bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prognostic role of short-term heart rate variability and deceleration/acceleration capacities of heart rate in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer
Authors: Wu Shuang , Guan Weizheng , Zhao Huan , Li Guangqiao , Zhou Yufu , Shi Bo , Zhang Xiaochun
Published: November 2023

Background: Prior research suggests that autonomic modulation investigated by heart rate variability (HRV) might act as a novel predictive biomarker for cancer prognosis, such as in breast cancer and pancreatic cancer. It is not clear whether there is a correlation between autonomic modulation and prognosis in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). Therefore, the purpose of the study was to examine the association between short-term HRV, deceleration capacity (DC) and acceleration capacity (AC) of heart rate and overall survival in patients with ES-SCLC.

Methods: We recruited 40 patients with ES-SCLC, and 39 were included in the final analysis. A 5-min resting electrocardiogram of patients with ES-SCLC was collected using a microelectrocardiogram recorder to analyse short-term HRV, DC and AC. The following HRV parameters were used: standard deviation of the normal-normal intervals (SDNN) and root mean square of successive interval differences (RMSSD). Overall survival of patients with ES-SCLC was defined as time from the date of electrocardiogram measurement to the date of death or the last follow-up. Follow-up was last performed on 07 June 2023. There was a median follow-up time of 42.2 months.

Results: Univariate analysis revealed that the HRV parameter SDNN, as well as DC significantly predicted the overall survival of ES-SCLC patients (all p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that the HRV parameters SDNN (hazard ratio = 5.254, 95% CI: 1.817–15.189, p = 0.002), RMSSD (hazard ratio = 3.024, 95% CI: 1.093–8.372, p = 0.033), as well as DC (hazard ratio = 3.909, 95% CI: 1.353–11.293, p = 0.012) were independent prognostic factors in ES-SCLC patients.

Conclusion: Decreased HRV parameters (SDNN, RMSSD) and DC are independently associated with shorter overall survival in ES-SCLC patients. Autonomic nervous system function (assessed based on HRV and DC) may be a new biomarker for evaluating the prognosis of patients with ES-SCLC.
Bile acid receptors and renal regulation of water homeostasis
Authors: Guo Yanlin , Luo Taotao , Xie Guixiang , Zhang Xiaoyan
Published: November 2023

The kidney is the key organ responsible for maintaining the body’s water and electrolyte homeostasis. About 99% of the primary urine filtered from the Bowman’s capsule is reabsorbed along various renal tubules every day, with only 1–2 L of urine excreted. Aquaporins (AQPs) play a vital role in water reabsorption in the kidney. Currently, a variety of molecules are found to be involved in the process of urine concentration by regulating the expression or activity of AQPs, such as antidiuretic hormone, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), prostaglandin, and several nuclear receptors. As the main bile acid receptors, farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and membrane G protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1 (TGR5) play important roles in bile acid, glucose, lipid, and energy metabolism. In the kidney, FXR and TGR5 exhibit broad expression across all segments of renal tubules, and their activation holds significant therapeutic potential for numerous acute and chronic kidney diseases through alleviating renal lipid accumulation, inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrosis. Emerging evidence has demonstrated that the genetic deletion of FXR or TGR5 exhibits increased basal urine output, suggesting that bile acid receptors play a critical role in urine concentration. Here, we briefly summarize the function of bile acid receptors in renal water reabsorption and urine concentration.
Development of precision of non-symbolic arithmetic operations in 4-6-year-old children
Authors: Cheng Chen , Kibbe Melissa M.
Published: November 2023

Children can represent the approximate quantity of sets of items using the Approximate Number System (ANS), and can perform arithmetic-like operations over ANS representations. Previous work has shown that the representational precision of the ANS develops substantially during childhood. However, less is known about the development of the operational precision of the ANS. We examined developmental change in the precision of the solutions to two non-symbolic arithmetic operations in 4-6-year-old U.S. children. We asked children to represent the quantity of an occluded set (Baseline condition), to compute the sum of two sequentially occluded arrays (Addition condition), or to infer the quantity of an addend after observing an initial array and then the array incremented by the unknown addend (Unknown-addend condition). We measured the precision of the solutions of these operations by asking children to compare their solutions to visible arrays, manipulating the ratio between the true quantity of the solution and the comparison array. We found that the precision of ANS representations that were not the result of operations (in the Baseline condition) was higher than the precision of solutions to ANS operations (in the Addition and Unknown-addend conditions). Further, we found that precision in the Baseline and Addition conditions improved significantly between 4 and 6 years, while precision in the Unknown-Addend condition did not. Our results suggest that ANS operations may inject “noise” into the representations they operate over, and that the development of the precision of different operations may follow different trajectories in childhood.
Khat chewing and its associated factors among pregnant women in Chiro district, eastern Ethiopia: a community-based study
Authors: Geremew Habtamu , Kebede Fekadu Abera , Negash Abraham , Mengstie Misganaw Asmamaw , Geremew Demeke
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Despite its deleterious consequences, khat chewing is escalating worldwide. However, there is a lack of evidence about the extent of khat chewing among pregnant women in Ethiopia, particularly in the current study area. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of current khat chewing and its associated factors among pregnant women in Chiro district, eastern Ethiopia.

Methods

This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Chiro district from November 1 to 30, 2022 G.C. Study participants were selected using the systematic random sampling technique. An interview-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect data through a house-to-house survey. The data were entered into EpiData version 3.1 and analyzed in STATA 14 software. Characteristics of study participants were summarized using descriptive analysis, and binary logistic regression was used to identify determinants of khat chewing.

Results

A total of 409 pregnant women participated in this study, with a response rate of 99%. The overall prevalence of khat chewing was 60.4% (95% CI: 55.5%, 65.2%). Religion (AOR: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.13, 3.82), khat cultivation (AOR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.25, 0.77), partner khat use (AOR: 5.54; 95% CI: 3.11, 9.88), pre-pregnancy khat use (AOR: 9.95; 95% CI: 5.55, 17.81), antenatal care (ANC) visit (AOR: 2.71; 95% CI: 1.41, 5.21), and mental distress (AOR: 4.89; 95% CI: 2.38, 10.02) were significantly associated with current khat chewing.

Conclusion

The majority of pregnant women in the study area practice khat chewing. Thus, accessible and comprehensive pre-conception and pre-natal care incorporating the prevention and management of antenatal khat chewing is crucial to overcome this problem. Provision of mental healthcare involving partners of pregnant women is also important to reduce the extent and impacts of khat chewing during pregnancy. Further longitudinal studies triangulated with qualitative designs are recommended.
Testing adiabatic models of energetic electron acceleration at dipolarization fronts
Authors: Chepuri S. N. F. , Jaynes A. N. , Turner D. L. , Gabrielse C. , Cohen I. J. , Baker D. N. , Mauk B. H. , Leonard T. , Blake J. B. , Fennell J. F.
Published: November 2023

Betatron acceleration is commonly cited as a primary accelerator of energetic electrons at dipolarization fronts, and many case studies compare observed energetic electrons measurements to a betatron model. In this work, we extend this to a statistical study. We identified 168 dipolarizations with an enhanced flux of energetic electrons at Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS). We compared the observed flux of energetic electrons above 1 keV to a betatron acceleration model assuming a source population similar to the population in the quiet plasma sheet and found that, on average, the model slightly overestimated the observation, but there was a wide spread of errors. We then tested characteristics such as position, change in and strength of magnetic field, and wave power to determine if any of these characteristics affected the accuracy of the model; the only clear correlations were that the model was less accurate when the initial total magnetic field was smaller and when there was a higher Ey during the dipolarization. Since the betatron model did not explain our observations very well, we repeated with a full adiabatic model that included a Fermi acceleration component as well. We found that the adiabatic model slightly underestimated the observations, but with a smaller error than the betatron model under the same assumptions. Testing the same parameters, we found that the adiabatic model also did not strongly rely on any of the parameters except the initial magnetic field, and the anti-correlation with Ey was no longer present. The fact that neither model was generally applicable means that either adiabatic processes alone are not enough to explain electron acceleration at dipolarization fronts in general, or the common assumption we used, that the source population has the same phase space density as the cold pre-existing population, is not valid.
High prevalence of low bone mineral density but normal trabecular bone score in Norwegian elite Para athletes
Authors: Koivisto-Mørk Anu E. , Steffen Kathrin , Finnes Trine E. , Pretorius Mikkel , Berge Hilde Moseby
Published: November 2023

Background

Low bone mineral density (BMD) increases the risk of bone stress injuries (BSI) and is one of several clinical concerns in Para athlete sports medicine. However, whether bone microarchitecture is altered in Para athletes is not known.

Objective

We aimed to investigate BMD, bone microarchitecture and incidence of bone stress injuries in Norwegian elite Para athletes.

Design

In this cross-sectional study in Para athletes, Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (iDXA, Lunar, GE Health Care) derived areal BMD, trabecular bone score (TBS), a surrogate marker for bone microarchitecture, and body composition (body weight (BW), lean body mass (LBM), fat mass (FM), fat percentage) were investigated and compared between ambulant and non-ambulant athletes. Also, the association between BMD, TBS and body composition variables was investigated. Incidence of BSI was assessed with a questionnaire and confirmed by a sports physician in a clinical interview. BMD Z-score <−1 was defined as low and ≤−2 as osteoporotic. TBS ≥ 1.31 was normal, 1.23–1.31 intermediate and <1.23 low.

Results

Among 38 athletes (26 ± 6 yrs, 14 females), BMD Z-score was low in 19 athletes, and osteoporotic in 11 athletes' lumbar spine (LS) or femoral neck (FN). BMD was lower in non-ambulant vs. ambulant athletes both in LS (1.13 ± 0.19 vs. 1.25 ± 0.14 g/cm2, p = 0.030) and FN (0.90 ± 0.15 vs. 1.07 ± 0.16 g/cm2, p = 0.003). TBS was normal for all athletes. BMD Z-score in LS was positively associated with TBS (r = 0.408, p = 0.013), body weight (r = 0.326, p = 0.046) and lean body mass (r = 0.414, p = 0.010), but not with fat mass or fat percentage. None of the athletes reported any BSI.

Conclusions

Half of the Norwegian elite Para athletes had low BMD, and 29% had BMD Z-score <−2 suggesting osteoporosis. Non-ambulant athletes were more prone to low BMD than ambulant athletes. However, despite high prevalence of low BMD, TBS was normal in all athletes, and BSI was absent in this young population.
Enhancing adaptation to climate change by fostering collective action groups among smallholders in Punjab, Pakistan
Authors: Jabbar Awais , Liu Wei , Zhang Jian , Wang Ye , Wu Qun , Peng Jianchao , Liu Jiyun
Published: November 2023

Climate change adaptation is increasingly recognized by subsistence farmers in Pakistan. The problem of climate change is severe, and smallholders are often resource constrained when it comes to adapting to it. However, such constraints can be overcome through collective responses. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the impact of collective action among smallholder farmers to determine how it influences local adaptation processes. This study explores the impact of farmer’s collective action groups (CAGs) on adopting climate-smart agricultural (CSA) practices in poverty-stricken areas of rural Punjab, Pakistan. The data was collected through a cross-sectional survey, and for the analysis purpose, the Recursive bivariate probit regression (RBP) model was employed. The first stage estimates of RBP models suggest that the farmer’s decision to participate in CAGs is mainly influenced by factors such as education, credit access, climate change risk perception, and peer influence. The second stage estimates showed a positive and significant impact of farmers’ participation in collective action groups on adopting climate change adaptation strategies across all three models. The study concludes that the farmers participating in collective action groups have a higher climate change adaptation level. It is recommended that the pro-poor policies be designed to negate the entry barriers, facilitate the inclusion of the farmers in the collective action groups, and enhance climate change adaptation among smallholders.
Data Downloaded via Parachute from a NASA Super-Pressure Balloon
Authors: Sirks Ellen L. , Massey Richard , Gill Ajay S. , Anderson Jason , Benton Steven J. , Brown Anthony M. , Clark Paul , English Joshua , Everett Spencer W. , Fraisse Aurelien A. , Franco Hugo , Hartley John W. , Harvey David , Holder Bradley , Hunter Andrew , Huff Eric M. , Hynous Andrew , Jauzac Mathilde , Jones William C. , Joyce Nikky , Kennedy Duncan , Lagattuta David , Leung Jason S.-Y. , Li Lun , Lishman Stephen , Luu Thuy Vy T. , McCleary Jacqueline E. , Nagy Johanna M. , Netterfield C. Barth , Paracha Emaad , Purcaru Robert , Redmond Susan F. , Rhodes Jason D. , Robertson Andrew , Romualdez L. Javier , Roth Sarah , Salter Robert , Schmoll Jürgen , Shaaban Mohamed M. , Smith Roger , Smith Russell , Tam Sut Ieng , Vassilakis Georgios N.
Published: November 2023

In April 2023, the superBIT telescope was lifted to the Earth’s stratosphere by a helium-filled super-pressure balloon to acquire astronomical imaging from above (99.5% of) the Earth’s atmosphere. It was launched from New Zealand and then, for 40 days, circumnavigated the globe five times at a latitude 40 to 50 degrees south. Attached to the telescope were four “drs” (Data Recovery System) capsules containing 5 TB solid state data storage, plus a gnss receiver, Iridium transmitter, and parachute. Data from the telescope were copied to these, and two were dropped over Argentina. They drifted 61 km horizontally while they descended 32 km, but we predicted their descent vectors within 2.4 km: in this location, the discrepancy appears irreducible below ∼2 km because of high speed, gusty winds and local topography. The capsules then reported their own locations within a few metres. We recovered the capsules and successfully retrieved all of superBIT’s data despite the telescope itself being later destroyed on landing.
Responses of Soil Bacterial Communities and Chemical Properties to Grazing Regulation in Desert Steppe
Authors: Wang Yue , Guo Mishan , Li Yongfu , Yin Xiaolin , Guo Jianying , Wang Jing
Published: November 2023

Due to the region’s social economy and historical culture, rough grazing has led to unresolved grassland-based ecological problems in Northern China. Soil microorganisms are essential structural and functional components of underground ecosystems, and the effects of various grazing intensities on the physicochemical properties and bacterial communities of soil are unclear. A stocking density regulation experiment was carried out in the desert steppe of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In the study area, four grazing intensities were set, namely, the enclosure control group (CK), light grazing, moderate grazing, and heavy grazing. Field investigations and 16S rRNA sequencing were used to compare and analyze the characteristics of soil bacterial community structures and their correlations with soil nutrient factors under different grazing intensities. The experiment showed the following results: (1) The Shannon, Simpson, and Pielou indices of the light grazing group were significantly higher than those of the CK (p < 0.05), and the indices of the moderate and heavy grazing groups were lower than those of the CK, but the difference was not significant, and there were no significant differences in the Chao1 index between each group. (2) Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Chloroflexi were the main bacterial phyla. (3) With the exception of soil organic matter and available potassium, which had significant negative correlations with the Shannon index (p < 0.05), other soil factors had no significant correlation with the soil bacterial diversity. (4) The contents of soil organic matter, total phosphorus, alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium influenced the differences between soil bacterial communities under different grazing intensities.
Agronomic Responses of Grapevines to an Irrigation Scheduling Approach Based on Continuous Monitoring of Soil Water Content
Authors: Garofalo Simone Pietro , Intrigliolo Diego Sebastiano , Camposeo Salvatore , Alhajj Ali Salem , Tedone Luigi , Lopriore Giuseppe , De Mastro Giuseppe , Vivaldi Gaetano Alessandro
Published: November 2023

The efficient management of irrigation water can affect crop profitability quite significantly. The application of precision irrigation based on soil monitoring can help manage water resources. In viticulture, the irrigation technique is thought to strongly influence grape ripening and the final grape composition. In this study, an irrigation decision support system was compared to a surface drip irrigation system in a commercial vineyard located in Andrea (Southern Italy) planted with Vitis vinifera cv. Montepulciano. We aimed to investigate the ability of the DSS to save water while maintaining an acceptable yield and quality of the grapes. To allow for the comparison, eco-physiological as well as yield parameters were measured during the irrigation periods in both irrigation systems over two years (2019 and 2020). The results indicate that the vines grown using the DSS treatment were less stressed compared to the plants grown using farm irrigation in both years. The yield attributes showed slight or no significant differences between the treatments. The quality results showed no significant differences between the treatments in both years. Our results indicate that with savings of 10% and 17% of the irrigation water in the first and second year, respectively, the DSS was able to maintain good yield and quality levels as compared to the farm irrigation system. These two-year results provide a promising implementation of its use in precision irrigation.
Pathways to the Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium of Complex Autoionizing States
Authors: Petitdemange Frédérick , Rosmej Frank B.
Published: November 2023

The generally accepted pathway to Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (LTE) in atomic physics, where collision rates need to be much larger than radiative decay rates, is extended to complex autoionizing states. It is demonstrated that the inclusion of the non-radiative decay (autoionization rate) on the same footing, like radiative decay, i.e., the LTE criterion ne,crit×C≫A+Γ (ne,crit is the critical electron density above which LTE holds, C is the collisional rate coefficient, and A is the radiative decay rate) is inappropriate for estimating the related critical density. An analysis invoking simultaneously different atomic ionization stages identifies the LTE criteria as a theoretical limiting case, which provides orders of magnitude too high critical densities for almost all practical applications. We introduced a new criterion, where the critical densities are estimated from the non-autoionizing capture states rather than from the autoionizing states. The new criterion is more appropriate for complex autoionizing manifolds and provides order of magnitude reduced critical densities. Detailed numerical calculations are carried out for Na-like states of aluminum, where autoionization to the Ne-like ground and excited state occurrences are in excellent agreement with the new criterion. In addition, a complex multi-electron atomic-level structure and electron–electron correlation are identified as simplifying features rather than aggravating ones for the concept of thermalization.
Lithium-Ion Battery Manufacturing: Industrial View on Processing Challenges, Possible Solutions and Recent Advances
Authors: Örüm Aydin Aslihan , Zajonz Franziska , Günther Till , Dermenci Kamil , Berecibar Maitane , Urrutia Lisset
Published: November 2023

Developments in different battery chemistries and cell formats play a vital role in the final performance of the batteries found in the market. However, battery manufacturing process steps and their product quality are also important parameters affecting the final products’ operational lifetime and durability. In this review paper, we have provided an in-depth understanding of lithium-ion battery manufacturing in a chemistry-neutral approach starting with a brief overview of existing Li-ion battery manufacturing processes and developing a critical opinion of future prospectives, including key aspects such as digitalization, upcoming manufacturing technologies and their scale-up potential. In this sense, the review paper will promote an understanding of the process parameters and product quality.
Towards a Corpus (and Language)-Independent Screening of Parkinson’s Disease from Voice and Speech through Domain Adaptation
Authors: Ibarra Emiro J. , Arias-Londoño Julián D. , Zañartu Matías , Godino-Llorente Juan I.
Published: November 2023

End-to-end deep learning models have shown promising results for the automatic screening of Parkinson’s disease by voice and speech. However, these models often suffer degradation in their performance when applied to scenarios involving multiple corpora. In addition, they also show corpus-dependent clusterings. These facts indicate a lack of generalisation or the presence of certain shortcuts in the decision, and also suggest the need for developing new corpus-independent models. In this respect, this work explores the use of domain adversarial training as a viable strategy to develop models that retain their discriminative capacity to detect Parkinson’s disease across diverse datasets. The paper presents three deep learning architectures and their domain adversarial counterparts. The models were evaluated with sustained vowels and diadochokinetic recordings extracted from four corpora with different demographics, dialects or languages, and recording conditions. The results showed that the space distribution of the embedding features extracted by the domain adversarial networks exhibits a higher intra-class cohesion. This behaviour is supported by a decrease in the variability and inter-domain divergence computed within each class. The findings suggest that domain adversarial networks are able to learn the common characteristics present in Parkinsonian voice and speech, which are supposed to be corpus, and consequently, language independent. Overall, this effort provides evidence that domain adaptation techniques refine the existing end-to-end deep learning approaches for Parkinson’s disease detection from voice and speech, achieving more generalizable models.
Overexpression of MicroRNA-138 Affects the Proliferation and Invasion of Urothelial Carcinoma Cells by Suppressing SOX9 Expression
Authors: Nitta Yuji , Fujii Tomomi , Uchiyama Tomoko , Sugimoto Aya , Nishikawa Takeshi , Takeda Maiko , Miyake Makito , Shimada Keiji , Fujimoto Kiyohide
Published: November 2023

SRY-box transcription factor 9 (SOX9) is important for sexual differentiation, chondrogenic differentiation, and cell proliferation in cancer. It acts as a target molecule of microRNA (miR)-138 in various tumors and is associated with tumor development and growth. In this study, we analyzed the functions of miR-138 and SOX9 in urothelial carcinoma. SOX9 was highly expressed in invasive urothelial carcinoma tissues. miR-138 precursor transfection of T24 and UMUC2 cells significantly decreased SOX9 expression, indicating that SOX9 is a miR-138 target in urothelial carcinoma. Moreover, miR-138 precursor or SOX9 small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection decreased the proliferation of urothelial carcinoma cell lines. To further confirm that miR-138–SOX9 signaling is involved in cell proliferation and invasion, urothelial carcinoma cells were transfected with the miR-138 precursor or SOX9 siRNA. This transfection reduced the proliferation and invasion of cells via the promotion of autophagy and apoptosis and G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. These results suggest that miR-138–SOX9 signaling modulates the growth and invasive potential of urothelial carcinoma cells.
Optimal Cluster Scheduling of Active–Reactive Power for Distribution Network Considering Aggregated Flexibility of Heterogeneous Building-Integrated DERs
Authors: Fu Yu , Hao Shuqing , Zhang Junhao , Yu Liwen , Luo Yuxin , Zhang Kuan
Published: November 2023

This paper proposes an active–reactive power collaborative scheduling model with cluster division for the flexible distributed energy resources (DERs) of smart-building systems to resolve the high complexity of the centralized optimal scheduling of massive dispersed DERs in the distribution network. Specifically, the optimization objective of each cluster is to minimize the operational cost, the power-loss cost, and the penalty cost for flexibility deficiency, and the second-order cone-based branch flow method is utilized to convert the power-flow equations into linearized cone constraints, reducing the nonlinearity and heavy computation burden of the scheduling model. Customized virtual battery models for building-integrated flexible DERs are developed to aggregate the power characteristics of flexible resources while quantifying their regulation capacities with time-shifting power and energy boundaries. Moreover, a cluster division algorithm considering the module degree index based on the electrical distance and the flexible balance contribution index is formulated for cluster division to achieve information exchange and energy interaction in the distribution network with a high proportion of building-integrated flexible DERs. Comparative studies have demonstrated the superior performance of the proposed methodology in economic merits and voltage regulation.
Diabetes Monitoring through Urine Analysis Using ATR-FTIR Spectroscopy and Machine Learning
Authors: Farooq Sajid , Zezell Denise Maria
Published: November 2023

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a widespread and rapidly growing disease, and it is estimated that it will impact up to 693 million adults by 2045. To cope this challenge, the innovative advances in non-destructive progressive urine glucose-monitoring platforms are important for improving diabetes surveillance technologies. In this study, we aim to better evaluate DM by analyzing 149 urine spectral samples (86 diabetes and 63 healthy control male Wistar rats) utilizing attenuated total reflection–Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy combined with machine learning (ML) methods, including a 3D discriminant analysis approach—3D–Principal Component Analysis–Linear Discriminant Analysis (3D-PCA-LDA)—in the ‘bio-fingerprint’ region of 1800–900 cm−1. The 3D discriminant analysis technique demonstrated superior performance compared to the conventional PCA-LDA approach with the 3D-PCA-LDA method achieving 100% accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. Our results show that this study contributes to the existing methodologies on non-destructive diagnostic methods for DM and also highlights the promising potential of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy with an ML-driven 3D-discriminant analysis approach in disease classification and monitoring.
Experimental Investigation on Thrust Performance of a Small-Scale Staggered Rotor System in Hover
Authors: Zhu He , Deng Siqiang , Wei Shaoxiong , Nie Hong , Wei Xiaohui
Published: November 2023

In recent years, the demand for Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs) has driven the emergence of new aircraft designs, with the Staggered Rotor System being widely applied in these vertical take-off and landing aircraft. Due to the complex aerodynamic interference between rotors, the spacing between them has a significant impact on the performance of these new aircraft configurations. A testbed was designed and validated to investigate the effects of parameters such as axial distance and lateral distance between rotors on the thrust performance of the Staggered Rotor System. A series of systematic thrust tests was conducted on two co-rotating small-scale rotor models, with particular focus on thrust testing of individual rotors in isolation and their comparison to the conditions of the Staggered Rotor System. During the experimental process, as both the axial and lateral distance varied, an orthogonal experimental design was employed to assess the influence of aerodynamic interactions caused by different rotor diameters on rotor performance. This study conducts an analysis of experimental data to investigate the influence of these factors on the performance of rotor systems’ thrust, while also examining the aerodynamic interference and aerodynamic force evolution patterns of rotor systems under varying parameters. Furthermore, rotor speed also plays a crucial role in the performance of the system. Therefore, when designing vertical take-off and landing aircraft with multiple rotors, it is essential to consider the influence of these factors during the optimization process.
Metabarcoding by Combining Environmental DNA with Environmental RNA to Monitor Fish Species in the Han River, Korea
Authors: An Hyung-Eun , Mun Min-Ho , Kim Chang-Bae
Published: November 2023

Fishes are ecologically important organisms that have long lifespans, high mobilities, and diverse trophic levels. Due to their importance, fishes are used as bioindicators for monitoring aquatic environments. One method for monitoring fishes is based on environmental DNA (eDNA), which are the deoxynucleic acids released by organisms into the environment. However, there has been a problem with false positives because eDNA is relatively stable in the environment and could even likely represent dead or non-inhabiting organisms. To address this weakness, environmental RNA (eRNA), which degrades more rapidly than eDNA in the environment, can be utilized to complement eDNA. But, to date, few studies have used eRNA for freshwater fish monitoring. In this study, to determine the relative usefulness of eDNA and eRNA metabarcoding in freshwater fishes, we performed eDNA and eRNA metabarcoding on 12S rRNA targeting fish using water samples that were collected from three locations in the Han River. We then calculated the sensitivity and positive predictivity of this approach by comparing our data to the previous specimen capture survey (PSCS) data from the last six years. The results showed that 42 species were detected by eDNA and 19 by eRNA at the three locations. At all locations, compared to the PSCS data, the average sensitivity was higher for eDNA (46.1%) than for eRNA (34.6%), and the average positive predictivity was higher for eRNA (31.7%) than for eDNA (20.7%). This confirmed that eDNA metabarcoding has the advantage of broadly determining species presence or absence (including those that are no longer present or dead), but it also generates false positives; meanwhile, eRNA metabarcoding reports living fish species, but detects fewer species than eDNA. Combining eDNA and eRNA therefore emphasizes their advantages and compensates for their disadvantages, and conducting this may therefore be useful for identifying false positives and monitoring the fish species that are actually present in the environment. This metabarcoding technique can be used in the future to provide insights into the aquatic environment and the monitoring of fisheries.
Application of Microsatellites to Trace the Dairy Products Back to the Farm of Origin
Authors: Perga Simona , Biolatti Cristina , Martini Isabella , Rossi Francesco , Benso Alfredo , Acutis Pier Luigi , Bagnato Alessandro , Cognata Domenico , Caroggio Piero , Peletto Simone , Modesto Paola
Published: November 2023

The increasing number of food frauds, mainly targeting high quality products, is a rising concern among producers and authorities appointed to food controls. Therefore, the development or implementation of methods to reveal frauds is desired. The genetic traceability of traditional or high-quality dairy products (i.e., products of protected designation of origin, PDO) represents a challenging issue due to the technical problems that arise. The aim of the study was to set up a genetic tool for the origin traceability of dairy products. We investigated the use of Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) to assign milk and cheese to the corresponding producer. Two farms were included in the study, and the blood of the cows, bulk milk, and derived cheese were sampled monthly for one year. Twenty STRs were selected and Polymerase Chain Reactions for each locus were carried out. The results showed that bulk milk and derived cheese express an STR profile composed of a subset of STRs of the lactating animals. A bioinformatics tool was used for the exclusion analysis. The study allowed the identification of a panel of 20 markers useful for the traceability of milk and cheeses, and its effectiveness in the traceability of dairy products obtained from small producers was demonstrated.
Effect of 2’-Fucosyllactose on Beige Adipocyte Formation in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes and C3H10T1/2 Cells
Authors: Chen Siru , Fu Yankun , Wang Tianlin , Chen Zhenglin , Zhao Peijun , Huang Xianqing , Qiao Mingwu , Li Tiange , Song Lianjun
Published: November 2023

2’-Fucosyllactose (2’-FL), the functional oligosaccharide naturally present in milk, has been shown to exert health benefits. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of 2’-fucosyllactose (2’-FL) on the browning of white adipose tissue in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and C3H10T1/2 cells. The results revealed that 2’-FL decreased lipid accumulations with reduced intracellular triglyceride contents in vitro. 2’-FL intervention increased the mitochondria density and the proportion of UCP1-positive cells. The mRNA expressions of the mitochondrial biogenesis-related and browning markers (Cox7a, Cyto C, Tfam, Ucp1, Pgc1α, Prdm16, Cidea, Elovl3, Pparα, CD137, and Tmem26) were increased after 2’-FL intervention to some extent. Similarly, the protein expression of the browning markers, including UCP1, PGC1α, and PRDM16, was up-regulated in the 2’-FL group. Additionally, an adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) inhibitor, compound C (1 μM), significantly decreased the induction of thermogenic proteins expressions mediated by 2’-FL, indicating that the 2’-FL-enhanced beige cell formation was partially dependent on the AMPK pathway. In conclusion, 2’-FL effectively promoted the browning of white adipose in vitro.
Investigation of the Suitability of a Combination of Ethyl-Να-dodecanyl-L-arginat_HCl (LAE) and Starter Culture Bacteria for the Reduction of Bacteria from Fresh Meat of Different Animal Species
Authors: Drevin Maike , Plötz Madeleine , Krischek Carsten
Published: November 2023

Meat can be contaminated with (pathogenic) microorganisms during slaughter, dissection and packaging. Therefore, preservation technologies are frequently used to reduce the risk of (fatal) human infections due to the consumption of meat. In this study, we first investigated, if the application of ethyl-Nα-dodecanyl-L-arginate hydrochloride (LAE) and the starter culture bacteria Staphylococcus carnosus and Lactobacillus sakei, either single or in combination, influences the bacteria number on pork, chicken meat and beef, inoculated with Brochothrix (Br.) thermosphacta (all meat species) or Salmonella (S.) Typhimurium (pork), Campylobacter (C.) jejuni (chicken) and Listeria (L.) monocytogenes (beef), before packaging under modified atmosphere and on days 7 and 14 of storage. To evaluate effects of the treatment on the appearance during storage, additionally, the physicochemical parameters color and myoglobin redox form percentages were analyzed. LAE regularly resulted in a significant reduction of the number of all bacteria species on day 1 of storage, whereas up to day 14 of storage, the preservation effect did not persist in nearly all samples, except in the beef with Br. thermosphacta. However, with the starter culture bacteria on day 1, only L. monocytogenes on beef was significantly reduced. Interestingly, on day 7 of storage, this reducing effect was also found with S. Typhimurium on pork. Br. thermosphacta, which was principally not influenced by the starter culture bacteria. The combinatory treatment mainly resulted in no additional effects, except for the S. Typhimurium and Br. thermosphacta results on pork on day 7 and the Br. thermosphacta results on beef on day 14. The physicochemical parameters were not influenced by the single and combinatory treatment. The results indicate that LAE was mainly responsible for the antimicrobial effects and that a combination with starter culture bacteria should be individually evaluated for the meat species.
Anterior Hyperfunction by Mandibular Anterior Teeth: A Narrative Review
Authors: Ogino Yoichiro , Ayukawa Yasunori
Published: November 2023

“Combination syndrome”, defined by Kelly in 1972, is a challenging condition observed in a patient with an edentulous maxilla and a partially edentulous mandible with only mandibular anterior teeth. “Anterior hyperfunction syndrome” is regarded as a synonym of combination syndrome and was first described in 1994. Although these terms have been well known, the definition of “anterior hyperfunction” has not been described yet. This narrative review focused on anterior hyperfunction and discussed the etiology and the clinical managements. An electronic bibliographic search for this literature review was conducted in addition to the review of our clinical cases. The previous reports indicated that combination syndrome with all five features was rarely observed. The patients with anterior hyperfunction generally showed the loss of posterior occlusal supports and the loss of vertical dimension of occlusion. To manage anterior hyperfunction, these conditions should be improved using conventional removable prostheses and implant-supported prostheses. Anterior hyperfunction is attributed to mandibular anterior teeth and some interventions for mandibular anterior teeth are required in many cases. Additionally, it must be noted that implant-supported prostheses may lead to anterior hyperfunction. In conclusion, comprehensive approaches for the remaining teeth and the prostheses will be required to manage this complex condition.
A Burn-In Apparatus for the ATLAS Tile Calorimeter Phase-II Upgrade Transformer-Coupled Buck Converters
Authors: Mckenzie Ryan , van Rensburg Roger , Moeyedi Seyedali , Nkadimeng Edward , Nemecek Stanislav , Buritica Yate Juan , Hadavand Haleh , Mellado Bruce
Published: November 2023

The upgrade of the A Toroidal LHC ApparatuS (ATLAS) hadronic Tile Calorimeter (TileCal) Low-Voltage Power Supply (LVPS) forms a part of the Phase-II Upgrade preparations undertaken by the ATLAS experiment for the data taking during the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider era. This paper serves to provide a detailed overview of the development of a Burn-in test station for an upgraded LVPS component known as a Brick. The production, quality assurance testing, and all associated apparatus are being jointly undertaken by the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). These Bricks are radiation-hard transformer-coupled buck converters that function to step-down bulk 200 VDC power to the 10 VDC required by the on-detector electronics. To ensure the high reliability of the Bricks, once installed within the TileCal, a Burn-in test station has been designed and built. The Burn-in station functions to implement a Burn-in procedure on eight Bricks simultaneously. This procedure subjects the Bricks to sub-optimal operating conditions, which function to accelerate their ageing, as well as to stimulate failure mechanisms. This results in elements of the Brick that would fail prematurely within the TileCal failing within the Burn-in station or experience performance degradation that can be detected by follow-up testing effectively screening out the non-performative sub-population. The Burn-in station is of fully custom design in both its hardware and software. The development of the test station will be explored in detail; the preliminary Burn-in procedure to be employed will be provided; the preliminary and final commissioning of the test station will be presented. The paper will culminate in the presentation and discussion of the Burn-in of a V8.4.2 Brick and the future outlook of the project.
Collapse Resistance of Composite Structures with Various Optimized Beam–Column Connection Forms
Authors: Wang Junjun , Li Yang
Published: November 2023

Steel–concrete composite structures are widely used in composite frame structures and super high-rise buildings. However, the lack of relevant building design standards to ensure their structural stability under extreme conditions has led to potential failures in beam–column connections due to excessive loads. These failures can trigger the progressive collapse of high-rise buildings, resulting in severe casualties. In this study, a comparative numerical analysis was conducted to evaluate the collapse resistance of composite structures in the event of a middle-column loss scenario, focusing on six commonly used beam–column connections. The results show that while the six connections exhibit minimal differences under normal operating conditions, they display significant variations when subjected to extreme loads. Furthermore, a design concept is proposed to enhance the collapse capacity of these structures, and its effectiveness is validated via analysis.
Modelling French and Portuguese Mortality Rates with Stochastic Differential Equation Models: A Comparative Study
Authors: Baptista Daniel , Brites Nuno
Published: November 2023

In recent times, there has been a notable global phenomenon characterized by a double predicament arising from the concomitant rise in worldwide life expectancy and a significant decrease in birth rates. The emergence of this phenomenon has posed a significant challenge for governments worldwide. It not only poses a threat to the continued viability of state-funded welfare programs, such as social security, but also indicates a potential decline in the future workforce and tax revenue, including contributions to social benefits. Given the anticipated escalation of these issues in the forthcoming decades, it is crucial to comprehensively examine the extension of the human lifespan to evaluate the magnitude of this matter. Recent research has focused on utilizing stochastic differential equations as a helpful means of describing the dynamic nature of mortality rates, in order to tackle this intricate issue. The usage of these models proves to be superior to deterministic ones due to their capacity to incorporate stochastic variations within the environment. This enables individuals to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the inherent uncertainty associated with future forecasts. The most important aims of this study are to fit and compare stochastic differential equation models for mortality (the geometric Brownian motion and the stochastic Gompertz model), conducting separate analyses for each age group and sex, in order to generate forecasts of the central mortality rates in France up until the year 2030. Additionally, this study aims to compare the outcomes obtained from fitting these models to the central mortality rates in Portugal. The results obtained from this work are quite promising since both stochastic differential equation models manage to replicate the decreasing central mortality rate phenomenon and provide plausible forecasts for future time and for both populations. Moreover, we also deduce that the performances of the models differ when analyzing both populations under study due to the significant contrast between the mortality dynamics of the countries under study, a consequence of both external factors (such as the effect of historical events on Portuguese and French mortality) and internal factors (behavioral effect).
Choquet-like Integrals with Multi-Neighborhood Approximation Numbers for Novel Covering Granular Reduction Methods
Authors: Wang Jingqian , Shao Songtao , Zhang Xiaohong
Published: November 2023

Covering granular reduction is an important issue in multi-covering information systems. The main methods to solve this problem are set operators. How to solve this problem by quantitative analysis is an interesting topic. Furthermore, as a type of nonlinear fuzzy aggregation function (which is a quantitative tool), Choquet-like integrals with fuzzy measures are widely used in many files. However, the corresponding fuzzy measures in Choquet-like integrals are given by man, not by data. In this work, we present two types of multi-neighborhood approximation numbers in multi-covering information systems, which are used to establish Choquet-like integrals. Furthermore, they are applied to deal with the problem of granular reduction in multi-covering information systems. First, the notions of lower and upper multi-neighborhood approximation numbers are presented in a multi-covering information system, as well as their properties. Furthermore, some conditions under which multi-covering information systems induce the same lower and upper multi-neighborhood approximation numbers are presented. Second, two covering granular reduction methods based on multi-neighborhood approximation numbers are presented in multi-covering information systems. Third, multi-neighborhood approximation numbers are used to establish Choquet-like integrals, which are applied in covering granular reduction. Finally, these methods are compared with existing methods through experiments, which are used to demonstrate the effectiveness and benefits of our methods.
A Note on the LogRank Conjecture in Communication Complexity
Authors: Grolmusz Vince
Published: November 2023

The LogRank conjecture of Lovász and Saks (1988) is the most famous open problem in communication complexity theory. The statement is as follows: suppose that two players intend to compute a Boolean function f(x,y) when x is known for the first and y for the second player, and they may send and receive messages encoded with bits, then they can compute f(x,y) with exchanging (log rank(Mf))c bits, where Mf is a Boolean matrix, determined by function f. The problem is widely open and very popular, and it has resisted numerous attacks in the last 35 years. The best upper bound is still exponential in the bound of the conjecture. Unfortunately, we cannot prove the conjecture, but we present a communication protocol with (log rank(Mf))c bits, which computes a (somewhat) related quantity to f(x,y). The relation is characterized by the representation of low-degree, multi-linear polynomials modulo composite numbers. Our result may help to settle this long-open conjecture.