bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reconfigurable metamaterial for asymmetric and symmetric elastic wave absorption based on exceptional point in resonant bandgap
Authors: Yi Jianlin , Wu Zheng , Xia Rongyu , Li Zheng
Published: December 2022

Elastic wave absorption at subwavelength scale is of significance in many engineering applications. Non-Hermitian metamaterials show the ability in high-efficiency wave absorption. However, the single functionality of metamaterials is an important limitation on their practical applications for lack of tunability and reconfigurability. Here, we propose a tunable and reconfigurable non-Hermitian piezoelectric metamaterial bar, in which piezoelectric bars connect with resonant circuits, to achieve asymmetric unidirectional perfect absorption (UPA) and symmetric bidirectional perfect absorption (PA) at low frequencies. The two functions can be arbitrarily switched by rearranging shunted circuits. Based on the reverberation-ray matrix (RRM) method, an approach is provided to achieve UPA by setting an exceptional point (EP) in the coupled resonant bandgap. By using the transfer matrix method (TMM) and the finite element method (FEM), it is observed that a non-Hermitian pseudo-band forms between two resonant bandgaps, and the EP appears at the bottom of the pseudo-band. In addition, the genetic algorithm is used to accurately and efficiently design the shunted circuits for desired low-frequency UPA and PA. The present work may provide new strategies for vibration suppression and guided waves manipulation in wide potential applications.
Wave propagation analysis of porous functionally graded piezoelectric nanoplates with a visco-Pasternak foundation
Authors: Li Zhaonian , Liu Juan , Hu Biao , Wang Yuxing , Shen Huoming
Published: December 2022

This study investigates the size-dependent wave propagation behaviors under the thermoelectric loads of porous functionally graded piezoelectric (FGP) nanoplates deposited in a viscoelastic foundation. It is assumed that (i) the material parameters of the nanoplates obey a power-law variation in thickness and (ii) the uniform porosity exists in the nanoplates. The combined effects of viscoelasticity and shear deformation are considered by using the Kelvin-Voigt viscoelastic model and the refined higher-order shear deformation theory. The scale effects of the nanoplates are captured by employing nonlocal strain gradient theory (NSGT). The motion equations are calculated in accordance with Hamilton’s principle. Finally, the dispersion characteristics of the nanoplates are numerically determined by using a harmonic solution. The results indicate that the nonlocal parameters (NLPs) and length scale parameters (LSPs) have exactly the opposite effects on the wave frequency. In addition, it is found that the effect of porosity volume fractions (PVFs) on the wave frequency depends on the gradient indices and damping coefficients. When these two values are small, the wave frequency increases with the volume fraction. By contrast, at larger gradient index and damping coefficient values, the wave frequency decreases as the volume fraction increases.
SIRT1 pathway in Parkinson’s disease: a faraway snapshot but so close
Authors: Batiha Gaber El-Saber , Al-kuraishy Hayder M. , Al-Gareeb Ali I. , Elekhnawy Engy
Published: December 2022

Silent information regulator (SIRT) has distinctive enzymatic activities and physiological functions to control cell-cycle progression, gene expression, and DNA stability by targeting histone and non-histone proteins. SIRT1 enhances synaptic formation and synaptic activity, and therefore, can reduce the progression of various degenerative brain diseases including Parkinson’s disease (PD). SIRT1 activity is decreased by aging with a subsequent increased risk for the development of degenerative brain diseases. Inhibition of SIRT1 promotes inflammatory reactions since SIRT1 inhibits transcription of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) which also inhibits SIRT1 activation via activation of microRNA and miR-34a which reduce NAD synthesis. SIRT1 is highly expressed in microglia as well as neurons, and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, this review aimed to find the possible role of SIRT1 in PD neuropathology. SIRT1 has neuroprotective effects; therefore, downregulation of SIRT1 during aging promotes p53 expression and may increase the vulnerability of neuronal cell deaths. PD neuropathology is linked with the sequence of inflammatory changes and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines due to the activation of inflammatory signaling pathways. In addition, oxidative stress, inflammatory disorders, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis contribute mutually to PD neuropathology. Thus, SIRT1 and SIRT1 activators play a crucial role in the mitigation of PD neuropathology through the amelioration of oxidative stress, inflammatory disorders, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, and inflammatory signaling pathways.
A new infinite family of star normal quotient graphs of twisted wreath type
Authors: Kaja Eda , Morgan Luke
Published: December 2022

We construct the first infinite families of locally 2-arc transitive graphs with the property that the automorphism group has two orbits on vertices and is quasiprimitive on exactly one orbit, of twisted wreath type. This work contributes to Giudici, Li and Praeger’s program for the classification of locally 2-arc transitive graphs by showing that the star normal quotient twisted wreath category also contains infinitely many graphs.
A Process Related View on the Usage of Electronic Health Records from the Patients’ Perspective: A Systematic Review
Authors: Griesser Anna , Bidmon Sonja
Published: December 2022

Background

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in electronic health record (EHR) systems and various approaches of encouraging acceptance. Multiple methods of EHR acceptance have been proposed. However, a systematic review of patient's perspectives of their role and challenges in processing EHR remains lacking. Moreover, so far, there has been little discussion about barriers and facilitators of EHR system acceptance and usage from the patients' perspective.

Methods

The study was reported according to the PRISMA statement. Six databases were systematically searched using keywords for articles from 2002–2020. We reviewed these data and used an inductive approach to analyse findings.

Results

A total of 36 studies met the inclusion criteria. Our systematic literature review results reveal a wide range of barriers and facilitators assigned to four distinct stages of EHR system usage: awareness, adoption, behaviour and perception, and consequences. Results were described in a narrative synthesis of the included empirical studies.

Discussion

Results underline the necessity to put a particular emphasis – but not exclusively – on the initial stage of awareness in the future. Further research in the field is therefore strongly recommended in order to develop tailored mediated communication to foster EHR system usage in the long run.
Learning multi-agent coordination through connectivity-driven communication
Authors: Pesce Emanuele , Montana Giovanni
Published: December 2022

In artificial multi-agent systems, the ability to learn collaborative policies is predicated upon the agents’ communication skills: they must be able to encode the information received from the environment and learn how to share it with other agents as required by the task at hand. We present a deep reinforcement learning approach, Connectivity Driven Communication (CDC), that facilitates the emergence of multi-agent collaborative behaviour only through experience. The agents are modelled as nodes of a weighted graph whose state-dependent edges encode pair-wise messages that can be exchanged. We introduce a graph-dependent attention mechanisms that controls how the agents’ incoming messages are weighted. This mechanism takes into full account the current state of the system as represented by the graph, and builds upon a diffusion process that captures how the information flows on the graph. The graph topology is not assumed to be known a priori, but depends dynamically on the agents’ observations, and is learnt concurrently with the attention mechanism and policy in an end-to-end fashion. Our empirical results show that CDC is able to learn effective collaborative policies and can over-perform competing learning algorithms on cooperative navigation tasks.
Two-field formulation of the inertial forces of a geometrically-exact beam element
Authors: Sonneville Valentin , Géradin Michel
Published: December 2022

An independent velocity field is introduced via Legendre transformation of the kinetic energy of a geometrically-exact beam, leading to a first-order system of twice as many governing equations as a one-field formulation. Nevertheless, the new field does not have to be assembled across elements and can be eliminated at the element level, so that the assembled system has the same size as a one-field formulation. Furthermore, because the new field does not have to satisfy the compatibility equations that the original velocity field is subjected to, its finite-element discretization is simpler and leads to simplified inertial forces.
Greek non-negative min, epistemic modality, and positive bias
Authors: Tsiakmakis Evripidis , Borràs-Comes Joan , Espinal M. Teresa
Published: December 2022

Modern Greek displays two variants of the wordmin; one corresponds to a negative marker, and the other corresponds to an epistemic modal. We focus on the latter and provide, for the first time to our knowledge, experimental evidence on its exact interpretation, showing that (i) non-negativeminis incompatible with the overt realization of polar propositional alternatives {p,¬p}, (ii) it conveys medium speaker certainty with respect to the expressed propositionp, and (iii) it encodes speaker bias in favor ofp. Our findings support the novel generalization that non-negativeminis uniformly interpreted as conveying that the speaker is neither unbiased nor negatively biased (as suggested by the previous literature on the topic), but positively biased with respect to a propositionp. We argue that non-negativeminis a biased epistemic modal that needs to be licensed by an external non-veridical operator.
Phragmites australis invasion and herbicide-based control changes primary production and decomposition in a freshwater wetland
Authors: Yuckin Sarah Jennifer , Howell Graham , Robichaud Courtney Dawn , Rooney Rebecca Campbell
Published: December 2022

Wetlands are important global carbon sinks, an increasingly important ecosystem service. Invasive plants can disrupt wetland carbon budgets, although efforts to suppress invasive plants may also have unintended effects. InvasivePhragmites australissubsp.australis(European common reed) produces extensive monocultures that displace resident plant communities. In Long Point (Ontario, Canada), a glyphosate-based herbicide was used to control over 900 ha ofP. australis. We determined how this ongoing management, and different environmental conditions, influence net primary productivity and decomposition rates. We compared above- and below-ground biomass, belowground:aboveground biomass ratios, standing dead stems, and litter in un-treatedP. australisstands, in herbicide-treated areas, and in reference vegetation. We also conducted a reciprocal transplant experiment to measure the decomposition rates of plant litter. One-year post-treatment, control efforts dramatically reduced aboveground biomass (122 g/m2 ± 133 SD) compared to un-treatedP. australis(1254 g/m2 ± 449 SD) and reference habitat (821 g/m2 ± 335 SD). An interaction between the plant community of the site and water depth predicted litter decomposition rates, with litter loss ranging from 5.75 to 74.65% across all species, and submerged litter decomposing faster. These results emphasize that secondary treatment, such as rolling, burning, or cutting, encourages the decomposition of deadP. australisstems, opening up space for the recovery of native plants. While herbicide-treated sites had low biomass immediately following treatment, aquatic vegetation began rapidly colonizing treated areas, suggesting that plant community recovery may restore the wetland carbon uptake in subsequent years.
Competencies for the artificial intelligence age: visualisation of the state of the art and future perspectives
Authors: Santana Mónica , Díaz-Fernández Mirta
Published: December 2022

The objective of this paper is to perform an in-depth analysis of the literature on the competencies for implementing and leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) within organisations. From a bibliometric study using SciMat with articles from the Web of Science database, we identified 421 papers published between 1992 and 2020. This study offers a systematisation of the competencies and skills for AI, highlighting the most prominent, basic, specialised and emerging themes, and providing a performance measure analysis of this field. In addition, major challenges and a research agenda are discussed. The organisational challenge is to achieve a workforce with the necessary digital competencies, and to adapt human resource management practices to AI challenges.
Selenium Speciation Analysis Reveals Improved Antioxidant Status in Finisher Pigs Fed l-Selenomethionine, Alone or Combined with Sodium Selenite, and Vitamin E
Authors: Reinoso-Maset Estela , Falk Michaela , Bernhoft Aksel , Ersdal Cecilie , Framstad Tore , Fuhrmann Herbert , Salbu Brit , Oropeza-Moe Marianne
Published: December 2022

Conditions associated with selenium (Se) and/or vitamin E (VitE) deficiency are still being reported in high-yielding pigs fed the recommended amounts. Here, the dietary effects of Se source (sodium selenite, NaSe, 0.40 or 0.65 mg Se/kg; l-selenomethionine, SeMet, 0.19 or 0.44 mg Se/kg; a NaSe-SeMet mixture, SeMix, 0.44–0.46 mg Se/kg) and VitE concentration (27, 50–53 or 101 mg/kg) on the antioxidant status of finisher pigs were compared with those in pigs fed non-Se-supplemented diets (0.08–0.09 mg Se/kg). Compared to NaSe-enriched diets, SeMet-supplemented diets resulted in significantly (p < 0.0018) higher plasma concentrations of total Se (14–27%) and selenospecies (GPx3, SelP, SeAlb; 7–83%), significantly increased the total Se accumulation in skeletal muscles, myocardium, liver and brain (10–650%), and enhanced the VitE levels in plasma (15–74%) and tissues (8–33%) by the end of the 80-day trial, proving better Se distribution and retention in pigs fed organic Se. Injecting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) intravenously half-way into the trial provoked a pyrogenic response in the pigs followed by a rapid increase of inorganic Se after 5–12 h, a drastic drop of SeMet levels between 12 and 24 h that recovered by 48 h, and a small increase of SeCys by 24–48 h, together with a gradual rise of GPx3, SelP and SeAlb in plasma up to 48 h. These changes in Se speciation in plasma were particularly significant (0.0024 > p > 0.00007) in pigs receiving SeMet- (0.44 mg Se/kg, above EU-legislated limits) or SeMix-supplemented (SeMet and NaSe both at 0.2 mg Se/kg, within EU-legislated limits) diets, which demonstrates Se metabolism upregulation to counteract the LPS-induced oxidative stress and a strengthened antioxidant capacity in these pigs. Overall, a Se source combination (without exceeding EU-legislated limits) and sufficient VitE supplementation (≥ 50 mg/kg) improved the pigs’ antioxidant status, while doubling the allowed dietary organic Se increased the Se in tissues up to sixfold without compromising the animal’s health due to toxicity. This study renders valuable results for revising the current dietary SeMet limits in swine rations.

Graphical Abstract
The performance of levothyroxine tablet is impaired by bariatric surgery
Authors: Trimboli Pierpaolo , Ossola Nicola , Torre Alessandro , Mongelli Francesco , Quarenghi Massimo , Camponovo Chiara , Lucchini Barbara , Rotondi Mario , Ruinelli Lorenzo , Garofalo Fabio
Published: December 2022

Objective

The aim was to evaluate if bariatric surgery can affect the LT4 performance. The endpoints were the following: 1) difference between LT4 daily dose before and 1 year after surgery, 2) difference between LT4 dose per weight before and 1 year after surgery, 3) difference among LT4 preparations.

Methods

The study period was between January 2018 and May 2022. Inclusion criteria were a) adults undergone bariatric surgery, b) with proven autoimmune hypothyroidism, c) on LT4 therapy before bariatric surgery, d) using any commercialized LT4 preparation. Excluded were patients a) proven to have or suspected for pre-surgical intestinal malabsorption, b) with other potential interfering factors on LT4 absorption; c) with heart, renal, and/or hepatic failure, d) with recent/current infection/inflammation, e) in pregnancy, f) with incomplete data about LT4 therapy.

Results

According to the selection criteria, 40 patients were included. Both TSH and LT4 daily doses were not significantly different with respect to baseline values. On the contrary, the LT4 dose per weight was significantly increased, especially in RYGB patients. An increased LT4 dose per weight was observed with the reduction of weight.

Conclusion

One year after bariatric surgery 1) the daily dose of LT4 remains unchanged, and 2) despite the significant weight reduction, LT4 dose per weight increases. Most data are referred to LT4 tablet and the performance of LT4 caps should be further investigated.
Parameter-uniform convergence analysis of a domain decomposition method for singularly perturbed parabolic problems with Robin boundary conditions
Authors: Kumar Sunil , Aakansha  , Singh Joginder , Ramos Higinio
Published: December 2022

We construct and analyze a domain decomposition method to solve a class of singularly perturbed parabolic problems of reaction-diffusion type having Robin boundary conditions. The method considers three subdomains, of which two are finely meshed, and the other is coarsely meshed. The partial differential equation associated with the problem is discretized using the finite difference scheme on each subdomain, while the Robin boundary conditions associated with the problem are approximated using a special finite difference scheme to maintain the accuracy. Then, an iterative algorithm is introduced, where the transmission of information to the neighbours is done using a piecewise linear interpolation. It is proved that the resulting numerical approximations are parameter-uniform and, more interestingly, that the convergence of the iterates is optimal for small values of the perturbation parameters. The numerical results support the theoretical results about convergence.
Simultaneous treatment of fruit juice industry wastewater and single-cell protein synthesis using purple non-sulfur bacteria
Authors: Rashid Naim , Abdelnabi Mirna N. A. , Vincent Annette Shoba , Mackey Hamish R.
Published: December 2022

Fruit juice industry wastewater is characterized by high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and low pH, which requires extensive energy if treated aerobically and can adversely affect aquatic organisms if discharged into water bodies without proper treatment. In this study, purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB) were employed to recover carbon through photoanaerobic treatment in the form of single-cell protein (SCP) suitable for aquaculture and rich in carotenoid and bacteriochlorophyll photopigments. The efficacy of PNSB was investigated using two types of wastewaters, citrus juice wastewater (CJW), and mixed juice wastewater (MJW) as substrates at different pH conditions (5.0–8.0). pH 8.0 showed the highest COD removal in CJW (89 ± 0.1%) and pH 7.0 in MJW (94 ± 1%), respectively. The biomass yields were 0.493 g-VSS·g-COD−1 and 0.397 g-VSS·g-COD−1 for CJW and MJW. SCP contents in CJW and MJW were 48 ± 1% and 40 ± 3%, respectively. Pigment analysis revealed that PNSB biomass contained carotenoids and bacteriochlorophyll. Carotenoids in CJW and MJW were 1354 ± 64 µg·g−1 and 1558 ± 218 µg·g−1 of biomass; bacteriochlorophyll contents were 2097 ± 110 µg·g−1 and 3100 ± 614 µg·g−1 of biomass, respectively. The microbial population showed diversity among the two substrates and pH conditions, with PNSB comprising potentially up to 51% of microbes in the culture. The results demonstrate that PNSB could be used as potential mediators to treat fruit juice wastewater, and produce SCP, and photopigments simultaneously.
Brain abscess with Ureaplasma parvum in a patient with granulomatosis with polyangiitis
Authors: Madlener Marie , Breuninger Marianne , Meißner Arne , Stetefeld Henning , Telentschak Sergej , Wille Thorsten , van Eimeren Thilo , Jung Norma
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Ureaplasma species are associated with urogenital infections, infertility and adverse pregnancy outcomes as well as neonatal infections. Involvement of the central nervous system in adults is extremely rare. We report an unusual case of a brain abscess secondary to otitis media with Ureaplasma parvum in a patient with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA).

Methods

Imaging and laboratory findings, treatment decisions, and outcome of this case are explicated.

Results

A young adult with GPA presented with progredient earache after ambulant diagnosis of otitis media. Despite different courses of broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, she developed meningoencephalitis due to mastoiditis following temporal abscess formation. Mastoidectomy and neurosurgical abscess removal were performed. Standard cultures of cerebrospinal fluid, blood and intracranial abscess material, as well as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for common bacterial and viral meningitis pathogens remained negative. Only eubacterial PCR of intracranial abscess material returned positive for Ureaplasma parvum. The patient finally improved under antibiotic therapy with moxifloxacin and doxycycline.

Conclusion

Ureaplasma species are rare causative pathogens in immunocompromised patients. They should be considered in patients with humoral immunodeficiencies with culture-negative infections failing standard therapy. Eubacterial PCR should be performed in early states of infection in these patients for immediate diagnosis and initiation of appropriate treatment to prevent adverse outcomes.
A hybrid temporal convolutional network and Prophet model for power load forecasting
Authors: Mo Jinyuan , Wang Rui , Cao Mengda , Yang Kang , Yang Xu , Zhang Tao
Published: December 2022

Accurate and effective power system load forecasting is an important prerequisite for the safe and stable operation of the power grid and the normal production and operation of society. In recent years, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been widely used in time series prediction due to their parallel computing and other characteristics, but it is difficult for CNNs to capture the relationship of sequence context and meanwhile, it easily leads to information leakage. To avoid the drawbacks of CNNs, we adopt a temporal convolutional network (TCN), specially designed for time series. TCN combines causal convolution, dilated convolution, and residual connection, and fully considers the causal correlation between historical data and future data. Considering that the power load data has strong periodicity and is greatly influenced by seasons and holidays, we adopt the Prophet model to decompose the load data and fit the trend component, season component, and holiday component. We use TCN and Prophet to forecast the power load data respectively, and then use the least square method to fuse the two models, and make use of their respective advantages to improve the forecasting accuracy. Experiments show that the proposed TCN-Prophet model has a higher prediction accuracy than the classic ARIMA, RNN, LSTM, GRU, and some ensemble models, and can provide more effective decision-making references for power grid departments.
4-Terminal Inorganic Perovskite/Organic Tandem Solar Cells Offer 22% Efficiency
Authors: Liu Ling , Xiao Hanrui , Jin Ke , Xiao Zuo , Du Xiaoyan , Yan Keyou , Hao Feng , Bao Qinye , Yi Chenyi , Liu Fangyang , Wang Wentao , Zuo Chuantian , Ding Liming
Published: December 2022

After fast developing of single-junction perovskite solar cells and organic solar cells in the past 10 years, it is becoming harder and harder to improve their power conversion efficiencies. Tandem solar cells are receiving more and more attention because they have much higher theoretical efficiency than single-junction solar cells. Good device performance has been achieved for perovskite/silicon and perovskite/perovskite tandem solar cells, including 2-terminal and 4-terminal structures. However, very few studies have been done about 4-terminal inorganic perovskite/organic tandem solar cells. In this work, semi-transparent inorganic perovskite solar cells and organic solar cells are used to fabricate 4-terminal inorganic perovskite/organic tandem solar cells, achieving a power conversion efficiency of 21.25% for the tandem cells with spin-coated perovskite layer. By using drop-coating instead of spin-coating to make the inorganic perovskite films, 4-terminal tandem cells with an efficiency of 22.34% are made. The efficiency is higher than the reported 2-terminal and 4-terminal inorganic perovskite/organic tandem solar cells. In addition, equivalent 2-terminal tandem solar cells were fabricated by connecting the sub-cells in series. The stability of organic solar cells under continuous illumination is improved by using semi-transparent perovskite solar cells as filter.
Additive-Driven Interfacial Engineering of Aluminum Metal Anode for Ultralong Cycling Life
Authors: Kumar Sonal , Rama Prasad , Yang Gaoliang , Lieu Wei Ying , Chinnadurai Deviprasath , Seh Zhi Wei
Published: December 2022

Rechargeable Al batteries (RAB) are promising candidates for safe and environmentally sustainable battery systems with low-cost investments. However, the currently used aluminum chloride-based electrolytes present a significant challenge to commercialization due to their corrosive nature. Here, we report for the first time, a novel electrolyte combination for RAB based on aluminum trifluoromethanesulfonate (Al(OTf)3) with tetrabutylammonium chloride (TBAC) additive in diglyme. The presence of a mere 0.1 M of TBAC in the Al(OTf)3 electrolyte generates the charge carrying electrochemical species, which forms the basis of reaction at the electrodes. TBAC reduces the charge transfer resistance and the surface activation energy at the anode surface and also augments the dissociation of Al(OTf)3 to generate the solid electrolyte interphase components. Our electrolyte's superiority directly translates into reduced anodic overpotential for cells that ran for 1300 cycles in Al plating/stripping tests, the longest cycling life reported to date. This unique combination of salt and additive is non-corrosive, exhibits a high flash point and is cheaper than traditionally reported RAB electrolyte combinations, which makes it commercially promising. Through this report, we address a major roadblock in the commercialization of RAB and inspire equivalent electrolyte fabrication approaches for other metal anode batteries.
Phonembewusstheit von angehenden Grundschullehrkräften: Wie gut sind sie auf den schriftsprachlichen Anfangsunterricht vorbereitet?
Authors: Böhme Richard , Berendes Karin
Published: December 2022

Die eigene Phonembewusstheit ist ein wichtiger Teil der diagnostischen Kompetenz von Grundschullehrkräften. International ist die Phonembewusstheit von Lehrkräften bereits umfassend untersucht, national besteht dazu noch ein Forschungsdesiderat. Deswegen wurde ein standardisiertes Testverfahren zur Erfassung der Phonembewusstheit entwickelt und bei N = 271 Grundschullehramtsstudierenden des höheren Fachsemesters in Baden-Württemberg und Bayern eingesetzt.

Die explizite Phonembewusstheit der Studierenden ist mit 41 % korrekt gelöster Items eher gering. Hauptverantwortlich sind dafür orthografische Interferenzeffekte. Insgesamt überschätzen 73 % ihre Leistung, wobei der Effekt umso stärker auftritt, je geringer die Testleistung ist. Die praktischen Implikationen werden diskutiert.
Interfacial structure between TiN sintered ceramics with and without an Fe-containing grain boundary phase and Ag–Cu eutectic brazing filler material
Authors: Terasaki Nobuyuki , Kon Naochika , Chiba Hajime , Ohashi Touyou , Sekino Tohru
Published: December 2022

To focus on the interfacial reaction between the Ag–Cu alloy layer and TiN in active metal brazing, the Ag–Cu brazed interfacial structures between Cu and two types of TiN sintered ceramics fabricated by different methods were examined. No grain boundary phase components consisting of the Ni-containing Fe phase or Mo2C were detected on the TiN grain surfaces of the TiN liquid-phase sintered ceramic bonding surfaces before brazing. The brazed specimens were heated at 850 °C for 0.5 h. No Cu/TiN solid-phase sintered ceramic bonding was obtained. The Ag–Cu alloy layer was bonded onto the TiN grains in the TiN liquid-phase sintered ceramic through an Fe- and Ni-containing segregation layer. This segregation layer was formed by an interfacial reaction between the TiN grains and the Ni-containing Fe in the TiN liquid-phase sintered ceramic dissolved in the Ag–Cu liquid phase.
β-Hydroxybutyric acid improves cognitive function in a model of heat stress by promoting adult hippocampal neurogenesis
Authors: Huang Jian , Wu Yongji , Chai Xuejun , Wang Shuai , Zhao Yongkang , Hou Yan , Ma Yue , Chen Shulin , Zhao Shanting , Zhu Xiaoyan
Published: December 2022

Heat stress has multiple potential effects on the brain, such as neuroinflammation, neurogenesis defects, and cognitive impairment. β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) has been demonstrated to play neuroprotective roles in various models of neurological diseases. In the present study, we investigated the efficacy of BHBA in alleviating heat stress-induced impairments of adult hippocampal neurogenesis and cognitive function, as well as the underlying mechanisms. Mice were exposed to 43 ℃ for 15 min for 14 days after administration with saline, BHBA, or minocycline. Here, we showed for the first time that BHBA normalized memory ability in the heat stress-treated mice and attenuated heat stress-impaired hippocampal neurogenesis. Consistently, BHBA noticeably improved the synaptic plasticity in the heat stress-treated hippocampal neurons by inhibiting the decrease of synapse-associated proteins and the density of dendritic spines. Moreover, BHBA inhibited the expression of cleaved caspase-3 by suppressing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and increased the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the heat stress-treated hippocampus by activating the protein kinase B (Akt)/cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) and methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) pathways. These findings indicate that BHBA is a potential agent for improving cognitive functions in heat stress-treated mice. The action may be mediated by ER stress, and Akt-CREB-BDNF and MeCP2 pathways to improve adult hippocampal neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity.
The Jasmine (Jasminum Sambac) Genome Provides Insight into the Biosynthesis of Flower Fragrances and Jasmonates
Authors: Chen Gang , Mostafa Salma , Lu Zhaogeng , Du Ran , Cui Jiawen , Wang Yun , Liao Qinggang , Lu Jinkai , Mao Xinyu , Chang Bang , Gan Quan , Wang Li , Jia Zhichao , Yang Xiulian , Zhu Yingfang , Yan Jianbin , Jin Biao
Published: December 2022

Jasminum sambac (jasmine flower), a world-renowned plant appreciated for its exceptional flower fragrance, is of cultural and economic importance. However, the genetic basis of its fragrance is largely unknown. Here, we present the first de novo  genome assembly of J. sambac with 550.12 Mb (scaffold N50 = 40.10 Mb) assembled into 13 pseudochromosomes. Terpene synthase (TPS) genes associated with flower fragrance are considerably amplified in the form of gene clusters through tandem duplications in the genome. Gene clusters within the salicylic acid/benzoic acid/theobromine (SABATH) and benzylalcohol O-acetyltransferase/anthocyanin O-hydroxycinnamoyltransferases/anthranilate N-hydroxycinnamoyl/benzoyltransferase/deacetylvindoline 4-O-acetyltransferase (BAHD) superfamilies were identified to be related to the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoid/benzenoid compounds. Several key genes involved in jasmonate biosynthesis were duplicated, causing an increase in copy numbers. In addition, multi-omics analyses identified various aromatic compounds and many genes involved in fragrance biosynthesis pathways. Furthermore, the roles of JsTPS3 in β-ocimene biosynthesis, as well as JsAOC1 and JsAOS in jasmonic acid biosynthesis, were functionally validated. The genome assembled in this study for J. sambac offers a basic genetic resource for studying floral scent and jasmonate biosynthesis, and provides a foundation for functional genomic research and variety improvements in Jasminum.
Only Right Makes Might? Center-Right Policy Competition Among Major Japanese Parties After Electoral Reform
Authors: Winkler Christian G. , Taniguchi Naoko
Published: December 2022

The effects of the 1990s reforms to the electoral system of Japan's House of Representatives have been among the most frequently discussed topics in political science research on the country. These reforms saw the replacement of a hitherto single nontransferable vote (SNTV) system by a mixed-member majoritarian (MMM) system with a strong Single Member District (SMD) and a weaker Proportional Representation (PR) component. Many studies have suggested that the reforms may have had significant impact on the strategies of political parties. Generally, SMD systems have been widely thought to favor larger parties, while PR systems are more beneficial to small and medium-sized parties. On the content side, larger parties seeking control of the government would try to win the support of large numbers of floating voters by campaigning on universal/programmatic policy appeals, as opposed to particularistic interests. In contrast, smaller parties would cater towards their core supporters’ preferences. Previous studies have noted that the old SNTV system in Japan had produced results similar to PR systems (Reed 2003). Japan's electoral reform may have thus changed the strategy of large parties, which would need to win more seats in the SMDs to gain (or hold onto) power, while smaller parties have continued to try and win seats via the PR tier. Therefore, the reform provides valuable research material in so far as we can simultaneously observe different effects by the SMD and the PR systems on parties of different sizes.
Themes for future research on memory, mind and media
Authors: Wertsch James V. , Roediger Henry L.
Published: December 2022

We describe three areas of inquiry that we foresee as being important in future studies of collective memory, mind, and media. The first is the power of narratives, usually provided by collectives, which can be explicit and conscious or implicit and unconscious. A second important theme during this period of populism and nationalism is the study of the self-centredness (or egocentricity) of groups, especially nations believing their past is special. Such egocentricity can feed conflict among nations as well as groups within nations. The third important direction for research is future thinking, or studies of how people anticipate events they expect to unroll in their future and whether these events are mostly positive or negative. A puzzle of future thinking relative to collective memory is why people readily argue about and even fight over events from the past, but find it much more difficult to mobilise groups about life-threatening future events such as global warming or nuclear war. We look forward to studies in these crucial topics and others as they appear in Memory, Mind & Media.
Design of miniaturized single and dual-band bandpass filters using diamond-shaped coupled line resonator for next-generation wireless systems
Authors: Mushtaq Bilal , Khalid Sohail
Published: December 2022

This paper presents a multi-mode resonator (MMR) for next-generation wireless systems that achieves single and dual-band bandpass filter (BPF) responses using a split-ring dual-path structure. The proposed BPF design is realized by employing two pairs of parallel couple lines and two symmetrical step-impedance open-circuited stubs (SIOCS). SIOCS are used to improve selectivity and increase the number of transmission zeros/poles. The proposed single-band BPF exhibits an ultra-wideband (UWB) response having a center frequency of 7.5 GHz, a minimum insertion loss of less than 0.48 dB, and a maximum return loss of 25.35 dB. The proposed UWB BPF has a stopband suppression of 39.34 dB up to 18 GHz and a 3 dB fractional bandwidth of 48.23%. Moreover, a dual-band BPF has been accomplished by utilizing the same architecture while slightly changing the MMR structure and adding more coupling. The center frequency (bandwidth) of the dual broadband BPF is 7.40 GHz (2.40 GHz) and 14.15 GHz (1.7 GHz), respectively. The measured minimum insertion loss is less than 0.23 dB and a return loss of less than 16.8 dB with 3 dB FBWs of 32.4 and 12.1%. Finally, two prototypes are fabricated to validate the proposed characteristics. The BPF's simulated and measured results are in good agreement.
High p62 expression suppresses the NLRP1 inflammasome and increases stress resistance in cutaneous SCC cells
Authors: Hennig Paulina , Di Filippo Michela , Bilfeld Gilles , Mellett Mark , Beer Hans-Dietmar
Published: December 2022

NLRP1 is the primary inflammasome sensor in human keratinocytes. Sensing of UVB radiation by NLRP1 is believed to underlie the induction of sunburn. Although constitutive NLRP1 activation causes skin inflammation and predisposes patients to the development of cutaneous SCCs, the NLRP1 pathway is suppressed in established SCCs. Here, we identified high levels of the autophagy receptor p62 in SCC cells lines and SCC tumors. Increased NF-κB activity in SCC cells causes p62 up-regulation. Suppression of p62 expression rescues UVB-induced NLRP1 inflammasome activation in early-stage SCC cells. p62 expression protects SCC cells from cytotoxic drugs, whereas NLRP1 sensitizes them. In summary, we identify p62 as a novel negative regulator of the NLRP1 inflammasome in human cutaneous SCC cells, in which suppression of NLRP1 by increased levels of p62 supports stress resistance of skin cancer cells.
Recent progress in ferroptosis: inducers and inhibitors
Authors: Du Yunxi , Guo Zhong
Published: December 2022

Ferroptosis is a new iron-dependent form of programmed cell death characterized by iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation. In recent years, ferroptosis has garnered enormous interest in disease treatment research communities in pursuit to reveal the mechanism and key targets of ferroptosis because ferroptosis is closely related to the pathophysiological processes of many diseases. Recent studies have shown some key targets, such as glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and System Xc−, and several inducers and inhibitors have been developed to regulate these key targets. With the emergence of new ferroptosis targets, studies on inducers and inhibitors have made new developments. The selection and use of inducers and inhibitors are very important for related work. This paper briefly introduces important regulatory targets in the ferroptosis metabolic pathway, lists and categorizes commonly used and recently developed inducers and inhibitors, and discusses their medical application. The paper ends of with potential future research direction for ferroptosis.
Efficient neural codes naturally emerge through gradient descent learning
Authors: Benjamin Ari S. , Zhang Ling-Qi , Qiu Cheng , Stocker Alan A. , Kording Konrad P.
Published: December 2022

Human sensory systems are more sensitive to common features in the environment than uncommon features. For example, small deviations from the more frequently encountered horizontal orientations can be more easily detected than small deviations from the less frequent diagonal ones. Here we find that artificial neural networks trained to recognize objects also have patterns of sensitivity that match the statistics of features in images. To interpret these findings, we show mathematically that learning with gradient descent in neural networks preferentially creates representations that are more sensitive to common features, a hallmark of efficient coding. This effect occurs in systems with otherwise unconstrained coding resources, and additionally when learning towards both supervised and unsupervised objectives. This result demonstrates that efficient codes can naturally emerge from gradient-like learning.
Plant-specific features of respiratory supercomplex I + III2 from Vigna radiata
Authors: Maldonado M. , Fan Z. , Abe K. M. , Letts J. A.
Published: December 2022

The last steps of cellular respiration—an essential metabolic process in plants—are carried out by mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. This process involves a chain of multi-subunit membrane protein complexes (complexes I–V) that form higher-order assemblies called supercomplexes. Although supercomplexes are the most physiologically relevant form of the oxidative phosphorylation complexes, their functions and structures remain mostly unknown. Here we present the cryogenic electron microscopy structure of the supercomplex I + III2 from Vigna radiata (mung bean). The structure contains the full subunit complement of complex I, including a newly assigned, plant-specific subunit. It also shows differences in the mitochondrial processing peptidase domain of complex III2 relative to a previously determined supercomplex with complex IV. The supercomplex interface, while reminiscent of that in other organisms, is plant specific, with a major interface involving complex III2’s mitochondrial processing peptidase domain and no participation of complex I’s bridge domain. The complex I structure suggests that the bridge domain sets the angle between the enzyme’s two arms, limiting large-scale conformational changes. Moreover, complex I’s catalytic loops and its response in active-to-deactive assays suggest that, in V. radiata, the resting complex adopts a non-canonical state and can sample deactive- or open-like conformations even in the presence of substrate. This study widens our understanding of the possible conformations and behaviour of complex I and supercomplex I + III2. Further studies of complex I and its supercomplexes in diverse organisms are needed to determine the universal and clade-specific mechanisms of respiration.
A transcriptome dataset for gonadectomy-induced changes in rat spinal cord
Authors: Miller Shawn , Abrahante Juan E. , Roopra Avtar , Dougherty Brendan J.
Published: December 2022

Circulating sex steroid hormones are critical for neural function and development of neuroplasticity in many regions of the central nervous system. In the spinal cord, our knowledge of steroid hormone influence mostly derives from mechanistic studies of pain processing in dorsal spinal cord circuits; less is known regarding hormonal influence of ventral spinal motor function. Gonadectomy (surgical removal of the testes in males and ovaries in females) rapidly and persistently reduces circulating sex steroids in both females and males, providing a means to interrogate the role of hormones on neural function. Here we provide a next-generation RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data set to evaluate the impact of gonadectomy on the transcriptome of ventral spinal cord tissue of adult female and male rats.
The surgical resection of the primary tumor increases survival in patients with EGFR-mutant advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a tertiary center cohort study
Authors: Chen Ying-Yuan , Su Po-Lan , Huang Wei-Li , Chang Chao-Chun , Yen Yi-Ting , Lin Chien-Chung , Tseng Yau-Lin
Published: December 2022

Tumor resection could increase treatment efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) in patients with advanced EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aimed to retrospectively analyze patients with advanced EGFR-mutant NSCLC from a Taiwanese tertiary center and receiving EGFR-TKI treatment with or without tumor resection. A total of 349 patients were enrolled. After propensity score matching, 53 EGFR-TKI treated patients and 53 EGFR-TKI treated patients with tumor resection were analyzed. The tumor resection group showed improved progression-free survival (PFS) (52.0 vs. 9.8 months; hazard ratio [HR] = 0.19; p < 0.001) and overall survival (OS) (not reached vs. 30.6 months; HR = 0.14; p < 0.001) compared to the monotherapy group. In the subgroup analysis of patients with newly-diagnosed NSCLC, the tumor resection group showed longer PFS (52.0 vs. 9.9 months; HR = 0.14; p < 0.001) and OS (not reached vs. 32.6 months; HR = 0.12; p < 0.001) than the monotherapy group. In conclusion. the combination of EGFR-TKI and tumor resection provided better PFS and OS than EGFR-TKI alone, and patients who underwent tumor resection within six months had fewer co-existing genomic alterations and better PFS.
Early visual deprivation disrupts the mental representation of numbers in visually impaired children
Authors: Cappagli G. , Cuturi L. F. , Signorini S. , Morelli F. , Cocchi E. , Gori M.
Published: December 2022

Several shreds of evidence indicate that visual deprivation does not alter numerical competence neither in adults nor in children. However, studies reporting non-impaired numerical abilities in the visually impaired population present some limitations: (a) they mainly assessed the ability to process numbers (e.g. mathematical competence) rather than represent numbers (e.g. mental number line); (b) they principally focused on positive rather than negative number estimates; (c) they investigated numerical abilities in adult individuals except one focusing on children (Crollen et al. in Cognition 210:104586, 2021). Overall, this could limit a comprehensive explanation of the role exerted by vision on numerical processing when vision is compromised. Here we investigated how congenital visual deprivation affects the ability to represent positive and negative numbers in horizontal and sagittal planes in visually impaired children (thirteen children with low vision, eight children with complete blindness, age range 6–15 years old). We adapted the number-to-position paradigm adopted by Crollen et al. (Cognition 210:104586, 2021), asking children to indicate the spatial position of positive and negative numbers on a graduated rule positioned horizontally or sagittally in the frontal plane. Results suggest that long-term visual deprivation alters the ability to identify the spatial position of numbers independently of the spatial plane and the number polarity. Moreover, results indicate that relying on poor visual acuity is detrimental for low vision children when asked to localize both positive and negative numbers in space, suggesting that visual experience might have a differential role in numerical processing depending on number polarity. Such findings add knowledge related to the impact of visual experience on numerical processing. Since both positive and negative numbers are fundamental aspects of learning mathematical principles, the outcomes of the present study inform about the need to implement early rehabilitation strategies to prevent the risk of numerical difficulties in visually impaired children.