkage disequilibrium nor deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was detected. These 16 markers were tested for multiplex PCR using low-density DNA extracted non-lethally from captive samples of M. mandarina, M. chichijimana and M. suenoae. Of the 16 markers, 15, 12 and 9 were usable for multiplex PCR, respectively. Genetic analysis using these microsatellite loci will be an important resource for the conservation of Mandarina.
Filtration and respiration responses of mussels (Mytilus edulis) to trematode parasite infections (Renicola roscovita) and transient heat exposure
Authors: khosravi Maral , Thieltges David , Díaz-Morales Dakeishla M , Bommarito Claudia , Vajedsamiei Jahangir
Published: June 2022

As a foundation species in shallow-water ecosystems, the mussel Mytilus edulis is often exposed to heat stress, negatively affecting its performance. Trematode parasites may exacerbate those effects. This study explores mussel metabolic responses to Renicola roscovita infections under mild and transient heat exposures. First, we investigated the responses of artificially infected and uninfected small mussels (2 cm) to a 24-hour exposure to a mild temperature followed by an acute heat ramp and subsequent cooling. The results indicated that infections reduced mussel filtration by 13% and exacerbated the impact of heat stress, as indicated by a larger infection effect in the post-heat recovery phase. However, these effects were statistically insignificant, owing to significant variation among mussels and low sample sizes. In a second experiment, we investigated how mussel size (2 vs 4 cm) affected infection impacts on mussel performance at a constant mild temperature. We found that infections reduced mussel filtration by 11% and 12% for small and large mussels, respectively, albeit statistically significant only for large mussels. No discernible impact on the mussel respiration rate was found in both experiments. A positive relationship between mussel filtration capacity and infection intensity was found, suggesting that mussel phenotypes with higher filtration capacity may be more prone to infections. Overall, our results suggest that R. roscovita infections can lower the hosts’ ability to sustain optimal energy supply, which may exacerbate heat stress adverse effects. The role of mussel phenotypic variation in filtration capacity in driving infection intensity and subsequent effects warrants further investigation.
Coevolution of Lepidoptera and their host plants: The Salient Aroma Hypothesis
Authors: Lin Po-An , Chan Wei-Ping , Cai Liming , Dankowicz Even , Gilbert Kadeem , Pierce Naomi , Felton Gary
Published: June 2022

Host plant specialization by moths and butterflies has been a primary research focus in the field of coevolution and ecological specialization. However, factors underlying the evolution of host specificity remain largely unclear despite decades of research. Here, we demonstrate that host plant specialization is closely linked to diurnality in the Lepidoptera: diurnal butterflies and moths tend to specialize in their range of host choices, whereas nocturnal moths tend to be relative generalists. We further show that plants, on average, release larger amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOC) during the day than at night. Given that plant VOCs are important chemical cues for host searching in herbivores, we propose the ‘Salient Aroma Hypothesis (SAH)’. Under SAH, herbivores that are active during the period when plant VOCs are more available are better able to discriminate between potential host species and therefore have more specialized diet breadth. Conversely, those active at night, when VOCs are not released as much, are more likely to have wider diet breadth. Antennae are the primary organs used to perceive VOCs. Differences in their morphologies also support predictions from the SAH: Diurnal females have larger antennae relative to their body sizes than nocturnal females. Our study underscores the importance of plant VOCs in Lepidoptera evolution, suggesting a possible evolutionary pathway for host specialization in herbivorous insects.
Prevalence and Trends of Perioperative Major Adverse Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Events During Cancer Surgeries
Authors: Ramamoorthy Venkataraghavan , Chan Kelvin , Appunni Sandeep , Zhang Zhenwei , Ahmed Md Ashfaq , McGranaghan Peter , Saxena Anshul , Rubens Muni
Published: June 2022

Major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality during perioperative period. In this study, we looked for national trends in perioperative MACCE and its components as well as cancer types associated with high rates of perioperative MACCE during major cancer surgeries. This study was a retrospective analysis of the National Inpatient Sample, 2005-2014. Hospitalizations for surgeries of prostate, bladder, esophagus, pancreas, lung, liver, colorectal, and breast among patients 40 years and greater were included in the analysis. MACCE was defined as a composite measure that included in-hospital all-cause mortality, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and ischemic stroke. A total of 2,854,810 hospitalizations for major surgeries were included in this study. Of these, 67316 (2.4%) had perioperative MACCE. Trends of perioperative MACCE showed that it decreased significantly for AMI, death and any MACCE, while stroke did not significantly change during the study period. Logistic regression analysis for perioperative MACCE by cancer types showed that surgeries for esophagus, pancreas, lung, liver, and colorectal cancers had significantly greater odds for perioperative MACCE. The surgeries identified to have greater risks for MACCE in this study could be risk stratified for better informed decision-making and management.
Weighting Rules in Optimal 3-Point Quadratures (Derivation of Fundamental Weighting Rule Using Swarm Intelligence)
Authors: Babaei Mehdi
Published: June 2022

Please see Manuscript PDF for full Abstract:This paper investigates the interconnectivity relationships between the weights of the optimal 3-point quadratures using swarm intelligence. It shows that the previously developed optimal quadratures precisely submit a simple weighting rule so-called fundamental weighting rule (FWR). This research extracts this rule using statistics and intelligent computation. Accessing such a FWR, we can generate countless optimal quadratures, all of which work very precisely. The overall pattern of the 3-point quadratures is as follows:The FWR related to this general 3-point quadrature will be obtained as:Using this FWR, we can effortlessly generate a wide extend of quadratures for arbitrary values of βi. This weighting rule coupled with some additional will be discussed. To be noted, any formulations which deviates the FWR cannot be an optimal one. Against the extreme simplicity with this rule, it robustly tunes any 3-point quadrature for maximum performance. Finally, to have a clear insight on the precision level of the generated formulas, a graphical error discussion is involved in section 5. It shows that the reliable range of βi for generating integration formulas is [0,0.5]; and, the most precise integration formulas corresponds to βi = 0.23. All the analyses are conducted by MATLAB software. Numerical examples show the efficiency of the generated quadratures.
COVID-19 and its prevention in internally displaced person (IDP) camps in Somalia: Impact on livelihood, food security and mental health
Authors: Mumin Farah Isse , Wesonga Fred , Handuleh Jibril I.M , White Ross G. , Mor Siobhan M.
Published: June 2022

Background
Somalia has over 2.6 million internally displaced people (IDP) that depend on daily wages and humanitarian assistance for their livelihoods. This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on livelihoods, food security and mental health of Somalia’s IDPs.
Methods
A questionnaire was conducted with “breadwinners” (n = 585) residing in one of 15 randomly selected IDP camps. Mental health was assessed using the 5-item World Health Organization Wellbeing Index (WHO-5) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Multivariable regression was used to explore the effect of depressive symptoms on soap use and ability to pay for food/medicine/rent
Results
Knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms, transmission and prevention was relatively high, however only 55% reported using soap for hand-washing. Around one third perceived that prohibition of public gatherings had negatively impacted weekly earnings. Participants reported difficulty buying food (85%), medicine (82%) and paying rent (51%) because of COVID-19. The majority were assessed as having low wellbeing and high depressive symptoms (mean WHO-5 = 44.2/100; mean PHQ-9 = 18.6/27), with most (74%) indicating that they felt worse than before the pandemic. Compared to people with low depressive symptoms, people with high depressive symptoms were less likely to use soap (aOR = 0.3, 95% CI = 0.2, 0.7; P < 0.001) and more likely to report difficulty buying food (aOR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.1, 4.3; P = 0.02).
Conclusions
COVID-19 and associated restrictions have negatively impacted Somalia’s internally displaced population. Livelihood and mental health support is urgently needed in the recovery phase of the pandemic and should be factored into future pandemic planning.
Comparative Investigation of Anti-inflammatory Effect of Platelet-Rich Fibrin After Mandibular Wisdom Tooth Surgery: A randomized controlled study
Authors: Karaca Gamze Tanan , Duygu Gonca , Er Nilay , Ozgun Eray
Published: June 2022

ObjectivesThis study evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) applied to the extraction socket after impacted mandibular third molar surgery with subjective and objective parameters.Materials and MethodsA total of 48 patients who had fully impacted wisdom teeth in bilateral and similar positions were included in the study. The control group was formed with the standard extraction of the lower third molars, and the PRF group was formed with local PRF application in addition to standard impacted tooth surgery (n = 96). The anti-inflammatory activity of PRF on postoperative 2nd and 7th days was evaluated subjectively by clinical parameters and objectively by biochemical parameters.ResultsPostoperative 2nd and 7th-day follow-up data of pain, edema, and trismus in the PRF group were found to be statistically significantly lower. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were found to be statistically significantly lower in the PRF group than in the postoperative 2nd day follow-up period (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) parameters when the PRF group and the control group were compared in both follow-up periods (p > 0.05).ConclusionsPRF has a positive effect in controlling complications associated with mandibular impacted third molar extraction, as confirmed by measurement of serum ESR, CRP, and IL-6 values.Clinical RelevanceThe use of PRF in the extraction socket after impacted third molar surgery can be used as a routine procedure, but this recommendation should be supported by comprehensive studies with high patient numbers.
High severity of abortion complications in fragile and conflict-affected settings: A cross-sectional study in two referral hospitals in Sub-Saharan Africa (AMoCo study)
Authors: Pasquier Estelle , Owolabi Onikepe O. , Fetters Tamara , Ngbale Richard Norbert , Gbanzi Mariette Claudia Adame , Williams Timothy , Chen Huiwu , Fotheringham Claire , Lagrou Daphne , Schulte-Hillen Catrin , Powell Bill , Baudin Elisabeth , Filippi Veronique , Benova Lenka
Published: June 2022

Background: Abortion-related complications are one of the five main causes of maternal mortality. However, research about abortion is very limited in fragile and conflict-affected settings. Our study aims to describe the magnitude and severity of abortion-related complications in two referral hospitals located in such settings in northern Nigeria and Central African Republic (CAR).Methods: We used a methodology similar to the World Health Organization (WHO) near-miss approach adapted in the WHO multi-country study on abortion (WHO-MCS-A). We conducted a cross-sectional study using prospective medical record review of women presenting with abortion-related complications between November 2019 and July 2021. We used descriptive analysis and categorized complications into four mutually exclusive categories of increasing severity.Results: We analyzed data from 520 women in Nigeria and 548 women in CAR. Abortion complications represented 4.2% (Nigeria) and 19.9% (CAR) of all pregnancy-related admissions. The severity of abortion complications was high: 103 (19.8%) and 34 (6.2%) women were classified as having severe maternal outcomes (near-miss cases and deaths), 245 (47.1%) and 244 (44.5%) potentially life-threatening, 39 (7.5%) and 93 (17.0%) moderate, and 133 (25.6%) and 177 (32.3%) mild complications, respectively in Nigeria and CAR. Severe bleeding/hemorrhage was the main type of complication in both settings (71.9%in Nigeria, 57.8% in CAR), followed by infection (18.7% in Nigeria, 27.0% in CAR). Among the 146 women (Nigeria) and 231 women (CAR) who did not report severe bleeding or hemorrhage before or during admission, anemia was more frequent in Nigeria (66.7%) compared to CAR (37.6%).Conclusion: Our data suggests greater severity of abortion-related complications compared with the 210 African referral facilities of a recent WHO study in more stable settings. Factors that could contribute to this greater severity in these contexts include greater delays in accessing post-abortion care, decreased access to contraceptive and safe abortion care that result in increased unsafe induced abortions; as well as increased food insecurity leading to iron-deficiencies and chronic anaemia. The results highlight the need for better access to safe abortion care, contraception, and high quality postabortion care to prevent and manage complications of abortions in fragile and conflict-affected settings.
Prediction of the indoor climate in cultural heritage buildings through machine learning - First results from two field tests
Authors: Boesgaard Christian , Hansen Birgit Vinther , Kejser Ulla Bøgvad , Mollerup Søren Højlund , Ryhl-Svendsen Morten , Torp-Smith Noah
Published: June 2022

Control of temperature and relative humidity in storage areas and exhibitions is crucial for long-term preservation of cultural heritage objects. This paper explores the possibilities for developing a proactive system, based on a machine-learning model (XGBoost), for predicting the occurrence of unwanted indoor environmental conditions: either a too high or a too low relative humidity, within the forthcoming 24 hours. The features used in the model was hourly indoor and outdoor climate recordings, and it was applied to two indoor heritage environments; a storage and a church building. The test accuracy (f1-score) of the model was good (0.92 for high RH; 0.93 for low RH) when applied to the storage building, but only 0.78; 0.62 (high RH; low RH) for the church building test. Challenges encountered include difficulties in obtaining good historical climate data sets for training and testing the model, and the dependency of external IT systems, which, if they fail, inactivates the model without a warning. Several issues call for more research: A desirable improvement of the model would be predictions for periods longer than 24 hours ahead, still maintaining a high test accuracy. Further perspectives of using machine learning for indoor environmental forecasting could be for indoor air pollution, or energy consumption due to climate control. This requires, however, more data to be collected, in order to get the basis for building valid machine-learning models of sufficient test accuracy.
Improvement of Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components in Patients Who Underwent Transsphenoidal Resection for Pituitary Adenoma
Authors: Cortés-Contreras A.P. , Salazar-Pigeon A. , González-Almazán J.A. , Navarro-Olvera J.L. , Carrillo-Ruiz J.D.
Published: June 2022

Purpose. The aim of this paper is to evaluate changes in the metabolic status of patients with PA before and after the surgical treatment, and to look for differences in the metabolic outcomes among patients according to the adenoma type and the success rate of the surgery.Methods. We assessed patients with PA who went through TSS for its treatment, documenting metabolic parameters (height, weight, fasting glucose, blood pressure, triglycerides, and HDL-cholesterol) before and after surgery, analyzed whole sample changes, and then stratified them according to adenoma type (non-producing, somatotroph, lactotroph, and corticotroph), and surgery success (total resection, near total resection, partial resection, subtotal resection).Results. A total of 214 patients were enrolled for this study. The prevalence of MetSx with AACE criteria went from 51.52% before surgery to 28.99% after surgery (p <0.001). Hyperglycemia was the most benefited component, which went from 56% pre-surgery to 40.51% post-surgery (p= 0.03). Total resection group had the best improvement, with significant decrease of prevalence in MetSx from 83% to 16% (p< 0.001), and every component, excepting Hα: obesity went from 96% to 67% (p< 0.001), HT 59 to 24% (p< 0.001), HGlu 74 to 23 % (p<0.001), and HTri from 81 to 54% (p< 0.001). According to MetSx prevalence, there was no difference of the improvement PA type, as this improvement showed to be significant in all of them.Conclusion. MetSx improves in patients with PA after surgical treatment. Trial registration number. DI/20/403/03/87
Temporal Link Prediction via Adjusted Sigmoid Function and 2-Simplex Sructure
Authors: Zhang Ruizhi , Wang Qiaozi , Yang Qiming , Wei Wei
Published: June 2022

Temporal network link prediction is an important task in the field of network science, and has a wide range of applications in practical scenarios. Revealing the evolutionary mechanism of the network is essential for link prediction, and how to effectively utilize the historical information for temporal links and efficiently extract the high-order patterns of network structure remains a vital challenge. To address these issues, in this paper, we propose a novel temporal link prediction model with adjusted sigmoid function and 2-simplex structure (TLPSS). The adjusted sigmoid decay mode takes the active, decay and stable states of edges into account, which properly fits the life cycle of information. Moreover, the latent matrix sequence is introduced, which is composed of simplex high-order structure, to enhance the performance of link prediction method since it is highly feasible in sparse network. Combining the life cycle of information and simplex high-order structure, the overall performance of TLPSS is achieved by satisfying the consistency of temporal and structural information in dynamic networks. Experimental results on six real-world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of TLPSS, and our proposed model improves the performance of link prediction by an average of 15% compared to other baseline methods.
A New Human-Based Metahurestic Optimization Method Based on Mimicking Cooking Training
Authors: Trojovská Eva , Dehghani Mohammad
Published: June 2022

Metaheuristic algorithms have a wide range of applications in handling optimization problems. In this study, a new metaheuristic algorithm, called the Chef-Based Optimization Algorithm (CBOA), is developed. The fundamental inspiration employed in CBOA design is the process of learning cooking skills in training courses. The stages of the cooking training process in various phases are mathematically modeled with the aim of increasing the ability of global search in exploration and the ability of local search in exploitation. To assess the CBOA’s performance in addressing optimization issues, a collection of twenty-three standard objective functions is utilized. The optimization results show that the CBOA is capable of providing acceptable solutions by creating a balance between exploration and exploitation and is highly efficient in the treatment of optimization problems. Ten well-known metaheuristic algorithms have been selected for comparison with the CBOA. The simulation results show that CBOA performs much better than competing algorithms and is more effective in solving optimization problems.
Studied on nutrition indices, proximate composition and nutritional quality of carp fish Cyprinus carpio fed with Beta vulgaris : do fish fed have to be optimally to add value to the human diet?
Authors: Amiri Nahid , Aberoumand Ali , nejad Saeed Ziaee
Published: June 2022

Background: The optimizing nutritional conditions are effective in the quantitative and qualitative position of carp production. The use of plant material in the fish diet to reduce production costs and increase growth rate. The aim of present research was to investigate the effect of different levels of powder Beta vulgaris was preformatted on some indices of nutrition and the fillet analysis of common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Methods: The 360 fish with a weight average of 20 g and a standard length of 9 cm were selected and randomly divided into 12 tanks. The experiment consisted of 4 treatments and 3 triplicates. The fishes were fed to diet containing 0.5%, 1% and 2% of Beta vulgaris powder for 6 weeks. The nutrition indices and chemical composition of the fish fillet were studied. Results: The adding Beta vulgaris leaves powder to the fish diet had a positive effect on the nutrition indices. Feed conversion ratio was increased by adding Beta vulgaris to diet, and there was a significant difference between dietary conversion efficiency and protein/fat ratio and protein content in compared to the control. Conclusions: The adding 1% of Beta vulgaris powder to fish diet caused a decrease in the fat content which significantly difference found with other treatments. The presence of Beta vulgaris leaves in the diet increased the protein and ash contents in the fish fillet. By adding 2% Beta vulgaris powder to fish diet in 56 days, it resulted in fillets with high nutritional value and high amount of fat and protein, which are suitable for human nutrition.