bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Hybrid Genetic Algorithm for Integrated Truck Scheduling and Product Routing on the Cross-Docking System with Multiple Receiving and Shipping Docks
Authors: Yu Wooyeon , Ha Chunghun , Park SeJoon
Published: March 2021

In this research, a truck scheduling problem for a cross-docking system with multiple receiving and shipping docks is studied. Until recently, single-dock cross-docking problems are studied mostly. This research is focused on the multiple-dock problems. The objective of the problem is to determine the best docking sequences of inbound and outbound trucks to the receiving and shipping docks, respectively, which minimize the maximal completion time. We propose a new hybrid genetic algorithm to solve this problem. This genetic algorithm improves the solution quality through the population scheme of the nested structure and the new product routing heuristic. To avoid unnecessary infeasible solutions, a linked-chromosome representation is used to link the inbound and outbound truck sequences, and locus-pairing crossovers and mutations for this representation are proposed. As a result of the evaluation of the benchmark problems, it shows that the proposed hybrid GA provides a superior solution compared to the existing heuristics.
Diagnosis of Chronic Kidney Disease by Three-Dimensional Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Combined with Augmented Reality Medical Technology
Authors: Zhuang Yan , Sun Juanjuan , Liu Jiaqiang
Published: March 2021

Chronic kidney disease is a worldwide clinical and public health problem. As a risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, the disease has gradually become one of the causes of morbidity and death. As a routine method of screening for kidney disease, ultrasound is very important in improving the rate of early detection and accuracy of chronic kidney disease. This article explores the value of applying 3D ultrasound in conjunction with augmented reality medical technology in chronic kidney disease, observing changes in kidney tumor at different stages with percutaneous 3D ultrasound in patients with chronic kidney disease. Volunteers with chronic kidney disease were selected for this experiment. Among them, 160 males and 140 females were diagnosed as chronic kidney disease by clinical or renal pathological biopsy, and they all met the K/DOQI diagnostic criteria for chronic kidney disease. The selected subjects met the criteria and were divided into 5 groups, each with 60 patients, to explore the correlation of properties such as three-dimensional ultrasound kidney volume in different stages of chronic kidney disease. Experiments have shown that, with the increase in the stages of chronic kidney disease, the elasticity and volume of the renal parenchyma decrease, and the resistance index of the renal artery becomes larger,

P
<
0.05

; the difference is statistically significant, indicating that the elasticity of the renal parenchyma is associated with chronic kidney disease. The stage is negatively correlated, and the resistance index of the renal artery is positively correlated with the stage of chronic kidney disease. That is, as the stage of chronic kidney disease increases, the three-dimensional volume of the kidney shows a decreasing trend and the resistance index of the renal artery shows an increasing trend. Speed shows a declining trend and there is some correlation between the three.
Research on the Deformation Law of Jointed Surrounding Rock during Tunnel Excavation Based on Hydromechanical Coupling
Authors: Wang Yan , Li Mingfei
Published: March 2021

The coupling of the joint network and groundwater in rock under bias conditions has a significant impact on the deformation and failure of the surrounding rock due to tunnel excavation. This paper studies the deformation and failure of surrounding rock after tunnel excavation under different joint network and groundwater conditions. A finite element-based composite joint network modeling method is proposed in this paper, and the typical parameters of the surrounding rock, such as the plastic zone size, vertical displacement, and lateral displacement, are analyzed and compared through numerical calculations. According to the different stratum and hydraulic conditions considered, four numerical models under four different working conditions are established and studied. The deformation and failure laws of the surrounding rock during tunnel excavation are obtained. The results show that with a single joint network, when there is no influence of groundwater, the surrounding rock mainly undergoes shear failure at the arch crown after tunnel excavation. When the influence of groundwater is considered, there are differences in the mode of damage between the left and right sides of the tunnel. The stratum approximately 1 m from the invert breaks, and the right sidewall fails approximately 1 m from the measuring point. In rock with a composite joint network, when groundwater is not considered, two kinds of failures occur in the surrounding rock near the tunnel; however, the surrounding rock far from the tunnel is dominated by shear failure. The stratum approximately 3.5 m from the arch crown fractures and the surrounding rock within approximately 5.5 m from the measurement point on the right sidewall undergoes separation failure. Under the dual effects of joints and groundwater, soft rock deforms considerably. The total hydraulic gradient decreases from left to right before and after tunnel excavation. The total hydraulic gradient of the composite joint network strata is generally smaller than that of the single joint network. In the composite joint network strata, the total hydraulic gradient near the tunnel changes dramatically. This research can provide a reference for tunnel engineering under similar conditions.
Posttraumatic Bacillus cereus Endophthalmitis: Clinical Characteristics and Antibiotic Susceptibilities
Authors: Mei Feng , Lin Jiaqi , Liu Manli , Yang Yao , Lin Xiaofeng , Duan Fang
Published: March 2021

Purpose. To report the clinical characteristics, antibiotic susceptibilities, and visual outcomes of patients with posttraumatic endophthalmitis caused by Bacillus cereus. Methods. In this retrospective, noncomparative case series, the medical records of eyes with culture-proven Bacillus cereus endophthalmitis treated from January 2016 to December 2019 at a referral center were reviewed. Clinical features, antibiotic susceptibilities, and visual outcomes were assessed. Results. A total of 19 eyes of 19 patients were identified. Three patients progressed to orbital cellulitis. Vitrectomy was performed in 13 eyes, and 11 required silicone oil tamponade. Finally, seven eyes underwent silicone oil removal surgery during follow-up. Only two patients retained a visual acuity better than FC. Four patients underwent evisceration, and three patients had NLP. The cultured Bacillus cereus was sensitive to levofloxacin, ofloxacin, tobramycin, and neomycin at 100%. Conclusions. The visual outcomes of posttraumatic Bacillus cereus endophthalmitis were generally poor regardless of the prophylactic and therapeutic measures administered. Vitrectomy combined with silicone oil tamponade could help to save the eyeball. Bacillus cereus has a good susceptibility to ofloxacin, levofloxacin, tobramycin, and neomycin; therefore, fluoroquinolones and aminoglycosides can be used to treat Bacillus cereus infection.
Antimicrobial Activity of the Synthesized of Copper Chalcogenide Nanoparticles
Authors: Mbewana-Ntshanka N. G. , Moloto M. J. , Mubiayi P. K.
Published: March 2021

Antimicrobial activity of copper chalcogenides nanoparticles was investigated by synthesizing copper selenide, copper sulfide, and copper oxide via the hot-injection method. Since reaction time has a profound effect on the nanocrystals size and shapes, the effect of reaction time was also investigated during the synthesis of the copper chalcogenides to obtain nanocrystals with desired properties. The reaction time showed no effect on the phase composition of the synthesized copper sulfide, copper oxide, and copper selenide nanoparticles. However, the size variation of nanoparticles with different reaction time was observed. Reaction time of 30 minutes gave the best optical (the shape of the absorption band edge and emission maxima values) and structural (size distribution of particles) properties for CuSe and CuS compared to other reaction times (15, 45, and 60 min). Their band edges were located at 506 (2.45 eV) and 538 nm (2.30 eV), respectively. For this reaction time, copper selenide produced nanoparticles with a size range of 1–27 nm and copper sulfide nanoparticles ranged 1–18 nm. The morphologies of both chalcogenides at 30 min reaction time were spherical. Reaction time of 15 minutes gave the best optical and structural properties for copper oxide nanoparticles with a band edge of 454 nm (2.73 eV) and particle size ranging 0.8–3.2 nm, but nonetheless, 30 min was used as the optimum reaction time for all three chalcogenides. The optimum parameter (220°C, 30 min, and 1 : 1 ratio) was used to synthesize the three copper chalcogenides which were then tested against Gram-negative (E. coli and P. aeruginosa), Gram-positive (S. aureus and E. faecalis), and fungi (C. albicans) employing both agar disk diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MICs) methods. Copper oxide nanoparticles showed more sensitivity towards four bacterial microorganisms than the other two chalcogenides followed by copper sulfide nanoparticles with copper selenide nanoparticles being the least sensitive. The sensitivity of copper oxide nanoparticles is attributed to the smaller size of oxygen atom which strongly affects its reactivity and stability and hence very stable and highly reactive compared to sulfur and selenium.
Comparison of Survival between Single-Access and Conventional Laparoscopic Surgery in Rectal Cancer
Authors: Sirikurnpiboon Siripong
Published: March 2021

Introduction. Innovative laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer can be classified into 2 types: firstly, new instruments such as robotic surgery and secondly, new technique such as single-access laparoscopic surgery (SALS) and transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME). Most reports of SALS for rectal cancer have shown pathologic outcomes comparable to those of conventional laparoscopic surgery (CLS); however, SALS is considered to be superior to CLS in terms of lower levels of discomfort and faster recovery rates. This study aimed to compare the survival outcomes of the two approaches. Methods. From 2011 to 2014, 84 cases of adenocarcinoma of the rectum and anal canal were enrolled. The operations were anterior, low anterior, intersphincteric, and abdominoperineal resections. Data collected included postoperative outcomes. The oncological outcomes recorded included 3-year and 5-year survival, local recurrence, and metastasis. Results. SALS was performed on 41 patients, and CLS was utilized in 43 cases. The demographic data of the two groups were similar. Intraoperative volumes of blood loss and conversion rates were similar, but operative time was longer in the SALS group. There were no significant differences in postoperative complications or pathological outcomes. The oncologic results were similar in terms of 3-year survival (100% and 97.7%;

p

 = 1.00), 5-year survival (78.0% and 86.0%;

p

 = 0.401), local recurrence rates (19.5% vs 11.6%,

p

 = 0.376), and metastasis rates (19.5% vs 11.6%;

p

 = 0.376) for SALS and CLS, respectively. Conclusion. SALS and CLS for rectal and anal cancer had comparable pathological and survival results, but SALS showed some superior benefits in the early postoperative period.
An Unsupervised Intelligent Fault Diagnosis System Based on Feature Transfer
Authors: Lu Nannan , Wang Songcheng , Xiao Hanhan
Published: March 2021

With the booming development of intelligent manufacturing in modern industry, intelligent fault diagnosis systems have become a necessity to equipment and machine, which have attracted many researchers’ attention. However, due to the requirements of enough labeled data for most of the current approaches, it is difficult to implement them in real industrial scenarios. In this paper, an unsupervised intelligent fault diagnosis system based on feature transfer is constructed to extract the historical labeled data of the source domain, using feature transfer to facilitate the fault diagnosis of the target domain. The original feature set is acquired by EEMD time-frequency analysis. Then, the transfer component analysis algorithm is adopted to minimize the distance between the marginal distributions of the source and target domains which reduces the discrepancy of features between the different domains. Finally, SVM is used in multiclassification to identify different categories of faults. The performance of the fault diagnosis system under different loads is tested on the CWRU bearing data set, and the experiments show that the proposed system could effectively improve the recognition ability of unsupervised fault diagnosis.
Metabolomic Study on the Therapeutic Effect of the Jianpi Yangzheng Xiaozheng Decoction on Gastric Cancer Treated with Chemotherapy Based on GC-TOFMS Analysis
Authors: Hou Chao , Chu Hua-Jian , Dai Xiao-Jun , Wu Yin-Qiu , He Zheng-Fei , Yu Yan-Wei , Lu Qing-Yun , Liu Yan-Qing , Zhang Xiao-Chun
Published: March 2021

Objective. This study aimed to find new biomarkers of prognosis and metabolomic therapy for gastric carcinoma (GC) treated with chemotherapy and investigate the metabolic mechanism of the Jianpi Yangzheng Xiaozheng (JPYZXZ) decoction in the treatment of GC. Methods. First, 36 patients with GC were randomly assigned to the treatment (chemotherapy plus JPYZXZ) and control (chemotherapy alone) groups. The clinical efficacy, side effects, and quality of life of patients in the two groups were evaluated after treatment. Then, the serum samples taken from 16 randomly selected patients (eight treatment cases and eight control cases with no evident pattern characters) and eight healthy volunteers were tested to identify the differential metabolite under the gas chromatography-time-of-fight mass spectrometry platform. The relevant metabolic pathways of differential substances were analyzed using multidimensional statistical analysis. Results. JPYZXZ combined with chemotherapy resulted in a lower risk of leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, and gastrointestinal reaction (

P

 < 0.05). Additionally, patients in the treatment group showed a higher Karnofsky (KPS) scale (

P

 < 0.05). Compared with healthy persons, patients with GC were found to have 26 significant differential metabolites after chemotherapy; these metabolites are mainly involved in 12 metabolic pathways, such as valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis. JPYZXZ primarily influences the pentose phosphate pathway; glutathione metabolism; glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism; porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism; and glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism of patients with GC treated with chemotherapy. Conclusions. The metabolic characteristics of patients with GC after chemotherapy are mainly various amino acid metabolic defects, especially L-glutamine, L-leucine, L-alloisoleucine, and L-valine. These defects lead to a series of problems, such as decreased tolerance and effectiveness of chemotherapy, increased side effects, decreased immunity, and shortened survival time. In addition, the remarkable upregulation of the gluconolactone level in patients with GC suggests the high proliferative activity of GC cells. Thus, gluconolactone may be used as a potential prognostic and diagnostic evaluation index. Moreover, JPYZXZ can reduce the incidence of ADRs and improve the life quality of patients by the correction of L-glutamine, L-leucine, L-alloisoleucine, and L-valine metabolism deficiency. In addition, gluconolactone metabolism is inhibited by JPYZXZ. Such inhibition may be one of the antitumor mechanisms of JPYZXZ.
Application of a Large-Parameter Technique for Solving a Singular Case of a Rigid Body
Authors: Ismail A. I.
Published: March 2021

In this paper, the motion of a rigid body in a singular case of the natural frequency (

ω
=
1
/
3

) is considered. This case of singularity appears in the previous works due to the existence of the term

ω

2

−

1
/
9

in the denominator of the obtained solutions. For this reason, we solve the problem from the beginning. We assume that the body rotates about its fixed point in a Newtonian force field and construct the equations of the motion for this case when

ω
=
1
/
3

. We use a new procedure for solving this problem from the beginning using a large parameter

ε

that depends on a sufficiently small angular velocity component

r

o

. Applying this procedure, we derive the periodic solutions of the problem and investigate the geometric interpretation of motion. The obtained analytical solutions graphically are presented using programmed data. Using the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method, we find the numerical solutions for this case aimed at determining the errors between both obtained solutions.
The Transcriptomic Landscape of Mismatch Repair-Deficient Intestinal Stem Cells
Authors: Bommi Prashant V. , Bowen Charles M. , Reyes-Uribe Laura , Wu Wenhui , Katayama Hiroyuki , Rocha Pedro , Parra Edwin R. , Francisco-Cruz Alejandro , Ozcan Zuhal , Tosti Elena , Willis Jason A. , Wu Hong , Taggart Melissa W. , Burks Jared K. , Lynch Patrick M. , Edelmann Winfried , Scheet Paul A. , Wistuba Ignacio I. , Sinha Krishna M. , Hanash Samir M. , Vilar Eduardo
Published: March 2021

Lynch syndrome is the most common cause of hereditary colorectal cancer and is secondary to germline alterations in one of four DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes. Here we aimed to provide novel insights into the initiation of MMR-deficient (MMRd) colorectal carcinogenesis by characterizing the expression profile of MMRd intestinal stem cells (ISC). A tissue-specific MMRd mouse model (Villin-Cre;Msh2LoxP/LoxP) was crossed with a reporter mouse (Lgr5-EGFP-IRES-creERT2) to trace and isolate ISCs (Lgr5+) using flow cytometry. Three different ISC genotypes (Msh2-KO, Msh2-HET, and Msh2-WT) were isolated and processed for mRNA-seq and mass spectrometry, followed by bioinformatic analyses to identify expression signatures of complete MMRd and haplo-insufficiency. These findings were validated using qRT-PCR, IHC, and whole transcriptomic sequencing in mouse tissues, organoids, and a cohort of human samples, including normal colorectal mucosa, premalignant lesions, and early-stage colorectal cancers from patients with Lynch syndrome and patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) as controls. Msh2-KO ISCs clustered together with differentiated intestinal epithelial cells from all genotypes. Gene-set enrichment analysis indicated inhibition of replication, cell-cycle progression, and the Wnt pathway and activation of epithelial signaling and immune reaction. An expression signature derived from MMRd ISCs successfully distinguished MMRd neoplastic lesions of patients with Lynch syndrome from FAP controls. SPP1 was specifically upregulated in MMRd ISCs and colocalized with LGR5 in Lynch syndrome colorectal premalignant lesions and tumors. These results show that expression signatures of MMRd ISC recapitulate the initial steps of Lynch syndrome carcinogenesis and have the potential to unveil novel biomarkers of early cancer initiation.

Significance:

The transcriptomic and proteomic profile of MMR-deficient intestinal stem cells displays a unique set of genes with potential roles as biomarkers of cancer initiation and early progression.
Porphyromonas gingivalis Promotes Colorectal Carcinoma by Activating the Hematopoietic NLRP3 Inflammasome
Authors: Wang Xi , Jia Yiqun , Wen Liling , Mu Wenxin , Wu Xianrui , Liu Tao , Liu Xiangqi , Fang Juan , Luan Yizhao , Chen Ping , Gao Jinlong , Nguyen Ky-Anh , Cui Jun , Zeng Gucheng , Lan Ping , Chen Qianming , Cheng Bin , Wang Zhi
Published: March 2021

Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) is a keystone periodontal pathogen associated with various digestive cancers. However, whether P. gingivalis can promote colorectal cancer and the underlying mechanism associated with such promotion remains unclear. In this study, we found that P. gingivalis was enriched in human feces and tissue samples from patients with colorectal cancer compared with those from patients with colorectal adenoma or healthy subjects. Cohort studies demonstrated that P. gingivalis infection was associated with poor prognosis in colorectal cancer. P. gingivalis increased tumor counts and tumor volume in the ApcMin/+ mouse model and increased tumor growth in orthotopic rectal and subcutaneous carcinoma models. Furthermore, orthotopic tumors from mice exposed to P. gingivalis exhibited tumor-infiltrating myeloid cell recruitment and a proinflammatory signature. P. gingivalis promoted colorectal cancer via NLRP3 inflammasome activation in vitro and in vivo. NLRP3 chimeric mice harboring orthotopic tumors showed that the effect of NLRP3 on P. gingivalis pathogenesis was mediated by hematopoietic sources. Collectively, these data suggest that P. gingivalis contributes to colorectal cancer neoplasia progression by activating the hematopoietic NLRP3 inflammasome.

Significance:

This study demonstrates that the periodontal pathogen P. gingivalis can promote colorectal tumorigenesis by recruiting myeloid cells and creating a proinflammatory tumor microenvironment.
Long-term Patterns of Excess Mortality among Endometrial Cancer Survivors
Authors: Anderson Chelsea , Bae-Jump Victoria L. , Broaddus Russell R. , Olshan Andrew F. , Nichols Hazel B.
Published: March 2021

Background:

We investigated excess mortality after endometrial cancer using conditional relative survival estimates and standardized mortality ratios (SMR).

Methods:

Women diagnosed with endometrial cancer during 2000–2017 (N = 183,153) were identified in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database. SMRs were calculated as observed deaths among endometrial cancer survivors over expected deaths among demographically similar women in the general U.S. population. Five-year relative survival was estimated at diagnosis and each additional year survived up to 12 years post-diagnosis, conditional on survival up to that year.

Results:

For the full cohort, 5-year relative survival was 87.7%, 96.2%, and 97.1% at 1, 5, and 10 years post-diagnosis, respectively. Conditional 5-year relative survival first exceeded 95%, reflecting minimal excess mortality compared with the general population, at 4 years post-diagnosis overall. However, in subgroup analyses, conditional relative survival remained lower for Black women (vs. White) and for those with regional/distant stage disease (vs. localized) throughout the study period. The overall SMR for all-cause mortality decreased from 5.90 [95% confidence interval (CI), 5.81–5.99] in the first year after diagnosis to 1.16 (95% CI, 1.13–1.19) at 10+ years; SMRs were consistently higher for non-White women and for those with higher stage or grade disease.

Conclusions:

Overall, endometrial cancer survivors had only a small survival deficit beyond 4 years post-diagnosis. However, excess mortality was greater in magnitude and persisted longer into survivorship for Black women and for those with more advanced disease.

Impact:

Strategies to mitigate disparities in mortality after endometrial cancer will be needed as the number of survivors continues to increase.
Weight Regain and Breast Cancer–Related Biomarkers Following an Exercise Intervention in Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Gonzalo-Encabo Paola , McNeil Jessica , Pérez-López Alberto , Valades David , Courneya Kerry S. , Friedenreich Christine M.
Published: March 2021

Background:

Epidemiologic studies have reported associations between weight fluctuations and postmenopausal breast cancer risk; however, the biological markers involved in this association are unknown. This study aimed to explore the associations between breast cancer–related biomarkers and weight regain following exercise-induced weight loss.

Methods:

From the 400 participants included in the Breast Cancer and Exercise Trial in Alberta, a total of 214 lost weight during the intervention and had follow-up blood samples, body composition, and covariate measurements. Outcomes were measured at baseline, 12 months (end of the study), and 24 months (follow-up).

Results:

During follow-up, weight regain was 1.80 kg [95% confidence interval (CI): –0.40–3.90], and was significantly associated with increases in estradiol [treatment effect ratio (TER) = 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01–1.04], estrone (TER = 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01–1.03), free estradiol (TER = 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02–1.05), the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (TER = 1.03; 95% CI, 1.02–1.05), and insulin (TER = 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01–1.04), and decreases in sex hormone–binding globulin (SHBG; TER = 0.98; 95% CI, 0.97–0.99) levels. Nonstatistically significant associations were found for glucose and C-reactive protein. Furthermore, a statistically significant linear trend of increasing levels for all biomarkers, and decreasing SHBG, across weight regain categories was found.

Conclusions:

These results suggest that weight regain following exercise-induced weight loss is associated with breast cancer–related biomarker changes in postmenopausal women.

Impact:

These findings provide evidence to support the importance of developing effective strategies to prevent weight regain and, consequently, decrease postmenopausal breast cancer risk via changes in adiposity-related biomarkers.
Genetically Inferred Telomere Length and Testicular Germ Cell Tumor Risk
Authors: Brown Derek W. , Lan Qing , Rothman Nathaniel , Pluta John , Almstrup Kristian , Dalgaard Marlene D. , Greene Mark H. , Grotmol Tom , Loveday Chey , Schwartz Stephen M. , Turnbull Clare , Wiklund Fredrik , Kanetsky Peter A. , Nathanson Katherine L. , McGlynn Katherine A. , Machiela Mitchell J.
Published: March 2021

Background:

Studies evaluating the association between peripheral blood leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) risk have produced conflicting results.

Methods:

Using available genotype data from the Testicular Cancer Consortium (TECAC), polygenic risk score and Mendelian randomization analyses of genetic variants previously associated with LTL were used to assess potential etiologic associations between telomere length and TGCT risk.

Results:

Genetically inferred telomere length was not associated with TGCT risk among 2,049 cases and 6,921 controls with individual-level genotype data (OR, 1.02; 95% confidence interval, 0.97–1.07). Mendelian randomization analyses using summary statistic data further indicated no evidence for an association between telomere length and TGCT risk among all available TECAC participants (3,558 cases and 13,971 controls).

Conclusions:

Our analyses in the largest molecular genetic testicular cancer study to date provide no evidence for an association between genetically inferred peripheral blood LTL and TGCT risk.

Impact:

The lack of evidence for an overall association indicates that peripheral blood LTL is likely not a strong biomarker for TGCT risk.
Aves do Campus “Luiz de Queiroz”
Authors:   Instituto Nacional da Mata Atlântica (INMA/MCTIC), Alexandrino Eduardo Roberto , Bovo Alex Augusto Abreu ,   Universidade de São Paulo. Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Moraes Flavio ,   Grupo de Estudo e Observação de Aves de Piracicaba – GEOP, Betini Gustavo S. ,   University of Guelph, Costa Júlio César da ,   Universidade de São Paulo. Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”, Luz Daniela Tomasio Apolinario da ,   Universidade de São Paulo. Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”, Navarro Ana Beatriz ,   Universidade de São Paulo. Museu de Zoologia, Bessi Taynara Cristine ,   Universidade de São Paulo. Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Couto Hilton Thadeu Zarate do ,   Universidade de São Paulo. Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”, Ferraz Katia Maria Paschoaletto Micchi de Barros ,   Universidade de São Paulo. Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”
Published: March 2021

O livro apresenta uma lista de cerca de 200 espécies de aves encontradas em anos recentes no campus da ESALQ em Piracicaba e nas proximidades, com informações sobre aves, habitats, comportamento, ninhos e outros detalhes para incentivar a observação de aves em um dos mais belos campi universitários do país. Essa publicação é um pequeno guia valioso para alunos e outros da região, especialmente para estudantes com projetos de estudos ornitológicos dentro do campus. Ao longo dos últimos 25 anos, ornitólogos, observadores de aves, fotógrafos e admiradores da natureza registraram 230 espécies de aves no campus “Luiz de Queiroz”. Um livro como este não poderia ser mais oportuno em uma época na qual nossos valores estão sendo redefinidos por força de uma pandemia que a todos afetou. E observar as aves, com o apoio criterioso e amigável de um livro como esse, é uma das práticas saudáveis que contribuem para a nossa saúde física e mental, na valorização da natureza. A obra derruba, mesmo sem querer, um dos grandes dogmas que, infelizmente, dividem a nossa sociedade, que consiste no aparente e falacioso conflito entre desenvolvimento e conservação da natureza.
Genome-Wide Association Study and Identification of a Protective Missense Variant on Lipoprotein(a) Concentration
Authors: Said M. Abdullah , Yeung Ming Wai , van de Vegte Yordi J. , Benjamins Jan Walter , Dullaart Robin P.F. , Ruotsalainen Sanni , Ripatti Samuli , Natarajan Pradeep , Juarez-Orozco Luis Eduardo , Verweij Niek , van der Harst P.
Published: March 2021

Objective:

Lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) but also to LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. The genetic architecture of Lp(a) remains incompletely understood, as well as its independence of LDL cholesterol in its association to CAD. We investigated the genetic determinants of Lp(a) concentrations in a large prospective multiethnic cohort. We tested the association for potential causality between genetically determined higher Lp(a) concentrations and CAD using a multivariable Mendelian randomization strategy.

Approach and Results:

We studied 371 212 participants of the UK Biobank with available Lp(a) and genome-wide genetic data. Genome-wide association analyses confirmed 2 known and identified 37 novel loci (
P
<5×10
−8
) associated with Lp(a). Testing these loci as instrumental variables in an independent cohort with 60 801 cases and 123 504 controls, each SD genetically elevated Lp(a) conferred a 1.30 ([95% CI, 1.20–1.41]
P
=5.53×10
−
11
) higher odds of CAD. Importantly, this association was independent of LDL cholesterol. Genetic fine-mapping in the
LPA
gene region identified 15 potential causal variants. This included a rare missense variant (rs41267813[A]) associated with lower Lp(a) concentration. We observed a strong interaction between rs41267813 and rs10455872 on Lp(a) concentrations, indicating a protective effect of rs41267813(A).

Conclusions:

This study supports an LDL cholesterol–independent causal link between Lp(a) and CAD. A rare missense variant in the
LPA
gene locus appears to be protective in people with the Lp(a) increasing variant of rs10455872. In the search for therapeutic targets of Lp(a), future work should focus on understanding the functional consequences of this missense variant.
Neural Repetition Suppression Modulates Time Perception: Evidence From Electrophysiology and Pupillometry
Authors: Kruijne Wouter , Olivers Christian N. L. , van Rijn Hedderik
Published: March 2021

Human time perception is malleable and subject to many biases. For example, it has repeatedly been shown that stimuli that are physically intense or that are unexpected seem to last longer. Two competing hypotheses have been proposed to account for such biases: One states that these temporal illusions are the result of increased levels of arousal that speeds up neural clock dynamics, whereas the alternative “magnitude coding” account states that the magnitude of sensory responses causally modulates perceived durations. Common experimental paradigms used to study temporal biases cannot dissociate between these accounts, as arousal and sensory magnitude covary and modulate each other. Here, we present two temporal discrimination experiments where two flashing stimuli demarcated the start and end of a to-be-timed interval. These stimuli could be either in the same or a different location, which led to different sensory responses because of neural repetition suppression. Crucially, changes and repetitions were fully predictable, which allowed us to explore effects of sensory response magnitude without changes in arousal or surprise. Intervals with changing markers were perceived as lasting longer than those with repeating markers. We measured EEG (Experiment 1) and pupil size (Experiment 2) and found that temporal perception was related to changes in ERPs (P2) and pupil constriction, both of which have been related to responses in the sensory cortex. Conversely, correlates of surprise and arousal (P3 amplitude and pupil dilation) were unaffected by stimulus repetitions and changes. These results demonstrate, for the first time, that sensory magnitude affects time perception even under constant levels of arousal.
Relating the Past with the Present: Information Integration and Segregation during Ongoing Narrative Processing
Authors: Chang Claire H. C. , Lazaridi Christina , Yeshurun Yaara , Norman Kenneth A. , Hasson Uri
Published: March 2021

This study examined how the brain dynamically updates event representations by integrating new information over multiple minutes while segregating irrelevant input. A professional writer custom-designed a narrative with two independent storylines, interleaving across minute-long segments (ABAB). In the last (C) part, characters from the two storylines meet and their shared history is revealed. Part C is designed to induce the spontaneous recall of past events, upon the recurrence of narrative motifs from A/B, and to shed new light on them. Our fMRI results showed storyline-specific neural patterns, which were reinstated (i.e., became more active) during storyline transitions. This effect increased along the processing timescale hierarchy, peaking in the default mode network. Similarly, the neural reinstatement of motifs was found during Part C. Furthermore, participants showing stronger motif reinstatement performed better in integrating A/B and C events, demonstrating the role of memory reactivation in information integration over intervening irrelevant events.
Educating dog owners: how owner–dog interactions can benefit from addressing the human caregiving system and dog-directed parenting styles
Authors: van Herwijnen I.R.
Published: March 2021

Dogs need to adapt to a human environment to enhance their welfare and to avoid risks of undesired dog behaviour and relinquishment. Crucial to this adaptation may be how an owner interacts with the dog. Owner–dog interactions may be influenced by the human caregiving system with regard to how care, protection and resources are provided. This narrative review discusses how a consideration of the human caregiving system can benefit owner–dog interactions. Literature suggests that the human caregiving system and parenting styles could influence owner–dog interactions. Owner–dog education may improve these interactions. However, studies on owner–dog education present mixed outcomes for the dog. Also, only a few studies address owner outcomes, indicating a gap that needs filling. It is concluded that, when intervening in owner–dog interactions, more attention should be directed to aspects of human psychology. Dog-directed parenting styles can form one strategy as to improve owner–dog interactions and dog welfare.
A review on the therapeutic role of Piper betle, Syzygium aromaticum and their bioactive component eugenol in cancer research
Authors: Azhagumeena Chandrasekaran , Padma Palghat Ragunathan
Published: March 2021

Nature has provided man with a bountiful supply of components that have the potential to improve the life of man on earth. Among the foremost widely recognized in this category are medicinal plants. Medicinal plants have been a rich source of therapeutic compounds used in various traditional medicines worldwide for thousands of years, due to the presence of active phytocomponents, which help in preventing various diseases. The betel (Piper betle L.) is that the leaf of a vine belonging to the Piperaceae family, which is taken into account a medicinal plant in Southeast Asia. Piper betle leaves have a number of bioactivities and are utilized in traditional medicinal systems. Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum L.) is a tree belonging to the family Myrtaceae. Unopened flowering buds are used as a spice in food preparations all over the world. Eugenol is present abundantly in both Piper betle leaves and Syzygium aromaticum flowers. In the splendid of the above, we thought it significant to aggregate the exceptional review of writing on Piper betle, Syzygium aromaticum and their bioactive component eugenol, covering its, chemical constituents, therapeutic role and medicinal uses.
Influence: On Rhetoric and Biblical Interpretation
Authors: Dinkler Michal Beth
Published: March 2021

The influence of the Bible in human history is staggering. Biblical texts have inspired grand social advancements, intellectual inquiries, and aesthetic achievements. Yet, the Bible has also given rise to hatred, violence, and oppression—often with deadly consequences. How does the Bible exert such extraordinary influence? The short answer is rhetoric. In Influence: On Rhetoric and Biblical Interpretation, Michal Beth Dinkler demonstrates that, contrary to popular opinion, rhetoric is not inherently “empty” or disingenuous. Rhetoric refers to the art of persuasion. Dinkler argues that the Bible is by nature rhetorical, and that understanding the art of persuasion is therefore vital for navigating biblical literature and its interpretation. Influence invites readers to think critically about biblical rhetoric and the rhetoric of biblical interpretation, and offers a clear and compelling guide for how to do so.
Was Democritus a Pythagorean? The Case of psychē
Authors: Cornelli Gabriele , Gomes Gustavo Laet
Published: March 2021

According to Glaucus of Rhegium Democritus was “a disciple of a Pythagorean” (dk 68 A1, 38). The tetralogical catalog of his works prepared by Thrasylus begins its section on ethics with the three following works: Pythagoras; On the Disposition of the Wise Man; On the Things in Hades (dk 68 B0a–c). The very order of the first three ethical works of Democritus could point to some sort of dependence on Pythagoreanism. This was suggested earlier by Frank (1923: 67), who believes that this is due to the fact that Democritus saw Pythagoras as basically the founder of an ethic-religious sect. Without being forced to agree with Frank, it is undeniable that there are many similarities between Pythagorean and Democritean ethics. The Democritean sentences that speak about the sense of shame before oneself as a way of preventing evil deeds (dk 68 B84, 244, and 264) recalls the practice of anamnesis, the examination of conscience in the Pythagorean tradition. Even more important are the parallel uses of measure as a basis for ethical reasoning. This paper aims to review this connection between Pythagorean traditions and Democritus, examining what emerges as the most probable core issue to determine how close this relation between atomists and Pythagoreans could have been: the Aristotelian testimony (de An. 1.2 404a16-20 [dk 58 B40]) on the material conception of the Pythagorean soul. In fact, a corpuscular conception of the soul (“dust in the air”), foreshadowing the psychology of Democritus, is attributed to the Pythagoreans. Is the argument of de An. 1.2 404a16-20 a misunderstanding by Aristotle? Or does this testimony represent an actual dialogue that Pythagoreans were having with atomists in the fifth century bce?
Chrysippus on Determinism and Human Responsibility: A Unitary Interpretation
Authors: Mazzetti Manuel
Published: March 2021

In this paper I aim to ascribe to Chrysippus two ‘compatibilist’ theories and to explain their differences through the fact that our sources depend on different parts of the philosopher’s corpus. This can be confirmed by a passage in Eusebius and by Chrysippus’ wordy style of writing. In my opinion, Alexander and Nemesius report the more general theory, stating that fate rules everything but employs the nature of each being as a means to accomplish its plans. Cicero and Gellius report a theory more connected with human responsibility. Their accounts are similar, but the fact that they are not drawing upon the same source becomes clear once we analyse in detail the objections to which the philosopher was responding: Cicero seems to report a criticism levelled by Arcesilaus against Zeno, Gellius one levelled against Chrysippus by his contemporaries.
A Rational Choice? Explaining the Growth of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Philippines
Authors: Richters Katja
Published: March 2021

This paper shines a light on the three Eastern Orthodox churches which are currently operating in the Philippines and asks why it is the Moscow Patriarchate rather than the Ecumenical or Antiochian Patriarchates which is displaying the most significant growth. Using rational choice theory, the paper argues that the Moscow Patriarchate is best placed to capitalise on the opening created by the lack of dynamism in the country’s religious marketplace. This is so because it insists on the strict observance of Orthodox traditions and therefore operates in the strict market niche which is underserved by the country’s majority Catholic church. The paper, however, also finds that it is not only the Moscow Patriarchate’s strictness, but also the financial resources provided by Russian businessmen, which are fuelling its growth.
Challenges of Dutertismo for Philippine Christianity
Authors: Francisco Jose Mario C.
Published: March 2021

This paper concentrates on populism’s functional relationship with religion during times of crisis and how religion is instrumentalized for populist causes. Critical analysis of Philippine populism under President Rodrigo Duterte highlights often-overlooked nuances regarding populism as both disruption and reinforcement of traditional politics and its inherent institutional and religious dimensions. Though Dutertismo disrupts Manila-centric power, it reinforces traditional politics rooted in the Philippine political and cultural ethos. Moreover, because of populism’s institutional and religious dimensions, Dutertismo’s challenges to Philippine Christianity involve both its social and evangelizing missions. As institutions, Christian churches are called to a social mission that helps dismantle traditional politics. Their response involves disentangling their institutions and communities from traditional political networks and providing all Christians with political education towards the good of all, especially those oppressed by traditional politics. Dutertismo’s implicit religious perspective challenges Christianity’s evangelizing mission. Insufficiently discussed in many studies, this underlying Manichean perspective common to populists attracts many through an account of and a strategy against social suffering through the war between the good “we” versus the evil “others.” Christianity then must listen more attentively to the yearnings of the suffering people and accompany them more faithfully in the struggle for social transformation. These responses prepare Philippine Christianity to commemorate in 2021 its five-century presence.
Three Eurasian malvid-associated Baridinae (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) with widely different vestiture: congeneric or not?
Authors: PRENA JENS , LIU NING , REN LI , WANG ZHILIANG , ZHANG RUNZHI
Published: March 2021

Based on biological, morphological, distributional and genomic data, it is concluded that the malvid-associated Baris albosparsa (Faust), Malvaevora timida (Rossi) and Squamobaris aurea Pajni, Kohli & Kumar are monophyletic and distinct from Baris Germar. Squamobaris Pajni, Kohli & Kumar is synonymized with Malvaevora Zaslavskij (new synonymy). Baris albosparsa and S. aurea are transferred to Malvaevora (new combinations). Baris timida polita Reitter, B. subtilina Reitter, Baridius landgrebii Hochhuth and Baridius striatopunctatus Gistel are synonymized with M. timida and Baris striatopunctata Reitter is synonymized with Melanobaris carbonaria (Boheman) (new synonymies). Lectotypes are designated for B. timida polita and B. landgrebii. Baris striolala Aurivillius is recorded from China for the first time.
Radial Waves Propagation in a Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube with Surface Irregularity
Authors: Selim Mahmoud. M.
Published: March 2021

This work is an attempt to study the propagation of radial waves in an irregular single-walled carbon nanotube (ISWCNT). The characteristics equation of phase velocity of radial waves is derived using cylindrical thin shell theory. Taking into account the effects of the surface irregularity,
dispersion curves are plotted and the effectiveness of surface irregularity is confirmed by comparing the obtained numerical results with those in cases of propagation of radial waves in uniform nanotube. The results turn out that, the phase velocity of radial waves is dependent on the surface
irregularity and it is increasing with an increase of surface irregularity parameter. To the author best knowledge, propagation of radial waves in the irregular single-walled carbon nanotubes has not yet been studied, and the present work is an attempt to find out the dispersion relation of
radial waves in ISWCNTs. Finally, the present results may serve as useful references for the application and the design of nano oscillators and nanodevices, in which single-walled carbon nanotubes act as the most prevalent nanocomposite structural element.
Application of Biomimetic Nanomaterials in Biological Detection and the Intelligent Recognition Method of Nanoparticle Images
Authors: He Ying
Published: March 2021

New nanomaterials (metal nanoclusters, graphene, etc.) are favored by researchers due to their unique properties and are widely used in biomedical detection. The excellent fluorescence characteristics of gold nanoclusters are utilized to develop a fast and highly sensitive bionic nanomaterial with non-label and dual functions, which can detect silver ions and mercury ions and study the particularity of TEM nanoparticle images. The particle segmentation of TEM nanoparticle images is studied to compare the traditional watershed algorithm and watershed transformation algorithm. The experiment results show that silver ions can enhance the fluorescence of gold nanoclusters to form gold-silver nanoclusters with strong yellow fluorescence, and mercury ions can quickly weaken the fluorescence of gold-silver nanoclusters. Based on the biomimetic nanomaterials, a dual-function fluorescent probe is designed to detect silver ions and mercury ions in lake with detection accuracy of 8 nM and 33 nM respectively; the sensing excitation of the fluorescent probe is further analyzed. Because the metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF) effect enables the silver element and Au nanoparticles to form fluorescence-enhancing effect, the high metalphilic interaction between mercury ions and silver ions quenches the fluorescence effect of gold nanocluster; the rapid watershed transformation/region fusion method can achieve better particle image segmentation combined with the image segmentation algorithms of different TEM nanoparticles, which can be better applied to the characterization analysis of the preparation of gold nanomaterials.