bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Small and Medium-Scale Industries in Indonesia
Authors: Suhartono R.B.
Published: June 2023

Until the late 1960s, when the issue of perceived massive and rising unemployment came to the fore, the promotion of small and medium-scale industries had not become a major concern of development policy. Since then, because of the employment generation potential of small and medium-scale industries, more and more governments in the developing countries have adopted policies and measures for the promotion of these industries.

In any developing country, most manufacturing activities take place in small and medium industries and these account for an overwhelming proportion of the manufacturing establishments in the country. Available data do not suggest that the importance of small and medium industries declines as the levels of development rise. In fact, since the mid-1970s, small and medium industries may have made a comeback in the developed countries, due to, among other things, the shortening of the product life cycle and the need for flexible responses to changes in currency exchange rates, product markets and technological development.

This article attempts to describe the experience of Indonesia in the promotion of small and medium industries for development. In doing so, however, it first briefly examines the general features of small and medium-scale industries and the problems they face.
The Role of Multilateral Lending Institutions in the Development Process
Authors: Krueger Anne O.
Published: June 2023

The 1980s are a turning point for the multilateral lending institutions. The progress and differentiation of developing countries, international debt difficulties, and the unwillingness or inability of the United States to provide its historic leadership for these institutions have raised a series of important questions about their future role in the international economy. Their future contribution to the growth of developing countries will depend, in large part, on achieving a consensus as to their role in an altered international economic environment and then gaining adequate political support for them to carry out that role.

Achieving an intellectual understanding of the issues raised in an altered environment will be an important step in resolving those questions and reaching a consensus. As a contribution toward that understanding, this article addresses that topic. It starts with an evaluation of the analytical underpinnings of the formation and early activities of the multilateral lending institutions and then briefly considers their evolution and contributions to the international economy in the years prior to the 1980s. Thereafter, it notes the changes in the international economy and in our understanding of the development process. Next, it addresses the issues that must be resolved for a clear mandate for multilateral lending institutions. Finally, the article considers issues pertaining to the division of functions between the global institutions, on the one hand, and between the World Bank and the regional development banks, on the other.
Strategies and Policies for Structural Transformation in Asia
Authors: Ali Ifzal
Published: June 2023

During the last three decades the economic performance of the Asian developing countries has been spectacular. In the 1980s their overall growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP) was 7.3 per cent compared with 6.5 per cent in the 1970s and about 5 per cent in the 1960s. However, the growth rates varied widely among the countries and have been accompanied by significant structural transformation of the economies in terms of the shares of GDP and employment originating in agriculture, industry and services. Both external and internal factors contributed to the high growth rates, their variations among countries and differences in structural transformation. The external factors included buoyant export markets caused by relatively high growth rates in industrial countries, a favorable international trading environment, and transfers of capital and technology to the Asian developing economies. Since all these countries faced the same external environment, differences in growth rates and structural transformation among them could be explained by internal factors such as differing resource endowments, sociocultural environment, growth strategies, economic policies and stages of development. Growth strategies and economic policies have been widely held to be the most important factors in explaining the high growth rates and rapid structural transformation in the countries and variations among them…
Industrial Technology Capabilities and Policies in Asian Developing Countries
Authors: Kakazu Hiroshi
Published: June 2023

It has been increasingly recognized in recent years that industrial development is the best strategy that a developing country can adopt to achieve rapid economic progress. It has also been recognized that a key to rapid industrialization can be found in a country’s progress in technological capability. The term technology is commonly used to mean a collection of production techniques, know-how and skills which transform inputs into outputs. Thus, industrial technology is the practical application of technological knowledge in producing marketable goods. Technological capabilities include the ability to acquire (or select) imported or indigenous technologies, assimilate or adapt new technologies, disseminate new technical knowledge, and improve existing production processes and develop new technologies through investment in research and development (R&D)…
Taxation and Domestic Resource Mobilization
Authors: Medalla Felipe M.
Published: June 2023

Taxation can be viewed as an important form of domestic resource mobilization. To the extent that public goods are underprovided, the marginal productivity of resources may be higher in the public sector than in the private sector. As a result, output may increase as tax and revenue collection is improved…
Aspects of Urbanization and the Environment in Southeast Asia
Authors: Pernia Ernesto M.
Published: June 2023

Urbanization, involving changes in human settlement systems over time, is commonly perceived as an integral part of the development process. In developing Asia, which has been widely acclaimed as the world’s most dynamic region, especially in the 1980s, issues of urbanization and spatial development have remained on the forefront. They have also become more varied, largely as a consequence of varying economic performance across countries. For instance, while rapid growth in some economies such as the Republic of Korea; Malaysia; Taipei, China; and Thailand resulted in substantial reductions in poverty, income-distributional concerns (across households and regions) in these economies appear to have persisted while urban congestion and environmental problems have become more pronounced. The Asian economies with lower economic growth rates, on the other hand, continue to experience poverty, unemployment and rural backwardness apart from resource depletion, urban congestion and environmental degradation…
Rural Poverty in the Philippines: Incidence, Determinants and Policies
Authors: Balisacan Arsenio M.
Published: June 2023

Widespread poverty, unemployment and underemployment have been persistent characteristics of postwar Philippine development. The three are interrelated and are influenced by economic, political and sociocultural factors, including the country’s development strategies and the global environment for trade and finance. This article analyzes some aspects of the poverty problem, describes the differential effects of public policies and programs on the rural poor, and suggests areas for policy reforms aimed at alleviating rural poverty…
Reform of Indirect Taxes in Developing Countries: Selected Issues
Authors: Govinda Rao M.
Published: June 2023

Tax reform is almost universal and it has taken a prominent place in the agenda of many governments. In developing countries alone, there have been over 100 identifiable attempts at major tax reform since the mid-1940s. The pace of reforms, particularly in developing countries, has accelerated in recent years mainly due to the increasing realization of the need to make the tax systems simpler, more transparent, less distorting and broad based. Although the directions for reforming taxes and the success of tax reforms depend upon the particular country situation, the analysis of the experiences can immensely help in formulating appropriate strategies to raise the required revenues in an efficient and equitable manner…
Portfolio Investment in Asian and Pacific Economies: Trends and Prospects
Authors: Greenwood John G.
Published: June 2023

Historically, portfolio investment in Asia dates back to the purchase of Japanese or Chinese bonds—mainly by European investors—in the late nineteenth century and in the early years of the twentieth century. Like similar fixed interest obligations issued in North America or South America at the time, the Japanese and Chinese instruments offered attractive yields above the going rate on British gilt-edged securities or above bank rate in London. Not surprisingly, the higher perceived risks in East Asia commanded higher returns, and also not surprisingly there were occasional defaults—notably the Chinese gold and railway bonds of 1905, 1912 and 1913…
Flows of Private International Capital in the Asian and Pacific Region
Authors: Lim Chee Peng
Published: June 2023

If development economists were asked to identify those economies which have the greatest potential for growth in the nineties, they would probably select the People’s Republic of China; Republic of Korea; Singapore; Spain; Taipei, China; and Thailand. The inclusion of only one non-Asian and Pacific country in the list is not surprising, considering that the world’s major growth area has shifted from the Atlantic to the Pacific rim…
Structural Adjustment Policies and the Role of Tax Reform
Authors: Diokno Benjamin E.
Published: June 2023

Tax reform is hardly a new area in the economic agenda of developing countries. Gillis points out that there has been over 100 attempts at tax reform in developing countries since 1945. However, during the last 25 years the motivation for tax reform may have changed for a great number of these countries. It has shifted from being a desired or preferred policy reform to being a necessary one. For some countries, tax reform became necessary in order to close their fiscal gaps, but for others, it became necessary to maintain—in some cases, to enhance—their international competitiveness…
Urban Poverty in Bangladesh: Trends, Determinants, and Policy Issues
Authors: Khundker Nasreen , Mahmud Wahiddudin , Sen Binayak , Ahmed Monawar Uddin
Published: June 2023

The cities of Bangladesh face an overwhelming problem of population growth and extreme poverty. Urban poverty in Bangladesh, however, must be viewed within the context of a predominantly agrarian economy characterized by extreme conditions of generally low living standards, low productivity and widespread unemployment. The country is still mainly rural, with only about 15 per cent of the population living in urban areas. The urban population is estimated to have grown at around 6 per cent annually over the last three decades, compared with the national population growth rate of 2.5 per cent per annum in the 1960s, 2.7 per cent in the 1970s and about 2 per cent in the 1980s. The urban population is expected to increase rapidly because of continued rural-to-urban migration and the territorial extension of existing urban areas. In physical terms, the growth of the cities is taking place both in the densely built-up core areas and in peripheral areas. In the latest population census of 1991, the population of the capital city, Dhaka, was estimated to be about 3.6 million; but the greater Dhaka area including the adjacent urban settlements accounted for more than 6 million of the country’s total population of about 110 million. With increasing urbanization especially centered around bigger cities, the problem of providing employment, shelter and basic services to the urban population has become an important policy concern…
Urban Poverty in Sri Lanka: Critical Issues and Policy Measures
Authors: Gunatilleke Godfrey , Perera Myrtle
Published: June 2023

An unusual feature of Sri Lanka’s development during the four decades after independence has been the relatively slow growth of the urban sector. According to census data, the share of the urban population in the total population increased from 15.4 per cent in 1946 to 21.4 per cent in 1981. These data, which are based on the administrative definition of what is urban, tend to underestimate the actual extent of urbanization. But even after making corrections for this, the level of urbanization remains low. The slow expansion of the urban sector has been the result of a combination of economic, social and political factors…
Policy Reform for Promoting Trade in Developing Countries
Authors: Reza Sadrel
Published: June 2023

Various empirical studies have demonstrated the superiority of export-oriented policies over import-substituting (IS) strategies of growth. Widely followed in many developing countries until about the beginning of the 1980s, the IS strategy, which sheltered domestic industries by high protective walls, led to distorted economic structures and bred inefficiency. Recently, therefore, developing countries around the world have adopted, accelerated and broadened a reform process, involving both IMF-type stabilization measures and World Bank sponsored structural adjustment policies, for liberalizing their trade regimes. The rapidly growing market penetration of an expanded range of manufactured export products by a number of East Asian countries suggests that with suitable economic policies and a competitive production base, there is no reason for suffering from “export pessimism.” However, it must noted that export incentives alone are not enough and that prudent fiscal and monetary policies are also essential to successful export orientation. Moreover, depending on the unique features of each individual country, it is necessary to determine the sequence, pace, and mix of reform programs in a pragmatic manner.
Structural Adjustment, Labor Market, and Employment
Authors: Khan Azizur Rahman
Published: June 2023

This paper explores the relationship between labor market and employment on one hand and macroeconomic imbalance and its adjustment on the other. It argues that distortions and rigidities in the labor market can aggravate macroeconomic imbalance and create impediments in the way of their adjustment. It also argues that the initial system of economic incentives and institutions and the composition of adjustment policies determine what kind of impact adjustment has on employment. A comparison of the experience of a group of South Asian countries with that of a group of East and Southeast Asian countries provides useful insights into the kind of labor market policies and institutions that are most conducive to the avoidance of macroeconomic imbalance and to the rapid adjustment of the imbalances that occur. This comparison also helps identify guidelines for the design of employment-friendly adjustment.
International Finance and Domestic Financial Market Development: The Case of Indonesia
Authors: James William E.
Published: June 2023

The order of financial market reform in Indonesia, which largely preceded real sector liberalization, was unusual as the external capital account was opened prior to domestic financial market reform. It is posited that changes in financial market policies in Indonesia were strongly influenced by changing circumstances in Indonesia’s access to external finance and to changing conditions in international financial markets. For example, the oil boom and petro-dollar recycling phenomenon reduced Indonesia’s fiscal and financial constraints and, consequently, domestic financial markets became highly regulated and credit and savings flows subject to state controls. The end of the oil bonanza meant tighter fiscal constraints and necessitated tax and financial reforms aimed at boosting savings and increasing the efficiency of domestic financial markets. The success of Indonesia’s financial reforms, though not without problems, provides another case study on the crucial role financial liberalization can play in overall economic development.
Competitiveness and Human Resource Development in Asia
Authors: Deolalikar Anil , Hasan Rana , Khan Haider , Quibria M.G.
Published: June 2023

Rapid growth in a number of East Asian economies over the last three decades has been facilitated by an effective strategy of human resource development. The principal element of this strategy has been to provide basic education and health to a wider segment of society. This strategy helped these countries achieve rapid growth through labor-intensive manufacturing on one hand, and ensure equitable distribution in society on the other. However, these countries are confronted with new human resource challenges as they attempt to make the transition to the next stage of development. As this paper points out, many of East Asia’s rapidly growing economies have paid inadequate attention to higher education and technological capability among their people. The paper identifies specific areas in which human resource development remains weak in developing Asia and suggests strategies and policies to overcome them.
Women in Emerging Asia: Welfare, Employment, and Human Development
Authors: Bardhan Kalpana , Klasen Stephan
Published: June 2023

Women in Asia now find themselves at a crossroad. While most of the long-term trends in demography, education, and employment opportunities, if sustained by supportive policies and gender-sensitive crisis management, are likely to reduce gender inequities, the outlook in the short to medium term is not very bright. Gender-bias in mortality persists in parts of Asia. Literacy and schooling gaps are still large in South Asia. The interaction of gender-based indicators of welfare, capability, work participation, and earnings reflects the centrality of female education for economic growth, mortality and fertility reduction, and equity. Educational inequality will be a weightier source of income inequality in the next decade. Lastly, during stagflation, recession, restructuring, and transition, women relatively suffer earnings loss, workload increase, and educational setback. Economic growth is not a sufficient condition for gender equity, and public policies must consistently pursue it in the distribution of opportunities and adjustment costs. Improving women’s employment opportunities (in quantity and quality) involves addressing labor-market rigidities, credit-market barriers, and the lack of infrastructure and utilities that aggravates their workloads.
Incentive Mechanisms Surrounding International Financial Institutions
Authors: Hamada Koichi
Published: June 2023

This paper applies the common agency framework and the theory of nonprofit organization to the functioning of international financial institutions (IFIs such as the IMF, IBRD, and ADB. Webs of intricate monitoring networks exist among member countries of an institution, its secretariat, and countries that receive financial support in exchange for conditionality. The paper will show, under the assumption of risk averse institutions and risk neutral members, that (i) the power of monitoring will be normally weakened if the IFI has an independent objective distinct from that of members; (ii) two or more IFIs will help the members unless external diseconomies exist among them; (iii) the free-rider problem of public goods can be resolved by conditionality but under a strict condition of perfect appropriability of surplus by principals, and (iv) if the IFI is situated between two risk neutral members like donor countries and recipient countries of IFI support, then the weakening of the power of monitoring disappears.
Women’s Status: Levels, Determinants, Consequences for Malnutrition, Interventions, and Policy
Authors: Haddad Lawrence
Published: June 2023

This paper uses a gendered conceptual framework of the determinants of child survival, growth, and development to organize a review of the latest evidence on the strength of causal linkages between child nutrition outcomes and the relative status of women in seven Asian countries. Using a variety of indicators, the paper demonstrates the considerable variation in the status of women relative to men in the seven countries. Of the seven study countries, the status of women relative to men is lowest in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. The paper also reaffirms that equality in women’s status relative to men’s, controlling for a host of socioeconomic factors, has a positive impact on child growth and discourages the intergenerational perpetuation of gender-based discrimination. The paper explores some of the economic and cultural explanations for the relatively poor status of women in the countries in question and draws out implications for policy and project design. Efforts to modify policy and project design to counter gender discrimination will rely on the effective monitoring of the status of women and the supportiveness of the enabling legal environment.
The Role of Caring Practices and Resources for Care in Child Survival, Growth, and Development: South and Southeast Asia
Authors: Engle Patrice
Published: June 2023

This paper evaluates the extent to which programs for improving nutrition in seven Asian countries evaluate care practices and resources for care, and how this understanding is incorporated into their plans. Care practices and resources for care are defined according to the UNICEF framework, and the more unfamiliar care practices are described. The value of including care in nutrition programs is shown through several model programs. The significance of care not only for nutrition, but also for child development is highlighted. The most commonly mentioned care practice in the seven countries was breastfeeding, and the most widely recognized resource for care was maternal education. Care practices such as psychosocial care and care for women received less attention, as did the autonomy or decision-making power of the caregiver. Although the importance of care practices and resources for care is recognized, recommendations are general and lack specificity. Program planners will need training in scientific disciplines such as psychology or anthropology in order to develop strategies for incorporating care into nutrition and child development programs.
Opportunities for Investments in Nutrition in Low-income Asia
Authors: Horton Susan
Published: June 2023

This paper examines the opportunities for nutritional investments in nine low-income Asian countries, where current levels of malnutrition are high and declining only slowly. Income growth alone is not sufficient to reduce malnutrition. The economic costs of malnutrition in the region are high, accounting for as many as 2.8 million child deaths and 65,000 maternal deaths annually. Productivity losses can be conservatively estimated to be at least 2-3 percent of GDP annually. Nutrition investments are very cost-effective. Micronutrient interventions and breastfeeding promotion are as cost-effective as basic child survival initiatives, and education/ supplementation programs are as cost-effective as antenatal care. Priority interventions in the region include: strengthening monitoring of salt iodization (and extension of the program to Cambodia); extension of coverage of vitamin A mass dose, establishing vitamin A fortification programs, and enforcing existing legislation; establishing iron fortification and intensifying coverage of iron supplementation to pregnant women; promotion of best practice in breastfeeding; water and sanitation investments in selected regions; and building on successful community-based nutrition programs.
A new scheme for seven-port division via reflective arrays on a connecting slab
Authors: Zou Hong , Wang Bo , Liu Liqun , Wang Xiaofeng , Li Jiahao , Yu Weiyi , Huang Jinhai , Yang Xu , Huang Linjian , Luo Li , Wang Qu , Chen Guoding
Published: June 2023

A seven-port division is described via the connecting-slab-based reflective grating in this paper. The rigorous coupled wave analysis (RCWA) and simulated annealing algorithm (SAA) are chosen to analyze and optimize the performance of the grating. The total diffraction efficiency of TE and TM polarization is 96.75% and 95.53%, respectively. Besides, the target grating has good uniformity errors, which are reduced to 3.69% and 1.76% for TE and TM polarization, respectively. The modal method provides a physical explanation for the energy transformations within the target grating. Furthermore, the manufacturing tolerance is discussed for the seven-port division grating. Through analysis and discussion, various performances of the grating can be better demonstrated. Compared with most seven-port grating splitters reported previously, the grating in this paper achieves better diffraction efficiency uniformity and higher efficiency.
Rectification of extremely short pulses in thin films of chiral nanotubes
Authors: Alhousen G. Almohammad , Konobeeva N. N. , Belonenko M. B.
Published: June 2023

Based on the proposed model for the interaction of an extremely short pulse of an electric field with chiral nanotubes (CHNTs), the case of a plane pulse passing through a thin layer of CHNTs is considered. The effect of rectification of a bipolar extremely short pulse is discovered and the dependence on the thickness of the nanotube film is investigated.
A refractive index sensor based on the MIM waveguide with a semi-elliptical and a rectangular ring resonant cavity
Authors: Chen Jia-Hua , Wang Liu , Chen Jun-Xue , Zeng Ya-Ping , Liang Qiu-Qun , Xia Xiong-Ping
Published: June 2023

In this paper, a novel nanosensor comprising the metal–insulator–metal (MIM) plasmonics waveguide with a semi-elliptical and rectangular ring resonant cavity is designed. In near-infrared waveband, the propagation properties of electromagnetic waves in the structure are studied using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The results show that, based on the coupling between the semi-elliptical and the rectangular ring resonant cavity, the transmission spectrum of the structure exhibits a sharp Fano resonance shape. Next, the influence of the refractive index and sensor structure parameters on performance is systematically investigated. The simulation results show that the sensor structure has the best sensitivity of 1384[Formula: see text]nm/RIU (refractive index unit), and the figure of merit (FOM) is 28.4. The simple MIM structure could be applied to sensitive plasmonic sensors.
A Novel Integrated Neutrosophic Cosine Operator Based Linear Programming ANP-EDAS MCGDM Strategy to Select Anti-Pegasus Software
Authors: Banik Baisakhi , Alam Shariful , Chakraborty Avishek
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we have established Cosine Trigonometric Operational Law (CTOL) and constructed Cosine Trigonometric Neutrosophic Weighted Averaging (CT-NWA) operator in the domain of generalized neutrosophic environment, which has been endorsed in a Multi-Criteria Group Decision Making (MCGDM) technique to select the best Anti-Pegasus software. In this study, the expertize recommendations and public opinion are well taken in context of debatable Pegasus issue in the Indian political, bureaucratic and democratic aspects. The problem has been addressed and resolved by using the integrated methodology of Analytical Network Process (ANP) and Evaluation based on Distance from Average Solution (EDAS) strategies. Here, we have optimized the weight factors and the gradation values of the decision makers as well as the sub-criteria of each criterion using Linear Programming (LP) model. Finally, we have performed the comparative analysis from various aspects to justify the reliability of our results.
On an efficient iterative scheme for a class of generalized nonexpansive operators in Banach spaces
Authors: Ahmad Fayyaz , Ullah Kifayat , Ahmad Junaid , Bilal Hazrat
Published: June 2023

The main purpose of this work is to connect the recently introduced iterative approximation scheme known as [Formula: see text]-iterative scheme with the class of generalized [Formula: see text]-nonexpansive mappings. We consider the setting of a Banach space to prove our weak and strong convergence results. Once again, we prove that the class of [Formula: see text]-nonexpansive mapping includes properly the classes of Suzuki nonexpansive, generalized [Formula: see text]-nonexpansive and as well Reich–Suzuki type nonexpansive mappings by providing a numerical example. Eventually, we prove that [Formula: see text]-iterative scheme of this example is essentially more efficient than the other well-known iterative scheme of the literature. The presented work is new and extends some other well-known results in the iterations theory.
Mapping intragranular microstructures in quartz: the significance of Dauphiné twinning
Authors: Lloyd Geoffrey E.
Published: June 2023

Mapping on the microstructural scale can contribute significantly to conventional field and larger scale mapping and understanding of spatial, temporal and process-oriented relationships. Here, electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD)-based microstructural maps are presented of subgrain and Dauphiné twin boundaries in undeformed sedimentary quartzite. ‘Plane matching’ analysis permits determination of the complete orientation of boundaries. A workflow is presented to facilitate the necessary crystallographic calculations. The resulting maps indicate: (1) boundary plane rotation angle/axis pairs, including tilt–twist components; (2) boundary migration vectors; and (3) conventional EBSD misorientation angle/axis pairs. Subgrain boundaries are general with small misorientations and boundary plane normal directions sub-parallel to grain boundary stress concentrations; rotation axes are oriented sub-parallel to the bedding dip (017°/10°E). Most exhibit bi-direction boundary migration vectors parallel to bedding normal. The EBSD misorientation analysis results are different as they only recognize the parallelism of adjacent crystal lattices. The differences are especially apparent for Dauphiné twin boundaries. Maps are presented of twin boundaries using matched plane analysis, including explanation for lateral twin migration. Driving forces to move twin boundaries are also estimated by mapping variations in Young's modulus between parents and twins; differences are significant, indicating that the Young's modulus and driving forces do not need to be large, explaining the propensity for twinning in many quartzites.
A New English/Arabic Parallel Corpus for Phishing Emails
Authors: Salloum Said , Gaber Tarek , Vadera Sunil , Shaalan Khaled
Published: June 2023

Phishing involves malicious activity whereby phishers, in the disguise of legitimate entities, obtain illegitimate access to the victims’ personal and private information, usually through emails. Currently, phishing attacks and threats are being handled effectively through the use of the latest phishing email detection solutions. Most current phishing detection systems assume phishing attacks to be in English, though attacks in other languages are growing. In particular, Arabic is a widely used language and therefore represents a vulnerable target. However, there is a significant shortage of corpora that can be used to develop Arabic phishing detection systems. This article presents the development of a new English-Arabic parallel phishing email corpus that has been developed from the anti-phishing share task text (IWSPA-AP 2018). The email content was to be translated, and the task had been allotted to 10 volunteers who had a university background and were English and Arabic language experts. To evaluate the effectiveness of the new corpus, we develop phishing email detection models using Term Frequency–Inverse Document Frequency and Multilayer Perceptron using 1,258 emails in Arabic and English that have equal ratios of legitimate and phishing emails. The experimental findings show that the accuracy reaches 96.82% for the Arabic dataset and 94.63% for the emails in English, providing some assurance of the potential value of the parallel corpus developed.
Navigating Performance-Efficiency Tradeoffs in Serverless Computing: Deduplication to the Rescue!
Authors: Saxena Divyanshu , Ji Tao , Singhvi Arjun , Khalid Junaid , Akella Aditya
Published: June 2023

Navigating the performance and efficiency trade-offs is critical for serverless platforms, where the providers ideally want to give the illusion of warm function startups while maintaining low resource costs. Limited controls, provided via toggling sandboxes between warm and cold states and keepalives, force operators to sacrifice significant resources to achieve good performance.
Exploration of MgTiO3-CaTiO3 Ceramic-Based Dielectric Resonator Antenna for Sub-6 GHz 5G Communication Application
Authors: Mohapatra S. , Barman R. , Das T. K. , Badapanda T. , Bennett Elliot L. , Tripathy Satya N.
Published: June 2023

There has been extensive research on microwave dielectric materials considering their applications in 5G communication technologies. In this work, the microwave dielectric performances of 0.95MgTiO3−0.05CaTiO3 (MCT) ceramic for sub-6 GHz frequency 5G application have been reported. The solid-state reaction technique was used to develop the MCT ceramic. The structural as well as dielectric properties of MCT were systematically examined. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to examine the crystalline phase of the MCT sample. The microwave dielectric properties, including relative permittivity, temperature coefficient of resonant frequency, and quality factor of MCT were measured. Using MCT ceramic as the resonator, a dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) has been simulated using HFSS software, which realizes that the S11 curve is in good accordance and that efficiency is high at 5.22 GHz. The extraordinary performances indicate that MCT ceramic is a potential candidate for 5G application.
The effects of a 6-month intervention aimed to reduce sedentary time on skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Sjöros Tanja , Laine Saara , Garthwaite Taru , Vähä-Ypyä Henri , Koivumäki Mikko , Eskola Olli , Löyttyniemi Eliisa , Houttu Noora , Laitinen Kirsi , Kalliokoski Kari K. , Sievänen Harri , Vasankari Tommi , Knuuti Juhani , Heinonen Ilkka H. A.
Published: June 2023

Aiming to reduce daily SB by 1 h/day had no impact on skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity in the weight-bearing thigh muscles. However, successfully reducing SB may increase insulin sensitivity in the postural hamstring muscles. This emphasizes the importance of both reducing SB and increasing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity to improve insulin sensitivity in functionally different muscles of the body and thus induce a more comprehensive change in insulin sensitivity in the whole body.
Whole brain inputs to major descending pathways of the anterior lateral motor cortex
Authors: Xu Tonghui , Jin Zitao , Yang Mei , Chen Zhilong , Xiong Huan
Published: June 2023

Distinct descending pathways of anterior lateral motor cortex (ALM) share common inputs. These inputs are with varied weights. Most inputs were from the ipsilateral side of brain. Preferential inputs were provided by cortex and thalamus (TH).
The Value of the Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Technique in Evaluating Microcirculatory Dysfunction in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Abulaiti Alina , Zhang Quan , Huang Haiyan , Ding Shuang , Shayiti Miriguli , Wang Shaoyu , Wang Yunling , Jia Wenxiao
Published: June 2023

Objective. To evaluate the value of the cardiac magnetic resonance intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) technique in microcirculatory dysfunction in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Methods. The medical records of 19 patients with HCM in our hospital from January 2020 to May 2021 were collected retrospectively, and 23 healthy people with a similar age and gender distribution to the patients with HCM were included as controls. All the included subjects underwent clinical assessment and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. The original IVIM images were analysed, and the imaging parameters of each segment were measured. The HCM group was divided into non-hypertrophic myocardium and hypertrophic myocardium groups. The differences in imaging parameters between the normal and HCM groups were compared. A Spearman correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between end-diastolic thickness (EDTH) and each IVIM parameter. Results. The D

∗

and f values in the HCM group were lower than those in the normal group (

p
<
0.0001

and

p
=
0.004

, respectively). The f, D, D

∗

, and EDTH values of the hypertrophic segment, non-hypertrophic segment, and normal groups were statistically significant (

p
<
0.05

). The difference in D

∗

values among the mild, moderate, severe, and very severe HCM groups was statistically significant (

p
<
0.05

). There was a statistically significant difference in EDTH among the mild, moderate, severe, and very severe groups (

p
<
0.001

). There were significant differences in the values of D, D

∗

, and f between the non-delayed enhancement group and the delayed enhancement group (

p
<
0.05

). The EDTH values of 304 segments in the HCM group were negatively correlated with f (r = −0.219,

p
=
0.028

) and D

∗

values (r = −0.310,

p
<
0.001

). Conclusion. The use of IVIM technology can achieve a non-invasive early quantitative assessment of microvascular disease in HCM without the injection of a contrast agent and provide a reference for the early diagnosis of and intervention in myocardial ischemia in patients with HCM.
Development and Evaluation of the Biological Adjuvant Bivalent Vaccine for Preventing Newcastle Disease and Infectious Bursal Disease
Authors: Guo Xiaochen , Sun Wenying , Hu Changhui , Wang Xiangxiang , Li Shuang , Qin Ruihan , Wang Yixuan , Liu Jinmiao , Xue Zhiqiang , Li Huijuan , Zhang Tingting , Wang Wei , Guo Yunpeng , Yin Jiechao , Jiang Ming , Zhao Han , Wei Lan , Zhang Jingmin , Ren Guiping
Published: June 2023

Newcastle disease (ND) and infectious bursal disease (IBD) are both one of the most economically important infectious diseases, which cause high infection rate and mortality of chickens and restrict the development of the poultry industry. Currently, vaccination is the most effective method to prevent ND and IBD. In this study, the biological adjuvant bivalent vaccine (rClone30-VP2L-chGM-CSF) was developed for preventing ND and IBD. Furthermore, the immune and protective effects of rClone30-VP2L-chGM-CSF were evaluated in specific-pathogen-free chickens. The experimental results indicated that chickens immunized with rClone30-VP2L-chGM-CSF vaccine significantly improved anti-IBDV and anti-NDV antibody titer; the level of CD4+ T, CD8+ T, B+, MHC-II+, and monocyte/macrophagocyte+ cells; the concentrations of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-17, IFN-α, IFN-β, and IFN-γ; and the splenocyte proliferation rate. Anti-NDV antibody titer reached the theoretical protection value of 4log2 at 7 days after immunization in chickens of rClone30-VP2L-chGM-CSF group; however, which at 14 days after immunization in chickens of rClone30-VP2L and rClone30. These results showed that chickens immunized with rClone30-VP2L-chGM-CSF stimulated stronger immune response than those with the rClone30-VP2L and rClone30. Chickens were challenged with virulent IBDV BC6/85, which were protected in the rClone30-VP2L-chGM-CSF group. Furthermore, IBDV RNA was not measured, and there appeared to be little apoptosis in the bursa of Fabricius in the rClone30-VP2L-chGM-CSF group. Therefore, rClone30-VP2L-chGM-CSF is a promising vaccine candidate against infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) and newcastle disease virus (NDV), and it provides an idea for developing other poultry vaccines.
Corneal Astigmatism Alteration after Combined Silicone Oil Removal and Cataract Surgery with Intraocular Lens Implantation
Authors: Ji Zhenyu , Su Ting , Li Lu , He Tao , Su Yu
Published: June 2023

Purpose. To explore short‐term changes in corneal astigmatism after combined silicone oil removal and cataract (SORC) surgery. Methods. We enrolled 89 patients (43 men and 46 women). Zeiss IOLMaster was used to measure corneal astigmatism status and axial length on the day before and after the SORC surgery. Best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and intraocular pressure (IOP) were recorded. The results were compared to the outcomes at 3 days, 1 week, and 1 month postoperatively. Results. Compared to baseline, K1 decreased significantly at 3 days postoperatively (P = 0.016), 1 week (P = 0.009), and 1 month (P = 0.035), while K2 increased significantly at 3 days postoperatively (P = 0.002), 1 week (P < 0.001), and 1 month (P = 0.001), as well as corneal astigmatism (all P < 0.001). Compared to that at the baseline, BCVA significantly improved at 3 days, 1 week, and 1 month postoperatively (all P < 0.001). Meanwhile, IOP decreased significantly at 3 days postoperatively (P < 0.001), 1 week (P = 0.005), and 1 month (P = 0.007). Similarly, axial length decreased at all follow‐up time points (all P < 0.001). Conclusion. Corneal astigmatism increased in the short term after the SORC operation but gradually decreased at 1 month postoperatively. BCVA improved steadily, and SORC was widely used in the clinic.
Degradation of Metronidazole from Aqueous Environment Using Hydrothermally Synthesized ZnO, N-Doped ZnO, and ZnO/AC Nanoparticles
Authors: Bagum Masuma , Islam Shariful , Khan Easir Arafat , Khandaker Jahirul Islam , Ahmed Farid
Published: June 2023

ZnO, ZnO (calcined at 400°C), nitrogen-doped ZnO nanoparticles, and activated carbon (AC) impregnated with ZnO (ZnO/AC) nanocomposites were synthesized by the hydrothermal method. The structural, morphological, and optical properties of the synthesized complexes were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transformation infrared analysis (FTIR), Brunauer−Emmett−Teller (BET) analysis, and UV-visible spectroscopy analysis. The degradation of the antibiotic metronidazole (MNZ) from aqueous solutions was examined by the photocatalytic process of those synthesized complexes. Among the four complexes, ZnO/AC was confirmed to be a capable prospective both as an efficient photocatalyst and as an adsorbent. The optimal photodegradation condition obtained was 0.9 g/L and pH = 9. After 300 minutes, 99% of MNZ was removed by ZnO/AC. Finally, gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy was conducted to identify the degradation intermediates.
Supplementary Data from Drosophila Screening Identifies Dual Inhibition of MEK and AURKB as an Effective Therapy for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Sekiya Sho , Fukuda Junki , Yamamura Ryodai , Ooshio Takako , Satoh Yusuke , Kosuge Shinya , Sato Reo , Hatanaka Kanako C. , Hatanaka Yutaka , Mitsuhashi Tomoko , Nakamura Toru , Matsuno Yoshihiro , Hirano Satoshi , Sonoshita Masahiro
Published: June 2023

Supplementary methods, tables, and figures
Data from Drosophila Screening Identifies Dual Inhibition of MEK and AURKB as an Effective Therapy for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Sekiya Sho , Fukuda Junki , Yamamura Ryodai , Ooshio Takako , Satoh Yusuke , Kosuge Shinya , Sato Reo , Hatanaka Kanako C. , Hatanaka Yutaka , Mitsuhashi Tomoko , Nakamura Toru , Matsuno Yoshihiro , Hirano Satoshi , Sonoshita Masahiro
Published: June 2023

Abstract
Significant progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) by generating and using murine models. To accelerate drug discovery by identifying novel therapeutic targets on a systemic level, here we generated a Drosophila model mimicking the genetic signature in PDAC (KRAS, TP53, CDKN2A, and SMAD4 alterations), which is associated with the worst prognosis in patients. The ‘4-hit’ flies displayed epithelial transformation and decreased survival. Comprehensive genetic screening of their entire kinome revealed kinases including MEK and AURKB as therapeutic targets. Consistently, a combination of the MEK inhibitor trametinib and the AURKB inhibitor BI-831266 suppressed the growth of human PDAC xenografts in mice. In patients with PDAC, the activity of AURKB was associated with poor prognosis. This fly-based platform provides an efficient whole-body approach that complements current methods for identifying therapeutic targets in PDAC.
Significance:
Development of a Drosophila model mimicking genetic alterations in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma provides a tool for genetic screening that identifies MEK and AURKB inhibition as a potential treatment strategy.
Drosophila Screening Identifies Dual Inhibition of MEK and AURKB as an Effective Therapy for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Sekiya Sho , Fukuda Junki , Yamamura Ryodai , Ooshio Takako , Satoh Yusuke , Kosuge Shinya , Sato Reo , Hatanaka Kanako C. , Hatanaka Yutaka , Mitsuhashi Tomoko , Nakamura Toru , Matsuno Yoshihiro , Hirano Satoshi , Sonoshita Masahiro
Published: June 2023

Significant progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) by generating and using murine models. To accelerate drug discovery by identifying novel therapeutic targets on a systemic level, here we generated a Drosophila model mimicking the genetic signature in PDAC (KRAS, TP53, CDKN2A, and SMAD4 alterations), which is associated with the worst prognosis in patients. The ‘4-hit’ flies displayed epithelial transformation and decreased survival. Comprehensive genetic screening of their entire kinome revealed kinases including MEK and AURKB as therapeutic targets. Consistently, a combination of the MEK inhibitor trametinib and the AURKB inhibitor BI-831266 suppressed the growth of human PDAC xenografts in mice. In patients with PDAC, the activity of AURKB was associated with poor prognosis. This fly-based platform provides an efficient whole-body approach that complements current methods for identifying therapeutic targets in PDAC.

Significance:

Development of a Drosophila model mimicking genetic alterations in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma provides a tool for genetic screening that identifies MEK and AURKB inhibition as a potential treatment strategy.
Figure S2 from A Multiparameter Molecular Classifier to Predict Response to Neoadjuvant Lapatinib plus Trastuzumab without Chemotherapy in HER2+ Breast Cancer
Authors: Veeraraghavan Jamunarani , Gutierrez Carolina , De Angelis Carmine , Davis Robert , Wang Tao , Pascual Tomas , Selenica Pier , Sanchez Katherine , Nitta Hiroaki , Kapadia Monesh , Pavlick Anne C. , Galvan Patricia , Rexer Brent , Forero-Torres Andres , Nanda Rita , Storniolo Anna M. , Krop Ian E. , Goetz Matthew P. , Nangia Julie R. , Wolff Antonio C. , Weigelt Britta , Reis-Filho Jorge S. , Hilsenbeck Susan G. , Prat Aleix , Osborne C. Kent , Schiff Rachel , Rimawi Mothaffar F.
Published: June 2023

Supplementary Figure S2. Distribution of HER2 gene ratio and protein in the two neoadjuvant cohorts.
Supplementary Fig. 4 from MEK Inhibition Sensitizes Pancreatic Cancer to STING Agonism by Tumor Cell–intrinsic Amplification of Type I IFN Signaling
Authors: Ghukasyan Razmik , Liang Keke , Chau Kevin , Li Luyi , Chan Charlotte , Abt Evan R. , Le Thuc , Park Joon Y. , Wu Nanping , Premji Alykhan , Damoiseaux Robert , Luu Tony , Labora Amanda , Rashid Khalid , Link Jason M. , Radu Caius G. , Donahue Timothy R.
Published: June 2023

Supplementary Fig. 4 Immunoblot analysis demonstrating the effect of ± 100 U/ml exogenous IFN on CFPAC-1 and SUIT2 parental cells compared to their respective IFNAR-deficient isogenic cell lines. (B) Immunoblot analysis of CFPAC-1 parental and IFNAR1-KO cells exposed to ± 1 µM diABZI ± 100 nM trametinib for 24 h (C)Immunoblot analysis of the effects of ± 100 U/ml exogenous IFN ± 1 µM diABZI for 24 h.