bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Principles for transformative ocean governance
Authors: Lombard Amanda , Clifford-Holmes Jai , Goodall Victoria , Snow Bernadette , Truter Hannah , Morgera Elisa , Jones Peter JS , Flannery Wesley , Hicks Christina , Gipperth Lena , Cochrane Kevern , Allison Edward , Diz Daniela , Erinosho Bolanle , Peters Kimberley , Levin Phillip , Holthus Paul , Szephegyi María , Awad Adnan , Golo Harrison , Vrancken Patrick
Published: October 2022

With a focus on the ocean, we collaborated across social, ecological and legal disciplines to respond to the United Nations call for transformation in the ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’ by developing a set of 13 principles for transformative ocean governance. These principles can be used to help chart a course of action that responds to the many calls to reform current ocean-use practices based on economic growth models that have perpetuated inequities and fuelled conflict and environmental decline. We use a rigorous, iterative and transparent consensus building approach to define the principles, which we recommend are applied as a comprehensive set to transform unsustainable ocean governance practices and guide future initiatives. We show that the relationships between the principles can be supporting, neutral or sometimes conflicting, and discuss how best to manage these relationships in the pursuit of meaningful transformation.
Strength modeling of Al-alloy sheet self-piercing riveting considering different failure modes
Authors: Liu Yahui , Zhu Zhiwang , Yu Huipeng , Wang Jun
Published: October 2022

Self-piercing riveting (SPR) has been widely utilized to connect metal components in industry, and the mechanical properties of final product depend on the strength of SPR joint which is experimentally measured through cross-tension and lap-shear tests. These tests are destructive and the tested strength of specimen is not directly related to the actual strength of the SPR product. In this study, the SPR process of aluminum alloy sheet was investigated and the general empirical model of SPR strength was established by comprehensively considering the factors including of the geometric dimensions of components and die, the material properties of rivet and sheet, and the load - stroke curve of punch. The calculated strength values of 4 group of SPR specimens were verified by the experimentally measured results. All calculation errors are lower than 8%. An industrial internet of things (IIoT) was developed to automatically realize the data transmission and strength calculation of the SPR process.
Using virtual sites for population size estimates of men who have sex with men in urban Tanzania: a feasibility study
Authors: Nyato Daniel , Saidel Tobi , Kuringe Evodius , Materu Jacqueline , Changalucha John , Shao Amani , Casalini Caterina , Nnko Soori , Komba Albert , Christensen Alice , Wambura Mwita
Published: October 2022

Background
Globally, men who have sex with other men (MSM) increasingly use virtual platforms for networking and soliciting sexual partners due to unrelenting stigma and discrimination. However, most studies estimating the MSM population for HIV prevention coverage in sub-Saharan Africa focus on physical sites, failing to account for MSM using virtual platforms. This study aimed to examine the feasibility of estimating the MSM population using virtual spaces in Tanzania.
Methods
MSM recruited from civil society organisations collected data on two levels: First, a participatory ranking method involving key informants was used to identify virtual sites, and on each site, they listed all profiles used by MSM in selected towns. Secondly, research assistants logged in to those platforms three times a day (morning, afternoon, and evening) and counted all those who were active online at every time point for seven days. Those online were invited to participate in a voluntary short survey. The number of profiles recorded was generated by aggregating the virtual site profiles for MSM registered daily. Data collected in the short survey were then applied as correction factors to adjust for MSM counted twice or more on different days of the week and for those who may have been missed in the survey.
Results
A total of 4,480 active profiles were observed. Of the 4,480 unadjusted profiles, only 2,429 were unique. 598 male virtual site users aged 18 + years were interviewed to collect data on correction factors. Approximately 91% of participants on virtual sites also visited physical venues. Nearly 90% of participants in the short survey used virtual sites for socialising and sexual networking several times a week.
Conclusion
This study shows that virtual mapping is a feasible strategy to capture estimates of MSM who cannot be counted through venue-based approaches, especially in contexts where MSM face legal and societal stigmatisation and discrimination.
Using the freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818) as a biological model for ecotoxicology studies: a systematic review
Authors: Souza-Silva Gabriel , de Souza Clessius Ribeiro , Pereira Cíntia Aparecida de Jesus , Lima Walter dos Santos , Mol Marcos Paulo Gomes , Silveira Micheline Rosa
Published: October 2022

Over time, a growing increase in human pollutants in the aquatic environment has been observed. The global presence of residues in water bodies reinforces the need to develop improved methods to detect them and evaluate their ecotoxicological effects in the aquatic environment. Thus, this study aimed to present the main assays using B. glabrata as a biological model for ecotoxicological studies. We performed a systematic literature review with data published up to June 2022 in the Science Direct, PubMed, and SciELO databases. Twenty-six studies were selected for this review after screening. B. glabrata has been studied as an ecotoxicological model for different substances through toxicity, embryotoxicity, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and bioaccumulation assays. Studies evaluating the impact of Biomphalaria glabrata exposure to several substances have reported toxic effects, behavioral and reproductive effects, and effects on their offspring. This review presents various assays using Biomphalaria glabrata as a biological model for ecotoxicological studies. The increasing number of studies conducted with the snail provides a preview of the snail’s potential as a biological model for ecotoxicological studies.
Peripheral Facial Nerve Palsy in Children: Etiology, Clinical Manifestations, Treatment And Prognosis
Authors: Bilge Serap , Mert Gülen Gül , Hergüner M Özlem , İncecik Faruk , Sürmelioğlu Özgür , Bilen Sevcan , Yılmaz Levent
Published: October 2022

Background:Sudden onset of unilateral weakness of upper and lower muscles of one side of the face is defined as peripheral facial nerve palsy. Peripheral facial nerve palsy is often idiopathic and sometimes it could be due to infectious, traumatic, neoplastic, and immune causes. This study aimed to report the causes and clinical evaluation and prognosis in children with peripheral facial nerve palsy.
Method:57 children under 18 years old, who were diagnosed with peripheral facial nerve palsy in Çukurova University, Balcalı Hospital between January 2018 and September 2021, were included in the study.
Results:The mean age of the children at the time of diagnosis was 9.6 ±7,4 years old. Thirty-two (56.1%) of the patients were female and 25 (43.9%) were male. A total of 57 patients were diagnosed with peripheral facial nerve palsy and categorized into many groups by etiology: idiopathic Bell’s palsy in 27 (47.5%), infectious in 11 (19.2%), traumatic in 6 (10.5%), and others in 13 (22.8%) patients were due to congenital, immune, neoplastic, Melkersson- Rosenthal syndrome, drug toxicity, and iatrogenic causes. Forty-six of the children achieved full recovery under oral steroids within 1-7 months. Four patients diagnosed with acute leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, Mobius syndrome and trauma did not recover and two patients (schwannoma, trauma) showed partial improvement. Five patients couldn't come to follow-up control.
Conclusion: Peripheral facial nerve palsy is a rare condition in children with different etiology. So giving attention to the red flag is very important. Peripheral facial nerve palsy in children is considered to have a good prognosis.
The Association of Maternal Insurance Status on Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes in Women with Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy
Authors: Allouch Farah , Burwick Richard , Gupta Megha , Bartal Michal Fishel , Bicocca Matthew , Chauhan Suneet , Wagner Stephen
Published: October 2022

The objective of this study was to examine the association between maternal insurance status and maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes in women who had hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. A population-based retrospective cohort study was undertaken using the US Vital Statistics dataset on Period Linked Birth-Infant Data from 2016-2020. The study population was restricted to non-anomalous births from women whose pregnancies were complicated by hypertensive disorders. Insurance status was categorized as private, Medicaid, self-pay and other. The primary outcome was a composite of maternal adverse outcomes, which included admission to the intensive care unit, unplanned hysterectomy, maternal blood transfusion or uterine rupture. We examined the role of prenatal care in these relationships using a mediation analysis with Kotelchuck’s Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization Index. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between maternal insurance status and adverse outcomes (using adjusted odds ratios [aOR] and 99% confidence interval [CI]). Of the 18,999,865 live births in the five-year study, 1,655,007 (8.7%) met the inclusion criteria. The frequency of the composite maternal adverse outcome was 1.3%. The maternal composite occurred more frequently in women with Medicaid (aOR = 1.13, 99% CI: 1.08, 1.18) or self-pay (aOR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.28, 1.59) when compared to private insurance. Adjusting for prenatal care slightly attenuated this association, but remained significant. Among women with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, women with Medicaid insurance or self-pay were more likely to experience maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes than women with private insurance.
Natural history and surgical outcomes of idiopathic spinal cord herniation
Authors: Nagoshi Narihito , Hirose Yuichiro , Tsuji Osahiko , Kono Hitoshi , Iida Tsuyoshi , Suzuki Satoshi , Takahashi Yohei , Nori Satoshi , Yagi Mitsuru , Matsumoto Morio , Nakamura Masaya , Watanabe Kota
Published: October 2022

Study Design

Retrospective multicenter study.

Objectives

Although surgery is frequently selected for the treatment of idiopathic spinal cord herniation (ISCH), its impact on functional outcomes has yet to be fully understood given the limited number of patients in previous studies. This study aims to evaluate the symptomatic history and surgical outcomes of ISCH.

Setting

Three institutions in Japan.

Methods

A total of 34 subjects with ISCH were retrospectively enrolled and followed up for at least 2 years. Demographic information, imaging findings, and clinical outcomes were collected. Functional status was assessed using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association score.

Results

The types of neurologic deficit were monoparesis, Brown–Sequard, and paraparesis in 5, 17, and 12 cases, with their mean disease duration being 1.2, 4.2, and 5.8 years, respectively. Significant differences in disease duration were observed between the monoparesis and Brown–Sequard groups (p < 0.01) and between the monoparesis and paraparesis groups (p = 0.04). Surgery promoted significantly better recovery rates from baseline. Correlations were observed between age at surgery and recovery rate (p < 0.01) and between disease duration and recovery rate (p = 0.04). The mean recovery rates were 82.6%, 51.6%, and 29.1% in the monoparesis, Brown–Sequard, and paraparesis groups, respectively. The monoparesis group had a significantly higher recovery rate than did the Brown–Sequard (p = 0.045) and paraparesis groups (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Longer disease duration was correlated with the progression of neurologic deficit. Older age, and worse preoperative neurologic status hindered postoperative functional recovery. These results highlight the need to consider surgical timing before neurologic symptoms deteriorate.
Snoring-related polygenic risk and its relationship with lifestyle factors in a Korean population: KoGES study
Authors: Ryu Borim , Lee Sejoon , Heo Eunjeong , Yoo Sooyoung , Kim Jeong-Whun
Published: October 2022

Background
Few studies show the association between genetic and lifestyle factors and the risk of snoring. Polygenic risk scores (PRS) indicating genetic risks derived from genome-wide association study (GWAS) data have received much attention. Therefore, we investigated the relationships between PRS and other risk factors for snoring, including lifestyle.
Methods
To create a PRS for snoring, we combined genotyping with Korean Genome Epidemiology Study (KoGES). Associations were observed for sex, age, body mass index (BMI), alcohol consumption, smoking, physical activity, and sleep time. The PRS-KoGES was generated by PRS-Campos, derived from the European population. Using a multivariate logistic regression model, we assessed whether lifestyle factors mitigated the genetic risk of developing snoring.
Results
We included 3,526 snorers and 1,939 non-snorers in the KoGES cohort. The highest adjusted odds ratio for snoring was higher BMI, followed by male sex, older age, genetic factors as higher PRS, drinking experience, late sleep mid-time, smoking experience, and lower physical activity. The risk factors influenced by PRS were male sex, older age, alcohol consumption, smoking, lower BMI, low physical activity, and late sleep mid-time.
Conclusions
We identified the characteristics of lifestyle factors related to snoring influenced by PRS.
Study on the prediction effect of a combined model of SARIMA and LSTM based on SSA for influenza in Shanxi Province, China
Authors: Zhao Zhiyang , Zhai Mengmeng , Li Guohua , Gao Xuefen , Song Wenzhu , Wang Xuchun , Ren Hao , Cui Yu , Qiao Yuchao , Ren Jiahui , Chen Limin , Qiu Lixia
Published: October 2022

Background: Influenza is an acute respiratory infectious disease that is highly infectious and seriously damages human health. Reasonable prediction is of great significance to control the epidemic of influenza.
Methods: Our Influenza data were extracted from Shanxi Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Seasonal-trend decomposition using Loess (STL) was adopted to analyze the season characteristics of the influenza in Shanxi Province, China, from the 1st week in 2010 to the 52nd week in 2019. To handle the insufficient prediction performance of the seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) model in predicting the nonlinear parts and the poor accuracy of directly predicting the original sequence, this study established the SARIMA model, the combination model of SARIMA and Long-Short Term Memory neural network (SARIMA-LSTM) and the combination model of SARIMA-LSTM based on Singular spectrum analysis (SSA-SARIMA-LSTM) to make predictions and identify the best model. Additionally, the Mean Squared Error (MSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) were used to evaluate the performance of the models.
Results: The influenza time series in Shanxi Province from the 1st week in 2010 to the 52nd week in 2019 showed a year-by-year decrease with obvious seasonal characteristics. The peak period of the disease mainly concentrated from the end of the year to the beginning of the next year. The best fitting and prediction performance was the SSA-SARIMA-LSTM model. Compared with the SARIMA model, the MSE, MAE and RMSE of the SSA-SARIMA-LSTM model decreased by 38.12, 17.39 and 21.34%, respectively, in fitting performance; the MSE, MAE and RMSE decreased by 42.41, 18.69 and 24.11%, respectively, in prediction performances. Furthermore, compared with the SARIMA-LSTM model, the MSE, MAE and RMSE of the SSA-SARIMA-LSTM model decreased by 28.26, 14.61 and 15.30%, respectively, in fitting performance; the MSE, MAE and RMSE decreased by 36.99, 7.22 and 20.62%, respectively, in prediction performances.
Conclusions: The fitting and prediction performances of theSSA-SARIMA-LSTM model were better than those of the SARIMA and theSARIMA-LSTM models. Generally speaking, we can apply the SSA-SARIMA-LSTM model to the prediction of influenza, and offer a leg-up for public policy.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of multiple gastric cancer screening strategies in Northwest China based on a population program: a Markov modeling study
Authors: Liu Rong , Zheng Ya , Zhou Lingshan , Nie Peng , Wang Youfa , Wang Yuping , Guan Quanling , Ji Rui , Guo Qinghong , Chen Zhaofeng , Zhang Zhiyi , Fan Ping , Hu Xiaobin , An Feng , Zan Xiangyi , Lu Linzhi , Zhou Yongning
Published: October 2022

Background Gastric cancer remains a significant global health problem and poses heavy public health and economic burdens on the health system. This study aimed to compare cost-effectiveness among multiple gastric cancer screening strategies and identify the most cost-effective one in Northwest China based on a population-based cohort study using a Markov model. Methods Based on the real-world data, a Markov model was developed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of 21 screening strategies with various screening methods, starting ages, stopping ages, and screening intervals versus no screening for a high-risk gastric cancer population in China. The primary outcomes were quality-adjusted life-years (QALY), costs, effectiveness, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses explored uncertainty. Results Our baseline model of annual endoscopic screening for individuals aged 40 to 75 years was the cost-effective strategy, with an ICER of US$ 545.79/QALY compared with no screening. In the scenario analysis, only theH. pyloriscreen-and-treat from 20 years strategy was non-dominated, with an ICER of US$ 157.41/QALY, and all other systems were dominated (providing less benefit but higher cost). Using the US$ 15,000 per QALY, all selected screening strategies for gastric cancer were cost-effective in the high-risk region of Northwest China. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses demonstrated that the results are robust. Conclusions This modelling study provides evidence for the cost-effectiveness of an endoscopic screening program for gastric cancer in the high-risk region of China. Primary prevention appears more cost-effective than secondary prevention strategies. If primary prevention is not an option, secondary prevention strategies should be considered. All selected screening strategies seem to be cost-effective in the high-incidence area of Northwest China.
Investigations on Effects of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) Nanoparticle in Combination with UV Radiation on Breast and Skin Cancer Cells
Authors: Bilkan Mustafa Tuğfan , Çiçek Zehra , Kurşun Ayşe Gülnihal Canseven , Özler Mehmet , Eşmekaya Meriç Arda
Published: October 2022

In this study, we have investigated the chemotherapeutic potential of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles on skin and breast cancer cells. The cells have treated with a 75 µg/ml concentration of titanium dioxide and then exposed to UV-A radiation. The combined effects of titanium dioxide and UV-A radiation on cell viability, cell cycle, plasma membrane, mitochondrial membrane potentials and apoptotic activity of the cells were investigated. As a result of the research, an increase was observed in the viability of cells treated with 75 µg/ml titanium dioxide concentration, while a significant decrease in cell viability was observed for both cell types when UV-A radiation and TiO2 were applied together. The results also showed that the percentage of apoptotic cells increased as a result of UV + TiO2 exposure. Accordingly, it can be said that TiO2 nanoparticles may research as potential chemotherapeutic agents for skin and breast cancers, especially in the presence of UV radiation.
Nonlinear dynamics analysis of gear system considering time-varying meshing stiffness and backlash with fractal characteristics
Authors: Xia Heng , Meng Fanshan , Zhang Xin , Wang Jiaxu , Jin Yulin
Published: October 2022

The microscopic topography of tooth surface affects the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of the gear system. However, few studies have fully taken into account the effects of microscopic topography on time-varying meshing stiffness (TVMS) and backlash in gear dynamics. In this context, this study derives TVMS and time-varying backlash with fractal characteristics based on fractal theory, and introduced them into a 6-DOF nonlinear dynamic model. With various nonlinear dynamics analysis tools, the dynamic characteristics of the gear system under different fractal parameters are investigated. The results indicate that the increase of the fractal dimension or the decrease of the characteristic scale coefficient leads to a smoother tooth surface, larger TVMS, and smaller amplitude of backlash. The effect of fractal dimension is more sensitive than characteristic scale coefficient. Furthermore, in the low-speed region, the increase of fractal dimension has a positive effect on the dynamic response of the system, and can reduce the amplitude of transmission error. In the high-speed region, the opposite is true. It is worth pointing out that the influence of fractal dimension on gear dynamic characteristics is nonlinear. Considering the machining cost and dynamic response of gear, the fractal dimension of 1.5 is the best choice. The influence of characteristic scale coefficient on system dynamics is similar to that of fractal dimension but weak.
Factors related to terminal cancer patients’ trust in palliative care doctors from the point of view of bereaved family members: a qualitative study
Authors: Murahashi Masaki , Tamba Kaichiro , Takanashi Tomoaki
Published: October 2022

Background
Trust is a key factor in achieving a good death. However, few studies have focused on factors that help terminal cancer patients to establish trusting relationships with their palliative care doctors. We therefore designed this exploratory qualitative study to identify factors related to terminal cancer patients’ trust in their doctors.
Methods
We conducted a semi-structured interview with 18 participants for data collection, and we opted to use the grounded theory approach in our analysis of the data.
Results
Our data revealed seven factors: 1) caring attitude, 2) symptom management, 3) courteous and specific explanations, 4) long-term involvement in the patient’s care, 5) being faced with inevitable death, 6) good impression of the institution, and 7) referral by a trusted doctor. These factors are categorized under three main themes: [1] palliative care doctors, [2] terminal cancer patients, and [3] institutional and professional reputation. Three of these factors are uniquely characteristic of palliative care: symptom management, being faced with inevitable death, and referral by a trusted doctor.
Conclusions
In this study, we clarified the seven factors with a qualitative study evaluating the perspective of bereaved family caregivers on aspects that related to their corresponding patient`s trust in palliative care physicians. In future, more quantitative research is needed to assess the validity of the factors identified here and to understand how these factors are associated with quality of death.
QTL mapping and genetic map for the ornamental sunflower in China
Authors: Liu Jixia , Shan Junjian , wang ping
Published: October 2022

The quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and genetic map are of great significance for the ornamental sunflower in China. In this study, a total of 956.50Mbp data were obtained, the average Q30 was 93.76%, the average GC content was 42.43%, and the GC distribution of the parents and F2 population of the ornamental sunflowers was normal. At the same time, the double-end comparison efficiency of control data was 90.28%, and the enzyme digestion efficiency was 92.01%. SLAF library construction was normal. Furthermore, a total of 734,893 SLAF markers were obtained, among which 127,855 were polymorphic SLAF markers, 38,908 could be used for genetic map construction, and the effective polymorphism of the parents was 5.29%. Moreover, we constructed a total of 17 linkage groups, with 6,181 markers in the QTL mapping, the total map distance was 2,608.66cM, the marker integrity in the figure above was 99%, the proportion of double exchange was 0.05, the sequencing depth of the parents was 42.455x, and the progeny was 9.24x. The relationship of traits (plant height, stem diameter, disk diameter, number of petals, leaf number, stigma color, petal color, petiole color) and QTL mapping was closely related to show the best of ornamental effect.
Respiratory Severity Score during the first three hours of life as a predictor for CPAP failure and need for late surfactant administration
Authors: Zapata Henry , Becker Heather , Lasarev Michael , Fort Prem , Guthrie Scott , Kaluarachchi Dinushan
Published: October 2022

Background
Preterm infants often develop CPAP failure. These infants miss the advantages of early rescue surfactant therapy. In this study, we evaluate the utility of Respiratory Severity Score (RSS) during the first three hours of life (HOL) as a predictor for CPAP failure.
Methods
We conducted a post-hoc analysis of patients who received usual care in the AERO-02 clinical trial. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression were used to assess whether the RSS summary measures were associated with the odds of surfactant administration.
Results
Study involved 146 infants. Sixty-four infants (45%) received surfactant within the first 72 hours. Administration of surfactant was associated with the mean RSS (p < 0.01) and the linear trend (p < 0.01).
Conclusion
We demonstrated that RSS during the first three HOL can predict CPAP failure and need for surfactant administration. Optimal RSS cutoffs for early rescue surfactant therapy need to be determined in large cohort studies.
Does repeated sprinting alter the hamstring shear modulus pattern and mechanical parameters in football players with hamstring strain injury history? - A retrospective study
Authors: Pimenta Ricardo , Lopes Tomás , Bruno Paula , Veloso António
Published: October 2022

Background: Hamstring strain injuries (HSI) occur particularly in the later stages of a football match, suggesting that fatigue may play an important role. Moreover, sprint is the principal mechanism to sustain an HSI since it demands the hamstrings muscle group. It has been reported that a higher contribution of BFlh in the load sharing pattern could possibly explain the greater injury rate in BFlh.
Objective: To compare the effects of a (i) repeated sprint protocol on the sprint performance, hamstrings shear modulus pattern and mechanical parameters between players with and without previous HSI; and (ii) between limbs with HSI and their healthy contralateral limbs on the hamstrings shear modulus pattern and mechanical parameters.
Methods: One hundred and five professional and semiprofessional football field players were invited to participate in this study during the pre-season 2021/2022 (June-July), resulting in a sample size of 210 limbs with 46 sustaining HSI in the previous 2 years.
Results: No differences were seen between injured and non-injured players regarding their sprint performance, hamstrings shear modulus pattern and mechanical parameters, except for the early rate of torque development (0-50ms) with BFlh injured limbs displaying higher rates than their contralateral (injured: 0.48±21 N/ms; contralateral 0.40±0.18 N/ms; p=0.005; η2p=0.469).
Conclusion: The present study provides evidence for no differences regarding sprint performance, hamstrings load sharing pattern and mechanical parameters between players with previous HSI in the last 2 years and non-injured players, although an increase in early rate of torque development was seen in BFlh-injured limbs compared to their healthy counterpart. Therefore, the results can possibly suggest that the duration between injury and screening could recover the differences between injured-control and injured-contralateral groups.
Numerical investigation on the effect of thermal gate moving rate on directional solidification process
Authors: Su Wenjia , Guan Zhicheng , Li Jiulong , Zhang Zhen , Li Jiaqi
Published: October 2022

The temperature field distribution during the growth of crystalline silicon by the directional solidification (DS) method is an important factor affecting the growth rate, the shape of the melt-crystal (m-c) interface, and thermal stress. To solve the problem of m-c interface convexity at the early stage of crystal growth caused by supercooling at the bottom center of silicon ingot during DS. In this paper, a two-dimensional global transient numerical model based on a large-size ALD-G7 (G7) crystalline silicon ingot furnace is established and experimentally verified. Based on the model, the influence of different bottom thermal gate moving process curves on the convexity of the m-c interface at the early stage was studied, with emphasis on the changes in temperature field, m-c interface, and thermal stress at the early stage of crystal growth. We have designed three cases, case 1 uses the original moving process curve of bottom thermal gate, case 2 and case 3 adjust the process curve to 0.95 and 0.9 of the original ratio, respectively. The numerical results show that the center cooling condition of silicon ingot and the convexity of the m-c interface are improved with the decreasing of thermal gate moving rate. Compared with case 1, the convexity of case 2 and case 3 is reduced by 55% and 44% on average, respectively.
CircFOXK2 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression and Leads a Poor Clinical Prognosis via Regulating the Warburg Effect
Authors: Zheng Jun , Pan Zihao , Lu Tongyu , Song Wen , Li Yang , Liang Jinliang , Zhang Jiebin , Cai Jianye , Sui Xin , Xiao Jiaqi , Chen Haitian , Chen Guihua , Liu Yubin , Zhang Qi , Zheng Kanghong , Yang Yang
Published: October 2022

Background: The Warburg effect is essential for tumor progression causing poor clinical outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as important regulators for HCC. However, limited circRNAs involved in the Warburg effect of HCC have been investigated. Herein, we aimed to explore the contribution of circFOXK2 to the reprogramming of glucose metabolism of HCC.
Methods: Divergent primers were constructed to identify 14 circRNAs originating from FOXK2 gene followed by investigating their differential expression between HCC and the adjacent normal tissues (ANTs), and circFOXK2 (hsa_circ_0000817) was screened for further research. Next, the clinical significance of circFOXK2 was evaluated, coupled with evaluating its onco-promoting activity and the affection to the Warburg effect in both HCC cell lines and animal xenografts. Finally, the molecular mechanisms underlying circFOXK2 regulating the Warburg effect of HCC were explored.
Results: CircFOXK2 was aberrantly upregulation in HCC tissues, and its expression was positively correlated with poor clinical outcomes in patients receiving radical hepatectomy. Silenced circFOXK2 remarkably suppressed the progression of HCC both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circFOXK2 could not only encode a novel protein, FOXK2-142aa, to promote LDHA phosphorylation but also regulate miR-484/Fis1 pathway to lead to mitochondrial fission, which activates the Warburg effect in HCC.
Conclusions: CircFOXK2, a prognostic biomarker of the disease, exerts critical roles in promoting the Warburg effect through its roles in protein-encoding and miRNA sponges that lead to tumor progression, indicating that circFOXK2 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for patients with HCC.
Three novel Erwinia billingiae phages represent three new genera isolated from organic waste
Authors: Alanin Katrine Wacenius Skov , Olsen Nikoline S. , Djurhuus Amaru Miranda , Carstens Alexander Byth , Nielsen Tue Kjærgaard , Wagner Natalia , Lametsch René , Bak Frederik , Hennessy Rosanna Catherine , Nicolaisen Mette Haubjerg , Kot Witold , Hansen Lars Hestbjerg
Published: October 2022

Despite the ecological significance of viral communities, phages remain understudied. Current genomic databases lack high-quality phage genomes linked to specific bacteria. Bacteria of the Erwinia genus are known to colonize the phyllosphere of plants, both as commensals and pathogens. We isolated three Erwinia billingiae phages; Zoomie, Pecta, and Snitter from organic household waste. Based on sequence similarity to their closest relatives, we propose that they represent three new genera “Pectavirus” within the Zobellviridae family, “Snittervirus” in the subfamily Tempevirinae, family Drexlerviridae, and “Zoomievirus” within the Autographviridae family, which may constitute a yet undefined sub-family together with the genus Limelightvirus.
Four Novel Curtobacterium Phages Isolated from Environmental Samples
Authors: Alanin Katrine Wacenius Skov , Olsen Nikoline S. , Djurhuus Amaru Miranda , Carstens Alexander Byth , Nielsen Tue Kjærgaard , Rothgardt Magnus Mulbjerg , Russel Andreas Marieboe , Wagner Natalia , Lametsch Rene , Bak Frederik , Hennessy Rosanna Catherine , Nicolaisen Mette Haubjerg , Hansen Lars Hestbjerg , Kot Witold
Published: October 2022

Despite Curtobacterium spp. often being associated with the plant phyllosphere, i.e., the areal region of different plant species, only one phage targeting a Curtobacterium spp. has been isolated to this day. In this study, we isolated four novel plaque-forming Curtobacterium phages Reje, Penoan, Parvaparticeps, and Pize with two novel Curtobacterium strains as propagation hosts. Based on the low nucleotide intergenomic similarities (< 32.4%) between these four phages and to any published phage genomes on NCBI, we propose the four new genera “Rejevirus”, “Pizevirus”, “Penoanvirus”, and “Parvaparticepsvirus” all in the class Caudoviricetes.
Development of an Assessment Model for Soft Skills during Engineering Recruitment Process
Authors: Ribeiro Yoná Pietra , Campos Débora Barni
Published: October 2022

The present research work develops a prototype model to assess the soft skills for Engineers to enter the job market, developed based on consolidated psychometrics theory. The aim of the assessment model to evaluate soft skills is to improve the assertiveness of the Engineering hiring process. The theoretical support and guidelines for the elaboration of the model were obtained through a Systematic Bibliographic Review (RBS) with articles published between 2017 and 2022 within the Scopus and Science Direct databases. As a result of the work, a questionnaire with 19 soft skills identified as important for the employability of an Engineer was elaborated. The questionnaire can be used as a tool for data (both qualitative and quantitative) collection, assisting the decision-making process of employers in the Engineering area.
Probing the Structural, electronic and optical properties of pure and B, N, or Li substituted Cyclo-18 ring: Density Functional Theory Investigations
Authors: Trivedi Ravi , Garg Nandini , Jha Prafulla , Chakraborty Brahmananda
Published: October 2022

Employing the quantum computational approach by using the Density Functional Theory along with GGA exchange correlation functional, we have investigated the structural, electronic, and optical properties of Cyclo-18 ring containing 18 sp hybridized carbon atoms and substituted cyclo C17X (X = B, N, and Li) ring. The cyclo-18 ring has two opposite π electron system that can be organized as a D9h pollyene and D18h cumulene form. Our computational simulations suggest that D9h pollyene structure is minimum energy structure. The stability of the system has been discussed by analyzing HOMO-LUMO gap; quadrupole moments, and higher multipole moments. Pure C18 system exhibits semiconductor in nature whereas doping can tune both electronic and optical properties. There is an enhancement in optical absorption in the visible region due to doping which makes the system suitable for photo-catalytic applications. Interestingly, there is a red shift in the UV-V spectra due to doping.
The Coconut Technique: A New Method to Perform Safe Cholecystectomy for Acute Cholecystitis
Authors: TORO Adriana , MAZZONE Chiara , Fontana Emanuele Gaspare , Saverio Salomone Di , Ansaloni Luca , Catena Fausto , Carlo Isidoro Di
Published: October 2022

Introduction
Aim of this manuscript is to illustrate a new method permitting total cholecystectomy in terms of safety with respect to the CBD.
Methods
The core of this new technique is the identification of the continuity of the cystic duct with the infundibulum. The cystic duct is identified between internal gallbladder wall and external inflamed wall.
Results
In the last 2 years, 3 patients have been treated with the reported technique without complications.
Conclusions
Among the various cholecystectomy procedures, this is a new approach that ensures the safety of Calot’s triangle structures while providing the advantages gained from total removal of the gallbladder.
Structural Relaxation and Thermodynamics of Viscous Aqueous Systems: a simplified reappraisal
Authors: Schiraldi Alberto
Published: October 2022

The attainment of true equilibrium conditions is a dynamic process that encompasses a time span. For slow relaxing systems, non-equilibrium steady states can often look like equilibrium states. This is the case of viscoelastic systems, whose properties reflect their thermo-rheological history.
After a summary of the seminal woks by Eyring, Adam & Gibbs and Angell, and mention of promising recent approaches that imply updated theoretical and experimental techniques, the paper suggests a simplified approach for aqueous systems, through a modified expression of the chemical potential of water and use of the “dynamic” phase diagram, so far proposed by Slade and Levine.
For homogeneous systems (aqueous solutions), an extra term in the expression of the chemical potential accounts for the energy related to the residual strains produced during the thermo-rheological history of the system. This approach allows estimation of the effect of viscosity on the observed freezing point of polymer solutions.
For heterogeneous systems (hydro-gels, colloidal glasses), changes of the phase boundaries in the phase diagram explain the gel/sol hysteresis and the syneresis process as the result of water exchange between hosting meshes and trapped aqueous solution.
Finally, physical hurdles that hinder inter-phase water displacements and/or the access to the headspace of the system can lead to the coexistence of aqueous phases with different aW within the same heterogeneous system.
How controlled is the expansion of VIATORR CX?
Authors: Dell Tatjana , Menne Matthias , Wagenpfeil Julia , Praktiknjo Michael , Jansen Christian , Isaak Alexander , Mesropyan Narine , Steinseifer Ulrich , Attenberger Ulrike , Luetkens Julian , Meyer Carsten , Kuetting Daniel
Published: October 2022

Purpose: To investigate and compare the physical properties of the new generation Gore VIATORR Controlled Expansion Endoprothesis (VCX) to those of the predecessor VIATORR stent in an in vitro experimental setup.
Materials and Methods: A total of 12 stents (8 VCX; 4 VIATORR; GORE, Flagstaff USA) were examined. Radial resistive force (RRF) and chronic outward force (COF) were assed using a radial force testing machine (RX-650, Machine Solutions Inc., Flagstaff, AZ, USA). To assess the radial forces of the VCX above 8 mm, balloon expansion was performed between cycles.
Results: All VCX stents show an abrupt decrease in COF at an external diameter of 8.3 mm; RRF decreases over-proportionally at an external diameter of 8.5 mm. The predecessor VIATORR stent without the “controlled expansion” feature shows linear radial force reduction until full expansion at a diameter of 10 mm.
The physical properties of the VCX can be altered by balloon modulation. Point of COF (RRF) reduction shifts to 8.5 mm (8.6 mm), 8.6 mm (8.8 mm) and 9.3 mm (9.6 mm) following modulation with a 8 mm, 9 mm and 10 mm balloon.
Conclusions: The VCX shows an abrupt and overproportional decrease of COF and RRF at an external diameter of 8.3 mm, thus passive expansion to its’ nominal diameter of 10 mm is not to be expected. By means of balloon dilatation the physical properties of the stent can be altered, enabling customized TIPS creation. The previous VIATORR stent shows continuous COF and RRF.
Regularized Linear Discriminant Analysis Via A New difference-of-convex algorithm with extrapolation
Authors: Wang Chunyan , Wang Wenjie , Li Mengzhen
Published: October 2022

In this paper, we transform the classical linear discriminant analysis (LDA) into a smooth difference-of-convex optimization problem. Then, a new difference-of-convex algorithm with extrapolation is introduced and the convergence of thealgorithm is established. Finally, for face recognition problem, the proposed algorithm achieves betterclassification performance compared with several current algorithms in the literature.
AMS Subject Classification: 15A18; 15A69
Computing Longest Lyndon Subsequences and Longest Common Lyndon Subsequences
Authors: Bannai Hideo , I Tomohiro , Kociumaka Tomasz , Köppl Dominik , Puglisi Simon J.
Published: October 2022

Given a string T with length n whose characters are drawn from an ordered alphabet of size σ, its longest Lyndon subsequence is a longest subsequence of T that is a Lyndon word. We propose algorithms for finding such a subsequence in O(n 3) time with O(n) space, or online in O(n 3) space and time. Our first result can be extended to find the longest common Lyndon subsequence of two strings of length n in O(n 4 σ) time using O(n 2) space.
A Novel Analog Circuit Fault Diagnosis Method Based on Multi-channel 1D-Resnet and Wavelet Packet Transform
Authors: Zhou Xin , Tang Xuanzhong , Liang Wenhai
Published: October 2022

Fault diagnosis techniques for analog circuits are widely applied in the diagnosis of electronic devices. It is of great significance to accurately and quickly find the fault location and the deviation of fault parameters in analog circuits. In this paper, we propose an innovative fault diagnosis approach for analog circuits. In this method, the wavelet packet transform (WPT) is employed to preprocess the time-domain response signals of analog circuit, and the proposed multi-channel one-dimensional residual networks (MC-1D-ResNet) is utilized for feature mining and fault diagnosis. Specifically, the two-level WPT is first carried out on the measured time-domain response signal to generate one approximate signal and three detailed signals. Additionally, the MC-1D-ResNet is developed by introducing a multi-channel structure based on 1D-ResNet, which can excavate and fuse various features from response signals and realize fault diagnosis. Through the simulation of the Sallen-key bandpass filter circuit and Four-opamp biquad high-pass filter circuit, the diagnostic reliability of this method has been fully verified. The results show that this method is very valuable for diagnosing faults of analog circuits and performs well on both test circuits. Even in the complex Four-opamp biquad high-pass filter circuit, the diagnostic accuracy can be up to 99.74%.
InSpectra – A Platform for Identifying Emerging Chemical Threats
Authors: Feraud Mathieu , O'Brien Jake , Samanipour Saer , Dewapriya Pradeep , Herwerden Denice van , Kaserzon Sarit , Wood Ian , Thomas Kevin
Published: October 2022

Non-target analysis (NTA) employing high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) coupled with liquid chromatography is increasingly being used to identify chemicals of biological relevance. HRMS datasets are large and complex making the identification of potentially relevant chemicals extremely challenging. As they are recorded in vendor-specific formats, interpreting them is often reliant on vendor-specific software that may not accommodate the advancements in data processing. Here we present InSpectra, a vendor independent automated platform for the systematic detection of newly identified emerging chemical threats. InSpectra is web-based, open-source/access and modular providing highly flexible and extensible NTA and suspect screening workflows. As a cloud-based platform, InSpectra exploits parallel computing and big data archiving capabilities with a focus for sharing and community curation of HRMS data. InSpectra offers a reproducible and transparent approach for the identification, tracking and prioritisation of emerging chemical threats.
Dominant changes in centre Fe atom of decamethyl-ferrocene from ferrocene in methylation
Authors: Wang Feng , Chantler Christopher T.
Published: October 2022

Staggered decamethyl-ferrocence (*Fc) becomes the lower energy conformer at low temperature, whereas the eclipsed conformer of ferrocence (Fc) is more stable. The powerful infrared (IR) spectroscopy which has remarkably provided signatures of ferrocene (Fc) in eclipsed and staggered conformers recently is employed to investigate methylation of Fc. The most significant consequences of the full methylation of Fc in the IR spectra are the blue shift of the band at ~800 cm-1 in Fc to ~1500 cm-1 in *Fc, and the band enhancement of the C-H stretch band ~3200 cm-1 region in *Fc. Further analysis reveals large impact of Fc methylation on core electron energies of the centre Fe atom (1s 2 2s 2 2p 6 3s 2 3p 6). Such the Fe core electron energy changes can be as large as ~10 kcal⋅mol −1 and are directional – the Fe 2pz and 3pz orbitals along the *Cp-Fe-*Cp axis (vertical) change more strongly than other Fe core electrons in px and py orbitals. Such the directional inner shell energy changes are evidenced by larger inner shell reorganization energy. Energy decomposition analysis (EDA) indicates that methyl groups in *Fc apparently change the physical energy components with respect to Fc. The large steric energy of *Fc is evidence that the closest hydrogens on adjacent methyl groups of the same *Cp ring in crystal structure are 0.2-0.4 Å closer than the hydrogens on nearest-neighbour methyl groups on opposing rings in *Fc. A significant increase in Pauli repulsive energy contributes to the large repulsive steric energy in *Fc. *This article is in honour of Professor Pratim Kumar Chattaraj on the occasion of his 65th birthday, for his contributions to Theoretical and Computational Chemistry.
Factors Influencing Sexual and Reproductive Health-related Misuse of Digital Media in Bangladesh
Authors: BakiBillah Abul Hasan , Chowdhury ABM Alauddin
Published: October 2022

This study explored factors influencing the sexual and reproductive health-related misuse of digital media in Bangladesh. The study adopted Key-Informant-Interview (KII) among the Nineteen (19) relevant key informants including academicians, researchers, policymakers, and activists. The thematic analysis of the transcripts was carried out. The mean age of the informants was 40 (SD+/- 6.8) years with having a minimum level of a bachelor degree. Easy access to indecent (porn) sites, low self-awareness of the girls in using social networking sites and other digital devices, the culture of injustice and muscle-men phenomenon, parent’s negligence, and the level of awareness were found as the major factors behind the misuse of digital media in the form of cyber-bullying, sexting, revenge porn, sextortion, access to and production of porn videos, etc. This study revealed that women and girls are the prime victims of the misuse where the worst form of victimization is to lead a deplorable life as a sex-slave and persist with chronic mental disorders. The study recommended that the complete ban on provocative indecent websites, high level of awareness among the women and girls, seeking immediate help from the law-enforcement agencies, and importantly, parents’ full-fledged care and attention.