bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cardioprotective Potential of the Ethanol and Water Extracts of Four Psilocybin Mushrooms on Angiotensin II-Induced Hypertrophy and Oxidative Stress on H9C2 Cardiomyocytes
Authors: Nkadimeng Sanah Malomile , Steinmann Christiaan Martin , Eloff Jakobus Nicolaas
Published: June 2023

Psilocybin-containing mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms have antidepressant effect, however, their safety in cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure is not fully known and needs to be investigated. Cardiac hypertrophy is an independent risk factor for heart failure morbidity and mortality. Angiotensin II (Ang-II) plays a major role in the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy. We investigated the cardiovascular safety of extracts of Panaeolus cyanescens, Psilocybe natalensis, Psilocybe cubensis, and Psilocybe cubensis leucistic A+ strain mushrooms, well-known psilocybin-containing mushrooms in the Panaeolus and Psilocybe genus on Ang II-induced hypertrophy oxidative stress. The four mushrooms were grown, dried and extracted with 70% ethanol, cold and hot water. Extracts were tested for cytotoxicity on H9C2 cardiomyoblast cells. The cardiomyocytes were induced with (10 µM) AngII and treated with the three extracts of the four mushrooms over 48 hours. Control cells were serum starved but neither AngII induced nor treated while AngII cells were serum starved and stimulated with AngII but not treated. Losartan, an inhibitor of AngII type 1 receptor was used as positive control. Effects of the extracts on actin-filament labelling and cell surface area, mitochondrial activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and atrial natriuretic peptide levels were determined. Stimulation with AngII lowered cell viability, increased the cell width measurements and intracellular ROS levels significantly compared to control cells. The results indicated that the ethanol and water extracts of the four psilocybin mushrooms did not exacerbate the angiotensin II-induced hypertrophy conditions, but the extracts had cardio-protective activity against angiotensin II-induced oxidative stress. The phytochemical analysis of the extracts confirmed detections of known compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in the water and ethanol extracts of these four psilocybin mushrooms.
Enhancing Chinese Address Parsing in Low-Resource Scenarios through In-Context Learning
Authors: Ling Guangming , Mu Xiaofeng , Wang Chao , Xu Aiping
Published: June 2023

Address parsing is a crucial task in natural language processing, particularly for Chinese addresses. The complex structure and semantic features of Chinese addresses present challenges due to their inherent ambiguity. Additionally, different task scenarios require varying levels of granularity in address components, further complicating the parsing process. To address these challenges and adapt to low-resource environments, we propose CapICL, a novel Chinese address parsing model based on the In-Context Learning (ICL) framework. CapICL leverages a sequence generator, regular expression matching, BERT semantic similarity computation, and GPT modeling to enhance parsing accuracy by incorporating contextual information. We construct the sequence generator using a small annotated dataset, capturing distribution patterns and boundary features of address types to model address structure and semantics, mitigating interference from unnecessary variations. We introduce the REB-KNN algorithm, which selects similar samples for ICL-based parsing using regular expression matching and BERT semantic similarity computation. The selected samples, raw text, and explanatory text are combined to form prompts, and inputted into the GPT model for prediction and address parsing. Experimental results demonstrate significant achievements of CapICL in low-resource environments, reducing dependency on annotated data and computational resources. Our model's effectiveness, adaptability, and broad application potential are validated, showcasing its positive impact in natural language processing and geographical information systems.
The Removal of Phosphate from Aqueous Solutions by Sepiolite/ZrO2 Composites: Adsorption Behavior and Mechanism
Authors: Milovanović Željka , Lazarević Slavica , Janković-Častvan Ivona , Radovanović Željko , Cvetković Slobodan , Janaćković Djordje , Petrović Rada
Published: June 2023

The sepiolite/ZrO2 composites were prepared by sepiolite (Sep) modification with zirconium propoxide in toluene, at room temperature for 24 h (Sep –ZrI) or 95 °C for 4h (sample Sep –ZrII). The efficiency of the obtained adsorbents for the removal of phosphate from aqueous solutions at initial pH = 4 and pH = 8, was investigated. Characterization of the samples showed that higher temperature of synthesis for shorter time provided slightly higher content of amorphous Zr-phase, which was deposited on sepiolite fibers as a thin layer and agglomerated nanoparticles. Compared to Sep, the composites had lower point of zero charge and higher specific surface area and pore volume. The adsorption kinetics follows the pseudo second-order model. The adsorption capacities of the composites were approximately the same at both initial pH and higher at initial pH = 4 than at pH = 8. The XPS and ATR-FTIR of Sep-ZrI before and after adsorption identified the formation of inner-sphere complexes as the mechanism of phosphate adsorption. The slow release during desorption with NaOH solution confirmed strong bonds of phosphates with the surface of the composites.
A Metabolomic Investigation of the Effects of Corrosion Products of Galvanic Anodes on the Metabolome of Magallana gigas (Formerly Crassostrea gigas)
Authors: Imbert-Auvray Nathalie , Fichet Denis , Bodet Pierre-Edouard , Ory Pascaline , Sabot René , Refait Philippe , Graber Marianne
Published: June 2023

Cathodic protection is widely used to protect metal structures from corrosion and is commonly applied on marine structures in seaports using sacrificial galvanic anodes. These anodes, either in Zinc, or preferen-tially nowadays in Al-Zn-In alloys, are expected to corrode instead of the metal to be protected. This leads to the release of specific dissolved species, Zn2+, Al3+, In3+ and solid phases like Al(OH)3. Few studies were conducted on the effects of anodes on marine organisms and concluded that further detailed investiga-tions are needed in controlled environments.
We therefore propose an experimental approach to evaluate the effects of Zn and Al-Zn-In anodes on oysters stabulated in tanks, under conditions approaching those used in the ports. We chose a non-targeted metabolomic approach, using UHPLC coupled to HRMS, to study the effects on the entire metabolome, without any a priori. A modelling study of the chemical species, corresponding to the deg-radation products of the anodes, likely to be present near the exposed oysters, was also included.
We identified 16 and 2 metabolites modulated by Zn- and Al-Zn-In-anodes respectively, involved in bi-ological functions, such as energy metabolism, osmoregulation, oxidative stress, lipid, nucleotide nucle-oside and amino acid metabolisms, defense and signaling pathways.
Circulating miRNA As Prognostic Biomarker During Estrus of Buffalo
Authors: Murikipudi Naveen Swaroop , Singh Pushpanjali , Yadav Sunil Kumar , Singh Rakshita , Singh Chhama , Kumar Prasanth , Bhardwaj Anuradha , Kumar Dharmendra , Kumar Rajesh , Selokar Naresh , Kumar Sanjay , Saxena Navneet , Sharma Rakesh Kumar , Onteru Suneel Kumar , Singh Dheer , Bharadwaj Anurag , Kumar Rakesh , Dutta Tirtha Kumar , Nayan Varij
Published: June 2023

Buffalo are silent breeders, therefore detecting estrus is a serious challenge. There is a rising need for sensitive and precise biomarkers in this scenario. Recent research on miRNA has demon-strated the importance of these molecules as biomarkers. Though there have been miRNA studies in saliva during the estrous cycle, there have been few miRNA research in blood samples. The current study was designed to look at blood miRNAs during the oestrous cycle in heifers (n=5) to address the issue of silent estrus. On the day of estrus and diestrus, blood samples from 60 heifers were obtained and pooled into (n=5) separate samples. Ultrasonography and progesterone assay was performed to confirm estrus. Then, employing particular miRNA adapters, small RNA se-quencing of miRNA was performed using the Illumina Miseq 2500. The UEA sRNA bioinfor-matics workbench identified 94 substantially differently expressed miRNAs (p>0.05) from these data. In estrus, 63 miRNA were upregulated and 31 miRNA were downregulated. When fold change was increased to (log2foldchange >1; q value less than 0.05), 25 miRNAs were elevated during estrus. miR-497, miR-582, miR-10174, miR-23, miR-223, miR-1296 were upregulated, whereas miR-10167, 671, 1246,122 were downregulated. miR-497 is unusually elevated (log2 foldchange>5) when compared to another miRNA (log2 foldchange >5) miRNet 2.0, Cytoscape, and MIENTURNET network software found that miR-497 has more degree centrality, above 60; it is associated with more than 60 nodes, followed by miR-93
Phenol-Furfural Resin/Graphite/Ag Based Electrically Conductive Adhesive Composites from Waste Bagasse with Enhanced Thermo-Electric Properties
Authors: Zehra Syeda Mahnoor , Bibi Maryam , Mahmood Azhar , Khattak Abraiz , Asad Muhammad Zeeshan , Zehra Syeda Hijab
Published: June 2023

This study endeavors the preparation and evaluation of Phenol Furfural Resin (PFR) from bagasse and its nanocomposites for Electrically Conductive Adhesives (ECAs) application. PFR was prepared with the furfural extracted from bagasse using modified acid digestion method. Three different formulations of PFR nanocomposites with conductive nanoparticles i.e., PFR-silver, PFR-graphite, and PFR-silver + graphite were prepared using 20-60 w/w% of fillers via impregnation method. Resultant products were characterized by FT-IR, SEM, EDS and XRD spectroscopy. Electrical conductivity was measured using four probe technique while band gap was calculated via Tauc plot. Virgin PFR has shown poor conductivity up to 2.6 × 10-4 Scm-1 while the highest conductivity achieved was 8.2 × 10-1 Scm-1 for nanocomposite constituted silver, graphite, and PFR with 40:30:20 ratios respectively. This synergism was exhibited because graphite and Ag NPs supply excellent junctions for building networks. Both tend to coalesce due to van der Waals forces and high surface energies, therefore conductive pathways numbers can be increased, and contact area can be effectively enlarged. This ternary composite has exhibited the lowest bandgap energy value i.e., 3.1 eV. Thermogravimetric temperatures T0 and Tdeg values were increased up to 120 °C and 484 °C respectively, showing significant increase in thermal stability. Therefore, the resultant nanocomposite material has good potential to be employed as ECAs in electronic industry.
Wearable Technologies for Electrodermal and Cardiac Activity measurements: a Comparison between Fitbit Sense, Empatica E4 and Shimmer GSR3+
Authors: Ronca Vincenzo , Martinez-Levy Ana , Vozzi Alessia , Giorgi Andrea , Aricò Pietro , Capotorto Rossella , Borghini Gianluca , Di Flumeri Gianluca , Babiloni Fabio
Published: June 2023

The capability of measuring specific neurophysiological and autonomic parameters plays a crucial role in the objective evaluation of the human’s mental and emotional states. These human aspects are commonly known in scientific literature to be involved in a wide range of processes, such as the stress and arousal. These aspects represent a relevant factor especially in real and operational environment. Neurophysiological autonomic parameters, such as the Electrodermal Activity (EDA) and Photoplethysmographic data (PPG), have been usually investigated through research-graded devices, therefore resulting in a high degree of invasiveness, which could negatively interfere with the monitored user’s activity. For such a reason, in the last decade the recent consumer-grade wearable devices, usually designed for fitness tracking purposes, are receiving an increasing attention from the scientific community, being characterized by higher comfort, easiness of use and, therefore, by higher compatibility with dailylife environments. The present preliminary study aimed at assessing the reliability of a consumer wearable device, i.e., the Fitbit Sense, with respect to a research-graded wearable, i.e., the Empatica E4 wristband, and a laboratory device, i.e., the Shimmer GSR3+. The EDA and PPG were collected among 12 participants while performing multiple resting conditions. The results demonstrated that the EDA and PPG-derived features computed through the wearable and research devices were positively and significantly correlated, while the reliability of the consumer device resulted to be significantly lower.
Comparative Transcriptome Profiling of Skeletal Muscle From Fujian White Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) at Different Growth Stages Using RNA-Seq
Authors: Chen DongJin , Lei Sang , Sun ShiKun , Chen YanFeng , Wang JinXiang , Gao ChengFang , Xie XiPing
Published: June 2023

In China, the demand for rabbit meat is also increasing, and the production for rabbit meat is important. However, the underlying mechanisms of regulate skeletal muscle growth and development in rabbits remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify candidate genes related to skeletal muscle growth in rabbits and explore their potential regulatory mechanisms. RNA-seq technique was used to compare the differences of skeletal muscle transcriptome in Fujian white rabbits at different developmental stages (day 20 and 26 of embryos and birth 1, 30 and 60-day-olds) with a total of 25 individual selected. A total of 9737 DEGs that were acquired from the five groups were annotated into three ontologies of the GO database: biological process (BP), cell component (CC), and molecular function (MF). For KEGG analysis, there are 8249 genes were enriched in 1148 pathways, of which 67 pathways were significantly enriched, mainly in Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the PPAR signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway. Among all comparison groups, SE was the most abundant AS event. Real-time PCR verified that the expression patterns of differential genes were consistent with the transcriptome sequencing results. These results will provide a molecular regulation mechanism of muscle growth and development in Fujian white rabbits, and should serve an important theoretical basis for improving meat performance and growth rate of Chinese local meat rabbit breeds.
Pattern-Multiplicative Average of Nonnegative Matrices Revisited: Eigenvalue Approximation Is the Best of Versatile Optimization Tools
Authors: Logofet Dmitrii O.
Published: June 2023

Given several nonnegative matrices with a single pattern of allocation among their zero/nonzero elements, the average matrix should have the same pattern, too. This is the first tenet of the pattern-multiplicative average (PMA) concept, while the second one suggests the multiplicative (or geometric) nature of averaging. The original concept of PMA was motivated by the practice of matrix population models as a tool to assess the population viability from long-term monitoring data. The task has reduced to searching for an approximate solution to an overdetermined system of polynomial equations for unknown elements of the average matrix (G), hence to a nonlinear constrained minimization problem for the matrix norm. Former practical solutions faced certain technical problems, which required sophisticated algorithms but returned acceptable estimates. Fresh idea to use the eigenvalue approximation ensues also from the basic equation of averaging, which determines the exact value of λ1(G), the dominant eigenvalue of matrix G, too, and the corre-sponding eigenvector. These are bound by the well-known linear equations, which reduce the task to a standard problem of linear programing (LP). The LP approach is realized for 13 fixed-pattern matrices gained in a case study of Androsace albana, an alpine short-lived perennial, monitored on permanent plots during 14 years. A standard software routine reveals the unique exact solution, rather than an approximate one, to the PMA problem, which turns the LP approach into ‘’the best of versatile optimization tools”. The exact solution turns out to be peculiar in reaching zero bounds for certain nonnegative entries of G, which deserves a modified problem formulation separating the lower bounds from zero.
Body Composition Estimation in Breeding Ewes Using Live Weight and Body Parameters Utilizing Image Analysis
Authors: Shalaldeh Ahmad , Page Shannon , Anthony Patricia , Charters Stuart , Safa Majeed , Logan Chris
Published: June 2023

Farmers are continually looking for new reliable, objective and non-invasive methods for evaluation of ewe condition. Live weight (LW) and body condition score (BCS) are used by farmers as a basis to determine the condition of the animal. Body composition is an important aspect of monitoring animal condition. The body composition is the amount of fat, lean and bone; knowing the amount of each is important because the information can be used for better strategic management interventions.
Experiments were conducted to establish the relationship between body composition and body parameters, at key life’s stages (weaning and pre-mating), using measurements automatically determined by an image processing ap-plication at Lincoln University sheep farm for 88 Coopworth ewes. Computerized Tomography technology was used to develop relationship with body parameters and a subset was used to validate the predicted model.
Multivariate linear regression (MLR), artificial neural network (ANNs) and regression tree (RT) statistical analysis methods were evaluated to determine their efficacy to predict body fat, lean and bone.
The results showed a correlation between fat, lean and bone determined by CT and the fat, lean, bone weight estimated by live weight and body parameters calculated using the image processing application with R2 values of 0.90 for fat, 0.72 for lean and 0.50 for bone using ANNs statistical model. From these results, farmers can utilize accurate measures of fat which will enhance nutritional and management practices.
Parametric Optimization Analysis of Pinwheel and Savonius Drag-Dominant Tidal Turbines Performance with Moment Balancing Method
Authors: Zhang Yixiao , Ng Eddie YK , Shivansh Mittal
Published: June 2023

Drag-dominant tidal turbine energy holds tremendous clean energy potential but faces significant hurdles as unsuitability of Disk Actuator theory due to the varying swept blockage area, unaccounted bypass flow downstream interaction and rotor parasitic drag whereas Blade Element Momentum theory is computably effective for majorly 3-blade lift-dominated aerofoil. This study proposes a novel method to find the optimal TSR of any turbine with a cost-effective and user-friendly Moment Balancing algorithm to support robust tidal energy development. Performance analysis CFD study of Pinwheel and Savonius tidal turbines was carried out. Dynamic TSR matrix was developed with varying rotational speeds and fluid velocities for reliability, unlike previous works simulated at a fixed fluid velocity. Novel parameters such as thrust and idle moment are introduced as functions of only inlet fluid velocity and rotational speed respectively. These relationships are verified through regression analysis, and the turbines' net moment equations are established based on these parameters. Rotational speed was a reliable predictor for Pinwheel's idle moment, while inlet velocity was a reliable predictor for thrust moment in both models. The optimal (Cp, TSR) values for Pinwheel and Savonius turbines were (2.37, 0.223) and (0.63, 0.16) respectively, within an acceptable error range for experimental validation.
Deep Learning-based Pose Estimation in Providing Feedback for Physical Movement: a Review
Authors: Tharatipyakul Atima , Pongnumkul Suporn
Published: June 2023

Pose estimation has various applications in analyzing human movement and behavior, including providing feedback to users about their movements so they could adjust and improve their movement skills. To investigate the current research status and possible gaps, we searched Scopus and Web of Science for articles that (1) human `body' pose estimation is used and (2) user movement is assessed and communicated. We used either a bottom-up or top-down approach to analyze 20 articles for methods used to estimate human pose, assess movement, provide feedback to users, as well as methods to evaluate them. Our review found that pose estimation systems typically used CNNs while movement assessment methods varied from mathematical formulas or models, rule-based approaches, to machine learning. Feedback was primarily presented visually in verbal forms and nonverbal forms. The experiments to evaluate each part ranged from the use of public datasets to human participants. We found that while there was an improvement, the majority of pose estimation challenges remain. The effectiveness and factors for choosing movement assessment methods for a new context are still unclear. In the end, we suggest that studies about feedback prioritization and erroneous feedback are needed.
Using Deficit Irrigation Strategies and Organic Mulches for Improving Yield and Water Productivity of Mango under Dry Environment Conditions
Authors: Alhashimi Abdulrahman , AL-Huqail Arwa Abdulkreem , Hashem Mustafa H. , M.M Bakr B. , Fekry Waleed M. E. , Fathy Hosny , Hamdy Ashraf E. , Abdelghany Abdelraouf R.E. , Fathy Maher
Published: June 2023

Many techniques have been and are being made to find alternatives to water-saving practices. Among them, Partial root drying (PRD), one of the effective approaches, plays a major role in reducing the harmful effects of water deficit stress. An experiment was carried out using irrigation strategies [I1 (100% full irrigation “FI”), I2 (75%FI), I3 (50%FI), and I4 (PRD (50%FI)] and soil organic mulch [L0 (Zero layer organic soil mulch” control”), L1 (Single layer organic soil mulch), L2 (Two layers of organic soil mulch), and L3 (Three layers of organic soil mulch)] to inspect the impact of those treatments for increasing yield, water productivity and saving energy under arid region conditions. To meet the study's objective, two field experiments were carried out at a private farm. Our results demonstrated a general decrease in water stress and salt accumulation inside root-zone area with PRD with L3. The PRD strategy increased fruit yields by 3.7 and 7.3% and water productivity by 51.9 and 53.1% compared with I1 during 2020/2021 and 2021/2022, respectively, while reducing the applied irrigation water by 50 %. The PRD strategy showed superior results in increasing mango yield and water productivity. In general, PRD can be used as good technique to save water and energy up to 50% and enhance productivity along with using organic mulching, ultimately improving mango yield under arid climatic regions. It may prove a good adaptation strategy for current and future water shortage scenarios of climate change.
Isolation, Identification, and Whole Genome Analysis of Chicken Infectious Anemia Virus in an Outbreak of Disease in Adult Layer Hens
Authors: Zeng Yueyan , Zhang Hui , Zhang Huanrong
Published: June 2023

Chicken infectious anemia (CIA) poses a significant threat to the chicken industry in China. De-spite its non-specific symptoms, the disease is often overlooked. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the etiology and pathology of CIA in Guangxi Province, China. Three strains of the chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV) were isolated from liver samples of diseased 20-week-old chickens. The complete genomes of these strains were sequenced, and experiments on specific pathogen-free (SPF) chicks revealed that the GX21121 strain exhibited high virulence. Histopathological examination of the deceased chicks showed liver cell necrosis, fibrous-serous exudation, inflammatory cell infiltration, hemorrhage in liver tissues, as well as congestion in lung and renal tissues. Phylogenetic analysis of the genome revealed that the three strains had a close genetic relationship to the Heilongjiang wild-type (GenBank KY486144). The genetic evolu-tion of their VP1 genes indicated that all three CIAV isolates belonged to genotype IIIc. In sum-mary, this study demonstrated the genomic diversity of three CIAV strains in adult layer hens. The isolation and characterization of the GX21121 strain as a highly virulent isolate provide val-uable information for further investigations into the etiology, molecular epidemiology, and viral evolution of CIAV.
Cross-species Transcriptomics Analysis Highlights Conserved Molecular Responses to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
Authors: Beccacece Livia , Costa Filippo , Pascali Jennifer Paola , Giorgi Federico Manuel
Published: June 2023

In the recent decades, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have garnered widespread public attention due to their persistence in the environment and detrimental effects on the health of living organisms, spurring the generation of several transcriptome-centered investigations to understand the biological basis of their mechanism. In this study, we analyzed 2144 publicly available datasets from 7 distinct species to examine the molecular responses to PFAS exposure and determine if there are conserved responses. Our comparative transcriptional analysis revealed that exposure to PFAS is conserved across different tissues, molecules and species. We identified and reported several genes exhibiting consistent and evolutionarily conserved transcriptional re-sponse to PFAS, such as ESR1, HADHA and ID1, as well as several pathways including lipid me-tabolism, immune response and hormone pathways. This study provides the first evidence that distinct PFAS molecules induce comparable transcriptional changes and affect the same metabolic processes across inter-species borders. Our findings have significant implications for under-standing the impact of PFAS exposure on living organisms and the environment. We believe that this study offers a novel perspective on the molecular responses to PFAS exposure and provides a foundation for future research into developing strategies for mitigating the detrimental effects of these substances.
Robust Multi-Criteria Traffic Network Equilibrium Problems with Path Capacity Constraints
Authors: Xu Yang-Dong , Ma Xing-Xing
Published: June 2023

This paper focuses on robust multi-criteria traffic network equilibrium problems with path capacity constraints. The concepts of robust vector equilibrium and robust vector equilibrium with respect to worst case are introduced, respectively. To generate a subset of robust vector equilibrium, an equivalent min-max optimization problem is constructed. In addition, a direct search algorithm, in which the step size without derivatives and redundant parameters, for solving this min-max problem is proposed. To find a subset of robust vector equilibrium with respect to worst case, an equivalent smoothing optimization problem based on a variant version of ReLU activation function is established. Numerical experiments are also presented to expound the advantages of the algorithms.
Highly-Orientated Sericite Nanosheets in Epoxy Coating for Excellent Corrosion Protection of AZ31B Mg Alloy
Authors: Wu Hao , Xi Ke , Huang Yan , Zheng Zena , Wu Zhenghua , Liu Ruolin , Zhou Chilou , Xu Yao , Yin Yansheng
Published: June 2023

The growing demands of material longevity in marine environments necessitate the development of highly efficient, low-cost and durable corrosion protective coatings. Although magnesium alloys are widely used in the automotive and aerospace industries, severe corrosion issues still hinder their long-term service in naval architecture. In present work, an epoxy composite coating containing sericite nanosheets is prepared on the AZ31B Mg alloy by one-step electrophoretic deposition method to improve corrosion resistance. Due to the PEI modification, positively-charged sericite nanosheets can be highly orientated in an epoxy coating under the influence of an electric field. The sericite-incorporated epoxy coating prepared in the emulsion with 4 wt.% sericite exhibits the highest corrosion resistance in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution, as manifested by electrochemical corrosion and long-term immersion tests. The highly-orientated sericite nanosheets in epoxy coating provide excellent barrier effect against corrosive media, thereby significantly improving the long-term anti-corrosion performance of the epoxy coating. This work provides new insight toward the design of lamellar filler/epoxy coatings with superior anticorrosion performance and shows promise in the corrosion protection of magnesium alloys.
Enterobius Vermicularis Related Acute Appendicitis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Chhetri Shabnam , Al Mamari Ahmed Hamood , Al Awfi Mahmood Mausd , Al Khaldi Nasser Humaid Nasser , Abed Nibras Mejbel , Pandak Nenad , Khamis Faryal , Balushi Zakariya Al , Alalawi Rashid Mohammed Khamis , Al Lawati Sultan , Ba’Omar Muna , Shukaili Nasser , Al-Abri Seif
Published: June 2023

While the debate on the association between Enterobius vermicularis (E. vermicularis) and acute appendicitis has not been settled, a few case reports of this very rare encounter are beginning to come to light. While E. vermicularis is one of the most common parasitic infestations around the world, acute appendicitis, on the other hand, is also a commonly encountered condition in general surgery. However, the association between the two remains controversial. Here we present a case report of a young woman with appendicitis associated with (E. vermicularis).
Neuromorphic Dendritic Computation with Silent Synapses for Visual Motion Perception
Authors: Baek Eunhye , Song Sen , Rong Zhao , Shi Luping , Cannistraci Carlo Vittorio
Published: June 2023

Most neuromorphic technologies use a point-neuron model, missing the spatiotemporal nature of neuronal computation performed in dendrites. Dendritic morphology and synaptic organization are structurally tailored for spatiotemporal information processing, enabling various computations like visual perception. Here, we report on a neuromorphic computational model termed ‘dendristor’, which integrates functional synaptic organization with dendritic tree-like morphology computation. The dendristor presents bioplausible nonlinear integration of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs with silent synapses and diverse spatial distribution dependency. We show that the dendristor can emulate direction selectivity, which is the feature to react robustly to a preferred signal direction on the dendrite. We discover that silent synapses can remarkably enhance direction selectivity, turning out to be a crucial player in dendritic computation processing. Finally, we develop neuromorphic dendritic neural circuits that can emulate a cognitive function such as motion perception in the retina. Using dendritic morphology, we achieve visual perception of motion in 3D space by various mapping of spatial information on different dendritic branches. This neuromorphic dendritic computation innovates beyond current neuromorphic computation and provides solutions to explore new skylines in artificial intelligence, neurocomputation, and brain-inspired computing.
Possible Pathways and Establishment of Four Invasive Insect Species in Serbia
Authors: Kavran Mihaela , Petrić Dušan , Ćupina Aleksandra Ignjatović , Konjević Aleksandra
Published: June 2023

Urban environments are frequently populated by different insect species. Some of them are very beautiful and appealing to the people around them, such as ladybugs and butterflies, while some others are molestants and even dangerous to public health. Mosquitoes often inhabit urban environments by staying close to their hosts (humans, birds, etc.), while phytophagous species such as stinkbugs find hosts among ornamental plants and shelters during the winter around humans. This article describes the early discoveries and distribution of two invasive mosquito species, Aedes albopictus, and Ae. japonicus (Diptera: Culicidae), which were recorded in Serbia in 2009 and 2018, respectively. Both species are important for human health, due to their nuisance behavior and because they are vectors of many viruses. On the other hand, in 2015 and 2008, two invasive stinkbug species, Halyomorpha halys and Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) were observed to spread, respectively. Since then, these species have disrupted human population in urban areas, but also damaged a range of crops and ornamental plants. All species have been monitored in the territory of Serbia, and establishment and distribution have been confirmed so far.
Booting Heat Stress Alters Leaf Photosynthesis, Growth Rate, Phenology and Yield in Rice
Authors: Chandarak Natthamon , Somjinda Prasit , Phoncharoen Phanupong , Banterng Poramate , Taratima Worasitikulya , Theerakulpisut Piyada , Dongsansuk Anoma
Published: June 2023

Global warming causes an alarming increase in temperature which negatively affects growth, physiology, and yield of rice. To gain some insights into the impacts of booting HT (at 42°C, 3 h for 7 days), we investigated its effect in three rice genotypes, namely, N22, KDML105 and IR64. Booting HT caused an extended phenology and lower photosynthesis and plant growth rate but an increase in chalkiness. Although, prolonged phenology from dough to physiological maturity led to longer duration of grain filling, the negative effects of its was significantly lower yield components, yield and harvest index in all rice. Among cultivars, N22 presented adapted ability to maintain leaf gas exchange and compensated vegetative part by an increase in tiller numbers resulting in less affected growth rate. It prolonged phenology that caused extended grain filling. Consequence, N22 was the lowest reduction in number of seed panicle–1, number of filled seeds hill–1, yield, HI as well as the lowest percentage chalkiness. KDML105 adapted to booting HT by maintaining leaf gas exchange, increasing specific leaf area and prolonging phenology. The longest extended phenology together with the maintenance of high photosynthesis during dough grain were associated with moderate yield reduction and chalkiness. However, IR64 showed dramatic reductions in photosynthesis, growth rate, and yield but highest percentage grain chalkiness. Therefore, in response to booting HT, N22, KDML105 and IR64 could be indicated as being heat tolerant, moderately heat sensitive, and heat sensitive, respectively. This can be applied for crop modelling and rice heat tolerance in breeding program.
Who Let the Dogs Out ? Unmasking the Neglected : A Com-prehensive Review on the Enduring Impact of Toxocarosis, a Prevalent Zoonotic Infection
Authors: Henke Katrin , Ntovas Sotirios , Exadaktylos Aristomenis K. , Klukowska-Rötzler Jolanta , Ziaka Mairi
Published: June 2023

Toxocarosis remains an important neglected parasitic infection representing one of the most common zoonotic infections caused by the parasite Toxocara canis or less frequently by Toxocara cati. The epidemiology of the disease is complex due to its transmission route by accidental ingestion of embryonated Toxocara eggs or larvae from tissues from domestic or wild paratenic hosts. Even though Toxocara infects about 1,4 billion people worldwide, global epidemiological data regarding the relationship between seropositivity and toxocarosis is limited. Although the vast majority of the infected individuals remains asymptomatic or experiences a mild disease, the infection is associated with important health and socioeconomic consequences, particularly in underprivileged, tropical, and subtropical areas. Toxocarosis is a disease with multiple clinical presentations, which are classified into five distinct forms: the classical visceral larva migrans, ocular toxocarosis, common toxocarosis, covert toxocarosis, and cerebral toxocarosis or neurotoxocarosis. Anthelmintic agents as for example albendazole or mebendazole is the recommended treatment, whereas a combination with topical or systemic corticosteroids for specific forms is suggested. Prevention strategies include educational programs, behavioural and hygienic changes, enhancement of the role of veterinarians, and anthelmintic regimens to control active infections.
Towards Resonantly Enhanced Acoustic Phonon-Exchange Magnon Interactions at THz Frequencies
Authors: Mocioi Tudor-Gabriel , Ghita Antonia , Temnov Vasily
Published: June 2023

Using valid experimental parameters we quantify the magnitude of resonantly phonon-driven precession of exchange magnons in freestanding ferromagnetic nickel thin films on their thickness L. Analytical solutions of acoustically driven equations for magnon oscillators display a nonmonotonous dependence of the peak magnetization precession on the film thickness. It is explained by different L-dependence of multiple prefactors entering in the expression for the total magnetization dynamics. Depending on the ratio of acoustic and magnetic (Gilbert) damping constants, the magnetization precession is shown to be amplified by a Q-factor of either the phonon or the magnon resonance. The increase of the phonon mode amplitude for thinner membranes is also found to be significant. Focusing on the magnetization dynamics excited by the two first acoustic eigenmodes with p=1 and p=2 we predict the optimum thicknesses of nickel membranes to achieve large amplitude magnetization precession at multi 100 GHz frequencies at reasonably low values of an external magnetic field.
The impact of Spiritual Leadership on Knowledge Hiding Behavior: Professional Commitment as the Underlying Mechanism
Authors: Ullah Yaseen , Jan Shahid , Ullah Hamid
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of spiritual leadership on knowledge hiding behavior of employees in agriculture research institutes of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The study also aims to analyze theoretically and then investigate empirical evidence concerning the mediation pathway (namely, professional commitment) to clarify the significant association amid spiritual leadership and subordinate's knowledge hiding behavior.
Design/methodology- The cross-sectional data using five point lickert scale was used in this survey based study to investigate the given hypotheses. In order to account for the prim effect and any potential for common method bias, data was gathered at two different time points with a gap of four weeks. Smart PLS4 was used to assess a sample of 298 complete and valid responses for hypotheses testing.
Findings – The results show that spiritual leadership impacts negatively the employees’ knowledge hiding behavior. Moreover, this relationship is mediated by professional commitment.
Originality/value – First, in contrast to the majority of past studies that concentrated on antecedents of knowledge sharing, the present study examined the impact of spiritual leadership on employee’s knowledge hiding behaviors, which are two opposing concepts. Secondly, the study examined empirically, the mediation effect of professional commitment. These three variables have not been studied together previously.
Synthesis of Calix (4) Resorcinarene Based Amphiphilic Macrocycle as an Efficient Nanocarrier for Amphotericin-B to Enhance Its Oral Bioavailability
Authors: Ali Imdad , ALI Amjad , Guo Li , Ullah Riaz , Fazal Mahmood , Alomar Suliman Yousef , Ahmad Naushad , Raza shah Muhammad
Published: June 2023

The supramolecular based macrocyclic amphiphiles have attracted great attention in the field of drug delivery due to their unique self-assembling nature. Therefore, these macrocycles are used as nanocarriers for the delivery of poor water soluble drugs, and also for those which have lower permeability, and cannot cross the barrier to reach the desired site. Herein, we design and synthesized a new supramolecular amphiphilic macrocycle to overcome these problems. The macrocycle was synthesized in two steps. In first step 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde was treated with 1-bromotetradecane to obtain a derivatized product which was then treated with resorcinol to cyclize and get calix(4)resorcinarene based supramolecular amphiphilic macrocycle. The synthesized macrocycle and intermediate products were characterized by Mass spectrometry, IR and 1H-NMR spectroscopic techniques. The amphiphile was screened for biocompatibility studies, vesicles formation, and then Amphotericin-B was loaded in the supramolecular amphiphile based vesicles and was characterized for shape, size, homogeneity, surface charge, drug entrapment, in-vitro release profile and stability through atomic force microscopy (AFM), Zetasizer, HPLC and FT-IR. Amp-B loaded macrocycle based vesicles were investigated for in-vivo bioavailability in rabbits. The synthesized macrocycle was nontoxic in cancer cells, hemo-compatible and safe in mice. The drug-loaded macrocycle based vesicles appeared spherical, nano-ranged, and homogeneous in size with negative surface charge and were able to load an increased amount of drug. The vesicles are stable upon storage and when incubated with gastric simulated fluid. Amp-B increased oral bioavailability was achieved when delivered in synthesized macrocycle based vesicles. These results point out that the synthesized supramolecular amphiphile is an efficient nanocarrier to enhance the oral bioavailability of lipophilic drugs
Soldering in Dentistry: An Updated Technical Review
Authors: Cumbo Enzo , Gallina Giuseppe , Messina Pietro , Bilello Giuseppa , Isaqali Karobari Mohmed , Scardina Giuseppe Alessandro
Published: June 2023

Welding between two or more pieces of metal is a widely used practice in various fields of medicine such as dentistry which also makes use of the support of dental laboratories where complex welding procedures are applied. The welding techniques available today are many and also very different from each other; they often require very different background knowledge, just as the results obtained may differ.
Welds can be made at various stages of making a product that will be used on the patient; for example some welds are made directly by the manufacturer during the industrial processing phase.
We then move on to the more common welding techniques carried out in dental laboratories and finally we also arrive at the intraoral welding carried out by the clinician inside the patient's oral cavity. This enormous variety of conditions in which those who practice welding can find themselves presupposes the application of the most appropriate technique; this review looks at the different methods and fields of application.
A Deep Learning-Based Automated Framework for Subpeak Designation on Intracranial Pressure Signals
Authors: LEGÉ Donatien , Gergelé Laurent , Prud'homme Marion , Lapayre Jean-Christophe , Launey Yoann , Henriet Julien
Published: June 2023

The intracranial pressure (ICP) signal, as monitored on patients in intensive care units, contains pulses of cardiac origin where P1 and P2 subpeaks can often be observed. When calculable, the ratio of their relative amplitudes is an indicator of the patient’s cerebral compliance. This characterization is particularly informative on the overall state of the cerebrospinal system. We developed a recurrent neural network-based framework for P2/P1 ratio computation that only takes a raw ICP signal as an input. Two tasks are performed, namely pulse classification and subpeak designation. Pulse classification was achieved with an area under the curve of 0.90 on a 4,344-pulse testing dataset, while the peak designation algorithm identified pulses with a P2/P1 ratio > 1 with a 97.3% accuracy. Although it still needs to be evaluated on a larger number of labeled recordings, our automated P2/P1 ratio calculation framework appears to be a promising tool for improving bedside monitoring devices.
Green Cities: Utopia or Reality? Evidence from Zurich, Switzerland
Authors: Perić Ana , Jiang Yingying , Menz Sacha , Ricci Liana
Published: June 2023

There is an overall scientific consensus that public space and, mainly, space with a high ecological index – most notably experienced in green areas – positively affects individual and collective well-being and urban dwellers’ physical and mental health. However, the ‘reality check’ indicates difficulties in translating the assumed benefits of green space into implementable interventions in urban environments. To examine such an ‘implementation gap’ on the case of Zurich seems valid, given that the ‘green urban agenda’ debate has been embedded in numerous Swiss policies (from the federal to the municipal levels). In narrow terms, the research first focuses on Zurich’s district 9 consisting of two neighborhoods (Altstetten and Albisrieden) – the area under ongoing densification yet with a variety of green spaces, to then elucidate four green space clusters and their 400-meter catchment areas in the mentioned district. The mixed-method approach has been applied at three analytical levels: 1) documentary analysis of multi-scale national policy toolkits, to identify the critical tenets associated with the ‘green urban agenda’, 2) assessment of green spaces in Zurich’s district 9 based on online available quantitative data and on-site observation, to determine their provision, types, size and mutual connectivity, and 3) analysis of four green space clusters within the mentioned district through on-site observation, to identify green space attributes and main activities. Through critical mutual examination of the identified ‘green urban agenda’ principles in the national policies, on the one hand, and green space attributes, on the other, the research findings reveal the extent of the convergence and/or divergence between the ‘green urban agenda’ policy trends and their implementation in practice.
The Onset of Musculoskeletal Pain in the COVID-19 Era: A Survey of Physiotherapy Students in Sicily
Authors: Ferlito Rosario , Panebianco Pierpaolo , Rizzo Valentina , Prestianni Ignazio , Sapienza Marco , Ilardo Martina , Musumeci Maria , Pavone Vito , Testa Gianluca
Published: June 2023

Background: Online teaching has resulted in university students adopting a sedentary lifestyle. Prolonged sitting and reduced physical activity due to pandemic restrictions have led to musculoskeletal pain in various body areas, significantly impacting the students’ quality of life. This study aims to investigate the effects of remote learning on Sicilian physiotherapy students during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically focusing on the occurrence of musculoskeletal pain. Methods: An observational study was conducted using an online survey administered through Google Forms. The survey consisted of 26 multiple-choice questions and was distributed to students enrolled in Physiotherapy programs at the Universities of Catania, Messina, and Palermo. Participants were contacted via social channels or email, and data collection spanned 5 weeks. The collected data were analyzed using R software. Results: A total of 128 questionnaires were collected. More than half of the students (51.6%) reported dedicating 15–22 h per week to distance learning for a duration of 6–12 months (50%). Regarding study location, most students preferred studying at a desk (82.8%), with slightly over half (57.8%) adopting a backrest while studying remotely. Analysis of the students’ posture during study hours revealed common positions, including tilting the head forward by more than 20 degrees (47.8%), leaning the trunk forward by more than 20 degrees (71.9%), both shoulders being hunched forward (57.0%), wrists positioned above the level of the elbows (46.1%), thighs pointing upwards (41.4%), and one or both feet in a downward or dorsiflexed position (69.5%). Conclusion: The questionnaire responses indicate that the lifestyle of university students, influenced by online teaching, has deteriorated, leading to musculoskeletal pain, including myofascial pain. These results are primarily influenced by the adopted posture and the duration of time spent in these positions.