bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gravelly Beach Deposits as a Proxy for Relative Sea-Level Changes in Microtidal Wave-Dominated Shoreline Systems: Examples from the Hinterland of the Taranto Gulf (Middle Pleistocene, Basilicata, Southern Italy)
Authors: Giorgio Vincenzo De , Sabato Luisa , Tropeano Marcello
Published: August 2023

The hinterland of the Taranto Gulf in Basilicata (southern Italy) provides a great opportunity for the study of coarse-grained coastal systems belonging to a staircase of Quaternary terraced ma-rine-deposits. Among gravelly successions, beach deposits abound in the stratigraphic record, offering exceptional outcrops useful to allow detailed information on their facies features. In this paper, we describe sedimentary facies, textural variations and depositional architecture of these deposits in order to:
- demonstrate that the area is an excellent training ground for the study of gravelly beaches in microtidal settings;
- discuss about the use of beach deposits as proxy of even small relative sea level variation.
Factory Simulation of Optimization Techniques Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning for Storage Devices
Authors: Lim JuBin , Jeong JongPil
Published: August 2023

In this study, reinforcement learning (RL) was used in factory simulation to optimize storage devices for use in Industry 4.0 and digital twins. First, we defined an RL environment, modeled it, and validated its ability to simulate a real physical system. Subsequently, we introduced a method to calculate reward signals and apply them to the environment to ensure the alignment of the behavior of the RL agent with the task objective. The stocker simulation model was used to validate the effectiveness of RL. The model is a storage device that simulates logistics in a manufacturing production area. The results revealed that RL is a useful tool for automating and optimizing complex logistics systems and increase the applicability of RL in logistics. We proposed a novel method for creating an agent through learning using the proximal policy optimization algorithm, and the agent was optimized by configuring various learning options. The application of reinforcement learning resulted in an effectiveness of 30% to 100%, and methods can be expanded to other fields.
Assessing the Potential Contribution of in Silico Studies in Discovering Drug Candidates that Interact with Various SARS-CoV-2 Receptors
Authors: Mushebenge Aganze Gloire-Aimé , Ugbaja Samuel Chima , Mbatha Nonkululeko Avril , Kumalo Hezekiel M.
Published: August 2023

COVID-19 pandemic has spurred intense research efforts to identify effective treatments for SARS-CoV-2. In silico studies have emerged as a powerful tool in the drug discovery process, particularly in the search for drug candidates that interact with various SARS-CoV-2 receptors. These studies involve the use of computer simulations and computational algorithms to predict the potential interaction of drug candidates with target receptors. The primary receptors targeted by drug candidates include the RNA polymerase, main protease, spike protein, ACE2 receptor, TMPRSS2, and AP2-associated protein kinase 1. In silico studies have identified several promising drug candidates, including Remdesivir, Favipiravir, Ribavirin, Ivermectin, Lopinavir/Ritonavir, and Camostat mesylate, among others. The use of in silico studies offers several advantages, including the ability to screen a large number of drug candidates in a relatively short amount of time, thereby reducing the time and cost involved in traditional drug discovery methods. Additionally, in silico studies allow for the prediction of the binding affinity of drug candidates to target receptors, providing insight into their potential efficacy. However, it is crucial to consider both the advantages and limitations of these studies and to complement them with experimental validation to ensure the efficacy and safety of identified drug candidates.
Watering Volume and Growing Design Effect on Productivity and Quality of Cherry Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cerasiformae) Cultivar Ruby
Authors: Ahmad Farhan , Kusumiyati Kusumiyati , Khan Muhammad Rabnawaz , Sundari Ristina Siti
Published: August 2023

Producing cherry tomatoes became interesting to know watering volume and growing design on growth, yield, and quality of cherry tomatoes. The research aimed to intend the best treatment for each treatment of watering volume and Growing design on the productivity and quality of cherry tomato cultivar Ruby. The study is an experimental exploration using RCBD factorial. The treatment factors include: Growing Design (greenhouse, Rain shelter, Screen house) and Watering Volume (100% Etc, 75% ETc, 50% ETc). The result showed that root dry weight and root-shoot ratio were found higher in the screen house design, while fruit firmness was higher in the rain shelter design. Considering the effect of watering volume, higher fruit diameter, heavier fruit, fruits per plant, ultimate fruit & biological yield per plant, higher root & shoot biomass, root-shoot ratio, leaf chlorophyll content, greater fruit skin firmness and elasticity was noted in the 100% ETc treatment. In contrast, the growth rate was higher in 50% ETc treatment. Cultivating cherry tomatoes in a greenhouse using a watering volume of 100% ETc under the results is recommended. These conditions have led to better growth, higher fruit yield, and improved fruit quality, making them favorable options for successful cherry tomato production.
Video Analysis of Small Bowel Capsule Endoscopy Using a Transformer Network
Authors: Oh SangYup , Oh DongJun , Kim Dongmin , Song Woohyuk , Hwang Youngbae , Cho Namik , Lim Yun Jeong
Published: August 2023

Although wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) detects small bowel diseases effectively, it has some limitations. For example, the reading process can be time-consuming due to the numerous images generated per case, and lesion detection accuracy may rely on the operators' skills and experiences. Hence, many researchers have recently developed deep learning-based methods to address these limitations. However, they tend to select only a portion of the images from a given WCE video and analyze each image individually. In this study, we note that more information can be extracted from the unused frames and temporal relations of sequential frames. Specifically, to increase the accuracy of lesion detection without depending on experts' frame selection skills, we suggest using whole video frames as the input to the deep-learning system. Thus, we propose a new Transformer-based neural encoder that takes the entire video as the input, exploiting the power of the Transformer to extract long-term global correlation within and between the input frames. Subsequently, we can capture the temporal context of the input frames and the attentional features within a frame. Tests on benchmark datasets of four WCE videos showed 95.1% sensitivity and 83.4% sensitivity. These results may significantly advance automated lesion detection techniques for WCE images. Our code is available at https://github.com/syupoh/VWCE-Net.git.
Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Δ426 ORF8 Deletion Mutant Cluster in NGS Screening
Authors: Cecchetto Riccardo , Tonon Emil , Medaina Nicoletta , Turri Giona , Diani Erica , Piccaluga Pier Paolo , Salomoni Angela , Conti Michela , Tacconelli Evelina , Lagni Anna , Lotti Virginia , Favarato Mosè , Gibellini Davide
Published: August 2023

Next generation sequencing (NGS) from SARS-CoV-2-positive swabs collected during the last months of 2022 revealed a large deletion between ORF7b and ORF8 (426 nt) in six patients infected with the BA.5.1 Omicron variant. This extensive genome loss removed a large part of these two genes, maintaining in frame the first 22 aminoacids of ORF7b and the last 3 aminoacids of ORF8. Interestingly, the deleted region was flanked by 2 small repeats, likely involved in the formation of a hairpin structure. Similar rearrangements, comparable in size and location to the deletion, were also identified in 15 sequences in the NCBI database. In this group, 7 out of 15 cases from the USA and Switzerland presented both the BA.5.1 variant and the same 426 nuclotides deletion. It is noteworthy that 3 out of 6 cases were detected in patients with immunodeficiency and is conceivable that this clinical condition could promote the replication and selection of these mutations.
Revealing the Structure Formation on Polyglycerol Citrate Polymers – an Environmentally Friendly Polyester as a Coating Material
Authors: Giroto Amanda Soares , Do Valle Stella Fortuna , Borges Roger , Colnago Luiz Alberto , Ribeiro Tatiana S , Jablonowski Nicolai David , Ribeiro Caue , Mattoso Luiz Henrique Capparelli
Published: August 2023

A detailed structural investigation of a promising bio-based polymer, polyglycerol citrate poly-ester, obtained by bulk polycondensation of glycerol (Gly) against citric acid (Cit) under mild reaction was performed. This polymer was suggested to be well suited for coating seeds or similar agricultural applications. The reaction in conditions with and without catalyst use (sulfuric acid, H2SO4) was investigated, showing evidence that it is possible to modify the polymer solubility according to the ratio and catalyst utilization. 13C and 1H NMR indicated that synthesis catalyzed with Cit excess leads to higher esterification degrees of citrates groups. In contrast, the Gly moi-eties are more prominent in catalyzed polymers regardless of the excess monomers. Overall, a successful conversion of Gly and Cit into polyesters was attained, even without catalysis, enabling a simple route for large-scale production of this green material to be used as coating material. Tests on soybean seed coating with a PGCit solution of 75% indicated that the seed quality and ger-mination rate was not affected by PGCit coating, concluding that this polymer is promising for this application.
The Inquiry Collaborative Learning Design Virtual Laboratory Based And Remote Virtual
Authors: Susanti Wilda , Tendra Gusrio , Yuliendi Rangga Rahmadian , Simeru Arden , Johan Johan , Mulya Rudi
Published: August 2023

This study investigated the design of learning in a virtual laboratory through collaborative inquiry and its effect on student knowledge. Learning design produces learning models that are measured based on validity, practicality, and effectiveness. The research method uses research and development that produces products and product effectiveness. The trial results were conducted on a small scale on eight students to measure the quality of student learning. To test the validity of the product through expert assistance, all the answers of the validator were calculated using Aiken's V validity coefficient. Further findings implied that students have begun to accept technology as a learning tool and provided opportunities for universities in learning development.
Return to Sports and Return to Work After Total Hip Arthroplasty
Authors: Pasqualini Ignacio , Emara Ahmed K. , Rullan Pedro J. , Pan Xuankang , Simmons Hannah L. , Klika Alison K. , Murray Trevor G. , Piuzzi Nicolas S.
Published: August 2023

Background:

Return to work (RTW) and sports (RTS) are critical gauges to improvement among patients after total hip arthroplasty (THA). This study aimed to determine rates, timelines, and prognostic factors associated with RTW and RTS outcomes after primary THA.

Methods:

A systematic review was conducted on MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL databases with 57 studies meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria. The risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of Interventions and risk of bias in randomized trials (RoB2) tools. Meta-analysis and pooled analysis were conducted, with forest plots to summarize odds ratios and 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results:

The pooled RTW rate across all studies was 70% (95% CI, 68%-80%), with rates varying significantly from 11% to 100%. The mean time to RTW was 11.2 weeks (range 1-27). A time point analysis showed increasing RTW rates with a maximum rate at 2 years of 90%. Increased age (p < 0.001) and preoperative heavy labor (p = 0.005) were associated with lower RTW rates. The RTS rate ranged from 42% to 100%, with a pooled rate of 85% (95% CI, 74%-92%). The mean time to RTS was 16.1 weeks (range 8-26). The RTS ranged from 20% to 80% with a pooled proportion of 56% (95% CI, 42%-70%, I2 = 90%) for high-intensity sports and from 75% to 100% for low-intensity sports with a pooled proportion of 97% (95% CI, 83-99, I2 = 93%).

Conclusion:

Most patients RTW and RTS after THA in an increasing manner as time passes with rates more than 85% after 1 year. These rates may be greatly affected by various factors, most notably age, the intensity of the sport, and the type of work performed. In general, young patients, low-demand work or sports can be resumed as soon as 4 to 6 weeks after surgery, but with increased restrictions as the intensity increases. This information should be used by practitioners to manage postoperative expectations and provide appropriate recommendations to patients.

Level of Evidence:

Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Acetabular Rim Disorders
Authors: Pruneski James A. , Chan Jimmy J. , Wang Kevin C. , Matheney Travis , Bharam Srino
Published: August 2023

» Anatomic disorders of the acetabular rim are a common, correctable source of hip pain in younger patients.

» Some common conditions of involving abnormal acetabular rim morphology include developmental dysplasia of the hip, pincer-type femoroacetabular impingement, acetabular protrusion, and acetabular retroversion.

» Treatment option for these conditions were historically limited to open osteotomy and osteoplasty procedures; however, there is increasing use of arthroscopic intervention for these patients.

» Arthroscopic intervention has demonstrated short-term success in a variety of focal acetabular rim disorders; however, further research is needed to determine the long-term outcomes of these procedures and their utility in more global pathology.
Adoption of the Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet Technique in Hand Surgery
Authors: Hearon Bernard F. , Isaacs-Pullins Sharon R. , Lalonde Donald H.
Published: August 2023

» Wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) technique featuring tumescent infiltration of lidocaine with epinephrine at the operative site has broad application in hand surgery including both soft-tissue and bone procedures.

» The advantages of wide-awake anesthesia include high patient satisfaction, preserved intraoperative finger and wrist motion, cost-effectiveness, improved operating room efficiency, fewer opioids during recovery, and improved access to hand surgery, which may be performed in an office-based setting without the need for anesthesia personnel.

» In properly selected patients, use of lidocaine with epinephrine in the hand and fingers is safe. Rare postprocedure digital ischemia may be effectively treated with phentolamine rescue.

» Barriers to adopting wide-awake anesthesia may be overcome by educating resistant stakeholders, including hospital administrators, nurse leaders, and anesthesia colleagues, about the advantages of the WALANT method.

» The risk of postoperative complications after hand procedures may be mitigated by using the wide-awake technique instead of regional anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia.
Anterior Knee Pain After Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: El-Othmani Mouhanad M. , Zalikha Abdul K. , Shah Roshan P.
Published: August 2023

» Despite the widespread success of total knee arthroplasty (TKA), postoperative anterior knee pain (AKP) remains a common occurrence and source of dissatisfaction with several readily discernible and diagnosable causes of AKP after TKA, including component malpositioning, infection, wear and osteolysis, instability, and loosening, among others.

» In the setting of the well-appearing but painful TKA, potential intraoperative contributors to AKP have been extensively investigated, but remain controversial and include patellar resurfacing, patellar denervation, and patellofemoral joint overstuffing or understuffing.

» Intraoperative management of peripatellar soft tissues has comparatively attained substantially less attention recently, and persistent controversy exists in the literature to make informed decisions on soft-tissue management and identify potential contributors to AKP.

» Further investigations and research is needed, including exploration of multifactorial or alternative etiologies, specifically ones related to less obvious soft-tissue–related factors, needed to better understand and ultimately avoid AKP after TKA.
Product Characteristics of 100% Recycled Polypropylene Plastic
Authors: Yanel Karnova
Published: August 2023

Plastics can be grouped into two groups, thermoplast plastics and thermoset plastics. Thermoplast plastic is a plastic that can be molded over and over again in the presence of heat. Thermoplast plastics include PE (Polyethylene), PP (Polypropylene), PS (Polystyrene), ABS (Abutile Butadine Styrene), Nylon, PET (Polyethylene Terephthalete), POM (Polyacetal), PC (Polycarbonate), etc. At process of making vases that presented in this work, the plastic material used is PP. To investigate the characteristics of the resulting product, the mechanical characteristics of the print are tested by tensile testing. By using 100% recycled PP waste raw materials using hand molding, it turned out to be successful and became a new product (flower vase) that can be utilized. But, there are decrease in the quality of virgin plastic about 31.7% of modulus of elasticity value, 94.81% of stress value and 91% of strain value. From the tensile test results, it can be concluded that the recommended printing temperature is 220 oC.
Planning for Clean Water Needs in ITP Main Building
Authors: Sulaeman  , Arif Ikhsan
Published: August 2023

Plumbing system planning is an important part of a building to meet clean water needs. This study aims to plan a plumbing system for clean water in the ITP main building. Meeting the needs of clean water is planned to use water sources from shallow wells that are pumped into the roof tank (roof tank) and flowed gravitationally to pump two. The results of the calculation of the average water requirements of office buildings are 53 liters / day. The capacity of the roof tank needed to accommodate clean water is 2,100 liters, using two roof tanks with a capacity of 1,050 liters each. Roof tanks are placed on top of towers as high as 7.15 m. The diameter of the clean water pipe needed is 20-50 mm. The pump power needed is 0.071 kw and for the second pump is 0.63 kw. The type of pipe planned for this clean water plambing system is Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) pipe.
The Effect of Electrode Angle on the Backward Directional Longitudinal Against Penetration Percentage
Authors: Hafni Hafni , Rifqi
Published: August 2023

Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) is one of the liquid welding processes (fusion welding) that produces a homogeneous fusion of the electrode with the base metal (base metal), which is caused by an electric arc that generates high heat to melt the electrode and base metal (base metal). simultaneously and protected by a shielding gas from the chemical reaction of the electrode flux. The depth of fusion formed is determined by the heat input, the electrode angle and the welding direction. The research was conducted at the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory of the Padang Institute of Technology. The base metal used is low carbon steel ST 37 with a thickness of 10 mm and a length of 100 mm. width 100 mm. Welding is carried out on the surface of the base metal in the flat position, the type of connection (weld type) is a surfacing weld with 4 welding lines, each strip having a distance of 20 mm. Weld length 100 mm. AWS E6013 electrode specifications with a diameter of 3.2 mm. SMAW welding machine AC current with a voltage of 30 V. current 85 A. The measured electrode angle between the electrode and the welding line is 75o, 85o, 90o. The backward welding direction where the electrode draws the welding fluid into the welding path and the normal arc height where the distance between the electrode and the base metal is equal to the diameter of the electrode. From the welding results, a penetration presentation will be obtained, namely the ratio of the depth of fusion to the width.  The research results obtained welding speed: 2.48 mm/s for electrode angle 75o, 2.49 mm/s for electrode angle 85o and 2.51 mm/s for electrode angle 90o. Heat input for electrode angle 750 is 1015.93 J/ mm , the heat input for the electrode angle 85o is 1024.20 J/mm and the heat input for the electrode angle 90o is 1015.93 J/mm. From the comparison of the width with the depth of fusion, it is obtained; The electrode angle 85o has a penetration presentation of 9.85%, which is better in height than the electrode angle 75o, which has a penetration presentation of 8.43%, and the electrode angle 90o has a penetration presentation of 8.35%..
Measuring income inequality via percentile relativities
Authors: Greselin Francesca , Brazauskas Vytaras , Zitikis Ricardas
Published: August 2023

"The rich are getting richer" implies that the population income distributions are getting more right skewed and heavily tailed. For such distributions, the mean is not the best measure of the center, but the classical indices of income inequality, including the celebrated Gini index, are all mean-based. In view of this, Professor Gastwirth sounded an alarm back in 2014 by suggesting to incorporate the median into the definition of the Gini index, although noted a few shortcomings of his proposed index. In the present paper we make a further step in the modification of classical indices and, to acknowledge the possibility of differing viewpoints, arrive at three median-based indices of inequality. They avoid the shortcomings of the previous indices and can be used even when populations are ultra heavily tailed, that is, when their first moments are infinite. The new indices are illustrated both analytically and numerically using parametric families of income distributions, and further illustrated using capital incomes coming from 2001 and 2018 surveys of fifteen European countries. We also discuss the performance of the indices from the perspective of income transfers.
Twin primes as a consequence of Goldbach's conjecture
Authors: Nunez Hector
Published: August 2023

The binary Goldbach conjecture asserts that every even integer greater than 2 can be expressed as the sum of two primes. In addition, the ternary Goldbach conjecture states that every odd integer greater than 5 is the sum of three primes. Both conjectures originated in an exchange of letters between Leonhard Euler and Christian Goldbach in 1742. We claim that both Goldbach problems are valid and have multiple partitions for every integer greater than 12. We approach the binary Goldbach problem by the Second Principle of Mathematical Induction. Based on the inductive hypothesis, we prove that every even integer within a finite interval can be expressed as the difference between two primes. This fact allows us to tackle the inductive step advantageously. Using the binary and ternary Goldbach problems, we prove that every even integer can be written infinitely many ways as the difference between two primes, where the twin-prime problem is a particular case.
MSC Classification: 11P32 , 11N05
Long-term sustainable development prospects of EU decarbonisation pathways: a multi-model study
Authors: Moreno Jorge , Campagnolo Lorenza , Boitier Baptiste , Nikas Alexandros , Koasidis Konstantinos , Gambhir Ajay , González-Eguino Mikel , Perdana Sigit , de Ven Dirk-Jan van , Chiodi Alessandro , Delpiazzo Elisa , Doukas Haris , Gargiulo Maurizio , Herbst Andrea , Mouël Pierre Le , Vielle Marc
Published: August 2023

Climate action to achieve the Paris Agreement ambitions should also respect the broader UN Sustainable Development Goals. Using an integrated assessment modelling framework with 9 harmonised models, we quantify the impacts of decarbonisation pathways on SDGs in Europe, at continental and national levels. Current climate policies would improve energy- and carbon-related aspects of sustainability (represented by metrics within SDGs 7, 9, 11, 12, and 13), inequalities (metrics within SDGs 1 and 10), and education levels (metrics within SDG 4). More ambitious net-zero emissions pathways would further improve health and agricultural productivity (metrics within SDGs 2 and 3). Furthermore, countries currently lagging in SDG performance would see the greatest benefits from ambitious climate action. Negative socioeconomic impacts from climate action (represented by metrics within SDGs 1, 2, and 8) require remedial policies, notwithstanding that our analysis does not quantify the damages that less ambitious climate policy could do to societies and the SDG Agenda.
Dynamics of growing carbon nanotube interfaces probed by machine learning-enabled molecular simulations
Authors: Hedman Daniel , McLean Ben , Bichara Christophe , Maruyama Shigeo , Larsson J. Andreas , Ding Feng
Published: August 2023

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), hollow cylinders of carbon1 with diameters in the nanometer range, hold great promise for advanced technologies2–5, provided their structure is controlled and remains uniform throughout their length6–9. Their growth, facilitated by a metal catalyst, takes place at high temperatures across a tube-catalyst interface comprising a few tens of carbon atoms. During growth, the structure, and properties of CNTs are defined but defects can alter them10. These defects are believed to form and heal at the tube-catalyst interface although an understanding of these mechanisms at the atomic-level is still lacking11, 12. Here, using molecular dynamics simulations driven by a machine learning force field13 (MLFF) we developed, DeepCNT-22, we unveil the mechanisms of CNT formation from nucleation to growth including defect formation and healing. We find the tube-catalyst interface to be highly dynamic during growth, with large fluctuations in the chiral structure of the CNT-edge. This contradicts the previous notion of a continuous spiral growth mode14, but confirms that the growing tube edge exhibits significant configurational entropy15. We demonstrate that defects form stochastically at the tube-catalyst interface, however, under low growth rates and high temperatures, healing becomes more efficient than formation, allowing CNTs to grow defect-free to seemingly unlimited lengths. These insights, not readily available via experiments, demonstrate the remarkable power of MLFF-driven simulations and fill long-standing gaps in our understanding of CNT growth mechanisms.
Advances in the use of lignocellulosic biomass aimed at sustainable methyl levulinate production
Authors: Silva Leonete Cristina de Araújo Ferreira Medeiros , Silva Poliana Pinheiro da , Neto Eduardo Lins de Barros , Nascimento Paula Fabiane Pinheiro do , Melo Ricardo Paulo Fonseca , Wendell Francisco , Duarte Lindemberg de Jesus Nogueira
Published: August 2023

Methyl levulinate is a promising chemical in the biofuel industry, as a product with high added value obtained from lignocellulosic biomass valorization. The aim of this review was to present a comprehensive view of the processing of carbohydrates and their derivatives, highlighting recent progress in methyl levulinate production from lignocellulosic biomass. In this respect, scientific production analysis focuses on understanding the synthetic routes of methyl levulinate, identifying the factors that affect operations and types of catalysts being used. In addition, we sought to identify the research trends and advances, as well as the technological development of the processes. Also reported were routes including direct biomass use without pretreatment and levulinic acid esterification. Technological development has sought direct conversions using methanol as cosolvent. Laboratory-scale studies are advanced, but several factors have not been fully elucidated. In addition, broader and more robust large-scale studies are needed. Nevertheless, simulations and research indicate the real possibility of methyl levulinate production in the context of integrated biorefineries.
Can we achieve successful outcome with sirolimus treatment for complicated lymphatic malformations?: A multicenter analysis
Authors: Cho Yu Jeong , Kwon Hyunhee , Ha Suhyeon , Kim Seong Chul , Kim Dae Yeon , Namgoong Jung-Man , Cho Minjeng , Lee Ju Yeon , Jung Eunyoung , Nam So Hyun
Published: August 2023

Background: Sirolimus has emerged as a safe and effective treatment for complicated lymphatic malformations (LMs). We aim to prove the effectiveness and safety of sirolimus as therapeutic option for patients with complicated LMs.
Methods: 58 patients with complicated LMs treated with sirolimus for at least six months in multicenter between July 2018 and January 2023 were enrolled. We reviewed medical records and radiological images. All patients were administered oral sirolimus starting at 0.8mg/m2 every twelve hours, with target serum concentration levels of 8 to 15 ng/mL Evaluation for clinical symptoms and LMs volume on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were reviewed to assess treatment response and toxicities. Evaluation of disease response was divided into three values: complete response (CR), partial response (PR-significant, moderate, modest), and progressive disease (PD).
Results: The median age at the initiation of sirolimus treatment was 6.0 years (range, 1 months - 26.7 years). The median duration of treatment was 2.0 years (range, 6 months - 4.4 years). The most common lesions were head and neck (27/58, 46.6%). Two out of five patients weaned tracheostomy after sirolimus treatment. 51 patients (87.9%) demonstrated a reduction in LMs volume on MRI or improvement of clinical symptoms including two of CR. Seven patients (12.1%) showed no response to sirolimus administration. Young age group and the patients who underwent few prior therapies showed better response. Ten patients (17.2%) were taken off the medication secondary to adverse effects, gastrointestinal at nine (15.5%), respiratory at three (5.2%), and skin/appendages at three (5.2%). None of the patients had Grade 3 and higher toxicities attributable to sirolimus.
Conclusions: Oral sirolimus treatment brought successful outcome without severe adverse effects. It could be the first line therapy especially for young age group of complicated LMs, and additional option for refractory lesions which did not respond to conventional treatment.
Where top-down meets bottom-up: Cell-type specific connectivity map of the whisker system
Authors: Rault Nicolas , Bergmans Tido , Delfstra Natasja , Kleijnen Bisley , Zeldenrust Fleur , Celikel Tansu
Published: August 2023

Sensorimotor computation is a closed-loop process where bottom-up information collected about the current state of the world is integrated with top-down, internally generated knowledge, task- and goal-related affordances to create an action plan. In the rodent whisker system, a canonical model of sensorimotor computation in the context of active sensing, emerging evidence suggests that neuromodulatory neurotransmitters help shape sensorimotor control of the whisker position, and contribute to context-dependent changes of whisking frequency and amplitude. Given that neuromodulatory neurotransmitters are primarily released from subcortical nuclei whose long-range projections target the rest of the central nervous system, the circuit mapping of top-down neuromodulatory control of sensorimotor nuclei in the rodent brain will help to address the mechanisms of active sensing systematically. Therefore, taking advantage of the Allen Institute's Mouse Connectivity database, we provide an updated, cell-type specific map of the sensorimotor circuits in the mouse brain. The map includes 180 projections (68 of which were not previously reported in the literature) across 18 principal and neuromodulatory neurotransmitter-releasing nuclei of the whisker system. Performing a graph network analysis of this connectome, we identify cell-type specific hubs, sources, and sinks, provide anatomical evidence for monosynaptic inhibitory projections into all stages of the ascending pathway, and show that neuromodulatory projections improve network-wide connectivity. These results argue that beyond the modulatory chemical contributions to information processing and transfer in the whisker system, the circuit connectivity features of the neuromodulatory networks position them as nodes of sensory and motor integration.
DynamicBind: Predicting ligand-specific protein-ligand complex structure with a deep equivariant generative model
Authors: Lu Wei , Zhang Ji-Xian , Huang Weifeng , Zhang Ziqiao , Jia Xiangyu , Wang Zhenyu , Shi Leilei , Li Chengtao , Wolynes Peter , Zheng Shuangjia
Published: August 2023

While significant advances have been made in predicting static protein structures, the inherent dynamics of proteins, modulated by ligands, are crucial for understanding protein function and facilitating drug discovery. Traditional docking methods, frequently used in studying protein-ligand interactions, typically treat proteins as rigid. While molecular dynamics simulations can propose appropriate protein conformations, they’re computationally demanding due to rare transitions between biologically relevant equilibrium states. In this study, we present DynamicBind, a novel method that employs equivariant geometric diffusion networks to construct a smooth energy landscape, promoting efficient transitions between different equilibrium states. DynamicBind accurately recovers ligand-specific conformations from unbound protein structures without the need for holo-structures or extensive sampling. Remarkably, it demonstrates state-of-the-art performance in docking and virtual screening benchmarks. Our experiments reveal that DynamicBind can accommodate a wide range of large protein conformational changes and identify novel cryptic pockets in unseen protein targets. As a result, DynamicBind shows potential in accelerating the development of small molecules for previously undruggable targets and expanding the horizons of computational drug discovery.
Genetic Predictors of Neurocognitive Outcomes in Survivors of Pediatric Brain Tumors
Authors: Grob Sydney T. , Miller Kristen R. , Sanford Bridget , Donson Andrew M. , Jones Kenneth , Griesinger Andrea M. , Amani Vladimir , Foreman Nicholas K. , Liu Arthur , Handler Michael , Hankinson Todd C. , Milgrom Sarah , Levy Jean Mulcahy
Published: August 2023

Purpose: Neurocognitive deficits are common in pediatric brain tumor survivors. The use of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis in DNA repair genes may identify children treated with radiation therapy for brain tumors at increased risk for treatment toxicity and adverse neurocognitive outcomes.
Methods: The Human 660W-Quad v1.0 DNA BeadChip analysis (Illumina) was used to evaluate 1048 SNPs from 59 DNA repair genes in 46 subjects. IQ testing was measured by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. Linear regression was used to identify the 10 SNPs with the strongest association with IQ scores while adjusting for radiation type.
Results: The low vs high IQ patient cohorts were well matched for time from first treatment to most recent IQ, first treatment age, gender, and treatments received. 5 SNPs on 3 different genes (CYP29, XRCC1, and BRCA1) and on 3 different chromosomes (10, 19, and 17) had the strongest association with most recent IQ score that was not modified by radiation type. Furthermore, 5 SNPs on 4 different genes (WRN, NR3C1, ERCC4, RAD51L1) on 4 different chromosomes (8, 5, 16, 14) had the strongest association with change in IQ independent of radiation type, first IQ, and years between IQ measures.
Conclusions: SNP polymorphisms offer potential to predict adverse neurocognitive outcomes in pediatric brain tumor survivors. Our results require validation in a larger patient cohort. Improving the ability to identify children at risk of treatment related neurocognitive deficits could allow for better treatment stratification and early cognitive interventions.
A Bibliometric Analysis of Trends on Organizational Learning and Organizational Innovation: Future Research and Agenda
Authors: Mohammed
Published: August 2023

Organizational learning and innovation research has received increasing attention from researchers in recent years because it is important for improving performance and increasing competitive advantage, in addition to playing a vital role in helping organizations embrace change, respond to emerging challenges, and seize new opportunities. However, the research subject's development as well as directions in this study field are limited and unclear. Therefore, we conducted a bibliometric analysis of a sample of 773 research articles published over the past 41 years, from March 1982 to March 2023, to explore research directions about organizational learning and innovation through the top contributing and productive Sources, institutions, and countries, the analysis of collaboration networks between authors, and keywords' co-occurrence analysis in three specified periods. Publication output data was determined based on research articles in the Scopus database. The results of the analysis of this study showed that the number of publications related to organizational learning and innovation has witnessed a continuous increase, around 18.85% per year. The United States ranked first in the field of organizational learning and innovation, contributing 21.86% of the total publications. In addition, the " "Universidad de Granada" has been ranked first in terms of overall publication output (16 publications, 2.07%). The focus of researchers in this field expanded during the three phases to include different and new topics. The obtained results of this paper may help academics and practitioners better understand research development trends, and research hotspots in the field of organizational learning and innovation, and provide a comprehensive view of future research.
Models for Estimating the Cold Hardiness of Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium cv. Sweetheart and Lapins) in Cold Climate Regions
Authors: Houghton Elizabeth , Noonan Michael J. , Hannam Kirsten , Nelson Louise M. , Neilsen Denise
Published: August 2023

Plant cold hardiness is a dynamic process, and seasonal changes occur through cold acclimation and deacclimation to help prevent lethal injury from the cold. Cold weather injury resulting from inadequate plant cold hardiness can result in significant economic losses to growers of perennial crops in temperate climates. The objective of the current study was to develop models that estimate the lethal temperature that causes 10%, 50%, and 90% mortality (LT10, LT50, LT90) to two cultivars of sweet cherry (Prunus avium) flower buds from the early fall through to spring. We parameterized regression models using lethal temperature data collected in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada, over six seasons (2013–17, 2019–20, 2021–22) for ‘Sweetheart’ sweet cherry and three seasons (2013–15, 2016–17) for ‘Lapins’ sweet cherry. These models incorporate parameters that are based on equations that describe chill and heat accumulation that rely on measures of hourly air temperature. Model evaluation and validation using several seasons of lethal temperature data not included in model development were completed. Models for estimating the cold hardiness of sweet cherry showed good agreement between model lethal temperature predictions and observed values for both sweet cherry cultivars. In addition, an open-access, interactive, web-based application was developed to access the outputs of these models in real time for use by growers, researchers, and extension workers. These current models of sweet cherry cold hardiness have potential application for use as a decision support tool for cold damage management as well as crop site suitability modeling.
Comparison of Dahlia Cultivars for Cut Flower Production in the Northeastern United States
Authors: Burnett Stephanie E. , Peterson Bryan J. , Oliveira Isabella , Bowers Taylor
Published: August 2023

Dahlias (Dahlia ×hybrida) are a popular cut flower for local production in the northeastern United States. However, there are more than 20,000 cultivars to choose from, and the suitability of these cultivars as cut flowers varies regionally. Fourteen dahlia cultivars were grown in Orono, ME, USA: Blizzard, Burlesca, Café au Lait, Café au Lait Rose, Clearview Daniel, Cornel, Cornel Bronze, Ivanetti, Lollipop, Neon Splendor, Rock Run Ashley, Sunspot, Tanjoh, and Tempest. These cultivars were selected after interviews with local dahlia growers. These cultivars all produced similar numbers of flowers, but they differed in the time to form flowers, stem length, and stem diameter. ‘Rock Run Ashley’ was the earliest to begin flowering, at 35 days earlier than ‘Tempest’ and ‘Café au Lait’, which flowered last. ‘Blizzard’ and ‘Tempest’ had the longest stems and ‘Lollipop’ had the shortest stems. Growers may want to choose ‘Rock Run Ashley’ if they need flowers earlier in the season, or ‘Blizzard’ or ‘Tempest’ if a longer stem length is desired. During a second study, we harvested field-grown flowers of ‘Burlesca’, ‘Cornel’, and ‘Ivanetti’ and treated them with deionized water or one of two commercial holding solutions. Holding solutions did not extend the vase life of ‘Burlesca’ or ‘Ivanetti’, but they increased the vase life of ‘Cornel’ by 4 or 5 days.
Prenatal gender selection: medical, ethical and psychological aspects
Authors: Kovalyova Olga , Mykytenko Dmytro
Published: August 2023

The aim: to summarize the methodology of prenatal gender selection and the ethical aspects of its implementation.
Materials and methods: the authors conducted the review in the database of scientific periodicals PubMed.
Results: based on scientific publications, the principal techniques to determine sex in the pre-implantation period, in the embryo and fetus, are presented. Invasive and non-invasive procedures of prenatal diagnosis are described. Invasive procedures include examination of the fetus by chorionic villus sampling karyotyping of cells obtained by amniocentesis. Non-invasive techniques related to pregnant women's blood biochemistry and ultrasound markers of Down syndrome are given. Fetal blood DNA testing is a more sensitive diagnostic parameter that reduces the indication for invasive procedures. The newest and most effective method of sex determination in the pre-implantation period is sperm separation screening. Medical and non-medical reasons for prenatal gender determination, such as prevention of X-linked genetic disorders in a child, a couple's choice to balance the sex of children in the family and social gender preferences are shown. Gender selection for the prevention of X-linked disorders is justified. Ethical issues regarding the balance of children in the family, giving preference to certain sex with the help of advanced diagnostic techniques, and selective abortion are discussed. The bioethical principles for preventing selective abortion resulting from gender reasons are established.
Conclusion: for preventing prenatal gender discrimination is highlighted more strongly by the need legal regulation and the ethical control of scientific technologies in reproductive medicine.
Weak ergodicity breaking in non-Hermitian many-body systems
Authors: Chen Qianqian , Chen Shuai A. , Zhu Zheng
Published: August 2023

The recent discovery of persistent revivals in the Rydberg-atom quantum simulator has revealed a weakly ergodicity-breaking mechanism dubbed quantum many-body scars, which are a set of nonthermal states embedded in otherwise thermal spectra. Until now, such a mechanism has been mainly studied in Hermitian systems. Here, we establish the non-Hermitian quantum many-body scars and systematically characterize their nature from dynamic revivals, entanglement entropy, physical observables, and energy level statistics. Notably, we find the non-Hermitian quantum many-body scars exhibit significantly enhanced coherent revival dynamics when approaching the exceptional point. The signatures of non-Hermitian scars switch from the real-energy axis to the imaginary-energy axis after a real-to-complex spectrum transition driven by increasing non-Hermiticity, where an exceptional point and a quantum tricritical point emerge simultaneously. We further examine the stability of non-Hermitian quantum many-body scars against external fields, reveal the non-Hermitian quantum criticality and eventually set up the whole phase diagram. The possible connection to the open quantum many-body systems is also explored. Our findings offer insights for realizing long-lived coherent states in non-Hermitian many-body systems.
“LA DIFFERANCE” AND “RIEN ENROULE”: YOUNG MARC RICHIR READS DERRIDA
Authors:   HSE University, MIKHAYLOV DENIS
Published: August 2023

This paper analyzes the influence of J. Derrida’s philosophy on the early thought of French phenomenologist M. Richir. Main texts for the analysis are Derrida’s report « La Différance » and the article « Le Rien Enroulé » by Richir. The author stresses their deep figurative and substantive interconnectedness. Thus, Richir borrows from Derrida a number of key philosophical figures, including the figure of différance itself, and applies them to phenomenological landscape through the “first-person” narrative. Having examined the correlation between Derrida’s figures of différance and Richir’s phenomenalization, the author concludes that Richir, influenced by the impersonal figure of différance, leads his “first-person” narrative in an attempt to take it beyond the limits of classical phenomenological discourse. Moreover, the author finds preconditions for Richir’s introduction of one of his early key concepts “nothing” (rien) in the text of Derrida’s « La Différance ». The main thesis of this research is: Richir borrows Derrida’s understanding of consciousness and performs phenomenological description from its perspective. The paper considers Derrida’s text as a key to understanding Richir’s article « Le Rien Enroulé » and, as a result, the key to his early philosophy in general.
Assessing flash flood inundation from an extreme rainfall event: case study: Wadi Al Jizzi Oman
Authors: Abushandi Eyad , Al Sarihi Moza , Ibrahim Osama
Published: August 2023

Flash floods present a significant risk to urbanized arid regions, and assessing their inundation patterns is crucial for effective disaster management. Extreme hydrologic events due to aridity and climate change are shaping human lives and major activities in numerous countries at an unprecedented pace. This study aims to assess flash floods from extreme storm events in an arid catchment using high-resolution data. The study applied two models on the event of a single storm, namely the IHACRES and AHP models. The observed flow was used for models' validation. The average flow output determined with the IHACRES model was approximately 0.47 m3/s while the flow output resulting from the AHP model was 0.45 m3/s. The efficiency showed that the IHACRES performed better in evaluating extreme events with an average of 0.88 while the AHP model showed an efficiency of 0.68. The quantitative simulation of both models is likely to have good applicability for simulating single storm events in arid catchments. The validated IHACRES and AHP models offer valuable tools for simulating flash flood. The study's outcomes have implications for flood management policy and infrastructure planning, ensuring a more resilient response to extreme flood events in arid regions globally.