bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Upregulation of hsa_circ_0004812 promotes COVID‐19 cytokine storm via hsa‐miR‐1287‐5p/IL6R, RIG‐I axis
Authors: Mohammadisoleimani Elham , Firoozi Zahra , Naghizadeh Mohammad Mehdi , Ghanbari Asad Ali , Pezeshki Babak , Gholampour Yousef , Mirzaei Ebrahim , Simin Mohamadhosain , Saliani Mahsa , Moravej Ali , Armoon Zolfaghar , Mansoori Yaser
Published: August 2022

Background

SARS‐CoV‐2 is one of the most contagious viruses in the Coronaviridae (CoV) family, which has become a pandemic. The aim of this study is to understand more about the role of hsa_circ_0004812 in the SARS‐CoV‐2 related cytokine storm and its associated molecular mechanisms.

Materials and Methods

cDNA synthesis was performed after total RNA was extracted from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 46 patients with symptomatic COVID‐19, 46 patients with asymptomatic COVID‐19, and 46 healthy controls. The expression levels of hsa_circ_0004812, hsa‐miR‐1287‐5p, IL6R, and RIG‐I were determined using qRT‐PCR, and the potential interaction between these molecules was confirmed by bioinformatics tools and correlation analysis.

Results

hsa_circ_0004812, IL6R, and RIG‐I are expressed higher in the severe symptom group compared with the negative control group. Also, the relative expression of these genes in the asymptomatic group is lower than in the severe symptom group. The expression level of hsa‐miR‐1287‐5p was positively correlated with symptoms in patients. The results of the bioinformatics analysis predicted the sponging effect of hsa_circ_0004812 as a competing endogenous RNA on hsa‐miR‐1287‐5p. Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between hsa_circ_0004812, RIG‐I, and IL‐6R expressions, and also a negative expression correlation between hsa_circ_0004812 and hsa‐miR‐1287‐5p and between hsa‐miR‐1287‐5p, RIG‐I, and IL‐6R.

Conclusion

The results of this in‐vitro and in silico study show that hsa_circ_0004812/hsa‐miR‐1287‐5p/IL6R, RIG‐I can play an important role in the outcome of COVID‐19.
Endosomal trafficking and related genetic underpinnings as a hub in Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Limone Adriana , Veneruso Iolanda , D'Argenio Valeria , Sarnataro Daniela
Published: August 2022

Genetic studies support the amyloid cascade as the leading hypothesis for the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although significant efforts have been made in untangling the amyloid and other pathological events in AD, ongoing interventions for AD have not been revealed efficacious for slowing down disease progression. Recent advances in the field of genetics have shed light on the etiology of AD, identifying numerous risk genes associated with late‐onset AD, including genes related to intracellular endosomal trafficking. Some of the bases for the development of AD may be explained by the recently emerging AD genetic “hubs,” which include the processing pathway of amyloid precursor protein and the endocytic pathway. The endosomal genetic hub may represent a common pathway through which many pathological effects can be mediated and novel, alternative biological targets could be identified for therapeutic interventions. The aim of this review is to focus on the genetic and biological aspects of the endosomal compartments related to AD progression. We report recent studies which describe how changes in endosomal genetics impact on functional events, such as the amyloidogenic and non‐amyloidogenic processing, degradative pathways, and the importance of receptors related to endocytic trafficking, including the 37/67 kDa laminin‐1 receptor ribosomal protein SA, and their implications for neurodegenerative diseases.
Effects of signaled and unsignaled delays of reinforcement on response maintenance in zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Authors: Kuroda Toshikazu , Cançado Carlos R. X. , Lattal Kennon A.
Published: August 2022

Effects of delays of reinforcement on zebrafish behavior were examined following training with immediate reinforcement. The delay was either signaled by an exteroceptive stimulus present for the entire delay period (fully signaled), signaled briefly only at delay onset (partial signal), or without a stimulus (unsignaled). Unsignaled delays consistently resulted in low response rates. Fully signaled delays resulted in higher response rates than unsignaled delays when the delay was 3 s, but this difference in response rates disappeared at 6‐s delays. Partially signaled delays were less effective in maintaining responding than fully signaled delays, but more effective than unsignaled delays, although these results were only suggestive. These results indicate that stimulus changes that occur during delays to reinforcement have similar effects with zebrafish as with other species, but also that responding of zebrafish has a relatively low tolerance to the delay duration. A vast majority of experiments examining zebrafish behavior suggests that the fish have potential to serve as an interface between biological and behavioral science, but this may not be the case in some research areas involving delays, such as delay discounting.
Pharmacognostic standardization of Xanthium spinosum L. through scanning electron microscopy and analytical techniques
Authors: Shabana  , Barkatullah  , Nafees Muhammad
Published: August 2022

The present study was intended to evaluate the pharmacognostic attributes including macroscopy, microscopy, physico‐chemical and phytochemical screening of the aerial part of Xanthium spinosum, belonging to family Asteraceae. Morphologically, the leaf was covered with sparsely scattered non‐glandular, multicellular hair on adaxial surface, while abaxial surface was reported with dense silvery furs. Leaf showed lamphystomatic nature bearing anomocytic stomata. Various other leaf constant values like vein islets number, vein termination number and palisade cell ratio were also observed and recorded as 4.36 ± 0.5, 3.36 ± 0.5, and 11.82 ± 2.04, respectively. Cross section of the stem showed typical dicot anatomy differentiated into a single epidermal layer followed by few rows of collenchyma cells, thin‐walled parenchyma cells followed by closed and collateral vascular bundles having prephloemic sheaths and a central pith. Light and scanning electron microscopy of the powdered drug revealed a variety of tissues and cells fragments having different measurements. Fluorescence analysis of the fine powder treated with different reagents revealed a variety of colors implying as a sign for the presence of various biochemical constituents. Highest and lowest percent extractive value was found in methanol and distilled water which were 29.10% and 9.80%, respectively. Qualitative phytochemical screening revealed the presence of various secondary metabolites like flavonoids, phenols, tannins, glycosides, phytosterols, glycosides, saponins, and coumarins, while quantitative phytochemical screening detected maximum quantity of flavonoids in chloroform followed by methanol and ethyl acetate. The aforementioned studies have been reported first time for the said species, which may be helpful for the standardization of the current taxon.
Career adaptability and mediated social network process linking achievement goal orientation to behavior
Authors: Jeong Chae‐Yun , Hong Ah Jeong
Published: August 2022

This study verified the mediating effect of career adaptability and the mediating effect of social network type between achievement goal orientation and occupational engagement for college students (N = 353) in Korea. The findings showed the mediating effect of career adaptability between achievement goal and occupational engagement. The moderating effect of the social network was confirmed only in learning goal orientation and avoidance goal orientation among the subfactors of achievement goal orientation. Based on the results of the study, intervention implications for college students’ career education and counseling were discussed.
Assessing the effect of antihypertensives on plaque microbiota in patients with periodontitis and hypertension using 16S rRNA sequencing: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Kim Hyun‐Joo , Shim Kyu‐Won , Na Hee Sam , Kim Si Yeong , Yu Yeuni , Song Yuri , Lee Hyun Ah , Lee Ju Youn , Lee Jae‐Hyung , Chung Jin
Published: August 2022

Background

Periodontitis is initiated or accelerated by dysbiosis of oral microorganisms. When hypertension is accompanied in periodontitis patients, changes of oral microbiota occur. Since there are no reports on antihypertensives, we assessed their effect on the oral microbial profiles of patients with periodontitis.

Methods

This study involved 95 participants divided into two groups: those with periodontitis and hypertension (P_HT), and those with periodontitis and taking medications for hypertension (P_mHT). Plaque samples were collected from the buccal, supragingival, and subgingival sites of the oral cavities of these patients. DNA was extracted, and the V3–V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA was sequenced and analyzed.

Results

The P_HT and P_mHT groups were similar with respect to the alpha‐ and beta‐diversity as well as the dominant phyla and genera, but differed in the relative abundance of bacterial species (85 species). In the P_mHT group, the relative abundance of major periodontal pathogens was greatly increased. In particular,Tannerella forsythia,Treponema denticola, andFretibacterium fastidiosumincreased nearly three times in the linear discriminant analysis score in the supragingival plaque. Also, there was an increase in the relative abundance ofPrevotellaspp., associated with periodontitis and nitrate reduction, which was also evident in the supragingival plaque.

Conclusions

These findings indicate that antihypertensives induce dysbiotic changes in the oral microbiota of patients with periodontitis, which are associated with increases in the relative abundance of periodontal pathogens. Therefore, more active periodontal treatment and supportive periodontal therapy are required in patients taking antihypertensives.
Causes of decadal distributions of Indian summer monsoon rainfall during the last 1500 years
Authors: Wang Zhiyuan , Wang Jianglin , Shi Xiaoyi , Jia Jia , Yan Mi
Published: August 2022

Understanding the distribution of Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR) and the relationships with external forcing factors (EXFs) and internal climate variability (ICV) is crucial for improving the prediction accuracy of ISMR. Here, we explore and quantify the influence of EXFs and ICV on the distribution of ISMR at decadal timescales over the past 1500 years using the Community Earth System Model (CESM). We identified the major ICV and EXF modes of ISMR distributions in simulations from 501 to 1850 ad and 1851 to 2000
ad. The results show that ICV plays a dominant role in decadal ISMR changes during the pre‐industrial and the current periods. Simulations show east–west contrasts over the Indian subcontinent, with a center of rainfall variability in the high‐latitude regions around 28°N. The EXF mode, calculated from the leading mode of the singular value decomposition analysis, exhibits a nearly uniform increase (or decrease) in the distribution of ISMR over the study region. From 501 to 1850
ad, the signals of greenhouse gases (GHGs), and land use and land cover (LULC) in the ISMR at the decadal timescale are weak and difficult to isolate from the ICV. Our numerical analyses show that natural forcing was a dominant contribution (~64.1%) to the forced ISMR distribution. From 1851 to 2000
ad, natural forcing, GHGs and LULC all contributed to the forced ISMR distribution. GHGs represent a key external forcing factor affecting the distribution of ISMR and could explain 22.3% of the total variance. LULC and natural forcing factors contribute 17.5 and 16.4% to the total variance, respectively. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms controlling decadal variability of the Indian summer monsoon.
cgSSR marker‐based genome‐wide association study identified genomic regions for panicle characters and yield in rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Sah Rameswar Prasad , Nayak Amrit Kumar , Chandrappa Anilkumar , Behera Sasmita , Azharudheen TP Muhammed , Lavanya G Roopa
Published: August 2022

BACKGROUND

To improve production efficiency, positive alleles corresponding to yield‐related attributes must be accumulated in a single elite background. We designed and used cgSSR markers, which are superior to random SSR markers in genome‐wide association study, to identify genomic regions that contribute to panicle characters and grain yield in this study.

RESULTS

As evidenced by the high polymorphic information content value and gene diversity coefficient, the new cgSSR markers were determined to be highly informative. These cgSSR markers were employed to generate genotype data for an association panel evaluated for four panicle characters and grain yield over three seasons. For five traits, 17 significant marker–trait associations on six chromosomes were discovered. The percentage of phenotypic variance that could be explained ranged from 4% to 13%. Unrelated gene‐derived markers had a strong association with target traits as well.

CONCLUSION

Trait‐associated cgSSR markers derived from corresponding or related genes ensure their utility in direct allele selection, while other linked markers aid in allele selection indirectly by altering the phenotype of interest. Through a marker‐assisted breeding approach, these marker–trait associations can be leveraged to accumulate favourable alleles for yield enhancement in rice. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Quality assurance and quality control in surgical oncology
Authors: Hardt Julia L. , Merkow Ryan P. , Reissfelder Christoph , Rahbari Nuh N.
Published: August 2022

Even though surgery has remained a key component within multi‐disciplinary cancer care, the expectations have changed. Instead of serving as a modality to free a patient of a mass at all means and at the risk of high morbidity, modern cancer surgery is expected to provide adequate tumor clearance with lowest invasiveness. This review summarizes the evidence on quality assurance in surgical oncology and gives a comprehensive overview of quality improvement tools.
Waste Recovery and Circular Economy: A Resource from Orange Peels Deriving from Production of Orange Juice
Authors: Naviglio Daniele , Montesano Domenico , Ciaravolo Martina , Savastano Alessandro , Nebbioso Viviana , Toscanesi Maria , Piccirillo Anna Maria , Gallo Monica
Published: August 2022

In the perspective of biosustainable development and renewable resource technologies, by‐products and waste from agro‐industrial sector represent a relatively cheap source of material suitable for several aims, which would reduce both the amount of waste and the related costs of disposal, while producing added‐value nutritional products. The processing waste of oranges find various fields of application, in fact in addition to their use in agriculture as a fertilizer, orange peels can be used to produce candied fruit. Moreover, in a very recent application with the aim to recover these industrial residues, a chemical process that allows the processing of orange peel waste has been developed. This process is useful for obtaining a purified cellulose suitable for spinning, thus creating a truly innovative and sustainable fabric (Orange Fiber). In this work, the orange peels from industrial processing waste are subjected to a first hydroalcoholic extraction which allowed to obtain an extract rich in essential oils that can be used in the food sector to produce liqueurs and/or aromas, but also in the cosmetic or pharmacological sectors. Subsequently, the peels after hydroalcoholic extraction are dried and this residue represents a valuable product rich in dietetic fiber useful in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical fields. Moreover, the same product can be used as fertilizer in agriculture. In light of this, citrus fruit processing waste can be considered as a sustainable and renewable energy source.
Hydration of Triethylenetetramine Based Inhibitor Film Accelerate the Chloride‐Induced Corrosion in Concrete: A Molecular Dynamics Study
Authors: Raffaini Giuseppina , Catauro Michelina , Ganazzoli Fabio , Bolzoni Fabio , Ormellese Marco
Published: August 2022

Organic corrosion inhibitors can be used to prevent chloride‐induced corrosion in reinforced concrete structures by improving the performance of the reinforcement. In this theoretical study Molecular Mechanics (MM) and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations are performed in order to better understand the interaction mechanisms with the passive film present on steel, in particular  considering an iron oxide hydroxide γ‐FeOOH surface, which can be subjected to chloride‐induced corrosion when covered by a hydrated triethylenetetramine (TETA, molecular structure NH2–CH2CH2–(NHCH2CH2)2–NH2) inhibitor film. MD simulations are a very useful tool because they describe at the atomistic level both the specific solid surface and the organic inhibitors molecules in the passive film in presence of chloride ions as studied in previous work and the role of water molecules explicitly considered in this new investigation. Hydration of organic TETA inhibitor film in presence of chloride ions always accelerates the corrosion process, as is known experimentally. In this theoretical work water molecules effectively induce chloride ions to adsorb more quickly on the γ‐FeOOH surface and in greater numbers than in the same simulations studied without water molecules. This TETA film cannot efficiently prevent the chloride‐induced corrosion process because it cannot exhibit a significant repulsion to chloride ions and the hydrated film accelerates the penetration of chloride into the protective film. This theoretical work is important for understanding the organic inhibitor able to form a stable hydrated film by preventing the chloride‐induced corrosion or mitigating corrosion damage of reinforced concrete.
Kinetic Study of the Thermal Dehydration of SiO2 and SiO2‐ZrO2 Composites Prepared by Sol–Gel Route
Authors: Blanco Ignazio , Catauro Michelina , Cicala Gianluca , Dal Poggetto Giovanni , Tosto Claudio
Published: August 2022

SiO2, ZrO2, and SiO2‐ZrO2 composites at different percentages of zirconia are synthesized by the sol–gel method and thermally characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to investigate the kinetics of the dehydration process. The synthesized samples are subjected to TGA and the obtained data are treated by the Kissinger method to calculate the apparent activation energy (Ea) of dehydration. The obtained kinetic parameters are discussed and compared each other and with those obtained for the pristine silica.
Strength of Contact Geometry for Multi‐material 3D‐Printed Samples
Authors: Ermolai Vasile , Sover Alexandru , Nagit Gheorghe
Published: August 2022

Fused filament fabrication is an extrusion‐based additive manufacturing technology with relatively low‐cost equipment and a great variety of materials from standard to engineering grade. Multiple extrusion systems allow for new opportunities regarding the manufacturing of multi‐color and multi‐material parts. However, regular bond formation of part's bodies provided by the slicing tool offers good results regarding the resulting product's dimensional stability but poor mechanical properties. For this reason, this paper aims to investigate if the mechanical properties of compatible polymers can be enhanced by modifying the regular flat to a flat surface with different shape interfaces and an overlap degree between them. Furthermore, for a broader understanding of the bond formation, the design of the experiment comprises two groups referring to the material blend along with their melting ranges and join geometry, which is constrained with regard to nozzle output size. The results show that the mechanical properties of multi‐material bonds can be enhanced conveniently by adding an overlap degree between mating bodies.
Wound Healing on Application of Natural and Synthetic Polymer Materials with Silver Nanoparticles
Authors: Dovnar Ruslan I. , Vasil'kov Alexander Yu. , Dovnar Igor S. , Iaskevich Nikolai N.
Published: August 2022

Comparison of the healing rates of different wound types using natural and synthetic polymers, containing silver nanoparticles. Experimental purulent and aseptic wounds are created on white rats. In the course of treatment, dressings are performed daily, including photographing the wound and applying various types of nanocomposite polymer materials. Cotton gauze, which is a polysaccharide, is taken as a natural polymer. The synthetic polymer is a nonwoven hydro‐bonded polypropylene material produced by extrusion of polypropylene filaments. Silver nanoparticles used in the study are obtained by the metal‐steam synthesis method. It is found that in all animals with aseptic or purulent created wound in the first 4 days of the experiment, an increase in the area of the wound is observed with respect to the initial one, much less pronounced in the presence of silver nanoparticles in the material. On the following days of treatment, up to complete healing, the decrease in the wound area in relation to the initial one in the experimental group (with silver nanoparticles) occurs more intensively than in the control group of animals (p < 0.05). Both natural and synthetic polymeric materials coated with silver nanoparticles synthesized by metal‐steam synthesis method accelerate the healing of both experimental aseptic and purulent wounds. However, the rate of wound healing when using natural or synthetic materials differs depending on the type of wound and the presence of microbial contamination, which should be taken into account when creating a new generation of dressings.
Reactive Direct Bonding of Digital Light Process Components
Authors: Moritzer Elmar , Driediger Christine
Published: August 2022

A major restriction in additive manufacturing is the limited build volume of the printers. If components with larger dimensions are to be manufactured additively, the STL‐file is often split up into smaller files and manufactured in several jobs and joined afterwards. A frequently used joining process is adhesive bonding. High strength and durability of bonded joints can be achieved with chemically curing adhesives. In chemically cured adhesives, monomers or oligomers are present, which react as a function of time, temperature, and pressure to form a polymeric adhesive layer. One‐component systems do not react without activation. Triggers for the reaction can be water, the absence of oxygen, radiation (e.g., UV light), or heat. In the Digital Light Processing (DLP), the component is also built up via a chemical reaction. This is triggered, layer by layer, by UV light and is comparable to the reaction of a UV curing adhesive. Directly after manufacturing, the DLP components are not fully cured. This can be used for a reactive direct bonding of the DLP components without any additional adhesives. In this study, a procedure is developed for reactive direct bonding and the strength of the bonding joint is investigated. Different resins are considered and also a suitability for material combinations is investigated. The results of this study show that reactive direct bonding of DLP components is possible and that high bond strengths can be achieved.
Production of PLA‐Milled Carbon Fibers (MCF) filled filaments for Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) printing
Authors: Tosto Claudio , Pergolizzi Eugenio , Vitiello Libera , Filippone Giovanni , Cicala Gianluca
Published: August 2022

Polylactide (PLA) filaments for fused filament fabrication (FFF) printing with high content of milled carbon fibers (MCF, average length of 1000 nm) are produced. The selected MCF are obtained from commercial sources that derives them from pyrolysis of carbon fibers composites. Twin‐screw extruder equipped with volumetric and side feeders are used to melt mix different content of MCF (i.e., from 10 to 30 wt%) prior to filament extrusion. The produced reinforced filaments are used for 3D printing specimens that are characterized in terms of their thermomechanical properties. Higher mechanical properties compared to commercial reinforced filaments are obtained with the filament modified with 30 wt% of MCF.
Effect of Shear on Structural Organization of Various Recombinant Spidroins
Authors: Sharikov Roman V. , Tenchurin T. Kh. , Belousov S. I. , Streltsov D. R. , Davydova L. I. , Yastremsky E. V. , Bogush V. G. , Chvalun S. N.
Published: August 2022

To follow the structural reorganization of spidroin during its spinning, the rheological behavior of low‐concentration solution of recombinant spidroins rS1/9 and rS2/12 is studied on different stages of separation, purification, and lyophilization. It is shown that spidroin solutions with concentration of 1 mg mL−1 appear to be structured liquids with yield stress around value 0.2 Pa. Distribution of hydrodynamic radii of spidroins reveals two peaks due to presence of single particles and aggregates both. Their ability for spidroin transformation from micellar to fibrillar structure under shear stress is demonstrated. Studying rheological behavior of recombinant spidroin solutions and their supramolecular organization is necessary to select the optimal spinning parameters to produce fibrous materials with required physicochemical properties.
Research of Continuous Carbon Fiber Content in Porous Composite Structures Produced by Using Additive Manufacturing Technology
Authors: Maqsood Nabeel , Rimašauskas Marius
Published: August 2022

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a process of fabricating 3D parts layer upon layer until the final product is manufactured. This technology is employed in the engineering applications mainly in aerospace, automobile, medical implants, and textile, etc. In nowadays, most of the composite parts are fabricated using AM technologies due to easy production process, relatively high accuracy of produced parts, less material wastage, huge range for material selection, and economic factors. During the production of composite materials, reinforcement content plays an important role in defining the strength, stiffness, and other properties of the composite structure. In this study, porous continuous carbon fiber reinforced polymer composite (CCFRPC) structures are fabricated using fused deposition modeling (FDM) extrusion based technology. Porous CCFRPC structures are additively manufactured using two types of infill patterns (grid and triangular) printed at three different infill densities levels (20%, 40%, and 60%). After the fabrication process, the content of continuous carbon fiber (CCF) in the composite is calculated and estimated using dissolution method. For the dissolution ASTM D 3171 standard procedure is used in order to define carbon fiber content in porous structures. The results show that triangular infill pattern contains more reinforcement content (CCF) compared to grid infill pattern. Moreover, higher reinforcement content in the structure is observed when infill density of the specimen is increasing.
Additive Manufacturing of Components for a Ball Machine Prototype
Authors: Tunsoiu Nicolae , Doicin Cristian‐Vasile , Murzac Ion , Oncescu Teofil‐Alin , Tunsoiu Daniela , Murzac Roman , Ulmeanu Mihaela‐Elena
Published: August 2022

Sports have become an important part of most people's lives. Every performance athlete goes through a series of workouts with different sports equipment meant to help their physical condition. Thus, the development of automated sports equipment that can throw a ball with a specific preset speed and trajectory is necessary to facilitate the work of the coach. The paper presents the additive manufacturing process of components for a ball machine prototype used for training athletes. Most of the components in the product's power system are made by additive manufacturing, this choice being conditioned by the appearance of innovative, customized component elements, used in the drive system. Material extrusion is used due to the custom shapes and sizes, specific to the developed product, which innovatively influence the principle of hitting the ball. Fusion 360 is used to design all components, taking into consideration material extrusion technological requirements and design principles. A basic static finite element analysis is performed on the main paddle component to ensure that it can withstand the stress scenario and the results showed that when using HIPS filament, the limit conditions are fully met. CAD files are saved as *.STL files and introduced in Z‐Suite software for parameter optimization according to the functional role of each component. The optimized *.ZCODEX files are sent to Zortrax M300+ machines for material extrusion 3D printing of the components. The final result is a functional prototype of a device that is obtained using mainly additive manufacturing.
Device for Measurement Concentration of Toxic Gas in an Enclosure
Authors: Druga Corneliu‐Nicolae , Braun Barbu , Serban Ionel , Tulica Alexandru
Published: August 2022

This article presents the design and practical realization of a device for measuring the concentration of gases in an enclosure (rooms, production halls, and laboratory). In addition to measuring the concentrations of gases in the room (carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, etc.), the main objective is to simulate the integration of the prototype itself in a ventilation system, resulting in a quality index of the air as suitable as possible depending on the occupancy level of the room. A ventilation control system according to the needs of the occupants of the enclosure is a system, which monitors a sequence of parameters such as: ambient temperature, toxic gas concentrations, and air humidity, and thus, according to the measured values, will introduce a quantity corresponding air quality ensuring an optimal air quality factor. This system offers a good compromise between minimizing energy consumption and ensuring good air quality, especially given that the occupancy rate of the monitored rooms is variable and unpredictable. The built‐in system is designed to constantly monitor air quality by adjusting the amount of clean air introduced, so that it will keep the level of CO, CO2, and O3 below a maximum allowable limit, thus adjusting the ventilation as needed.
Simulations Interoperable Transport Using Intelligent Algorithms for Polymeric Products Manufacturing
Authors: Jugravu Bogdan Alexandru , Savu Tom , Opran Constantin Gheorghe
Published: August 2022

When an autonomous industrial vehicle moves to a certain point to take over or leave an order, intermediate commands may appear on its route that can be taken together with the first order. Orders will be allocated through an algorithm that analyzes delivery times and priorities. This paper presents results of researches regarding the development and use of a simulator to determine the efficiency of the algorithm for allocating transport orders in an intelligent manufacturing line for polymeric products. It is presented for comparison the variant in which the vehicle deals only with the first order and after its finish can take a new order. The paper comes from the development of previously made articles in which an algorithm is used to allocate the transport loads of autonomous industrial vehicles and a neural network that analyzes the capacity of batteries, thus estimating the distances that the vehicle can travel with certain percentages of battery.
Researches Regarding Modeling, Simulation, and Tensile Testing for Polymeric Composites Products
Authors: Ion Sorin Mihai , Nițoi Dan , Peța Luigi Madalin , Opran Constantin Gheorghe
Published: August 2022

Composite materials are obtained by combining two or more materials with different physical properties, which maintain their properties at the macromolecular level, thus retaining their identity, to obtain a resulting material with characteristics clearly superior to the constituent elements, comparable to conventional materials in terms of performance. The specimens are made either by injection molding, machined from the center sections of a standard test sample (see ISO 20735: 2018), processed from semifinished, finished, rolled, or extruded products.  In this sense, the article briefly presents the activity of creating a modeling, simulation. and tensile testing software program that can acquire control and process data, taken from an experimental stand or from a software simulation. Thus, the following elements are realized: software for retrieving data from the software equipment of the Zwick/Roell Z020 traction test machine; taking data from an experimental stand; simulation of tensile testing; creating reports, management of the production logistics chain of the benchmark. The experimental and theoretical results are further input in the design of the presented software.
Identification and genetic analysis of rare variants in myosin family genes in 412 Han Chinese congenital heart disease patients
Authors: Zhang Yunqian , Peng Rui , Wang Hongyan
Published: August 2022

Background

Myosin family genes, including those encoding myosin heavy chain 6, myosin heavy chain 7, myosin light chain 3, and myosin light chain 2 (MYL2), are important genetic factors in congenital heart disease (CHD). However, how these genes contribute to CHD in the Han Chinese population remains unclear.

Methods

We sequenced myosin family genes in a Han Chinese cohort comprising 412 CHD patients and 213 matched controls in the present study. A zebrafish model was used to evaluate the pathogenicity of rare mutations in MYL2.

Results

We identified 30 known mutations and 12 novel mutations. Furthermore, the contributions of two novel mutations, MYL2 p.Ile158Thr and p.Val146Met, to CHD were analyzed. The p.Ile158Thr mutation increased MYL2 expression. In zebrafish embryos, injection of myl2b‐targeting morpholinos led to aberrant cardiac structures, an effect that was reversed by expression of wild‐type MYL2 but not MYL2 p.Ile158Thr and pVal146Met.

Conclusions

Overall, our findings suggest that MYL2 p.Ile158Thr and p.Val146Met contribute to the etiology of CHD. The results also indicate the importance of MYL2 in heart formation.
Technical note—Constructing confidence intervals for nested simulation
Authors: Cheng Hong‐Fa , Liu Xiaoyu , Zhang Kun
Published: August 2022

Nested simulation is typically used to estimate the functional of a conditional expectation. Considerable research has been performed on point estimation for various functionals. However, the quantification of the statistical uncertainty in the point estimator, for instance, using confidence intervals (CIs), has not been extensively investigated. In this article, we establish central limit theorems with the asymptotically optimal convergence rate of for nested simulation with different forms of functionals, where denotes the total computational effort. Based on these theorems, we develop a unified CI framework that can ensure that both the mean squared error of the point estimator and CI width attain the optimal convergence rate. Numerical examples are presented, and the results are found to be consistent with the theoretical results. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed framework outperforms the existing methods for CI construction in terms of the CI widths and convergence rates.
Comparison of two types of microscopic diffusion anisotropy in mouse brain
Authors: Jensen Jens H. , Voltin Josh , Nie Xingju , Dhiman Siddhartha , McKinnon Emile T. , Falangola Maria F.
Published: August 2022

Two distinct types of microscopic diffusion anisotropy (MA) are compared in brain for both normal control and transgenic (3xTg‐AD) mice, which develop Alzheimer's disease pathology. The first type of MA is the commonly used microscopic fractional anisotropy (μFA), and the second is a new MA measure referred to as μFA′. These two MA parameters have different symmetry properties that are central to their physical interpretations. Specifically, μFA is invariant with respect to local rotations of compartmental diffusion tensors while μFA′ is invariant with respect to global diffusion tensor deformations. A key distinction between μFA and μFA′ is that μFA is affected by the same type of orientationally coherent diffusion anisotropy as the conventional fractional anisotropy (FA) while μFA′ is not. Furthermore, μFA can be viewed as having independent contributions from FA and μFA′, as is quantified by an equation relating all three anisotropies. The normal control and transgenic mice are studied at ages ranging from 2 to 15 months, with double diffusion encoding MRI being used to estimate μFA and μFA′. μFA and μFA′ are nearly identical in low FA brain regions, but they show notable differences when FA is large. In particular, μFA and FA are found to be strongly correlated in the fimbria, but μFA′ and FA are not. In addition, both μFA and μFA′ are seen to increase with age in the corpus callosum and external capsule, and modest differences between normal control and transgenic mice are observed for μFA and μFA′ in the corpus callosum and for μFA in the fimbria. The triad of FA, μFA, and μFA′ is proposed as a useful combination of parameters for assessing diffusion anisotropy in brain.
Velocity‐selective excitation: Principles and applications
Authors: Zun Zungho , Shin Taehoon
Published: August 2022

Velocity‐selective (VS) excitation is a relatively new type of excitation that can be useful for generating image contrast based on spin's motion. This review aims to explain the principles of VS excitation and their utilization for clinical applications. We first review the generalized excitation k‐space formalism, which reveals a Fourier relationship between sequence parameters and excitation profiles for spins with arbitrary spatial location, off‐resonance, and velocity. Based on the k‐space framework, we analyze practical VS excitation pulse sequences that yield sinusoidal or sinc‐shaped velocity profiles. Then we demonstrate how these two types of VS excitation can be used as magnetization preparation for clinical applications, including saturation‐ or inversion‐based arterial spin labeling and black‐ or bright‐blood angiography. We also discuss practical considerations and issues for each application, including the determination of design parameters and the effects of MR system errors, such as magnetic field offsets and eddy currents.
Multifunctional PA6 composites using waste glass fiber and green metal organic framework/graphene hybrids
Authors: Unnikrishnan Vishnu , Zabihi Omid , Li Quanxiang , Ahmadi Mojtaba , Ferdowsi Mahmoud Reza Ghandehari , Kannangara Thathsarani , Blanchard Patrick , Kiziltas Alper , Joseph Paul , Naebe Minoo
Published: August 2022

Glass fiber‐polyamide 6 (PA6) composites are widely used for various automotive applications, yet the ability to exhibit multifunctional properties and the cost of it remains challenging. Herein this work introduces a cost‐effective approach for utilization of waste glass fiber (GF), green aluminium metal organic framework (Al‐MOF), and industry‐grade graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) for the fabrication of multifunctional PA6 thermoplastic composites with enhanced mechanical performance and fire retardancy. The results demonstrate that hybrid filler of Al‐MOF and GNPs have a synergistic effect in improving the mechanical properties and fire retardancy of GF reinforced PA6 composites. Compared to the neat PA6, the PA6 composite containing 20 wt% GFs, 5 wt% GNPs, and 5 wt% Al‐MOF exhibited ~97% and ~93% improvements in tensile and flexural strength, respectively. Also, compared to the neat PA6, 27 and 55°C increases were observed in glass transition temperature (Tg) and heat deflection temperature, respectively. Thermal stability and fire retardancy of the GFs/PA6 composites were significantly improved when hybridized with GNPs and Al‐MOF.
Is social spending pro‐poor in developing countries? The role of governance and political freedom
Authors: Ben Mimoun Mohamed , Raies Asma
Published: August 2022

This article extends the existing literature on the social spending‐poverty nexus by testing the proposition that the quality of governance and the political freedom status determine social spending effectiveness in developing countries (DCs). Our analysis helps explain the surprising result documented in prior studies, of no clear evidence that higher social spending, especially on education and health, translates to a significant reduction in poverty in DCs. Using unbalanced panel data of a large sample of DCs covering the period 1980–2019, we demonstrated that the impact of public spending on poverty is significantly reduced in countries that have a poor quality of governance and in those with relatively few political freedoms. This result is robust to a change in the poverty indicator and type, and the estimator used in regression models. This finding implies that improving the efficacy of social spending through improving governance and political freedom is as crucial as increasing the scale of this spending in the poverty alleviation strategy of DCs, especially those with limited public resources. Our empirical analysis also revealed other novel results about the socioeconomic factors most likely to explain poverty in DCs.
Development programs and achieving service efficiency in public sector institutions in Jordan: E‐government as a moderator
Authors: Nawafleh Sahem
Published: August 2022

The current study is guided by two questions: First, do development programs positively promote service efficiency? and second, does the catalyst of electronic government (e‐government) positively impact development programs for the promotion of service efficiency provided by public institutions in Jordan? Descriptive, causal, quantitative, and cross‐sectional approaches were used, and data were collected from self‐administered questionnaires targeting service recipients in Jordan. Using nonprobability purposive sampling, 4,492 citizens were included in the sample group. Structural equation modeling was used, and the reported development programs explained 52% of the variance in service efficiency; e‐government directly accounted for only 1% of the variance. The interaction effect confirmed that e‐government was seen to strengthen the positive effect of the development programs on service efficiency. The results and their implications are presented, along with recommendations for future research.
Seedling performance, phenotypic traits and growing media for domestication of Lilium polyphyllum
Authors: Dhyani Anurag , Nautiyal Bhagwati Prasad , Nautiyal Mohan Chandra
Published: August 2022

Societal Impact Statement

Medicinal plants are a key component of primary health care for much of the world's population. However, overharvesting and indiscriminate collection from the wild threatens medicinal plant populations with extinction. One conservation solution to preserve biodiversity is to domesticate and cultivate threatened medicinal plants, in order to provide a sustainable source close to the local populations who use the species. Here, we present work to cultivate the critically endangered (CR) medicinal herb, Lilium polyphyllum. To reduce unsustainable wild harvesting, we identify different climatic zones, habitats and growing media, which will aid domestication of this endangered species and help local populations to cultivate the plant near its natural habitat.

Lilium polyphyllum (Liliaceae) is a perennial, bulbous medicinal herb, used in more than 30 Ayurvedic medicinal formulations as an aphrodisiac, galactagogue and anti‐ageing agent. The species is categorized as critically endangered on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List due to habitat degradation and unregulated collection. To alleviate the pressure on wild populations and increase conservation, the IUCN Red List recommends its domestication in suitable habitats. The present study was carried out over three consecutive years to evaluate the performance and survival of the species in two agro‐climatic zones in Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India.

L. polyphyllum seedlings were raised and transplanted into different growing mediums and treatments (control, manure, litter and polyhouse) in both temperate (Pothivasa, 2200 m a.s.l.) and alpine (Tungnath, 3600 m a.s.l.) regions to identify a suitable site and or habitat for future mass production.

Experiments revealed yield and performance in polyhouse beds were greatest in the temperate region. Plant survival was also high in polyhouse beds in both the temperate (81%) and alpine (40%) sites. Phenotypic and growth traits of plants grown from bulbs collected from the wild population of the temperate site performed better in both morphology and in yield than those in the alpine site after one growing season. Cocopeat and sand may be responsible for the improved growth of plants.

In conclusion, plant survival rate, growth performance and yield under polyhouse conditions were higher in lower altitudes (temperate regions), which may provide a production centre for seedlings to interested farmers in other regions.
Research on modeling in operator mental workload based on VACP method
Authors: Zhang Yuxin , Wen Hanguan , Dai Xinyu , Liang Jieheng , Xu Zhihui , Xue Ke , Yang Ming
Published: August 2022

In the context of the applications of higher automation and complex system configuration in nuclear power plants (NPPs), ensuring nuclear safety by maintaining the reliability of the operators in main control room is become more crucial than ever before. As an essential dimension of physiological indicator, human mental workload is widely used in evaluating human performance and reliability. This paper presents an approach to evaluate the mental workload of operators using multiple resources in Visual, Auditory, Cognitive, and Psychomotor (VACP) model, and takes time pressure (TP) as a critical index. We have performed the approach by a real case study and analyzed the relationship between the operator mental workload and TP, task type and the error probability during the Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) under full power operation. There are two operating phases in the workload has been analyzed. Moreover, the relationship between human‐error probability (HEP) and TP had been studied via volatility gain analysis for distinguishing which step of a task is of most important. The results shows that the fault remind (“informing LOCA”) is the first important fluctuation in the phase ignoring TP and HEP. On the other hand, the information validity (“ensuring control rods has been inserted to the bottom”) in the case considering TP is the most important. Because the high task load is positively correlated with human error, the research provides an important basis for preventing human errors in the phase of NPP designs, which will be especially useful in safety‐critical tasks.
Quantum computational quantification of protein–ligand interactions
Authors: Kirsopp Josh J. M. , Di Paola Cono , Manrique David Zsolt , Krompiec Michal , Greene‐Diniz Gabriel , Guba Wolfgang , Meyder Agnes , Wolf Detlef , Strahm Martin , Muñoz Ramo David
Published: August 2022

We have demonstrated a prototypical hybrid classical and quantum computational workflow for the quantification of protein–ligand interactions. The workflow combines the density matrix embedding theory (DMET) embedding procedure with the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) approach for finding molecular electronic ground states. A series of ‐secretase (BACE1) inhibitors is rank‐ordered using binding energy differences calculated on the latest superconducting transmon (IBM) and trapped‐ion (Quantinuum) noisy intermediate scale quantum (NISQ) devices. This is the first application of real quantum computers to the calculation of protein‐ligand binding energies. The results shed light on hardware and software requirements which would enable the application of NISQ algorithms in drug design.
Consider the benefits of informal, restorative solutions to allegations of harm
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: August 2022

Your campus may already have measures in place to offer alternative resolution processes. But in case you're not familiar with alternative resolution processes (to be used in lieu of, or in conjunction with, disciplinary or punitive processes), you might consider the possibilities that such reflective and educational opportunities might offer your campus.