bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LiteGaze: Neural architecture search for efficient gaze estimation
Authors: Guo Xinwei , Wu Yong , Miao Jingjing , Chen Yang
Published: May 2023

Gaze estimation plays a critical role in human-centered vision applications such as human–computer interaction and virtual reality. Although significant progress has been made in automatic gaze estimation by deep convolutional neural networks, it is still difficult to directly deploy deep learning based gaze estimation models across different edge devices, due to the high computational cost and various resource constraints. This work proposes LiteGaze, a deep learning framework to learn architectures for efficient gaze estimation via neural architecture search (NAS). Inspired by the once-for-all model (Cai et al., 2020), this work decouples the model training and architecture search into two different stages. In particular, a supernet is trained to support diverse architectural settings. Then specialized sub-networks are selected from the obtained supernet, given different efficiency constraints. Extensive experiments are performed on two gaze estimation datasets and demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method over previous works, advancing the real-time gaze estimation on edge devices.
Safe stool disposal and associated factors among mothers of children aged under-two years in Gambia: Evidence from Gambia Demographic Health Survey 2019/20
Authors: Tsegaw Menen , Mulat Bezawit , Shitu Kegnie
Published: May 2023

Background

Appropriate disposal of child stool is vital in preventing the spread of faecal-oral diseases. According to WHO/ UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program, Safe child stool disposal includes disposing a stool in a Flush or pour-flush toilet/latrine (to a piped sewer system, septic tank, pit latrine), Ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrine or a Pit latrine with slab.

Objective

The study aimed to assess safe child stool disposal practice and associated factors among mothers with children aged under-two years in Gambia.

Methods

This study was based on a large community-based cross-sectional survey, conducted from 21 November 2019 to 30 March 2020 in Gambia. The survey employed a two-staged stratified cluster sampling technique to recruit study participants. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to summarize descriptive data and identify factors associated with safe waste disposal, respectively. A p-value of less than 0.05 and 95% confidence interval were used to determine statistical significance.

Results

The prevalence of safe stool disposal among mothers with children aged under-two years were 56.3% (95% CI: 54.6%, 58.1%). Mothers aged 25–34 (AOR = 0.78 (95%CI: 0.62, 0.98)), the highest wealth quintile (AOR = 0.43 (95%CI: 0.33, 0.56)), being exposed to media (AOR = 1.37 (95%CI: 1.07, 1.76)), increasing age of children (AOR = 1.06 (1.05, 1.07)), Being employed (AOR = 1.31 (1.11, 1.55)) and Geographic region were significantly associated with safe child disposal practice.

Conclusion

The prevalence of safe child stool disposal was low in Gambia. Age of the mother, age of the child, region, wealth index, media exposure and occupational status of the mother were significantly associated with safe child stool disposal. Public health intervention strategies designed to promote safe child stools disposal need to conduct thorough community assessments to identify community-specific facilitators, needs and barriers. Additionally, public health experts and policy makers should take into consideration the geographical and wealth inequalities when designing programs aimed to improve safe child stool disposal practice.
Effect of exercise devised to reduce arm tremor in the sighting phase of archery
Authors: Shinohara Hiroshi , Hosomi Ryota , Sakamoto Ryuji , Urushihata Toshiya , Yamamoto Shione , Higa Chikashi , Oyama Shinpei
Published: May 2023

Background

In archery training, side bridges are performed in a posture similar to archery shooting for training the muscles around the shoulder joint and the shoulder girdle of the pusher.

Aim

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a low-tremor side-bridge exercise for 4 weeks improves bow tremor during archery movements.

Methods

Participants were 20 male college students. First, we measured the tremor during side bridges performed with trunk inclinations of 25°, 40°, 55°, and 70° using an accelerometer attached to the elbow joint and identified low-tremor side bridges. The participants were then randomly divided into intervention and non-intervention groups, and the low-tremor side bridges were performed for 4 weeks.

Results

The effect of the intervention was determined by measuring the total tremor value using an accelerometer attached to the bow and changes in the median power frequency (MdPF) of the middle deltoid, upper trapezius, and lower trapezius. This intervention reduced the bow tremor and the median power frequency of the middle deltoid (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The findings suggested that the tremor during the archery sighting phase could be reduced by performing side bridges with a specific trunk angle for a certain period of time. This intervention was also shown to reduce the intermediate frequency of the middle deltoid. The reduced tremor can shorten the sighting phase, which can facilitate injury prevention.
Convergence of immune escape strategies highlights plasticity of SARS-CoV-2 spike
Authors: Yu Xiaodi , Juraszek Jarek , Rutten Lucy , Bakkers Mark J. G. , Blokland Sven , Melchers Jelle M. , van den Broek Niels J. F. , Verwilligen Annemiek Y. W. , Abeywickrema Pravien , Vingerhoets Johan , Neefs Jean-Marc , Bakhash Shah A. Mohamed , Roychoudhury Pavitra , Greninger Alex , Sharma Sujata , Langedijk Johannes P. M.
Published: May 2023

The global spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has resulted in emergence of lineages which impact the effectiveness of immunotherapies and vaccines that are based on the early Wuhan isolate. All currently approved vaccines employ the spike protein S, as it is the target for neutralizing antibodies. Here we describe two SARS-CoV-2 isolates with unusually large deletions in the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the spike. Cryo-EM structural analysis shows that the deletions result in complete reshaping of the NTD supersite, an antigenically important region of the NTD. For both spike variants the remodeling of the NTD negatively affects binding of all tested NTD-specific antibodies in and outside of the NTD supersite. For one of the variants, we observed a P9L mediated shift of the signal peptide cleavage site resulting in the loss of a disulfide-bridge; a unique escape mechanism with high antigenic impact. Although the observed deletions and disulfide mutations are rare, similar modifications have become independently established in several other lineages, indicating a possibility to become more dominant in the future. The observed plasticity of the NTD foreshadows its broad potential for immune escape with the continued spread of SARS-CoV-2.
Possibilities of multimodal neuroprotection in patients with chronic cerebral ischemia on the background of arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis
Authors: Gribacheva I. A. , Popova T. F. , Petrova E. V. , Zvonkova A. V.
Published: May 2023

hronic cerebrovascular pathology is manifested by a combination of cognitive, emotional and autonomic disorders. Correct and timely assessment and accurate diagnosis of emotional and autonomic disorders and their timely correction are important, among other things, for slowing down the progression of cognitive deficits. Objective: to study the efficacy and safety of Mexidol administered intravenously by drip infusion (500 mg 1 time per day) for 14 days, followed by oral administration of the drug Mexidol FORTE 250 at a dose of 250 mg 3 times a day for 60 days in middle-aged patients with chronic cerebral ischemia (CCI) on the background of arterial hypertension and atherosclerosis. Material and methods. The open observational program included 60 patients aged 45 to 59 years with CCI, confirmed by the results of a neuropsychological and neuroimaging examination. Patients received Mexidol first intravenously (14 days), and then orally in pills – Mexidol FORTE 250 (60 days). Patients underwent neuropsychological testing, assessment of the level of reactive and personal anxiety (Spielberger–Khanin scale), of vegetative disfunction (A.M. Wayne's autonomic response scale modified by V.L. Golubev), of the severity of general, mental and physical asthenia (MFI-20) and quality of life (MOS SF-36 questionnaire). Results. The results of the treatment made it possible to establish relief of asthenic syndrome and vegetative dysfunction on the background of Mexidol use. The differences were statistically significant both when comparing with the baseline and with the comparison group (p<0.05). The use of Mexidol was accompanied by a decrease in the severity of complaints and subjective symptoms. The combination of positive effects led to an increase in indicators of quality of life (p<0.05). The treatment was well tolerated. Conclusion. Patients with CCI have significant emotional, vegetative and asthenic disorders. The use of Mexidol can reduce the severity of these disorders, which gives reason to recommend it for the treatment of such patients.
Clinical course and diagnosis of cerebral vein and sinus thrombosis associated with COVID-19 in young and middle-aged patients
Authors: Klocheva E. G. , Goldobin V. V. , Olimova F. Z.
Published: May 2023

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a form of cerebrovascular disorders that is difficult to recognize, it is potentially a life threatening condition and requires timely anticoagulant therapy. In the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a steady increase in CVT (4.2% vs. 0.5–1%). At the same time, mortality in patients with CVT on the background of COVID-19 significantly exceeds the mortality in patients with CVT without COVID-19 (45.5% vs. 15%). Objective: to study the clinical course of CVT, to determine the diagnostic value of radiological methods and the significance of genetic risk factors for thrombosis in the development of CVT in young and middle-aged patients against the background of COVID-19. Material and methods. Seven patients were examined: six women (five of them of reproductive age) and one man, aged 26 to 57 years (mean age 37 years). The main clinical and neurological manifestations of CVT, the results of laboratory examination, neuroimaging, and the data of molecular genetic analysis of risk factors for thrombosis were analyzed. Results. The course of COVID-19 was severe in one case, and moderate in the rest of cases. The interval between the onset of COVID-19 symptoms and the development of CVT ranged from 7 to 25 days. In three cases CVT had an acute course and was accompanied by the development of a stroke (in two cases, hemorrhagic stroke was noted, in one case, multifocal ischemic stroke), in other cases, a subacute course of CVT was noted. Genetic risk factors for thrombosis were identified in all patients.Conclusion. The diagnosis of CVT in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic is particularly difficult, since the most common symptom of CVT – headache (90%) – can be regarded as a manifestation of COVID-19. At the same time, timely diagnosis of CVT and immediate initiation of anticoagulant therapy are associated with a relatively favorable prognosis.
The use of antidepressants in neurological practice
Authors: Parfenov V. A.
Published: May 2023

Antidepressants are widely used in neurological practice, and their use in stroke, Alzheimer's disease, depression with cognitive impairment, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic back pain and chronic migraine is discussed. Antidepressants are used in the presence of severe depressive symptoms, which are observed in 20–30% of neurological patients. The effect of antidepressants is higher in case of combination with recurrent depression. Presence of episodes of depression before the development of a neurological disease, history of effectiveness of antidepressants, hereditary burden of affective disorders, characteristic daily dynamics of symptoms with typical impaired sleep architecture indicate the likelihood of a combined affective disorder. Final establishment of a psychiatric diagnosis is possible with a consultation of a neurological patient by a psychiatrist, but in clinical practice this is realistic only in a small number of patients. The most commonly used antidepressants are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants in low or medium doses, the duration of their administration is usually at least 3-6 months. In neurological diseases, the effectiveness of only some drugs has been noted, many antidepressants have not been studied in neurological diseases, but this does not exclude their effectiveness. When prescribing antidepressants, it is necessary to take into account possible drug interactions and avoid those combinations that may cause adverse reactions. It is advisable to use antidepressants in complex therapy in combination with an educational program, cognitive behavioral therapy and kinesiotherapy. Many questions regarding the efficacy and safety of treatment, the choice of the optimal antidepressant, its dosage and duration of use require further study.
Rapidly progressive dementia with early onset associated with the I143T mutation in the PSEN1 gene: a clinical case in a family from Russia
Authors: Shpilyukova Yu. A. , Protopopova A. O. , Abramycheva N. Yu. , Fedotova E. Yu. , Illarioshkin S. N.
Published: May 2023

Rapidly progressive dementias are a rare group of cognitive disorders that primarily require the exclusion of a large number of potentially reversible causes. Prion diseases are frequent in this group of disorders. Some hereditary forms of Alzheimer's disease can also be aggressive, with onset at a young age and autosomal dominant inheritance in the family. The article presents the first case report of a patient with a verified Ile143Thr mutation in the PSEN1 gene in a Russian family with a phenotype similar to the hereditary form of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. The specific features of the disease, diagnostic methods, and possible pathogenesis of the development are discussed.
Cognitive disorders in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Kutlubaev M. A. , Areprintceva D. K. , Pervushina E. V. , Brylev L. V.
Published: May 2023

Cognitive disorders (CD) are observed in more than half of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but rarely reach the degree of dementia. Currently, a classification of ALS has been proposed depending on the presence of cognitive and/or behavioral disorders. CD in ALS can be represented by speech fluency disorders, various aphasic disorders, disorders of regulatory functions, social cognitive functions, and verbal memory. The most diagnostically sensitive are special scales, such as the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral Impairment Screening Scale for ALS. CD in ALS have a negative impact on the outcome of the disease and the quality of life of patients and their families. This issue requires further study.
Diagnosis and therapy of obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders in general medical and neurological practice
Authors: Petelin D. S. , Gamirova A. N. , Sorokina O. Yu. , Troshina D. V. , Semin S. A. , Boltueva M. Sh. , Volel B. A.
Published: May 2023

Obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders are widely represented in the population and often encountered in clinical practice, but they are not well diagnosed and many patients do not receive proper treatment. This review discusses the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, their negative impact on the level of functioning of patients, comorbidity with other mental disorders, diagnosis and differential diagnosis. The emphasis is put on changes in approaches to the diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorders that will occur after the introduction of the International Classification of Diseases of the 11th revision (ICD-11). Approaches to the treatment of obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders are discussed in accordance with the principles of evidence-based medicine, and the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and cognitive behavioral therapy as first-line therapy is justified.
Surface and Adhesion Properties of a Softener Containing Fragrances Microencapsulated with Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) on Cotton, Polyester, and a Mixture of Cotton and Polyester Fabrics
Authors: Pithanthanakul Usaraphan , Rungsardthong Vilai , Ding Yulong
Published: May 2023

The distribution and adhesion of microcapsules on fabric surfaces are crucial factors for the production of long-lasting fragrance textiles. The objective of this research was to study the adhesion property of a softener containing microencapsulated fragrances on fabrics. Pink fruity fragrance (PF), and white floral fragrance (WF) were encapsulated with poly (methyl methacrylate) or PMMA, using the micro-suspension photopolymerization method, to form PF-PMMA, and WF-PMMA microcapsules, respectively. The particle sizes and zeta potential of the capsules were determined. The PF-PMMA and WF-PMMA were added to the fabric softener before being applied to three types of fabrics, cotton, TK (polyester), and TC (a mixture of cotton and TK). Surface morphologies of the fabrics treated with the softener were studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Interactions between the microcapsules and the fabrics were studied using a contract angle measurement device, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer, and Raman microscope. The average size of PF-PMMA was 484.8 ± 4.0 nm, smaller than that of WF-PMMA (664.6 ± 2.9 nm). Cotton was found to be hydrophilic with a rough surface due to cellulose fibers, while TK surface was smooth and hydrophobic. The different fiber structures and surface properties of the fabrics gave rise to different adhesion behavior, evidenced by the contract angle and Raman microscopic data. After 60 days of storage, the microencapsulated fragrances were found to remain on the cotton surfaces, but that on the TC and the TK surfaces disappeared. The results illustrated the interaction between the fabric surface and the microcapsules encapsulated with fragrances, which affected their adhesion. The knowledge obtained can be applied to the development of household products with long-lasting fragrances.
Pulling Together in Tug of War
Authors: Mechling Jay
Published: May 2023

Analyzing the old, traditional game of Tug of War (TOW) as played by both males and females uncovers both conscious and unconscious meanings of the game. The formal structure of the game mimics combat between two groups, and on a surface level the players experience the pleasure of cooperation in the competition. Drawing upon depth psychology, the analyst discovers unconscious sources of the pleasure of the experience playing TOW, exploring differences between the experiences of males and females.
Competencia emocional y autoeficacia: consecuencias para la educación científica
Authors: Dávila Acedo Maria Antonia , Reis Pedro
Published: May 2023

En los últimos años, el interés por el estudio de la inteligencia emocional ha cobrado una gran importancia, tanto para docentes como para estudiantes. En esta investigación se analizan las competencias emocionales, es decir, nivel de inteligencia emocional percibida, autoeficacia y emociones, de una muestra constituida por 78 estudiantes universitarios de los cuales, 40 son maestros en formación inicial de la Universidad de Extremadura (España) y 38 son estudiantes de Formação em Educação Básica del Instituto Politécnico de Santarém (Portugal) – grados equivalentes en los dos países. Para realizar esta investigación se ha utilizado un cuestionario constituido por tres partes: I) Inteligencia Emocional (atención, claridad y reparación emocional), II) Escala de autoeficacia general, III) Emociones. Los resultados muestran que existen diferencias estadísticamente significativas en las creencias de autoeficacia en ambos grupos y por género. Además, los niveles de inteligencia emocional son prácticamente los mismos en ambos grupos, y por género, las mujeres muestran niveles superiores en la componente atención emocional, mientras que los hombres en claridad y reparación emocional. En relación al recuerdo de las emociones experimentadas hacia el aprendizaje de las Ciencias en Secundaria, se obtienen diferencias en ambos grupos, siendo la frecuencia de emociones positivas (alegría, diversión, entusiasmo y tranquilidad) inferiores en los maestros en formación de la Universidad de Extremadura y superiores en las negativas (aburrimiento, preocupación, nerviosismo y miedo).
Aportes de la Historia y la Filosofía en la enseñanza de las ciencias a partir de la actividad experimental asociada a la hidráulica
Authors: Almeida Sánchez Helga , García Arteaga Edwin Germán
Published: May 2023

This paper collects advances in the research project on the history and philosophy of sciences in physics teaching,focused on hydraulics. The research question regarding social needs, inequality, and social vulnerability during the first quarter of the 21st century is; What physics to teach today? And for what purpose are hydraulics? The document recognizes the historical importance of experimental activity in science, the associated phenomenology, and the conceptual richness behind it, which, in general, has been very limited at the educational level. Nor is it appreciated how the historical perspective of science favors the understanding of the world and it is a contribution to current social problems. Regarding the hydraulics teaching, the absence of experimental activity is evident. Concepts such as pressure, speed, continuity, and Bernoulli's principle are taught through processes of memorization and application of meaningless mathematical algorithms and without impact on the daily lives of students. The research project proposes to re-contextualize the experimental activity associated with hydraulics, as well as its formalization processes, from the concerns of scientists such as Archimedes, Pascal, Da Vinci, and Bernoulli, among others, who contributed to the construction of meaning and significance of the phenomenon under study. In this sense, the objective is to collect and analyze the historical documentation of hydraulics and to carry out a critical historical analysis of the text of Johan Bernoulli Hydraulics and its predecessors to finally, from a science didactics approach, propose core activities around the problems registered for the teaching of hydraulics in the initial training teachers in this field.
Fetomaternal outcome of scarred uterine rupture compared with primary uterine rupture: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Madhuri Makkam S. , Jha Nivedita , Pampapati Veena , Chaturvedula Latha , Jha Ajay Kumar
Published: May 2023

Objectives

Literature comparing maternal and perinatal outcomes among women with scarred and primary uterine rupture are limited. Therefore, the study aimed to compare maternal and perinatal outcomes and associated risk factors of uterine rupture among scarred and unscarred uterus.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study was performed at a large tertiary care of India between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2020. We analysed all the cases of complete uterine rupture beyond the 20th week of gestation. The outcome measures were live birth rate, perinatal mortality, maternal mortality and morbidity.

Results

A total of 115 complete uterine ruptures were noted in 148,102 pregnancies. Of those 115 uterine ruptures, 89 (77.3 %) uterine ruptures occurred in women with a history of caesarean delivery, and 26 (22.6 %) uterine ruptures occurred in primary uterine rupture. The primary uterine rupture group had a significantly higher incidence of lower parity, breech presentation and mean birth weight. The live birth rate (68.18% vs. 42.85 %; p=0.04) was significantly higher in the scarred group, and the stillbirth rate (57.14% vs. 31.86 %; p=0.009) was significantly higher in the primary uterine rupture group. Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, APGAR score, and neonatal intensive care unit admission were comparable. Postpartum haemorrhage, blood transfusion, severe acute maternal morbidity and intensive care unit stay were more frequently reported in the primary uterine rupture group.

Conclusions

The maternal and perinatal outcomes appear less favourable among women with primary uterine rupture than scarred uterine rupture.
Undercover Anti-bullying Team: An Alternative Approach to Bullying in Japan
Authors: Ayashiro Hatsuho
Published: May 2023

This study examined the processes adopted by Japan's first undercover anti-bullying team (UABT). Based on narrative therapy, the anti-bullying project was conducted at a public elementary school for 36 days to eliminate bullying, motivated by a bullying incident involving an 11-year-old female student. Her classmates, including two bullies who were selected as UABT members, accomplished their mission by creating and conducting plans against bullying, holding frequent meetings to adjust the plans, and attempting to amend conflicted classroom relationships that could encourage bullying. The mission effectively eliminated the occurrence of bullying after six days, indicating that the UABT could effectively eliminate bullying through playful learning. Accordingly, it encouraged the children to resolve such serious problems, empowered agencies in students that may have been previously subordinated, and deconstructed dominant discourses related to bullying. Its limitations include its secrecy aspects and the potential risk to call out other classmates.
Agency and Choice in the Face of Trauma: A Narrative Therapy Map
Authors: Beaudoin Marie-Nathalie
Published: May 2023

Numerous articles have underscored the necessity of focusing on agency and survival strategies when working with persons facing issues of trauma. In clinical settings however, many clinicians have the intention of fostering a client's sense of agency but achieve limited success in accomplishing this goal. In this article, a four quadrant model and specific micro-practices that can contribute to clients re-authoring their lives with an integrated experience of choice and agency are discussed. The transcript of a therapy session is used to illustrate the map.
Pupil Dilation and Microsaccades Provide Complementary Insights into the Dynamics of Arousal and Instantaneous Attention during Effortful Listening
Authors: Contadini-Wright Claudia , Magami Kaho , Mehta Nishchay , Chait Maria
Published: May 2023

Listening in noisy environments requires effort- the active engagement of attention and other cognitive abilities- as well as increased arousal. The ability to separately quantify the contribution of these components is key to understanding the dynamics of effort and how it may change across listening situations and in certain populations. We concurrently measured two types of ocular data in young participants (both sexes): pupil dilation (PD; thought to index arousal aspects of effort) and microsaccades (MS; hypothesized to reflect automatic visual exploratory sampling), while they performed a speech-in-noise task under high- (HL) and low- (LL) listening load conditions. Sentences were manipulated so that the behaviorally relevant information (keywords) appeared at the end (Experiment 1) or beginning (Experiment 2) of the sentence, resulting in different temporal demands on focused attention. In line with previous reports, PD effects were associated with increased dilation under load. We observed a sustained difference between HL and LL conditions, consistent with increased phasic and tonic arousal. Importantly we show that MS rate was also modulated by listening load. This was manifested as a reduced MS rate in HL relative to LL. Critically, in contrast to the sustained difference seen for PD, MS effects were localized in time, specifically during periods when demands on auditory attention were greatest. These results demonstrate that auditory selective attention interfaces with the mechanisms controlling MS generation, establishing MS as an informative measure, complementary to PD, with which to quantify the temporal dynamics of auditory attentional processing under effortful listening conditions.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTListening effort, reflecting the “cognitive bandwidth” deployed to effectively process sound in adverse environments, contributes critically to listening success. Understanding listening effort and the processes involved in its allocation is a major challenge in auditory neuroscience. Here, we demonstrate that microsaccade rate can be used to index a specific subcomponent of listening effort, the allocation of instantaneous auditory attention, that is distinct from the modulation of arousal indexed by pupil dilation (currently the dominant measure of listening effort). These results reveal the push-pull process through which auditory attention interfaces with the (visual) attention network that controls microsaccades, establishing microsaccades as a powerful tool for measuring auditory attention and its deficits.
The Occipital Place Area Is Recruited for Echo-Acoustically Guided Navigation in Blind Human Echolocators
Authors: Norman Liam J. , Thaler Lore
Published: May 2023

In the investigation of the brain areas involved in human spatial navigation, the traditional focus has been on visually guided navigation in sighted people. Consequently, it is unclear whether the involved areas also support navigational abilities in other modalities. We explored this possibility by testing whether the occipital place area (OPA), a region associated with visual boundary-based navigation in sighted people, has a similar role in echo-acoustically guided navigation in blind human echolocators. We used fMRI to measure brain activity in 6 blind echolocation experts (EEs; five males, one female), 12 blind controls (BCs; six males, six females), and 14 sighted controls (SCs; eight males, six females) as they listened to prerecorded echolocation sounds that conveyed either a route taken through one of three maze environments, a scrambled (i.e., spatiotemporally incoherent) control sound, or a no-echo control sound. We found significantly greater activity in the OPA of EEs, but not the control groups, when they listened to the coherent route sounds relative to the scrambled sounds. This provides evidence that the OPA of the human navigation brain network is not strictly tied to the visual modality but can be recruited for nonvisual navigation. We also found that EEs, but not BCs or SCs, recruited early visual cortex for processing of echo acoustic information. This is consistent with the recent notion that the human brain is organized flexibly by task rather than by specific modalities.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThere has been much research on the brain areas involved in visually guided navigation, but we do not know whether the same or different brain regions are involved when blind people use a sense other than vision to navigate. In this study, we show that one part of the brain (occipital place area) known to play a specific role in visually guided navigation is also active in blind human echolocators when they use reflected sound to navigate their environment. This finding opens up new ways of understanding how people navigate, and informs our ability to provide rehabilitative support to people with vision loss.
Parvalbumin-Positive Interneurons in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex Regulate Stress-Induced Fear Extinction Impairments in Male and Female Rats
Authors: Binette Annalise N. , Liu Jianfeng , Bayer Hugo , Crayton Kennedi L. , Melissari Laila , Sweck Samantha O. , Maren Stephen
Published: May 2023

Stress has profound effects on fear extinction, a form of learning that is essential to behavioral therapies for trauma-related and stressor-related disorders. Recent work reveals that acute footshock stress reduces medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) activity that is critical for extinction learning. Reductions in mPFC activity may be mediated by parvalbumin (PV)-containing interneurons via feedforward inhibition imposed by amygdala afferents. To test this hypothesis, footshock stress-induced Fos expression was characterized in PV+and PV–neurons in the prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) cortices. Footshock stress increased the proportion of PV+cells expressing Fos in both male and female rats; this effect was more pronounced in IL compared with PL. To determine whether PV+interneurons in the mPFC mediate stress-induced extinction impairments, we chemogenetically silenced these neurons before an immediate extinction procedure in PV-Cre rats. Clozapine-N-oxide (CNO) did not affect conditioned freezing during the extinction procedure. However, CNO exacerbated extinction retrieval in both male and female rats with relatively high PL expression of designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADD). In contrast, in rats with relatively high IL DREADD expression, CNO produced a modest facilitation of extinction in the earliest retrieval trials, but in male rats only. Conversely, excitation of IL PV interneurons was sufficient to impair delayed extinction in both male and female rats. Finally, chemogenetic inhibition of IL-projecting amygdala neurons reduced the immediate extinction deficit in male, but not female rats. These results reveal that PV interneurons regulate extinction learning under stress in a sex-dependent manner, and this effect is mediated by amygdaloprefrontal projections.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTStress significantly impairs the memory of fear extinction, a type of learning that is central to behavioral therapies for trauma-based and anxiety-based disorders (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder). Here we show that acute footshock stress recruits parvalbumin (PV) interneurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of male and female rats. Silencing mPFC PV interneurons or mPFC-projecting amygdala neurons during immediate extinction influenced extinction retrieval in a sex-dependent manner. This work highlights the role for PV-containing mPFC interneurons in stress-induced impairments in extinction learning.
Effect of proline and fruit bagging on the coloration of Aril and peel of “Wonderful” pomegranates
Authors: Farag Karim. M. , Shehata Raed. S.
Published: May 2023

Poor coloration of the arils and externally on the skin have been the main problems of pomegranates as well as skin cracking before harvest. This study was conducted during two consecutive seasons 2020 and 2021. Proline was sprayed alone or along with fruit bagging. The treatments included. The control (tap water spray, Proline at 0.25mM. proline at 0.25mM plus fruit bagging, proline at 0.5mM, proline at 0.5mM plus fruit bagging, proline at 1mM and finally proline at 1mM plus fruit bagging. The non-ionic surfactant top film was added to all used treatments at 0.05% (v/v). The treatments were applied by spraying three times to the run off after fruit set, at the initiation of rapid fruit elongation and at fruit maturity. The results indicated that there was an increase of anthocyanin in the skin whether alone or in the presence of bagging in a consistent manner. More the porline concentration, more the increase in skin color. Meanwhile, the greatest content of anthocyanin in the aril juice was obtained with proline at 1mM plus fruit bagging. In addition, proline at 0.5mM plus fruit bagging had a significant effect on aril's anthocyanin as compared with the control. Total soluble solids also increased significantly with the treatment of proline at 1mM plus fruit bagging. The same combination of treatments was also found with aril weight. More fruit characteristics were also discussed. In general, the use of proline spray three times has potential to enhance coloration of pomegranates especially in the presence of fruit bagging.
Vector–Logic Synthesis of Deductive Matrices for Fault Simulation
Authors:   The University of Missouri-Kansas City, Gharibi W. , Hahanova A. ,   Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics, Hahanov V. ,   Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics, Chumachenko S. ,   Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics, Litvinova E. ,   Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics, Hahanov I. ,   Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics
Published: May 2023

The main idea is to create vector-logic computing that uses only read-write transactions on address memory to process large data. The main task is to implement new simple and reliable models and methods of vector computing based on primitive read-write transactions in the technology of vector flexible interpretive simulation of digital system faults. Vector-logic computing is a computational process based on read-write transactions over bits of a binary vector of functionality, where the input data is the addresses of the bits. A vector method for the synthesis of deductive matrices for transporting input fault lists is proposed, which has a quadratic computational complexity. The method is a development of the deductive vector synthesis algorithm based on the truth table. The deductive matrix is intended for the synthesis and verification of tests using parallel simulation of faults, as addresses, based on a read-write transaction of deductive vector cells in memory.
Analysis of Methods and Means for Ensuring Cybersecurity of Web Services Using Artificial Intelligence
Authors:   National Aerospace University named after M.E. Zhukovsky ", Sverchkov D.O. ,   Kharkiv Aviation Institute", Fesenko H.V. ,   National Aerospace University named after M.E. Zhukovsky "Kharkiv Aviation Institute"
Published: May 2023

A thorough analysis of literary sources on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in cyber security was carried out. During the examination, the most significant attention was paid to sources describing the use of AI-based applications to analyze and evaluate existing systems for vulnerabilities, as well as to sources that consider the features of using built-in AI mechanisms for searching, detecting, classifying, and combating attacks on the system during her works. The types, impacts, and features of attacks on web services are defined. The features of the application of AI for the classification of web services under test are considered, with the aim of further justifying the selection of the best tools for ensuring their cyber security. The methods of using AI in the cyber security of web services during the introduction of built-in mechanisms and models for searching, detecting, classifying, and countering threats are analyzed. The accuracy of machine learning methods used to detect intrusions was compared. Directions for further research can cover: the development of methods, models, and applications based on the use of AI for analyzing the source code for possible vulnerabilities of a web service with support for various programming languages and the development of mechanisms for search and classification of threats based on the use of AI built into the web service.
Creating and Using Solvers in the Openfoam Package for Modeling the Temperature Field
Authors:   National Technical University of Ukraine «Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute», Kuzmenko I.
Published: May 2023

The temperature field is simulated in the OpenFOAM package using standard and created solv-ers. The object of research is numerical solvers of the OpenFOAM package and auxiliary utili-ties for calculating the temperature field. The influence of OpenFOAM package solvers on the calculation time of the temperature field is revealed, which makes it possible to create a solver with a shorter calculation time. The analysis of heat exchange was carried out by solving the problem of thermal conductivity. The created solver is written using the OpenFoam open source code in the C++ programming language in the Visual Studio Code environment. For the work of the solver on the Salome platform, a calculation grid is generated. The created solver for cal-culating temperatures in the OpenFOAM package requires less time for calculation.
First-order sequent calculi of logics of quasiary predicates with extended renominations and equality
Authors:   Kiev Taras Shevchenko National University, Shkilniak О.S. , Shkilniak S.S. ,   Kiev Taras Shevchenko National University
Published: May 2023

The paper considers new classes of software-oriented logical formalisms – pure first-order logics of partial quasiary predicates with extended renomi- nations and predicates of strong equality and of weak equality.
Generation of multipurpose formal models from legacy code
Authors:   Glushkov Institute of Cybernetics NAS of Ukraine, Potiyenko S.V. , Kolchin A.V. ,   Glushkov Institute of Cybernetics NAS of Ukraine
Published: May 2023

In this paper a method for generation of formal models from legacy systems code is proposed. The purpose of these models is to have a possibility of their application in different tasks such as automatic generation of executable tests, translation to modern programming languages, reverse engineering. The method pursues goals to decrease complexity of state space search and checking formulas satisfiability in relation to the direct code modeling, and to help legacy systems understanding and implementing in modern technologies. We focused on formalization of Cobol memory model as it is the most common language in legacy systems. Formal model is an attribute transition system with control flow. We proposed an algorithm for building enumerated types for any variables whose usage fulfills certain conditions, including translation procedure of numeric variables to enumerated ones. We considered a problem of translating non-comparable structures which overlap in memory (operator redefines in Cobol), are copied or compared with each other. In opposite to common approach of using union semantics (like union construction in C++), we described a method of structure fields decomposition which has no drawbacks of unions and makes for minimization of bytewise approach. We considered the developed method on the examples of structures as with simple fields as with arrays. We also gave examples of realization of bytewise approach in Java and C++ languages for those variables that cannot be represented as enumerated or numeric attributes. We tried this work for tests generation for middle-sized projects (up to 100 000 lines of code) where it showed efficiency of developed method, also generated formal models were used for debugging of Cobol to Java translator and business rules extraction.
Performance analysis of massively parallel programs for graphics processing units
Authors:   Institute of Software Systems NAS of Ukraine, Rahozin D.V.
Published: May 2023

Any modern Graphics Processing Unit (graphics card) is a good platform to run massively parallel programs. Still, we lack tools to observe and measure performance characteristics of GPU-based software. We state that due to complex memory hierarchy and thou- sands of execution threads the all performance issues are about efficient use of graphics card memory hierarchy. We propose to use GPGPUSim simulator, previously used mostly for graphics card architecture validation, for performance validation for CUDA-based program. We provide examples which show how to use the simulation for performance analysis of massively parallel programs.
Software engineering and big data software
Authors:   NTUU ", Sydorov N.O. ,   KPI", Sydorova N.M. ,   NTUU "KPI"
Published: May 2023

Software engineering is a mature industry of human activity focused on the creation, deployment, marketing and maintenance of software. The fundamental concepts of engineering are life cycle model; three main components of life cycle phases - products, processes and resources; engineering and methodologies for creating, deployment and maintaining software. Software is the foun- dation of technological advances that lead to new high performance products. As the functionality of products grows, so does the need to efficiently and correctly create and maintain the complex software that enables this growth. Therefore, in addition to solving its own problems, software engineering serves the solution of the problems of creating and maintaining software in other domains, which are called application domains. Information technology is a well-known application domain. The basis of this domain is data. Information systems are being implemented in an organization to improve its effectiveness and efficiency. The functionality of information systems has grown dramatically when big data began to be used. This growth has led to the emergence of a wide variety of software-intensive big data information systems. At the same time, the role and importance of software engineering for solving the problems of this application domain has only intensified. Modern possibilities of software engineering are shown. The aspects of interaction between software engineering and big data systems are analyzed. The topics for the study of big data software ecosystems and big data system of systems are outlined.
Maximum independent sets of graph vertices searching for software projects improvement
Authors:   Institute of Software Systems NAS of Ukraine, Slabospitska O.O. , Stetsyuk P.I. ,   Glushkov Institute of Cybernetics NAS of Ukraine, Khomiak O.M. ,   Glushkov Institute of Cybernetics NAS of Ukraine
Published: May 2023

The need is fixed to software project enhancing with seamless integration of technological-descriptive and normative project manage- ment approaches by means of classical Graph Discrete Optimization Problems tailoring for software project management tasks, poorly equipped with best practices within technological approach. Class of software project management tasks is proposed to demonstrate the benefits of such integration. Two Boolean linear programming problems are investigated for searching some maximum size indepen- dent set (Section 1) and an algorithm for searching all possible maximum size independent sets (Section 2). Section 3 presents Problem Statement for searching a given number of non-intersecting independent sets with maximum sum of vertices’ numbers within independent sets. Based on it, Vizing-Plesnevich algorithm is described for coloring the graph vertices with the minimum number of colors. To solve Boolean problems, both specialized mathematical programming language AMPL and corresponding solver program named gu- robi are used. For basic algorithms developed, reference AMPL code versions are given as well as their running results. Illustrative examples of software project enhancing with the algorithms elaborated are considered in Section 4, namely: 25 specialists being conflicted during their previous projects partitioning into coherent conflict-free sub-teams for software projects portfolio; schedule optimization for autonomous testing of reusable components within a critical software system; cores composing for independent teams in a critical software project.
Coreference resolution algorithm for Ukrainian-language texts using decision trees
Authors:   Kiev Taras Shevchenko National University, Pogorilyy S.D. , Biletskyi P.V. ,   Kiev Taras Shevchenko National University
Published: May 2023

The paper examines the problem of coreference resolution in Ukrainian-language texts using decision trees. An application that uses vector representations of Elmo words and other characteristics for the automated formation of a decision tree has been developed. A set of prepared texts containing more than 360,000 words was used to form the decision tree and evaluate the accuracy of the algorithm. The decision tree created to determine whether a pair of objects is coreference was used to form clusters of coreference objects. Special metrics were used for comparison with the results obtained by other algorithms in the Ukrainian language.