bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lung Micrometastases Display ECM Depletion and Softening While Macrometastases Are 30-Fold Stiffer and Enriched in Fibronectin
Authors: Narciso Maria , Martínez África , Júnior Constança , Díaz-Valdivia Natalia , Ulldemolins Anna , Berardi Massimiliano , Neal Kate , Navajas Daniel , Farré Ramon , Alcaraz Jordi , Almendros Isaac , Gavara Núria
Published: April 2023

Mechanical changes in tumors have long been linked to increased malignancy and therapy resistance and attributed to mechanical changes in the tumor extracellular matrix (ECM). However, to the best of our knowledge, there have been no mechanical studies on decellularized tumors. Here, we studied the biochemical and mechanical progression of the tumor ECM in two models of lung metastases: lung carcinoma (CAR) and melanoma (MEL). We decellularized the metastatic lung sections, measured the micromechanics of the tumor ECM, and stained the sections for ECM proteins, proliferation, and cell death markers. The same methodology was applied to MEL mice treated with the clinically approved anti-fibrotic drug nintedanib. When compared to healthy ECM (~0.40 kPa), CAR and MEL lung macrometastases produced a highly dense and stiff ECM (1.79 ± 1.32 kPa, CAR and 6.39 ± 3.37 kPa, MEL). Fibronectin was overexpressed from the early stages (~118%) to developed macrometastases (~260%) in both models. Surprisingly, nintedanib caused a 4-fold increase in ECM-occupied tumor area (5.1 ± 1.6% to 18.6 ± 8.9%) and a 2-fold in-crease in ECM stiffness (6.39 ± 3.37 kPa to 12.35 ± 5.74 kPa). This increase in stiffness strongly correlated with an increase in necrosis, which reveals a potential link between tumor hypoxia and ECM deposition and stiffness. Our findings highlight fibronectin and tumor ECM mechanics as attractive targets in cancer therapy and support the need to identify new anti-fibrotic drugs to abrogate aberrant ECM mechanics in metastases.
Fabrication of Lead-Free Bismuth Based Electroceramic Compositions for High-Energy Storage Density Applications in Electroceramic Capacitors
Authors: Khan Azam , Khan Taj Malook , Wu Jianbo , Bilal Hazrat , Khan Shahan Zeb , Manan Abdul , Wang Xiujian , Gul Noor Shad
Published: April 2023

Lead-based electro-ceramic compositions are excellent energy storage materials used for high-energy storage density applications in dielectric ceramic capacitors. However, these materials have lead contents in their compositions, making them toxic, with a negative impact on human health and the environment. For this reason, we synthesized a lead-free bismuth-based electro-ceramic perovskite, 0.80(0.92Bi1/5Na1/5TiO3-0.08BaTiO3)-0.20(Na0.73Bi0.09NbO3−xTa2O5), abbreviated (BNT-BT-NBN1−xTx), from mixed oxides with doping of tantalum (Ta) at different concentrations, using a conventional solid-state reaction method. The effects of Ta doping on the phase evolution, microstructure development, and energy storage applications were investigated. Detailed powder X-ray diffraction analysis revealed a pure perovskite phase with Ta doping at ≤0.05. Furthermore, it was observed that excessive addition of Ta has been resulted in secondary phase generation. Scanning electron microscopy validated the development of dense microstructures with a reduced grain size for the Ta concentration of ≤0.01. Electrochemical analysis revealed a maximum polarization (Pm) of ~22 µC/cm2 and a recoverable energy density of 1.57 J/cm3 with 80% efficiency for Ta doping at 0.05 with an applied field of 175 kV/cm. These results demonstrate the development of enhanced ferroelectric characteristics in an as-synthesized electro-ceramic perovskite for high-energy storage density applications in electro-ceramic capacitors.
β-Sitosterol Oleate Synthesis by Candida rugosa Lipase in a Solvent-Free Mini Reactor System: Free and Immobilized on Chitosan-Alginate Beads
Authors: Pereira Adejanildo da S. , Fraga Jully L. , Souza Camila P. L. , Torres Alexandre G. , Amaral Priscilla F. F.
Published: April 2023

Candida rugosa lipase (CRL) was immobilized by the ionic gelling technique using alginate and chitosan as encapsulating agents. An immobilization yield of 99% and an immobilization efficiency of 51% were obtained. Maximum hydrolytic activity for free and immobilized CRL was detected at 40 °C and for synthesis activity at 35 °C. The optimum pH for immobilized and free CRL hydrolysis activity was 8.0. The Vmax obtained for the hydrolysis reaction was higher for free CRL (4121.4 μmol/min/g) compared to immobilized CRL (2359.13 μmol/min/g). A Vmax of 2.24 μmol/min/g was detected for the synthetic activity of free CRL. The Km obtained for the hydrolysis reaction was higher (660.02 μmol/L) for immobilized CRL than for free CRL (403.06 μmol/L). For the synthetic activity, a Km of 234.44 μmol/L was calculated. The conversion of β-sitosterol oleate ranged from 80.85 to 96.84% for free CRL, higher than the maximum found for immobilized CRL (32%). The scale-up (scale factor: 50) with the free CRL was successfully performed, achieving a high conversion value (92%) in a 500 mL bioreactor. This conversion value was within the range predicted by the mathematical model obtained using mini reactors. These mini reactors are good models to test several conditions of enzyme reactions that are intended for large scales.
Synthesis of 5-Metalla-Spiro[4.5]Heterodecenes by [1,4]-Cycloaddition Reaction of Group 13 Diyls with 1,2-Diketones
Authors: Weinert Hanns M. , Wölper Christoph , Schulz Stephan
Published: April 2023

Monovalent group 13 diyls are versatile reagents in oxidative addition reactions. We report here [1,4]-cycloaddition reactions of β-diketiminate-substituted diyls LM (M = Al, Ga, In, Tl; L = HC[C(Me)NDipp]2, Dipp = 2,6-iPr2C6H3) with various 1,2-diketones to give 5-metalla-spiro[4.5]heterodecenes 1, 4–6, and 8–10, respectively. In contrast, the reaction of LTl with acenaphthenequinone gave the [2,3]-cycloaddition product 7, with Tl remaining in the +1 oxidation state. Compound 1 also reacted with a second equivalent of butanedione as well as with benzaldehyde in aldol-type addition reactions to the corresponding α,β-hydroxyketones 2 and 3, while a reductive activation of a benzene ring was observed in the reaction of benzil with two equivalents of LAl to give the 1,4-aluminacyclohex-2,4-dien 12. In addition, the reaction of L’BCl2 (L = HC[C(Me)NC6F5]2) with one equivalent of benzil in the presence of KC8 gave the corresponding 5-bora-spiro[4.5]heterodecene 13, whereas the hydroboration reaction of butanedione with L’BH2 (14), which was obtained from the reaction of L’BCl2 with L-selectride, failed to give the saturated 5-bora-spiro[4.5]heterodecane.
Quantum Dots-Sensitized High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) for Sensitive NO2 Detection
Authors: Hu Zhixiang , Zhou Licheng , Li Long , Ying Binzhou , Zhao Yunong , Wang Peng , Li Huayao , Zhang Yang , Liu Huan
Published: April 2023

Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) are gaining increasing attention for gas sensing applications due to their large surface area and abundant active sites. However, traditional resistor-type gas sensors using CQDs to realize molecule recognition and signal transduction at the same time are associated with the trade-off between sensitivity and conductivity. This limitation has restricted their range of practical applications. In this study, we propose and demonstrate a monolithically integrated field-effect transistor (FET) gas sensor. This novel FET-type gas sensor utilizes the capacitance coupling effect of the CQD sensing film based on a floating gate, and the quantum capacitance plays a role in the capacitance response of the CQD sensing film. By effectively separating the gate sensing film from the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) conduction channel, the lead sulfide (PbS) CQD gate-sensitized FET gas sensor offers high sensitivity, a high signal-to-noise ratio, and a wide range, with a real-time response of sub-ppb NO2. This work highlights the potential of quantum dot-sensitized FET gas sensors as a practical solution for integrated gas sensor chip applications using CQDs.
MRI May Be More Valuable than Pelvic Radiographs in the Assessment of Paediatric Borderline Acetabular Dysplasia
Authors: Husum Hans-Christen , Bach Hellfritzsch Michel , Henriksen Mads , Gottliebsen Martin , Rahbek Ole
Published: April 2023

The osseous acetabular index (OAI) and cartilaginous acetabular index (CAI) is often used in diagnosing acetabular dysplasia (AD) in children. We examined the reliability of OAI and CAI in AD diagnostics and compared OAI measurements obtained from radiographs versus MRI. Four raters performed retrospective repeated measurements of the OAI and CAI on pelvic radiographs and MRI scans of 16 consecutive patients (mean age 5 years (2–8)) examined for borderline AD during a period of 2½ years. In MRI, the image selected for analysis by the raters was also registered. Spearman’s correlation, scatter plots, and Bland–Altman (BA) plots were analysed for correlation between OAI on pelvic radiographs (OAIR) and MRI scans (OAIMRI), while intra- and interrater reliability was assessed for OAIR, OAIMRI, CAI, and MRI image selection using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). ICC values for inter- and intrarater reliability of OAIR, OAIMRI, and CAI were all above 0.65, with no significant differences observed. ICC values (CI) for individual raters’ MRI image selection was 0.99 (0.998–0.999). The mean difference (95% CI) between OAIR and OAIMRI was −0.99 degrees (−1.84; −0.16), while the mean absolute difference (95% CI) between OAIR and OAIMRI was 3.68 degrees (3.17; 4.20). Absolute differences between OAIR and OAIMRI was independent of pelvic positioning or time interval between radiographs and MRI scans. OAI and CAI had high Intrarater reliability but mediocre interrater reliability. There was an absolute difference of 3.7 degrees in OAI between pelvic radiographs and MRI scans.
A Novel Anti-CD44 Variant 9 Monoclonal Antibody C44Mab-1 Was Developed for Immunohistochemical Analyses against Colorectal Cancers
Authors: Tawara Mayuki , Suzuki Hiroyuki , Goto Nohara , Tanaka Tomohiro , Kaneko Mika K. , Kato Yukinari
Published: April 2023

Cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein and has been shown to be a cell surface marker of cancer stem-like cells in various cancers. In particular, the splicing variants of CD44 (CD44v) are overexpressed in cancers and play critical roles in cancer stemness, invasiveness, and resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Therefore, the understanding of the function of each CD44v is indispensable for CD44-targeting therapy. CD44v9 contains the variant 9-encoded region, and its expression predicts poor prognosis in patients with various cancers. CD44v9 plays critical roles in the malignant progression of tumors. Therefore, CD44v9 is a promising target for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Here, we developed sensitive and specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against CD44 by immunizing mice with CD44v3–10-overexpressed Chinese hamster ovary-K1 (CHO/CD44v3–10) cells. We first determined their critical epitopes using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and characterized their applications as flow cytometry, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. One of the established clones, C44Mab-1 (IgG1, kappa), reacted with a peptide of the variant 9-encoded region, indicating that C44Mab-1 recognizes CD44v9. C44Mab-1 could recognize CHO/CD44v3–10 cells or colorectal cancer cell lines (COLO201 and COLO205) in flow cytometric analysis. The apparent dissociation constant (KD) of C44Mab-1 for CHO/CD44v3–10, COLO201, and COLO205 was 2.5 × 10−8 M, 3.3 × 10−8 M, and 6.5 × 10−8 M, respectively. Furthermore, C44Mab-1 was able to detect the CD44v3–10 in western blotting and the endogenous CD44v9 in immunohistochemistry using colorectal cancer tissues. These results indicated that C44Mab-1 is useful for detecting CD44v9 not only in flow cytometry or western blotting but also in immunohistochemistry against colorectal cancers.
Preliminary Study on Electrodeposition of Copper Platings and Codeposition of Carbon Nanotubes from Organic Solvent
Authors: Park Jae-Hyeok , Fujita Yusei , Hagio Takeshi , Phouthavong Vanpaseuth , Kamimoto Yuki , Bessho Takeshi , Ichino Ryoichi
Published: April 2023

Metal/carbon composite plating is an effective strategy for improving and adding properties to metal plating by incorporating carbon materials into the metal matrices. Copper (Cu) is widely applied, particularly in the areas of heat management and electronic packaging owing to its high thermal and electrical conductivities, which can be further improved together with improvements in mechanical properties by compositing it with carbon nanotubes (CNTs). However, because hydrophobic CNTs are hardly dispersible in aqueous solutions, additional intense acid treatment or the addition of dispersants is required for their dispersion. Moreover, previous studies have reported that these methods suffer from deterioration of composite material performance through the destruction of the CNT surface or the inclusion of dispersants into the plating. Therefore, in this study, the electrodeposition of a Cu/CNT composite in a non-aqueous solvent that can disperse CNTs without any additional treatment is investigated. The experimental results show that it is possible to deposit Cu from a N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone containing copper iodide and potassium iodide. Furthermore, Cu/CNT composite platings containing CNTs up to 0.12 mass% were prepared by constant current electrolysis, and applying pulse electrolysis can increase the CNTs content up to 0.22 mass%.
Impacts of Topology and Bandwidth on Distributed Shared Memory Systems
Authors: Milton Jonathan , Zarkesh-Ha Payman
Published: April 2023

As high-performance computing designs become increasingly complex, the importance of evaluating with simulation also grows. One of the most critical aspects of distributed computing design is the network architecture; different topologies and bandwidths have dramatic impacts on the overall performance of the system and should be explored to find the optimal design point. This work uses simulations developed to run in the existing Structural Simulation Toolkit v12.1.0 software framework to show that for a hypothetical test case, more complicated network topologies have better overall performance and performance improves with increased bandwidth, making them worth the additional design effort and expense. Specifically, the test case HyperX topology is shown to outperform the next best evaluated topology by thirty percent and is the only topology that did not experience diminishing performance gains with increased bandwidth.
Chemical and Rheological Characterization of a Facial Mask Containing an Olive Pomace Fraction
Authors: Rodrigues Raquel , Lobo Joana C. , Ferreira Diana M. , Senderowicz Ewa , Nunes M. Antónia , Amaral M. Helena , Alves Rita C. , Oliveira M. Beatriz P. P.
Published: April 2023

Cosmetic interest in agro-industrial byproducts is growing. In fact, many studies have shown that these residues present bioactive compounds with several skincare applications. One example is olive byproducts, such as olive pomace, which has a composition rich in phenolic compounds. As the production of olive oil is increasing, the amount of byproducts being generated is escalating, with significant constraints in their safe disposal due to their phytotoxic nature. The present study aimed to, from a zero-waste perspective, characterize and add value to a sub-byproduct, a semi-solid paste (SSP) derived from a patent process of olive pomace extraction. The chemical analysis of this residue revealed high moisture and significant protein, fat, and ash contents. Furthermore, vitamin E total phenolics and flavonoid content were assessed, as well as antioxidant activity, using DPPH• (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical) and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) methods. Based on this primary assessment, a facial mask with antioxidant properties was developed. Rheological analysis showed that the developed mask presented shear thinning behavior, thixotropy, and texture characteristics desirable for skincare use. The results of this study showed the successful incorporation of SSP into facial masks and provides a preliminary assessment of this byproduct’s impact on the appearance and performance of these formulations.
Reply to May et al. The Goal of Achieving High-Quality Surgical First-Line Therapy in Patients with Penile Cancer Is Important; However, Some Collective Efforts Are Still Required in Order to Reach It. Comment on “Brassetti et al. Combined Reporting of Surgical Quality and Cancer Control after Surgical Treatment for Penile Tumors with Inguinal Lymph Node Dissection: The Tetrafecta Achievement. Curr. Oncol. 2023, 30, 1882–1892”
Authors: Chiacchio Giuseppe , Brassetti Aldo , Simone Giuseppe
Published: April 2023

We have carefully read the comment by May et al. [...]
Fungal Diversity and Dynamics during Long-Term Immersion of Conventional and Biodegradable Plastics in the Marine Environment
Authors: Philippe Aurélie , Noël Cyril , Eyheraguibel Boris , Briand Jean-François , Paul-Pont Ika , Ghiglione Jean-François , Coton Emmanuel , Burgaud Gaëtan
Published: April 2023

Plastics are associated with a worldwide pollution crisis, with strong negative impacts on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In marine environments, various organisms are colonizing plastic debris, but few studies have focused on fungal communities despite their non-trivial ecological roles in the marine environment. In this study, different types of plastics (biodegradable and conventional) immersed in marine natural environments and under laboratory controlled settings were collected after long-term colonization. Using a metabarcoding approach targeting two genetic markers, namely, the ITS2 region and the V4 hypervariable region of the 18S rRNA gene, we highlighted that fungal communities associated with plastic polymers were distinct from those found in the surrounding seawater. They also differed significantly between sampling locations and the nature of immersed polymers, indicating that fungal colonization was impacted by the sites and types of plastics, with clear dissimilarities between conventional and biodegradable polymers. Specifically for the conventional PVC polymer (Polyvinyl chloride), we also observed the successive stages of biofilm development and maturation after long-term immersion in seawater. A noticeable change in the fungal communities was observed around 30–40 days in natural settings, suggesting a colonization dynamic likely associated with a transition from biofilm formation to distinct communities likely associated with biofouling. Overall, this study strengthens the idea that the fungal kingdom is an integrated part of the “plastisphere”.
Design, Synthesis and In Vitro Studies of 3-Amidocoumarins as Novel Antibiofilm Agents
Authors: Sharma Rajesh Kumar , Singh Vineeta , Raghuvanshi Vaishali , Katiyar Diksha
Published: April 2023

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a life-threatening bacteria listed as a priority pathogen by World Health Organization WHO, is known to cause severe nosocomial infections and fatality in immunocompromised individuals through its quorum sensing (QS) mediated biofilm formation. P. aeruginosa’s antibiotic-resistant biofilms are highly challenging to the existing antibiotic treatment options. There is an urgent clinical need to develop novel alternative therapeutic molecules such as antibiofilm and antiquorum sensing agents to counter the emergence of an unprecedented pace of antibiotic resistance of pathogens. In this context, a library of seventy 3-amidocoumarin derivatives was designed, and docking studies were performed against the P. aeruginosa LasR receptor using AutoDock 4.0. Based on docking results, a final series of sixteen 3-amidocoumarin derivatives (4a–p) were synthesized and evaluated for antibiofilm activity in vitro. Eight compounds significantly inhibited the formation of P. aeruginosa PAO1 biofilm. Compounds 4f, 4l and 4o showed maximum % inhibition in antibiotic-resistant P. aeruginosa PAO1 biofilm formation in the range of 80% to 86%. Further, the structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies revealed that the presence of electron-donating and bromo substituents at benzamido and coumarin moieties, respectively, effectively enhances the antibiofilm activity. In addition, the binding interactions between the synthesized compounds and active sites of the LasR QS receptor (Protein Data Bank Code: 2uv0) in P. aeruginosa were also investigated by molecular docking. The high binding affinities indicate that these compounds might be suitable for development into potent inhibitors of QS and biofilm disruptors.
Laboratory Assessment of Unfractionated Heparin (UFH) with Activated Clotting Time (ACT) and Anti-Xa Activity during Peripheral Arterial Angiographic Procedure
Authors: Helin Tuukka , Tirri Tomi , Korkala Heidi , Lappalainen Kimmo , Joutsi-Korhonen Lotta
Published: April 2023

Activated clotting time (ACT) is used in cardiac surgery for monitoring unfractionated heparin (UFH). In endovascular radiology, ACT use is less established. We aimed to test the validity of ACT in UFH monitoring in endovascular radiology. We recruited 15 patients undergoing endovascular radiologic procedure. ACT was measured with ICT Hemochron® device as point-of-care (1) before standard UFH bolus, (2) immediately after the bolus, and in some cases (3) 1 h into the procedure or a combination thereof (altogether 32 measurements). A total of two different cuvettes, ACT-LR and ACT+ were tested. A reference method of chromogenic anti-Xa was used. Blood count, APTT, thrombin time and antithrombin activity were also measured. UFH levels (anti-Xa) varied between 0.3–2.1 IU/mL (median 0.8) and correlated with ACT-LR moderately (R2 = 0.73). The corresponding ACT-LR values were 146–337 s (median 214). ACT-LR and ACT+ measurements correlated only modestly with one another at this lower UFH level, with ACT-LR being more sensitive. Thrombin time and APTT were unmeasurably high after the UFH dose, rendering them of limited use in this indication. We adopted an ACT target of >200–250 s in endovascular radiology based on this study. While ACT correlation with anti-Xa is suboptimal, the readily available point-of-care nature increases its suitability.
Rapid Detection of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Using a Novel Point-of-Care BZ TB/NTM NALF Assay: Integrating LAMP and LFIA Technologies
Authors: Kim Ha Nui , Lee Junmin , Yoon Soo-Young , Jang Woong Sik , Lim Chae Seung
Published: April 2023

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the leading causes of infectious mortality from a single infectious agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). This study evaluated the performance of the newly developed BZ TB/NTM NALF assay, which integrated loop-mediated isothermal amplification and lateral flow immunochromatographic assay technologies, for the detection of MTB. A total of 80 MTB-positive samples and 115 MTB-negative samples were collected, all of which were confirmed by TB real-time PCR (RT-PCR) using either AdvanSureTM TB/NTM RT-PCR Kit or Xpert® MTB/RIF Assay. The performance of the BZ TB/NTM NALF assay was evaluated by calculating its sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) in comparison to those of the RT-PCR methods. Compared to the RT-PCR, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of BZ TB/NTM NALF assay were 98.7%, 99.1%, 98.7%, and 99.1%, respectively. The concordance rate between BZ TB/NTM NALF and RT-PCR was 99.0%. Rapid and simple detection of MTB is essential for global case detection and further elimination of TB. The performance of the BZ TB/NTM NALF Assay is acceptable with a high concordance with RT-PCR, indicating that it is reliable for use in a low-resource environment.
Absolute Mueller Polarimeters Based on Dual-Rotating Imperfect Retarders and Arbitrary Ratio of Angular Velocities
Authors: Gil José J.
Published: April 2023

Dual-rotating retarder polarimeters constitute a family of well-known instruments that are used today in a great variety of scientific and industrial contexts. In this work, the periodic intensity signal containing the information of all sixteen Mueller elements of depolarizing or nondepolarizing samples is determined for different ratios of angular velocities and non-ideal retarders, which are mathematically modeled with arbitrary retardances and take into account the possible diattenuating effect exhibited by both retarders. The alternative choices for generating a sufficient number of Fourier harmonics as well as their discriminating power are discussed. A general self-calibration procedure, which provides the effective values of the retardances and diattenuations of the retarders, the relative angles of the retarders and the analyzer, and the overall scale coefficient introduced by the detection and processing device are also described, leading to the absolute measurement of the Mueller matrix of the sample.
Acoustic Emissions in Rock Deformation and Failure: New Insights from Q-Statistical Analysis
Authors: Vinciguerra Sergio C. , Greco Annalisa , Pluchino Alessandro , Rapisarda Andrea , Tsallis Constantino
Published: April 2023

We propose a new statistical analysis of the Acoustic Emissions (AE) produced in a series of triaxial deformation experiments leading to fractures and failure of two different rocks, namely, Darley Dale Sandstone (DDS) and AG Granite (AG). By means of q-statistical formalism, we are able to characterize the pre-failure processes in both types of rocks. In particular, we study AE inter-event time and AE inter-event distance distributions. Both of them can be reproduced with q-exponential curves, showing universal features that are observed here for the first time and could be important in order to understand more in detail the dynamics of rock fractures.
Inflation Spillovers among Advanced and Emerging Economies: Evidence from the G20 Group
Authors: Al-Nassar Nassar S. , Albahouth Abdulrahman A.
Published: April 2023

The influence of recent global shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian–Ukrainian war on the variability of major macroeconomic trends not only shows synchronized behavior across economies but also induces similar policy responses to counter these shocks. The purpose of this article is to explore the transmission of inflation among the G20 economies and evaluate its contribution to domestic inflation. To this end, we use the Diebold and Yilmaz spillover approach. The results that emerge from unconditional analysis reveal stark dissimilarities in inflation spillover patterns between advanced and emerging economies. Advanced economies are subject to higher spillover rates and thereby more exposed to global shocks compared to their emerging counterparts. Inflation in emerging countries is mainly derived from idiosyncratic shocks, while global shocks have only a modest influence on domestic inflation. In addition, bilateral spillovers among the G20 members show that the average pairwise directional spillovers between emerging economies are lower compared to advanced economies. The results pertaining to the spillover dynamics, on the other hand, show that total inflation spillover has a clear upward trend, indicating that the overall interconnectedness between G20 countries is increasing over time. Moreover, the estimates of spillover dynamics show a growing influence of received inflation spillovers from external shocks in both advanced and emerging economies. Policymakers in advanced economies are expected to respond to global shocks to mitigate the influence of spillovers, which is essential for economies that display high spillovers and turn out to be net receivers of shocks. However, public agencies in emerging economies should concentrate more on internal shocks to control inflation while not ignoring global shocks.
Structural Equation Model (SEM) of Social Capital with Landowner Intention
Authors: Nugraha Achmad T. , Prayitno Gunawan , Azizi Faizah A. , Sari Nindya , Hidayana Izatul Ihsansi , Auliah Aidha , Siankwilimba Enock
Published: April 2023

The continuous loss of farmland in Indonesia is a major problem in the food production industry. The Gempol-Pandaan road, which is a section of the Trans Java toll road and connects the major cities of Surabaya and Malang, gives the Pandaan District of Indonesia its strategic location. Sustainable Food Agriculture Land (SFAL) in the Pandaan District is one strategy for expanding wetland farming. Therefore, this research aims to analyze the connection between social capital and landowners’ intention to alter SFAL in Pandaan District, Pasuruan Regency, hoping to resolve existing land-use conflicts. The purpose of this study was to use partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to the question of how landowners’ social capital is related to their intention to change land use. The PLS-SEM analysis shows that there are less opportunities for SFAL landowners to shift land use when social capital is high. Conversely, greater intentions among SFAL landowners to convert agricultural land to nonagricultural uses are associated with weaker or lower relationships among social capital characteristics.
The Fallacy of Using the National Assessment Program–Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) Data to Identify Australian High-Potential Gifted Students
Authors: Ronksley-Pavia Michelle
Published: April 2023

In Australia, gifted or talented students are defined according to the widely accepted model proposed by Gagné, where giftedness is understood as potential, and talent is shown through competencies (or achievements); in this definition there is a clear differentiation between the two constructs. Most Australian education jurisdictions espouse Gagné’s definitions and use a variety of mechanisms for identifying gifted and talented students—a commonly used identification practice is the results from the Australian National Assessment Program–Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) test. This article sets out to explore the fallacy of using the NAPLAN results to identify giftedness in high-potential (gifted) students in Australia, outlining key reasons why the NAPLAN is unsuitable as an identification instrument for giftedness. Moreover, it explores the erroneous use of the NAPLAN as an identification tool for giftedness when it was never designed, validated, or intended as such an instrument.
Developing Computational Thinking through Mathematics: An Evaluative Scientific Mapping
Authors: Ersozlu Zara , Swartz Micah , Skourdoumbis Andrew
Published: April 2023

Computational thinking (CT) has been accepted and embraced by educators and researchers alike, but many questions remain surrounding what concepts and topics have been used in CT, what tools have been used to help teach CT, and the current range of research on CT. In this paper, we address those questions and the state of professional development (PD) used to train teachers and preservice teachers in CT. Using a scientometrics analysis to map data from the scientific literature based on different kinds of published research, we found that most publications were published in education-related sources and that CT in relation to mathematics teaching was mostly about teaching computing skills and teaching computer programming using practice and algorithmic thinking in engineering and in STEM, mostly at the higher education level. Additionally, our results revealed that Scratch was the dominant tool used to teach programming skills at all school levels and in teacher education. Research on PD illustrated a main focus centred on improving computational thinking via programming skills in rural and urban areas of teaching. Lastly, we conclude that high-impact research outputs support the notion of computational thinking as a problem-solving process.
Investigating the Self-Perception of Social, Emotional, and Academic Inclusion of Students with and without Special Educational Needs through Photovoice
Authors: Pirker Alexandra , Hafenscher Julia , Lindner Katharina-Theresa
Published: April 2023

Several studies have investigated the perceptions of inclusion by students with special educational needs (SEN) and without SEN, most of them quantitatively. This research aims to expand the understanding of the perceived inclusion of students through qualitative interviews by examining how emotions, social relationships, and academic concepts matter. Therefore, the photovoice method was used for data collection, followed by semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed according to Mayring’s Qualitative Content Analysis. Regarding social integration in the classroom, the results of the interviews with six students with SEN and three students without SEN show mainly positive experiences with their classmates and attach great importance to school spaces (e.g., the schoolyard) that are used for interaction and communication among each other. In terms of the teacher–student relationship, it becomes apparent that the students place particular value on the support and help of the teachers in everyday school life as well as in private matters. Some students’ statements indicate that the self-perception of their academic self-concept differs in various school subjects. A contrast of perception between the students with and without SEN was not detected. Concerning emotional inclusion, the students primarily expressed statements related to emotion regulation and individual adaption strategies.
Teaching and Learning during a Global Pandemic: Perspectives from Elementary School Teachers and Parents
Authors: Godwin Karrie E. , Kaur Freya , Sonnenschein Susan
Published: April 2023

COVID-19 has had a major impact on education, with many children attending school online for more than a year. To understand the implications of online learning for U.S. teachers (Study 1; N = 49) and families (Study 2; N = 189) of elementary school students, we administered a survey in spring 2021, about one year into the pandemic. Participants answered questions about the instructional modality and format, challenges managing instruction, and children’s attention and learning. Comparing virtual to in-person instruction (pre-COVID-19) showed: (1) teachers reported the quantity of virtual instruction was less than in-person instruction and children were more off-task; (2) parents reported greater stress managing virtual instruction with fewer than half the children completing online lessons independently; and (3) parents reported that children exhibited mild-frustration during both virtual and in-person instruction, but children enjoyed learning in-person more. Understanding teachers’ and families’ experiences with virtual instruction will help elucidate potential factors contributing to pandemic-related learning losses, enabling more targeted support.
An Overview of Multilevel Inverters Lifetime Assessment for Grid-Connected Solar Photovoltaic Applications
Authors: Nyamathulla Shaik , Chittathuru Dhanamjayulu , Muyeen S. M.
Published: April 2023

Nowadays, due to advancements in power electronic devices as well as the rise in consumer awareness of the need to protect the environment on a global scale, many people are turning to the use of solar photovoltaic (PV) technology in the distributed power generation side. In the field of power electronics, manufacturers need to develop products that have high lifespans. Power electronic device reliability is important for the maintenance of the device and may be scheduled under that information. Rather than preventing failures, reliability can be improved by predicting them. Even though some research has been conducted over the past few years to investigate the reliability of power electronic devices, the reliability is many common circuits has not been investigated and this leads to a big challenge for researchers. In this review paper, an overview of the grid-connected multilevel inverters for PV systems with motivational factors, features, assessment parameters, topologies, modulation schemes of the multilevel inverter, and the selection process for specific applications are presented. In this paper, the findings of a comprehensive reliability analysis of fundamental multilevel inverters are studied. To evaluate the reliability of three basic multilevel inverters, a calculation is made using each component’s mean time before its failure. Two techniques of computation approximate and exact were used to arrive at the final result. To calculate power losses in temperature-sensitive components such as diodes and switches, MATLAB Simulink is employed. In addition, the concept of oversizing photovoltaic (PV) arrays is presented in this study. This concept proposes that energy output may be increased by increasing the size of the PV array under conditions of poor solar irradiation. Finally, the mission-profile-based and Monte Carlo simulation-based methods process flows are discussed for the accurate lifetime prediction and reliability assessments of PV inverters in a real-time scenario, followed by a conclusion with future work.
Fusing Attribute Character Embeddings with Truncated Negative Sampling for Entity Alignment
Authors: Li Hongchan , Zhu Zhuang , Zhu Haodong , Jin Baohua
Published: April 2023

Finding pairs of entities from two different knowledge graphs that reflect the same real-world object is the purpose of entity alignment for knowledge graphs. In recent years, techniques that use entity alignment for knowledge fusion have received widespread attention. In this article, we suggest a method for entity alignment using truncated negative sampling with attribute character embedding. The method mainly makes use of the relationship and attribute data in heterogeneous knowledge graphs to fulfil the entity alignment task. Firstly, the framework uses relationship mapping to unify the namespace of heterogeneous relationships. Secondly, the attribute character embeddings are generated using the attribute triples in the knowledge graph to unify the embedding space of heterogeneous entities. Then, the entity similarity between heterogeneous knowledge graphs is captured by structural embedding. Next, to learn more useful semantic information during negative sampling, the framework adopts a truncated negative sampling strategy to increase the generalizability of the model. The negative sampling procedure employs targets with high similarity to the target entity as negative sample targets. Finally, we performed comparison tests on two well-known real-world datasets, and the outcomes demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms three other representative advanced approaches, especially with an over 10% improvement in the Hits@k metric compared to the baseline method.
Enhancing Neural Text Detector Robustness with μAttacking and RR-Training
Authors: Liang Gongbo , Guerrero Jesus , Zheng Fengbo , Alsmadi Izzat
Published: April 2023

With advanced neural network techniques, language models can generate content that looks genuinely created by humans. Such advanced progress benefits society in numerous ways. However, it may also bring us threats that we have not seen before. A neural text detector is a classification model that separates machine-generated text from human-written ones. Unfortunately, a pretrained neural text detector may be vulnerable to adversarial attack, aiming to fool the detector into making wrong classification decisions. Through this work, we propose μAttacking, a mutation-based general framework that can be used to evaluate the robustness of neural text detectors systematically. Our experiments demonstrate that μAttacking identifies the detector’s flaws effectively. Inspired by the insightful information revealed by μAttacking, we also propose an RR-training strategy, a straightforward but effective method to improve the robustness of neural text detectors through finetuning. Compared with the normal finetuning method, our experiments demonstrated that RR-training effectively increased the model robustness by up to 11.33% without increasing much effort when finetuning a neural text detector. We believe the μAttacking and RR-training are useful tools for developing and evaluating neural language models.
Study on Imagery Modeling of Solid Wood Chairs in Big Data
Authors: Xu Le , Pan Younghwan
Published: April 2023

With the continuous improvement of living quality and aesthetics, people have increasingly higher requirements for furniture products. Excellent solid wood chairs are one of the most representative products in the furniture industry. To enhance space and taste, the design of chairs may significantly impact consumers’ emotional experiences and purchase decisions. This study aims to evaluate how the modeling imagery of solid wood chairs affects consumers’ preferences and emotional experiences. The development of the current era is inseparable from the analysis of big data. Firstly, a representative sample is obtained by multidimensional scaling (MDS), analyzed, and evaluated by factor analysis. Moreover, five groups of adjective vocabulary are selected to describe the modeling imagery of solid wood chairs, such as “balanced and coordinated”, “unique and novel”, “practical and simple”, “quality and detailed”, and “traditional and plain”. Further, the triangular fuzzy theory is applied to analyze and discuss the twelve types of solid wood chairs in the five groups of adjective vocabulary. Then, the study verifies that the differences are significant in the evaluations of the 12 samples in the “unique and novel” and “quality and detailed” groups, and small in the groups of “traditional and plain”, “balanced and coordinated”, and “practical and simple”. Through comprehensive comparisons, five groups with similar modeling imagery are created, and solid wood chairs with different modeling imagery should be placed in suitable spaces. According to the results of this study, the evaluation of the modeling imagery of solid wood chairs cannot solely rely on subjective judgments. However, it can be reasonably refined through data analysis and mathematical algorithms. It can also scientifically and effectively reflect the potential perception needs of consumers on the modeling imagery of solid wood chairs, as well as help to improve the design efficiency of the furniture product development stage.
Towards a Machine Learning Smart Toy Design for Early Childhood Geometry Education: Usability and Performance
Authors: Dujić Rodić Lea , Stančić Ivo , Čoko Duje , Perković Toni , Granić Andrina
Published: April 2023

This study presents the design and evaluation of a plush smart toy prototype for teaching geometry shapes to young children. The hardware design involves the integration of sensors, microcontrollers, an LCD screen, and a machine learning algorithm to enable gesture recognition by the toy. The machine learning algorithm detects whether the child’s gesture outline matches the shape displayed on the LCD screen. A pilot study was conducted with 14 preschool children to assess the usability and performance of the smart toy. The results indicate that the smart toy is easy to use, engages children in learning, and has the potential to be an effective educational tool for preschool children. The findings suggest that smart toys with machine learning algorithms can be used to enhance young children’s learning experiences in a fun and engaging way. This study highlights the importance of designing user-friendly toys that support children’s learning and underscores the potential of machine learning algorithms in developing effective educational toys.
Verifiable Privacy-Preserving Outsourced Frequent Itemset Mining on Vertically Partitioned Databases
Authors: Zhao Zhen , Lan Lei , Wang Baocang , Lai Jianchang
Published: April 2023

In the data era, to simultaneously relieve the heavy computational burden of mining data information from data owners and protecting data privacy, privacy-preserving frequent itemset mining (PPFIM) is presented and has attracted much attention. In PPFIM, data owners and miners outsource the complex task of data mining to the cloud server, which supports strong storage and computing power, and the cloud server cannot extract additional data privacy other than that which is shown by data owners or miners. However, most existing solutions assume that cloud servers will honestly perform the mining process and return the correct results, whereas cloud services are usually provided by a charging third party that may in practice return incorrect results due to computation errors, malicious or criminal activities, etc. To solve this problem, in this paper, we present a verifiable PPFIM protocol on vertically partitioned databases to support the verifiability of the integrity of the mining results, where data owners can authorize the cloud server to perform federated mining on vertically partitioned databases without leaking data information and detect dishonest behaviors in the cloud server from the returned results. We adopt a dual cloud setting to enable data owners to be offline after uploading their encrypted databases to the cloud server, which further relieves the burden on data owners. We implement our protocol and give a detailed analysis in terms of verification accuracy, which shows that the dishonest behaviors of the cloud server can be detected with a probability close to 1 and a sacrifice of only a 1% increase in database size.
Asymmetric Nexus between Green Technology Innovations, Economic Policy Uncertainty, and Environmental Sustainability: Evidence from Italy
Authors: Javed Aamir , Fuinhas José Alberto , Rapposelli Agnese
Published: April 2023

Over the last few decades, climate change and global warming have intensified a serious threat that may deteriorate global sustainable development. The factors significantly contributing to global warming are greenhouse gases, mainly carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, it is crucial to consider the variables affecting carbon emissions considerably. This study examines symmetric (linear) and asymmetric (non-linear) effects of green technology innovation (GTI), economic policy uncertainty (EPU) along with foreign direct investment (FDI), and economic development (GDP) on carbon emissions (CO2) by utilizing yearly time series data between 1970–2018 in Italy. We employed linear and non-linear autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approaches to examine short- and long-run estimates. The symmetric results show that GTI and EPU mitigate environmental degradation in the long run and intensify in the short run, whereas FDI increases environmental issues over the long and short run. Nevertheless, the asymmetric outcomes demonstrate that positive shocks in GTI lessen CO2 emissions, whereas negative shocks in GTI significantly escalate CO2 emissions. Furthermore, EPU and FDI positive and negative shocks significantly enhance environmental degradation. Based on these findings, important policy implications for policymakers to make strong policies to achieve carbon neutrality targets and achieve sustainable economic growth are proposed. Finally, because positive and negative changes in GTI, EPU, and FDI have different consequences on CO2 emissions, policymakers should consider asymmetry across these variables when assessing their impact.