bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Task Demands and Sentence Reading Comprehension among Healthy Older Adults: The Complementary Roles of Cognitive Reserve and Working Memory
Authors: Martín-Aragoneses María Teresa , Mejuto Gema , del Río David , Fernandes Sara Margarida , Rodrigues Pedro F. S. , López-Higes Ramón
Published: March 2023

Ageing entails different functional brain changes. Education, reading experience, and leisure activities, among others, might contribute to the maintenance of cognitive performance among older adults and are conceptualised as proxies for cognitive reserve. However, ageing also conveys a depletion of working memory capacity, which adversely impacts language comprehension. This study investigated how cognitive reserve proxies and working memory jointly predict the performance of healthy older adults in a sentence reading comprehension task, and how their predictive value changes depending on sentence structure and task demands. Cognitively healthy older adults (n = 120) completed a sentence–picture verification task under two conditions: concurrent viewing of the sentence and picture or their sequential presentation, thereby imposing greater demands on working memory. They also completed a questionnaire on cognitive reserve proxies as well as a verbal working memory test. The sentence structure was manipulated by altering the canonical word order and modifying the amount of propositional information. While the cognitive reserve was the main predictor in the concurrent condition, the predictive role of working memory increased under the sequential presentation, particularly for complex sentences. These findings highlight the complementary roles played by cognitive reserve and working memory in the reading comprehension of older adults.
The Perceived Self-Efficacy of Teachers in the Use of Digital Tools during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study between Spain and the United States
Authors: García-Martín Judit , Rico Rodolfo , García-Martín Sheila
Published: March 2023

This study analyzed the use of fifteen groups of digital tools that 197 active teachers made during the sudden shift to remote instruction due to the COVID-19 quarantine orders placed by various health departments in Spain and the United States. The study also examined the impact that the use of digital tools had on teachers’ perceived self-efficacy. A quantitative research design was used, supported by an exploratory descriptive approach that materializes in the application of an online questionnaire during the spring of 2020. The results indicate that perceived self-efficacy differs from country of origin and is conditioned by sociodemographic variables such as the training received and type of center. It is noted that teachers in Spain prefer the use of Moodle or Escholarium over that of teachers in the United States that opted for Google Classroom as a primary platform for teaching online, and the frequency of use of digital tools analyzed does not guarantee that their implementation is effective.
How Attitude and Para-Social Interaction Influence Purchase Intentions of Mukbang Users: A Mixed-Method Study
Authors: Song Hyo Geun , Kim Yen-Soon , Hwang Eunmin
Published: March 2023

Mukbang is widely recognized as a new type of food video on user-generated content (UGC) platforms. The purpose of this study was to identify motivators to watch mukbangs and to examine the relationship between these motivators and the intention to watch mukbangs via attitudes toward mukbangs and para-social relationships. In addition, this study examined how the intention to watch mukbangs affected purchase intention. Interviews were conducted to determine the motivation factors for watching mukbangs by collecting data from mukbang viewers. The results of the interviews suggested that vicarious satisfaction, enjoyment, information, exposure, and attractiveness were motivators for watching mukbangs. Using a survey, this study collected data from 399 participants who watched mukbangs to test relationships. Using SmartPLS, structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted. The outcomes of the SEM indicated that vicarious satisfaction, enjoyment, and information influenced the intention to watch mukbangs via attitudes toward mukbangs. The results also indicated that exposure and attractiveness had an impact on the intention to watch mukbangs via para-social relationships. Furthermore, the intention to watch mukbangs influenced the intention to purchase food items portrayed in the mukbang content. This study contributes to the literature by empirically confirming the effect of watching mukbang on purchase intention.
Evaluation of the Properties of Adobe Blocks with Clay and Manure
Authors: Brito Marina , Marvila Markssuel , Linhares José , Azevedo Afonso
Published: March 2023

The development of new building materials that meet technological, economic, and environmental criteria has been highlighted in recent decades, especially regarding the use of alternative raw materials or new production methodologies. In this context, the objective of this project was to promote the development of adobe blocks using clay and manure, contributing to the sustainable development of the construction sector due to the use of adobe blocks, produced by the raw earth technique. Initially, the raw materials were characterized through chemical composition by XRF, mineralogical composition by XRD, granulometry, and Atterberg limits. Later, adobe blocks were produced manually, measuring 20 × 10 × 8 cm3, using three dosing techniques: (i) blocks with clay and manure; (ii) blocks with clay, sand and manure; and (iii) blocks stabilized by Portland cement and hydrated lime. The tests evaluated were compressive strength, water absorption, and durability. The characterization results of the raw materials show that the material used in the research are suitable for production of adobe blocks. The mechanical parameters prove a disadvantage of adobe blocks: their low resistance. Even so, the results with the use of adobe improve the strength of the material, due to the solidification of the adobe structure. In addition, the use of stabilization, mainly Portland cement, allows the results obtained in the research to be compatible with other published articles. Thus, it is concluded that the use of manure and stabilization, such as Portland cement, improve the mechanical behavior and stability of the blocks, which increases the durability of the material.
Obtention and Characterization of GO/Epoxy and GO-GPTMS/Epoxy Nanocompounds with Different Oxidation Degrees and Ultrasound Methods
Authors: Salgado-Delgado Areli Marlen , González-Mondragón Elizabeth Grissel , Hernández-Pérez Ricardo , Salgado-Delgado René , Santana-Camilo José Alfonso , Olarte-Paredes Alfredo
Published: March 2023

This work reports the obtention of nanocompounds from epoxy resin (EP) with graphenes at three different oxidation degrees (GO1, GO2, and GO3), functionalized with 3-glycidyloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (GPTMS), and three different graphene concentrations (1%, 2%, and 3%). The aim is to improve GO compatibility in EP and obtain a nanocompound with synergistic properties. Ultrasonic bath was used to disperse the GO, a factor in the effective interaction between GO and the polymeric matrix. The nanocompounds were characterized by FTIR, SEM, and mechanical tension testing. The FTIR analysis evidenced stretching bonds created during the functionalization of graphene oxide (GO) with the silane (GPTMS); they are characteristic Si-O-Si and Si-O-C at 1000 and 1085 cm−1, respectively. There was a difference between GO and GO-GPTMS nanocompounds regarding the formation of these signals. The SEM micrographs showed morphological changes when GO was added: the smooth fracture surface of EP became rougher. During tension testing, Young’s modulus (2.09 GPa) of GO2-GPTMS/epoxy nanocompounds (1% weight GO) increased by 35% while their resistance to traction (98.71 MPa) grew by 52%; both were higher than in pure EP. In conclusion, the variables studied (oxidation degrees and silanization) significantly affect the mechanical properties studied.
KIF2C Facilitates Tumor Growth and Metastasis in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Huang Xing , Zhao Feng , Wu Quan , Wang Zitong , Ren Haiyue , Zhang Qiqi , Wang Zhe , Xu Jin
Published: March 2023

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal cancer with a poor prognosis. For PDAC, an increase in the survival time of patients and a reduction mortality have not yet successfully been achieved. In many research works, Kinesin family member 2C (KIF2C) is highly expressed in several tumors. Nevertheless, the role of KIF2C in pancreatic cancer is unknown. In this study, we found that KIF2C expression is significantly upregulated in human PDAC tissues and cell lines such as ASPC-1 and MIA-PaCa2. Moreover, KIF2C upregulation is associated with a poor prognosis when combining the expression of KIF2C with clinical information. Through cell functional assays and the construction of animal models, we showed that KIF2C promotes PDAC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastasis, both in vitro and in vivo. Finally, the results of sequencing showed that the overexpression of KIF2C causes a decrease in some proinflammatory factors and chemokines. The cell cycle detection indicated that the pancreatic cancer cells in the overexpressed group had abnormal proliferation in the G2 and S phases. These results revealed the potential of KIF2C as a therapeutic target for the treatment of PDAC.
A Bifunctional Pt/CeO2-Cu1/CeO2 Catalyst System for Isooctane Oxidation under Fully Simulated Engine-Exhaust Condition: Eliminating the Inhibition by CO
Authors: Lin Fan , García-Vargas Carlos E. , Wang Yong
Published: March 2023

Pt-based catalysts, because of their outstanding activity for hydrocarbon oxidation, are widely used in the engine-exhaust aftertreatment system to remove hydrocarbon emissions. However, the CO and NOx present in real engine exhausts compete with hydrocarbons for active Pt sites, and thus inhibit hydrocarbon oxidation. In this work, we evaluated the inhibition effects of CO and NO on isooctane oxidation over a Pt/CeO2 catalyst under the simulated condition of the US DRIVE test protocol (S-GDI, stoichiometric gasoline direct injection). We also leveraged a low-cost single-atom Cu1/CeO2 catalyst, which is highly active for low-temperature CO oxidation, to eliminate the inhibition effect of CO. Specifically, by physically mixing Cu1/CeO2 and Pt/CeO2, all the CO is completely converted below 200 °C under simulated exhaust condition, which helps lower the isooctane oxidation temperature. However, the unconverted NO still strongly suppresses HC oxidation. Possible strategies to address the NO inhibitor were proposed.
Bulky NHC–Cobalt Complex-Catalyzed Highly Markovnikov-Selective Hydrosilylation of Alkynes
Authors: Bołt Małgorzata , Żak Patrycja
Published: March 2023

The hydrosilylation of alkynes is one of the most attractive and, at the same time, most challenging catalytic transformations, usually demanding the use of noble transition metals. We describe a catalytic system, based on cobalt(0) complex and bulky N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands, permitting the highly effective hydrosilylation of a broad scope of alkynes and silanes. The application of bulky NHC ligands allowed a decrease in the amount of cobalt necessary for an effective reaction run to 2.5 mol% and provided excellent selectivity towards challenging α-vinylsilanes. The developed method tolerates a number of substituted aryl, alkyl, and silyl acetylenes. Moreover, it is suitable for both tertiary and secondary silanes. Our findings confirm that steric hindrance around the metal center can effectively increase the activity of a catalyst and ensure better selectivity than those of analogous complexes bearing smaller ligands.
Photocatalytic Properties and Chemical Durability of CaO-B2O3-V2O5 Borovanadate Glasses
Authors: Kaaouass Ayoub , Ben Ali Abdelkader , Ait Ahsaine Hassan , Kaichouh Ghizlaine , Zarrouk Abdelkader , Saadi Mohamed
Published: March 2023

The aim of this paper is to investigate the photocatalytic properties and chemical durability of the CaO-B2O3-V2O5 glasses system. The latter were synthesized by the melt-quenching technique. The amorphous nature of the prepared borovanadate glasses has been confirmed with X-ray diffraction. The chemical durability measured from their weights before and after immersion in deionized water and hydrochloric acid indicated that replacing V2O5 with B2O3 improved the chemical durability. The observed increases in chemical durability might be explained by the increase in the glass transition temperature, due to stronger bonding in the structural network. The photocatalytic performance was assessed by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under irradiation, and the evolution of dye degradation was analyzed by UV-visible spectrometry. The vanadium content in the glass, the amount of catalyst, and the initial dye concentration showed a variable effect on the degradation of the MB dye. The photodegradation of methylene blue by the photocatalysts was found to follow pseudo-first-order rate kinetics. The photocatalytic activity for all the prepared photocatalysts showed a higher degradation performance, and the results indicated that 40 CaO-30 B2O3-30 V2O5 has the highest removal efficiency of about 99% in 180 min.
PGNneo: A Proteogenomics-Based Neoantigen Prediction Pipeline in Noncoding Regions
Authors: Tan Xiaoxiu , Xu Linfeng , Jian Xingxing , Ouyang Jian , Hu Bo , Yang Xinrong , Wang Tao , Xie Lu
Published: March 2023

The development of a neoantigen-based personalized vaccine has promise in the hunt for cancer immunotherapy. The challenge in neoantigen vaccine design is the need to rapidly and accurately identify, in patients, those neoantigens with vaccine potential. Evidence shows that neoantigens can be derived from noncoding sequences, but there are few specific tools for identifying neoantigens in noncoding regions. In this work, we describe a proteogenomics-based pipeline, namely PGNneo, for use in discovering neoantigens derived from the noncoding region of the human genome with reliability. In PGNneo, four modules are included: (1) noncoding somatic variant calling and HLA typing; (2) peptide extraction and customized database construction; (3) variant peptide identification; (4) neoantigen prediction and selection. We have demonstrated the effectiveness of PGNneo and applied and validated our methodology in two real-world hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cohorts. TP53, WWP1, ATM, KMT2C, and NFE2L2, which are frequently mutating genes associated with HCC, were identified in two cohorts and corresponded to 107 neoantigens from non-coding regions. In addition, we applied PGNneo to a colorectal cancer (CRC) cohort, demonstrating that the tool can be extended and verified in other tumor types. In summary, PGNneo can specifically detect neoantigens generated by noncoding regions in tumors, providing additional immune targets for cancer types with a low tumor mutational burden (TMB) in coding regions. PGNneo, together with our previous tool, can identify coding and noncoding region-derived neoantigens and, thus, will contribute to a complete understanding of the tumor immune target landscape. PGNneo source code and documentation are available at Github. To facilitate the installation and use of PGNneo, we provide a Docker container and a GUI.
Epigenetics in LMNA-Related Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Wang Yinuo , Dobreva Gergana
Published: March 2023

Mutations in the gene for lamin A/C (LMNA) cause a diverse range of diseases known as laminopathies. LMNA-related cardiomyopathy is a common inherited heart disease and is highly penetrant with a poor prognosis. In the past years, numerous investigations using mouse models, stem cell technologies, and patient samples have characterized the phenotypic diversity caused by specific LMNA variants and contributed to understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of heart disease. As a component of the nuclear envelope, LMNA regulates nuclear mechanostability and function, chromatin organization, and gene transcription. This review will focus on the different cardiomyopathies caused by LMNA mutations, address the role of LMNA in chromatin organization and gene regulation, and discuss how these processes go awry in heart disease.
Potentials of Numerical Methods for Increasing the Productivity of Additive Manufacturing Processes
Authors: Scheithauer Uwe , Romanova Tetyana , Pankratov Oleksandr , Schwarzer-Fischer Eric , Schwentenwein Martin , Ertl Florian , Fischer Andreas
Published: March 2023

Thanks to the layer-by-layer creation of components, additive manufacturing (AM) processes enable the flexible production of components with highly complex geometries, that were previously not realizable or only with very great effort. While AM technologies are very widespread in the research sector, they have so far only been used industrially in a few individual areas of application. The manufacturing costs are one reason for this. In this work, a new approach for the optimized arrangement of components in the building box and its potential for reducing the manufacturing costs are presented, illustrated by a selected example, and a discussion. Three types of cylinders, which differ in geometry and/or inclination, are required in quantities of around 1000 each. The optimization aims at an arrangement with the smallest possible number of printing jobs. Compared to the solution obtained by the current automatic software tool that is based on the bounding box method, the optimized arrangement leads to a 70% increase in the number of components on a building platform or, in other words, to a 44% reduction in the number of building platforms needed to manufacture 980 components of each type. Finally, a three-step method is proposed, to optimize the manufacturing preparation for AM components automatically in the future.
How Topological Differences between Two Oxide Surfaces Determine Selectivity—The Case of the Dehydra-Decyclization of Tetrahydrofuran
Authors: Batchu Sai Praneet , Caratzoulas Stavros , Vlachos Dionisios G.
Published: March 2023

Production of butadiene from biomass-based tetrahydrofuran (THF) is explored as an alternative to the existing petroleum-based processes. Metal oxide catalysts have been shown to exhibit varying product selectivities when reacted with THF. Among those oxides, ZrO2 showed the highest selectivity for butadiene. In contrast, Al2O3 showed the highest selectivity for the competing retro-Prins products, C3H6 and HCHO. The reasons behind the varying selectivity across oxides are unclear. In this work, we employ periodic density functional theory and mean-field microkinetic modeling to investigate the mechanism of the reaction of THF to butadiene and retro-Prins products on t-ZrO2 (101) (dry and hydrous) and on γ-Al2O3 (110). Our simulations reproduce the experimental selectivity trends. High selectivity for butadiene is promoted by the presence of neighboring Lewis acid metal sites that facilitate E1cB hydroxyl elimination from a 3-butenoxide intermediate; on hydrous Al2O3; where such neighboring Lewis acid centers are not available, the butenoxide undergoes E2 elimination and retro-Prins products ensue. The THF ring opening is rate-determining on ZrO2, whereas the γ-proton elimination that yields the 3-butenoxide intermediate is rate controlling on hydroxylated Al2O3. We conclude that the local topology around the active site greatly influences the mechanism and selectivity.
Comparative Analysis of Intensive Care Prognosis Scoring Systems and Acute Kidney Injury Scores (AKIN and pRIFLE) in Critically Ill Children
Authors: Leblebici Ayben , Bozan Gurkan , Kavaz Tufan Asli , Kiral Eylem , Kacmaz Ebru , Dinleyici Ener Cagri
Published: March 2023

The development of AKI (acute kidney injury) in critically ill patients in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) is one of the most important factors affecting mortality. There are scoring modalities used to predict mortality in PICUs. We compared the AKIN (Acute Kidney Injury Network) and pRIFLE (pediatric risk, injury, failure, loss, and end stage) AKI classifications and PICU scoring modalities in this study. Methods: A total of 716 children, whose serum creatinine levels were within the normal limits at the time of admission to the PICU between January 2018 and December 2020, were included. Along with the demographic and clinical variables, AKIN and pRIFLE classifications were recorded at the most advanced stage of AKI. Along with the PIM-2, PRISM III, and PELOD-2 scores, the highest value of the pSOFA score was recorded. Results: According to the pRIFLE and AKIN classifications, 62 (8.7%) patients developed kidney injury, which had a statistically significant effect on mortality. The occurrence of renal injury was found to be statistically strongly and significantly correlated with high PRISM III, PELOD-2, and pSOFA scores. When the stages of kidney injury according to the AKIN criteria were compared with the PRISM III, PELOD 2, and pSOFA scores, a significant difference was found between the patients who did not develop AKI and those who developed stage 1, stage 2, and stage 3 kidney injury. For the PRISM III, PELOD 2, and pSOFA scores, there were no significant differences between the stages according to the AKIN criteria. A substantial difference was discovered between the patients who did not develop AKI and those who were in the risk, injury, and failure plus loss stages according to the pRIFLE criteria. According to the PIM-2 ratio and pRIFLE criteria, there was a statistically significant difference between patients in the injury and failure plus loss stages and those who did not develop AKI. Conclusions: Our study is the first pediatric study to show a substantial correlation between the variables associated with the PICU scoring modalities in critically ill children with AKI. Identifying the risk factors for the development of AKI and planning antimicrobial regimens for patients with favorable prognoses at the time of PICU admission could lower mortality rates.
Full Mouth Treatment of Early Childhood Caries with Zirconia Dental Crowns: A Case Report
Authors: Kanareli Christina , Balazuc-Armbruster Marine , Tsolakis Ioannis A. , Kanarelis Takis , Tsolakis Apostolos I.
Published: March 2023

Pediatric dentists should always strive for cosmetic and functional rehabilitation when treating decaying or injured primary teeth. The most popular restoration technique for such teeth is “strip crowns” made of composite materials, but more recently, zirconia and preveneered stainless steel crowns have gained popularity. Moreover, zirconia crowns are usually preferred over stainless steel crowns for aesthetic reasons. The aim of this case report is to present a 4-year-old patient with a high caries risk who underwent a full-mouth pediatric zirconia crown treatment. The operation was performed under general anesthesia. This article describes the restoration of all primary teeth and the follow-up 6 months after the parents’ request to improve the aesthetics. The gingival health and the adaptation of the zirconia crown were evaluated both clinically and radiologically. In this case, the preformed pediatric zirconia crowns provided functional and durable restoration while restoring the natural appearance of the teeth. However, primary dental prevention, including education on oral hygiene and dietary habits, remains the cornerstone in preventing early childhood caries and promoting oral health in pediatric patients. It is important to note that dental intervention under general anesthesia should only be considered as a last resort after all other options have been exhausted, due to the potential risks associated with the use of general anesthesia.
Children’s Health and Typology of Family Integration and Regulation: A Functionalist Analysis
Authors: Yang Xiaozhao , Zhang Chao
Published: March 2023

Rationale: Children’s health is conventionally studied as an ultimate consequence resulting from various social and biological processes that jointly channel the risk factors and pathogens toward an individual health outcome. What is currently neglected is the rich tradition of a functionalist analysis of children’s health as a necessary function in the family institution. Children’s health may be associated with how children are integrated into the family’s core functioning and how parents regulate children’s behaviors. Methods: The current study used a cross-sectional sample of 891 parents from 2018 southern Jiangsu and surveyed information about children’s health and family activities. Employing a latent class analysis, we established four types of families based on children’s integration and parental regulation: loose, free, pressed, and concerted. Results: The regression results showed that a child’s health is associated with the concerted family type (OR = 3.6, p < 0.05), indicating the necessary functionality of health in heavily regulated and mobilized families. Conclusion: This study broadens the perspective on children’s health by ushering back functionalism and placing health in its social implications.
Large-Scale Quantitative Proteomic Analysis during Different Stages of Somatic Embryogenesis in Larix olgensis
Authors: Hou Jiayin , Wang Xuechun , Liu Weifeng , Jiang Xiangning , Gai Ying
Published: March 2023

Larix olgensis is an economically important tree species native to northeastern China. The use of somatic embryogenesis (SE) is efficient and enables the rapid production of varieties with desirable qualities. Here, isobaric labeling via tandem mass tags was used to conduct a large-scale quantitative proteomic analysis of proteins in three critically important stages of SE in L. olgensis: the primary embryogenic callus, the single embryo, and the cotyledon embryo. We identified 6269 proteins, including 176 shared differentially expressed proteins across the three groups. Many of these proteins are involved in glycolipid metabolism, hormone response/signal transduction, cell synthesis and differentiation, and water transport; proteins involved in stress resistance and secondary metabolism, as well as transcription factors, play key regulatory roles in SE. The results of this study provide new insights into the key pathways and proteins involved in SE in Larix. Our findings have implications for the expression of totipotency, the preparation of synthetic seeds, and genetic transformation.
Advances in Research on the Regulation of Floral Development by CYC-like Genes
Authors: Chai Yuhong , Liu Hua , Chen Wendan , Guo Chenghu , Chen Haixia , Cheng Xi , Chen Dongliang , Luo Chang , Zhou Xiumei , Huang Conglin
Published: March 2023

CYCLOIDEA (CYC)-like genes belong to the TCP transcription factor family and play important roles associated with flower development. The CYC-like genes in the CYC1, CYC2, and CYC3 clades resulted from gene duplication events. The CYC2 clade includes the largest number of members that are crucial regulators of floral symmetry. To date, studies on CYC-like genes have mainly focused on plants with actinomorphic and zygomorphic flowers, including Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Scrophulariaceae, and Gesneriaceae species and the effects of CYC-like gene duplication events and diverse spatiotemporal expression patterns on flower development. The CYC-like genes generally affect petal morphological characteristics and stamen development, as well as stem and leaf growth, flower differentiation and development, and branching in most angiosperms. As the relevant research scope has expanded, studies have increasingly focused on the molecular mechanisms regulating CYC-like genes with different functions related to flower development and the phylogenetic relationships among these genes. We summarize the status of research on the CYC-like genes in angiosperms, such as the limited research conducted on CYC1 and CYC3 clade members, the necessity to functionally characterize the CYC-like genes in more plant groups, the need for investigation of the regulatory elements upstream of CYC-like genes, and exploration of the phylogenetic relationships and expression of CYC-like genes with new techniques and methods. This review provides theoretical guidance and ideas for future research on CYC-like genes.
Identification of miR-671-5p and Its Related Pathways as General Mechanisms of Both Form-Deprivation and Lens-Induced Myopia in Mice
Authors: Cui Zedu , Huang Yuke , Chen Xi , Chen Taiwei , Hou Xiangtao , Yu Na , Li Yan , Qiu Jin , Chen Pei , Yu Keming , Zhuang Jing
Published: March 2023

Animal models have been indispensable in shaping the understanding of myopia mechanisms, with form-deprivation myopia (FDM) and lens-induced myopia (LIM) being the most utilized. Similar pathological outcomes suggest that these two models are under the control of shared mechanisms. miRNAs play an important role in pathological development. Herein, based on two miRNA datasets (GSE131831 and GSE84220), we aimed to reveal the general miRNA changes involved in myopia development. After a comparison of the differentially expressed miRNAs, miR-671-5p was identified as the common downregulated miRNA in the retina. miR-671-5p is highly conserved and related to 40.78% of the target genes of all downregulated miRNAs. Moreover, 584 target genes of miR-671-5p are related to myopia, from which we further identified 8 hub genes. Pathway analysis showed that these hub genes are enriched in visual learning and extra-nuclear estrogen signaling. Furthermore, two of the hub genes are also targeted by atropine, which strongly supports a key role of miR-671-5p in myopic development. Finally, Tead1 was identified as a possible upstream regulator of miR-671-5p in myopia development. Overall, our study identified the general regulatory role of miR-671-5p in myopia as well as its upstream and downstream mechanisms and provided novel treatment targets, which might inspire future studies.
Monitoring the Meteorological and Hydrological Droughts in the Largest River Basin (Mahaweli River) in Sri Lanka
Authors: Senatilleke Udara , Sirisena Jeewanthi , Gunathilake Miyuru B. , Muttil Nitin , Rathnayake Upaka
Published: March 2023

This study assessed the meteorological and hydrological droughts and their relationship over 30 years from 1985 to 2015 in the largest river basin (Mahaweli River Basin (MRB)) in Sri Lanka. Data from 14 rainfall, 5 temperature, and 5 streamflow stations in and near the MRB were used in the present study. Universal drought indices including Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Precipitation–Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) were used to assess meteorological droughts. The Standardized Streamflow Index (SSI) was used in investigating hydrological droughts. Correlations between meteorological and hydrological droughts were obtained, annual variations were observed (in terms of SPI, SPEI, and SSI), and the spatial distributions of selected drought events were analyzed. Our results revealed that the highest correlation was found in long-term dry conditions in the wet zone. In addition, some negative correlations found showed the opposite behavior of correlations. Furthermore, in annual variations of droughts, extreme droughts were recorded in the dry zone as maximum values, while results were more prominent in the wet zone. In addition, the spatial distribution performed using SPI, SPEI, and SSI showed an extremely dry condition in 2004. Our findings are beneficial for policymaking and for the decision-makers in assessing meteorological and hydrological drought risks in the future.
Scanning Kelvin Probe for Detection in Steel of Locations Enriched by Hydrogen and Prone to Cracking
Authors: Nazarov Andrei , Helbert Varvara , Vucko Flavien
Published: March 2023

Hydrogen, due to corrosion processes, can degrade high strength steels (HSS) through embrittlement and stress corrosion cracking mechanisms. Scanning Kelvin probe (SKP) mapping of surface potential was applied, to visualize the locations with an increased subsurface concentration of hydrogen in mild steel and martensitic HSS. This work can help to determine the reasons behind hydrogen localization in a steel microstructure, leading to embrittlement and hydrogen-assisted cracking. Cathodic charging was used to insert hydrogen, which decreased the steel potential. Hydrogen effusion in air passivates steel, increasing the potential of HSS and mild steel. The passivation of steels was monitored depending on different conditions of cathodic pre-charging and the amount of absorbed hydrogen. The SKP could determine the area of diffusible hydrogen and the area of cracks. In addition, low potential locations linked to the hydrogen trapped in the deformed HSS microstructure were also determined, which delayed the steel passivation. Mild steel showed a uniform potential distribution related to interstitial hydrogen, without potential extremes attributed to locally accumulated hydrogen. Thus, SKP sensing can detect locations containing increased concentrations of hydrogen and sensitive to steel cracking.
Cold Spray Coatings of Complex Concentrated Alloys: Critical Assessment of Milestones, Challenges, and Opportunities
Authors: Klenam Desmond , Asumadu Tabiri , Bodunrin Michael , Vandadi Mobin , Bond Trevor , van der Merwe Josias , Rahbar Nima , Soboyejo Wole
Published: March 2023

Complex concentrated alloys (CCAs) are structural and functional materials of the future with excellent mechanical, physical, and chemical properties. Due to the equiatomic compositions of these alloys, cost can hinder scalability. Thus, the development of CCA-based coatings is critical for low-cost applications. The application of cold spray technology to CCAs is in its infancy with emphasis on transition elements of the periodic table. Current CCA-based cold spray coating systems showed better adhesion, cohesion, and mechanical properties than conventional one-principal element-based alloys. Comprehensive mechanical behavior, microstructural evolution, deformation, and cracking of cold spray CC-based coatings on the same and different substrates are reviewed. Techniques such as analytical models, finite element analysis, and molecular dynamic simulations are reviewed. The implications of the core effects (high configurational entropy and enthalpy of mixing, sluggish diffusion, severe lattice distortion, and cocktail behavior) and interfacial nanoscale oxides on the structural integrity of cold spray CCA-based coatings are discussed. The mechanisms of adiabatic heating, jetting, and mechanical interlocking, characteristics of cold spray, and areas for future research are highlighted.
Intelligent Modeling for In-Home Reading and Spelling Programs
Authors: Jamshidifarsani Hossein , Garbaya Samir , Stefan Ioana Andreea
Published: March 2023

Technology-based in-home reading and spelling programs have the potential to compensate for the lack of sufficient instructions provided at schools. However, the recent COVID-19 pandemic showed the immaturity of the existing remote teaching solutions. Consequently, many students did not receive the necessary instructions. This paper presents a model for developing intelligent reading and spelling programs. The proposed approach is based on an optimization model that includes artificial neural networks and linear regression to maximize the educational value of the pedagogical content. This model is personalized, tailored to the learning ability level of each user. Regression models were developed for estimating the lexical difficulty in the literacy tasks of auditory and visual lexical decision, word naming, and spelling. For building these regression models, 55 variables were extracted from French lexical databases that were used with the data from lexical mega-studies. Forward stepwise analysis was conducted to identify the top 10 most important variables for each lexical task. The results showed that the accuracy of the models (based on root mean square error) reached 88.13% for auditory lexical decision, 89.79% for visual lexical decision, 80.53% for spelling, and 83.86% for word naming. The analysis of the results showed that word frequency was a key predictor for all the tasks. For spelling, the number of irregular phoneme-graphemes was an important predictor. The auditory word recognition depended heavily on the number of phonemes and homophones, while visual word recognition depended on the number of homographs and syllables. Finally, the word length and the consistency of initial grapheme-phonemes were important for predicting the word-naming reaction times.
Structure, Electrical Properties, and Thermal Stability of the Mn/Nb Co-Doped Aurivillius-Type Na0.5Bi4.5Ti4O15 High Temperature Piezoelectric Ceramics
Authors: Zhao Tianlong , Shi Kefei , Fei Chunlong , Sun Xinhao , Quan Yi , Liu Wen , Zhang Juan , Dai Xianying
Published: March 2023

In order to meet the urgent need for high temperature piezoelectric materials with a Curie temperature over 400 °C, the Mn/Nb co-doped strategy has been proposed to improve the weak piezoelectric performance of the Aurivillius-type Na0.5Bi4.5Ti4O15 (NBT) high temperature piezoelectric ceramics. In this paper, the crystal structure, electrical properties, and thermal stability of the B-site Mn/Nb co-doped Na0.5Bi4.5Ti4-x(Mn1/3Nb2/3)xO15 (NBT-100x) ceramics were systematically investigated by the conventional solid-state reaction method. The crystal structural analysis results indicate that the NBT-100x ceramics have typical bismuth oxide layer type phase structure and high anisotropic plate-like morphology. The lattice parameters and the grain sizes increase with the B-site Mn/Nb co-doped content. The electrical properties were significantly improved by Mn/Nb co-doped modifications. The maximum of the piezoelectric coefficient d33 was found to be 29 pC/N for the NBT-2 ceramics, nearly twice that of the unmodified NBT ceramics. The highest values of the planar electromechanical coupling factor kp and thickness electromechanical coupling factor kt were also obtained for the NBT-2 ceramics, at 5.4% and 31.2%, respectively. The dielectric spectroscopy showed that the Curie temperature Tc of the Mn/Nb co-doped NBT-100x ceramics is slightly higher than that of unmodified NBT ceramics (646 °C). The DC resistivity of the NBT-2 ceramics is higher than 106 Ω∙cm at 500 °C. All the results together with the good thermal stability demonstrated the Mn/Nb co-doped ceramics as an effective method to improve the NBT based piezoelectric ceramics and the potential candidates of the Mn/Nb co-doped NBT-100x ceramics for high temperature piezoelectric applications.
Invading the Greek Seas: Spatiotemporal Patterns of Marine Impactful Alien and Cryptogenic Species
Authors: Ragkousis Michail , Sini Maria , Koukourouvli Nikoletta , Zenetos Argyro , Katsanevakis Stelios
Published: March 2023

The Greek Seas are greatly exposed to the proliferation of marine alien species. At least 242 alien species have been reported within Greek territorial waters, three-quarters of which are considered established, while their rate of introduction is increasing. Some of these species exhibit high invasiveness, imposing severe impacts on native ecosystems and ecosystem services. The spatiotemporal proliferation of these species outside their natural boundaries depends on several parameters, including their biological characteristics, native distribution range, introduction pathway, and time of initial introduction. Knowing the current and potential alien species distribution is essential for the implementation of effective management actions. To investigate the distribution of impactful cryptogenic and alien species (ICAS) in the Greek Seas, we combined all records available until the end of 2020 from eight types of data sources: (1) scientific literature, (2) grey literature, (3) offline databases, (4) online scientific databases, (5) personal observations of independent researchers, (6) communications with divers and diving centers, (7) in situ underwater sampling, and (8) social networks. The results of 5478 georeferenced records refer to 60 marine ICAS belonging to 16 taxonomic groups. The number of records and the overall number of ICAS present an increasing trend from the northern to the southern parts of our study area, and there is a clear distinction in community composition between the northern and southern subregions. This latitudinal gradient is mainly due to the large number of thermophilous Lessepsian species of West Indo-Pacific origin, which reach the southern parts of the study area through unaided dispersal. On the other hand, transport stowaways appear to be more prevalent in areas located near large ports, which show significant differences in ICAS numbers and community composition compared to sites located far from ports. Most records (>40% of the total) were associated with rocky reefs, partly reflecting the preference of divers for this habitat type but also the presence of conspicuous, reef-associated impactful fish. The number of published records, as well as the number of reported ICAS, shows a dramatic increase with time, highlighting the urgent need for immediate proactive management actions and scientifically informed control measures.
The Pleistocene Glaciations as One of the Major Factors Having Impact on the Current Range of Occurrence and Species Diversity of Mites from the Suborder Uropodina (Acari: Mesostigmata) in Poland
Authors: Błoszyk Jerzy , Kulczak Marta , Napierała Agnieszka
Published: March 2023

On the basis of data collected since 1961, the authors of the current article conducted an analysis of the distribution of Uropodina (Acari: Mesostigmata) species in Poland. The areas of occurrence of the species were compared with the range boundaries of the successive Pleistocene glaciations in Poland. The second aim of the study was to establish the importance of the former nunataks (paleonunataks) for the preservation of biodiversity of this group of mites in Poland. The study has revealed that there are six types of distribution of Uropodina species in the area of Poland: (i) species distributed consistently in the whole area of the country, (ii) species having their northern range of occurrence in Poland, (iii) species having their north-western range of occurrence, (iv) species having their north-eastern range of occurrence, (v) species of boreal-mountainous distribution with evident disjunction in central Poland, and (vi) Carpathian species migrating northwards along the Vistula River. The analyses of the species composition of Uropodina communities on nunataks shows that the concave nunatak in Jura Krakowsko-Czestochowska, described in the literature as the “Jurassic Inland Oasis”, turned out to be the location with the highest Uropodina diversity, whereas on the nunatak of the Ślęża Massif, which was covered by two glaciations, the Uropodina diversity was the lowest.
When Cockroaches Replace Ants in Trophobiosis: A New Major Life-Trait Pattern of Hemiptera Planthoppers Behaviour Disclosed When Synthesizing Photographic Data
Authors: Bourgoin Thierry , Gjonov Ilia , Lapeva-Gjonova Albena , Roger Sonia , Constant Jérôme , Kunz Gernot , Wilson Michael R.
Published: March 2023

The mutualistic interspecific relationships of trophobiosis between trophobiont planthoppers (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha) providing food to the host called xenobiont, are reviewed. The degree of interspecific relationships between these symbionts varies from occasional or short time duration (a few hours to a few days) to longer ones, with trophobionts left free to escape (optobiotic type) by the xenobiont, or maintained enclosed in nests or ant shelters (cryptobiotic type). Of 267 collected cases, 126 are new illustrated observations. Occasional trophobiosis is documented in 13 families of planthoppers and appears to be quite general in Fulgoromorpha, although it is reported for the first time for Dictyopharidae, Eurybrachidae, and Nogodinidae. Xenobionts associated with planthoppers are reported from ants and other Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, and Blattodea, but also from Mollusca and even small gekkonid vertebrates. Tettigometridae appear to be exclusively tended by ants, while Fulgoridae significantly more often by cockroaches (40%) than by ants (27%). Long-time trophobiosis occurs always with ants, cryptobiotic ones reported in Cixiidae, Delphacidae, Tettigometridae, Meenoplidae, Flatidae and Hypochthonellidae, while optobiotic ones remain restricted to tettigometrids. A particular focus on Tettigometridae attended by ants is provided with new etho-ecological observations of 92 currently described tettigometrids species, 32 different species (35%) are now known to be able to be ant-attended. In Bulgaria, where fourteen species occur, trophobiosis occurs with at least five species of them (36%). In tettigometrids, subsociality, sessility, and underground life appear to be key factors allowing more complex relationships with ants. However, the planthopper size and thus the amount of food (drops of honeydew) is probably also an important factor. This might explain many new observations in large-sized and often isolated fulgorids with cockroaches. Tapping of trophobiont forewings by cockroaches, moths, or of the bark subtrate by geckos has been observed, but antennal palpation behaviours by ants are the most commonly observed with tettigometrids, although not with larger planthoppers. In tettigometrids, specific tegumentary glands secretions (allomones) of the abdomen pleurites might also mediate their long-term mutualistic associations, even possibly completing honeydew kairomones actions mediating planthopper trophobiosis in general.
Toward a Spatially Segregated Urban Growth? Austerity, Poverty, and the Demographic Decline of Metropolitan Greece
Authors: Rontos Kostas , Mosconi Enrico Maria , Gianvincenzi Mattia , Moretti Simona , Salvati Luca
Published: March 2023

Metropolitan decline in southern Europe was documented in few cases, being less intensively investigated than in other regions of the continent. Likely for the first time in recent history, the aftermath of the 2007 recession was a time period associated with economic and demographic decline in Mediterranean Europe. However, the impacts and consequences of the great crisis were occasionally verified and quantified, both in strictly urban contexts and in the surrounding rural areas. By exploiting official statistics, our study delineates sequential stages of demographic growth and decline in a large metropolitan region (Athens, Greece) as a response to economic expansion and stagnation. Having important implications for the extent and spatial direction of metropolitan cycles, the Athens’ case—taken as an example of urban cycles in Mediterranean Europe—indicates a possibly new dimension of urban shrinkage, with spatially varying population growth and decline along a geographical gradient of income and wealth. Heterogeneous dynamics led to a leapfrog urban expansion decoupled from agglomeration and scale, the factors most likely shaping long-term metropolitan expansion in advanced economies. Demographic decline in urban contexts was associated with multidimensional socioeconomic processes resulting in spatially complex demographic outcomes that require appropriate, and possibly more specific, regulation policies. By shedding further light on recession-driven metropolitan decline in advanced economies, the present study contributes to re-thinking short-term development mechanisms and medium-term demographic scenarios in Mediterranean Europe.