bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hydraulic Response and Overtopping Performance of Single-Layer Double Cube Unit Armored Mound Breakwater
Authors: Safari Iman , Mouazé Dominique , Aliasgary Soroush , Carpentier Guillaume , Ropert François
Published: July 2023

A newly developed friction-interlocking armor unit called the ‘Double cube’ (DC) was designed to improve the performance of a concrete armor unit used in river/marine structures against currents/waves actions. The DC unit is an octagonal-shaped block made up of two parts: an upper cube set on a lower base that is either square or octagonal in shape. The innovative design aims to provide good performance in terms of stability, to allow for high tolerance placement with various contact points, and to allow for ease of placement. The DC’s shape and placement enhance the unit’s stability by bringing the center of gravity closer to the underlayer and by providing a large contact surface with the surrounding blocks that reduces the chance of extraction and limits movements (rocking, lifting) via the “keystone” effect. The characteristics of this new unit provide a relatively high hydraulic stability number for the armor layer (NS = 2.9), a favorable hydraulic performance due to energy dissipation from turbulence and aeration, as well as a high roughness coefficient (γf ≈ 0.46), helping to reduce overtopping.
Determining the Proper Times and Sufficient Actions for the Collision Avoidance of Navigator-Centered Ships in the Open Sea Using Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Kim Jong-Kwan , Park Deuk-Jin
Published: July 2023

Ship collisions are a major maritime accident; various systems have been proposed to prevent them. Through investigating and analyzing the causes of maritime accidents, it has been established that ship collisions can either caused by delaying actions or not taking the sufficient actions to avoid them. Recognizing the limitations in providing quantitative numerical values for avoiding ship collisions, this study aimed to use Bayesian regularized artificial neural networks (BRANNs) to suggest the proper time and sufficient actions required for ship collision avoidance consistent with the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. We prepared the data by calculating the proper times and sufficient actions based on precedent research and used them to train, validate, and assess the BRANNs. Subsequently, an artificial neural network controller was designed and proposed. The data of the proposed neural network controller were verified via simulation, validating the controller. This study is limited in cases such as overtaking a ship in front. However, it is expected that this controller can be improved by establishing the criteria for an appropriate overtaking distance after further examining the closest point of approach (CPA) and time to the CPA (TCPA) for overtaking a ship in front and using the method presented herein.
How Streamers Foster Consumer Stickiness in Live Streaming Sales
Authors: Jiao Yongbing , Sarigöllü Emine , Lou Liguo , Huang Baotao
Published: July 2023

Streamers play a critical role in fostering consumer stickiness in live streaming sales. Thus, it is necessary to make clear the mechanism of how streamers influence consumer stickiness. Based upon the theories of social support, social identification and consumer stickiness, this study investigates the effects of consumers’ perceived emotional support, informational support, financial support, affectionate support and social network support from streamers on consumer–streamer identification, which in turn affects consumer–streamer stickiness and consumer–brand stickiness in live streaming sales settings. Based on the structural equation modeling analysis of 280 online questionnaires, using the software of Smart PLS 3.0, the results demonstrate that perceived emotional support, perceived informational support, perceived financial support and perceived affectionate support enhance consumer–streamer identification, thereby enhancing consumer–streamer stickiness and consumer–brand stickiness, and thus, consumer–streamer stickiness also enhances consumer–brand stickiness. This study not only extends the theories of live streaming sales, but also provides practical implications for enterprises’ improving consumer–streamer stickiness and consumer–brand stickiness in live streaming sales.
Using Ecosystem Services to Inform Sustainable Waterfront Area Management: A Case Study in the Yangtze River Delta Ecological Green Integration Demonstration Zone
Authors: Cai Wenbo , Shu Chengji , Zhu Yonggang
Published: July 2023

Ecosystem service assessments are crucial for sustainable water area management. Previous studies and actions on waterfront area management often emphasized merely the saving and use of water resources per se, ignoring the safeguarding of hydrological source ecosystems and assurance of sustainable provision capacity of water supplies. Using the Yangtze River Delta Ecological Green Integration Demonstration Zone (demonstration zone) as an example, this study integrated ecosystem service assessment into waterfront area management in an urbanizing region. We evaluated and mapped four ecosystem services—carbon sequestration, water purification, stormwater regulation and climate regulation—in the demonstration zone in 2020. We examined ecosystem service quantities, spatial distributions and economic values to inform policy balancing development and the environment. Our results show that ecosystem services provide significant benefits to waterfront areas: the zone furnished substantial ecosystem services, sequestering 544,900 tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide (USD 2.03 million), eliminating the total material quantities of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of 47,700 tons and 13,900 tons (USD 66.31 billion and USD 20.17 billion, respectively), and retaining over 467.48 million cubic meters of stormwater runoff (USD 1756.35 million) and total material quantity of climate regulation amounts to 65.13 billion kilowatt hours (USD 5.10 billion). However, these service provisions varied spatially. Wujiang District provided the most ecosystem services overall, while Qingpu District had the highest per-unit intensities in stormwater regulation. Policy, planning and action should consider ecosystems providing security and prosperity. Managing the trade-offs between development and environment, reducing risks and cultivating resilience necessitates safeguarding ecosystem service potential.
Research on the Impact of Heavy Rainfall Flooding on Urban Traffic Network Based on Road Topology: A Case Study of Xi’an City, China
Authors: Liu Jiayu , Yang Xiangyu , Ren Shaobin
Published: July 2023

In recent years, the frequent occurrence of extreme emergencies represented by heavy rainfall has posed a significant impact on urban transportation networks and caused great inconvenience to people’s production and life. This paper examines the impact of heavy rainfall on the urban transportation network in Xi’an’s main urban area, models the map of urban road network in the main urban area of Xi’an by applying complex network theory, quantifies and analyzes the topological and geographic structural characteristics of the affected sections (interrupted by heavy rainfall) due to heavy rainfall, as well as the impact of heavy rainfall on the functional indexes of the road network such as access efficiency and accessibility, and, finally, analyzes its formation causes and proposes targeted management countermeasures. The findings of this study serve as a valuable reference for enhancing urban traffic emergency management capabilities and fostering sustainable urban development.
Photoluminescence Induced in Mineral Oil by Ionizing Radiation
Authors: Bliznyuk Valery N. , Smith Jonas , Guin Tyler , Verst Chris , Folkert James , McDonald Kori , Larsen George , DeVol Timothy A.
Published: July 2023

We have studied photoluminescence (PL) properties of vacuum pump mineral oil as a function of the type and intensity of ionizing radiation exposure. The mineral oil has a simple aliphatic structure, which possesses no chromophore in the traditional sense. Unexpected PL in the mineral oil has characteristic features such as variation of the emission peak wavelength depending on the excitation wavelength and intensity dramatically increasing with radiation dose. The observed behavior can be understood in the framework of a previously suggested model introducing aggregation-induced PL and the formation of conjugated clusters comprising nontraditional chromophores. Our findings can be used for the development of optical sensors for real-time monitoring of oil utilized in vacuum pumps in nuclear fusion reactors.
Nanocluster Evolution in D9 Austenitic Steel under Neutron and Proton Irradiation
Authors: Mullurkara Suraj Venkateshwaran , Bejawada Akshara , Sen Amrita , Sun Cheng , Bachhav Mukesh , Wharry Janelle P.
Published: July 2023

Austenitic stainless steel D9 is a candidate for Generation IV nuclear reactor structural materials due to its enhanced irradiation tolerance and high-temperature creep strength compared to conventional 300-series stainless steels. But, like other austenitic steels, D9 is susceptible to irradiation-induced clustering of Ni and Si, the mechanism for which is not well understood. This study utilizes atom probe tomography (APT) to characterize the chemistry and morphology of Ni–Si nanoclusters in D9 following neutron or proton irradiation to doses ranging from 5–9 displacements per atom (dpa) and temperatures ranging from 430–683 °C. Nanoclusters form only after neutron irradiation and exhibit classical coarsening with increasing dose and temperature. The nanoclusters have Ni3Si stoichiometry in a Ni core–Si shell structure. This core–shell structure provides insight into a potentially unique nucleation and growth mechanism—nanocluster cores may nucleate through local, spinodal-like compositional fluctuations in Ni, with subsequent growth driven by rapid Si diffusion. This study underscores how APT can shed light on an unusual irradiation-induced nanocluster nucleation mechanism active in the ubiquitous class of austenitic stainless steels.
The Influence of Buffer Layer Type on the Electrical Properties of Metallic Layers Deposited on Composite Textile Substrates in the PVD Process
Authors: Lebioda Marcin , Korzeniewska Ewa
Published: July 2023

In the era of developing wearable electronics, the miniaturization of electronic systems and their implementation in the textile industry is one of the key issues. For this reason, it is important to select the appropriate textile substrates upon which it is possible to produce electroconductive structures, as well as their selection from the point of view of the electrical parameters’ stability. For this purpose, research related to the effect of heating a substrate on the resistance of the structures produced in the process of physical vacuum planting was conducted. Textile composites with a buffer layer made of polyurethane, Teflon, and acrylic were used as substrates in the tests. Such layers are an integral part of textile composites and a necessary element for producing structures with continuous electrical conductivity. The conducted tests showed that a buffer layer made of polyurethane (thermal conductivity, e.g., PERMACOL 5450 resin 0.16 W/mK) heated to 15 °C above room temperature was a layer that introduced changes into the surface resistance of the structures. The resistance values of the samples produced on a substrate containing a buffer layer of polyurethane varied in the range of 9–23%, depending on the manufacturer of the composite in the case of a self-heating mode, and in the case of an external heating mode, these changes were smaller and ranged from 8 to 16%. Such a phenomenon occurred regardless of the type of applied metal, and this was not observed in the case of composites with a Teflon or acrylic sublayer. For this reason, it is necessary to take into account the fact that textronic structures made on substrates containing a polyurethane layer may change the surface resistance depending on the temperature. The electrical parameters of such structures were checked by heating the structure using an external heater and self-heating mechanism. The same phenomenon was observed in both cases.
Mechanical Properties of Full-Scale UHPC-Filled Steel Tube Composite Columns under Axial Load
Authors: Cheng Baoquan , Wang Weichen , Li Junhua , Huang Jianling , Chen Huihua
Published: July 2023

In the realm of civil engineering, ultra-high-performance concrete-filled steel tube composite columns (UCFSTCs) constitute a new type of building material and structure, exhibiting high compressive strength and commendable durability. Given their promising characteristics, the prospects of their application are highly promising and are worthy of further exploration. However, current research has primarily focused on scaled-down specimens, thereby limiting a broader understanding of UCFSTCs’ full-scale mechanical properties in real-world scenarios. This study aimed to investigate the mechanical properties of full-scale UHPC-filled steel tube composite columns (FUCFSTCs) in practical engineering applications. With the steel tube strength, steel tube thickness, concrete strength, aspect ratio, and steel tube diameter used as design parameters and the finite element software ABAQUS as the analytical tool, a total of 21 FUCFSTCs were designed and analyzed. Through a comparison with experimental curves, the rationality of both the material constitutive model and finite element model was verified, and the maximum error was 6.54%. Furthermore, this study analyzed the influence of different design parameters on FUCFSTCs’ ultimate bearing capacity, ductility coefficient, and the stress–strain relationship of their concrete. The ductility coefficient remained around 1.3, and the cross-sectional size had the greatest impact on the bearing capacity of the composite column, with a maximum increase of 145.90%. Additionally, this paper provides an in-depth analysis of FUCFSTCs’ mechanical behavior, failure mode, and stress process under an axial load. In conclusion, this research proposes an axial compression limit bearing capacity formula for FUCFSTCs via statistical regression, with a maximum error of 3.04%, meeting engineering accuracy requirements. Consequently, this study lays a strong foundation for the future application of FUCFSTCs in practical engineering.
Statistical Machine Learning Strategy and Data Fusion for Detecting Incipient ITSC Faults in IM
Authors: Jaen-Cuellar Arturo Yosimar , Elvira-Ortiz David Alejandro , Saucedo-Dorantes Juan Jose
Published: July 2023

The new technological developments have allowed the evolution of the industrial process to this new concept called Industry 4.0, which integrates power machines, robotics, smart sensors, communication systems, and the Internet of Things to have more reliable automation systems. However, electrical rotating machines like the Induction Motor (IM) are still widely used in several industrial applications because of their robust elements, high efficiency, and versatility in industrial applications. Nevertheless, the occurrence of faults in IMs is inherent to their operating conditions; hence, Inter-turn short-circuit (ITSC) is one of the most common failures that affect IMs, and its appearance is due to electrical stresses leading to the degradation of the stator winding insulation. In this regard, this work proposes a diagnosis methodology capable of performing the assessment and automatic detection of incipient electric faults like ITSC in IMs; the proposed method is supported through the processing of different physical magnitudes such as vibration, stator currents and magnetic stray-flux and their fusion of information. Certainly, the novelty and contribution include the characterization of different physical magnitudes by estimating a set of statistical time domain features, as well as their fusion following a feature-level fusion approach and their reduction through the Linear discriminant Analysis technique. Furthermore, the fusion and reduction of information from different physical magnitudes lead to performing automatic fault detection and identification by a simple Neural-Network (NN) structure since all considered conditions can be represented in a 2D plane. The proposed method is evaluated under a complete set of experimental data, and the obtained results demonstrate that the fusion of information from different sources (physical magnitudes) can lead to achieving a global classification ratio of up to 99.4% during the detection of ITSC in IMs and an improvement higher than 30% in comparison with classical approaches that consider the analysis of a unique physical magnitude. Additionally, the results make this proposal feasible to be incorporated as a part of condition-based maintenance programs in the industry.
A Study to Identify Long-Term Care Insurance Using Advanced Intelligent RST Hybrid Models with Two-Stage Performance Evaluation
Authors: Chen You-Shyang , Hung Ying-Hsun , Lin Yu-Sheng
Published: July 2023

With the motivation of long-term care 2.0 plans, forecasting models to identify potential customers of long-term care insurance (LTCI) are an important and interesting issue. From the limited literature, most past researchers emphasize traditional statistics techniques to address this issue; however, these are lacking in some areas. For example, intelligent hybrid models for LTCI are lacking, performance measurement of components for hybrid models is lacking, and research results for interpretative capacities are lacking, resulting in a black box scenario and difficulty in making decisions, and the gap between identifying potential customers and constructing hybrid models is unbridged. To solve the shortcomings mentioned above, this study proposes some advanced intelligent single and hybrid models; the study object is LTCI customers. The proposed hybrid models were used on the experimental dataset collected from real insurance data and possess the following advantages: (1) The feature selection technique was used to simplify variables for the purpose of improving model performance. (2) The performance of hybrid models was evaluated against some machine learning methods, including rough set theory, decision trees, multilayer perceptron, support vector machine, genetic algorithm, random forest, logistic regression, and naive Bayes, and sensitivity analysis was performed in terms of accuracy, coverage, rules number, and standard deviation. (3) We used the C4.5 algorithm of decision trees and the LEM2 algorithm of rough sets to extract and provide valuably comprehensible decisional rules as decision-making references for the interested parties for their varied benefits. (4) We used post hoc testing to verify the significant difference in groups. Conclusively, this study effectively identifies potential customers for their key attributes and creates a decision rule set of knowledge for use as a reference when solving practical problems by forming a structured solution. This study is a new trial in the LTCI application field and realizes novel creative application values. Such a hybrid model is rarely seen in identifying LTCI potential customers; thus, the study has sufficient application contribution and managerial benefits to attract much concern from the interested parties.
Stability Analysis of Plankton–Fish Dynamics with Cannibalism Effect and Proportionate Harvesting on Fish
Authors: Mortoja Sk Golam , Panja Prabir , Mondal Shyamal Kumar
Published: July 2023

Plankton occupy a vital place in the marine ecosystem due to their essential role. However small or microscopic, their absence can bring the entire life process to a standstill. In this work, we have proposed a prey–predator ecological model consisting of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and fish, incorporating the cannibalistic nature of zooplankton harvesting the fish population. Due to differences in their feeding habits, zooplankton are divided into two sub-classes: herbivorous and carnivorous. The dynamic behavior of the model is examined for each of the possible steady states. The stability criteria of the model have been analyzed from both local and global perspectives. Hopf bifurcation analysis has been accomplished with the growth rate of carnivorous zooplankton using cannibalism as a bifurcation parameter. To characterize the optimal control, we have used Pontryagin’s maximum principle. Subsequently, the optimal system has been derived and solved numerically using an iterative method with Runge–Kutta fourth-order scheme. Finally, to facilitate the interpretation of our mathematical results, we have proceeded to investigate it using numerical simulations.
Decomposition Integrals of Set-Valued Functions Based on Fuzzy Measures
Authors: Yan Leifan , Kang Tong , Zhang Huai
Published: July 2023

The decomposition integrals of set-valued functions with regards to fuzzy measures are introduced in a natural way. These integrals are an extension of the decomposition integral for real-valued functions and include several types of set-valued integrals, such as the Aumann integral based on the classical Lebesgue integral, the set-valued Choquet, pan-, concave and Shilkret integrals of set-valued functions with regard to capacity, etc. Some basic properties are presented and the monotonicity of the integrals in the sense of different types of the preorder relations are shown. By means of the monotonicity, the Chebyshev inequalities of decomposition integrals for set-valued functions are established. As a special case, we show the linearity of concave integrals of set-valued functions in terms of the equivalence relation based on a kind of preorder. The coincidences among the set-valued Choquet, the set-valued pan-integral and the set-valued concave integral are presented.
Compact Integer Programs for Depot-Free Multiple Traveling Salesperson Problems
Authors: Cornejo-Acosta José Alejandro , García-Díaz Jesús , Pérez-Sansalvador Julio César , Segura Carlos
Published: July 2023

Multiple traveling salesperson problems (mTSP) are a collection of problems that generalize the classical traveling salesperson problem (TSP). In a nutshell, an mTSP variant seeks a minimum cost collection of m paths that visit all vertices of a given weighted complete graph. This paper introduces novel compact integer programs for the depot-free mTSP (DFmTSP). This fundamental variant models real scenarios where depots are unknown or unnecessary. The proposed integer programs are adapted to the main variants of the DFmTSP, such as closed paths, open paths, bounding constraints (also known as load balance), and the minsum and minmax objective functions. Some of these integer programs have O(n2m) binary variables and O(n2) constraints, where m is the number of salespersons and n=|V(G)|. Furthermore, we introduce more compact integer programs with O(n2) binary variables and O(n2) constraints for the same problem and most of its main variants. Without losing their compactness, all the proposed programs are adapted to fixed-destination multiple-depots mTSP (FD-MmTSP) and a combination of FD-MmTSP and DFmTSP, where fewer than m depots are part of the input, but the solution still consists of m paths. We used off-the-shelf optimization software to empirically test the proposed integer programs over a classical benchmark dataset; these tests show that the proposed programs meet desirable theoretical properties and have practical advantages over the state of the art.
Novel Contributions to the System of Fractional Hamiltonian Equations
Authors: Mahrouz Tayeb , Mennouni Abdelaziz , Moumen Abdelkader , Alraqad Tariq
Published: July 2023

This work aims to analyze a new system of two fractional Hamiltonian equations. We propose an effective method for transforming the established model into a system of two distinct equations. Two functionals that are connected to the converted system of fractional Hamiltonian systems are introduced together with a new space, and it is demonstrated that these functionals are bounded below on this space. The hypotheses presented here differ from those provided in the literature.
Chitosan/Virgin-Coconut-Oil-Based System Enriched with Cubosomes: A 3D Drug-Delivery Approach
Authors: Silva Simone S. , Rodrigues Luísa C. , Fernandes Emanuel M. , Soares da Costa Diana , Villalva Denise G. , Loh Watson , Reis Rui L.
Published: July 2023

Emulsion-based systems that combine natural polymers with vegetable oils have been identified as a promising research avenue for developing structures with potential for biomedical applications. Herein, chitosan (CHT), a natural polymer, and virgin coconut oil (VCO), a resource obtained from coconut kernels, were combined to create an emulsion system. Phytantriol-based cubosomes encapsulating sodium diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory drug, were further dispersed into CHT/VCO- based emulsion. Then, the emulsions were frozen and freeze-dried to produce scaffolds. The scaffolds had a porous structure ranging from 20.4 to 73.4 µm, a high swelling ability (up to 900%) in PBS, and adequate stiffness, notably in the presence of cubosomes. Moreover, a well-sustained release of the entrapped diclofenac in the cubosomes into the CHT/VCO-based system, with an accumulated release of 45 ± 2%, was confirmed in PBS, compared to free diclofenac dispersed (80 ± 4%) into CHT/VCO-based structures. Overall, the present approach opens up new avenues for designing porous biomaterials for drug delivery through a sustainable pathway.
Multiparametric Ultrasound Diagnostic Approach to Malignancy-Mimicking Adenomatoid Tumors of the Scrotum: Is Strain Elastography Enough?
Authors: Corvino Antonio , Catalano Orlando , Faggian Guido , Delli Pizzi Andrea , Tafuri Domenico , Corvino Fabio , Borzelli Antonio , Picchi Stefano Giusto , Lassandro Giulia , Boccatonda Andrea , Schips Luigi , Cocco Giulio
Published: July 2023

Background: Paratesticular tumors (PTs) are very uncommon, accounting for almost 5% of intrascrotal tumors. Of these, adenomatoid tumors (ATs) represent about 30% and most frequently arise in the tail of the epididymis. Ultrasound (US) examination is the first-choice imaging method employed for the evaluation of the scrotum. Unfortunately, there are no specific US-imaging features useful for distinguishing an AT from a malignant lesion. To increase diagnostic accuracy and confidence, new sonographic techniques have incorporated real-time tissue elastography (RTE) under the assumption that malignant lesions are “harder” than benign lesions. Case report: In our paper, we describe a very rare case of a 60-year-old patient with a giant paratesticular mass mimicking malignancy when examined using RTE, i.e., it was stiffer than the surrounding tissue (a hard pattern), which, upon histologic examination, was identified as an AT. Discussion: Our case underscores that there is also a significant overlap between different types of scrotal lesions when RTE is used for examination. Thus, if a PT is found, the imaging approach should always be supplemented with more definitive diagnostic methods, such as FNAC or FNAB, which are the only diagnostic methods capable of leading to a certain diagnosis. Conclusions: Alongside underlining the importance of pre-operative imaging for making correct diagnoses and selecting the correct therapy, we wish to draw our readers’ attention to this report in order to demonstrate the clinical implications of a giant AT presenting as stiff lesions when examined using SE.
Untargeted Metabolomic Profiling of Aqueous and Lyophilized Pooled Human Feces from Two Diet Cohorts Using Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography Coupled with Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Nam Seo Lin , Tarazona Carrillo Kieran , de la Mata A. Paulina , Harynuk James J.
Published: July 2023

The metabolic profiles of human feces are influenced by various genetic and environmental factors, which makes feces an attractive biosample for numerous applications, including the early detection of gut diseases. However, feces is complex, heterogeneous, and dynamic with a significant live bacterial biomass. With such challenges, stool metabolomics has been understudied compared to other biospecimens, and there is a current lack of consensus on methods to collect, prepare, and analyze feces. One of the critical steps required to accelerate the field is having a metabolomics stool reference material available. Fecal samples are generally presented in two major forms: fecal water and lyophilized feces. In this study, two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) was used as an analytical platform to characterize pooled human feces, provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as Research-Grade Test Materials. The collected fecal samples were derived from eight healthy individuals with two different diets: vegans and omnivores, matched by age, sex, and body mass index (BMI), and stored as fecal water and lyophilized feces. Various data analysis strategies were presented to determine the differences in the fecal metabolomic profiles. The results indicate that the sample storage condition has a major influence on the metabolic profiles of feces such that the impact from storage surpasses the metabolic differences from the diet types. The findings of the current study would contribute towards the development of a stool reference material.
Performance Analysis of an α-Graphyne Nano-Field Effect Transistor
Authors: Khan Habibullah , Islam Md. Monirul , Roya Rajnin Imran , Azad Sariha Noor , Alam Mahbub
Published: July 2023

Graphyne has attractive electronic properties that make it a possible replacement of silicon in FET technology. In FET technology, the goal is to achieve low power dissipation and lower subthreshold swing. In this study, we focused on achieving these goals and studied the electronic properties of α-graphyne nanoribbons. We simulated the transfer and output characteristics of an α-graphyne ballistic nanoribbon FET. We used the tight-binding model with nearest-neighbor approximation to obtain the band structure which gives the same band structure as the one found from the DFT. In order to simulate the I-V characteristics of the transistor we used the non-equilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) formalism. The results show that the modeled FET can provide a high Ion/Ioff ratio and low subthreshold swing. We also studied the effects of defects as defects cannot be avoided in any practical device. The study shows that the Ion/Ioff ratio and subthreshold swing improves as defects are added, but the delay time and dynamic power dissipation worsen.
A Qualitative Examination of the Detroit Community Food Response to COVID-19
Authors: Gilleran Michelle M. , Koosis Aeneas O. , Hill Alex B. , Beavers Alyssa W.
Published: July 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic increased the need for food assistance due to surging unemployment, the closure of in-person schooling, and other factors. This posed a historic challenge to organizations that address food insecurity: meeting the surging need for food while minimizing COVID-19 transmission. This study aimed to identify how food insecurity program operations changed during the pandemic and to examine the facilitators/successes and barriers/challenges to operations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with staff at 13 organizations involved in addressing food insecurity in Detroit during the pandemic. Interviews were coded by two coders, summarized, and then used to create matrices and concept map displays for each organization. We found that nearly all programs changed to a contactless food distribution format, and most programs experienced an increase in demand for food. Common successes/facilitators included keeping clients and staff safe from COVID-19 and waivers that eased program rules. Common challenges/barriers included the increased need for labor and food. Lack of funding was a barrier for some organizations, and others that experienced an increase in funding reported that it facilitated their work. This research identified the needs of programs addressing food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, which can inform future disaster planning.
Serotonin Transporter (SERT) Expression Modulates the Composition of the Western-Diet-Induced Microbiota in Aged Female Mice
Authors: Bloemendaal Mirjam , Veniaminova Ekaterina , Anthony Daniel C. , Gorlova Anna , Vlaming Priscilla , Khairetdinova Adel , Cespuglio Raymond , Lesch Klaus Peter , Arias Vasquez Alejandro , Strekalova Tatyana
Published: July 2023

Background. The serotonin transporter (SERT), highly expressed in the gut and brain, is implicated in metabolic processes. A genetic variant of the upstream regulatory region of the SLC6A4 gene encoding SERT, the so-called short (s) allele, in comparison with the long (l) allele, results in the decreased function of this transporter, altered serotonergic regulation, an increased risk of psychiatric pathology and type-2 diabetes and obesity, especially in older women. Aged female mice with the complete (Sert−/−: KO) or partial (Sert+/−: HET) loss of SERT exhibit more pronounced negative effects following their exposure to a Western diet in comparison to wild-type (Sert+/+: WT) animals. Aims. We hypothesized that these effects might be mediated by an altered gut microbiota, which has been shown to influence serotonin metabolism. We performed V4 16S rRNA sequencing of the gut microbiota in 12-month-old WT, KO and HET female mice that were housed on a control or Western diet for three weeks. Results. The relative abundance of 11 genera was increased, and the abundance of 6 genera was decreased in the Western-diet-housed mice compared to the controls. There were correlations between the abundance of Streptococcus and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014 and the expression of the pro-inflammatory marker Toll-like-Receptor 4 (Tlr4) in the dorsal raphe, as well as the expression of the mitochondrial activity marker perixome-proliferator-activated-receptor-cofactor-1b (Ppargc1b) in the prefrontal cortex. Although there was no significant impact of genotype on the microbiota in animals fed with the Control diet, there were significant interactions between diet and genotype. Following FDR correction, the Western diet increased the relative abundance of Intestinimonas and Atopostipes in the KO animals, which was not observed in the other groups. Erysipelatoclostridium abundance was increased by the Western diet in the WT group but not in HET or KO animals. Conclusions. The enhanced effects of a challenge with a Western diet in SERT-deficient mice include the altered representation of several gut genera, such as Intestinimonas, Atopostipes and Erysipelatoclostridium, which are also implicated in serotonergic and lipid metabolism. The manipulation of these genera may prove useful in individuals with the short SERT allele.
Dietary Protein Regulates Female Estrous Cyclicity Partially via Fibroblast Growth Factor 21
Authors: Cao Yaxue , Yang Min , Song Jie , Jiang Xuemei , Xu Shengyu , Che Lianqiang , Fang Zhengfeng , Lin Yan , Jin Chao , Feng Bin , Wu De , Hua Lun , Zhuo Yong
Published: July 2023

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), a hormone predominantly released in the liver, has emerged as a critical endocrine signal of dietary protein intake, but its role in the control of estrous cyclicity by dietary protein remains uncertain. To investigated the role of FGF21 and hypothalamic changes in the regulation of estrous cyclicity by dietary protein intake, female adult Sprague-Dawley rats with normal estrous cycles were fed diets with protein contents of 4% (P4), 8% (P8), 13% (P13), 18% (P18), and 23% (P23). FGF21 liver-specific knockout or wild-type mice were fed P18 or P4 diets to examine the role of liver FGF21 in the control of estrous cyclicity. Dietary protein restriction resulted in no negative effects on estrous cyclicity or ovarian follicular development when the protein content was greater than 8%. Protein restriction at 4% resulted in decreased bodyweight, compromised Kiss-1 expression in the hypothalamus, disturbed estrous cyclicity, and inhibited uterine and ovarian follicular development. The disturbed estrous cyclicity in rats that received the P4 diet was reversed after feeding with the P18 diet. Liver Fgf21 mRNA expressions and serum FGF21 levels were significantly increased as dietary protein content decreased, and loss of hepatic FGF21 delayed the onset of cyclicity disruption in rats fed with the P4 diet, possibly due to the regulation of insulin-like growth factor-1. Collectively, severe dietary protein restriction results in the cessation of estrous cyclicity and ovarian follicle development, and hepatic FGF21 and hypothalamic Kiss-1 were partially required for this process.
Looking for the Ideal Probiotic Healing Regime
Authors: Menni Alexandra , Moysidis Moysis , Tzikos Georgios , Stavrou George , Tsetis Joulia K. , Shrewsbury Anne D. , Filidou Eirini , Kotzampassi Katerina
Published: July 2023

Wound healing is a multi-factorial response to tissue injury, aiming to restore tissue continuity. Numerous recent experimental and clinical studies clearly indicate that probiotics are applied topically to promote the wound-healing process. However, the precise mechanism by which they contribute to healing is not yet clear. Each strain appears to exert a distinctive, even multi-factorial action on different phases of the healing process. Given that a multi-probiotic formula exerts better results than a single strain, the pharmaceutical industry has embarked on a race for the production of a formulation containing a combination of probiotics capable of playing a role in all the phases of the healing process. Hence, the object of this review is to describe what is known to date of the distinctive mechanisms of each of the most studied probiotic strains in order to further facilitate research toward the development of combinations of strains and doses, covering the whole spectrum of healing. Eleven probiotic species have been analyzed, the only criterion of inclusion being a minimum of two published research articles.
Whole Genome Sequencing Shows that African Swine Fever Virus Genotype IX Is Still Circulating in Domestic Pigs in All Regions of Uganda
Authors: Okwasiimire Rodney , Flint Joseph F. , Kayaga Edrine B. , Lakin Steven , Pierce Jim , Barrette Roger W. , Faburay Bonto , Ndoboli Dickson , Ekakoro John E. , Wampande Eddie M. , Havas Karyn A.
Published: July 2023

Blood samples were collected from pigs at six abattoirs in the Kampala, Uganda metropolitan area from May 2021 through June 2022, and tested for African swine fever virus. Thirty-one samples with cycle threshold values < 26 from pigs with different geographic origins, clinical and pathologic signs, and Ornithodoros moubata exposure underwent whole genome sequencing. The p72 gene was used to genotype the isolates, and all were found to be genotype IX; whole genome sequences to previous genotype IX isolates confirmed their similarity. Six of the isolates had enough coverage to evaluate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Five of the isolates differed from historic regional isolates, but had similar SNPs to one another, and the sixth isolate also differed from historic regional isolates, but also differed from the other five isolates, even though they are all genotype IX. Whole genome sequencing data provide additional detail on viral evolution that can be useful for molecular epidemiology, and understanding the impact of changes in genes to disease phenotypes, and may be needed for vaccine targeting should a commercial vaccine become available. More sequencing of African swine fever virus isolates is needed in Uganda to understand how and when the virus is changing.
High Prevalence of Rickettsia raoultii Found in Dermacentor Ticks Collected in Barnaul, Altai Krai, Western Siberia
Authors: Rakov Alexey V. , Chekanova Tatiana A. , Petremgvdlishvili Ketevan , Timonin Andrey V. , Valdokhina Anna V. , Shirokostup Sergey V. , Lukyanenko Natalia V. , Akimkin Vasiliy G.
Published: July 2023

The prevalence of the tick-borne spotted fever group rickettsioses pathogens in ticks collected in Barnaul, the administrative center of Altai Krai, Western Siberia, was studied. The causative agent of tick-borne lymphadenopathy (TIBOLA) Rickettsia raoultii was revealed to be present in 61.9% of the samples from Dermacentor ticks. Moreover, Rickettsia helvetica has been identified in 5.1% of Ixodes ticks.
Advances with Lipid-Based Nanosystems for siRNA Delivery to Breast Cancers
Authors: Subhan Md Abdus , Filipczak Nina , Torchilin Vladimir P.
Published: July 2023

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women. Breast cancer is also the key reason for worldwide cancer-related deaths among women. The application of small interfering RNA (siRNA)-based drugs to combat breast cancer requires effective gene silencing in tumor cells. To overcome the challenges of drug delivery to tumors, various nanosystems for siRNA delivery, including lipid-based nanoparticles that protect siRNA from degradation for delivery to cancer cells have been developed. These nanosystems have shown great potential for efficient and targeted siRNA delivery to breast cancer cells. Lipid-based nanosystems remain promising as siRNA drug delivery carriers for effective and safe cancer therapy including breast cancer. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) encapsulating siRNA enable efficient and specific silencing of oncogenes in breast tumors. This review discusses a variety of lipid-based nanosystems including cationic lipids, sterols, phospholipids, PEG-lipid conjugates, ionizable liposomes, exosomes for effective siRNA drug delivery to breast tumors, and the clinical translation of lipid-based siRNA nanosystems for solid tumors.
Neuroprotection in an Experimental Model of Multiple Sclerosis via Opening of Big Conductance, Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels
Authors: Pryce Gareth , Sisay Sofia , Giovannoni Gavin , Selwood David L. , Baker David
Published: July 2023

Big conductance calcium-activated (BK) channel openers can inhibit pathologically driven neural hyperactivity to control symptoms via hyperpolarizing signals to limit neural excitability. We hypothesized that BK channel openers would be neuroprotective during neuroinflammatory, autoimmune disease. The neurodegenerative disease was induced in a mouse experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis model with translational value to detect neuroprotection in multiple sclerosis. Following the treatment with the BK channel openers, BMS-204253 and VSN16R, neuroprotection was assessed using subjective and objective clinical outcomes and by quantitating spinal nerve content. Treatment with BMS-204253 and VSN16R did not inhibit the development of relapsing autoimmunity, consistent with minimal channel expression via immune cells, nor did it change leukocyte levels in rodents or humans. However, it inhibited the accumulation of nerve loss and disability as a consequence of autoimmunity. Therefore, in addition to symptom control, BK channel openers have the potential to save nerves from excitotoxic damage and could be useful as either stand-alone neuroprotective agents or as add-ons to current disease-modifying treatments that block relapsing MS but do not have any direct neuroprotective activity.
Drug-Repurposing Strategy for Dimethyl Fumarate
Authors: Giunta Salvatore , D’Amico Agata Grazia , Maugeri Grazia , Bucolo Claudio , Romano Giovanni Luca , Rossi Settimio , Eandi Chiara M. , Pricoco Elisabetta , D’Agata Velia
Published: July 2023

In the area of drug discovery, repurposing strategies represent an approach to discover new uses of approved drugs besides their original indications. We used this approach to investigate the effects of dimethyl fumarate (DMF), a drug approved for relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis and psoriasis treatment, on early injury associated with diabetic retinopathy (DR). We used an in vivo streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat model. Diabetes was induced by a single injection of STZ in rats, and after 1 week, a group of animals was treated with a daily intraperitoneal injection of DMF or a vehicle. Three weeks after diabetes induction, the retinal expression levels of key enzymes involved in DR were evaluated. In particular, the biomarkers COX-2, iNOS, and HO-1 were assessed via Western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis. Diabetic rats showed a significant retinal upregulation of COX-2 and iNOS compared to the retina of normal rats (non-diabetic), and an increase in HO-1 was also observed in the STZ group. This latter result was due to a mechanism of protection elicited by the pathological condition. DMF treatment significantly induced the retinal expression of HO-1 in STZ-induced diabetic animals with a reduction in iNOS and COX-2 retinal levels. Taken together, these results suggested that DMF might be useful to counteract the inflammatory process and the oxidative response in DR. In conclusion, we believe that DMF represents a potential candidate to treat diabetic retinopathy and warrants further in vivo and clinical evaluation.
The Role of Crosslinker Content of Positively Charged NIPAM Nanogels on the In Vivo Toxicity in Zebrafish
Authors: Bilardo Roberta , Traldi Federico , Brennan Caroline H. , Resmini Marina
Published: July 2023

Polymeric nanogels as drug delivery systems offer great advantages, such as high encapsulation capacity and easily tailored formulations; however, data on biocompatibility are still limited. We synthesized N-isopropylacrylamide nanogels, with crosslinker content between 5 and 20 mol%, functionalized with different positively charged co-monomers, and investigated the in vivo toxicity in zebrafish. Our results show that the chemical structure of the basic unit impacts the toxicity profile depending on the degree of ionization and hydrogen bonding capability. When the degree of crosslinking of the polymer was altered, from 5 mol% to 20 mol%, the distribution of the positively charged monomer 2-tert-butylaminoethyl methacrylate was significantly altered, leading to higher surface charges for the more rigid nanogels (20 mol% crosslinker), which resulted in >80% survival rate (48 h, up to 0.5 mg/mL), while the more flexible polymers (5 mol% crosslinker) led to 0% survival rate (48 h, up to 0.5 mg/mL). These data show the importance of tailoring both chemical composition and rigidity of the formulation to minimize toxicity and demonstrate that using surface charge data to guide the design of nanogels for drug delivery may be insufficient.
Exploring the Enhanced Antiproliferative Activity of Turmeric Oil and 6-Mercaptopurine in a Combined Nano-Particulate System Formulation
Authors: Ahmed Tarek , Ali Ehab , Kalantan Abdulaziz , Almehmady Alshaimaa , El-Say Khalid
Published: July 2023

6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP) is a chemotherapeutic agent with inadequate efficacy due to its poor aqueous solubility and limited bioavailability. Turmeric oil is a naturally occurring bioactive substance obtained from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa Linn that has well-known antiproliferative activities. The aim of this study was to develop a 6-MP-loaded turmeric oil-based self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) to improve the anticancer activity of 6-MP. Turmeric oil was extracted and used in a range of 15–25% to develop SNEDDS formulations utilizing tween 80 and dimethyl sulfoxide as the surfactant and cosurfactant, respectively. The size, charge, and effect of the formulations on the viability against HepG2 and MCF-7 cell models, as well as the apoptosis and cell cycle, were analyzed. The prepared SNEDDS formulations were in the size range of 425.7 ± 7.4–303.6 ± 19.3 nm, using a polydispersity index of 0.429–0.692 and electronegative surface charges. Moreover, 6-MP-loaded SNEDDS with 15% turmeric oil content (F1) showed smaller particle sizes and a noticeable antiproliferative activity against both cell line models. Also, F1 showed a higher rate of late apoptosis than the pure drug and the corresponding non-medicated formulation. A morphological study revealed significant changes in the HepG2 cells compared to untreated cells. More cells halted in the S phase, and a marked decrease in the proportions of cells in the G1/G0 phase was observed when using SNEDDS formulation compared to pure drug. Thus, SNEDDS formulation is a promising drug delivery system for improving the antiproliferative activity of 6-MP, especially when turmeric oil is incorporated.