bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Activation of TREK-1 (K2P2.1) potassium channels protects against influenza A-induced lung injury
Authors: Zyrianova Tatiana , Lopez Benjamin , Zou Kathlyn , Gu Charles , Pham Dayna , Talapaneni Sriharsha , Waters Christopher M. , Olcese Riccardo , Schwingshackl Andreas
Published: November 2022

Influenza-A virus (IAV) infects yearly an estimated one billion people worldwide, resulting in 300,000–650,000 deaths. Preventive vaccination programs and antiviral medications represent the mainstay of therapy, but with unacceptably high morbidity and mortality rates, new targeted therapeutic approaches are urgently needed. Since inflammatory processes are commonly associated with measurable changes in the cell membrane potential (Em), we investigated whether Em hyperpolarization via TREK-1 ( K2P2.1) K+ channel activation can protect against influenza-A virus (IAV)-induced pneumonia. We infected mice with IAV, which after 5 days caused 10–15% weight loss and a decrease in spontaneous activity, representing a clinically relevant infection. We then started a 3-day intratracheal treatment course with the novel TREK-1 activating compounds BL1249 or ML335. We confirmed TREK-1 activation with both compounds in untreated and IAV-infected primary human alveolar epithelial cells (HAECs) using high-throughput fluorescent imaging plate reader (FLIPR) assays. In mice, TREK-1 activation with BL1249 and ML335 counteracted IAV-induced histological lung injury and decrease in lung compliance and improved BAL fluid total protein levels, cell counts, and inflammatory IL-6, IP-10/CXCL-10, MIP-1α, and TNF-α levels. To determine whether these anti-inflammatory effects were mediated by activation of alveolar epithelial TREK-1 channels, we studied the effects of BL1249 and ML335 in IAV-infected HAEC, and found that TREK-1 activation decreased IAV-induced inflammatory IL-6, IP-10/CXCL10, and CCL-2 secretion. Dissection of TREK-1 downstream signaling pathways and construction of protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks revealed NF-κB1 and retinoic acid-inducible gene-1 (RIG-1) cascades as the most likely targets for TREK-1 protection. Therefore, TREK-1 activation may represent a novel therapeutic approach against IAV-induced lung injury.
Induction and decay of seasonal acclimatization on whole body heat loss responses during exercise in a hot humid environment with different air velocities
Authors: Lei Tze-Huan , Fujiwara Masashi , Amano Tatsuro , Mündel Toby , Inoue Yoshimitsu , Fujii Naoto , Nishiyasu Takeshi , Kondo Narihiko
Published: November 2022

Whether whole body heat loss and thermoregulatory function (local sweat rate and skin blood flow) are different between summer and autumn and between autumn and winter seasons during exercise with different air flow in humid heat remain unknown. We therefore tested the hypotheses that whole body sweat rate (WBSR), evaporated sweat rate, and thermoregulatory function during cycling exercise in autumn would be higher than in winter but would be lower than in summer under hot-humid environment (32 C, 75% RH). We also tested the hypothesis that the increase of air velocity would enhance evaporated sweat rate and sweating efficiency across winter, summer, and autumn seasons. Eight males cycled for 1 h at 40% V̇o2max in winter, summer, and autumn seasons. Using an electric fan, air velocity increased from 0.2 m/s to 1.1 m/s during the final 20 min of cycling. The autumn season resulted in a lower WBSR, unevaporated sweat rate, and a higher sweating efficiency compared with summer (all P ≤ 0.05) but WBSR and unevaporated sweat rate in autumn were higher than in winter and thus sweating efficiency was lower when compared with winter only at the air velocity of 0.2 m/s (All P ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, evaporated sweat rate and core temperature ( Tcore) were not different among winter, summer, and autumn seasons (All P > 0.19). In conclusion, changes in WBSR across different seasons do not alter Tcore during exercise in a hot humid environment. Furthermore, increasing air velocity enhances evaporated sweat rate and sweating efficiency across all seasons.
Skeletal muscle angiogenic, regulatory, and heat shock protein responses to prolonged passive hyperthermia of the human lower limb
Authors: Gibson Oliver R. , Astin Rónan , Puthucheary Zudin , Yadav Shreya , Preston Sophie , Gavins Felicity N. E. , González-Alonso José
Published: November 2022

Passive hyperthermia induces a range of physiological responses including augmenting skeletal muscle mRNA expression. This experiment aimed to examine gene and protein responses to prolonged passive leg hyperthermia. Seven young participants underwent 3 h of resting unilateral leg heating (HEAT) followed by a further 3 h of rest, with the contralateral leg serving as an unheated control (CONT). Muscle biopsies were taken at baseline (0 h), and at 1.5, 3, 4, and 6 h in HEAT and 0 and 6 h in CONT to assess changes in selected mRNA expression via qRT-PCR, and HSP72 and VEGFα concentration via ELISA. Muscle temperature ( Tm) increased in HEAT plateauing from 1.5 to 3 h (+3.5 ± 1.5°C from 34.2 ± 1.2°C baseline value; P < 0.001), returning to baseline at 6 h. No change occurred in CONT. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), Forkhead box O1 (FOXO-1), Hsp72, and VEGFα mRNA increased in HEAT ( P < 0.05); however, post hoc analysis identified that only Hsp72 mRNA statistically increased (at 4 h vs. baseline). When peak change during HEAT was calculated angiopoietin 2 (ANGPT-2) decreased (−0.4 ± 0.2-fold), and C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) (+2.9 ± 1.6-fold), FOXO-1 (+6.2 ± 4.4-fold), Hsp27 (+2.9 ± 1.7-fold), Hsp72 (+8.5 ± 3.5-fold), Hsp90α (+4.6 ± 3.7-fold), and VEGFα (+5.9 ± 3.1-fold) increased from baseline (all P < 0.05). At 6 h Tm were not different between limbs ( P = 0.582; CONT = 32.5 ± 1.6°C, HEAT = 34.3 ± 1.2°C), and only ANGPT-2 ( P = 0.031; −1.3 ± 1.4-fold) and VEGFα ( P = 0.030; 1.1 ± 1.2-fold) differed between HEAT and CONT. No change in VEGFα or HSP72 protein concentration were observed over time; however, peak change in VEGFα did increase ( P < 0.05) in HEAT (+140 ± 184 pg·mL−1) versus CONT (+7 ± 86 pg·mL−1). Passive hyperthermia transiently augmented ANGPT-2, CCL2, eNOS, FOXO-1, Hsp27, Hsp72, Hsp90α and VEGFα mRNA, and VEGFα protein.
Acute Anterior Uveitis with HLA-B27 Positivity after Corneal Cross-Linking with Previous Intrastromal Corneal Ring Segment
Authors: Khan Asher , McGuffey Charles D. , Melson Andrew T. , Riaz Kamran M.
Published: November 2022

Purpose. To describe a case of acute anterior uveitis (AAU) with HLA-B27 positivity following epithelium-off corneal cross-linking (CXL) in a patient with a previous intrastromal corneal ring segment. Observations. A 28-year-old male with keratoconus (KCN) developed ophthalmalgia, perilimbal injection, hypopyon, and decline in corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) 3 days after CXL. A working diagnosis of inflammatory versus infectious AAU was made, and the patient was treated with topical tobramycin, polymyxin B/trimethoprim, prednisolone, and oral valacyclovir. Clinical appearance and CDVA improved, ultimately returning to baseline by two weeks postoperatively. Diagnostic laboratory workup revealed HLA-B27 positivity. Conclusions and Importance. A comprehensive laboratory workup is helpful to identify potential causative and associated systemic conditions when encountering AAU after CXL. Given the overlap in patient demographics for KCN and HLA-B27 positivity, clinicians should consider this entity in the differential diagnosis and treatment of such cases.
Intranodal Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Methylene Blue Injection for the Identification of Leakage Point during Laparoscopic Repair of Refractory Chylous Ascites after Laparoscopic Lymphadenectomy for Kidney Cancer
Authors: Otaola-Arca Hugo , Vargas Patricio , Hasson Daniel , Orvieto Marcelo , Niño-Taravilla Carmen , Bermúdez Hugo
Published: November 2022

Chylous ascites is an uncommon complication after surgery that can result in malnutrition and immunodeficiency. Therefore, surgical interventions are reserved for refractory patients, and the primary success factor for these interventions is locating the point of leakage, which is often tricky. We describe a case of a 56-year-old male with chylous ascites after laparoscopic radical nephrectomy and lumbo-aortic lymphadenectomy for kidney cancer. The patient was initially managed with dietary modifications and drainage placement. Afterward, lymphography with Lipiodol, percutaneous embolization of the leakage point, and total parenteral nutrition were established. Finally, the patient underwent laparoscopic repair after identifying the leakage point by injecting methylene blue through an inguinal node. Complete resolution was achieved, and no complications related to the procedure were recorded. Intranodal methylene blue injection can be an invaluable tool to identify the point of leakage in selected patients to improve the outcomes of surgical repair of refractory chylous ascites.
Pterygium Screening and Lesion Area Segmentation Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Zhu Shaojun , Fang Xinwen , Qian Yong , He Kai , Wu Maonian , Zheng Bo , Song Junyang
Published: November 2022

A two-category model and a segmentation model of pterygium were proposed to assist ophthalmologists in establishing the diagnosis of ophthalmic diseases. A total of 367 normal anterior segment images and 367 pterygium anterior segment images were collected at the Affiliated Eye Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. AlexNet, VGG16, ResNet18, and ResNet50 models were used to train the two-category pterygium models. A total of 150 normal and 150 pterygium anterior segment images were used to test the models, and the results were compared. The main evaluation indicators, including sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve, kappa value, and receiver operator characteristic curves of the four models, were compared. Simultaneously, 367 pterygium anterior segment images were used to train two improved pterygium segmentation models based on PSPNet. A total of 150 pterygium images were used to test the models, and the results were compared with those of the other four segmentation models. The main evaluation indicators included mean intersection over union (MIOU), IOU, mean average precision (MPA), and PA. Among the two-category models of pterygium, the best diagnostic result was obtained using the VGG16 model. The diagnostic accuracy, kappa value, diagnostic sensitivity of pterygium, diagnostic specificity of pterygium, and F1-score were 99%, 98%, 98.67%, 99.33%, and 99%, respectively. Among the pterygium segmentation models, the double phase-fusion PSPNet model had the best results, with MIOU, IOU, MPA, and PA of 86.57%, 78.1%, 92.3%, and 86.96%, respectively. This study designed a pterygium two-category model and a pterygium segmentation model for the images of the normal anterior and pterygium anterior segments, which could help patients self-screen easily and assist ophthalmologists in establishing the diagnosis of ophthalmic diseases and marking the actual scope of surgery.
CDC7 Expression in Selected Odontogenic Tumors
Authors: Jaafari-Ashkavandi Zohreh , Alizadeh Nahid
Published: November 2022

Objectives. CDC7 is a serine-threonine kinase that plays a key role in initiating DNA replication. It has been implicated in the growth and invasion of many pathologic lesions and suggested as a diagnostic marker. The aim of this study was to evaluate CDC7 in some odontogenic tumors. Materials and Methods. In this cross-sectional study, 45 cases, including 19 ameloblastomas, 15 dentigerous cysts, 7 ameloblastic fibromas, and 4 adenomatoid odontogenic tumors (AOT), were studied immunohistochemically. ANOVA and post hoc methods were used for statistical analysis. Results. CDC7 expression was observed in 93% of tumors and all dentigerous cysts. The expression rate was low. The results showed a higher expression rate of CDC7 in ameloblastoma and ameloblastic fibroma compared to AOT (

p
=
0.009

and

p
=
0.048

, respectively). Ameloblastoma and ameloblastic fibroma were not significantly different in CDC7 expression (

p
=
0.6

). Conclusion. According to the results, the expression of the CDC7 protein in odontogenic tumors is low. The higher expression of CDC7 in ameloblastoma and ameloblastic fibroma in comparison with AOT confirms the hamartomatous growth of the latter, so it can be considered as a potential diagnostic marker. Future studies with a larger sample size are suggested to obtain a cut-off point for diagnostic purposes.
Fault Characteristics Analysis of High-Speed Train Transmission Systems
Authors: Liu Yang , Dengbo Zhang , Yueting Yang , Liang Ruquan
Published: November 2022

The high-speed train speed has a higher requirement for stability and operating safety with its operating speed increasing. The main focus of this paper is on the fault characteristics analysis of a high-speed train transmission system. The governing equation and boundary conditions of the transmission system are derived using the finite element method, in which a Timoshenko beam element is introduced to represent the wheelset shaft, and a rigid mass element is utilized to represent the gears, bearings, and wheels. To investigate the vibration response mechanism of a high-speed train transmission system, the critical speed of the system and its modal response are given. According to the types of high-speed train component fault features, the local fault features of gear, bearing, and wheelset are given. Healthy and faulty systems with localized faults in gear, bearing, and wheelset are studied. The characteristics of amplitude and frequency are verified numerically and the transmission characteristics of signal and relation are explained when there is local fault defect in the system. The results show that under different fault types, the time domain response of the system has obvious periodic impulse response faults, and the fault frequency band characteristic distribution is different in the frequency domain response. The simulation results are consistent with the experimental results.
LRD-SLAM: A Lightweight Robust Dynamic SLAM Method by Semantic Segmentation Network
Authors: Jia Shifeng
Published: November 2022

With the development of intelligent concepts in various fields, research on driverless and intelligent industrial robots has increased. Vision-based simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) is a widely used technique. Most conventional visual SLAM algorithms are assumed to work in ideal static environments; however, such environments rarely exist in real life. Thus, it is important to develop visual SLAM algorithms that can determine their own positions and perceive the environment in real dynamic environments. This paper proposes a lightweight robust dynamic SLAM system based on a novel semantic segmentation network (LRD-SLAM). In the proposed system, a fast deep convolutional neural network (FNet) is implemented into ORB-SLAM2 as a semantic segmentation thread. In addition, a multiview geometry method is introduced, in which the accuracy of detecting dynamic points is further improved through the difference in parallax angle and depth, and the information of the keyframes is used to repair the static background information absent from the removal of dynamic objects, to facilitate the subsequent reconstruction of the point cloud map. Experimental results obtained using the TUM RGB-D dataset demonstrate that the proposed system improves the positioning accuracy and robustness of visual SLAM in indoor pedestrian dynamic environments.
Automatic Detection of Horner Syndrome by Using Facial Images
Authors: Fan Jingyuan , Qin Bengang , Gu Fanbin , Wang Zhaoyang , Liu Xiaolin , Zhu Qingtang , Yang Jiantao
Published: November 2022

Horner syndrome is a clinical constellation that presents with miosis, ptosis, and facial anhidrosis. It is important as a warning sign of the damaged oculosympathetic chain, potentially with serious causes. However, the diagnosis of Horner syndrome is operator dependent and subjective. This study aims to present an objective method that can recognize Horner sign from facial photos and verify its accuracy. A total of 173 images were collected, annotated, and divided into training and testing groups. Two types of classifiers were trained (two-stage classifier and one-stage classifier). The two-stage method utilized the MediaPipe face mesh to estimate the coordinates of landmarks and generate facial geometric features accordingly. Then, ten machine learning classifiers were trained based on this. The one-stage classifier was trained based on one of the latest algorithms, YOLO v5. The performance of the classifier was evaluated by the diagnosis accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. For the two-stage model, the MediaPipe successfully detected 92.2% of images in the testing group, and the Decision Tree Classifier presented the highest accuracy (0.790). The sensitivity and specificity of this classifier were 0.432 and 0.970, respectively. As for the one-stage classifier, the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.65, 0.51, and 0.84, respectively. The results of this study proved the possibility of automatic detection of Horner syndrome from images. This tool could work as a second advisor for neurologists by reducing subjectivity and increasing accuracy in diagnosing Horner syndrome.
Online Trajectory Tracking Control Based on the Explicit Form of the Equations of Motion for Serial Manipulator Using the New Formulation
Authors: El Baji Otman , Ben Said Amrani Nabil , Sarsri Driss
Published: November 2022

In this article, the novel approach to equations of motion for serial manipulators developed in literature by Bertrand and Bruneau (2013) is extended to make it usable for manipulators with general joints (i.e., prismatic and/or rotational). In this method, the dynamic model is explicitly and directly obtained from the structural parameters of the manipulator and matrix algebra without intermediate heavy calculations such as energy derivation. The correctness and efficiency of the described method are demonstrated through simulation of the dynamical equations of a 5-DOF SCARA robot. The simulation results obtained using the new formulation were compared with those derived by Kane’s method, Lagrange–Euler formulation, and GIM (generalized inertia matrix)-Christoffel’s algorithm, which proves the efficiency and correctness of the presented model. It was concluded that the new formulation requires less CPU time to generate explicit closed-form inverse dynamics. Finally, to illustrate the power of the new formulation in real-time control, a trajectory tracking control for the SCARA manipulator based on the numeric and symbolic computation of the inverse dynamic is established, and it is shown that the numeric and symbolic approaches based on our method are equivalent. As a consequence, the applicability of the new formulation in real-time model-based control is proved.
Identifying Good Candidates for Active Surveillance of Ductal CarcinomaIn Situ: Insights from a Large Neoadjuvant Endocrine Therapy Cohort
Authors: Glencer Alexa C. , Miller Phoebe N. , Greenwood Heather , Maldonado Rodas Cristian K. , Freimanis Rita , Basu Amrita , Mukhtar Rita A. , Brabham Case , Kim Paul , Hwang E. Shelley , Rosenbluth Jennifer M. , Hirst Gillian L. , Campbell Michael J. , Borowsky Alexander D. , Esserman Laura J.
Published: November 2022

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a biologically heterogenous entity with uncertain risk for invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) development. Standard treatment is surgical resection often followed by radiation. New approaches are needed to reduce overtreatment. This was an observational study that enrolled patients with DCIS who chose not to pursue surgical resection from 2002 to 2019 at a single academic medical center. All patients underwent breast MRI exams at 3- to 6-month intervals. Patients with hormone receptor–positive disease received endocrine therapy. Surgical resection was strongly recommended if clinical or radiographic evidence of disease progression developed. A recursive partitioning (R-PART) algorithm incorporating breast MRI features and endocrine responsiveness was used retrospectively to stratify risk of IDC. A total of 71 patients were enrolled, 2 with bilateral DCIS (73 lesions). A total of 34 (46.6%) were premenopausal, 68 (93.2%) were hormone-receptor positive, and 60 (82.1%) were intermediate- or high-grade lesions. Mean follow-up time was 8.5 years. Over half (52.1%) remained on active surveillance without evidence of IDC with mean duration of 7.4 years. Twenty patients developed IDC, of which 6 were HER2 positive. DCIS and subsequent IDC had highly concordant tumor biology. Risk of IDC was characterized by MRI features after 6 months of endocrine therapy exposure; low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups were identified with respective IDC rates of 8.7%, 20.0%, and 68.2%. Thus, active surveillance consisting of neoadjuvant endocrine therapy and serial breast MRI may be an effective tool to risk-stratify patients with DCIS and optimally select medical or surgical management.

Significance:

A retrospective analysis of 71 patients with DCIS who did not undergo upfront surgery demonstrated that breast MRI features after short-term exposure to endocrine therapy identify those at high (68.2%), intermediate (20.0%), and low risk (8.7%) of IDC. With 7.4 years mean follow-up, 52.1% of patients remain on active surveillance. A period of active surveillance offers the opportunity to risk-stratify DCIS lesions and guide decisions for operative management.
La maternidad subrogada: retos para el derecho en un mundo globalizado
Authors: Ricaurte Carlos Jesús Molina
Published: November 2022

Hay información que los primeros estudios y los primeros nacimientos de niños concebidos mediante fecundación in vitro tuvieron lugar en el último cuarto del siglo XX, pero el primer caso de litigio relacionado con maternidad subrogada (Johnson v. Calvert) se registra a comienzos de los 90 en EE.UU., ante la Corte Suprema de California, esto quiere decir, que la práctica de la maternidad subrogada es relativamente reciente. Los primeros desarrollos jurídicos conocidos son en jurisprudencia; la regulación sobre la materia ha sido posterior. El problema de investigación gira en torno a la pregunta ¿Cuáles son los alcances y límites del Derecho en relación con la maternidad subrogada? Para responderla, se determinan los alcances y límites de intervención del Derecho en relación con la maternidad subrogada en un mundo globalizado. La investigación es teórica con enfoque cualitativo. El método adoptado es el si stémico-estructural-funcional. Aunque comienza haciendo una descripción y comparación entre ordenamientos jurídicos de tres países: Colombia, EE.UU. y España, identifica los elementos esenciales de la maternidad subrogada y termina explicando cómo estos elementos interactúan en el derecho y cómo el derecho interactúa con la ética y la política en el contexto de la maternidad subrogada hoy en día.
Contributions to Dynamic Analysis of Differential Evolution Algorithms
Authors: Resende Lucas , Takahashi Ricardo H. C.
Published: November 2022

The Differential Evolution (DE) algorithm is one of the most successful evolutionary computation techniques. However, its structure is not trivially translatable in terms of mathematical transformations that describe its population dynamics. In this work, analytical expressions are developed for the probability of enhancement of individuals after each application of a mutation operator followed by a crossover operation, assuming a population distributed radially around the optimum for the sphere objective function, considering the DE/rand/1/bin and the DE/rand/1/exp algorithm versions. These expressions are validated by numerical experiments. Considering quadratic functions given by f(x)=xTDTDx and populations distributed according to the linear transformation D-1 of a radially distributed population, it is also shown that the expressions still hold in the cases when f(x) is separable (D is diagonal) and when D is any nonsingular matrix and the crossover rate is Cr=1.0. The expressions are employed for the analysis of DE population dynamics. The analysis is extended to more complex situations, reaching rather precise predictions of the effect of problem dimension and of the choice of algorithm parameters.
Neoplatonic Political Subjectivity?
Authors: Riggs Tim
Published: November 2022

I argue that in his commentary on Epictetus’ Encheiridion, Simplicius derives a method by which his students can enter into the process of self-constitution, which is only achieved through completion of the study of Plato’s dialogues. The result of following the method is the attainment of a perspective consonant with the level of political virtue, which I call ‘political subjectivity’. This is a speculative interpretation of the effect the student would. experience in following the method, accomplished through analyses of Simplicius’ interpretation of Epictetus’ concept of to eph’ hēmīn and the related prohairesis. I complement this with an analysis of the metaphysical foundation Simplicius gives the method in light of Charles Taylor’s notion of ‘strong evaluation’. In this way, I show how Simplicius adapts these concepts to his Neoplatonic psychology and virtue theory to make the method serve as preparation for the development of virtue prior to study of Plato.
Sensitive Fluorescence Analysis of Pregnancy Plasma Associated Protein A in Amniotic Fluid Based on the Plasma Superstructure Enhanced Carbon Polymer Dots
Authors: Jiang Chuan , Li Guifen
Published: November 2022

Early detection of serum pregnancy plasma associated protein A can provide guidance for diagnosis and treatment of pregnancy-related diseases. However, the current immune-based analysis methods are complicated, time-consuming, low sensitivity and other problems. Therefore, based on
the advantages of simple, rapid and sensitive nano-biosensor, we designed a highly sensitive fluorescent biosensor for monitoring PAPP-A in amniotic fluid of pregnant women. The signal-to-noise ratio and sensitivity are further improved based on the principle of plasma enhanced fluorescence.
The specific design scheme is to synthesise wavelength matching plasma superstructure Ag@Au and fluorescence based carbon polymer dots, and modify them with monoclonal antibody IgG and specific antibody, respectively. Sandwich plasma enhanced fluorescence structure is formed under the action
of the target for PAPP-A specific sensitive detection. The linear response in the range of 1–50 μg/mL and the detection limit of 0.02 μg/mL were achieved. The sensor has also been successfully used for the accurate analysis of PAPP-A in amniotic fluid samples, which
has certain practical application value.
Effect of Post-Weld Heat Treatment on the Corrosion Resistance of Super Austenitic Stainless Steel
Authors: Kim Yong-Seong , Seo Beom-Deok , Choi Kyu-Won , Lee Seung-Hyo , Lee Myeong-Hoon
Published: November 2022

Seaborne transportation by merchant vessels amounts to more than 90% of the world’s trade volume and it represents about 20% to 30% of the materials generated by the combustion of the total fuel. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has enforced the use of 0.5% or less
low-sulfur fuel oil when operation in all since 2020, and the installation of a scrubber is considered the most realistic alternative in compliance with IMO’s new regulation. However, the desulfurization process unavoidably creates a corrosive environment, and corrosion from it is mainly
concentrated on welded materials. To solve the corrosion problem in that area, post-weld heat treatment was applied on Super Austenitic Stainless Steel (UNS N08031) which is commonly used for scrubbers. Upon heat treatment at 1,160 °C or at a higher temperature after welding, microsegregation
of welds and base metals was dissolved. As a result, elements were distributed equally and the corrosion resistance increased due to the formation of a uniform oxide film.
Cd2+-Specific Aptamer Screening and Application in Based-Black Phosphorus Electrochemical Aptasensor
Authors: Wei Dan , Guo Wenfei , Zhou Jie , Hu Changchun , Li Shuo , Liu Xueying , Tan Ping , Chen Hui , Deng Yan
Published: November 2022

Cadmium ion (Cd2+) is one of common environmental pollutants, which can be enriched in organisms through the food chain and eventually cause chronic toxicity in humans. Therefore, a strict monitoring tool for Cd2+ is highly required. In this study, we screened
the specific candidate aptamers of Cd2+ based on magnetic beadssystematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment method (Mag-SELEX). Firstly, a high enrichment ssDNA library was obtained after eight selection rounds. Then the affinity of fifteen candidate aptamers was compared,
and found that Cd-14 had highest affinity with dissociation constant (Kd) of 23.02±3.53 μM. The Cd-14 was applied to an electrochemical aptasensor based on black phosphorus/Poly-L-Lysine with a linear range of 0.001–100 nM and good specificity.
Aspergillumarin A Inhibits Cell Proliferation by Inducing G0/G1 Phase Arrest in HepG2 Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Tian Haoyu , Guo Yingying , Zhang Jinyu , Zhang Zhuoli , Chen Shuomin , Liu Ying , Alkhanjaf Abdulrab Ahmed M. , Liu Tao , Zhang Dianbao
Published: November 2022

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the principle histologic type of liver cancer, is one of the leading causes of cancer related deaths globally. The prognosis of HCC is poor, and novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. Aspergillumarin A is a dihydroisocoumarin derivative isolated
from endophytic fungus in the roots of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f. in our previous study, and its activities were largely unknown. In this study, it was found that the proliferation of HepG2 HCC cells was significant inhibited by the incubation with aspergillumarin A at 200 μmol/L.
Using flow cytometry, the cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase was found to contribute to the inhibitory effect of aspergillumarin A. Further, the dysregulation of cyclins was observed in the results of realtime PCR and western blotting. Taken together, Aspergillumarin A
inhibited HCC cell proliferation by inducing cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase, indicating aspergillumarin A as a novel agent candidate for HCC therapy.
Next-Generation Fraction Intervention and the Long-Term Advantage of Interleaved Instruction
Authors: Fuchs Lynn S. , Malone Amelia S. , Preacher Kristopher J. , Cho Eunsoo , Fuchs Douglas , Changas Paul
Published: November 2022

This study's first purpose was to investigate effects of a fourth- and fifth-grade “next-generation” fraction intervention, which included six enhancements over a previously validated fraction intervention, designed to address career- and college-readiness standards. The study's second purpose was to assess effects of the next-generation fraction intervention at follow-up, 1 year after intervention ended. The third purpose was to isolate the effects of one of the six intervention enhancements: interleaved fraction calculations instruction. Students with intensive intervention needs were randomized to next-generation fraction intervention (Super Solvers [SSINT]) with blocked calculations instruction (SSINT_B), SSINT with interleaved calculations instruction (SSINT_I), and control. On a mix of proximal and transfer outcomes, SSINT (across conditions) produced strong, significant effects over control at posttest. At follow-up, effect sizes were weaker but remained significant on calculations: g = 1.22. On other measures, follow-up g was 0.39 to 0.58. The effect of SSINT_I over SSINT_B, although not significant at posttest ( g = 0.28), was statistically significant and large at follow-up ( g = 0.65), in line with the cognitive science literature showing long-term advantages for interleaved instruction. Results suggest next-generation fraction intervention efficacy for intensive-needs students and the importance of interleaved instruction.
Cancer-Related Stigmatization, Quality of Life, and Fear of Death Among Newly Diagnosed Cancer Patients
Authors: Sarfraz Muddassar , Waqas Hamid , Ahmed Saba , Rurush-Asencio Roger , Mushtaque Iqra
Published: November 2022

The purpose of the study is to investigate the gender differences among newly diagnosed cancer patients from the cultural perspective of Pakistan. The data comprised two equal groups: men (50%) and women (50%). Most participants were 31–45 years old, and the duration of the cancer diagnosis was less than 6 months (74.6%). The data was collected on the following scales: the discrimination and stigma scale, the internalized stigma scale, the WHO-quality of life scale, and the fear of death scale. Data was analyzed using SPSS v.25; descriptive statistics, an independent sample t-test, and simple linear regression were applied to the data. The results revealed that men and women are both experiencing cancer-related stigmatization in Pakistan. However, women face a higher level of stigmatization, lower quality of life, and higher fear of death than men. Furthermore, the regression analysis result confirms that the cancer-related stigma faced by the diagnosed patients decreases the patient’s quality of life and induces the fear of death.
State Violence against Mapuche Women in Chile, 1998–2018
Authors: Hiner Hillary , González Karina
Published: November 2022

Mapuche women both suffer and resist state violence in Chile, particularly with regard to neoliberal, multinational extractive projects in the southern regions and the militarized police that protect these projects. While there is a great deal of historical scholarship on topics related to women or the Mapuche people from 1990 on, there is relatively little specifically on the struggles of Mapuche women. Additionally, the majority of texts on state terrorism and women in Chile focus on the Pinochet dictatorship and non-Mapuche women. A study from the perspective of decolonial feminism reveals the persistence of the “coloniality of gender” while critically reflecting on the tensions between Mapuche women and the Chilean feminist movement.

Las mujeres mapuches sufren y resisten violencia estatal en Chile, particularmente en lo relacionado a los proyectos extractivos neoliberales y multinacionales en las regiones del sur y la concomitante presencia de la policía militarizada que protege dichos proyectos. Si bien y desde 1990 ha habido una gran cantidad de investigación histórica sobre temas relacionados con las mujeres, por un lado, y el pueblo mapuche por otro, hay relativamente poca literatura en torno a las luchas de las mujeres mapuche. Lo que es más, la mayor parte de los textos sobre terrorismo de Estado y mujeres en Chile se centra en la dictadura de Pinochet y mujeres que no son mapuche. Un estudio abordado desde una perspectiva de feminismo descolonial nos revela la persistencia de la “colonialidad de género”, al mismo tiempo que reflexiona, de manera crítica, sobre las tensiones entre las mujeres mapuche y el movimiento feminista chileno.
Associations between early pre-reading and phonological skills in the light of auditory word recognition and lexical ability
Authors: Aalto Eija , Saaristo-Helin Katri , Stolt Suvi
Published: November 2022

The association between pre-reading skills and phonological production skills has been shown at school age, but less is known about how these skills interact at an earlier age when they are just developing. The focus was to investigate whether a connection between pre-reading skills (letter naming, rapid automatised naming; RAN) and phonological production skills of children at 3;6 could be found. In addition, the possible effects of the following skills were considered in the analysis: auditory word recognition and lexical ability at 3;6; and early expressive lexicon size at 2;0, adding a longitudinal aspect to the study. The participants were Finnish-speaking children (n = 66). The results show a significant connection between letter naming skills and phonological measures (paradigmatic and phonotactic skills) at 3;6, whereas no association was found between RAN and phonological production skills. Phonological production skills were significantly correlated with all the variables: pre-reading, lexical and auditory word recognition. The pre-reading measure correlated only with phonological production skills and lexical ability that was measured concurrently at 3;6. The findings propose a central role for the phonological production skill in terms of pre-reading skills, auditory word recognition and previous and concurrent lexical ability.
Teacher perceptions of working memory and executive function improvements following school-day cognitive training
Authors: Looney Lisa , Wong Eugene H. , Rosales Kevin P. , Rosales Florissell , Tirado Gisselle
Published: November 2022

Considerable research has documented the impact of teacher perceptions on students’ academic-related outcomes (e.g., classroom performance). This body of literature clearly shows that teacher perceptions (resulting from direct interactions with students) can have both positive and negative effects with respect to student behaviors and experiences in the classroom. What remains unclear is whether teachers perceive changes that result from interventions administered outside of their classrooms. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in teacher perceptions of working memory and executive function concerns (two important predictors of academic success) among students who participated in a computerized cognitive training program designed to enhance working memory skills. The current results indicate that teachers perceived fewer concerns following students’ participation in the training; this outcome was supplemented with significant improvements in the students’ working memory capabilities following the training program. These findings have important implications given the literature highlighting the relation between teacher perceptions and student outcomes as a function of a school-based computerized cognitive training intervention.
Effect of hot wire feed rate on microstructural evolution and mechanical strength of pure nickel tubes joined using gas tungsten arc welding
Authors: Dinaharan Isaac , Palanivel Ramaswamy , M Alswat Haitham , Rasheed Mohammad Abdur
Published: November 2022

Industries increasingly pay attention to hot wire assisted gas tungsten arc welding (HWGTAW) in the present decade for joining several materials. Limited works were reported on HWGTAW of nickel and its alloys. In this investigation, HWGTAW was applied to weld pure nickel tubes (Ni 200 grade) having a thickness of 4 mm and an outer diameter of 44 mm. Joints were fabricated by varying the wire feed rate (1100–2400 mm/min in the interval of 300 mm/min). The increment in the wire feed rate increased the quantity of deposited material causing the geometry of the fusion zone to enlarge. Increasing the feed rate of filler wire reduced the peak temperature and avoided further coarsening of grains. The joints were cracks free and no significant percentage of porosity was detected. Traces of dislocations were found inside the fusion zone. Microstructure variation across the joints was categorized into three distinct zones similar to conventional GTAW. The hardness of the fusion zone was recorded to be the lowest. The ductility of the joints was exceptionally high.
Identification of damping prohibiting stick-slip form friction influenced dynamic system
Authors: Yadav Jitendra , Maity Dipak , Kurre Santosh Kumar , Kumar Adesh , Kumar Roushan , Chouhan Sanjay
Published: November 2022

The present work discusses the application of damping for friction-influenced dynamic systems to inhibit stick-slip vibrations. The stick-slip can be eliminated from the system with an appropriate selection of system parameters like lower friction coefficient, lower value of the ratio of static to Coulomb friction, and higher driving velocity. Sometimes due to functional constraints, these parameters cannot be selected as per the will. The alternate approach is to embed the system with proper damping to ensure dynamics without stick-slip vibrations. Present work encapsulates this aspect viz. numerical simulation of a 1 DOF system by incorporating damping to obtain the responses in terms of displacement and velocity versus time plots. The study presents a noble approach to determine the value of damping critical in ensuring the stick-slip free vibrations.
The effect of process parameters and scanning strategies on surface roughness of stainless steel 316L SLM parts
Authors: Sadeghi Mohamad Sina , Mohseni Maede , Etefagh Ardeshir Hemasian , Khajehzadeh Mohsen
Published: November 2022

Selective Laser Melting (SLM) process is a powder-based metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) technique that can generate fully functional and geometrically complex shapes which can be used in actual load-bearing situations. The mechanical properties of SLM parts are highly dependent on process parameters. Generally, the as-built surface quality of SLM parts is not good enough, and finding the optimum values of the parameters to improve surface quality is an ongoing challenge. In this study, an experimental approach was taken to investigate the effect of process parameters and scanning strategy on the surface roughness of stainless steel 316L parts as well as determine the optimal values of parameters and optimum scanning strategy. Laser profilometry was applied to measure surface roughness. Results showed that the scanning speed was the most effective parameter; increasing it from 900 mm/s to 1200 mm/s caused 62.5% rougher surfaces. Also, increasing laser power from 255 W to 300 W resulted in 41.8% rougher surfaces. Smaller hatch spaces caused better surface quality; decreasing it from 0.1 mm to 0.04 mm improved surface quality by 16%. And lower scan pattern angles resulted in slightly rougher surfaces (by 2%). Changing the settings from minimum overlap to maximum overlap resulted in 73.6% better surface quality. It was found that insufficient melting is the main reason for poor surface quality. Surface quality was improved whenever the resultant effect of parameters caused sufficient melting conditions. The optimum values were found as 270 W laser power, 900 mm/s scanning speed, 0.06 mm hatch spacing and 75° scan pattern angle. The best surface quality was obtained for the chessboard scanning strategy, with scan vectors being parallel to each other in adjacent blocks and rotating by 90° in successive layers. The optimum strategy caused 2.5 times better surface quality than the strategy of the roughest sample.
United Nations Peacekeeping Operations and India
Authors: Rikhye Indar Jit
Published: November 2022

Since independence, India has played an important role in strengthening the United Nations capability in the maintenance of international peace and security. Faced with the problem of Kashmir where Pakistan supported raiders, in violation of the Six Month Stand Still Agreement to work out future status of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, had entered the state, the ruler of the state called for assistance from India. Within hours Indian troops started to move by air and surface transportation and on entering the state faced Pakistani raiders. Some hard fighting ensued. In spite of the critical times, India pledged its support for the United Nations security system by calling on the Security Council to play a role in ending the fighting in Jammu and Kashmir and readily agreed to deploy United Nations military observers to supervise a cease fire which was negotiated by the United Nations between India and Pakistan. The decision by the Prime Minister, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru to stop fighting, instead of allowing the Indian Army to continue with its successful campaign, in favour of UN sponsored ceasefire and negotiations was significant. Nehru wished to avoid direct fighting between Indian and Pakistani forces by stepping in the general area of Uri which was at some distance from the Pakistani frontier. Regardless of the merits or demerits of this decision, the Indian Prime Minister had chosen United Nations direct military action.
China's New Policies and its Relations with the United States
Authors: Yoder Amos
Published: November 2022

China has made dramatic changes in its foreign and domestic policies in the past decade. Chairman Mao had hoped that with China's huge, hardworking population he could quickly force it forward to the rank of a super power. However, China's development lagged, and many observers blamed its slow progress on its disruptive economic and political policies, on rigid economic controls that discouraged production and modernization, and on population pressures.1 In the past six years Chinese leaders have instituted drastic new policies including strictly limiting population growth and allowing farm production, and to a limited extent industries, to benefit from market forces and relaxed controls. In the process they have opened the door to the outside and improved relations with the United States. By the end of the century China's new momentum may carry it a long way toward Mao's original goal of becoming a super power.
Informing a Canadian Skin Science Trainee Program Based on the State of Trainee Programs Offered by International Academic Societies
Authors: Brooks Stephanie G. , Pawluk Megan A. , Litvinov Ivan V. , Fradette Julie , Chan An-Wen , Philip Anie , Croitoru David , Richardson Katlyn C.
Published: November 2022

Background

For dermatology to effectively address the ever-growing medical needs, longstanding communication barriers across investigators working in different research pillars and practicing clinicians must be improved. To address this problem, trainee-specific programs are now evolving to align their educational landscape across basic science, translational and clinical research programs.

Objectives

To establish a Skin Investigation Network of Canada (SkIN Canada) training roadmap for the career and skill development of future clinicians, clinican scientists and basic scientists in Canada. This Working Group aims to strengthen and harmonize collaborations and capacity across the skin research community.

Methods

The Working Group conducted a search of established international academic societies which offered trainee programs with mandates similar to SkIN Canada. Societies’ program items and meetings were evaluated by use of an interview survey and/or the collection of publicly available data. Program logistics, objectives and feedback were assessed for commonalities and factors reported or determined to improve trainee experience.

Results

Through the various factors explored, the Working Group discovered the need for increasing program accessibility, creating opportunities for soft skill development, emphasizing the importance of current challenges, collecting and responding to feedback, and improving knowledge sharing to bridge pillars of skin research.

Conclusions

Although improvements have been made to trainee education in recent years, a plurality of approaches exist and many of the underlying roadblocks remain unresolved. To establish fundamental clinician-basic scientist collaboration and training efforts, this Working Group highlights important factors to include and consider in building a trainee program and emphasizes the importance of trainee education.