bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effects of different regenerative technologies and materials on wound healing after surgical endodontic therapy: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Wang Ge , Yuan Fang , Ying Wanggui , Xu Jie
Published: July 2023

A meta‐analysis was performed to assess the effects of different regenerative technologies and materials on wound healing after surgical endodontic therapy and provide a reference for surgical endodontic treatment. We searched for studies on the use of regenerative technologies and materials in surgical endodontic therapy via PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang Data from the time of database creation to December 2022. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted information based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and evaluated the quality of the included studies. A meta‐analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4. The results showed that the use of regenerative technologies and materials significantly reduced wound healing failures (risk ratio [RR]: 0.30, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.22–0.40, p < 0.001). Moreover, autologous platelet concentrations (APCs) (RR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.15–0.53, p < 0.001) and collagen membrane plus bovine‐derived hydroxyapatite (RR: 0.27, 95% CI. 0.12–0.61, p = 0.002) were more effective in improving wound healing failure rates than collagen membrane alone (RR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.20–1.25, p = 0.140). Our findings showed that APCs, as well as collagen membrane plus bovine‐derived hydroxyapatite, significantly improved wound healing after surgical endodontic therapy. In contrast, collagen membrane alone did not significantly improve wound healing outcomes. However, currently available studies vary significantly in sample size and methodologies. Hence, high‐quality randomised controlled studies with large sample sizes are necessary to validate our findings.
Preclinical study of diabetic foot ulcers: From pathogenesis to vivo/vitro models and clinical therapeutic transformation
Authors: Du Yuqing , Wang Jie , Fan Weijing , Huang Renyan , Wang Hongfei , Liu Guobin
Published: July 2023

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU), a common intractable chronic complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), has a prevalence of up to 25%, with more than 17% of the affected patients at risk of amputation or even death. Vascular risk factors, including vascular stenosis or occlusion, dyslipidemia, impaired neurosensory and motor function, and skin infection caused by trauma, all increase the risk of DFU in patients with diabetes. Therefore, diabetic foot is not a single pathogenesis. Preclinical studies have contributed greatly to the pathogenesis determination and efficacy evaluation of DFU. Many therapeutic tools are currently being investigated using DFU animal models for effective clinical translation. However, preclinical animal models that completely mimic the pathogenesis of DFU remain unexplored. Therefore, in this review, the preparation methods and evaluation criteria of DFU animal models with three major pathological mechanisms: neuropathy, angiopathy and DFU infection were discussed in detail. And the advantages and disadvantages of various DFU animal models for clinical sign simulation. Furthermore, the current status of vitro models of DFU and some preclinical studies have been transformed into clinical treatment programs, such as medical dressings, growth factor therapy, 3D bioprinting and pre‐vascularization, Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment. However, because of the complexity of the pathological mechanism of DFU, the clinical transformation of DFU model still faces many challenges. We need to further optimize the existing preclinical studies of DFU to provide an effective animal platform for the future study of pathophysiology and clinical treatment of DFU.
Information influenced consumers' attitudes toward A2 milk: An approach using text highlighting technique
Authors: Nogueira Ana Carolina Ratti , Amorim Katiúcia Alves , Bastos Sabrina Carvalho , Pinheiro Ana Carla Marques , Teixeira Rafael Bastos , da Cruz Adriano Gomes , Rodrigues Jéssica Ferreira
Published: July 2023

Dairy products are constantly launched, mainly focusing on healthiness, especially for the public, like people with food allergies. However, raising consumer awareness is a great challenge, especially about new products with health claims. This study used the text‐highlighting (TH) methodology associated with acceptance tests to assess Brazilian consumers' explicit attitudes toward A2 milk. In the task, consumers were asked to highlight in a text the terms they “liked” or “disliked” about the milk's nutritional importance, the difference between A1 and A2 milk, health benefits and harmful effects, and the necessity for more studies and awareness about the A2 milk. Sensory acceptance pre and post‐text were also measured. A high engagement of consumers with the TH could be observed, which suggests good intuitiveness of the technique. Including information about the nutritional value of milk and the difference between both kinds of milk may increase positive consumer perception, as it encourages consumers to express their value judgment in the form of “liked”. On the other hand, information simultaneously, the harms of the formation of BCM‐7 (in A1 milk) prompted consumers to express their value judgment in the “disliked” highlights. This underscores the importance of raising consumer awareness about the product and the need for more studies on the real effects of A2 milk on the body and the implementation of specific legislation. Moreover, it was observed that information should be in a simple and direct language, as technical terminology in the text did not have a positive effect, such as the information about the genetic mutation. TH produced valuable insights that can be used in communication strategies with A2 milk.

Practical application

The findings of this study show practical utility for consumer‐based methodologies, focusing on the text‐highlighting method approach and its influence on consumer perceptions. Moreover, the results show practical utility to direct regulation, consumer awareness, and product commercialization of A2 milk.
Creating a large language model of a philosopher
Authors: Schwitzgebel Eric , Schwitzgebel David , Strasser Anna
Published: July 2023

Can large language models produce expert‐quality philosophical texts? To investigate this, we fine‐tuned GPT‐3 with the works of philosopher Daniel Dennett. To evaluate the model, we asked the real Dennett 10 philosophical questions and then posed the same questions to the language model, collecting four responses for each question without cherry‐picking. Experts on Dennett's work succeeded at distinguishing the Dennett‐generated and machine‐generated answers above chance but substantially short of our expectations. Philosophy blog readers performed similarly to the experts, while ordinary research participants were near chance distinguishing GPT‐3's responses from those of an “actual human philosopher”.
Accuracy and applicability of periodontitis risk assessment tools: A critical appraisal
Authors: Farina Roberto , Lopez Rodrigo , Simonelli Anna , Trombelli Leonardo
Published: July 2023

Currently, periodontal risk assessment finds application at first visit (to identify individuals at high risk of either disease incidence, if still healthy, or disease progression, if already diseased) as well as at patient monitoring after active treatment and enrolment in a supportive periodontal care program. Although the current case definition of periodontitis embeds a prognostic determination (ie, periodontitis grade) that showed a predictive value for periodontitis‐related tooth loss, some limitations of periodontitis grade call for the implementation of different risk assessment tools in clinical practice. For some of these, significantly higher accuracy in predicting tooth loss during supportive periodontal care was reported compared with periodontitis grade. Validated periodontal risk assessment tools may be functional to obtain greater adherence to the suggested preventive and treatment protocols, improve oral hygiene performance, and tailor supportive periodontal care. Interestingly, periodontal risk can also be informative of the risk of peri‐implantitis in patients programmed for implant placement or rehabilitated with dental implants. A critical appraisal on the rationale behind risk assessment and the balance between the advantages and limitations of exercising risk assessment in periodontology is presented.
Research progress on the neutrophil components and their interactions with immune cells in the development of psoriasis
Authors: Wang Zhenhui , Shi Dongmei
Published: July 2023

Background

Psoriasis is an immune‐mediated chronic inflammatory disease, and currently it is widely believed that the IL‐23/IL‐17 axis and Th17 cells play a critical and central role. However, increasing evidence suggests that neutrophils may interact with a variety of immune cells to play an indispensable role in psoriasis.

Materials and methods

We searched the recent literature on psoriasis and neutrophils through databases such as PubMed and CNKI, and summarized the findings to draw conclusions.

Results

Neutrophils can promote the development of psoriasis by secreting IL‐23, IL‐17, and cytokines with TH17 cell chemotaxis. Activated keratinocytes (KCs) can attract and activate neutrophils, induce the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). KCs can also expose self‐antigens which lead to strong autoimmune reactions. The granule proteins secreted by activated neutrophils can activate IL‐36, which converts vulgaris psoriasis to generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP).

Conclusion

The function of neutrophils components and the interaction between neutrophils and immune cells play an essential role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. The aim is to provide a theoretical basis for the exploration of targeted clinical treatments and fundamental research on the pathogenesis of psoriasis.
Plasma deposited carbon containing zirconia films as thermal barriers
Authors: Bedarev Vitali , Maaß Philipp A. , Thewes Anna , Böke Marc , von Keudell Achim
Published: July 2023

Carbon containing zirconia films are deposited from chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and from plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), as being used as thermal barrier coatings for many applications. Their thermal conductivity has been measured for temperatures ranging from room temperature up to 450 K using the 3 ω method. It is shown that the samples exhibit a lattice and an electronic contribution to the thermal conductivity reaching values up to 13 W/m/K for samples from CVD and up to 5 W/m/K for the samples from PECVD at 450 K. At room temperature, the thermal conductivities for PECVD films are in the range of 1 W/m/K, whereas the CVD film shows values of 8 W/m/K. The large differences are explained by the microstructure of the films, showing smaller grain sizes with poor interfaces for the PECVD films compared to the denser CVD films. This shows that plasma deposited carbon containing zirconia films may serve as excellent thermal barriers.
Sedentary Behavior, Physical Activity, Social Participation, and Loneliness Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in China
Authors: Chu Aiqin , Lu Ye , Zhang Hailing , Jiang Yan
Published: July 2023

This study examined the relationship between loneliness, sedentary behavior, physical exercise, and social participation in Chinese older adults, and provided ideas to formulate preventive strategies that can help reduce loneliness. Data on demographics, health behavior, social participation, and loneliness were collected from a cross-sectional study of 629 older adults in Hefei, Anhui province, from June to August 2020. After adjusting for age, income, religion, marital status, and chronic illness demographic variables, sedentary behavior (β = 0.111, SE = 0.671, p = .001), physical exercise (β = −0.229, SE = 0.358, p < .001), and social participation (β = −0.329, SE = 0.086, p < .001) were found to be significantly correlated with loneliness in older adults. These findings suggest that a higher level of loneliness may be linked to greater sedentary behavior, less social engagement, and decreased physical exercise among older men and women.
The mechanism of the phage-encoded protein antibiotic from ΦX174
Authors: Orta Anna K. , Riera Nadia , Li Yancheng E. , Tanaka Shiho , Yun Hyun Gi , Klaic Lada , Clemons William M.
Published: July 2023

The historically important phage ΦX174 kills its host bacteria by encoding a 91-residue protein antibiotic called protein E. Using single-particle electron cryo–microscopy, we demonstrate that protein E bridges two bacterial proteins to form the transmembrane YES complex [MraY, protein E, sensitivity to lysis D (SlyD)]. Protein E inhibits peptidoglycan biosynthesis by obstructing the MraY active site leading to loss of lipid I production. We experimentally validate this result for two different viral species, providing a clear model for bacterial lysis and unifying previous experimental data. Additionally, we characterize the
Escherichia coli
MraY structure—revealing features of this essential enzyme—and the structure of the chaperone SlyD bound to a protein. Our structures provide insights into the mechanism of phage-mediated lysis and for structure-based design of phage therapeutics.
Generative AI meets copyright
Authors: Samuelson Pamela
Published: July 2023

Ongoing lawsuits could affect everyone who uses generative AI
Delivering democracy
Recoding America:cWhy Government Is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better
Jennifer Pahlka
Metropolitan Books, 2023. 336 pp.
Authors: Crittenden Camille
Published: July 2023

Better digital tools can improve government services and strengthen nations
Coupling proteins, with deadly consequences
Authors: Balbach Jochen , Stubbs Milton T.
Published: July 2023

Phage protein E shuts down cell wall biosynthesis to kill bacteria
Entomopathogenic Fungus-Related Priming Defense Mechanisms in Cucurbits Impact Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) Fitness
Authors: García-Espinoza F. , García M. J. , Quesada-Moraga E. , Yousef-Yousef M.
Published: July 2023

Entomopathogenic fungi are multipurpose microorganisms with direct and indirect effects on insect pests. Also, EPF provide multiple benefits to plants by solubilizing minerals and facilitating nutrient acquisition.
Distinct Origins and Transmission Pathways of
bla
KPC
Enterobacterales
across Three U.S. States
Authors: Lapp Zena , Octaria Rany , O’Malley Sean M. , Nguyen Tu Ngoc , Wolford Hannah , Crawford Ryan , Moore Christina , Snippes Vagnone Paula , Noel Diane , Duffy Nadezhda , Pirani Ali , Thomas Linda S. , Pattee Brittany , Pearson Claire , Bulens Sandra N. , Hoffman Sophie , Kainer Marion , Anacker Melissa , Meek James , See Isaac , Gontjes Kyle J. , Chan Allison , Lynfield Ruth , Maloney Meghan , Hayden Mary K. , Snitkin Evan , Slayton Rachel B.
Published: July 2023

Carbapenem-resistant
Enterobacterales
(CRE) are among the most concerning antibiotic resistance threats due to high rates of multidrug resistance, transmissibility in health care settings, and high mortality rates. We evaluated the potential for regional genomic surveillance to track the spread of
bla
KPC
-carrying CRE (KPC-CRE) by using isolate collections from health care facilities in three U.S. states.
Performance and Hypothetical Impact on Joint Infection Management of the BioFire Joint Infection Panel: a Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Berinson Benjamin , Spenke Laura , Krivec Lukas , Tanida Konstantin , Both Anna , Keller Johannes , Rolvien Tim , Christner Martin , Lütgehetmann Marc , Aepfelbacher Martin , Klatte Till Orla , Rohde Holger
Published: July 2023

Pathogen identification is key in septic arthritis. Culture-based techniques are challenging, especially when patients have been pretreated with antibiotics or when difficult-to-culture bacteria are encountered.
Magnetic black holes within Einstein–AdS gravity coupled to nonlinear electrodynamics, extended phase space thermodynamics and Joule–Thomson expansion
Authors: Kruglov S.I.
Published: July 2023

Einstein’s gravity in Anti-de Sitter space coupled to nonlinear electrodynamics is studied. We analyse the metric, mass functions, and corrections to the Reissner–Nordström solution. Magnetic black holes thermodynamics in extended phase space is investigated. We formulate the first law of black hole thermodynamics showing that the generalized Smarr relation holds. The black hole stability is studied by evaluating the Gibbs free energy and heat capacity. To study the cooling and heating phase transitions of black holes, we consider the Joule–Thomson isenthalpic expansion. The Joule–Thomson coefficient and the inversion temperature are calculated.
Differences in thermal energetics of the cave myotis (Myotis velifer) from a cool and a warm environment of central Mexico
Authors: Medina-Bello Kevin I. , Orozco-Lugo Carmen Lorena , Ayala-Berdon Jorge
Published: July 2023

Endotherm homeotherms deal with the energetic cost of maintaining a stable body temperature ( Tb) in ecosystems differing in ambient temperature ( Ta). In response, animals adjust some of their thermal energetics to meet the energy requirements of thermoregulation. Bats are small mammals with a geographical distribution that may include environments with different Ta. Therefore, these animals should adjust their thermal energetics depending on the environmental characteristics of the habitats where they live. Using open-flow respirometry, we measured basal metabolic rate (BMR), thermal conductance ( C’), lower and upper critical temperatures ( TLC and TUC), and breadth of the thermoneutral zone (TNZb) of the cave myotis ( Myotis velifer (J.A. Allen, 1890)) living in a coniferous forest versus a tropical deciduous forest in central Mexico. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to measure thermal energetics at the intraspecific level in populations measured at the same time. Bats from the coniferous forest had lower BMR, C’, TLC, TUC, and a wider TNZb than bats from the tropical deciduous forest. The results we found here are likely the consequence of the differences between the energy demands imposed by Ta, where the animals roost, and the Ta and prey availability of their foraging areas. These differences may help individuals regulate their heat production and dissipation to maintain low thermoregulatory costs in the places they inhabit.
Exact solutions of Euler–Bernoulli beams
Authors: Haider Jamil Abbas , Zaman F. D. , Lone Showkat Ahmad , Anwar Sadia , Almutlak Salmeh A. , Elseesy Ibrahim E.
Published: July 2023

In numerous real-world applications, transverse vibrations of beams are nonlinear in nature. It is a task to solve nonlinear beam systems due to their substantial dependence on the 4 variables of the system and the boundary conditions. To comprehend the nonlinear vibration characteristics, it is essential to do a precise parametric analysis. This research demonstrates an approximation solution for odd and even nonlinear transverse vibrating beams using the Laplace-based variation iteration method, and the formulation of the beams depends on the Galerkin approximation. For the solution of the nonlinear differential equation, this method is efficient as compared to the existing methods in the literature because the solutions exactly match with the numerical solutions. The Laplace-based variation iteration method has been used for the first time to obtain the solution to this important problem. To demonstrate the applicability and precision of the Laplace-based iteration method, several initial conditions are applied to the governing equation for nonlinearly vibrating transverse beams. The natural frequencies and periodic response curves are computed using Laplace-based VIM and compared with the Runge–Kutta RK4 method. In contrast to the RK4, the results demonstrate that the proposed method yields excellent consensus. The Lagrange multiplier is widely regarded as one of the most essential concepts in variational theory. The result obtained are displayed in the table form.

Highlights

The highlights of the solution of the Euler–Bernoulli beam equation with quintic nonlinearity using Lagrange multiplier are:

1. Introducing the constraint of the boundary conditions into the equation using Lagrange multipliers. 2. Formulating the equations for the Lagrange multipliers and the deflection of the beam. 3. Solving the resulting system of algebraic equations using numerical methods. 4. Obtaining the deflection of the beam as a function of its length and the applied load. 5. Analyzing the behavior of the beam under different loads and boundary conditions.
Expanding Governance Capabilities
Authors: TING Yu-Jen , HUANG Hsini , LIN Tze-Luen , CHANG Wen-Hsi
Published: July 2023

Taiwan’s long-term development in digital government has set a strong foundation for its transformation to one that is empowered by artificial intelligence (AI). This article introduces five applications of AI that the Taiwan government uses for different tasks and how government agencies implement them and overcome challenges. A demand-oriented AI enables civil servants to upgrade skills, and improve government’s functions, services and value added. This article provides practical insights on how human–AI collaboration can enhance government capabilities and create a positive feedback loop to the bureaucratic system.
Topgun: An ECC Accelerator for Private Set Intersection
Authors: Wu Guiming , He Qianwen , Jiang Jiali , Zhang Zhenxiang , Zhao Yuan , Zou Yinchao , Zhang Jie , Wei Changzheng , Yan Ying , Zhang Hui
Published: July 2023

Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), one of the most widely used asymmetric cryptographic algorithms, has been deployed in Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol, blockchain, secure multiparty computation, and so on. As one of the most secure ECC curves, Curve25519 is employed by some secure protocols, such as TLS 1.3 and Diffie-Hellman Private Set Intersection (DH-PSI) protocol. High-performance implementation of ECC is required, especially for the DH-PSI protocol used in privacy-preserving platform.

Point multiplication, the chief cryptographic primitive in ECC, is computationally expensive. To improve the performance of DH-PSI protocol, we propose Topgun, a novel and high-performance hardware architecture for point multiplication over Curve25519. The proposed architecture features a pipelined Finite-field Arithmetic Unit and a simple and highly efficient instruction set architecture. Compared to the best existing work on Xilinx Zynq 7000 series FPGA, our implementation with one Processing Element can achieve 3.14× speedup on the same device. To the best of our knowledge, our implementation appears to be the fastest among the state-of-the-art works. We also have implemented our architecture consisting of 4 Compute Groups, each with 16 PEs, on an Intel Agilex AGF027 FPGA. The measured performance of 4.48 Mops/s is achieved at the cost of 86 Watts power, which is the record-setting performance for point multiplication over Curve25519 on FPGAs.
Minimum Partition into Plane Subgraphs: The CG:SHOP Challenge 2022
Authors: Fekete Sándor P. , Keldenich Phillip , Krupke Dominik , Schirra Stefan
Published: July 2023

We give an overview of the 2022 Computational Geometry Challenge targeting the problem
Minimum Partition into Plane Subsets
, which consists of partitioning a given set of line segments into a minimum number of non-crossing subsets.
Does this Explanation Help? Designing Local Model-agnostic Explanation Representations and an Experimental Evaluation Using Eye-tracking Technology
Authors: Meza Martínez Miguel Angel , Nadj Mario , Langner Moritz , Toreini Peyman , Maedche Alexander
Published: July 2023

In Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) research, various local model-agnostic methods have been proposed to explain individual predictions to users in order to increase the transparency of the underlying Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems. However, the user perspective has received less attention in XAI research, leading to a (1) lack of involvement of users in the design process of local model-agnostic explanations representations and (2) a limited understanding of how users visually attend them. Against this backdrop, we refined representations of local explanations from four well-established model-agnostic XAI methods in an iterative design process with users. Moreover, we evaluated the refined explanation representations in a laboratory experiment using eye-tracking technology as well as self-reports and interviews. Our results show that users do not necessarily prefer simple explanations and that their individual characteristics, such as gender and previous experience with AI systems, strongly influence their preferences. In addition, users find that some explanations are only useful in certain scenarios making the selection of an appropriate explanation highly dependent on context. With our work, we contribute to ongoing research to improve transparency in AI.
security.txt Revisited: Analysis of Prevalence and Conformity in 2022
Authors: Hilbig Tobias , Geras Thomas , Kupris Erwin , Schreck Thomas
Published: July 2023

Determining the correct contact person for a particular system or organization is challenging in today’s Internet architecture. However, there are various stakeholders who will need to have such information, such as national security teams, security researchers, or Internet service providers, among others. To address this problem, RFC 9116, or better known as “security.txt,” was developed. If implemented correctly, then it can help these stakeholders in finding contact information to be used to notify an organization of any security issues. Further, there is another proposal called “dnssecuritytxt,” which uses DNS records for this purpose.

In this research article, we evaluated the prevalence of websites that have implemented security.txt and their conformity with the standard. Through a longitudinal analysis of the top one million websites, we investigated the adoption and usage of this standard among organizations. Our results show that the overall adoption of security.txt remains low, especially among less popular websites. To drive its acceptance among organizations, security researchers, and developers, we derived several recommendations, including partnerships with vendors of browsers and content management systems.
Impact of Functional Groups in Reduced Graphene Oxide Matrices for High Energy Anodes in Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Müllner S. , Held T. , Tichter T. , Rank P. , Leykam D. , Jiang W. , Lunkenbein T. , Gerdes T. , Roth C.
Published: July 2023

Most high capacity anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LiB) require a carbonaceous matrix. In this context one promising material is reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Herein, we present the influence of different reduction degrees of rGO on its physico-chemical properties, such as crystallinity, specific surface area, electrical conductivity and electrochemical lithiation/delithiation behavior. It is found that a heat treatment under inert and reducing atmospheres increases the long-range order of rGO up to a temperature of 700 °C. At temperatures around 1000 °C, the crystallinity decreases. With decreasing oxygen content, a linear decrease in irreversible capacity during cycle 1 can be observed, along with a significant increase in electrical conductivity. This decrease in irreversible capacity can be observed despite an increase in specific surface area indicating the more significant influence of the oxygen content on the capacity loss. Consequently, the reversible capacity increases continuously up to a carbon content of 84.4 at% due to the thermal reduction. Contrary to expectations, the capacity decreases with further reduction. This can be explained by the loss of functional groups that will be lithiated reversibly, and a simultaneous reduction of long-range order, as concluded from dq/dU analysis in combination with XRD analysis.
High-Efficiency InGaN Photo Cell Irradiated by 532 nm Laser with AlGaN Electron Blocking Layer
Authors: Shan Heng-Sheng , Liu Sheng-Wei , Wang Ning , Li Xiao-Ya
Published: July 2023

In this paper, a high-efficiency InGaN photo cell irradiated by 532 nm laser (at green wavelength) with AlGaN electron blocking layer (EBL) is proposed based on the blue-green light window effect of seawater. Firstly, the InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) structured material intercalated with AlGaN EBL was designed and grown for InGaN photo cells. Then, by measuring the AFM, XRD and PL of the material, it is found that the insertion of AlGaN EBL can effectively reduce the defect density and improve the steepness of the interface in the active region. Further, based on the above material characteristics, the performance of the InGaN photo cells with AlGaN EBL is evaluated in Silvaco software under 532 nm laser irradiation. The results show that the introduction of AlGaN EBL in InGaN photo cell can not only decrease the non-radiative recombination rates, but also reduce the piezoelectric polarization effect, which contribute to the transport of effective photo-generated carriers and eventually improve the conversion efficiency by 13.325% compared to that with conventional structure. These findings provide critical new insights on high-efficiency GaN-based Photo Cell irradiated by 532 nm laser in the application of underwater communications.
Guidelines for microbiome studies in renal physiology
Authors: Muralitharan Rikeish R. , Snelson Matthew , Meric Guillaume , Coughlan Melinda T. , Marques Francine Z.
Published: July 2023

Gut microbiome research has increased dramatically in the last decade, including in renal health and disease. The field is moving from experiments showing mere association to causation using both forward and reverse microbiome approaches, leveraging tools such as germ-free animals, treatment with antibiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantations. However, we are still seeing a gap between discovery and translation that needs to be addressed, so that patients can benefit from microbiome-based therapies. In this guideline paper, we discuss the key considerations that affect the gut microbiome of animals and clinical studies assessing renal function, many of which are often overlooked, resulting in false-positive results. For animal studies, these include suppliers, acclimatization, baseline microbiota and its normalization, littermates and cohort/cage effects, diet, sex differences, age, circadian differences, antibiotics and sweeteners, and models used. Clinical studies have some unique considerations, which include sampling, gut transit time, dietary records, medication, and renal phenotypes. We provide best-practice guidance on sampling, storage, DNA extraction, and methods for microbial DNA sequencing (both 16S rRNA and shotgun metagenome). Finally, we discuss follow-up analyses, including tools available, metrics, and their interpretation, and the key challenges ahead in the microbiome field. By standardizing study designs, methods, and reporting, we will accelerate the findings from discovery to translation and result in new microbiome-based therapies that may improve renal health.
The orderly recruitment of motor units may be modified when a muscle is acting as an antagonist
Authors: Magnuson Justine R. , Dalton Brian H. , McNeil Chris J.
Published: July 2023

Modest levels of coactivation are widely considered essential for appropriate motor control; however, minimal attention has been given to recruitment patterns of motor units (MUs) from antagonist muscles. Despite the successful recording of many low-threshold MUs during agonist contractions, we recorded no antagonist MUs in most participants. Of the units recorded, only ∼60% matched those recruited at <10% of maximal torque when the muscle acted as an agonist, which suggests a modified recruitment order for antagonist MUs.
Adaptive Access Control Mechanism (AACM) for Enterprise Cloud Computing
Authors: Kaur Amardeep , Verma Amandeep
Published: July 2023

Enterprise cloud computing provides various services to enterprises, but access to these services is controlled by a firewall. The firewall determines the actions and operations a legitimate user can perform on the available resources. Access control policies allow or restrict access to resources, and they also keep a record of attempted access. In the role-based access control model, access to resources is based on a user’s role in the enterprise. As resources are limited, the policy manager has to create policies that optimize resource availability to different roles to improve overall resource utilization. However, this optimization is challenging without prior knowledge of user behaviour and resource requirements for each role. Due to insufficient knowledge, some resources may be available to the wrong roles, while others may be required by other roles but are inaccessible. This results in decreased resource utilization, requiring the redefinition of access control policies with optimal resource availability. The optimal allocation of resources can be achieved by analyzing user behaviour under different roles. The study proposes a novel method for access control that utilizes role profiling and redefines access control policies for different roles to optimize resource availability. Formal methods are employed to ensure accurate system behaviour in software and hardware systems. Formal specifications provide a high-level representation of system behaviour and characteristics. This paper proposes formal specifications using the “Z” language to ensure accurate system behaviour in access control mechanisms. The proposed mechanism is implemented in a simulated environment and validated using four variants of the recommender approach. The study concludes that the proposed mechanism consistently enhances operational capability, minimizing over- and under-allocation of resources to roles and improving overall resource utilization within the enterprise. The proposed method is beneficial in dynamic environments where the system must adapt to evolving scenarios.
Chemical Characterization and Ameliorating Effect of Centratherum anthelminticum Extract against Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Wistar Rats
Authors: Shoaib Moonis , Saleem Ammara , Zeb Alam , Khan Muhammad Imran , Akhtar Muhammad Furqan
Published: July 2023

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in females is an endocrine pathological condition of reproductive age which is usually caused by insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, and oxidative stress. This research was aimed at evaluating the therapeutic effect of the Centratherum anthelminticum seed extract (CA) against PCOS in rodents as it is traditionally used to treat diabetes, inflammation, and gynecological problems. The CA was chemically characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). For the induction of PCOS, a high-fat diet (HFD) was given to all female Wistar rats for nine weeks except the normal control group, which was given a normal chow diet. Estradiol valerate was given to all rats except normal control. After the induction of PCOS, oral metformin (300 mg/kg) was given to the standard group, while CA was orally administered to diseased rats at 250, 500, and 750 mg/kg/day for 28 days. HPLC-DAD analysis revealed that kaempferol-3-pcoumaroylglucoside was present in the highest amount (146.8 ± 1.8 mg/g) of the extract followed by ferulic acid and malvidin-3-(6-caffeoyl)-glucoside. The in vivo results revealed a marked reduction in cholesterol and triglyceride levels in CA treatment groups. A significant rise was observed in progesterone and follicle stimulating hormone with a decrease in luteinizing hormone in the treatment groups as compared to disease control, which indicated normalization of the estrus cycle. The decrease in insulin resistance was characterized by low serum insulin levels in treatment groups. Treatment with CA also reduced inflammatory markers, such as IL-6 and NF-κB in PCOS rats. NrF2 and oxidative stress markers such as catalase, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, and reduced glutathione were also improved by CA in the ovary of diseased rats. Histopathological examination showed the different developmental stages of normal follicles in CA-treated diseased rats which were indicative of a normal fertile estrous cycle. Overall, the results confirmed the efficacy of CA against PCOS in treating estradiol-HFD-induced PCOS due to its antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antihyperlipidemic, and antioxidant properties.
Effects of Reservoir Boundary Conditions, Drainage Shape, and Well Location on Productivity of a Vertical Well
Authors: Lu Jing , Yang Erlong , Rahman Md. Motiur , Wang Xueliang
Published: July 2023

This paper gives a review of steady state and pseudosteady state productivity equations for an unfractured fully penetrating vertical well in a permeability anisotropic reservoir. This paper also studies the effects of drainage area, reservoir boundary conditions, drainage shape, and well location on productivity. The production performances of an unfractured vertical well in a circular reservoir, a sector fault reservoir and a rectangular reservoir are studied and compared. Mechanical skin factor is included in the productivity equations. This paper examines the steady state and pseudosteady state production performance of oil wells with constant flow rates in different drainage shapes, a library of productivity equations is introduced, several combinations of closed and/or constant pressure boundary conditions are considered at lateral reservoir boundaries. The equations introduced in this paper can be used to determine the economical feasibility of a drilling an unfractured fully penetrating vertical well. It is concluded that, drainage area and reservoir boundary conditions have significant effects on productivity of a well, and productivity is a weak function of drainage shape and well location.
Numerical Study to Define Initial Thermal Integration Window for Methane Oxidative Coupling with Dehydroaromatization Reactors
Authors: Jamil Muhammad Umar , Haki Maria , Nesterenko Nikolai , Van Daele Stijn , Chieregato Alessandro , Al-Rawashdeh Ma’moun
Published: July 2023

Oxidative coupling of methane and methane dehydroaromatization are attractive one-step conversion routes to make valuable platform chemicals more sustainable. Both processes require elevated temperatures above 600°C, good heat management, and the use of heterogeneous catalysts. None of these reactions are yet commercial due to many technical challenges. This work explores the potential of combining these two processes under one umbrella to overcome some of the technical challenges and make these processes more attractive. It focuses on the recuperative autothermal reactor coupling as one of the possible integration options. A tube-in-tube reactor design is proposed in which OCM is in the inner tube and MDA is in the outside. A numerical study is carried out using pseudohomogenous ideal fixed bed reactor models with literature kinetics. A systematic tabulated approach is used to simplify, visualize, and structure the design process and view the design options. Practical constraints such as reactor sizing, pressure drop, reaction performance, and axial temperature profile are investigated. The effect of heat transfer coefficient, diluents, catalyst profiling, and flow direction have been investigated to alter the axial temperature profile, avoid thermal run away, and improve the performance. Multiple thermally coupled OCM-MDA reactor design candidates are identified. This is the first time that the thermal coupling of OCM and MDA has been identified and quantified. These candidates are merely a starting point toward exploring the full coupling opportunities between OCM and MDA toward reaching the ultimate and more attractive option of full mass and heat integration in the same reactor.
Effect of Job Crafting Intervention Program on Harmonious Work Passion and Career Commitment among Nurses: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: El-Gazar Heba E. , Abdelhafez Shymaa , Ibrahim Nashwa , Shawer Mona , Zoromba Mohamed A.
Published: July 2023

Aim. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of a job crafting intervention program for nurses on their job crafting behaviors, harmonious work passion, and career commitment. Background. Nurses generally work in suboptimal environments with chronic low resources and high demands. Job crafting may be a cost-effective strategy to deal effectively with such environments. However, its effectiveness as a nursing intervention program remains unclear. Methods. An open-label randomized controlled trial was conducted at a hospital in Port Said, Egypt. The study enrolled 94 nurses. Participants were assigned randomly to the intervention group (n = 47) or the control group (n = 47). The intervention group had a 2-day workshop, 3 weeks of job crafting implementation, and a reflection session, whereas the control group participated in a 1-day workshop. Data were collected at baseline, 2 weeks, and 3 months after the intervention in both groups by using the Job Crafting Scale, Job Crafting Knowledge Questionnaire, Harmonious Work Passion Scale, and Career Commitment Scale. Results. Compared with the control group, the intervention group experienced a higher level of job crafting behaviors and reported a greater improvement in harmonious work passion, but not in career commitment. Conclusion. Nurses can be trained on job crafting behaviors, which can lead to the maximization of job resources, optimization of job demands, and enhancement of nurses’ harmonious work passion. Implications for Nursing Management. Nursing managers should train nurses regularly on how to be job crafters because it is an effective tool that helps nurses deal with limited job resources and increased job demands and makes them more harmoniously passionate about their work.
Evaluation of Somatic Mutations in Urine Samples as a Noninvasive Method for the Detection and Molecular Classification of Endometrial Cancer
Authors: Costas Laura , Onieva Irene , Pelegrina Beatriz , Marin Fátima , Carmona Álvaro , López-Querol Marta , Frias-Gomez Jon , Peremiquel-Trillas Paula , Martínez José Manuel , Dorca Eduard , Brunet Joan , Pineda Marta , Ponce Jordi , Matias-Guiu Xavier , de Sanjosé Silvia , Bosch Francesc Xavier , Alemany Laia , Paytubi Sonia
Published: July 2023

Purpose:

Current diagnostic methods for endometrial cancer lack specificity, leading to many women undergoing invasive procedures. The aim of this study was to evaluate somatic mutations in urine to accurately discriminate patients with endometrial cancer from controls.

Experimental Design:

Overall, 72 samples were analyzed using next-generation sequencing (NGS) with molecular identifiers targeting 47 genes. We evaluated urine supernatant samples from women with endometrial cancer (n = 19) and age-matched controls (n = 20). Cell pellets from urine and plasma samples from seven cases were sequenced; further, we also evaluated paired tumor samples from all cases. Finally, immunohistochemical markers for molecular profiling were evaluated in all tumor samples.

Results:

Overall, we were able to identify mutations in DNA from urine supernatant samples in 100% of endometrial cancers. In contrast, only one control (5%) showed variants at a variant allele frequency (VAF) ≥ 2% in the urine supernatant samples. The molecular classification obtained by using tumor samples and urine samples showed good agreement. Analyses in paired samples revealed a higher number of mutations and VAF in urine supernatants than in urine cell pellets and blood samples.

Conclusions:

Evaluation of somatic mutations using urine samples may offer a user-friendly and reliable tool for endometrial cancer detection and molecular classification. The diagnostic performance for endometrial cancer detection was very high, and cases could be molecularly classified using these noninvasive and self-collected samples. Additional multicenter evaluations using larger sample sizes are needed to validate the results and understand the potential of urine samples for the early detection and prognosis of endometrial cancer.
Mutual ATRaction: Assessing Synergy of Berzosertib with Sacituzumab Govitecan
Authors: Berg Stephanie A. , Choudhury Atish D.
Published: July 2023

A phase I trial of the novel combination of the ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related inhibitor berzosertib plus the antibody–drug conjugate sacituzumab govitecan in patients with heavily pretreatment tumors demonstrated some antitumor activity and no dose-limiting toxicities. This represents a new treatment paradigm that will be further explored in a phase II setting.

See related article by Abel et al., p. 3603
Data from Exploring the Onset and Progression of Prostate Cancer through a Multicellular Agent-based Model
Authors: Passier Margot , van Genderen Maisa N.G. , Zaalberg Anniek , Kneppers Jeroen , Bekers Elise M. , Bergman Andries M. , Zwart Wilbert , Eduati Federica
Published: July 2023

Over 10% of men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. Arising from luminal cells of the prostatic acinus, prostate cancer is influenced by multiple cells in its microenvironment. To expand our knowledge and explore means to prevent and treat the disease, it is important to understand what drives the onset and early stages of prostate cancer. In this study, we developed an agent-based model of a prostatic acinus including its microenvironment, to allow for in silico studying of prostate cancer development.

The model was based on prior reports and in-house data of tumor cells cocultured with cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) and protumor and/or antitumor macrophages. Growth patterns depicted by the model were pathologically validated on hematoxylin and eosin slide images of human prostate cancer specimens. We identified that stochasticity of interactions between macrophages and tumor cells at early stages strongly affect tumor development. In addition, we discovered that more systematic deviations in tumor development result from a combinatorial effect of the probability of acquiring mutations and the tumor-promoting abilities of CAFs and macrophages. In silico modeled tumors were then compared with 494 patients with cancer with matching characteristics, showing strong association between predicted tumor load and patients’ clinical outcome. Our findings suggest that the likelihood of tumor formation depends on a combination of stochastic events and systematic characteristics. While stochasticity cannot be controlled, information on systematic effects may aid the development of prevention strategies tailored to the molecular characteristics of an individual patient.
Significance:
We developed a computational model to study which factors of the tumor microenvironment drive prostate cancer development, with potential to aid the development of new prevention strategies.