bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of smokeless tobacco for smoking cessation: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Stjepanović Daniel , Phartiyal Preeti , Leung Janni , Lim Carmen C W , Sun Tianze , Chung Jack Yiu Chak , Gartner Coral E , Hall Wayne D , Chan Gary C K
Published: February 2022

Objective

Smoking remains prevalent in many countries despite rigorous tobacco control strategies. The use of Swedish snus, a type of low-nitrosamine smokeless tobacco, has been promoted as a tobacco harm reduction strategy.

Data sources and study selection

Three databases were searched for studies that assessed the effectiveness of snus in promoting smoking abstinence. A total of 28 studies were reviewed (5 randomised controlled trials (RCTs), 7 longitudinal and 16 cross-sectional studies).

Data extraction

Separate meta-analyses were conducted by study type, pooling effect estimates where outcome measures and design were sufficiently comparable. Study details and quality assessment (Risk of Bias 2 for RCTs, Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for observational studies) are provided for each study.

Data synthesis

While the meta-analysis of RCTs did not show a significant association between snus use and smoking cessation (risk ratio (RR)=1.33, 95% CI 0.71 to 2.47 and RR=0.62, 95% CI 0.27 to 1.41), the results of the meta-analysis of longitudinal cohort studies (RR=1.38, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.82, p=0.022) and cross-sectional studies (OR=1.87, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.72, p=0.001) indicated that use of snus was associated with an increased likelihood of quitting or having quit smoking. There was significant heterogeneity in the cross-sectional studies, and leave-one-out analysis indicated that the longitudinal cohort results were driven by one study. Most studies examined were subject to an elevated risk of bias.

Conclusion

There is weak evidence for the use of snus for smoking cessation. Better RCTs and longitudinal studies are needed; meanwhile, existing cessation aids may be better placed than snus to promote abstinence.
Content of physical activity documentation in Canadian family physicians’ electronic medical records
Authors: Lindeman Cliff , Klein Doug , Stickland Michael , Drummond Neil , Kim Yeong-Bae , Lamboglia Carminda , Mangan Amie , McCurdy Ashley , Affleck Ewan , Garrison Scott , Sargent Randall , Spence John C.
Published: February 2022

The purpose of this study was to examine the content of physical activity inputs in Canadian family physician electronic medical records. Of 1 225 948 patients aged 18–64 years, a sample of 1535 patients’ charts were reviewed. A minority (n = 148; 9.6%) of patients had at least 1 mention of physical activity at any time. Insufficient information existed to determine physical activity domain (21.6%), purpose (50.0%), or meeting of guidelines (98.1%).

Novelty: This study examines the physical activity content of what Canadian family physicians document in their electronic medical records.
Biostratigraphic evidence for incremental tectonic development of early Cambrian deep-water environments in the Misty Creek embayment (Selwyn basin, Northwest Territories, Canada)
Authors: Scott R. William , Turner Elizabeth C. , MacNaughton Robert B. , Fallas Karen M.
Published: February 2022

The early evolution of the Misty Creek embayment (MCE), a prominent, northwest-trending sub-basin of the economically important Selwyn basin, is poorly understood. The abrupt contact between Cambrian Stage 4 (traditional lower Cambrian) carbonate ramp strata of the Sekwi Formation and overlying Miaolingian (traditional middle Cambrian) deep-water, calciturbiditic strata of the Hess River Formation has been regarded as diachronous. This important transition, which marks the onset of long-lived, deep-water conditions in the MCE, remains unexplained. This study uses biostratigraphic data from a previously undescribed location in the MCE, existing biostratigraphic and lithostratigraphic data from the 1970s, and regional thickness patterns to characterise the sharp yet diachronous transition from lithofacies typical of the Sekwi Formation to those typical of the Hess River Formation. The dramatic change in depositional environments was diachronous yet non-gradational, precluding a eustatic cause. The change was geologically abrupt, probably through two extension-related subsidence events, with different geographic extents, which heralded the MCE’s long life as a deep-water basin. The onset of deep-water conditions in the MCE occurred semi-contemporaneously with other extension-related events that are recorded in the northern Canadian Cordillera, demonstrating that Cambrian Series 2 – Miaolingian was a time of widespread extension and subsidence along the western margin of Laurentia.
Permafrost thaw sensitivity prediction using surficial geology, topography, and remote-sensing imagery: a data-driven neural network approach
Authors: Oldenborger Greg A. , Short Naomi , LeBlanc Anne-Marie
Published: February 2022

Seasonal or degradational thaw subsidence of permafrost terrain affects the landscape, hydrology, and sustainability of permafrost as an engineering substrate. We perform permafrost thaw sensitivity prediction via supervised classification of a feature set consisting of geological, topographic, and multispectral variables over continuous permafrost near Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, Canada. We build a reference classification of thaw sensitivity using process-based categorization of seasonal subsidence as measured from differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar whereby categories of thaw sensitivity are reflective of ground ice conditions. Classification is performed using a neural network trained on both dispersed and parcel-based reference data. For Low, Medium, High, and Very High thaw sensitivity categories, generalized classification accuracy is 70.8% for 20.6 km2 of dispersed training data. In all cases, the majority classes of Low and Medium thaw sensitivity are predicted with higher accuracy and more certainty, while the minority classes of High and Very High thaw sensitivity are underpredicted. Minority classes can be combined to improve accuracy at the expense of a reduced level of discrimination. The two-class problem can be classified with an accuracy of 81.8%, thereby effectively distinguishing between stable and unstable ground. The method is applicable to similar Low-Arctic permafrost terrain with geological and topographical controls on thaw sensitivity. However, generalized accuracy is reduced for parcel-based training, indicating that reference samples are not totally representative for inference beyond the parcel, and any deployment of the network to other geographical regions would benefit from full or partial retraining with local data.
Academic failures and co-location social networks in campus
Authors: Lu Shan , Zhao Jichang , Wang Huiwen
Published: February 2022

Social network structures have an additional effect on success other than individual factors. Whether this is true for failure, the opposite of success, still remains unclear. This paper focuses on the associations between academic failures, that defined by not passing course exams, and campus social networks based on students’ co-location occurrences. A novel method with statistical validation is first established to infer co-location social networks reliably from campus behaviors recorded by smart cards. It is found that network structures indicated by degree and clustering are indeed significantly associated with academic failures and failed students usually locate in small, dense but heterogeneous clusters. While their connections are more stable over time, failed students seem to be not positively influenced by those non-failed ones and even demonstrate a failure momentum. In fact, further exploitations imply that failed students have less incentives to adjust their social structures when compared to the non-failed ones. Additionally, we show that messages reflected in co-location social networks and behavioral activities indeed help predict failures and the network snapshot at mid-term offers competent prediction power on individual academic failure such that interventions in pursuit of avoiding failures can be applied within a substantial time window. Our findings underline the importance of understanding co-location social networks beyond failure in educational settings.
Neutrinoless double-beta decay and lepton flavor violation in discrete flavor symmetric left–right symmetric model
Authors: Boruah Bichitra Bijay , Das Mrinal Kumar
Published: February 2022

In this work, we have studied neutrinoless double beta decay (NDBD) and charged lepton flavor violation (CLFV) in a generic left–right symmetric model (LRSM). In this framework, type-I and type-II seesaw terms arise naturally. We have used [Formula: see text] discrete flavor symmetry to realize the LRSM. Within the model, we have considered type-I and type-II dominant cases and analyzed the new physics contributions to the NDBD process coming from different particles of LRSM. We tried to find the leading-order contributions to NDBD in type-I and type-II seesaw along with the decay rate of the process in our work. We have also studied different charged lepton flavor violating processes such as [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] and correlated with neutrino mass within the model.
Rogue waves, classical lump solutions and generalized lump solutions for Sawada–Kotera-like equation
Authors: Zhang Run-Fa , Li Ming-Chu , Al-Mosharea Esmail , Zheng Fu-Chang , Bilige Sudao
Published: February 2022

In this work, the [Formula: see text]-dimensional Sawada–Kotera-like (SK-like) equation is derived through the generalized bilinear equation from SK equation. By using “3-2” and “3-2-2” neural network models, three trial functions are constructed. Classic lump, generalized lump solutions and new rogue wave solutions are acquired by giving a number of specific parameters. Through a variety of curve plots of three-dimensional contour plotting, these rogue waves are intuitively displayed.
Stability and Complexity Analysis of Multichannel Supply Chain with Price Competition
Authors: Yuan Jing , Zhu Jianjun
Published: February 2022

The multichannel sales mode is employed by more and more manufacturers to maximize their profits or gain much more than market share. This paper develops a dynamic pricing game model of multichannel supply chain, and focuses on the impacts of channel competition on the complex characteristics of the evolutionary dynamic game, using analyses based on stability domain, bifurcation diagram, the largest Lyapunov exponent, attractor domain and time series. The results indicate that the system will gradually enter chaotic state through flip bifurcation from stable state with the increase of price adjustment speed, and the two-dimensional stability domain will shrink as the competition coefficient increases. Interestingly, although an increase in commission rate will lead to a decrease in profits, it will widen the stability range of the whole system. In the end, for further analysis, the chaotic behavior of the multichannel supply chain is controlled by using the feedback control method. The manufacturer is suggested to adopt a cautious pricing strategy in the stability region, and minimize the direct competition between channels in the sales process and diversify the productions in different channels.
A New Generalized Hamiltonian Chaotic System with Transient Quasi-Periodic Flows and Intermittent Chaos
Authors: Jia Hongyan , Chen Zhonggao , Shi Wenxin , Qi Guoyuan
Published: February 2022

The paper reports a new generalized Hamiltonian chaotic system with transient quasi-periodic flows and intermittent chaos by investigating the Kolmogorov-type transformation for a 3D chaotic system. The new system meets Hamiltonian energy conservation when [Formula: see text], and it is always conservative in volume because of a zero divergence. In addition, its Hamiltonian energy is found to be only related to the initial points. Subsequently, some dynamics analyses are presented to investigate its conservative characteristics and coexisting flows including periodic flows, quasi-periodic flows, and chaotic flows. Besides, both transient quasi-periodic flows and intermittent chaos are also found to occur, which further shows complex dynamics of the new generalized Hamiltonian chaotic system. Finally, an FPGA circuit is designed to implement the new generalized Hamiltonian chaotic system, and the results from the circuit experiments are consistent with those from numerical analyses. Complex dynamic characteristics existing in the new generalized Hamiltonian chaotic system seem more appropriate to be used in image encryption and secure communication. And the FPGA circuit not only shows the new generalized Hamiltonian chaotic system from a physical viewpoint, but also provides a new pseudo-random signal generator for engineering applications.
Complexity Analysis of Pricing, Service Level, and Emission Reduction Effort in an e-Commerce Supply Chain Under Different Power Structures
Authors: Xi Xuan , Zhang Yulin
Published: February 2022

This paper constructs an e-commerce supply chain (ECSC) that includes one e-commerce platform and one low-carbon manufacturer. Based on bounded rationality, the complexity of pricing, service level, and emission reduction effort decisions in an ECSC is investigated in two scenarios: horizontal Nash (HN) game and long-term platform Stackelberg (LPS) game. Finally, the effects of different adjustment speeds and critical parameters on decision variables, profits, and system stability are analyzed through various numerical simulations. The study revealed that the price adjustment parameters have a more noticeable impact on the stability and profit of ECSC in both scenarios. It is interesting that the chaos caused by the adjustment speed of the platform’s decisions leads to a decrease in the platform’s profits. However, it causes continuous fluctuations in low-carbon manufacturers’ profits. In the HN game, when the increase of critical parameters is beneficial to low-carbon manufacturers, the system’s stability will decrease. In addition, the system’s stability in the LPS game is only affected by the adjustment speed of the platform’s decisions. By comparison, we find that the adjustment of the platform’s price plays a vital role in the ECSC under different power structures. Finally, the adaptive adjustment mechanism is used to control the chaos caused by the price of the platform in the ECSC system.
The Exact Bound of the Number of Limit Cycles Bifurcating from the Global Nilpotent Center with a Nonlinear Switching Curve
Authors: Li Zou , Zhao Liqin , Wang Jiaxin
Published: February 2022

In this paper, we study the bifurcations of a class of planar Hamiltonian systems having a global nilpotent center under the perturbations of polynomials of degree [Formula: see text] with a nonlinear switching curve. We obtain the exact bound of the number of limit cycles bifurcating from the period annulus if the first order Melnikov function is not identically zero. We also give some examples to illustrate our results.
Infinitely Many Necklace-Shaped Coexisting Attractors in a Nonautonomous Memcapacitive Oscillator
Authors: Chen Bei , Cheng Xinxin , Wu Huagan , Bao Bocheng , Xu Quan
Published: February 2022

Extreme multistability usually emerges in a mem-element’s circuit or system that possesses a line or plane equilibrium set closely associated with the internal initial state of the mem-element. To extend the investigation of extreme multistability, this paper proposes a nonautonomous memcapacitive oscillator, discovering a new type of extreme multistability due to the infinitely many discrete equilibrium points therein. This memcapacitive oscillator is constructed by connecting a simple memcapacitor-resistor circuit with a sinusoidal voltage. With its normalized model, the infinitely many discrete equilibrium points are computed and the infinitely many necklace-shaped coexisting attractors that were not yet reported are disclosed by numerical methods. Since the number and stability of the equilibrium points vary with time, the attraction basins with complex ripple structures are formed in the memcapacitive oscillator, resulting in the appearance of a special type of extreme multistability. Furthermore, PSIM circuit simulations and microcontroller-based hardware experiments are performed to verify the numerical results.
New prospects on the cranial evolution of non-avialan paravian theropods based on geometric morphometrics
Authors: Pei Rui , Xu Xing
Published: February 2022

The cranial morphology of theropod dinosaurs has been used to examine the phylogeny, ontogeny, ecology and biomechanics of the clade. Previous studies have recognized that paedomorphosis and peramorphosis occurred multiple times throughout theropod evolution, with skull paedomorphism being one of the major changes during the transition from non-avialan theropods to birds. This study supplemented previous works with more detailed sampling of the morphological data of non-avialan paravians. Principal component analyses based on the cranial geometry confirm that the small-bodied non-avialan paravians have paedomorphic skulls compared with the early-diverging theropods, but independent peramorphosis is also observed in various groups. The secondary elongation of the preorbital portion of the cranium was present in both the late-diverging troodontids and the late-diverging dromaeosaurids, but it was achieved through different morphological configurations in these two lineages.
The troubling future for facial recognition software
Authors: Walsh Toby
Published: February 2022

Considering the myriad perspectives of facial recognition technology.
The pushback effects of race, ethnicity, gender, and age in code review
Authors: Murphy-Hill Emerson , Jaspan Ciera , Egelman Carolyn , Cheng Lan
Published: February 2022

Research shows that White, male, and younger engineers receive less pushback than those in other demographics.
Reinforcement Learning-Based MAC Protocol for Underwater Multimedia Sensor Networks
Authors: Gazi Firoj , Ahmed Nurzaman , Misra Sudip , Wei Wei
Published: February 2022

High propagation delay, high error probability, floating node mobility, and low data rates are the key challenges for Underwater Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks (UMWSNs). In this article, we propose RL-MAC, a Reinforcement Learning (RL)–based Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol for multimedia sensing in an Underwater Acoustic Network (UAN) environment. The proposed scheme uses Transmission Opportunity (TXOP) for relay nodes in a multi-hop network for improved efficiency concerning the mobility of the relays and sensor nodes. The access point (AP) and relay nodes calculate traffic demands from the initial contention of the sensor nodes. Our solution uses Q-learning to enhance the contention mechanism at the initial phase of multimedia transmission. Based on the traffic demands, RL-MAC allocates TXOP duration for the uplink multimedia reception. Further, the Structural Similarity Index Measure (SSIM) and compression techniques are used for calculating the image quality at the receiver end and reducing the image at the destination, respectively. We implement a prototype of the proposed scheme over an off-the-shelf, low-cost hardware setup. Moreover, extensive simulation over NS-3 shows a significant packet delivery ratio and throughput compared with the existing state-of-the-art.
For a Few Dollars More: Verified Fine-Grained Algorithm Analysis Down to LLVM
Authors: Haslbeck Maximilian P. L. , Lammich Peter
Published: February 2022

We present a framework to verify both, functional correctness and (amortized) worst-case complexity of practically efficient algorithms. We implemented a stepwise refinement approach, using the novel concept of
resource currencies
to naturally structure the resource analysis along the refinement chain, and allow a fine-grained analysis of operation counts. Our framework targets the LLVM intermediate representation. We extend its semantics from earlier work with a cost model. As case studies, we verify the amortized constant time push operation on dynamic arrays and the
O
(
n
log 
n
) introsort algorithm, and refine them down to efficient LLVM implementations. Our sorting algorithm performs on par with the state-of-the-art implementation found in the GNU C++ Library, and provably satisfies the complexity required by the C++ standard.
Strong-separation Logic
Authors: Pagel Jens , Zuleger Florian
Published: February 2022

Most automated verifiers for separation logic are based on the symbolic-heap fragment, which disallows both the magic-wand operator and the application of classical Boolean operators to spatial formulas. This is not surprising, as support for the magic wand quickly leads to undecidability, especially when combined with inductive predicates for reasoning about data structures. To circumvent these undecidability results, we propose assigning a more restrictive semantics to the separating conjunction. We argue that the resulting logic, strong-separation logic, can be used for symbolic execution and abductive reasoning just like “standard” separation logic, while remaining decidable even in the presence of both the magic wand and inductive predicates (we consider a list-segment predicate and a tree predicate)—a combination of features that leads to undecidability for the standard semantics.
Changing the world through HCI and UX
Authors: Sari Eunice
Published: February 2022

Computing enabled me to …
Mining energy from 'empty' air
Authors: Hoffmann Leah
Published: February 2022

Shyam Gollakota on the benefits of reducing the power consumption of communication and tapping ambient signals for electricity.
Here we go again
Authors: Shrestha Nischal , Botta Colton , Barik Titus , Parnin Chris
Published: February 2022

Once a programmer knows one language, they can leverage concepts and knowledge already learned, and easily pick up another programming language. But is that always the case? To understand if programmers have difficulty learning additional programming languages, we conducted an empirical study of Stack Overflow questions across 18 different programming languages. We hypothesized that previous knowledge could potentially interfere with learning a new programming language. From our inspection of 450 Stack Overflow questions, we found 276 instances of interference that occurred due to faulty assumptions originating from knowledge about a different language. To understand why these difficulties occurred, we conducted semistructured interviews with 16 professional programmers. The interviews revealed that programmers make failed attempts to relate a new programming language with what they already know. Our findings inform design implications for technical authors, toolsmiths, and language designers, such as designing documentation and automated tools that reduce interference, anticipating uncommon language transitions during language design, and welcoming programmers not just into a language, but its entire ecosystem.
Toward systematic architectural design of near-term trapped ion quantum computers
Authors: Murali Prakash , Debroy Dripto M. , Brown Kenneth R. , Martonosi Margaret
Published: February 2022

Trapped ions (TIs) are a leading candidate for building Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) hardware. TI qubits have fundamental advantages over other technologies, featuring high qubit quality, coherence time, and qubit connectivity. However, current TI systems are small in size and typically use a single trap architecture, which has fundamental scalability limitations. To progress toward the next major milestone of 50--100 qubit TI devices, a modular architecture termed the Quantum Charge Coupled Device (QCCD) has been proposed. In a QCCD-based TI device, small traps are connected through ion shuttling. While the basic hardware components for such devices have been demonstrated, building a 50--100 qubit system is challenging because of a wide range of design possibilities for trap sizing, communication topology, and gate implementations and the need to match diverse application resource requirements.

Toward realizing QCCD-based TI systems with 50--100 qubits, we perform an extensive application-driven architectural study evaluating the key design choices of trap sizing, communication topology, and operation implementation methods. To enable our study, we built a design toolflow, which takes a QCCD architecture's parameters as input, along with a set of applications and realistic hardware performance models. Our toolflow maps the applications onto the target device and simulates their execution to compute metrics such as application run time, reliability, and device noise rates. Using six applications and several hardware design points, we show that trap sizing and communication topology choices can impact application reliability by up to three orders of magnitude. Microarchitectural gate implementation choices influence reliability by another order of magnitude. From these studies, we provide concrete recommendations to tune these choices to achieve highly reliable and performant application executions. With industry and academic efforts underway to build TI devices with 50-100 qubits, our insights have the potential to influence QC hardware in the near future and accelerate the progress toward practical QC systems.
ArQTiC: A Full-stack Software Package for Simulating Materials on Quantum Computers
Authors: Bassman Oftelie Lindsay , Powers Connor , De Jong Wibe A.
Published: February 2022

ArQTiC is an open-source, full-stack software package built for the simulations of materials on quantum computers. It currently can simulate materials that can be modeled by any Hamiltonian derived from a generic, one-dimensional, time-dependent Heisenberg Hamiltonian. ArQTiC includes modules for generating quantum programs for real- and imaginary-time evolution, quantum circuit optimization, connection to various quantum backends via the cloud, and post-processing of quantum results. By enabling users to seamlessly design, execute, and analyze materials simulations on quantum computers, ArQTiC opens this field to a broader community of scientists from a wider range of scientific domains.
Optimal Joins Using Compressed Quadtrees
Authors: Arroyuelo Diego , Navarro Gonzalo , Reutter Juan L. , Rojas-Ledesma Javiel
Published: February 2022

Worst-case optimal join algorithms have gained a lot of attention in the database literature. We now count several algorithms that are optimal in the worst case, and many of them have been implemented and validated in practice. However, the implementation of these algorithms often requires an enhanced indexing structure: to achieve optimality one either needs to build completely new indexes or must populate the database with several instantiations of indexes such as B

\( + \)

-trees. Either way, this means spending an extra amount of storage space that is typically one or two orders of magnitude more than what is required to store the raw data.

We show that worst-case optimal algorithms can be obtained directly from a representation that regards the relations as point sets in variable-dimensional grids, without the need of any significant extra storage. Our representation is a compressed quadtreefor the static indexes and a quadtreebuilt on the fly that shares subtrees (which we dub a qdag) for intermediate results. We develop a compositional algorithm to process full join queries under this representation, which simulates navigation of the quadtreeof the output, and show that the running time of this algorithm is worst-case optimal in data complexity.

We implement our index and compare it experimentally with state-of-the-art alternatives. Our experiments show that our index uses even less space than what is needed to store the data in raw form (and replaces it) and one or two orders of magnitude less space than the other indexes. At the same time, our query algorithm is competitive in time, even sharply outperforming other indexes in various cases.

Finally, we extend our framework to evaluate more expressive queries from relational algebra, including not only joins and intersections but also unions and negations. To obtain optimality on those more complex formulas, we introduce a lazy version of qdagswe dub lqdags, which allow us navigate over the quadtreerepresenting the output of a formula while only evaluating what is needed from its components. We show that the running time of our query algorithms on this extended set of operations is worst-case optimal under some constraints. Moving to full relational algebra, we also show that lqdagscan handle selections and projections. While worst-case optimality is no longer guaranteed, we introduce a partial materialization scheme that extends results from Deep and Koutris regarding compressed representation of query results.
An Efficient B-Spline Lagrangian/Eulerian Method for Compressible Flow, Shock Waves, and Fracturing Solids
Authors: Cao Yadi , Chen Yunuo , Li Minchen , Yang Yin , Zhang Xinxin , Aanjaneya Mridul , Jiang Chenfanfu
Published: February 2022

This study presents a new method for modeling the interaction between compressible flow, shock waves, and deformable structures, emphasizing destructive dynamics. Extending advances in time-splitting compressible flow and the Material Point Methods (MPM), we develop a hybrid Eulerian and Lagrangian/Eulerian scheme for monolithic flow-structure interactions. We adopt the second-order WENO scheme to advance the continuity equation. To stably resolve deforming boundaries with sub-cell particles, we propose a blending treatment of reflective and passable boundary conditions inspired by the theory of porous media. The strongly coupled velocity-pressure system is discretized with a new mixed-order finite element formulation employing B-spline shape functions. Shock wave propagation, temperature/density-induced buoyancy effects, and topology changes in solids are unitedly captured.
Preparation of Copper Doped Conducting Polymers and Their Supercapacitor Applications
Authors: Ok Betül , Gencten Metin , Arvas Melih B. , Sahin Yucel
Published: February 2022

In this work, copper doped polyaniline and polypyrrole based materials were synthesized by in situ chemical synthesis method using of copper salt as oxidant for the first time in the literature. Prepared materials were characterized by using of microscopic, spectroscopic, and thermal methods. Doping of polyaniline and polypyrrole in the form of Cu(II) ions and Cu-N were confirmed by the analyses of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The interaction mechanisms of copper and polyaniline and polypyrrole were discussed in the given work. Morphology of the copper doped conducting polymers were characterized by using of scanning electron microscopy. Particle size distribution of the prepared powders were in micron scale from 60 to 478 μm. Then, prepared copper doped conducting polymers were used as electrode materials of asymmetric type supercapacitors in 1.0 M sulfuric acid and 1.0 M sodium sulfate. The highest areal capacitance was determined as 185 mF.cm−2 at 5 mV.s−1 in copper doped polypyrrole prepared 0.4 M pyrrole, 0.5 M CuCl2 and 0.2 M HCl including medium. Here, copper doping of the conducting polymers increased capacitive properties of these materials.
DLTS with Bayesian Inference for Analyzing RPD Induced Defects in Bulk near SiO2/Si Interface
Authors: Hara Tomohiko , Lee Hyunju , Kawanishi Michihiro , Ohshita Yoshio
Published: February 2022

Bulk defects are induced in the Si crystal near the SiO2/Si interface in a carrier-selective contact solar cell by indium tin oxide (ITO), a reactive plasma deposition (RPD) process. These electrical properties were evaluated by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) with Bayesian inference. The bulk defects were distinguished from the interface by varying the pulse voltage Vp. The capacitance transient decay signals were converted to the DLTS spectra by Fourier transformation. The DLTS spectrum was deconvolved into signals originating from different types of defects using Bayesian optimization. Three types of electron traps, three types of hole traps in the bulk, and one interface defect were generated by RPD. The electron trap E1 and hole trap H1 had almost the same energy levels near the mid-gap of Si, and they had large capture cross-sections. Their concentrations were almost the same. Therefore, it is suggested that E1 and H1 signals were obtained from the same defect and that this defect may act as a recombination center because it efficiently captures both the electrons and holes.
Study on Electrochemical Corrosion and CMP of GaN in Different Oxidation Systems
Authors: Wei Wei , Zhang Baoguo , Zhang Li , Yu Xuan
Published: February 2022

With the rapid development of the third generation semiconductor materials, the chemical mechanical polishing rate and surface quality of GaN have been a research hot-spot. By changing the concentration of oxidant and the pH of the solution, the corrosion characteristics of gallium nitride material were studied. The oxidant used in the experiment were hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite and potassium permanganate. Next, according to the results of electrochemical experiments, chemical mechanical polishing experiments were designed and accomplished with colloidal silica based slurry. Finally, the surface morphology of gallium nitride wafer was measured. The experimental results showed that MRR of GaN was as high as 404.6 nm h−1 by using the sodium hypochlorite as the oxidant under UV, with surface roughness (Ra) of 1.61 nm; MRR of GaN was 380.3 nm h−1 by using H2O2 as the oxidant under UV, with surface roughness (Ra) of 0.065 nm.
Is heparan sulfate a target for inhibition of RNA virus infection?
Authors: Ling Jiaxin , Li Jinlin , Khan Asifa , Lundkvist Åke , Li Jin-Ping
Published: February 2022

Heparan sulfate (HS) is a linear polysaccharide attached to a core protein, forming heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) that are ubiquitously expressed on the surface of almost all mammalian cells and the extracellular matrix. HS orchestrates the binding of various signal molecules to their receptors, thus regulating many biological processes, including homeostasis, metabolism, and various pathological processes. Due to its wide distribution and negatively charged properties, HS is exploited by many viruses as a cofactor to attach to host cells. Therefore, inhibition of the interaction between virus and HS is proposed as a promising approach to mitigate viral infection, including SARS-CoV-2. In this review, we summarize the interaction manners of HS with viruses with focus on significant pathogenic RNA viruses, including alphaviruses, flaviviruses, and coronaviruses. We also provide an overview of the challenges we may face when using HS mimetics as antivirals for clinical treatment. More studies are needed to provide a further understanding of the interplay between HS and viruses both in vitro and in vivo, which will favor the development of specific antiviral inhibitors.
PDIA3/ERp57 promotes a matrix-rich secretome that stimulates fibroblast adhesion through CCN2
Authors: Hellewell Andrew L. , Heesom Kate J. , Jepson Mark A. , Adams Josephine C.
Published: February 2022

The matricellular glycoprotein thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) has complex roles in the extracellular matrix (ECM) and at cell surfaces, but relatively little is known about its intracellular associations prior to secretion. To search for novel intracellular interactions of TSP1 in situ, we carried out a biotin ligase-based TSP1 interactome screen and identified protein disulfide isomerase A3 (PDIA3/ERp57) as a novel candidate binding protein. In validation, TSP1 and PDIA3 were established to bind in vitro and to colocalize in the endoplasmic reticulum of human dermal fibroblasts (HDF). Loss of PDIA3 function, either by pharmacological inhibition in HDF or in Pdia3−/− mouse embryo fibroblasts ( Pdia3−/− MEFs), led to alterations in the composition of cell-derived extracellular matrix, involving changed abundance of fibronectin and TSP1, was correlated with reduced cell spreading, altered organization of F-actin, and reduced focal adhesions. These cellular phenotypes of Pdia3−/− MEFs were normalized by exposure to conditioned medium (WTCM) or extracellular matrix (WTECM) from wild-type (WT)-MEFs. Rescue depended on PDIA3 activity in WT-MEFs and was not prevented by immunodepletion of fibronectin. Heparin-binding proteins in WTCM were found to be necessary for rescue. Comparative quantitative tandem-mass-tag proteomics and functional assays on the heparin-binding secretomes of WT-MEFs and Pdia3−/− MEFs identified multiple ECM and growth factor proteins to be downregulated in the CM of Pdia3−/− MEFs. Of these, cell communication network 2 (CCN2) was identified to be necessary for the adhesion-promoting activity of WTCM on Pdia3−/− MEFs and to bind TSP1. Thus, PDIA3 coordinates fibroblast production of an ECM-rich, proadhesive microenvironment, with implications for PDIA3 as a translational target.
Elastin, arterial mechanics, and stenosis
Authors: Lin Chien-Jung , Cocciolone Austin J. , Wagenseil Jessica E.
Published: February 2022

Elastin is a long-lived extracellular matrix protein that is organized into elastic fibers that provide elasticity to the arterial wall, allowing stretch and recoil with each cardiac cycle. By forming lamellar units with smooth muscle cells, elastic fibers transduce tissue-level mechanics to cell-level changes through mechanobiological signaling. Altered amounts or assembly of elastic fibers leads to changes in arterial structure and mechanical behavior that compromise cardiovascular function. In particular, genetic mutations in the elastin gene ( ELN) that reduce elastin protein levels are associated with focal arterial stenosis, or narrowing of the arterial lumen, such as that seen in supravalvular aortic stenosis and Williams–Beuren syndrome. Global reduction of Eln levels in mice allows investigation of the tissue- and cell-level arterial mechanical changes and associated alterations in smooth muscle cell phenotype that may contribute to stenosis formation. A loxP-floxed Eln allele in mice highlights cell type- and developmental origin-specific mechanobiological effects of reduced elastin amounts. Eln production is required in distinct cell types for elastic layer formation in different parts of the mouse vasculature. Eln deletion in smooth muscle cells from different developmental origins in the ascending aorta leads to characteristic patterns of vascular stenosis and neointima. Dissecting the mechanobiological signaling associated with local Eln depletion and subsequent smooth muscle cell response may help develop new therapeutic interventions for elastin-related diseases.
Revisiting the gut-liver axis: gut lymphatic system in liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension
Authors: Juneja Pinky , Tripathi Dinesh M. , Kaur Savneet
Published: February 2022

The lymphatic vascular system runs parallel to the blood vascular system, comprising a network of lymphatic vessels and secondary lymphoid organs. The intestinal lymphatic capillaries (lacteals) and the associated collecting vessels in the mesentery form the gut lymphatic system. The gut lymphatic vasculature comprises the longest-studied lymphatic vessel bed and plays a significant role in the uptake and transport of dietary fat, abdominal fluid balance, and gut immunosurveillance. Gut is closely connected to liver through the portal circulation. In several experimental and clinical studies, the “gut-liver-axis” has been demonstrated to contribute to the pathogenesis of portal hypertension, liver cirrhosis, and its complications. Given a significant impact of gut health on the liver, in the current review, we highlight “gut-liver axis” in context to the circulatory physiology of gut lymphatic vessels. Despite their paramount importance in maintaining fluid and immune homeostasis in the gut, gut lymphatic vessels remain one of the most understudied physiological systems in liver disease pathology. In the current review, we delineate the connections of gut lymphatics with abdominal fluid homeostasis and bacterial translocation in the pathogenesis of liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension. We describe mechanisms and factors that drive gut lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic vessel dysfunction during inflammation. The review also underscores the role of gut lymphatic endothelial cells in regulating gut and liver immunity. We finally discuss the prognostic and therapeutic prospects of studying gut lymphatic vessels in advanced liver cirrhosis.
RIG-I Promotes Cell Viability, Colony Formation, and Glucose Metabolism and Inhibits Cell Apoptosis in Colorectal Cancer by NF-κB Signaling Pathway
Authors: Liu Yangyang , Ye Shufang , Zhu Yabi , Chen Luyi , Zhang Zizhen
Published: February 2022

Background. Retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I) has crucial effects on various cancers, while RIG-I’s detailed roles and mechanism in colorectal cancer (CRC) are uncovered. Methods. qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of RIG-I in CRC, adjacent nontumor specimens, and five cell lines. CCK-8, colony formation, and flow cytometry assays were conducted to study CRC cell viabilities. Extracellular acidification rates, lactate analysis, and ATP analysis were conducted to study the cell viabilities and glucose metabolism of CRC cells. Western blot is used to determine the proteins of NF-κBp65 in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Results. This study revealed the upregulation of RIG-I in CRC tissues and cells and that high RIG-I expression was correlated with poor prognosis of CRC patients. In addition, silencing RIG-I inhibited cell viability as well as colony formation and promoted cell apoptosis in CRC cells, while RIG-I knockdown suppressed transplanted tumor growth and facilitated apoptosis in nude mice. Moreover, silencing RIG-I inhibited glucose metabolism by decreasing extracellular acidification rate, lactate production, adenosine triphosphate, and content of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and pyruvate kinase isoform. 2.2-Deoxy-d-glucose, a glycolysis inhibitor, reduced the growth of CRC cells and promoted apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. In addition, RIG-I knockdown decreased NF-κB nuclear translocation. Besides, inhibiting NF-κB effectively eliminated RIG-I overexpression roles in cell viability and glucose metabolism in CRC cells. Conclusion. In summary, this study revealed that RIG-I mediated CRC cell proliferation, apoptosis, and glucose metabolism at least partly by NF-κB signaling pathway.
Mechanical Properties of Soft Rocks Subjected to Water‐Rock Reaction and Cyclic Pressure
Authors: Huang Wei , Feng Rui , Fu Huanran , Chen Jingyu , Feng Zili
Published: February 2022

Studying the mechanical properties of soft rocks subjected to water and cyclic loading would contribute to a better understanding of the stability analysis of soft rock engineering under the conditions of storm and carrier dynamics. In this paper, two soft rocks from Southwest China (i.e., muddy siltstone and silty mudstone) were selected as test samples. Uniaxial compressive tests were applied to investigate the strength and deformation characteristics under water‐rock reactions. Meanwhile, triaxial tests were carried out to analyse the fatigue damage and failure characteristics by applying cyclic axial loading under different confining pressures. The results indicated a reduction in the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) under saturated conditions, which is correlated with the disintegration resistance of soft rocks. Moreover, the samples exhibited a softening phenomenon due to water absorption and rock expansion, decreasing the elastic modulus. The triaxial tests demonstrated that axial strain accumulated with the number of loading cycles due to fatigue and even failed when applying increased cyclic loading with certain cycles. The cohesion decreased during cyclic loading, but the friction angle was relatively independent of the number of cycles. In addition, reductions in the dynamic elastic modulus and shear modulus decreased with increasing loading time. This study indicated that water and cyclic loadings could cause significant degradation of the strength and stiffness of soft rocks, which need to be considered carefully during the engineering utilization of such materials.
Effects of Menadione Sodium Bisulphite (Vitamin K3) Supplementation of the Diets Based on Plant Feed Ingredients on Growth and Bone Health of Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata) Fingerlings
Authors: Dominguez David , Castro Pedro , Lall Santosh , Montero Daniel , Zamorano Maria Jesus , Fontanillas Ramon , Izquierdo Marisol
Published: February 2022

The nutritional profile of aquaculture feeds can be altered with substitution of fish-based ingredients, including the vitamin contents, ultimately affecting the vitamin supply to fish. Requirements for several vitamins have been described for early life stages of species including some as salmonids and carps, but optimum levels for gilthead seabream fingerlings have not been described for most vitamins. In order to evaluate the essentiality of vitamin K in gilthead seabream fingerlings, a basal diet with low levels of marine ingredients (FM 10% and FO 6%) designed to contain five supplementation levels of vitamin K3 (0.1, 2.8, 6.3, 12.0, and 23.0 mg kg-1) was tested for 70 days. Growth and productive parameters were monitored along the trial and samples for X-ray analyses, and bone and liver molecular markers, histology, and proximal composition were taken. At the end of the experiment, growth, grp expression, and the reduced prevalence of skeletal disorders suggested that dietary vitamin K3 levels for gilthead seabream fingerlings should be above 12 mg kg-1 in diets containing a larger proportion of plant protein and vegetable oils.
Vibrational Spectroscopy-Based Chemometrics Analysis of Clinacanthus nutans Extracts after Postharvest Processing and Extract Effects on Cardiac C-Kit Cells
Authors: Lim Vuanghao , Chong Hui Wen , Abdul Samad Nozlena , Abd Ghafar Siti Aisyah , Ismail Ida Shazrina , Mohamed Rafeezul , Yong Yoke Keong , Gan Chee Yuen , Tan Jun Jie
Published: February 2022

Chemical constituents in plants can be greatly affected by postharvest processing, and it is important to identify the factors that lead to significant changes in chemistry and bioactivity. In this study, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy was used to analyze extracts of Clinacanthus nutan (C. nutans) leaves generated using different parameters (solvent polarities, solid-liquid ratios, ultrasonic durations, and cycles of extraction). In addition, the effects of these extracts on the viability of cardiac c-kit cells (CCs) were tested. The IR spectra were processed using SIMCA-P software. PCA results of all tested parameter sets were within acceptable values. Solvent polarity was identified as the most influential factor to observe the differences in chemical profile and activities of C. nutans extracts. Ideal extraction conditions were identified, for two sample groups (G1 and G2), as they showed optimal total phenolic content (TPC) yield of 44.66 ± 0.83 mg GAE/g dw and 45.99 ± 0.29 mg GAE/g dw and CC viability of 171.81 ± 4.06% and 147.53 ± 6.80%, respectively. Validation tools such as CV-ANOVA (p<0.05) and permutation (R2 and Q2 plots were well intercepted to each other) have further affirmed the significance and reliability of the partial least square (PLS) model of solvent polarity employed in extraction. Hence, these approaches help optimize postharvest processes that encourage positive TPC and CCs results in C. nutans extracts.
Some Simpson’s Riemann–Liouville Fractional Integral Inequalities with Applications to Special Functions
Authors: Nasir Jamshed , Qaisar Shahid , Butt Saad Ihsan , Khan Khuram Ali , Mabela Rostin Matendo
Published: February 2022

Based on the Riemann–Liouville fractional integral, a new form of generalized Simpson-type inequalities in terms of the first derivative is discussed. Here, some more inequalities for convexity as well as concavity are established. We expect that present outcomes are the generalization of already obtained results. Applications to beta, q-digamma, and Bessel functions are also provided.