bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental investigation to study the effect of reinforcement on strength behavior of fly ash
Authors: Ahmad Salman Asrar , Ahmad Malik Shoeb
Published: May 2022

Stabilization of the subgrade soil is a primary and significant phase in highway construction. In constructing a flexible pavement subgrade, soil investigation is an important parameter, as the load is transferred to it under a repetitive vehicle load. Subgrade soils with low strength of bearing are incapable of bearing heavy loads and are considered unsuitable for construction. The author proposed a solution for the weak subgrade of flexible pavements in this paper. This study aims to address weak subgrade issues by using fly ash reinforced with reinforcement. The California bearing ratio test (CBR) unsoaked was performed on the fly ash positioning with square and circular reinforcement patterns in the center of the loaded area. The test was performed using different reinforcement of diameters 1 and 2 and twisted 2 mm (1 mm diameter reinforcement overlap, then it was twisted over each other to make a 2 mm diameter twisted reinforcement). The CBR value for plain fly ash is found to be 14.64%, and the maximum CBR value for square and circular reinforcement is 34.89% and 24.23%, respectively. The percentage increase in the CBR value for square and circular reinforcement is to be 138.31% and 65.50%, respectively. The study found that the reinforcement spacing pattern affects the subgrade bearing capacity. As the reinforcement spacing decreases, the bearing capacity of the fly ash increases with the increment of reinforcement diameter. This study is important for subgrade soil strengthening since this fine reinforcement has increased the bearing capacity of poor soils.
Reflection traveltime inversion with excitation approximation wavefields
Authors: Liang Zhanyuan , He Chuanlin , Zhang Xiaoyu , Zheng Yi , Wang Zhen , Gai Zhipeng
Published: May 2022

Reflection traveltime inversion (RTI) plays an important role in the realm of exploration geophysics due to its ability to restore long-wavelength subsurface structures. However, due to the necessary migration/demigration process, every iteration of RTI requires six times as many forward calculations, resulting in high computational and storage costs. High-performance computing can accelerate RTI calculations, but it has little effect on the consumption of large storage volumes. Thus, the background and perturbed wavefields with excitation approximation are used in RTI to overcome the storage issue. In the authors’ RTI, the strategies of source-wavelet convolution and wavefield direction decomposition are introduced to solve the problems of missing source signature and multipathing in the excitation approximation wavefields. Numerical examples have demonstrated that excitation approximation RTI can provide an accurate background velocity model and reduce the storage burden of RTI.
Machine-learning-based automatic well-log completion and generation: Examples from the Ordos Basin, China
Authors: Guan Ziheng , Tang Xuan , Ran Bo , Guo Shaobin , Zhang Jinchuan , Du Kefeng , Jia Ting
Published: May 2022

Oilfields have large amounts of old well-logging data, some of which were possibly lost or distorted for borehole situation, limiting the use of well-logging in formation evaluation. Machine-learning algorithms provide possibility to complete or correct bad quality logging, even to generate new loggings. We took 50 wells in the Ordos Basin, a prolific hydrocarbon production basin, as an example to complete and generate well- loggings. We applied three algorithms, such as random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and deep neural network (DNN) algorithm, for well-logging curve completion experiments. We generated resistivity loggings including deep investigate lateral resistivity log (RILD) and medium investigate lateral resistivity log (RILM) using four loggings, e.g. the spontaneous potential (SP), gamma ray (GR), acoustic log (AC), and electrical resistivity log (R4). After data preprocessing, we used training data sets and validation data sets, accounting for 90% and 10% of all database, respectively, to complete and generate well-logs. The results reveal that the XGBoost algorithm has a better effect on well-log completion if the parameters used are sufficiently optimized with experience, whereas the DNN algorithm has great advantages if large sufficient amounts of well-log data sets are available in the training sets. In this experiment, the accuracy of results by RF algorithm is better than those by XGBoost algorithm because the optimized parameters are difficult to guarantee without experience, and better than that, by DNN algorithms in which the input number of wells is less than 300 and may not be sufficient. In addition, RF algorithm has wider expansibility, higher efficiency, lower computation requirements, and better generalization ability. Our work provides a better understanding of the conditions and function of the application of different machine-learning algorithms to well-logging completion and generation.
Conversion of Classical and 11-Oxygenated Androgens by Insulin-Induced AKR1C3 in a Model of Human PCOS Adipocytes
Authors: Paulukinas Ryan D , Mesaros Clementina A , Penning Trevor M
Published: May 2022

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent endocrinopathy in women. A common symptom of PCOS is hyperandrogenism (AE); however, the source of these androgens is uncertain. Aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C3 (AKR1C3) catalyzes the formation of testosterone (T) and 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in peripheral tissues, which activate the androgen receptor (AR). AKR1C3 is induced by insulin in adipocytes and may be central in driving the AE in PCOS. We elucidated the conversion of both classical and 11-oxygenated androgens to potent androgens in a model of PCOS adipocytes. Using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) discontinuous kinetic assays to measure product formation by recombinant AKR1C3, we found that the conversion of 11-keto-Δ4-androstene-3,17-dione (11K-4AD) to 11-ketotestosterone (11K-T) and 11-keto-5α-androstane-3,17-dione (11K-5AD) to 11-keto-5α-dihydrotestosterone (11K-DHT) were superior to the formation of T and DHT. We utilized a stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometric (SID-LC-HRMS) assay for the quantification of both classical and 11-oxygenated androgens in differentiated Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome adipocytes in which AKR1C3 was induced by insulin. Adipocytes were treated with adrenal derived 11β-hydroxy-Δ4-androstene-3,17-dione (11β-OH-4AD), 11K-4AD, or Δ4-androstene-3,17-dione (4AD). The conversion of 11β-OH-4AD and 11K-4AD to 11K-T required AKR1C3. We also found that once 11K-T is formed, it is inactivated to 11β-hydroxy-testosterone (11β-OH-T) by 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD11B1). Our data reveal a unique role for HSD11B1 in protecting the AR from AE. We conclude that the 11-oxygenated androgens formed in adipocytes may contribute to the hyperandrogenic profile of PCOS women and that AKR1C3 is a potential therapeutic target to mitigate the AE of PCOS.
Incestuous Wanderlust: 35 Shots of Rum's Atmospheres of Circulation
Authors: Cortez Iggy
Published: May 2022

Claire Denis's films have long been associated with enveloping moods. This essay focuses on how atmospheres in her film, 35 Shots of Rum (35 Rhums, France/Germany, 2008), possess a unique conceptual valence within her work. As a “rethinking” of Yasujirō Ozu's Late Spring (Banshun, Japan, 1949), the film's narrative premise traces the strong bond between a widower and his adult daughter. Most critical assessments of the film thus interpret 35 Shots of Rum as an homage to Ozu, seeing the daughter's love for her father as a reflection of Denis's devotion to the Japanese director. However, this essay moves beyond a cursory reading of Denis's film as a celebration of paternal legacies, arguing that its atmospheric textures—the phantasmatic movement of its intertexts, the resonance of its rhythmic editing, or the vague force of its enigmatic gestures—express a critique of gendered and neocolonial norms determining recognition and value within world cinema. Atmosphere also thematizes that which resists full disclosure, such as the unrealized but looming possibility of incestuous desire haunting Late Spring and Denis's oeuvre. Incest's equivocal, ambiguous, but potentially felt presence in 35 Shots also extends to multiple extradiegetic allusions the film pursues with a casual commitment—what this article calls the film's loitering cadence—an endless flirtation with various artistic forefathers that undermines patrilinear genealogy as a unified or coherent origin. Through these critical coordinates, 35 Shots of Rum emerges as a cartography for imagining alternative modes of transnational circulation and descent in world cinema.
Looking for Something New: Antonioni's La notte and Specters of Femininity
Authors: Masłoń Sławomir
Published: May 2022

This article is a political interpretation of La notte (dir. Michelangelo Antonioni, Italy/France, 1961) and proposes that the central theme of the film is the identity of the discourse of capital and the discourse of patriarchy, both as solipsistic, self-perpetuating enjoyment. On the narrative level, the capitalist-patriarchal discourse is incarnated in double complementary figures, both male and female. The male couple consists of a traditional fatherly moralizing figure and a modern mute solipsist, who is also a sexual predator. The female one is constructed out of mute enjoyment of a nymphomaniac and a phantasmagoric figure of Valentina whose power of fascination is utterly mediated by the commodities among which she moves and the fashionable intellectual commonplaces she utters. This configuration is set up to map a labyrinth of existential im/possibilities that a non-spectral new woman, Lidia, faces at a particular juncture in Italian history. Her initial flânerie, in which she attempts to dissolve her bourgeois identity-property, fails as she becomes conscious that what seems to be the space of indeterminacy and becoming is in fact a thoroughly organized urbanist hyperspace that aims at absolute management of people and commodities. Unable to find something really new in new Italy, Lidia returns to the constricting discourse of melodrama she has been inscribed into as a long-suffering wife in order to undermine its conventions and use its utopian potential to put her relationship with her husband on a new footing. Although her attempt fails, an attentive viewer is given two glimpses that catch something beyond the commodity-oriented melodramatic universe: a timeless moment of transcendence created in writing and a reconciliation of subject and object in a female dance act.
Evaluation of the Indications for Sentinel Node Biopsy in Early-Stage Melanoma with the Advent of Adjuvant Systemic Therapy: An International, Multicenter Study
Authors: Moncrieff Marc D. , Lo Serigne N. , Scolyer Richard A. , Heaton Martin J. , Nobes Jenny P. , Snelling Andrew P. , Carr Michael J. , Nessim Carolyn , Wade Ryckie , Peach A. Howard , Kisyova Rumi , Mason Jennifer , Wilson Ewan D. , Nolan Grant , Pritchard Jones Rowan , Sondak Vernon K. , Thompson John F. , Zager Jonathan S.
Published: May 2022

Background

Patients presenting with early-stage melanoma (AJCC pT1b-pT2a) reportedly have a relatively low risk of a positive SNB (~5–10%). Those patients are usually found to have low-volume metastatic disease after SNB, typically reclassified to AJCC stage IIIA, with an excellent prognosis of ~90% 5-year survival. Currently, adjuvant systemic therapy is not routinely recommended for most patients with AJCC stage IIIA melanoma. The purpose was to assess the SN-positivity rate in early-stage melanoma and to identify primary tumor characteristics associated with high-risk nodal disease eligible for adjuvant systemic therapy

Methods

An international, multicenter retrospective cohort study from 7 large-volume cancer centers identified 3,610 patients with early primary cutaneous melanomas 0.8–2.0 mm in Breslow thickness (pT1b-pT2a; AJCC 8th edition). Patient demographics, primary tumor characteristics, and SNB status/details were analyzed.

Results

The overall SNB-positivity rate was 11.4% (412/3610). Virtually all SNB-positive patients (409/412; 99.3%) were reclassified to AJCC stage IIIA. Multivariate analysis identified age, T-stage, mitotic rate, primary site and subtype, and lymphovascular invasion as independent predictors of sentinel node status. A mitotic rate of >1/mm2 was associated with a significantly increased SN-positivity rate and was the only significant independent predictor of high-risk SNB metastases (>1 mm maximum diameter).

Conclusions

The new treatment paradigm brings into question the role of SNB for patients with early-stage melanoma. The results of this large international cohort study suggest that a reevaluation of the indications for SNB for some patients with early-stage melanoma is required.
TEMPO/PhI(OAc)2-mediated Direct Sulfoximination of Benzoxazoles under Metal-free Conditions
Authors: Wang Jian , Tu Changqing , Feng Mei-Lin , Li Nan
Published: May 2022

A metal-free reaction system consisting of TEMPO and PhI(OAc)2 for the oxidative C-N coupling of benzoxazoles with NH-sulfoximines has been developed. The reaction can proceed under ambient atmosphere without any metal catalyst at room temperature to afford the corresponding 2-iminoazoles in moderate to high yields.
The effects of silkworm cocoon (Bombyx mori) wound dressing applications to the COX-2 expression and the number of neutrophils after skin excision wounds (in vivo research on Wistar rats)
Authors: Tarigan Efron Andre , Hasan Cahya Yustisia , Arindra Pingky Krisna
Published: May 2022

Background: Silkworm cocoons are materials that have fine regenerating abilities for the human body. Fibroin and sericin present in silkworm cocoons (Bombyx mori) are thought to have anti-inflammatory effects. This study aimed to know the effects of the use of wound dressing from silkworm cocoons toward COX-2 expression and neutrophils number in the inflammatory phase after skin excision.

Methods: Twelve male Wistar rats according to inclusion criteria were randomly divided into 4 groups, each group of 6, based on the decapitation time (the 3rd day and the 6th day) and based on the dressing material (moist gauze dressing as the control group and silkworm cocoons as the treatment group). Each group was performed an excision on the dorsal skin with subcutaneous depth using a 4 mm-round punch biopsy. Neutrophil cell observations were performed by Hematoxylin eosin staining (HE). COX-2 expression was found in preparations for immunohistochemical staining using rabbit monoclonal COX-2 antibody at sacrificed period on the 3rd and the 6th day after wound dressing application.

Results: The number of neutrophils and expression of COX-2 were analyzed using Two-way ANOVA and Independent t-test. The results showed a significant decrease in the number of COX-2 expression on inflammatory cells as well as the number of neutrophils (p<0.005) in the groups treated with wound dressing from silkworm cocoons on both the 3rd and 6th day.

Conclusions: It was concluded that the use of wound dressing from silkworm cocoons can inhibit COX-2 expression (p=0,000) and decrease the number of neutrophils in the inflammatory phase after skin excision (p=0,001).
Strategies of promoting sustainable use and conservation of indigenous chicken breeds in Zambia: lessons from low-income countries
Authors: Kanyama Christopher .M , Moss Amy .F , Crowley Tamsyn .M
Published: May 2022

This review explores innovative and sustainable strategies for conservation and use of village or indigenous chickens (IC) ( Gallus domesticus) in Zambia with lessons in  Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Small scale farmers (SSF) have kept IC for hundreds of years to meet their households’ nutritional needs, incomes, social-cultural and religious uses. The commitment exhibited by SSF to keeping indigenous animals has made them the major custodians of essential animal genetic resources in most low-income regions. Between 1991 and 2012, private breeders invested over US$95 million in Zambia’s commercial poultry sector resulting in over 100% increase in the annual production of day-old chicks to 65 million. However, high production costs and low market access hindered the participation of rural farmers hence their continued dependence on IC breeds. The future of IC genetic resources is threatened due to their rapid erosion. In the 2015 biodiversity status report, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, an international body of the United Nations highlighted that over 3.5% of chicken breeds were extinct, nearly 33% were at high risk, and over 67% were of unknown status. Poultry diseases, lack of sustainable conservation strategies and poor use have significantly contributed to these losses. For example, in 2012, 60% of village chickens were reportedly diseased in parts of SSA. If these challenges are not mitigated, the loss of IC genetic resources and the adverse impact on rural communities is inevitable.

Further, future research and breeding programs on commercial chickens may be limited due to the erosion of IC genetic resources. This paper reviews lessons and contributes to previous studies that demonstrated how community-based breeding programs and researcher-community-stakeholder engagements potentially enhanced sustainability, adoption of innovative ideas and conservation of local animal genetic resources in selected low-income countries. Further, suggest strategies to promote judicious use and conservation of IC breeds in Zambia.
Identifying inequity in family planning: The Track20 equity tool
Authors: Bietsch Kristin , LaNasa Katherine , Sonneveldt Emily
Published: May 2022

Background: With increases in contraceptive use in most countries in the world, within country inequities persist.  Equity in family planning does not mean an equal level of contraceptive use among all groups; differences in use of contraception could reflect variation in cultural beliefs and values and therefore not inequity. 

Methods: Focusing on demand satisfied for modern methods and five dimensions (age, education, geography, parity, and wealth), we map inequities within 15 sub-Saharan African countries and across time.  We create a “Concentration of Inequity” to highlight the intersectionality of inequities in family planning and allows for more data informed programming. 

Results: Inequities exist in all countries included in this analysis, though the range varies substantially. Over 85% of the countries included in this analysis had at least 1 subgroup in the population with demand satisfied 30% or more below the national level of demand satisfied. To help visualize inequities and stimulate discussion, we create an online tool to display multiple aspects of inequity.  

Conclusions: Using demand satisfied with modern methods to measure inequity for family planning allows us to focus attention on women with desire to delay or limit childbearing.  Studying the intersections of demographic factors is fundamental for a deeper understanding of family planning equity.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus and anxiety symptoms: a cross-sectional study in Peru
Authors: Arteaga-Zarate Guadalupe , Demarini-Olivares Gina , Torres-Slimming Paola A. , Bernabe-Ortiz Antonio
Published: May 2022

Background:

Information about the effect of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) awareness in the prevalence of anxiety disorders is scarce. Moreover, reports from resource-constrained and semiurban settings are usually focused on hospital-based data, instead of population-based surveys. We aimed to evaluate the association between T2DM and anxiety symptoms, with emphasis on T2DM awareness.

Methods:

A secondary data analysis was conducted using information from a population-based study. The outcome of interest was the presence of anxiety symptoms assessed by the Goldberg anxiety test, while the exposure variable was T2DM, defined using the oral glucose tolerance test. In addition, another definition was used based on self-reported T2DM awareness of previous diagnosis. Prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported using Poisson regression models.

Results:

Data from 1,607 participants, of mean age 48.2 (SD: 10.6) years, and 809 (50.3%) females, were analyzed. Of all participants, 176 (11.0%; 95% CI: 9.5%–12.6%) had T2DM, 105 (59.7%) were aware of previous diagnosis, and 674 (41.9%; 95% CI: 39.5%–44.4%) had anxiety symptoms. In multivariable model, T2DM was not associated with anxiety symptoms (PR = 1.16; 95% CI: 0.99–1.36); however, individuals aware of T2DM diagnosis had a 36% (95% CI: 14%–64%) greater prevalence of anxiety symptoms compared to those without T2DM. Additionally, those aware of T2DM diagnosis had a 56% (95% CI: 13%-116%) higher probability to have anxiety symptoms compared to those not aware of T2DM diagnosis.  

Conclusions:

The association between T2DM and anxiety symptoms was present among those participants who self-reported T2DM diagnosis, as opposed to those with T2DM but not aware and to those without T2DM. Evaluation of anxiety symptoms may be relevant among those with previous T2DM diagnosis.
Acceptability of video observed treatment vs. directly observed treatment for tuberculosis: a comparative analysis between South and Central India
Authors: Rao Joseph Sushil , Diwan Vishal , Kumar Anil A , Varghese Suman Sarah , Sharma Upasana , Purohit Manju , Das Arundhati , Rodrigues Rashmi
Published: May 2022

Background

Directly Observed Treatment (DOT) is a requirement in the management of Tuberculosis (TB) globally. With the transition from alternate day treatment to daily treatment in India, monitoring treatment adherence through DOT is a logistic challenge. The pervasiveness of mobile phones in India provides a unique opportunity to address this challenge remotely. This study was designed to compare the acceptability of mobile phones for antitubercular treatment (ATT) support in two distinct regions of India.

Methodology

This was a cross-sectional exploratory study that enrolled 351 patients with TB, of whom 185 were from Bangalore, South India, and 166 from Ujjain, Central India. Trained research assistants administered a pretested questionnaire comprising demographics, phone usage patterns, and acceptability of mobile phone technology to support treatment adherence to TB medicines. 

Results

The mean age of the 351 participants was 32±13.6 years of whom 140 (40%) were women. Of the participants, 259 (74%) were urban, 221 (63%) had >4 years of education. A significantly greater number of participants were newly diagnosed with TB and were in the intensive phase of treatment. Overall, 218 (62%) preferred vDOT over DOT.

There was an overall difference in preference between the two sites which is explained by differences in socio-economic variables.

Conclusion

Mobile phone adherence support is acceptable to patients on Antitubercular treatment ATT with minor variations in design based on demographic and cultural differences. In India, the preference for voice calls over text messages/SMS while designing mHealth interventions cannot be ignored. Of importance is the preference for DOT over vDOT in central India, unlike South India. However, in time, the expanding use of mobile technology supplemented with counseling, could overcome the barriers of privacy and stigma and promote the transition from in-person DOT to vDOT or mobile phone adherence monitoring and support for ATT in India.
Implementation and Evaluation of Multi-hop LoRa Networks
Authors:   Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Ulsan, Ulsan 680-749, South Korea, Tran Huu Phi , Oh Hoon
Published: May 2022

A multi-hop approach can extend network coverage, including connectivity to difficult-to-access areas. This paper discusses the implementation and evaluation of the two-hop real-time LoRa (Two-hop RT-LoRa) protocol previously proposed to be used for industrial monitoring and control applications. The protocol was implemented on LoRa devices to support a multi-hop LoRa network that consists of one LoRa gateway and 40 end devices. It is shown with various campus deployment scenarios that the protocol improves reliability in data transmission significantly
Studying Linguistic Means of Expression of Pr Campaigns Aimed at Combating the Pandemic in the Digital Age: A Multimodal Approach
Authors: Minyar-Belorucheva A. , Sergienko P.
Published: May 2022

The article discusses the concept of discourse in general and the Covid-19 discourse, in particular. The material chosen for the study embraces discursive practices in the framework of PR communications presented in a multimodal environment. It is important to emphasize that the coronavirus pandemic is characterized by a high level of metaphorical and linguocreative neologization, which deserves special attention from researchers of various fields of humanitarian knowledge. Modern communication studies are influenced by computer technologies, which finds expression in the corresponding modes of communication. The aim of the work is to analyze the modern changes taking place in the English language under the influence of the extralinguistic situation. The research methodology is based on the theoretical developments of domestic and Western discursive studies and works devoted to modern communication studies. The methods used in this work include general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, the method of philological analysis and content analysis. In conclusion, it is noted that two-way PR communication with the audience in the digital environment forms a special kind of discourse that meets the requirements of the challenges of time, which creates a new impetus for the development of the theory and practice of modern communication studies.
Formation of General Cultural Competencies in Students in the Educational Process
Authors: Pryahina A. , Savel'eva I. , Kamalitdinova E.
Published: May 2022

In order to be in demand for a modern specialist, it is necessary to develop universal competencies and professional skills and abilities associated with practical activities. Domestic education, traditionally distinguished by academicism, in the context of digital transformation, was able to overcome this imbalance and bring theory closer to practice. This happens in the process of changing educational paradigms. The place of the previous paradigm of formative unidirectional subject-object education is gradually being taken by a new paradigm of open developing and developing subject-subject education, in which the student and teacher act as active participants in the educational process. The main resource for changing paradigms is the development of the educational communication system, which is based on the theory of social communication.

The article, using the example of the implementation of the «Digital Exhibition» project, shows the construction of the educational process using information technologies and reliance on a socio-cultural and professionally oriented environment, with the aim of developing the personality and professional formation of the student.
Factors associated with the frequency of respiratory rate measurement by hospital nurses: a multicentre cross-sectional study
Authors: Takayama Atsushi , Takeshima Taro , Nagamine Takahiko
Published: May 2022

Background:

Although the respiratory rate (RR) is a sensitive predictor of patient deterioration, it is often neglected. Moreover, only a few studies have investigated the factors that cause health professionals to disregard RR.

Aims:

This cross-sectional study aimed to elucidate the factors affecting the frequency of RR measurement by the nurses.

Methods:

An original questionnaire, comprising 18 factors extracted from previous studies, was administered to nurses from nine hospitals.

Findings:

Of the 644 eligible nurses, 592 (92%) completed the questionnaire. The adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of the factors of importance, educational experiences, shortened-count method use, negative experiences, and inconvenience were 2.24 (1.13–4.45), 2.26 (1.20–4.26), 0.61 (0.42–0.91), 0.45 (0.29–0.70), and 0.41 (0.26–0.65), respectively.

Conclusion:

Education, feedback systems, and automation are the primary issues that need attention. Prioritising these factors could provide a practical guide for optimising the frequency of RR measurement.
An update on radiation caries
Authors: Bradley Hannah , Cowan Kirsty , Owen Brandon , Rahman Shahab , Keys William
Published: May 2022

Radiation caries describes the rapid onset and progression of dental caries in patients who have received radiotherapy to the head and neck. The combination of salivary gland damage resulting in hyposalivation and a cariogenic diet can have catastrophic consequences with a considerable impact on the quality of life of individuals. Caries risk must be managed at all stages of the patient's head and neck cancer journey from the pre-assessment to their lifelong maintenance. This paper provides an overview of the aetiology, presentation and management of radiation caries demonstrated with clinical cases.

CPD/Clinical Relevance: With the increasing incidence of head and neck cancer, clinicians should be aware of the significance of radiation caries, understand its specialist management and be able to contribute to the patient's long-term management.
Minimum intervention oral care delivery for children: developing the oral healthcare team
Authors: Young Sarah , Dawett Bhupinder , Gallie Amanda , Banerjee Avijit , Deery Chris
Published: May 2022

This article discusses the potential use of the oral healthcare team in the delivery of minimum intervention oral care (MIOC) for caries management in children. It summarizes opportunities and difficulties, both evidenced and anticipated, in the context of general dental practice in the UK. Given the push to provide safe and effective care using wider members of the oral healthcare team, this article offers insight into potential barriers and facilitators that may present in general dental practice.

CPD/Clinical Relevance: There is a belief that the wider team within general dental practice will have an increasingly important role to play in the provision of oral and dental care.
Improvement of beam shaping on a metasurface by eliminating the interaction between coding units
Authors: Zhou Pengwei , Fang Bo , Zhao Tianqi , Jing Xufeng
Published: May 2022

The interaction between subwavelength elements must be considered when constructing a metasurface. Generally, the interaction between cell structures is ignored when metasurface optoelectronic devices are designed, which results in a significant decrease in the design performance and efficiency of the overall metasurface structure. To reduce or further eliminate the interaction between cell structures, we propose a cell structure with borders to construct coded metasurface sequences. At the same time, we design a common frameless cell structure to construct a traditional coding metasurface. By numerical simulation of the near-field distribution and far-field scattering characteristics of these two types of coded metasurface sequences, we find that the element structure with a medium frame can attenuate the interaction between adjacent encoded particles. In the process of transmission on the encoding metasurface with a frame, different encoded particles can independently express their transmission phase and are not affected by adjacent structures, thus realizing a low coupling coding metasurface.
Effect of Doppler shift on preamplifier DPSK receivers using balanced detection for optical satellite networks
Authors: Tan Liying , Wang Xinlei , Cheng Sixun , Ma Jing , Kang Dongpeng
Published: May 2022

Optical satellite networks using laser intersatellite links are recognized as being
capable of satisfying the increasing broadband communication demands.
However, the Doppler shift due to relative movement between satellites
must be taken into consideration. A convenient method that does not
require complicated mathematical calculation is adopted to derive the
relationship between the residual Doppler shift and the bit error rate
(BER) for the balanced differential phase-shift keying (DPSK)
detection system. It is shown that the DPSK receiver is sensitive to
the residual Doppler shift; when the residual Doppler shift

Δ

f

r
e
s

/

R
b

is 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15, the BER is
reduced from a level of

10

−
17

to a level of

10

−
14

,

10

−
11

, and

10

−
6

, respectively. The BER of a certain
node pair under different link assignment schemes is calculated in a
typical multi-hop LEO constellation. The results show that the
communication BER of the same node pair is not only related to the
step change of the Doppler but also related to the accumulation of the
Doppler shift in the optical path. The results obtained here will be
helpful in routing selection, link assignment, topology design, and
system compensation.
Into the wild of nonlinear electromagnetism—a course on nonlinear electromagnetism, not quite from scratch, part I: tutorial
Authors: Zolla Frédéric , Godard Pierre
Published: May 2022

This tutorial is aimed at introducing in a natural fashion the propagation equations system governing the scattering of an electromagnetic wave by a nonlinear medium. The purpose is first to obtain the equations showing the most common nonlinear effects such as the Kerr effect or second and third harmonic generation by avoiding conventional recipes and trying to arrive at these equations with a minimum of assumptions. For this, we start from the general Maxwell’s equations involving the fields

E

,

B

,

D

, and

H

and rigorously provide all the hypotheses needed to attain the nonlinear systems of PDEs involving the different complex amplitudes of the different fields associated with the different frequencies at stake. In part II, the difficult question of energy transfer between fields emitted at the various frequencies involved is discussed in detail. We then examine the tensorial nature of susceptibilities and, using Neumann’s principle, show how the number of their independent components can be significantly reduced. In part III, numerical examples of scattering by nonlinear materials are given and discussed.
Investigation and direct observation of sidewall leakage current of InGaN-Based green micro-light-emitting diodes
Authors: Shin Youngwook , Park Jinwoo , Bak Byeong-U , Min Sangjin , Shin Dong-Soo , Park Jun-Beom , Jeong Tak , Kim Jaekyun
Published: May 2022

Electrical and optical characteristics of InGaN-based green micro-light-emitting diodes (µLEDs) with different active areas are investigated; results are as follows. Reverse and forward leakage currents of µLED increase as emission area is reduced owing to the non-radiative recombination process at the sidewall defects; this is more prominent in smaller µLED because of larger surface-to-volume ratio. Leakage currents of µLEDs deteriorate the carrier injection to light-emitting quantum wells, thereby degrading their external quantum efficiency. Reverse leakage current originate primarily from sidewall edges of the smallest device. Therefore, aggressive suppression of sidewall defects of µLEDs is essential for low-power and downscaled µLEDs.
Accurate, high-coverage assignment of in vivo protein kinases to phosphosites from in vitro phosphoproteomic specificity data
Authors: Invergo Brandon M.
Published: May 2022

Phosphoproteomic experiments routinely observe thousands of phosphorylation sites. To understand the intracellular signaling processes that generated this data, one or more causal protein kinases must be assigned to each phosphosite. However, limited knowledge of kinase specificity typically restricts assignments to a small subset of a kinome. Starting from a statistical model of a high-throughput,in vitrokinase-substrate assay, I have developed an approach to high-coverage, multi-label kinase-substrate assignment called IV-KAPhE (“In vivo-Kinase Assignment for Phosphorylation Evidence”). Tested on human data, IV-KAPhE outperforms other methods of similar scope. Such computational methods generally predict a densely connected kinase-substrate network, with most sites targeted by multiple kinases, pointing either to unaccounted-for biochemical constraints or significant cross-talk and signaling redundancy. I show that such predictions can potentially identify biased kinase-site misannotations within families of closely related kinase isozymes and they provide a robust basis for kinase activity analysis.
Simple, sensitive, and cost-effective detection of wAlbB Wolbachia in Aedes mosquitoes, using loop mediated isothermal amplification combined with the electrochemical biosensing method
Authors: Thayanukul Parinda , Lertanantawong Benchaporn , Sirawaraporn Worachart , Charasmongkolcharoen Surat , Chaibun Thanyarat , Jittungdee Rattanalak , Kittayapong Pattamaporn
Published: May 2022

Background

Wolbachia is an endosymbiont bacterium generally found in about 40% of insects, including mosquitoes, but it is absent in Aedes aegypti which is an important vector of several arboviral diseases. The evidence that Wolbachia trans-infected Ae. aegypti mosquitoes lost their vectorial competence and became less capable of transmitting arboviruses to human hosts highlights the potential of using Wolbachia-based approaches for prevention and control of arboviral diseases. Recently, release of Wolbachia trans-infected Ae. aegypti has been deployed widely in many countries for the control of mosquito-borne viral diseases. Field surveillance and monitoring of Wolbachia presence in released mosquitoes is important for the success of these control programs. So far, a number of studies have reported the development of loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays to detect Wolbachia in mosquitoes, but the methods still have some specificity and cost issues.

Methodology/Principal findings

We describe here the development of a LAMP assay combined with the DNA strand displacement-based electrochemical sensor (BIOSENSOR) method to detect wAlbB Wolbachia in trans-infected Ae. aegypti. Our developed LAMP primers used a low-cost dye detecting system and 4 oligo nucleotide primers which can reduce the cost of analysis while the specificity is comparable to the previous methods. The detection capacity of our LAMP technique was 1.4 nM and the detection limit reduced to 2.2 fM when combined with the BIOSENSOR. Our study demonstrates that a BIOSENSOR can also be applied as a stand-alone method for detecting Wolbachia; and it showed high sensitivity when used with the crude DNA extracts of macerated mosquito samples without DNA purification.

Conclusions/Significance

Our results suggest that both LAMP and BIOSENSOR, either used in combination or stand-alone, are robust and sensitive. The methods have good potential for routine detection of Wolbachia in mosquitoes during field surveillance and monitoring of Wolbachia-based release programs, especially in countries with limited resources.
Transcriptome profiling of subepithelial PDGFRα cells in colonic mucosa reveals several cell-selective markers
Authors: Ha Se Eun , Jin Byungchang , Jorgensen Brian G. , Zogg Hannah , Wei Lai , Singh Rajan , Park Chanjae , Kurahashi Masaaki , Kim Sei , Baek Gain , Poudrier Sandra M. , Lee Moon Young , Sanders Kenton M. , Ro Seungil
Published: May 2022

Subepithelial platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα)+ cells found in the colonic mucosal tissue come in close contact with epithelial cells, immune cells, neurons, capillaries, and lymphatic networks. Mucosal subepithelial PDGFRα+ cells (MuPαC) are important regulators in various intestinal diseases including fibrosis and inflammation. However, the transcriptome of MuPαC has not yet been elucidated. Using Pdgfra-eGFP mice and flow cytometry, we isolated colonic MuPαC and obtained their transcriptome data. In analyzing the transcriptome, we identified three novel, and selectively expressed, markers (Adamdec1, Fin1, and Col6a4) found in MuPαC. In addition, we identified a unique set of MuPαC-enriched genetic signatures including groups of growth factors, transcription factors, gap junction proteins, extracellular proteins, receptors, cytokines, protein kinases, phosphatases, and peptidases. These selective groups of genetic signatures are linked to the unique cellular identity and function of MuPαC. Furthermore, we have added this MuPαC transcriptome data to our Smooth Muscle Genome Browser that contains the transcriptome data of jejunal and colonic smooth muscle cells (SMC), interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), and smooth muscle resident PDGFRα+ cells: (https://med.unr.edu/physio/transcriptome). This online resource provides a comprehensive reference of all currently known genetic transcripts expressed in primary MuPαC in the colon along with smooth muscle resident PDGFRα cells, SMC, and ICC in the murine colon and jejunum.
Mobility evaluation by GPS tracking in a rural, low-income population in Cambodia
Authors: Pepey Anaïs , Obadia Thomas , Kim Saorin , Sovannaroth Siv , Mueller Ivo , Witkowski Benoit , Vantaux Amélie , Souris Marc
Published: May 2022

Global Positioning System (GPS) technology is an effective tool for quantifying individuals’ mobility patterns and can be used to understand their influence on infectious disease transmission. In Cambodia, mobility measurements have been limited to questionnaires, which are of limited efficacy in rural environments. In this study, we used GPS tracking to measure the daily mobility of Cambodian forest goers, a population at high risk of malaria, and developed a workflow adapted to local constraints to produce an optimal dataset representative of the participants’ mobility. We provide a detailed assessment of the GPS tracking and analysis of the data, and highlight the associated difficulties to facilitate the implementation of similar studies in the future.
Integrated model for Food-Energy-Water (FEW) nexus to study global sustainability: The water compartments and water stress analysis
Authors: Hanumante Neeraj , Shastri Yogendra , Nisal Apoorva , Diwekar Urmila , Cabezas Heriberto
Published: May 2022

Analysis of global sustainability is incomplete without an examination of the FEW nexus. Here, we modify the Generalized Global Sustainability Model (GGSM) to incorporate the global water system and project water stress on the global and regional levels. Five key water-consuming sectors considered here are agricultural, municipal, energy, industry, and livestock. The regions are created based on the continents, namely, Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America. The sectoral water use intensities and geographical distribution of the water demand were parameterized using historical data. A more realistic and novel indicator is proposed to assess the water situation: net water stress. It considers the water whose utility can be harvested, within economic and technological considerations, rather than the total renewable water resources. Simulation results indicate that overall global water availability is adequate to support the rising water demand in the next century. However, regional heterogeneity of water availability leads to high water stress in Africa. Africa’s maximum net water stress is 140%, so the water demand is expected to be more than total exploitable water resources. Africa might soon cross the 100% threshold/breakeven in 2022. For a population explosion scenario, the intensity of the water crisis for Africa and Asia is expected to rise further, and the maximum net water stress would reach 149% and 97%, respectively. The water use efficiency improvement for the agricultural sector, which reduces the water demand by 30%, could help to delay this crisis significantly.
Lung cancer targeting efficiency of Silibinin loaded Poly Caprolactone /Pluronic F68 Inhalable nanoparticles: In vitro and In vivo study
Authors: Patel Priya , Raval Mihir , Manvar Aneka , Airao Vishal , Bhatt Vaibhav , Shah Pranav
Published: May 2022

Silibinin (SB) is shown to have an anticancer properties. However, its clinical therapeutic effects have been restricted due to its low water solubility and poor absorption after oral administration. The aim of this study was to develop SB-loaded PCL/Pluronic F68 nanoparticles for pulmonary delivery in the treatment of lung cancer. A modified solvent displacement process was used to make nanoparticles, which were then lyophilized to make inhalation powder, Nanoparticles were characterized with DSC, FTIR,SEM and In vitro release study. Further, a validated HPLC method was developed to investigate the Biodistribution study, pharmacokinetic parameters. Poly Caprolactone PCL / Pluronic F68 NPs showed the sustained release effect up to 48 h with an emitted (Mass median Aerodynamic diameter)MMAD and (Geometric size distribution)GSD were found to be 4.235 ±0.124 and 1.958±1.23 respectively. More specifically, the SB Loaded PCL/Pluronic F 68 NPs demonstrated long circulation and successful lung tumor-targeting potential due to their cancer-targeting capabilities. SB Loaded PCL/Pluronic F68 NPs significantly inhibited tumour growth in lung cancer-induced rats after inhalable administration. In a pharmacokinetics study, PCL/ Pluronic F68 NPs substantially improved SB bioavailability, with a more than 4-fold rise in AUC when compared to IV administration. These findings indicate that SB-loaded PCL/PluronicF68 nanoparticles may be a successful lung cancer therapy delivery system.
Genome-wide exploration of sugar transporter (sweet) family proteins in Fabaceae for Sustainable protein and carbon source
Authors: Singh Nisha , Ujinwal Megha , Langyan Sapna , Sayyed R. Z. , El Enshasy Hesham Ali , Kenawy Ahmed A.
Published: May 2022

Sugar transporter proteins (STPs) are membrane proteins required for sugar transport throughout cellular membranes. They plays an imperative role in sugar transmission across the plant and determinants of crop yield. However, the analysis of these important STPs Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporters (SWEET) family in legumes is still not well-documented and remains unclear. Therefore, the in-silico analysis of STPs has been performed to unravel their cellular, molecular, and structural composition in legume species. This study conducted a systematic search for STPs in Cajanus cajan using the Blastp algorithm to understand its molecular basis. Here, we performed a comprehensive analysis of 155 identified SWEET proteins across 12 legumes species, namely (Cajanus cajan, Glycine max, Vigna radiate, Vigna angularis, Medicago truncatula, Lupinus angustifolius, Glycine soja, Spatholobus suberectus, Cicer arietinum, Arachis ipaensis, Arachis hypogaea, Arachis duranensis). The amino acid composition and motif analysis revealed that SWEET proteins are rich in essential amino acids such as leucine, valine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, and serine while less profuse in glutamine, tryptophan, cysteine, and histidine. A total of four main conserved motifs of SWEET proteins are also highly abundant in these amino acids. The present study deciphered the details on primary physicochemical properties, secondary, tertiary structure, and phylogenetic analysis of SWEETs protein. Majorities of SWEET proteins (72.26%) are in stable form with an average instability index of 36.5%, and it comprises a higher fraction of positively charged amino acid Arg + Lys residues. Secondary structure analysis shown that these proteins are richer in alpha-helix (40%) than extended strand (30%) and random coil (25%), respectively. Furthermore, to infer their mechanism at a structural and functional level which play an essential roles in growth, development, and stress responses. This study will be useful to examine photosynthetic productivity, embryo sugar content, seed quality, and yield enhancement in Fabaceae for a sustainable source of essential amino acids and carbon source.