bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Antiarthritic and Antinociceptive Effects of Cedrol in a Rat Model of Arthritis
Authors: Forouzanfar Fatemeh , Pourbagher-Shahri Ali Mohammad , Ghazavi Hamed
Published: April 2022

Pharmacological studies revealed that cedrol, a natural sesquiterpene, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties. This study is aimed at evaluating the potential antiarthritic activity of cedrol in a rat experimental model of arthritis induced by using complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA). Arthritis was induced in Wistar rats by CFA (0.1 ml) injection. Cedrol (10 and 20 mg/kg) and indomethacin (5 mg/kg) were orally administered from day one and continued for 21 days. The antiarthritic activity was assessed through mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia responses, paw edema assessment, and arthritis scores. Serum TNF-α and IL-1β levels were measured for the evaluation of inflammation. Furthermore, serum oxidative stress markers, including malondialdehyde (MDA) and thiol levels, as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, were also assessed. Oral administration of cedrol and indomethacin significantly decreased paw edema and arthritis score. Besides, cedrol and indomethacin significantly decreased pain responses. In the serum of the CFA group, TNF-α, IL-1β, and MDA were higher, while thiol and SOD and GPx were lower than the control group. Treatment by cedrol and indomethacin corrected the biochemical parameters in the serum. In this study, cedrol offers potential antiarthritic properties through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
Comparison of the Effect of Extracted Bacteriocin and Lytic Bacteriophage on the Expression of Biofilm Associated Genes in Streptococcus mutans
Authors: Rajabi Zahra , Soltan Dallal Mohammad Mehdi , Afradi Mohammad Reza , Erfani Yousef , Alinejad Donya , Ranjbar Reza , Kasra-Kermanshahi Rouha
Published: April 2022

Today, various biological approaches are used to combat dental plaque biofilms. In the current study, we aimed to compare the effect of extracted bacteriocin and lytic bacteriophage on the expression of biofilm associated genes in Streptococcus mutans. Streptococcus mutans was isolated from plaques of decayed dental and the existence of their gtfs genes was confirmed by PCR. For bacteriocin extraction, at first two probiotic lactobacilli were isolated from traditional foods, then bacteriocin was extracted by partial purification method, and SDS-PAGE was used for estimation of its molecular weight. The previously extracted lytic bacteriophage from raw urban sewage was used against Streptococcus mutans. Finally, the effect of isolated bacteriocin and bacteriophage on gtfs genes expression level was measured by real-time PCR. Out of 81 dental plaque samples, 32 (39.5%) Streptococcus mutans strains were isolated. The frequency of genes was as follows: gtfD32 (100%), gtfB 17 (53.12%), and gtfC 19 (53.37%). 120 traditional food samples (milk, yogurt, pickle, and salty pickle) were evaluated for isolation of lactobacillus. Three strains of Lactobacillus fermentum and four Lactobacillus plantarum with probiotic potential activity were isolated. Two types of bacteriocins from Lactobacillus fermentum and a single type of bacteriocin from Lactobacillus plantarum were extracted, and their molecular weights were 60, 58, and 70 kDa, respectively. In our previous study, two bacteriophages belonging to the Siphoviridae and Tectiviridae families were isolated. Real-time PCR results had shown that both bacteriocin and bacteriophage had a decreasing effect on the expression of gtfs genes. The different modes in our study for the effects of bacteriocin and bacteriophage showed that both of them had good potential as suitable options to fight dental plaque biofilms, and bacteriophages alone showed a stronger reducing effect.
Indiscernibility and Discernibility Relations Attribute Reduction with Variable Precision
Authors: Li Xu , Tang Jianguo , Hu Bing , Li Yi
Published: April 2022

Attribute reduction is a popular topic in research on rough sets. In the classical model, much progress has been made in the study of the attribute reduction of indiscernibility and discernibility relations. To enhance the fault tolerance of the model, concepts of both indiscernibility and discernibility relations involving uncertain or imprecise information are proposed in this paper. The attribute reductions of the relative

β

-indiscernibility relation and relative

β

-discernibility relation and their algorithms are proposed. When the precision satisfies certain conditions, the reduction of two relation concepts can be converted into a positive region reduction. Therefore, the discernibility matrix is used to construct the reductions of the two relation concepts and the positive region. Furthermore, the corresponding algorithm of the relative

β

-indiscernibility (discernibility) relation reduction can be optimized when the precision is greater than 0.5, and this is used to develop an optimization algorithm that constructs the discernibility matrix more efficiently. Experiments show the feasibility of the two relation reduction algorithms. More importantly, the reduction algorithms of the two relations and the optimization algorithm are compared to demonstrate the feasibility of the optimization algorithm proposed in this paper.
Analysis of Lifeboat Embarkation Efficiency for Cruise Passengers under Multiple Scenarios
Authors: Hu Min , Cai Wei
Published: April 2022

Lifeboats are important equipment to ensure the safety of passengers when a serious accident occurs in the ship. Higher efficiency of lifeboat embarkation is beneficial to improving passenger survival. This study divides lifeboat embarkation into queuing and seat selection stages and studies the embarkation process of cruise passengers. According to the characteristics of two stages of the embarkation process, transfer rules of queue and activity rules of the passenger are proposed. Combined with the rules, 16 types of embarkation simulation scenarios are established. The simulation results show that the embarkation efficiency of the group passenger is lower than that of the individual passenger. When passengers select seats from outboard row to inboard row, the speed of embarkation is faster than that of random seating selection. Compared with only considering the queue length, the embarkation is more efficient if passengers also consider the seat availability of lifeboats when they transfer between queues. The analysis of the results proves that the embarkation efficiency can be improved through proper guidance on the behavior of passengers in queuing and seat selection.
Evidence Quality Assessment of Tai Chi Exercise Intervention in Cognitive Impairment: An Overview of Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Shi Hongshuo , Dong Chengda , Chang Hui , Cui Lujie , Xia Mingyue , Li Wenwen , Wu Di , Yu Baoqi , Si Guomin , Yang Tiantian
Published: April 2022

Background. Tai Chi (TC) exercise has recently received wide attention for its efficacy in the management of cognitive impairment. The purpose of this overview is to summarize the available evidence on TC treatment of cognitive impairment and assess its quality. Methods. We retrieved relevant systematic reviews/meta-analyses (SRs/MAs) from 7 databases from the time they were established to January 2, 2022. Two reviewers independently evaluated the methodological quality, risk of bias, report quality, and evidence quality of the included SRs/MAs on randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The tools used are Assessment System for Evaluating Methodological Quality 2 (AMSTAR-2), the Risk of Bias In Systematic (ROBIS) scale, the list of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews And Meta-Analysis (PRISMA), and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Results. This overview finally included 8 SRs/MAs. According to the results of AMSTAR-2, all included SRs/MAs were rated as very low quality. Based on the ROBIS tool, none of the SR/MA had a low risk of bias. In light of PRISMA, all SRs/MAs had reporting deficiencies. According to the GRADE system, there was only 1 high-quality piece of evidence. Conclusion. TC is a promising complementary and alternative therapy for cognitive impairment with high safety profile. However, in view of the low quality of the included SRs/MAs supporting this conclusion, high-quality evidence with a more rigorous study design and a larger sample size is needed before making a recommendation for guidance.
Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics of Hospitalized Pediatric Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Mexico City, Mexico
Authors: Lugo-Zamudio Gustavo Esteban , Aguilar-Rojas Antonio , Vázquez-Medina Martín Uriel , Gutiérrez-Ramírez Antonio , Upton-Alvarado Ma. Cristina , Espinoza-Rivas Patricia , Lagunas-Torres Gustavo , Rojo-Gutiérrez María Isabel , Ibáñez-Cervantes Gabriela , Vargas-De-León Cruz
Published: April 2022

Background. Evidence from across the world suggests that the pediatric population shows different clinical manifestations and has a lower risk of severe presentation of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to adults. However, Mexico has one of the highest mortality rates in the pediatric population due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Therefore, our objective was to explore the epidemiological and clinical characteristics associated with a positive confirmatory test in the Mexican pediatric population admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Mexico City. Methods. Clinical, imaging and laboratory data were retrospectively collected from 121 children hospitalized during the period from March 4th, 2020, to August 8th, 2021. The patients were identified as suspicious cases according to the guidelines of the General Directorate of Epidemiology of Mexico. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests were used to confirm SARS-CoV-2 infection. Categorical variables were compared using the Chi-square test, and propensity score matching was performed to determine univariate and multivariate odds ratios of the population regarding a positive vs. negative SARS-CoV-2 result. Results. Of the 121 children, 36 had laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. The main risk for SARS-CoV-2-associated pediatric hospitalization was contact with a family member with SARS-CoV-2. It was also found that fever and fatigue were statistically significantly associated with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test in multivariate models. Clinical and laboratory data in this Mexican hospitalized pediatric cohort differ from other reports worldwide; the mortality rate (1.6%) of the population studied was higher than that seen in reports from other countries. Conclusion. Our study found that fever and fatigue at hospital presentation as well as an antecedent exposure to a family member with SARS-CoV-2 infection were important risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 positivity in children at hospital admission.
Fuzzy Fixed Point Results in Convex

C

∗

-Algebra-Valued Metric Spaces
Authors: Shagari Mohammed Shehu , Kanwal Shazia , Aydi Hassen , Gaba Yaé Ulrich
Published: April 2022

The purpose of this note is to come up with some new directions in fuzzy fixed point theory. To this effect, notions of a

C

∗

-algebra-valued fuzzy

λ

-contraction and related concepts in a convex

C

∗

-algebra-valued metric space (

C

∗

-AVMS) are set-up. In line with the view of a Hausdorff distance function, an idea of a distance between two approximate quantities is proposed. Consequently, two fixed point results of a

C

∗

-algebra-valued fuzzy mapping (

C

∗

-AVFM) for the new type of contractions are established using Mann and Ishikawa iterative schemes. For some future investigations of our results, two open problems are noted concerning sufficient criteria guaranteeing the existence of fixed points of a

C

∗

-algebra-valued fuzzy

λ

-contraction and whether or not the Picard iteration for a

C

∗

-algebra-valued fuzzy

λ

-contraction converges.
Cytotoxic Evaluation, Molecular Docking, and 2D-QSAR Studies of Dihydropyrimidinone Derivatives as Potential Anticancer Agents
Authors: Altaf Reem , Nadeem Humaira , Ilyas Umair , Iqbal Jamshed , Paracha Rehan Zafar , Zafar Hajra , Paiva-Santos Ana Cláudia , Sulaiman Muhammad , Raza Faisal
Published: April 2022

The diverse pharmacological role of dihydropyrimidinone scaffold has made it to be an interesting drug target. Because of the high incidence and mortality rate of breast cancer, there is a dire need of discovering new pharmacotherapeutic agents in managing this disease. A series of twenty-two derivatives of 6-(chloromethyl)-4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carboxylate (3a-3k) and ethyl 6-(chloromethyl)-4-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-2-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carboxylate (4a-4k) synthesized in a previous study were evaluated for their anticancer potential against breast cancer cell line. Molecular docking studies were performed to analyze the binding mode and interaction pattern of these compounds against nine breast cancer target proteins. The in vitro cell proliferation assay was performed against the breast cancer cell line MCF-7. The structure activity relationship of these compounds was further studied using QSARINS. Among nine proteins, the docking analysis revealed efficient binding of compounds 4f, 4e, 3e, 4g, and 4h against all target proteins. The in vitro cytotoxic assay revealed significant anticancer activity of compound 4f having

I

C

50

of 2.15 μM. The compounds 4e, 3e, 4g, and 4h also showed anticancer activities with

I

C

50

of 2.401, 2.41, 2.47 and 2.33 μM, respectively. The standard tamoxifen showed

I

C

50

1.88 μM. The 2D qualitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis was also carried out to identify potential breast cancer targets through QSARINS. The final QSAR equation revealed good predictivity and statistical validation

R

2

and

Q

2

values for the model obtained from QSARINS was 0.98 and 0.97, respectively. The active compounds showed very good anticancer activities, and the binding analysis has revealed stable hydrogen bonding of these compounds with the target proteins. Moreover, the QSAR analysis has predicted useful information on the structural requirement of these compounds as anticancer agents with the importance of topological and autocorrelated descriptors in effecting the cancer activities.
Physical Model versus Artificial Neural Network (ANN) Model: A Comparative Study on Modeling Car-Following Behavior at Signalized Intersections
Authors: Yang Lan , Fang Shan , Wu Guoyuan , Sheng He , Xu Zhigang , Zhang Mengxiao , Zhao Xiangmo
Published: April 2022

Many studies have simulated traffic behavior at signalized intersections using various Car-Following (CF) models. However, the performance of which CF Model is superior at signalized intersections has not been thoroughly analyzed and evaluated. In this study, two novel Artificial Neural Network (ANN) CF models, the Convolutional Neural Network—Long Short-term Memory (CNN-LSTM) and the Convolution-LSTM (Conv-LSTM)—are first applied to predict CF behaviors at signalized intersections. Both models can extract spatial and temporal information to address the long-term dependency problem more effectively. Based on the filtered NGSIM dataset, we conduct a comparative empirical study of three conventional CF models and five ANN CF models. The dataset is divided into two categories based on the characteristics of CF behavior at signalized intersections: continuous and discontinuous. The experiments demonstrated that ANN CF models outperformed conventional CF models when the output was the velocity in two categories of traffic flow but only failed to do so when the output was acceleration in discontinuous traffic flow. The proposed models were capable of accurately predicting acceleration, but the traffic fluctuations also existed as time passed. Additionally, it was discovered that while the ANN CF model is preferable for traffic flow simulation, the conventional CF model still cannot be ignored for discontinuous traffic flow simulation, particularly when acceleration is required.
Future Perspectives of Revaluating Mild COPD
Authors: Radovanovic Dejan , Contoli Marco , Braido Fulvio , Maniscalco Mauro , Micheletto Claudio , Solidoro Paolo , Santus Pierachille , Carone Mauro
Published: April 2022

In 2020, COPD was the third leading cause of death worldwide. Lung function is central for the diagnosis of this disease, and COPD severity is still partially classified based on airflow obstruction, which can range from “mild” (GOLD 1 group, FEV1 ≥80% predicted) to “very severe” (GOLD 4, FEV1 <30% predicted). However, the term “mild COPD” needs to be carefully analyzed. Several studies have shown that even in the presence of a mild obstruction, patients can have significant symptoms, physiological deterioration, evidence of emphysema, and suffer from recurrent exacerbations. Small airways pathology significantly correlates with the presence of symptoms, and it has been demonstrated that the onset of bronchiolitis occurs earlier than that of emphysema. These damages have long been known to not be detectable with conventional tests, and exclusive reliance on spirometry is not enough to adequately study and stage a patient with “mild COPD.” Therefore, early identification of COPD is of utmost importance in the light of modifying the natural course of the disease. However, patients with early lung damage are yet to be included and studied in interventional clinical trials.
FOLFOXIRI in Pregnant Women with Colorectal Cancer: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Kozai Landon , Benavente Kevin , Obeidat Adham , Acoba Jared
Published: April 2022

Colorectal cancer (CRC) in pregnancy is rare and often presents at a late stage due to the masking of signs by pregnancy. A typical chemotherapeutic regimen for stage III and IV CRC comprised 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) and oxaliplatin. The treatment of CRC during pregnancy is complicated owing to the potential risk of teratogenicity with chemotherapy, especially in the first trimester. Data suggest that the administration of chemotherapy beyond the first trimester may be relatively safe. Previous reports have shown success with the use of FOLFOX (folinic acid, 5-FU, oxaliplatin) and FOLFIRI (folinic acid, 5-FU, irinotecan) during pregnancy. Moreover, neoadjuvant FOLFOXIRI (folinic acid, 5-FU, oxaliplatin, irinotecan) resulted in improved outcomes when compared to standard preoperative chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced and metastatic CRC. The use of FOLFOXIRI in pregnancy is not currently documented, and therefore, the outcomes of using this chemotherapeutic regimen are unclear. The aim of this case report was to demonstrate the use of FOLFOXIRI in pregnancy. A retrospective chart review was performed to assess the clinical course and fetal outcome of 2 patients presented in this case report. FOLFOXIRI was initiated in two pregnant women with nonmetastatic and metastatic CRC, resulting in successful delivery of healthy infants. FOLFOXIRI is an effective chemotherapy regimen for the treatment of advanced CRC and may be used during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.
Discrepancy between Guidelines and Clinical Practice in the Management of Cow’s Milk Allergy in Children: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey of Polish Physicians
Authors: Stróżyk Agata , Horvath Andrea , Jarocka-Cyrta Elżbieta , Bogusławski Stanisław , Szajewska Hania
Published: April 2022

The aim of this study was to assess the compliance between current guidelines on the diagnosis and management of children with cow’s milk allergy (CMA) and clinical practice by a survey of Polish physicians. An online cross-sectional survey involving a convenience series of participants was performed from January 15 to March 20, 2020. Data provided by 605 physicians (74.2% of them pediatricians working in general practice) were analyzed. Contrary to the current recommendations, only a minority of respondents (27.4%) reported performing oral food challenge (OFC) to confirm the diagnosis of CMA. Among those who reported performing OFC (n = 160 respondents), the majority performed an open challenge (82.5%). Most respondents (79.2%) correctly recommended as the first-line treatment extensively hydrolyzed cow’s milk formula for a child with mild-to-moderate CMA. Less than half of participants (43.8%) recommended amino acid-based formula for a child with severe CMA (anaphylaxis). Only half of respondents (50.8%) reassessed tolerance to cow’s milk proteins. For assessing tolerance acquisition, more respondents recommended challenge to baked milk compared with fresh cow’s milk (60.5% vs. 39.5%, respectively). This survey study found that only a minority of responding physicians follow current guidelines for diagnosis and management of children with CMA in Poland.
Lungenkrebs-Operationen: Frauen haben eine niedrigere Komplikationsrate und Krankenhaussterblichkeit
Authors: Lesser Thomas
Published: April 2022

Objectives: Sex is an important predictor for lung cancer survival and a favorable prognostic indicator for women compared to men. Specific surgery-related sex differences of patients with lung cancer remain unclear. The aim of this study is to analyze sex-specific differences after lung cancer resections to identify factors for an unfavorable prognosis. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of a German nationwide discharge register of every adult inpatient undergoing pulmonary resection for lung cancer from 2014 until 2017. DRG data and OPS procedures were analyzed with the help of the Federal Statistical Office using remote controlled data. A multivariable regression model was established in a stepwise process to evaluate the effect of sex on inpatient mortality. Results: A total of 38,806 patients underwent surgical resection for lung cancer between January 2014 and December 2017 in Germany. Women were significantly younger at admission than men (mean 64.7 years [SD 10.1] vs. 66.6 years [SD 9.5]; p < 0.0001). They had fewer unreferred admissions (risk ratio 0.83 [0.77, 0.90], p < 0.0001) and were significantly less likely to have recorded comorbidities. Raw in-hospital mortality was 1.8% for women and 4.1% for men. In the multivariable analysis of in-hospital mortality, the likelihood of death for women compared to men was 21% reduced (OR 0.79 [CI: 0.66, 0.93, p = 0.005]). The risk of postoperative complications such as ventilation >48 h, ARDS, tracheotomy, or pneumonia was significantly lower for women. Conclusions: Women undergoing lung cancer surgery were younger and had less comorbidities than men in Germany. Female sex was associated with lower mortality and less postoperative complications.
Complex Material Properties of Gel-Amin: A Transparent and Ionically Conductive Hydrogel for Neural Tissue Engineering
Authors: Neuman Katelyn E. , Kenny Aidan , Shi Lily , Koppes Abigail N. , Koppes Ryan A.
Published: April 2022

The field of tissue engineering has benefited greatly from the broad development of natural and synthetic polymers. Extensive work in neural engineering has demonstrated the value of conductive materials to improve spontaneous neuron activity as well as lowering the necessary field parameters for exogenous electrical stimulation. Further, cell fate is directly coupled to the mechanical properties of the cell culture substrate. Increasing the conductivity of hydrogel materials often necessitates the addition of dopant materials that facilitate electron mobility. However, very little electron transfer is observed in native cell signaling and most of these materials are opaque, severely limiting microscopy applications commonly employed to assess cell culture morphology and function. To overcome these shortcomings, the inclusion of an ionic liquid, choline acrylate, into the backbone of a modified collagen polymer increases the bulk conductivity 5-fold at a 1:1 ratio while maintaining optical transmission of visible light. Here, we explore how the inclusion of choline acrylate influences bulk material properties including the mechanical, swelling, and optical properties of our hydrogels, referred to as Gel-Amin hydrogels, as a material for tissue culture. Despite an increase in swelling over traditional GelMA materials, the conductive hydrogels support whole dorsal root ganglia encapsulation and outgrowth. Our results indicate that our Gel-Amin system holds potential for neural engineering applications and lowering the required charge injection for the application of exogenous electrical stimulation. This is this first time an ionic liquid-hydrogel system has been used to culture and support primary neurons in vitro.
Brain Peri-Hematomal Area, a Strategic Interface for Blood Clearance: A Human Neuropathological and Transcriptomic Study
Authors: Puy Laurent , Perbet Romain , Figeac Martin , Duchêne Bélinda , Deramecourt Vincent , Cordonnier Charlotte , Bérézowski Vincent
Published: April 2022

Background:

Enhancing the blood clearance process is a promising therapeutic strategy for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We aimed to investigate the kinetic of this process after ICH in human brain tissue through the monocyte-macrophage scavenger receptor (CD163)/HO-1 (hemoxygenase-1) pathway.

Methods:

We led a cross-sectional post-mortem study including 22 consecutive ICH cases (2005–2019) from the Lille Neurobank. Cases were grouped according to the time of death: ≤72 hours, 4 to 7 days, 8 to 15 days, 16 to 90 days, and >90 days after ICH onset. Paraffin-embedded tissue was extracted from 4 strategic areas, including hematoma core and peri-hematomal area to perform histological investigations. Additionally, we extracted RNA from the peri-hematomal area of 6 cases to perform transcriptomic analysis.

Results:

We included 19 ICH cases (median age: 79 [71–89] years; median delay ICH-death: 13 [5–41] days). The peri-hematomal area concentrated most of reactive microglia, CD163/HO-1 and iron deposits as compared with other brain areas. We found a surge in the blood clearance process from day 8 to day 15 after ICH onset. Transcriptomic analysis showed that HO-1 was the most upregulated gene (2.81±0.39, adjusted
P
=1.11×10
–10
) and CD163 the sixth (1.49±0.29, adjusted
P
=1.68×10
–
5
). We also identified several upregulated genes that exert a beneficial role in terminating inflammation and enhancing tissue repair.

Conclusions:

We provide histological and transcriptomic-based evidence in humans for the key role of peri-hematomal area in endogenous blood clearance process through the CD163/HO-1 pathway, especially from day 8 after ICH and favored by an anti-inflammatory environment. Our findings contribute to identify innovative therapeutic strategies for ICH.
Focused Update on Stroke Neuroimmunology: Current Progress in Preclinical and Clinical Research and Recent Mechanistic Insight
Authors: Boltze Johannes , Perez-Pinzon Miguel A.
Published: April 2022

Local and systemic inflammation contribute significantly to stroke risk factors as well as determining stroke impact and outcome. Previously being considered as an immuno-privileged domain, the central nervous system is now recognized for multiple and complex interactions with the immune system in health and disease. The sterile inflammatory response emerging after ischemic stroke is a major pathophysiological hallmark and considered to be a promising therapeutic target. Even (mal)adaptive immune responses following stroke, potentially contributing to long-term impact and outcome, are increasingly discussed. However, the complex interaction between the central nervous and the immune system are only partially understood, placing neuroimmunological investigations at the forefront of preclinical and clinical research. This Focused Update summarizes current knowledge in stroke neuroimmunology across all relevant disciplines and discusses major advances as well as recent mechanistic insights. Specifically, neuroimmunological processes and neuroinflammation following ischemic are discussed in the context of blood-brain barrier dysfunction, microglia activation, thromboinflammation, and sex differences in poststroke neuroimmunological responses. The Focused Update further highlights advances in neuroimaging and experimental treatments to visualize and counter neuroinflammatory consequences of ischemic stroke.
If We Succeed
Authors: Russell Stuart
Published: April 2022

Since its inception, AI has operated within a standard model whereby systems are designed to optimize a fixed, known objective. This model has been increasingly successful. I briefly summarize the state of the art and its likely evolution over the next decade. Substantial breakthroughs leading to general-purpose AI are much harder to predict, but they will have an enormous impact on society. At the same time, the standard model will become progressively untenable in real-world applications because of the difficulty of specifying objectives completely and correctly. I propose a new model for AI development in which the machine's uncertainty about the true objective leads to qualitatively new modes of behavior that are more robust, controllable, and deferential.
Non-Human Words: On GPT-3 as a Philosophical Laboratory
Authors: Rees Tobias
Published: April 2022

In this essay, I investigate the effect of OpenAI's GPT-3 on the modern concept of the human (as alone capable of reason and language) and of machines (as devoid of reason and language). I show how GPT-3 and other transformer-based language models give rise to a new, structuralist concept of language, implicit in which is a new understanding of human and machine that unfolds far beyond the reach of the categories we have inherited from the past. I try to make compelling the argument that AI companies like OpenAI, Google, Facebook, or Microsoft effectively are philosophical laboratories (insofar as they disrupt the old concepts/ontologies we live by) and I ask what it would mean to build AI products from the perspective of the philosophical disruptions they provoke: can we liberate AI from the concept of the human we inherited from the past?
Do Large Language Models Understand Us?
Authors: y Arcas Blaise Agüera
Published: April 2022

Large language models (LLMs) represent a major advance in artificial intelligence and, in particular, toward the goal of human-like artificial general intelligence. It is sometimes claimed, though, that machine learning is “just statistics,” hence that, in this grander ambition, progress in AI is illusory. Here I take the contrary view that LLMs have a great deal to teach us about the nature of language, understanding, intelligence, sociality, and personhood. Specifically: statistics do amount to understanding, in any falsifiable sense. Furthermore, much of what we consider intelligence is inherently dialogic, hence social; it requires a theory of mind. Complex sequence learning and social interaction may be a sufficient basis for general intelligence, including theory of mind and consciousness. Since the interior state of another being can only be understood through interaction, no objective answer is possible to the question of when an “it” becomes a “who,” but for many people, neural nets running on computers are likely to cross this threshold in the very near future.
Signs Taken for Wonders: AI, Art & the Matter of Race
Authors: Elam Michele
Published: April 2022

AI shares with earlier socially transformative technologies a reliance on limiting models of the “human” that embed racialized metrics for human achievement, expression, and progress. Many of these fundamental mindsets about what constitutes humanity have become institutionally codified, continuing to mushroom in design practices and research development of devices, applications, and platforms despite the best efforts of many well-intentioned technologists, scholars, policy-makers, and industries. This essay argues why and how AI needs to be much more deeply integrated with the humanities and arts in order to contribute to human flourishing, particularly with regard to social justice. Informed by decolonial, disability, and gender critical frameworks, some AI artist-technologists of color challenge commercial imperatives of “personalization” and “frictionlessness,” representing race, ethnicity, and gender not as normative self-evident categories nor monetized data points, but as dynamic social processes always indexing political tensions and interests.
Automation, AI & Work
Authors: Tyson Laura D. , Zysman John
Published: April 2022

We characterize artificial intelligence as “routine-biased technological change on steroids,” adding intelligence to automation tools that substitute for humans in physical tasks and substituting for humans in routine and increasingly nonroutine cognitive tasks. We predict how AI will displace humans from existing tasks while increasing demand for humans in new tasks in both manufacturing and services. We also examine the effects of AI-enabled digital platforms on labor. Our conjecture is that AI will continue, even intensify, automation's adverse effects on labor, including the polarization of employment, stagnant wage growth for middle- and low-skill workers, growing inequality, and a lack of good jobs. Though there likely will be enough jobs to keep pace with the slow growth of the labor supply in the advanced economies, we are skeptical that AI and ongoing automation will support the creation of enough good jobs. We doubt that the anticipated productivity and growth benefits of AI will be widely shared, predicting instead that they will fuel more inequality. Yet we are optimistic that interventions can mitigate or offset AI's adverse effects on labor. Ultimately, how the benefits of intelligent automation tools are realized and shared depends not simply on their technological design but on the design of intelligent policies.
The Turing Trap: The Promise & Peril of Human-Like Artificial
Intelligence
Authors: Brynjolfsson Erik
Published: April 2022

In 1950, Alan Turing proposed a test of whether a machine was intelligent: could a machine imitate a human so well that its answers to questions were indistinguishable from a human's? Ever since, creating intelligence that matches human intelligence has implicitly or explicitly been the goal of thousands of researchers, engineers, and entrepreneurs. The benefits of human-like artificial intelligence (HLAI) include soaring productivity, increased leisure, and perhaps most profoundly a better understanding of our own minds. But not all types of AI are human-like-in fact, many of the most powerful systems are very different from humans-and an excessive focus on developing and deploying HLAI can lead us into a trap. As machines become better substitutes for human labor, workers lose economic and political bargaining power and become increasingly dependent on those who control the technology. In contrast, when AI is focused on augmenting humans rather than mimicking them, humans retain the power to insist on a share of the value created. What is more, augmentation creates new capabilities and new products and services, ultimately generating far more value than merely human-like AI. While both types of AI can be enormously beneficial, there are currently excess incentives for automation rather than augmentation among technologists, business executives, and policy-makers.
The Chosŏn Border Defense Council’s Drifting Records of Chinese Vessels in Early Modern East Asia
Authors: Wong Tak-sum
Published: April 2022

This study aims at building a part-of-speech tagged corpus for all the drifting conversation records from Pibyŏnsa Tŭngnok, which is the official record of the daily affairs of the Border Defense Council of the Chosŏn dynasty, and conducting a quantitative analysis of the statistically salient place names and common nouns therein. The author also establishes a methodological framework and demonstrates how to conduct quantitative analysis when extrapolating patterned information in a vast corpus by using techniques like a word frequency table and co-occurrence analysis to uncover hidden patterns and correlations in a large dataset. Our results show that Fujian was the major source of the crew members and passengers of these sailboats, while some crew members were hired in Thailand. Beijing is the most frequently observed non-native place in the conversation records, since the officials were deeply interested in the distance between Beijing and other places in China. The Chosŏn officials appeared to grasp every opportunity to inquire about the physical geography, political institutions, military power, current maritime situation, newsworthy events, and the recent development of Qing China.
Travel Route Support Service System Using Information of Elderly Based on IoT Environment
Authors: Sim Sung-Ho
Published: April 2022

Background/Objectives: Interest in the industry aimed for the aged continues to grow due to an increase in the elderly population. Due to the increase in the elderly population with economic consumption capacity, demand for the welfare, medical care and travel industry aimed
for the aged is expanding. General travel information and programs are provided mainly by travel service providers. The elderly-centered travel information service has many shortcomings. Methods/Statistical Analysis: The Fourth Industrial Revolution can provide new fusion and convergence
services through the fusion of existing industries and IT. Various services such as medical care, welfare and tourism are required in connection with the industry aimed for the aged. This paper proposes a service system supporting travel routes using IoT environment-based elderly information.
As the IoT environment and IoT device distribution become more common, the smart device accessibility for the elderly has improved. The proposed system provides travel route support services suitable for the elderly by additional support for elderly based on existing travel information providing
systems. Findings: The travel information system provides users with only general information, such as information about destinations or distance between destinations. The service system supporting travel routes using IoT environment-based elderly information proposed in this paper
provides a list of route support services suitable for the elderly by additionally applying the information of the elderly, when the elderly request travel routes. Improvements/Applications: The service system supporting travel routes using IoT environment-based elderly information
provides user-centered travel route support service from provider-centered service for travel information.
Biometrics Based User Authentication Scheme for Multi-Server Environments
Authors: Kwon Yeong-Ae , Lee Jae-Young
Published: April 2022

The critical security requirements include mutual authentication between a server and a user and creation of the session key that is used to maintain confidentiality of data through the key agreement scheme. This study proposes the improved user authentication scheme that can respond
to the impersonation attack of an attacker, guaranteeing user’s anonymity and confidentiality of the session key by improving the problem that the user authentication scheme suggested by Moon et al. has, which is that the secret key of the registration center and a server and secret
numbers selected by the registration center are easily exposed to an attacker. This study proposes the improved user authentication scheme that can respond to the impersonation attack of an attacker, guaranteeing user’s anonymity and confidentiality of the session key by improving the
problem that the user authentication scheme suggested by Moon et al. has, which is that the secret key of the registration center and a server and secret numbers selected by the registration center are easily exposed to an attacker. Therefore, this study proposes dividing and saving the secret
key SPSK in advance when it is registered at the registration center in order to prevent the secret key and secret numbers from being exposed to an attacker. Besides, it makes it impossible for an attacker to figure out the secret number x from a transformed number even though a message
is wiretapped upon transmission by improving it in the way that the secret number x that is selected after a user requests registration is transformed to another number before transmission. The improved user authentication scheme proposed in this study is able to guarantee user’s
anonymity, respond to attacks that attackers are impersonated as users or servers and that create the session key by using the intercepted messages.
Consultation Management Model Based on Behavior Classification of Special-Needs Students Using Machine Learning
Authors: Park Won-Cheol , Park Koo-Rack
Published: April 2022

When observing behaviors of special-needs students, on average, typical behaviors of common propensity are observed along with unspecific behaviors. Unlike behaviors that are generally known, information regarding unspecific behaviors is insufficient. For an education or guidance regarding
the unspecific behaviors, collection and management of data regarding the unspecific behaviors of special-needs students are needed. In this paper, a consultation management model based on behavior classification of special-needs students using machine learning is proposed. It is a model that
provides data to a user by collecting, classifying and managing the behavior data by letting the machine learn the data regarding the unspecific behaviors of special-needs students that are not typical and well known. Since it requires data regarding various behaviors of special-needs students,
the data set shall be organized using the behavior pattern data of special-needs students that currently exists, and the data shall be learned by the proposed model. Web-based machine learning model that collects behaviors of special-needs students in real-time is proposed in order to collect
the behavior pattern data regarding the unspecific behaviors of special-needs students. The data can be input using the proposed model, and the user can use it through web-browser. The data can be easily input and revised using the proposed model in any environment that the internet can be
accessed. The utilization of data analysis result can be enhanced through the use of data list and tools such as a graph through a web-browser, and the accuracy can be enhanced by learning the result that has been acquired by comparing it with previous data by connecting to the database. The
test has been performed by arbitrarily applying unspecific behaviors that are not stored in the database, and the forecast model has accurately classified and grouped the input data. Also, it has been verified that it is possible to accurately distinguish and classify the behaviors through
the feature data of the behaviors even if there are some errors in the input process. In future, the research of real-time data collection and tailored education index data: the common items need to be organized as a data by recording a class time of special schools or special classes and
analyzing the behavior patterns of multiple special-needs students in real-time.
Analysis of Trademark Information for Use of Business Intelligence: Based on Goods and Services Information
Authors: Na Myung-Sun , Park Inchae
Published: April 2022

In the era of the 4th industrial revolution, there is a growing interest in deriving management insights through the use of data such as big data and business intelligence. In addition, as the importance of intellectual property increases, interest in intellectual property information
is increasing. In particular, cases and related studies using patent information as a material for business intelligence are increasing, but the use of trademark data is relatively poor. Among the trademark data, goods and services information represents a business activity area of a company.
This study uses this to check the business activity status of a company to find out whether the trademark data can be used as a material for business intelligence. About 200,000 trademark applications are filed every year, and about 3.6 million trademark data are currently accumulated. By
collecting the trademark data accumulated in the Korea Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) and checking the business activities of the company through Goods and Services information among them, we analyzed whether the trademark data can be used as a material for business intelligence. In particular,
as of 2016, when the 4th Industrial Revolution was introduced, the trademark data for 3 years before 2016 and 3 years after 2016 were compared and analyzed. First, I checked if there was a change in the number of trademark applications. Second, through frequency analysis through Excel, changes
in business areas and new establishments were analyzed through the increase or decrease of similar group codes that classified the same and similar products, and then visualized through Power Bi. Third, it was verified whether there is a relationship between the newly designated similar group
code and corporate activities through internet news and market information. As a result of the analysis, first, it was found that all trademark applications of the target companies increased. The increase in the number of trademark applications means an increase in the Goods and Services that
a company actually sells in the business community. Second, as a result of analyzing product changes in the three years before 2016 and three years after 2016, all similar group codes of target companies increased, and the increase in products related to the 4th Industrial Revolution was also
remarkable. Finally, as a result of the analysis of the newly designated similar group code, it was found to be in line with the future business strategy of the target company learned through news or market information. As a result of the analysis, it was confirmed that trademark data can
be used as a material for business intelligence as big data. Trademark data can be applied not only as products currently in business, but also as products to be used in the future, so it is expected that current and future business trends can be identified and reflected in management strategies.
Fast Identity Online-Based Facial Authentication System Development in Mobile
Authors: Kang Sun-Kyoung
Published: April 2022

Recently, research on methods to improve upon the security vulnerability of password based authentication is being actively conducted. Research on how to use real-time biometric recognition is also actively underway. The system development of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) key pairs
and uses a method that safely stores the produced keys in secure zones, and encryption key data is composed so that access can only be made in Fast Identity Online (FIDO) Authenticator zones. Face certification data extracted from the face recognition engine is created, data can be accessed
and saved through encryption. With the Fast Identity Online (FIDO) Authenticator, a method was developed that compares and face certification data. The system in this thesis developed a Fast Identity Online (FIDO) based face certification system that uses biometric authentication to supplement
the weaknesses of password based systems which were used for user certification in the past because they cost little and are convenient. System development in this thesis was conducted by applying a Fast Identity Online (FIDO) based certification system to an Active Shape Model (ASM) style
face recognition algorithm. After taking a photo of the face with the user’s cellular phone and saving it, certification is carried out through comparisons made of the photo and real-time input images. Once certification is made using Fast Identity Online (FIDO) protocols, tests of face
detection speed and matching speed are conducted to measure accuracy and speed. A total of 30 tests were conducted and test results showed that detection speed was an average of 30.35 f/s and matching speed was 14.16 ms. In this paper, biometric authentication security and convenience are
provided by using security functions provided by user devices and supplementing them with a server operation method.