bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Radiofrequency ablation of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia with speech induced left atrial tachycardia: a case report
Authors: Wei Jingxun , Xu Huipu
Published: December 2022

BACKGROUND: Repetitive atrial tachycardias account for 10–15% of arrhythmias in adults undergoing electrophysiology examination for paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. Speech-induced atrial tachycardia is rarely reported worldwide, and atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia combined with speech-induced left atrial tachycardia is rarer.
CASE PRESENTATION: A 65-year-old man who was diagnosed with atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia at admission, and atrial tachycardia occurred after radiofrequency ablation. Simultaneously, his speech was confirmed as the cause of almost persistent left atrial tachycardia. The earliest potential was mapped at the right lower pulmonary vein orifice using the CARTO system. After ablation, atrial tachycardia was terminated but the trigger mechanism remained unclear and may be related to the left atrial cardiac plexus.
CONCLUSION: Although the physiological basis of speech-induced atrial tachyarrhythmia is currently speculative, it may be due to the combination of increased vagal stimulation. Radiofrequency ablation is an effective treatment method, which can definitively eliminate arrhythmia. In our case, circumferential pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) could be performed for speech-induced atrial tachycardia to reduce the onset of tachycardia.
Investigation on the psychological impact of grade B or C pancreatic fistula of post pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) on surgeon-in-chief and its related factors
Authors: Zhang Yan , Hu Manqin , Xu Dingwei , Li Xincheng , Li Ao , Huang Jie
Published: December 2022

Background
Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is the most common complication of pancreatoduodenectomy (PD), and it is the main cause of mortality. A survey was conducted among hepatobiliary pancreatic surgeons to understand the experience of the surgeon-in-chief in PD and POPF, focusing on the psychological impact of POPF on the surgeon-in-chief, related factors, and factors to alleviate psychological pressure.
Methods
A 21-question questionnaire was conducted among hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgeons, adopting the method of a retrospective cross-sectional survey. The questionnaire was distributed through Wechat, and the software platform was questionnaire star. Count data were expressed in absolute values or percentages, and the x2 test was used in univariate analysis.
Results
A total of 97 hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgeons completed the questionnaire. Eighty-six out of the ninety-seven (88.66%) participants were from third-level first-class hospitals, and participants from hospitals below third-level first-class made up 11/97 (11.34%). Ninety-two out of ninety-seven (94.85%) participants felt uneasy, nervous, or anxious after their patients suffered from grade B or C POPF. Participants making 67/97 (69.07%) suffered from sleeplessness, and 56/97(57.73%) participants' decision-making ability for treatment was affected. Participants making a total of 73/97(75.26%) were worried about grade B or C POPF when performing PD again, becoming overly alert.
Conclusions
Whether hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgeons in hospitals of Third-Level First Class or below, whether they have PD experience, and whether they have experienced grade B or C POPF will have a psychological impact on the surgeon-in-chief.
Factors of Intervertebral Disc Rehydration after Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy
Authors: Lai Juyi , Tan Huangsheng , Li Haokang , Li Jin , Feng Hualong , Lan Zhi Ming , Sun Zhitao , Wang Jian , Fu Yuanfei , Shenghua He
Published: December 2022

Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) is an effective surgical option for lumbar disc herniation (LDH) but is associated with lumbar intervertebral disc rehydration in some patients. However, the incidence of rehydration is not clearly, and only a few studies have discussed this in detail. The study aimed at investigating the factors influencing intervertebral disc rehydration in a series of patients with LDH who underwent PELD. Ninety-six patients with single-level LDH who underwent PELD at Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital from October 2013 to May 2021 were studied. The relevant data of the patients were recorded such as age, course of disease, sex, body mass index (BMI), diabetes mellitus, hypertension, smoking status, and postoperative exercise; imaging factors such as Modic changes of adjacent vertebrae at surgical level, Pfirrmann grade, degree of disc herniation (Komori classification), and spinal canal morphology; peripheral blood factors such as blood routine parameters, C-reactive protein level, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and Th1/Th2 subgroup analysis; and operation-related factors such as surgical approach, length of operation, and amount of blood loss. Univariate analysis and binary logistic regression analysis were conducted to determine the influence of the above parameters on disc rehydration. Our results showed that Young patients with intervertebral disc herniation with a short course of disease, no smoking history, not overweight, no history of diabetes, with intervertebral disc herniation type of Komori Type C, Pfirrmann grade IV, and no adjacent vertebral Modic changes, coupled with high levels of mononuclear cells and TNF-α in peripheral blood, may be more prone to rehydration after PELD.
Oxidative Stress regulates glycogen synthase kinase-3 in Lymphocytes of Diabetes Mellitus Patients with cerebral infarction
Authors: Wang Man , Wang shujin , Qu Zhongsen
Published: December 2022

Diabetes mellitus and cerebral infarction are two major diseases increasing with aging that threaten human health，Oxidative stress is the main cause of diabetes mellitus and acute cerebral ischemic injury.However,It has not been clear how changes in oxidative stress of peripheral lymphocytes affect GSK-3 in DM patients with cerebral infarction.Here,186 patients with DM were enrolled and randomly assigned to DM group(n=89) and DM with cerebral infarction (DM+CI) group (n=97).Eighty-one patients with cerebral infarction were selected as cerebral infarction (CI) group and eighty normal subjects over 50 years were selected as the control group.Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity,and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in serum were determined by colorimetric assays.Phosphorylation of GSK-3βwas measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).It was found that compared with the control group,the SOD activity and the GSH-Px activity in DM+CI group were decreased,accompanied by higher MDA content.Phosphorylation of GSK-3βwas continuously decreased.Moreover,SOD activity,GSH-P x activity and phosphorylation of GSK-3βin DM +CI group was decreased compared to the CI group and the DM group,while MDA content was increased.We demonstrated that compared with DM and CI group, DM patients with cerebral infarction had a more obvious oxidative stress response and severe oxidative damage. The increased GSK-3βactivity, causing more severe cellular damage, may be one of the mechanisms by which oxidative stress causes DM with cerebral infarction. which might provide a diagnostic and therapeutic approach for DM patients with cerebral infarction.
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) pathway mediates anticancer activity of Britannin, isolated from Inula aucheriana DC., in human gastric cancer cells
Authors: Abdolmohammadi Mohammad Hossein , Roozbehani Maryam , Hamzeloo-Moghadam Maryam , Heidari Fatemeh , Fallahian Faranak
Published: December 2022

Background Researchers are particularly interested in the plants of the genus Inula because of their potent medicinal applications. Britannin, a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Inula aucheriana DC., exerts potent cytotoxicity towards various human cancers. In this study, we examined the involvement of the PPARγ pathway in the antitumor effect of Britannin against gastric cancer cells. Methods and Results Cytotoxic activity of Britannin was evaluated by MTT assay, followed by Annexin V-FITC/PI staining and caspase-3 activity assay. The expression levels of Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), Inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B (IκBα), and Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) were determined by western blotting. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to measure the effect of Britannin on the expression of NF-κB target genes. Our results showed that Britannin inhibited gastric cancer cell growth by inducing apoptotic death. The mRNA and protein levels of PPARγ were significantly increased following treatment with Britannin. The involvement of PPARγ was more confirmed using GW9662, a PPARγ inhibitor. Suppression of NF-κB was also demonstrated by western blot analysis. Down-regulation of Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), Twist Family BHLH Transcription Factor 1 (TWIST-1), and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and upregulation of Bcl-2-Associated x (Bax) were also observed in gastric cancer cells treated with Britannin. Conclusions These results imply that activation of the PPARγ signaling pathway through suppression of NF-κB underlies the anti-cancer properties of Britannin in gastric cancer. Therefore, Britannin could be considered for further investigations to explore novel potent anti-cancer drugs.
Topologically Protected Plasmonic Phases in Randomized Aperture Gratings
Authors: Fox Maayan , Gorodetski Yuri
Published: December 2022

We experimentally show the excitation of surface plasmons by topologically protected diffraction from gratings with randomized periodicity. The structures are designed such that the plasmonic excitation is conditioned by the proper combination of the geometric and the dynamic phases. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain a precise interaction of the incident light signal and a specific plasmonic directional mode in a polarization dependent manner.
Assessment of Bacterial diversity in the chicken litter: A potent risk to environmental health
Authors: Kumar Sunil , Yadav Mukesh , Sehrawat Nirmala , Devi Tamanna , Sharma Anil Kumar , Lodhi Moazzam Mohiuddin
Published: December 2022

Raw chicken litters have been applied to field soils where various vegetables are cropped for increasing the yield or productivity. Antibiotics are regularly mixed in the diet or drinking water of chicken grown in the marketable poultry farms for the treating bacterial diseases. Rampant usage of antimicrobials is also resulted in the survival of resistant bacteria in animal excreta, enabling antimicrobial-resistance genes (ARGs) transmission to other microorganisms together with human pathogens. Recently, it has been seen that incorporation of ARGs in vegetables/crops grown in raw manure-amended soil might be due to variations in soil microbial commensals following manure application. An abundances of ARGs like; sul1, aad(A), erm(B), str(A), str(B), intI1 and incW have been traced in manure-mixed soil in many studies compared to unmanured soil leading environmental contamination. Herein, we surveyed multiple investigations to determine how chicken manure affected microbial diversity, the retention of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in soil after manure application, and the transmission of antibiotic resistance genes. Composting can drastically lower enteric bacterial populations, particularly those that carry ARGs. Prior to being applied to the ground, manures can possibly be treated to lessen the danger of polluting crops or water supplies by reducing the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes. ARGs appear to be a major source of worry in poultry, suggesting that these genes have been widely disseminated in the atmosphere by the industry.
Cytidine deaminase activity predicts clinical outcome of azacitidine in real-world MDS patients
Authors: Donnette Melanie , Hamimed Mourad , Ciccolini Joseph , Sicard Guillaume , Correard Florian , Farnault Laure , Ouafik L'Houcine , Venton Geoffroy , Fanciullino Raphaelle
Published: December 2022

Azacitidine (Vidaza®, Aza) is a mainstay for treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in patients unfit for induction chemotherapy and other high risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Only half of patients usually respond and almost all patients will relapse eventually. There are no predictive factors for response to Aza. Aza is detoxified in the liver by a single enzyme, cytidine deaminase (CDA). CDA is a ubiquitous enzyme coded by a highly polymorphic gene, with subsequent great variability in resulting liver activity. Here we investigated on the link between CDA phenotypic status, toxicity and efficacy of Aza in adult patients treated for AML and MDS. A total of 104 patients were screened in this retrospective, real-world study. Of the 104 patients treated, 67.3% received more than 3 cycles. Treatment was postponed due to Aza-related toxicity in 66% (before Course-2) and 53% (before Course-3) of the patients. Median overall survival (OS) were 15 months (95% CI: 10–22) and 13 months (95% CI: 9–21) in AML and high MDS cohorts, respectively. Responding patients at 3-months showed prolonged survivals, with landmark OS of 17 and 14 months for AML and MDS, respectively. Half of the patients had deficient CDA activity (i.e., < 2 UA/mg), with a lower proportion of deficient patients in MDS patients (34%) as compared with AML patients (67%). In MDS patients, CDA deficiency was correlated with longer landmark OS (14 VS. 8 months; p = 0.03 multivariate analysis), but not in AML patients. In addition, our data suggest that delay in Aza treatment is not associated with lack of efficacy, and thus should not be considered as a signal to shift to other drugs. Overall, our data suggest that CDA is an independent covariate could thus be a marker for predicting clinical outcome in MDS patients treated with Aza.
Nationwide genetic analysis of more than 600 families with inherited eye diseases in Argentina
Authors: Schlottmann Patricio , Pinto José Luna , Labat Natalia , Yadarola Maria Belen , Bainttein Silvina , Esposito Evangelina , Ibañez Agustina , Barbaro Evangelina , Mendiara Alejandro Álvarez , Picotti Carolina , Misisian Andrea Chirino , Andreussi Luciana , Gras Julieta , Capalbo Luciana , Visotto Mauro , Dipierri José , Alcoba Emilio , Gabrielli Laura Fernández , Ávila Silvia , Aucar Maria Emilia , Martin Daniel , Ormaechea Gerardo , Inga M. , Francone Anibal , Charles Martin , Zompa Tamara , Pérez Pablo , Lotersztein Vanesa , Nuova Pedro , Canonero Ivana , Michaelides Michel , Arno Gavin , Varela Malena Daich
Published: December 2022

Background: To conduct the first large-scale genetic analysis of inherited eye diseases (IED) in Argentina and describe the comprehensive genetic profile of a large cohort of patients.
Methods: This is a retrospective study analyzing medical records of 22 ophthalmology and genetics services throughout 13 Argentinian provinces. Patients with a clinical diagnosis of an ophthalmic genetic disease and a history of genetic testing were included. Medical, ophthalmological and family history was collected.
Results: 773 patients from 637 families were included, with 98% having inherited retinal disease. The most common phenotype was retinitis pigmentosa (RP, 62%). Causative variants were detected in 377 (59%) patients. USH2A, RPGR, and ABCA4 were the most common disease-associated genes. USH2Awas the most frequent gene to cause RP, RDH12 early onset severe retinal dystrophy, ABCA4 Stargardt disease, PROM1 cone-rod dystrophy, and BEST1 macular dystrophy. The most frequent variants were RPGRc.1345C>T, p.(Arg449*) and USH2A c.15089C>A, p.(Ser5030*). The study revealed 159/448 (35%) previously unreported pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants and 5 likely founder mutations.
Conclusions: We present the genetic landscape of IED in Argentina and the largest cohort in South America. This data will serve as a reference for future genetic studies, aid diagnosis, inform counselling, and assist in addressing the largely unmet need for clinical trials to be conducted in the region.
Dynamic Evaluation on Slope Ecological Restoration Effect Based on CS and MC
Authors: Chen Wenqiang , Sun Yongai
Published: December 2022

It is important to evaluate the slope ecological restoration effect for diagnosing the slope restoration state in time. Several soft computing methods require experts to determine the index weight, which will affect the rationality of the evaluation results. Moreover, they are all static evaluation methods and cannot reflect the time effect of restoration. Therefore, a dynamic evaluation method has been proposed without determining the index weight based on Cosine Similarity and Markov Chain. Several cases were applied to prove the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results presented that the results of this method are more consistent with the actual situations and can reflect the variability of the restoration effect. Finally, the sensitivity of indexes under different ecological restoration methods was analyzed. The results show that the core link of the restoration method was consistent with the sensitivity result. The proposed method provides a basis for optimizing the restoration methods.
Audio-Text Retrieval Based on Contrastive Learning and Collaborative Attention Mechanism
Authors: Hu Tao , Xiang Xuyu , Qin Jiaohua , Tan Yun
Published: December 2022

Existing research on audio-text retrieval is limited by the size of the dataset and the structure of the network, making it difficult to learn the ideal featuresof audio and text resulting in low retrieval accuracy. In this paper, we construct an audio-text retrieval model based on contrastive learning and collaborative attention mechanism . We first reduce model overfitting by implementing audio augmentation strategies including adding Gaussian noise, adjusting the pitch and changing the time shift.Additionally, we design a co-attentive mechanism module that the audio data and text data guide each other in feature learning, effectively capturing the connection between the audio modality and the text modality. Finally we apply the contrastive learning methods between the augmented audio data and the original audio, allowing the model to effectively learn a richer set of audio features. The retrieval accuracy of our proposed model is significantly improved on publicly available datasets AudioCaps and Clotho.
Sex-divergent effects on the NAD+-dependent deacetylase sirtuin signaling across the olfactory-entorhinal-amygdaloid axis in Alzheimer´s and Parkinson´s diseases
Authors: Cartas-Cejudo Paz , Lachén-Montes Mercedes , Ferrer Isidro , Fernández-Irigoyen Joaquín , Santamaría Enrique
Published: December 2022

Background: Smell impairment is one of the earliest features in Alzheimer’s (AD) and Parkinson’s diseases (PD). Due to sex differences exist in terms of smell and olfactory structures as well as in the prevalence and manifestation of both neurological syndromes, we have applied olfactory proteomics to favor the discovery of novel sex-biased physio-pathological mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets associated to olfactory dysfunction.
Methods: SWATH-MS (sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion spectra mass spectrometry) and bioinformatic workflows were applied in 57 postmortem olfactory tracts (OT) derived from non-demented (n=6F/11M), AD (n=4F/13M) and PD (n=7F/16M) subjects. Complementary molecular analyses by Western-blotting were performed in the olfactory bulb (OB), entorhinal cortex (EC) and amygdala areas.
Results: 327 and 151 OT differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were observed in AD women and AD men respectively (35 DEPs in common). Respect to PD, 198 DEPs were identified in PD women whereas 95 DEPs were detected in PD men (20 DEPs in common). This proteome dyshomeostasis induced a disruption in OT protein interaction networks and widespread sex-dependent pathway perturbations in a disease-specific manner, among them Sirtuin (SIRT) signaling. SIRT1, SIRT2, SIRT3 and SIRT5 protein levels unveiled a tangled expression profile across the olfactory-entorhinal-amygdaloid axis, evidencing disease- sex- and brain structure-dependent changes in olfactory protein acetylation.
Conclusions: Alteration in the OT proteostasis was more severe in AD than in PD. Moreover, protein expression changes were more abundant in women than men independent of the neurological syndrome. Mechanistically, the tangled SIRT profile observed across the olfactory pathway-associated brain regions in AD and PD indicates differential NAD (+)-dependent deacetylase mechanisms between women and men. All these data shed new light on differential olfactory mechanisms across AD and PD, pointing out that the evaluation of the feasibility of emerging sirtuin-based therapies against neurodegenerative diseases should be considered with caution, including further sex dimension analyses in vivo and in clinical studies.
A DFT study of the hydrogen storage potentials and properties on Ca, Fe, and Ti deposited NaSi 20 fullerenes
Authors: Yang Huixi , Liu Bin , ren Hongjiang
Published: December 2022

In this work, the hydrogen storage materials of Ca, Fe, and Ti deposited NaSi20 clusters have been investigated utilizing DFT methods (B3LYP and M06-2X) at the 6-311G(d, p) level. The orbital analysis and thermodynamic analysis were carried out and the adsorption capacity of H2 molecules by hydrogen storage materials are predicted. The results show that the encapsulated Na atoms in the Si20 cluster provide a relatively regular shape for the NaSi20 fullerene cluster. And Ca, Fe, and Ti atoms tend to bind with two adjacent Si atoms of NaSi20 cluster. The Ca@NaSi20, Fe@NaSi20, and Ti@NaSi20 can adsorb up to three, four, and six hydrogen molecules, respectively. The adsorption energy (Eads) per hydrogen molecule meets the United States Department of Energy (DOE) target for hydrogen storage materials for nH2-Ti@NaSi20 (n = 2–6) and nH2-Fe@NaSi20 (n = 1–4), implying that Fe and Ti deposited NaSi20 fullerene may be a potentially suitable material for hydrogen storage.
Macroscopic and histopathological investigation of Sarcocystis infection in sheep
Authors: bahrami ali mohammad , rajabi sepideh
Published: December 2022

Sarcocystis infection is one of the most common single-cell infections between humans and livestock.
Considering the health importance of this parasite, in the present study, the level of infection with macroscopic and microscopic sarcocystis cysts in slaughtered sheep was investigated.
work method:In this study, samples were taken from the esophagus, diaphragm, heart and intercostal muscles, and in order to find macroscopic and microscopic cysts, the samples were examined by two methods of direct observation (macroscopic and) histopathology. The basis of diagnosis of microscopic cysts is preparation of slides from samples and hema toxylin eosin staining, then microscopic observation of parasite zoites.
Statistical analysis was done with Spss software and a significance level of 0.05 was considered.
Results:In the examination of the samples related to each of the sheep carcasses, 34.82% macroscopically and 81.09% histopathologically were diagnosed positive for the presence of sarcocystis cysts. Also, a significant statistical difference was observed between the amount of contamination in different muscles (p ≤ 0.05). In the macroscopic examination, the most cases of sarcocystis infection were in the diaphragm and in the microscopic method, it was related to the heart. Contamination was observed in males more than females. Sarcocystis infection has been more in children under one year old.
Conclusion It is suggested to carefully examine the carcasses and local or total removal of the carcasses in the slaughterhouse, and also to refrain from consuming grilled and semi-cooked sheep meat.
Surgical resection for non-small cell lung cancer invading the chest wall: A 12-year experience in a single center
Authors: Batıhan Güntuğ , Üçvet Ahmet , Yazgan Serkan , Ceylan Kenan Can , Gürsoy Soner , Kaya Seyda Ors
Published: December 2022

Background
Patients with chest wall invasion, which constitute 5-10% of operable non-small cell lung cancer cases, are heterogeneous in terms of factors that may affect the prognosis. We aim to share our experience including the surgical results of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent chest wall resection and identify the potential factors that may impact the survival.
Methods
The patients who underwent combined chest wall and lung resection due to primary lung cancer invading the chest wall in our center between 2007 and 2019 were reviewed. Variables such as age, tumor size, histological subtype, surgical technique, depth of invasion, the extent of resection, histological subtype, neoadjuvant, and adjuvant treatment status were examined.
Results
254 patients who underwent combined chest wall and lung resection were included in the study. There were 245 men and 9 women. The mean age was 61.0 ± 8.4 years. The overall survival was 70.9 ± 4.6 months, and the 5-year survival rate was 41.5 ± 3.3%. In multivariate analyses, age, the extent of lung resection, the number of resected ribs, invasion depth, and completeness of chest wall resection were independent factors that have an effect on survival.
Conclusions
This study shows that age, the extent of lung and chest wall resection, invasion depth, and completeness of chest wall resection are independent prognostic factors of survival in patients who underwent combined lung and chest wall resection for NSCLC.
Trial registration
Institutional Review Board of the Dr Suat Seren Chest Diseases and Surgery Medical Practice and Research Center (No: E-49109414-604.02.02)
Network-on-chip router input port architectures
Authors: fard elnaz shafigh , jamali mohammad ali jabrael , masdari mohammad , majidzadeh kambiz
Published: December 2022

With the increase in the number of processing cores on a chip, a highly efficient and scalable structure such as a network on a chip was proposed. Network-on-chip is a technology presented to solve the limitations of system-on-chip that includes a set of multiprocessors. In network-on-chip systems, delay in communication and reaching the ideal speed is one of the concerns of academic and industrial researchers today. Although network-on-chip offers a favorable solution to reduce the problem of the long delay of wires compared to traditional structures, communication delay is still a challenge. In this article, the various types of network router input ports architecture on the chip are reviewed and the operational comparison and evaluation of the technologies proposed in this field are mentioned.
Prediction of even and odd sunspot cycles
Authors: Asikainen Timo , Mantere Jani
Published: December 2022

Here we study the prediction of even and odd numbered sunspot cycles separately, thereby taking into account the Hale cyclicity of solar magnetism. We first show that the temporal evolution and shape of all sunspot cycles are extremely well described by a simple parameterized mathematical expression. We find that the parameters describing even sunspot cycles can be predicted quite accurately using the sunspot number 41 months prior to sunspot minimum as a precursor. We find that the parameters of the odd cycles can be best predicted with geomagnetic maximum geomagnetic aa index close to fall equinox within a 3-year window preceding the sunspot minimum. We use the found precursors to hindcast all previous sunspot cycles and evaluate the performance with a cross-validation methodology, which indicates that each past cycle is very accurately predicted. For the coming sunspot cycle 25 we predict an amplitude of 171 ± 23 and the end of the cycle in September 2029 ± 1.9 years. We are also able to make a rough prediction for cycle 26 based on the predicted cycle 25. While the uncertainty for the cycle amplitude is large we estimate that the cycle 26 will most likely be stronger than cycle 25. These results suggest an increasing trend in solar activity for the next decades.
Estimating urban seismic damages and debris at the building-level: Application to the city of Beirut, Lebanon
Authors: Iskandar Rouba , Tfaily Bilal Al , Cornou Cécile , Bard Pierre-Yves , Guillier Bertrand , Harb Jacques , Lacroix Pascal , Adjizian-Gérard Jocelyne , Beck Elise , Dugdale Julie , Salameh Christelle , Saliba Nada , Zaarour Rita
Published: December 2022

The estimation of seismic damages and debris at the urban scale - at a precise building-by-building level- is challenging for several reasons. First, commonly used methodologies for seismic damage estimation rarely take into account the local site effects, precisely at the building-level. Second, the available methods for debris estimation fail to estimate at the same time the quantity of debris generated per building according to its damage level and the distribution of the debris (extent and height) around buildings. Finally, the lack of comprehensive data on the building stock and the relevant building properties and their taxonomy further increases the complexity of assessing possible earthquake consequences at an urban scale. This paper addresses these challenges and proposes improvements to the assessment of seismic damages and debris at the building level, along with the development of a 3D building model based on satellite images and heterogeneous data. These developments, applied to the city of Beirut, Lebanon, highlight the control of the site effects on the seismic damage spatial distribution throughout the city and the large volume and extent of debris to be expected in the city for a strong earthquake.
Damage as a Material Phase Transition
Authors: Puglisi Giuseppe , Giuseppe Saccomandi , De Tommasi Domenico , Andrea Bucchi
Published: December 2022

We propose paradigmatic examples to show how material damage effects can be described as a solid-solid phase transition. Start- ing from the pioneering work of J.L. Ericksen [8] and the extensions of R.L. Fosdick to three-dimensional non linear elasticity, we describe the insurgence of damage as a transition between two material states (dam- age and undamaged) characterized by two different energy wells. We consider the two separate constitutive assumptions of a simple damage- able Neo-Hookean material and a more complex microstructure inspired Gent material with variable limit threshold of the first invariant. In both cases we study two different deformation shear classes, one homogeneous and the other one inhomogeneous and obtain fully analytic description of the system damage response under cyclic loading. While the assumption of two only (damaged and undamaged) configurations is simplistic, the model can be extended to systems with more energy wells with varaible degrees of damage.
Decolorization of Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.) leaf extracts with activated charcoal and qualitative analysis of stevioside using chromatographic methods
Authors: Bhuiyan Mohammad , Shamima Kazi Asma Ahmed , Nahid Meher , Afrin Sadia , Hoque Mohammad Amirul , Haque Mohammad Majedul , Sarker Md. Khabir Uddin , Miah Md. Abdus Satter , Shaikh Md. Aftab Ali
Published: December 2022

The Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.) leaves are natural low-calorie sweeteners that are used in a wide range of products, including foods, drinks, medicines, cosmetics, and more. The current study aims to obtain high purity stevioside by first decolorizing the Stevia leaf extracts with activated charcoal, then purifying them with 70% ethanol and concentrating them in a rotary evaporator, respectively. The yield was then calculated by weighing the crystallized sample following freeze-drying. The average yield is 8.13%. According to High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), the purity is 98.12%. The obtained stevioside was compared to standard stevioside and confirmed using UV-Visible and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The purified sample showed a wave number region of 4000–650 cm-1 in FT-IR and in the UV-Vis spectrum, a peak was found at a wavelength of 206.49 nm. An accuracy and precision test was done with a crystal sample, which gave a similar spectrum to the standard stevioside at the same retention time in HPLC. The pH effect on the decolorization of Stevia leaf extracts with activated charcoal was 5.5–8.0. In contrast to other commercially available methods, the aforementioned method can be used to produce pure stevioside from Stevia leaf extracts rapidly, simply, and, inexpensively.
Development and validation of 98 SNP markers in Japanese anchovy, Engraulis japonicus
Authors: Song Chenghui , Liu Yang , Wang Congcong
Published: December 2022

The Japanese anchovy, Engraulis japonicus, is an important economic fish that is distributed in the northwest Pacific Ocean. The effective assessment and management of the Engraulis japonicus fishery requires reliable information regarding its population’s genetic structure. The recent development of double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-Seq) methods may contribute to the discovery of SNPs and the assessment of genetic structure. In our study, 98 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were developed using ddRAD-Seq. The observed heterozygosity (Ho) and expected heterozygosity (He) ranged from 0.3333 to 0.8000 and 0.2778–0.5000, respectively. The polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged from 0.239198 to 0.375. All loci have been substantiated to follow the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. These novel polymorphic SNP markers will play an important role in the genetic research of E.japonicus, which will be beneficial to the development and utilization of E.japonicus resources.
Significance of oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity (d-ROMs and BAP) tests as biomarkers of premature ovarian insufficiency: a case-control study
Authors: Kakinuma Kaoru , Kakinuma Toshiyuki
Published: December 2022

Background: Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a condition that causes secondary amenorrhea due to ovarian hypofunction at an early stage (before the age of 40). Early follicular depletion results in not only increased morbidity of lifestyle diseases such as osteoporosis, myocardial infarction, and cerebral infarction due to low estrogen levels but also intractable infertility, thereby significantly reducing women’s quality of life. Given the continuum in weakened ovarian function, progressing from incipient ovarian failure (IOF) totransitional ovarian failure (TOF) and further to POI, it is necessary to develop biomarkers for predicting POI. There is a continuum of weakened ovarian function IOF, TOF, and transition to POI when it progresses.
In contrast, it has been suggested that mitochondrial function in eggs and cytotoxicity caused by accompanying reactive oxygen are factors that contribute to decreased remaining follicle count and egg quality owing to ovarian hypofunction.
By comprehensively evaluating the oxidative stress state in IOF and POI from both oxidative stress (diacron-reactive oxygen metabolites [d-ROMs]) test and antioxidant capacity (biological antioxidant potential [BAP]), this study aims to explore their possibilities as biomarkers for early detection of POI.
Methods: Among women under the age of 40 who visited our hospital from January 2021 to June 2022, we recruited 11 women in the POI group and 11 women in the IOF group, in addition to normal women of the same age in the control group, and measured their plasma d-ROMs and BAP.
Results: d-ROMs of the IOF and POI groups were both significantly higher than those of the control group (p < 0.001). No significant difference was found between the three groups in BAP. Oxidase stress indexes (d-ROMs/BAP x 100) of the IOF and POI groups were significantly higher than those of the control group (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Oxidative stress (d-ROMs and oxidative stress index) levels of the IOF and POI groups were significantly higher than those of the control group, suggesting that the evaluation of the oxidative stress state is useful as an indicator for the early detection of POI.
“There’s absolutely no downside to this, I mean except community opposition:” A qualitative study of the acceptability of vending machines for harm reduction
Authors: Stewart Rebecca , Nicholas Cardamone , Loscalzo Emily , French Rachel , Lovelace Collin , Mowenn Winna Koe , Tahrini Ali , Lalley-Chareczko Linden , Brady Kathleen , Mandell David
Published: December 2022

Background:
Vending machines for harm reduction (VMHR) are an innovative approach to deliver life-saving materials, information, and treatment for hard-to-reach populations, particularly for persons who inject drugs. The current study explores stakeholders’ perspectives on the feasibility and acceptability of VMHR in Philadelphia.
Methods:
From October 2021 to February 2022, we conducted 31 semi-structured interviews with potential end-users, staff, and leadership at a local federally qualified health center, and community members. Trained coders extracted themes from interview transcripts across four key domains: materials and logistics, location, access, and community introduction.
Results:
All stakeholder groups endorsed using VMHR to provide supplies for wound care, fentanyl test strips, naloxone, and materials to connect individuals to treatment and other services. Providing syringes and medications for opioid use disorder elicited a broader range of acceptability. Stakeholders held varying views on the location and placement of the machines, but almost all agreed that a machine should be placed in the highest drug use areas. Stakeholders suggested several strategies to introduce and gain community acceptance of VMHR, including community education, one-on-one conversations with community members, and coupling the machine with safe disposal of syringes and information to link individuals to treatment.
Conclusions:
Stakeholders were generally receptive to VMHR. The current study findings are consistent with qualitative analyses from outside of the United States and contribute new ideas regarding the anticipated community response and best methods for introducing these machines to a community. With thoughtful planning and design, VMHR could be a feasible and acceptable modality to reduce death and disease transmission associated with the opioid and HIV epidemics in cities like Philadelphia.
Tectonics and Geodynamics of the Cascadia Subduction Zone
Authors: Gao Haiying , Long Maureen D.
Published: December 2022

The Cascadia subduction zone, where the young and thin oceanic Juan de Fuca plate sinks beneath western North America, represents a thermally hot endmember of global subduction systems. Cascadia exhibits complex and three-dimensional heterogeneities including variable coupling between the overriding and downgoing plates, the amount of water carried within and released by the oceanic plate, flow patterns within the mantle wedge and backarc, and the continuity and depth extent of the subducting slab. While recent research has benefitted from extensive onshore and offshore deployments of geophysical instrumentation, a consensus on many important aspects of Cascadia’s magmatic, tectonic, and geodynamic setting remains elusive.
Quaternary Volcanism in the Cascade Arc
Authors: Kent Adam J.R.
Published: December 2022

The Cascade arc has produced a remarkable diversity of volcanic rocks over the Quaternary period. The major stratovolcanoes that define the arc front are dominated by eruptions of andesitic and dacitic intermediate magmas, produced largely by fractionation, melting, assimilation, and mixing within the crust. In addition, relative to many other subduction zones, the arc has produced significant mafic volcanism. These more primitive magmas reveal complexity in mantle wedge dynamics, sources, and magma production processes, and suggest that there are significant differences along the arc in the amount of magma that enters the lower Cascade crust from the underlying mantle.
The Role of Subduction Zone Processes in the Cultural History of the Cascade Region
Authors: Moore Nicole E. , Robinson Lynn
Published: December 2022

The Cascadia subduction zone continuously shapes the landscape of the Pacific Northwest of North America and the cultures of its inhabitants. The impacts of subduction processes on Pacific Northwest societies and cultures are varied, but Native Americans and European settler cultures alike have described geological processes through oral histories and have relied on resources provided by the subduction zone. Indigenous peoples focus many aspects of their religious practices and art around the geohazards of the Cascadia region, and our melded modern cultures continue to take part in storytelling related to subduction zone hazards through movies and other forms of narration.
Investigation of the effect of parameter estimation and classification accuracy in mixture IRT models under different conditions
Authors: SAATÇİOĞLU Fatıma Münevver , ATAR Hakan Yavuz
Published: December 2022

This study aims to examine the effects of mixture item response theory (IRT) models on item parameter estimation and classification accuracy under different conditions. The manipulated variables of the simulation study are set as mixture IRT models (Rasch, 2PL, 3PL); sample size (600, 1000); the number of items (10, 30); the number of latent classes (2, 3); missing data type (complete, missing at random (MAR) and missing not at random (MNAR)), and the percentage of missing data (10%, 20%). Data were generated for each of the three mixture IRT models using the code written in R program. MplusAutomation package, which provides the automation of R and Mplus program, was used to analyze the data. The mean RMSE values for item difficulty, item discrimination, and guessing parameter estimation were determined. The mean RMSE values as to the Mixture Rasch model were found to be lower than those of the Mixture 2PL and Mixture 3PL models. Percentages of classification accuracy were also computed. It was noted that the Mixture Rasch model with 30 items, 2 classes, 1000 sample size, and complete data conditions had the highest classification accuracy percentage. Additionally, a factorial ANOVA was used to evaluate each factor's main effects and interaction effects.
AUTORITARISMO, CONVICÇÃO E SERIEDADE: ANÁLISE DO ÉTHOS DO DISCURSO DE AUTOAJUDA PARA A TERCEIRA IDADE
Authors: Ueda Michele Cristina , Gasparini-Bastos Sandra Denise , Brunelli Anna Flora
Published: December 2022

Neste trabalho, adotando o ponto de vista da Análise do Discurso francesa, tratamos do éthos do discurso de autoajuda para a terceira idade, isto é, da imagem que o enunciador desse discurso projeta de si ao enunciar. Para tanto, com base em estudos funcionalistas, especialmente na classificação da modalidade proposta por Hengeveld (2004), analisamos a expressão lexical da modalidade nesse discurso, o que se deve ao fato de a modalidade ser uma forma de expressão da subjetividade do enunciador. Também consideramos outros aspectos textuais, como temas e léxico empregados, a fim de identificarmos os tons presentes. A análise revela que predominam nesse discurso um tom autoritário e um tom sério. Diante desse resultado, verificamos que o discurso de autoajuda para a terceira idade tem características que o diferenciam consideravelmente do discurso de autoajuda convencional, que trata do sucesso profissional e financeiro. Entre essas diferenças, está o fato de ser um discurso bem menos otimista.
CARTAS DA BAHIA: GÊNEROS DO DISCURSO E LINGUÍSTICA POPULAR
Authors: Gonçalves Marcelo Rocha Barros
Published: December 2022

Neste trabalho, pretendemos discutir as cartas de leitores e redatores dos jornais impressos O Progresso e Folha do Norte originalmente publicadas na primeira metade do século XX no município de Feira de Santana – Bahia. Nossa entrada nos textos dar-se-á sob a perspectiva da Linguística Popular (PAVEAU, 2020; GONÇALVES, 2021a) ou Folk Linguistics (NIEDZIELSKY; PRESTON, 2003) e da Análise do Discurso, especialmente no que tange à questão dos Gêneros Discursivos na forma que deu Maingueneau (2020) para o tema. Este ensaio é, por assim dizer, um pequeno estudo de “manifestações de não especialistas em matéria de língua e linguagem” (GONÇALVES, 2021b, p. 611) expressas através de uma determinada “unidade tópica de discurso” (MAINGUENEAU, 2015, p . 65).
A relação entre desempenho em responsabilidade social corporativa e o risco de fraude em empresas brasileiras abertas
Authors: Clementino Erica Patrícia Modesto , Gonçalves Rodrigo de Souza
Published: December 2022

O objetivo do estudo é verificar se existe uma associação entre desempenho em Responsabilidade Social Corporativa (RSC) e risco de fraude em empresas brasileiras abertas. Para isso, foram utilizados os dados de desempenho social e ambiental da Thomson Reuters Eikon e um modelo de previsão de falência para identificar o risco de fraude, bem como foram coletadas variáveis de controle relacionadas a questões de governança corporativa que pudessem afetar o risco de fraude. As variáveis do estudo foram testadas utilizando um modelo de regressão quantílica. As variáveis de governança corporativa tamanho e independência do conselho de administração e remuneração da auditoria apresentaram uma relação negativa com o risco de fraude, enquanto o tamanho da empresa e tamanho do comitê de auditoria apresentaram uma relação positiva com o risco de fraude. O desempenho ambiental e social está negativamente relacionado com o risco de fraude, especialmente quando o risco de fraude é maior, indicando um alinhamento com a perspectiva ética da RSC em oposição a perspectiva oportunista. A principal contribuição do estudo reside em identificar se a RSC se relaciona com o risco de fraude. Considerando os impactos negativos decorrentes da fraude, essa discussão é importante para as organizações, os investidores e a sociedade.
The code of ethics as a tool for managing ethical conflicts in the service sector organizations in the same way as in financial institutions in St. Petersburg, Russia
Authors: Rubtcova Mariia , Vilyamovich Anastasia
Published: December 2022

This paper is devoted to the code of ethics as a tool for ethical conflict management in service sector organizations in the same way as in financial institutions in St. Petersburg, Russia. It was compiled on the basis of three previous studies: a pilot survey among service workers in 2014 (N 135) that identified problems, set goals and objectives, facilitated developing and testing methodological tools; formalized interview in 2015-2017 (N 483, including 64 managers and 419 employees), when primary empirical information was accumulated; analytical and project research in 2017-2018, whose purpose was to process and analyze the data obtained, to identify the conditions for the establishment of a behavioral ethics for service workers, and to develop practical design recommendations and social technology to build a behavioral ethics for service employees. Thus, this study determined that the code of ethics design and implementation will prevent conflict occurrences at a service sector company. The conclusion was that the introduction and operation of a code of ethics require the involvement not only of company frontline employees, but also of the CEOs.