bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trehalase is required for sex pheromone biosynthesis in Helicoverpa armigera
Authors: Zhang Bo , Zhang Yunhui , Guan Ruobing , Du Mengfang , Yin Xinming , Zhao Wenli , An Shiheng
Published: January 2022

Trehalase (Treh) hydrolyzes trehalose to generate glucose and it plays important role in many physiological processes. Acetyl‐CoA, the precursor of sex pheromone biosynthesis in the pheromone gland (PG) of Helicoverpa armigera, originates from glucose during glycolysis. However, the function of Treh in sex pheromone biosynthesis remains elusive. In the present study, H. armigera was used as a model to investigate the function of two Trehs (Treh1 and Treh2) in sex pheromone biosynthesis. Results demonstrated that knockdown of HaTreh1 or HaTreh2 in female PGs led to significant decreases in Z11‐16:Ald production, female ability to attract males, and successful mating proportions. Pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) treatment triggered HaTreh1 and HaTreh2 activities in the isolated PGs and Sf9 cells. However, the activities of HaTreh1 and HaTreh2 triggered by PBAN were offset by H‐89, the specific inhibitor of protein kinase A (PKA). Furthermore, the H‐89 treatment significantly decreased the phosphorylation level of Trhe2, which was induced by PBAN. In addition, sugar feeding (5% sugar) increased the enzyme activities of Treh1 and Treh2. In summary, our findings confirmed that PBAN activates Treh1/2 activities by recruiting cAMP/PKA signalling, promotes glycolysis to ensure the supply of acetyl‐CoA, and ultimately facilitates sex pheromone biosynthesis and mating behaviour.
The influence of deviating conditions on levee failure rates
Authors: Kool Job J. , Kanning Willem , Jonkman Sebastiaan N.
Published: January 2022

This study introduces a method for assessing the annual failure rate of levees based on information from historical floods, while also considering the return period of these past events. Also, an approach has been developed to quantify the influence of deviating conditions on failure rates. The presence of deviating conditions at failed and survived levee sections is analyzed based on satellite observations. Bayesian techniques and likelihood ratios are used to update the failure rate as a function of the presence of deviations. The river system of Sachsen‐Anhalt, Germany, is used as a case study. It experienced severe floods with many levee failures in the years 2002 and 2013. It is found that the presence of geological deviations had a significant influence on the observed failure rate and that failure rate increases with the magnitude of the hydraulic loading. It is also discussed how the expected number of failures in a system during a flood event with a certain magnitude can be estimated. The results of this study can be used to further optimize soil investigations, calibrate the results of more advanced reliability analyses and complement risk assessments, particularly in data‐poor environments.
Credit spreads in the European green bond market: A daily analysis of the COVID‐19 pandemic impact
Authors: Cicchiello Antonella Francesca , Cotugno Matteo , Monferrà Stefano , Perdichizzi Salvatore
Published: January 2022

Financial crises and economic downturns provide a unique opportunity to investigate the behavior of investors and financial instruments and shed light in the market's anticipation of future economic growth. In view of the current crisis, we examine how the COVID‐19 pandemic affected the European green bond market. Using daily data from Thomson Reuter's Refinitiv, we conducted event studies on corporate credit spread changes over the period from January 1 to December 31, 2020. Our results reveal that green bonds' credit spreads increased significantly after the start of the coronavirus outbreak. However, as the fear of the pandemic eased in response to positive news about the vaccines, green bonds' credit spreads fell below conventional bonds. Overall, green bonds showed a higher risk exposure and lower resilience to distress while profiting during an upside. Our paper provides the first evidence about the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic and the announcement of vaccines' effectiveness on the European corporate green bond market. Our results suggest several key points that are relevant to both investors and issuers under the unprecedented conditions created by the pandemic.
Effects of vegetation on soil cyanobacterial communities through time and space
Authors: Cano‐Díaz Concha , Maestre Fernando T. , Wang Juntao , Li Jing , Singh Brajesh K. , Ochoa Victoria , Gozalo Beatriz , Delgado‐Baquerizo Manuel
Published: January 2022

Photoautotrophic soil cyanobacteria play essential ecological roles and are known to exhibit large changes in their diversity and abundance throughout early succession. However, much less is known about how and why soil cyanobacterial communities change as soil develops over centuries and millennia, and the effects that vegetation have on such communities.

We combined an extensive field survey, including 16 global soil chronosequences across contrasting ecosystems (from deserts to tropical forests), with molecular analyses to investigate how the diversity and abundance of photosynthetic and nonphotosynthetic soil cyanobacteria are affected by vegetation change during soil development, over time periods from hundreds to thousands of years.

We show that, in most chronosequences, the abundance, species richness and community composition of soil cyanobacteria are relatively stable as soil develops (from centuries to millennia). Regardless of soil age, forest chronosequences were consistently dominated by nonphotosynthetic cyanobacteria (Vampirovibrionia), while grasslands and shrublands were dominated by photosynthetic cyanobacteria. Chronosequences undergoing drastic vegetation shifts (e.g. transitions from grasslands to forests) experienced significant changes in the composition of soil cyanobacterial communities.

Our results advance our understanding of the ecology of cyanobacterial classes, and of the understudied nonphotosynthetic cyanobacteria in particular, and highlight the key role of vegetation as a major driver of their temporal dynamics as soil develops.
Does Aid for Malaria Increase with Exposure to Malaria Risk? Evidence from Mining Sites in the D.R.Congo*
Authors: Lordemus Samuel
Published: January 2022

I examine the ability of donors to target the highest exposure to malaria risk when the health information structure is fragmented. I exploit local variations in the risk of malaria transmission induced by mining activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as financial and epidemiological data from health facilities to estimate how local aid is matching the local malaria burden. Using fine‐grained data on mines and health infrastructure in a regression discontinuity design, I find no evidence that local populations exposed to the highest risk of malaria transmission receive a proportionately higher share of aid compared to neighbouring areas with reduced exposure to malaria risk.
Transgenerational plasticity of dispersal‐related traits in a ciliate: genotype‐dependency and fitness consequences
Authors: Cayuela Hugo , Jacob Staffan , Schtickzelle Nicolas , Verdonck Rik , Philippe Hervé , Laporte Martin , Huet Michèle , Bernatchez Louis , Legrand Delphine
Published: January 2022

Phenotypic plasticity, the ability of one genotype to produce different phenotypes in different environments, plays a central role in species' response to environmental changes. Transgenerational plasticity (TGP) allows the transmission of this environmentally‐induced phenotypic variation across generations, and can influence adaptation. To date, the genetic control of TGP, its long‐term stability, and its potential costs remain largely unknown, mostly because empirical demonstrations of TGP across many generations in several genetic backgrounds are scarce. Here, we examined how genotype determines the TGP of phenotypic traits related to dispersal, a fundamental process in ecology and evolution. We used an experimental approach in Tetrahymena thermophila, a ciliate model‐species, to determine if and how phenotypic changes expressed following a dispersal treatment are inherited over multiple generations. Our results show that morphological and movement traits associated with dispersal are plastic, and that these modifications are inherited over at least 35 generations. The fitness costs and benefits associated with these plastic changes are also transmitted to further generations. We highlight that the genotype modulates the expression and reversibility of transgenerational plasticity of dispersal‐related traits and its fitness outcomes. Our study thus suggests that genotype‐dependent TGP could play an important role in eco‐evolutionary dynamics as dispersal determines gene flow and the long‐term persistence of natural populations.
Insulin‐like growth factor II‐producing colonic carcinoma presenting with non‐islet cell tumor hypoglycemia: An autopsy report revealing neuroendocrine differentiation in the metastatic foci and literature review
Authors: Kondo Shiori , Hashimoto Hirotsugu , Nakajima Kentaro , Miura Sakiko , Sakuma Jun , Fukuda Izumi , Noie Tamaki , Morikawa Teppei
Published: January 2022

Non‐islet cell tumor hypoglycemia (NICTH) is a very rare symptom of severe hypoglycemia associated with extrapancreatic tumors. It is considered to be caused by insulin‐like growth factor (IGF)‐II. There have been no autopsy cases of colorectal carcinoma with NICTH confirmed with both serum high molecular weight and tumoral IGF‐II. We report the case of a 46‐year‐old woman with advanced sigmoid colon cancer and liver metastases. She underwent open sigmoidectomy, and histologically, the lesion was a differentiated‐type tubular adenocarcinoma. Postoperative chemotherapy was initiated. However, she experienced repeated hypoglycemia attacks 10 months after the operation, while the liver metastases increased. We examined the cause of hypoglycemia, and finally diagnosed her with NICTH associated with high molecular weight IGF‐II production, which was proven by Western immunoblot of the serum. She died 12 months after surgery and was examined by autopsy. Liver metastases showed a transition from adenocarcinoma to carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation. Immunohistochemistry showed that both metastatic carcinoma of the liver and primary colonic adenocarcinoma were positive for IGF‐II. Neuroendocrine differentiation in liver metastases proven by an autopsy may have contributed to tumor growth, which may have exacerbated the symptoms.
Identification of the novel HLA‐DPB1*1273:01 allele by polymerase chain reaction sequence‐based typing
Authors: Dong Lina , Wang Fang , Wang Wei , Zhang Wei , Zhu Faming
Published: January 2022

HLA‐DPB1*1273:01 differs from HLA‐DPB1*05:01:01:01 by two nucleotide substitutions in exon 1.
Design-by-Analogy: Effects of Exploration-Based Approach on Analogical Retrievals and Design Outcomes
Authors: Song Hyeonik , Fu Katherine
Published: January 2022

This paper presents VISION (Visual Interaction tool for Seeking Inspiration based on Nonnegative Matrix Factorization), a computational design-by-analogy (DbA) tool that enables designers to visually explore a space of analogical inspiration for creative idea generation. While many currently available DbA tools use a query-based approach for retrieving analogies (i.e., input keywords or functions to return a set of relevant results), VISION allows designers to retrieve a collection of design analogies that are related to topics of interest and explore a space of potential inspiration, the way one would gather books of particular topics from multiple shelves at the library to find potential resources. Two cognitive engineering design studies were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of VISION during the conceptual design process. In the first study, conducted in a controlled-lab setting, VISION was evaluated based on its effect on the quantity, quality, novelty, and direct physical similarity ratings of design outcomes. In the second study, conducted in a graduate engineering design class, VISION was evaluated based on designers’ abilities to retrieve analogies from different domains and analogies that are different from already existing design solutions. Studies show that VISION could provide an alternative to the query-based search that many DbA computational support systems use and open up new opportunities for designers to benefit from computationally supported analogies.
Evaluating elongated grains with diffuse ultrasonic double scattering and rectangular transducers
Authors: Chen Feng , Chen Siqi , Song Yongfeng , Li Xiongbing
Published: January 2022

Diffuse scattering of ultrasound by the microstructure of polycrystal specimens can be used to evaluate grain size and grain elongation. The existing diffuse scattering models mostly dealt with circular transducers whose symmetrical sound field is insensitive to the asymmetric elongated grain. The sound field of a rectangular transducer provides a new perspective for acquiring additional information. First, the existing single scattering response (SSR) and double scattering response (DSR) models are modified for a rectangular transducer, where the sound field of a rectangular transducer is equivalent to that of an elliptical transducer in the far-field. Therefore, an equivalent single Gaussian beam model is derived using amplitude-equivalent and beamwidth-equivalent coefficients. Then, the spatial correlation function of elongated grains is transformed into the wavenumber domain, giving rise to the SSR and DSR of a rectangular transducer that reveals the interaction effect of an asymmetric sound field and elongated grains on ultrasonic backscattering. The experimental results show that the sizes of elongated grains in a cold-rolled aluminum are evaluated as 1086 ± 8, 90 ± 4, and 10 ± 1 μm in the x, y, and z directions, where the exact values are 1184.2 ± 11.9, 80.7 ± 5.2, and 8.3 ± 0.5 μm according to metallographic measurements.
North American diadromous fishes: Drivers of decline and potential for recovery in the Anthropocene
Authors: Waldman John R. , Quinn Thomas P.
Published: January 2022

Diadromous fishes migrate between freshwater and marine habitats to complete their life cycle, a complexity that makes them vulnerable to the adverse effects of current and past human activities on land and in the oceans. Many North American species are critically endangered, and entire populations have been lost. Major factors driving declines include overfishing, pollution, water withdrawals, aquaculture, non-native species, habitat degradation, over-zealous application of hatcheries designed to mitigate effects of other factors, and effects of climate change. Perhaps, the most broadly tractable and effective factors affecting diadromous fishes are removals of the dams that prevent or hinder their migrations, alter their environment, and often favor non-native biotic communities. Future survival of many diadromous fish populations may depend on this.
Quantum critical points and the sign problem
Authors: Mondaini R. , Tarat S. , Scalettar R. T.
Published: January 2022

The “sign problem” (SP) is a fundamental limitation to simulations of strongly correlated matter. It is often argued that the SP is not intrinsic to the physics of particular Hamiltonians because its behavior can be influenced by the choice of algorithm. By contrast, we show that the SP in determinant quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) is quantitatively linked to quantum critical behavior. We demonstrate this through simulations of several models with critical properties that are relatively well understood. We propose a reinterpretation of the low average sign for the Hubbard model on the square lattice away from half filling in terms of the onset of pseudogap behavior and exotic superconductivity. Our study charts a path for exploiting the average sign in QMC simulations to understand quantum critical behavior.
Magnetic stop signs signal a European songbird’s arrival at the breeding site after migration
Authors: Wynn Joe , Padget Oliver , Mouritsen Henrik , Morford Joe , Jaggers Paris , Guilford Tim
Published: January 2022

Although it is known that birds can return to their breeding grounds with exceptional precision, it has remained a mystery how they know when and where to stop migrating. Using nearly a century’s worth of Eurasian reed warbler (
Acrocephalus scirpaceus
) ringing recoveries, we investigated whether fluctuations in Earth’s magnetic field predict variation in the sites to which birds return. Ringing recoveries suggest that magnetic inclination is learned before departure and is subsequently used as a uni-coordinate “stop sign” when relocating the natal or breeding site. However, many locations have the same inclination angle. Data from populations with different migratory directions indicate that birds solve this ambiguity by stopping at the first place where the right inclination is encountered on an inherited return vector.
In Science Journals
Authors: Vignieri Sacha , Vinson Valda , Ferrarelli Leslie K. , Stajic Jelena , Jiang Di , Clauset Aaron , Purnell Beverly A. , Hines Pamela J. , Sugden Andrew M. , Erkes Dan A. , Malo Courtney S. , Szuromi Phil
Published: January 2022

Highlights from the
Science
family of journals
Common health issues and advised treatments reported in an ultraendurance ocean rowing race
Authors: Galsworthy William J H , Carr James A J , Hearn Russell
Published: January 2022

Objectives

Ocean rowing is an extreme ultraendurance sport where individuals row unsupported across an ocean. This can mean months at sea in unpredictable and inhospitable conditions. The extreme physical and mental demands associated mean medical issues are common yet under researched, impacting the medical assistance provided.

Methods

The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge provides a framework with safety protocols to create safer environments for athletes to attempt transatlantic crossings. Race logs, which record communication between rowers and safety teams, were anonymised and examined to create cumulative totals of medical issues requiring help and an incident timeline.

Results

Duty officers were notified of 65 medical complaints, 32% (n=21) requiring race doctors. Dermatological conditions were most common, accounting for 32% of complaints (n=21) and affecting 24% of rowers. Pressure sores and infections represented 43% and 38% of dermatological complaints respectively. Musculoskeletal injuries equalled 18% (n=12) of complaints, affecting 20% of rowers. Most cases were reported in weeks one and three, with 37% (n=24) of issues and 90% (n=10) of seasickness cases in week one. Hygiene and antibiotics were frequently advised management options.

Conclusion

Conditions requiring race doctor input represent the most severe cases with the potential to deteriorate. Managing dermatological and musculoskeletal issues is vital throughout the race, while seasickness prophylaxis and education is essential in initial race stages. Infections are cause for concern, with gluteal pressure sores a potential route for secondary infections. Further research is required before evidence-based guidelines for management of health issues in ocean rowers can be introduced.
Intermediate monocytes induced by IFN-γ inhibit cancer metastasis by promoting NK cell activation through FOXO1 and interleukin-27
Authors: Wang Rikang , Bao Weili , Pal Mouli , Liu Yunfeng , Yazdanbakhsh Karina , Zhong Hui
Published: January 2022

Background

Circulating monocytes are functionally heterogeneous and can be divided into classical (CMo), intermediate (IMo), and non-CMo/patrolling monocyte (PMo) subsets. CMo can differentiate into PMo through IMo. PMos have been shown to inhibit cancer metastasis but the role of IMo is unclear. To date, no strategy has been developed to inhibit cancer metastasis through enhancing PMo/IMo differentiation.

Methods

We screened multiple inflammatory cytokines/chemokines activity of modulating PMo/IMo associated cell markers expression using human monocyte in vitro culture system. We tested our candidate cytokine activity in vivo using multiple mice models. We identified critical key factors and cytokines for our candidate cytokine activity by using gene-knockout mice and neutralization antibodies.

Results

We identified IFN-γ as a candidate inflammatory cytokine in the regulation of human IMo/PMo marker expression. Our in vivo data demonstrated that IMo expansion was induced by short-term (3 days) IFN-γ treatment through increasing CMo-IMo differentiation and blocking IMo-PMo differentiation. The IMo induced by IFN-γ (IFN-IMo), but not IFN-γ activated CMo (IFN-CMo), inhibited cancer metastasis by 90%. Surprizing, the effect of IFN-γ is greater in PMo deficiency mice, indicating the effect of IFN-IMo is not mediated through further differentiation into PMo. We also found that IFN-IMos induced by short-term IFN-γ treatment robustly boosted NK cell expansion for threefold and promoted NK differentiation and function through IL-27 and CXCL9. Furthermore, we identified that FOXO1, a key molecule controlling cellular energy metabolism, mediated the effect of IFN-γ induced IL-27 expression, and that NR4A1, a key molecule controlling PMo differentiation and inhibiting cancer metastasis, inhibited the pro-NK cell and anti-metastasis activity of IFN-IMo by suppressing CXCL9 expression.

Conclusions

We have discovered the antimetastasis and pro-NK cell activity of IFN-IMo, identified FOXO1 as a key molecule for IFN-γ driven monocyte differentiation and function, and found NR4A1 as an inhibitory molecule for IFN-IMo activity. Our study has not only shown novel mechanisms for a classical antitumor cytokine but also provided potential target for developing superior monocytic cell therapy against cancer metastasis.
Lower baseline autoantibody levels are associated with immune-related adverse events from immune checkpoint inhibition
Authors: Ghosh Nilasha , Postow Michael , Zhu Chengsong , Jannat-Khah Deanna , Li Quan-Zhen , Vitone Greg , Chan Karmela K , Bass Anne R
Published: January 2022

Introduction

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are a novel cancer therapeutic that have been successful in treating advanced malignancies; however, they also cause immune-related adverse events (irAE). Given that some irAE are clinically similar to traditional autoimmune diseases, autoantibodies have been suggested as possible biomarkers of irAE. However, there are very little data on autoantibody investigation prior to ICI. Our aim was to determine if specific baseline autoantibodies were associated with irAE and see if changes in autoantibody concentration corresponded with irAE development.

Methods

This study used data from an oncologic clinical trial of adaptive dosing combination ICI therapy in patients with advanced melanoma. Plasma was collected at baseline and 6 weeks after ICI initiation and tested in a microarray of 120 autoantigens commonly associated with autoimmune disease, as well as antinuclear antibody (ANA), rheumatoid factor (RF), and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (anti-CCP). Autoantibody concentrations were compared between patients experiencing an organ-specific event versus not. Heatmaps, volcano plots and hierarchical clustering were used to determine autoantibody concentration differences among irAE patient clusters as defined by signal intensity of autoantibodies. Kaplan-Meier curves were created and a log-rank test was performed to assess differences in survival.

Results

The microarray analysis demonstrated that patients who experienced specific irAE had fewer differentially expressed autoantibodies at baseline than those that did not have those specific irAE, and a greater fold change (FC) in antibody concentration from baseline to 6 weeks corresponded with specific irAE development. However, no autoantibodies were identified as being predictive of specific events. Time to first irAE was less than 6 weeks in 69% of patients, and these patients had less autoantibodies at baseline. Considering ANA, RF and CCP autoantibodies, there were no significant differences between the seropositive and seronegative patients in irAE development, severity, timing or survival.

Conclusion

Patients with low autoantibody concentrations at baseline as well as a greater FC in autoantibody concentration over 6 weeks developed more distinct organ-specific irAE. This may suggest differences in the balance of cellular immunity and humoral pathways that are relevant in the pathogenesis of irAE, though further investigation is needed.
What’s integrity got to do with it? Second-year experiences of the Path2Integrity e-learning programme
Authors: Hermeking Noémie , Priess-Buchheit Julia
Published: January 2022

Organisations in Europe differ significantly in how they promote research integrity (RI). Higher education institutions play a pivotal role in disseminating a culture of RI and responsible conduct of research (RCR). Adhering and strengthening mentoring systems, implementing codes of conduct, and raising awareness are just a few initiatives among many to enhance students’ training in RCR. This article describes the Path2Integrity Learning Card (P2LIC) programme, a proactive training programme to foster RI. This programme was further developed in 2020 and the updated feedback loops took place in four countries (Germany, Denmark, Spain, and Poland). We outline the P2ILC development and final design, the trainer feedback on the programme from the second year of operation, and suggest future considerations for RCR training to strengthen research integrity.
Quintic constraints for $${{\mathcal {N}}}=2$$ multiplets and complete SUSY breaking
Authors: Aldabergenov Yermek , Antoniadis Ignatios , Chatrabhuti Auttakit , Isono Hiroshi
Published: January 2022

We study real fifth-order superfield constraint for $${{\mathcal {N}}}=2$$

N
=
2

vector (and tensor) multiplet and derive most general solution describing complete supersymmetry breaking, and preserving a real scalar, two goldstini, and an abelian gauge field as low-energy degrees of freedom on which both supersymmetries are realized non-linearly. The surviving scalar is identified as an axion of a broken global abelian symmetry, while its scalar partner (saxion) is eliminated in terms of the goldstini. We provide an example of a UV model giving rise to the quintic constraint, and discuss the connection of this constraint and its solution to other known superfield constraints in $${{\mathcal {N}}}=2$$

N
=
2

and $${{\mathcal {N}}}=1$$

N
=
1

cases.
HOW DO NATURAL DISASTERS AFFECT ENERGY POVERTY? EVIDENCE FROM A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
Authors: DOU YUE , DONG KANGYIN , JIANG QINGZHE , SHAHBAZ MUHAMMAD
Published: January 2022

To investigate the impact of natural disasters on energy poverty, this study employs a panel dataset of 113 countries covering the period 2000–2014. We also conduct an asymmetric analysis on the natural disaster–energy poverty nexus. In addition, we analyze the impact mechanism between natural disasters and energy poverty. The main findings indicate that natural disasters deteriorate the energy poverty status, and this impact is asymmetric. Furthermore, technological innovation can reduce the positive impact of natural disasters on energy poverty. Also, renewable energy infrastructure is an important pathway through which natural disasters affect energy poverty.
Vertex Guarding for Dynamic Orthogonal Art Galleries
Authors: Banerjee Debangshu , Inkulu R.
Published: January 2022

We devise an algorithm for surveying a dynamic orthogonal polygonal domain by placing one guard at each vertex in a subset of its vertices, i.e., whenever an orthogonal polygonal domain [Formula: see text] is modified to result in another orthogonal polygonal domain [Formula: see text], our algorithm updates the set of vertex guards surveying [Formula: see text] so that the updated guard set surveys [Formula: see text]. Our algorithm modifies the guard placement in [Formula: see text] amortized time, while ensuring the updated orthogonal polygonal domain with [Formula: see text] holes and [Formula: see text] vertices is guarded using at most [Formula: see text] vertex guards. For the special case of the initial orthogonal polygon being hole-free and each update resulting in a hole-free orthogonal polygon, our guard update algorithm takes [Formula: see text] worst-case time. Here, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are the number of vertices of the orthogonal polygon before and after the update, respectively; and, [Formula: see text] is the sum of [Formula: see text] and the number of updates to a few structures maintained by our algorithm. Further, by giving a construction, we show it suffices for the algorithm to consider only the case in which the parity of the number of reflex vertices of both [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are equal.
EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF TRIBOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS ON AA7068–ZrB2 IN-SITU AMCs
Authors: NALLUSAMY M. , NANDHAKUMAR S. , SURIYAPRAKASH M.
Published: January 2022

In the present era, aluminum-based metal matrix composites, commonly known as aluminum matrix composites (AMCs), play a crucial role in fabricating lighter weight components in the aerospace, automotive, aircraft and marine industries. Intensive research is required to fabricate AMCs economically. In this recent research, AA7068–ZrB2 AMCs were successfully produced using the in-situ method of fabrication. The inorganic salts such as K2ZrF6 and KBF4 reacted with molten aluminum at 850∘C and formed ZrB2 particles in the aluminum melt itself. The castings of AA7068–ZrB2 AMCs were obtained with 0, 3, 6 and 9 volume fractions (vol.%) of ZrB2 in-situ particles. The pin-on-disc wear apparatus was used to conduct the dry sliding wear analysis of AA7068–ZrB2 in-situ AMCs. The wear experiments were conducted in line with the Design of Experiments (DoE). An orthogonal array of [Formula: see text] was employed for the DoE. The effects of wear parameters such as vol.% of ZrB2 particles, sliding speed, sliding distance and normal load on the wear rate (WR) and coefficient of friction (COF) were observed. The effects of individual parameters on the WR and COF were observed by contour plot, residual plot and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The worn surfaces of AA7068–ZrB2 (0, 3, 6 and 9 vol.%) AMCs were also observed using the field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM).
A stochastic Sir epidemic evolution model with non-concave force of infection: Mathematical modeling and analysis
Authors: Lahrouz A. , Settati A. , Jarroudi M. , Mahjour H. , Fatini M. , Merzguioui M. , Tridane A.
Published: January 2022

In this paper, we revisit the classical SIR epidemic model by replacing the simple bilinear transmission rate by a nonlinear one. Our results show that in the presence of environmental fluctuations represented by Brownian motion and that mainly act on the transmission rate, the generalized non-concave force of infection adopted here, greatly affects the long-time behavior of the epidemic. Employing the Markov semigroup theory, we prove that the model solutions do not admit a unique stationary distribution but converge to 0 in [Formula: see text]th moment for any [Formula: see text]. Furthermore, we prove that the disease extinguishes asymptotically exponentially with probability 1 without any restriction on the model parameters and we also determine the rate of convergence. This is an unexpected qualitative behavior in comparison with the existing literature where the studied epidemic models have a threshold dynamics behavior. It is also a very surprising behavior regarding the deterministic counterpart that can exhibit a rich qualitative dynamical behaviors such as backward bifurcation and Hopf bifurcation. On the other hand, we show by several numerical simulations that as the intensity of environmental noises becomes sufficiently small, the epidemic tends to persist for a very long time before dying out from the host population. To solve this problem and to be able to manage the pre-extinction period, we construct a new process in terms of the number of infected and recovered individuals which admits a unique invariant stationary distribution. Finally, we discuss the obtained analytical results through a series of numerical simulations.
Generating Factoid Questions with Question Type Enhanced Representation and Attention-based Copy Mechanism
Authors: Hu Yue , Yang Haitong , Zhou Guangyou , Huang Jimmy Xiangji
Published: January 2022

Question generation over knowledge bases is an important research topic. How to deal with rare and low-frequency words in traditional generation models is a key challenge for question generation. Although the copy mechanism provides significant performance improvements, the original copy mechanism weakens the focus on aspect generation in the overall representations. In this article, we present a novel method to improve question generation with a question type enhanced representation and attention-based copy mechanism. The proposed method exploits the advantages of the generate mode in the copy mechanism and replaces objects in the factual triples with question types, which attempts to improve the output quality in the generate mode and effectively generate questions with proper interrogative words. We evaluate the proposed method on two standard benchmark datasets. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method can produce higher-quality questions than these of the Encoder-Decoder-based and CopyNet-based methods.
Ax-BxP: Approximate Blocked Computation for Precision-reconfigurable Deep Neural Network Acceleration
Authors: Elangovan Reena , Jain Shubham , Raghunathan Anand
Published: January 2022

Precision scaling has emerged as a popular technique to optimize the compute and storage requirements of Deep Neural Networks (DNNs). Efforts toward creating ultra-low-precision (sub-8-bit) DNNs for efficient inference suggest that the minimum precision required to achieve a given network-level accuracy varies considerably across networks, and even across layers within a network. This translates to a need to support variable precision computation in DNN hardware. Previous proposals for precision-reconfigurable hardware, such as bit-serial architectures, incur high overheads, significantly diminishing the benefits of lower precision. We propose Ax-BxP, a method for approximate blocked computation wherein each multiply-accumulate operation is performed block-wise (a block is a group of bits), facilitating re-configurability at the granularity of blocks. Further, approximations are introduced by only performing a subset of the required block-wise computations to realize precision re-configurability with high efficiency. We design a DNN accelerator that embodies approximate blocked computation and propose a method to determine a suitable approximation configuration for any given DNN. For the AlexNet, ResNet50, and MobileNetV2 DNNs, Ax-BxP achieves improvement in system energy and performance, respectively, over an 8-bit fixed-point (FxP8) baseline, with minimal loss (<1% on average) in classification accuracy. Further, by varying the approximation configurations at a finer granularity across layers and data-structures within a DNN, we achieve improvement in system energy and performance, respectively.
Fuzzing: A Survey for Roadmap
Authors: Zhu Xiaogang , Wen Sheng , Camtepe Seyit , Xiang Yang
Published: January 2022

Fuzz testing (fuzzing) has witnessed its prosperity in detecting security flaws recently. It generates a large number of test cases and monitors the executions for defects. Fuzzing has detected thousands of bugs and vulnerabilities in various applications. Although effective, there lacks systematic analysis of gaps faced by fuzzing. As a technique of defect detection, fuzzing is required to narrow down the gaps between the entire input space and the defect space. Without limitation on the generated inputs, the input space is infinite. However, defects are sparse in an application, which indicates that the defect space is much smaller than the entire input space. Besides, because fuzzing generates numerous test cases to repeatedly examine targets, it requires fuzzing to perform in an automatic manner. Due to the complexity of applications and defects, it is challenging to automatize the execution of diverse applications. In this article, we systematically review and analyze the gaps as well as their solutions, considering both breadth and depth. This survey can be a roadmap for both beginners and advanced developers to better understand fuzzing.
Investigating the Electroactivity of Salinivibrio sp. EAGSL, through Electroanalytical Techniques and Genomic Insights
Authors: Gaffney Erin M. , Dantanarayana Ashwini , Simoska Olja , Minteer Shelley D.
Published: January 2022

Microbial electrochemical technologies are becoming an interest for the electrochemical community due to their possible applications in wastewater treatment, biosensing, biosynthesis, and bioenergy. Fundamental to these technologies is the use of electroactive microorganisms as bioelectrocatalysts. Recent studies have aimed to elucidate electron transfer strategies of electroactive microorganisms, with a keen interest in extremophilic bacteria due to their enhanced survivability in variable and extreme conditions, making them a better candidate for use in microbial electrochemical technologies. Recently, the species Salinivibrio sp. EAGSL was isolated from the Great Salt Lake, Utah, for its anodic respiration capabilities. In this work, electroanalytical techniques offer the primary information regarding the electroactive mechanisms of Salinivibrio sp. EAGSL. Additionally, measuring the current production over time shows electricity production over 3 days. Fundamental insights from the recently determined genome sequence offer possible explanations and mechanisms of this behavior and other metabolisms of interest for microbial electrochemistry. By elucidating the extracellular electron transfer pathways of Salinivibrio sp. EAGSL, the pairing of electroanalytical and genomic methods can provide a framework of study for other novel electroactive species.
Thermal Runaway of Li-Ion Cells: How Internal Dynamics, Mass Ejection, and Heat Vary with Cell Geometry and Abuse Type
Authors: Sharp Matthew , Darst John Jacob , Hughes Peter , Billman Julia , Pham Martin , Petrushenko David , Heenan Thomas M. M. , Jervis Rhodri , Owen Rhodri , Patel Drasti , Wenjia Du , Michael Harry , Rack Alexander , Magdysyuk Oxana V. , Connolley Thomas , Brett Dan J. L. , Hinds Gareth , Keyser Matt , Darcy Eric , Shearing Paul R. , Walker William , Finegan Donal P.
Published: January 2022

Thermal runaway of lithium-ion batteries can involve various types of failure mechanisms each with their own unique characteristics. Using fractional thermal runaway calorimetry and high-speed radiography, the response of three different geometries of cylindrical cell (18650, 21700, and D-cell) to different abuse mechanisms (thermal, internal short circuiting, and nail penetration) are quantified and statistically examined. Correlations between the geometry of cells and their thermal behavior are identified, such as increasing heat output per amp-hour (kJ Ah−1) of cells with increasing cell diameter during nail penetration. High-speed radiography reveals that the rate of thermal runaway propagation within cells is generally highest for nail penetration where there is a relative increase in rate of propagation with increasing diameter, compared to thermal or internal short-circuiting abuse. For a given cell model tested under the same conditions, a distribution of heat output is observed with a trend of increasing heat output with increased mass ejection. Finally, internal temperature measurements using thermocouples embedded in the penetrating nail are shown to be unreliable thus demonstrating the need for care when using thermocouples where the temperature is rapidly changing. All data used in this manuscript are open access through the NREL and NASA Battery Failure Databank.
Faster skin wound healing predicts survival after myocardial infarction
Authors: Becirovic-Agic Mediha , Chalise Upendra , Jung Mira , Rodriguez-Paar Jocelyn R. , Konfrst Shelby R. , Flynn Elizabeth R. , Salomon Jeffrey D. , Hall Michael E. , Lindsey Merry L.
Published: January 2022

Faster skin wound healers had more efficient cardiac healing after myocardial infarction (MI). Two plasma proteins at D3 MI, EAF1 and A2M, predicted MI death in 66% of cases. ApoD regulated both skin and cardiac wound healing in male mice by promoting inflammation. The skin was a mirror to the heart and common pathways linked wound healing across organs.
Association of Insulin Regimen and Estimated Body Fat Over Time among Youths and Young Adults with Type 1 Diabetes: The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study
Authors: Kahkoska Anna R. , Sarteau Angelica Cristello , Igudesman Daria , Reboussin Beth A. , Dabelea Dana , Dolan Lawrence M. , Jensen Elizabeth , Wadwa R. Paul , Pihoker Catherine , Mayer-Davis Elizabeth J.
Published: January 2022

Aims. To explore how changes in insulin regimen are associated with estimated adiposity over time among youths and young adults with type 1 diabetes and whether any associations differ according to sex. Materials and Methods. Longitudinal data were analyzed from youths and young adults with type 1 diabetes in the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study. Participants were classified according to insulin regimen categorized as exclusive pump (“pump only”), exclusive injections (“injections only”), injection-pump transition (“injections-pump”), or pump-injection transition (“pump-injections”) for each follow-up visit completed. Estimated body fat percentage (eBFP) was calculated using validated equations. Sex-specific, linear mixed effects models examined the relationship between the insulin regimen group and change in eBFP during follow-up, adjusted for baseline eBFP, baseline insulin regimen, time-varying insulin dose, sociodemographic factors, and baseline HbA1c (≥9.0% vs. <9.0%). Results. The final sample included 284 females and 304 males, of whom 80% were non-Hispanic white with mean diagnosis age of

12.7
±
2.4

years. In fully adjusted models for females, exclusive pump use over the study duration was associated with significantly greater increases in eBFP compared to exclusive use of injections (

difference
 
in
 
rate
 
of
 
change
=
0.023
%

increase per month,

95
%
CI
=
0.01

, 0.04). Injection-to-pump transitions and pump-to-injection transitions were also associated with greater increases in eBFP compared to exclusive use of injections (

difference
 
in
 
rate
 
of
 
change
=
0.02
%

,

95
%
CI
=
0.004

, 0.03, and 0.02%;

95
%
CI
=
0.0001

, 0.04, respectively). There was no relationship between the insulin regimen and eBFP among males. Conclusions. Among females with type 1 diabetes, exclusive and partial pump use may have the unintended consequence of increasing adiposity over time compared to exclusive use of injections, independent of insulin dose.
Design of Intelligent Nursing Decision Support System Based on Multiattribute Decision Model
Authors: Lu Wenjing , Jiang Wei , Zhang Na , Xue Feng
Published: January 2022

Nursing medical histories are copied randomly, leading to the occurrence of incorrectly altered histories, and medical errors are on the rise year by year. Moreover, erroneous falsification of nursing medical history is a challenging issue that needs to be urgently addressed in domestic nursing medical history. In this manuscript, a caregiver association method, which is based on a multiattribute decision model, is proposed which is specifically designed for the caregiver association selection problem in intelligent caregiving decision making. In this mode, through the selection and modeling of key performance indicators and the design of combined weights, the purpose of regulating the priority of attributes is achieved. At the same time, a comprehensive evaluation index is designed to realize the joint optimization of multiple attributes. Simulation results show that the proposed nursing workstation can not only tradeoff the quality of nursing staff experience and system performance but also balance the distribution of nursing work and effectively reduce the association delay and system energy consumption．
Effect of Application of Repeated Downhill Walking Bouts on Ankle Isokinetic Parameters in Children with Obesity
Authors: Allam Hatem H. , Shafie Alaa , Almalki Abdulrahman J. , Almalki Dhefallal E. , Alsayad Tarek , Alziyadi Ahmed M. , Al-walah Mosfer A. , Elsayyad Lamiaa K.
Published: January 2022

Background. Obesity among children became of high concern. Obesity can affect many health aspects including muscular strength. Downhill walking is a useful intervention to enhance muscular strength, especially in older adults. Objective. The current study’s purpose was to investigate the effect of repeated bouts of downhill walking on ankle isokinetic parameters in children with obesity. Methods. 32 obese male children aged from 8 to 12 years engaged in the study. The children were divided into two groups: the level walking group (LWG) (

n
=
16

) and the downhill walking group (DWG) (

n
=
16

). Participants in both groups walked 20 minutes on the treadmill, two sessions per week for 6 weeks, with a speed of 5 km/h, and the treadmill slope used for the DWG was set at –20%. Isokinetic dynamometry (Cybex 6000) was used to analyze the normalized eccentric and concentric torque of both ankle dorsiflexors and plantar flexors of the dominant leg in all participants. Results. The normalized peak torques for eccentric plantar flexion, concentric plantar flexion, eccentric dorsiflexion, and concentric dorsiflexion significantly increased by 38.66%, 23.87%, 38.58%, and 15.51%, respectively, after repeated bouts of downhill walking. Level walking resulted in nonsignificant improvement in the muscular torques. Conclusion. Downhill walking is a beneficial intervention in improving ankle muscular torques of obese children.
Sequential and Dynamic Variations of IL-6, CD18, ICAM, TNF-α, and Microstructure in the Early Stage of Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: Xiao Ang , Zhong HuiFeng , Xiong Lei , Yang Lin , Xu YunFang , Wen SiMin , Shao Yi , Zhou Qiong
Published: January 2022

Objective. The purpose of this project is to make sequential and indepth observation of the variations of retinal microvascular, microstructure, and inflammatory mediators at the early stage of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus (DM) rats. Methods. DM was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of 60 mg/kg body weight streptozotocin (STZ). The fluorescein fundus angiography, hematoxylin and eosin staining, periodic acid-Schiff staining, fluorescence imaging techniques, quantitative real-time PCR, and vascular endothelial growth factor- (VEGF-) A ELISA were performed on the 8th day, at the 4th week, 6th week, 8th week, and 10th week after DM induction, respectively. Results. In this study, we observed not only the decrease of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and the increase of endotheliocytes to pericytes (E/P) ratio, acellular capillaries, and type IV collagen-positive strands began to occur on the 8th day after induction but the vascular permeability and new vessel buds began to appear in the diabetes group at the 8th week, while the expression of VEGF-A, VEGF mRNA, IL-6 mRNA, ICAM mRNA, and TNF-α mRNA were significantly higher in the diabetes group compared with the normal group(

P
<
0.01

) on the 8th day after induction and maintained a high expression level throughout the 10-week observation period. However, the expression of CD18 mRNA began to increase significantly at the 4th week after induction and reached a peak at the 6th week. Conclusion. Our study indicated the abnormal alterations of microvessels, microstructure, and inflammatory mediators at the early stage of DR, which confirms and supplements the previous research, and also promotes an indepth understanding and exploration of the pathophysiology and underlying pathogenesis of DR.