bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chaotic Behavior of the Basal Ganglia Cortical Thalamic Model for Absence Seizures: A Comprehensive Dynamical Analysis
Authors: Vivekanandhan Gayathri , Mehrabbeik Mahtab , Natiq Hayder , Pal Nikhil , Rajagopal Karthikeyan , Jafari Sajad
Published: September 2023

Children frequently experience absence seizures, a form of seizure that is characterized by brief periods of unconsciousness and staring spells. While many studies have been conducted on absence seizures, there is still some uncertainty regarding the precise mechanisms causing absence seizures. The basal ganglia are believed to be essential in regulating thalamocortical network activity responsible for such seizures. Controlling or designing a treatment for this disorder requires an understanding of the contribution of the basal ganglia regions in the absence seizures. In this regard, efforts have been made to propose a mathematical model of brain neuronal substructures and their connections in the basal ganglia. The basal ganglia cortex-thalamus (BGCT) model is one of the most-studied mathematical models investigating absence seizures. However, this model has not been comprehensively studied from the viewpoint of dynamical behavior. Hence, to evaluate the BGCT model, this paper is devoted to studying a detailed and in-depth bifurcation analysis of the basal ganglia regions in the BGCT loop. Moreover, the 0–1 test for chaos is performed to confirm the results shown in the bifurcation diagrams. Our results suggest that the BGCT model can exhibit chaotic behavior in small regions of the coupling parameter, which is consistent with the complex nature of the brain neuronal network.
Hopf Bifurcation, Approximate Periodic Solutions and Multistability of Some Nonautonomous Delayed Differential Equations
Authors: Zhang Wenxin , Pei Lijun , Chen Yueli
Published: September 2023

Research on nonautonomous delayed differential equations (DDEs) is crucial and very difficult due to nonautonomy and time delay in many fields. The main work of the present paper is to discuss complex dynamics of nonautonomous DDEs, such as Hopf bifurcation, periodic solutions and multistability. We consider three examples of nonautonomous DDEs with time-varying coefficients: a harmonically forced Duffing oscillator with time delayed state feedback and periodic disturbance, generalized van der Pol oscillator with delayed displacement difference feedback and periodic disturbance, and an electro-mechanical system with delayed and periodic disturbance. Firstly, we obtain the amplitude equations of these three examples by the method of multiple scales (MMS), and then analyze the stability of approximate solutions by the Routh–Hurwitz criterion. The obtained amplitude equations are used to construct the bifurcation diagrams, so that we can observe the occurrence of the Hopf bifurcation and judge its type (super- or subcritical) from the bifurcation diagrams. We discover rich dynamic phenomena of the three systems under consideration, such as Hopf bifurcation, quasi-periodic solutions and the coexistence of multiple stable solutions, and then discuss the impact of some parameter changes on the system dynamics. Finally, we validate the correctness of these theoretical conclusions by software WinPP, and the numerical simulations are consistent with our theoretical findings. Therefore, the MMS we use to analyze the dynamics of nonautonomous DDEs is effective, which is of great significance to the research of nonautonomous DDEs in many fields.
Steady-State Bifurcation and Spatial Patterns of a Chemical Reaction System
Authors: Wang Jingjing , Jia Yunfeng
Published: September 2023

This paper studies the Lengyel–Epstein chemical reaction system with nonlinear functional response and no-flux boundary conditions. We first investigate the existence of steady-state bifurcation solutions of the system. Then, the stability of bifurcation solutions is analyzed. Meanwhile, some spatial patterns induced by steady-state bifurcation are simulated numerically and depicted graphically. It is well known that the classical bifurcation theory in nonlinear dynamical systems is based on simple eigenvalues. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes, the kernel of an objective operator is of two or more dimensions. For such cases, there is no existing theory to deal with them. In this paper, by using the space decomposition technique and implicit function theorem, we analyze the bifurcation phenomenon of the system in the case of a two-dimensional kernel of some certain objective operator. The results show that the chemical reaction between activator iodide and inhibitor chlorite can proceed stably under certain conditions.
Exact Solutions and Dynamics in Schrödinger–Hirota Model Having Multiplicative White Noise via Itô Calculus
Authors: Sun Xianbo , Li Jibin
Published: September 2023

For the Schrödinger–Hirota model having multiplicative white noise described via Itô calculus, to find exact explicit solutions, the corresponding differential system of the amplitude component is formulated, which is a planar dynamical system with a singular straight line. In this paper, by using the techniques from dynamical systems to analyze the parameter conditions of the associated system and to find the corresponding phase portraits, the dynamical behavior of the amplitude component can be derived. Under a special parameter condition, exact explicit homoclinic solutions, periodic solution families as well as compacton solutions can be found.
Dimension Reduction of Collective Attention Networks
Authors: Ji Boyun , Zhu Qunxi , Lin Wei
Published: September 2023

Recently, the dynamics of the collective attention of various cultural products are typically modeled by mathematical models. In this article, we propose a simple collective attention model for capturing the dynamics of coupled cultural products, which is represented by a complex dynamical network. In particular, the coupling mechanism of the model involves one of the cooperative, exploitative competitive, and appropriative terms. To facilitate the analysis of the higher-dimensional complex dynamical network, we employ and extend the existing dynamical dimension reduction techniques to reduce the network to a simplified lower-dimensional version. It can then be used to describe the collective dynamics of the original system, such as the emergency of the bifurcation of the collective attention received by cultural products. We test the dimension reduction techniques on several collective attention dynamical networks. Our results indicate that articulating the complex dynamical models as well as their advanced theories and tools may open up a new avenue for the dynamics study of collective attention.
Development of Optimal Hyperparameter Tuning-Cycle GAN for Photo-realistic Face Age Progression Model
Authors: Yadav Tejaswini , Sachdeo Rajneeshkaur
Published: September 2023

Face age progression aims to change an individual’s face from a provided face image to forecast how that image will look in the future. Face aging is gaining much attention in today’s environment, which needs better security and a touchless unique identification mechanism. Researchers are focused on creating face processing algorithms to address the difficulty of producing realistic aged faces for smart system applications over the earlier decades. In the literature, the two basic needs of face age progression, aging accuracy, and identity preservation are not thoroughly addressed. According to the extraordinary gains in image synthesis made by deep generative methods and their significant influence on a wide variety of practical applications such as identifying missing persons using entertainment, childhood images, and so on, face age progression/regression has reawakened attention. The majority of present techniques concentrate on face age progression and is beneficial and productive in learning the transition across age groups utilizing paired data, i.e., face images of the similar individual at various ages. Through the motivation of the important success attained by Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), this paper uses tactics to implement the improved Cycle GAN-based intelligent face age progression model. Initially, the standard datasets for the face progression are gathered, and the face is detected using the Viola-Jones object detection algorithm. Then, the pre-processing of the facial image is performed by median filtering and contrast enhancement techniques. Once the image is pre-processed, the Hyperparameter Tuning-Cycle GAN (HT-Cycle GAN) is adopted for face age progression. As an improvement, the hyperparameters of the Cycle GAN are optimized or tuned by the modified Galactic Swarm Optimization (GSO), known as Best Fitness-based Galactic Swarm Optimization (BF-GSO). From the evaluation of statistical analysis, the similarity score of BF-GSO-HT-CycleGAN is 0.80%, 3.33%, and 2.86% higher than cGAN, CycleGAN, and Dubbed FaceGAN, respectively. Here, the Dubbed FaceGAN is the 2nd greatest network. Furthermore, compared to traditional models utilizing distinct standard datasets, the experimental findings show that the suggested technique attains efficiency, accuracy, and flexibility.
Deep Belief Network-Based User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA) for Web Applications
Authors: Deepa S. , Umamageswari A. , Neelakandan S. , Bhukya Hanumanthu , Sai Lakshmi Haritha I. V. , Shanbhog Manjula
Published: September 2023

Machine learning (ML) is currently a crucial tool in the field of cyber security. Through the identification of patterns, the mapping of cybercrime in real time, and the execution of in-depth penetration tests, ML is able to counter cyber threats and strengthen security infrastructure. Security in any organization depends on monitoring and analyzing user actions and behaviors. Due to the fact that it frequently avoids security precautions and does not trigger any alerts or flags, it is much more challenging to detect than traditional malicious network activity. ML is an important and rapidly developing anomaly detection field in order to protect user security and privacy, a wide range of applications, including various social media platforms, have incorporated cutting-edge techniques to detect anomalies. A social network is a platform where various social groups can interact, express themselves, and share pertinent content. By spreading propaganda, unwelcome messages, false information, fake news, and rumours, as well as by posting harmful links, this social network also encourages deviant behavior. In this research, we introduce Deep Belief Network (DBN) with Triple DES, a hybrid approach to anomaly detection in unbalanced classification. The results show that the DBN-TDES model can typically detect anomalous user behaviors that other models in anomaly detection cannot.
CORPORATE DIGITALISATION AND HETEROGENEOUS TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS: IS CAPITAL ALLOCATION EFFECTIVE?
Authors: ZOU HAN
Published: September 2023

Can corporate digitalisation unleash an information dividend to drive technological innovations? Few researches examine this issue from diversified perspectives of capital allocation. Based on a dataset of Chinese A-listed enterprises during 2007–2019, this paper measures digitalisation by capturing frequencies of data-related words in corporate reports, and generalised moment method is used to explore the heterogeneous effects of corporate digitalisation on green or traditional technological innovation. The result shows that corporate digitalisation is positively correlated with both technological innovations, and it presents a greater promotion in traditional technological innovation than in green technological innovation. Capital compliant allocation based on improving managerial opportunism only plays a significant moderating role in green technological innovation, while capital optimal allocation significantly accelerates the incentive of digitalisation on both technological innovations, with its improvement on traditional technological innovation is much greater. Besides, the dynamic panel threshold model captures significant double-threshold effect of corporate digitalisation on technological innovations, manifesting as positive U-shaped curves with slopes change around the second threshold. Compared with the optimal interval to promotes technological innovations, digitalisation in more than half enterprises still fails to provide incentives for technological innovations.
Understanding Any Time Series Classifier with a Subsequence-based Explainer
Authors: Spinnato Francesco , Guidotti Riccardo , Monreale Anna , Nanni Mirco , Pedreschi Dino , Giannotti Fosca
Published: September 2023

The growing availability of time series data has increased the usage of classifiers for this data type. Unfortunately, state-of-the-art time series classifiers are black-box models and, therefore, not usable in critical domains such as healthcare or finance, where explainability can be a crucial requirement. This paper presents a framework to explain the predictions of any black-box classifier for univariate and multivariate time series. The provided explanation is composed of three parts. First, a saliency map highlighting the most important parts of the time series for the classification. Second, an instance-based explanation exemplifies the black-box’s decision by providing a set of prototypical and counterfactual time series. Third, a factual and counterfactual rule-based explanation, revealing the reasons for the classification through logical conditions based on subsequences that must, or must not, be contained in the time series. Experiments and benchmarks show that the proposed method provides faithful, meaningful, stable, and interpretable explanations.
Lost and Found in Translation
Authors: Yaffe Philip
Published: September 2023

Each "Communication Corner" essay is self-contained; however, they build on each other. For best results, before reading this essay and doing the exercise, go to the first essay "How an Ugly Duckling Became a Swan," then read each succeeding essay.

Most people write in their native language, which is why too many pay too little attention to how precisely they say what they want to say. "Well, everyone will understand." People who write or translate into other languages know this isn't true.
Stress Testing Control Loops in Cyber-physical Systems
Authors: Mandrioli Claudio , Shin Seung Yeob , Maggio Martina , Bianculli Domenico , Briand Lionel
Published: September 2023

Cyber-physical Systems (CPSs) are often safety-critical and deployed in uncertain environments. Identifying scenarios where CPSs do not comply with requirements is fundamental but difficult due to the multidisciplinary nature of CPSs. We investigate the testing of control-based CPSs, where control and software engineers develop the software collaboratively. Control engineers make design assumptions during system development to leverage control theory and obtain guarantees on CPS behaviour. In the implemented system, however, such assumptions are not always satisfied, and their falsification can lead the loss of guarantees. We define stress testing of control-based CPSs as generating tests to falsify such design assumptions. We highlight different types of assumptions, focusing on the use of linearised physics models. To generate stress tests falsifying such assumptions, we leverage control theory to qualitatively characterise the input space of a control-based CPS. We propose a novel test parametrisation for control-based CPSs and use it with the input space characterisation to develop a stress testing approach. We evaluate our approach on three case study systems, including a drone, a continuous-current motor (in five configurations), and an aircraft. Our results show the effectiveness of the proposed testing approach in falsifying the design assumptions and highlighting the causes of assumption violations.
Underwater Image Quality Assessment from Synthetic to Real-world: Dataset and Objective Method
Authors: Li Xinyue , Xu Haiyong , Jiang Gangyi , Yu Mei , Luo Ting , Zhang Xuebo , Ying Hongwei
Published: September 2023

The complicated underwater environment and lighting conditions lead to severe influence on the quality of underwater imaging, which tends to impair underwater exploration and research. To effectively evaluate the quality of underwater images, an underwater image quality assessment dataset is constructed from synthetic to real-world, and then a new objective underwater image assessment method based on the characteristics of the underwater imaging is proposed (UICQA). Specifically, to address the lack of a publicly available datasets and more accurately quantify the quality of underwater images, a subjective underwater image quality assessment dataset from synthetic to real-world underwater images, named USRD, is constructed. Considering that the transmission map can effectively reflect the characteristics of the underwater imaging, statistical features are effectively extracted from the transmission map for distinguishing underwater images of different quality. Further, considering that the transmission map negatively correlates with scene depth, a local-to-global transmission map weighted contrast feature is constructed. Additionally, the color features of human perception and texture features based on fractal dimensions are proposed. Finally, the experimental results show that the proposed UICQA method exhibits the highest correlation with ground truth scores compared to state-of-the-art UIQA methods.
Personalized Query Expansion with Contextual Word Embeddings
Authors: Bassani Elias , Tonellotto Nicola , Pasi Gabriella
Published: September 2023

Personalized Query Expansion, the task of expanding queries with additional terms extracted from the user-related vocabulary, is a well-known solution to improve the retrieval performance of a system w.r.t. short queries. Recent approaches rely on word embeddings to select expansion terms from user-related texts. Although promising results have been delivered with former word embedding techniques, we argue that these methods are not suited for contextual word embeddings, which produce a unique vector representation for each term occurrence.

In this article, we propose a Personalized Query Expansion method designed to solve the issues arising from the use of contextual word embeddings with the current Personalized Query Expansion approaches based on word embeddings. Specifically, we employ a clustering-based procedure to identify the terms that better represent the user interests and to improve the diversity of those selected for expansion, achieving improvements of up to 4% w.r.t. the best-performing baseline in terms of MAP@100. Moreover, our approach outperforms previous ones in terms of efficiency, allowing us to achieve sub-millisecond expansion times even in data-rich scenarios. Finally, we introduce a novel metric to evaluate the expansion terms’ diversity and empirically show the unsuitability of previous approaches based on word embeddings when employed along with contextual word embeddings, which cause the selection of semantically overlapping expansion terms.
How Will You Pod? Implications of Creators’ Perspectives for Designing Innovative Podcasting Tools
Authors: Rime Jemily , Archer-Boyd Alan , Collins Tom
Published: September 2023

While centred on the medium of audio, podcasts are often a multimedia concern, and one that has become hugely popular in recent years, though relatively little is known about the perspectives of podcast creators and their visions of innovation. This article details the results of an exploratory study conducted to enhance our understanding of potential innovation in the field of podcasting. Sixteen podcast creators were interviewed about their work and what they wanted from next-generation podcasts, in order to understand the requirements and expectations of tools that could be built to create new forms of audio-based programming. Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis, we reveal novel findings, such as the duality between “listener-centric” and “creator-centric” innovations, to improve listener experience but also to unleash new creative possibilities in a streamlined production workflow. We shed light on what podcast creators envision as “next-generation podcasting,” the archetypal podcast production workflow, and creators’ expectations of podcasting tools. Combining these findings, we identify how the workflow could be modified to include new steps that will help to realise podcast creators’ visions. This study crystalises on important information about podcasters—their behavior and perspectives on the future of the medium—which will allow further research, design, and development in the field to be founded upon empirical observations.
Network model of nociceptive processing in the superficial spinal dorsal horn reveals mechanisms of hyperalgesia, allodynia, and spinal cord stimulation
Authors: Gilbert John E. , Zhang Tianhe , Esteller Rosana , Grill Warren M.
Published: September 2023

Chronic pain is a severe public health problem that reduces the quality of life for those affected and exacts an enormous socio-economic burden worldwide. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an effective treatment for chronic pain, but SCS efficacy has not significantly improved over time, in part because the mechanisms of action remain unclear. Most preclinical studies investigating pain and SCS mechanisms have focused on the responses of deep dorsal horn (DDH) neurons, but neural networks in the superficial dorsal horn (SDH) are also important for processing nociceptive information. This work synthesizes heterogeneous experimental recordings from the SDH into a computational model that replicates experimental responses and that can be used to quantify neuronal responses to SCS under neuropathic pain conditions.
Commuting to College: An Analysis of a Suburban Campus on the Outskirts of Madrid
Authors: Mouronte-López Mary Luz , López Alberto
Published: September 2023

This paper aims to analyse human mobility in a university campus on the outskirts of the Madrid region. Several surveys which were distributed to students for completion during the 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2021-2022 courses were examined. Both an exploration of existing transport modes using clustering techniques and a statistical analysis on trip origins, travel times, and distances were performed. Not all municipalities with the highest number of trips were the closest to the university. The clustering analysis identified a lower variability in the use ratio of the transport modes in the 2017-2018 course. The private car, which exhibited a low sharing rate, was the most utilised transport mode. This was followed by public and university transportation. Similarities between the probability distributions of journeys using public and university transports were found. High and moderate correlations between the number of the existing stops and the amount of trips by subway and urban bus were detected. The lowest median values of travel distances corresponded to students, administrative staff, teachers, and researchers who exhibited very similar values. Considering the three analysed academic years as a whole, the most likely travel times were 30–60 minutes. It was detected that a higher gross annual income did not imply higher private car use. Residents in areas with the highest ozone concentrations also exhibited a high use of motorised vehicles. A low familiarisation with car-sharing and car-pooling platforms was also found. Globally, a high level of comfort during the trip was mostly perceived.
LogBASA: Log Anomaly Detection Based on System Behavior Analysis and Global Semantic Awareness
Authors: Liao Liping , Zhu Ke , Luo Jianzhen , Cai Jun
Published: September 2023

System log anomaly detection is important for ensuring stable system operation and achieving rapid fault diagnosis. System log sequences include data on the execution paths and time stamps of system tasks in addition to a large amount of semantic information, which enhances the reliability and effectiveness of anomaly detection. At the same time, considering the correlation between system log sequences can effectively improve fault diagnosis efficiency. However, the existing system log anomaly detection methods mostly consider only the sequence patterns or semantic information on the logs, so their anomaly detection results show a high rate of missed and false alarms. To solve these problems, this paper proposed an unsupervised log anomaly detection model (LogBASA) based on the system behavior analysis and global semantic awareness, aiming to decrease the leakage rate and increase the log sequence anomaly detection accuracy. First, a system log knowledge graph was constructed based on massive, unstructured, and multilevel system log data to represent log sequence patterns, which facilitates subsequent anomaly detection and localization. Then, a self‐attention encoder‐decoder transformer model was developed for log spatiotemporal association analysis. This model combines semantic mapping and spatiotemporal features of log sequences to analyze system behavior and log semantics in multiple dimensions. Furthermore, a system log anomaly detection method that combines adaptive spatial boundary delineation and sequence reconstruction objective functions was proposed. This method uses special words to characterize the log sequence states, delineates anomaly boundaries automatically, and reconstructs log sequences through unsupervised training for anomaly detection. Finally, the proposed method was verified by numerous experiments on three real datasets. The results indicate that the proposed method can achieve an accuracy rate of 99.3%, 95.1%, and 97.2% on HDFS, BGL, and Thunderbird datasets, which proves the effectiveness and superiority of the LogBASA model.
Assessment on the Toxic Effects of Chemically Synthesized SPIONs against Model Organisms
Authors: Justin Chellapan , Samrot Antony V. , Shobana Nagarajan , Sathiyasree Mahendran , Saigeetha Subramanian , Remya Rajan Renuka , Rajalakshmi Deenadhayalan , Prasath S.
Published: September 2023

The remarkable physicochemical properties of nanomaterials have attracted researchers due to the numerous applications in the field of chemistry, biology, and physics. Despite the various applications, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are harmful to living organisms and to the environment as they are released without any safety testing. In this study, SPIONs were synthesized and further characterized. The aim of the study was to examine the toxicity of synthesized SPIONs against animal models: Zebrafish—Danio rerio, Earthworm—Eudrilus eugeniae, and Drosophila—Drosophila melanogaster through histology using Hematoxylin–Eosin and Prussian Blue staining. The accumulation of SPIONs was further quantified by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Through histology images, it was observed that the SPIONs had caused damages and a lower concentration of 0.001–0.002 μg/ml of metal accumulation was detected in the ICP-MS analysis.
Study on Mechanism of Cumulative Directional Blasting of Brittle Karst Limestone in the Guizhou Province
Authors: Hu Jie , Zhang Yiping , Fang Chengcheng , Miao Yusong , Zhao Xin , Liu Dengguo
Published: September 2023

The theoretical analysis, mechanical test, numerical simulations, and model tests are carried out on the Taoziya tunnel in Guizhou to investigate the influence law of cumulative blasting technology on directional rock breaking and fracture propagation of brittle limestone. The penetration effect of the triangular-shaped charge cover angle on the metal jet, the expansion law of the main explosion crack, and the influence of the limestone directional damage effect are explored. The results show that high-energy metal jet is formed when the initial velocity of the shaped charge cover is lower than the sound velocity of the shaped charge cover material. The values of B1 and B2 of the original rock are 22.1 and 248.76, respectively, demonstrating the mechanical properties of high strength, high brittleness, and easy fracture. The evaluation index is brittle limestone, and the directional precracking effect of shaped charge blasting technology is remarkable. When the angle of the shaped charge cover is 90°, a penetrating crack is almost consistent with the direction of the precrack generated after the explosion. Moreover, the width of the slit is approximately 2 cm. The borehole imager scans show that the rock wall in the hole is smooth and stable, the test results are consistent with the simulation results, and the angle of the shaped charge cover is 90°. The results have certain guiding significance for rock blasting technology, surrounding rock control technology, and similar directional fracturing engineering in the karst area of Guizhou province.
Clinical and Biological Characteristics of Severe Malaria in Children under 5 Years Old in Benin
Authors: Ma Xiao , Fan Xin , Youssaou Kora Chabi , Zhang Junfei , Wang Xingyi , Zheng Guoqiang , Tian Shuping , Gao Yujing
Published: September 2023

Background. Malaria is a global public health concern, mainly occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. Children infected with malaria are more likely to develop severe disease, which can be fatal. During COVID-19 in 2020, diagnosing and treating malaria became difficult. We analyzed the clinical characteristics and laboratory indicators of children with severe malaria in Benin to provide important information for designing effective prevention and treatment strategies to manage pediatric cases. Methods. Clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with severe malaria admitted to two hospitals in Benin (Central Hospital of Lokossa and Regional Hospital of Natitingou, located ∼650 kilometers apart) were collected from January to December 2020. Patients were grouped according to age (group A: 4–12 months old, group B: 13–36 months old, and group C: 37–60 months old), and clinical and laboratory indicators were compared. The incidences of severe pediatric malaria in both hospitals in 2020 were calculated. Inclusion, exclusion, and blood transfusion criteria were identified. Results. We analyzed 236 pediatric cases. The main clinical symptoms among all patients were severe anemia, vomiting, prostration, poor appetite, dysphoria, and dyspnea. Over 50% of patients in group A experienced vomiting and severe anemia. Most patients in group B had severe anemia and prostration. Delirium affected significantly more patients in group C than in groups A and B. In group C, the hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were significantly higherp<0.05, and the leukocyte count was significantly lowerp<0.01than in groups A and B. Parasitemia was significantly higher in group C than in group Ap<0.01. Twelve deaths occurred. Conclusions. Severe pediatric malaria is seasonal in Benin. The situation in children under 5 years old is poor. The main problems are severe disease conditions and high fatality rates. Effective approaches such as prevention and early and appropriate treatment are necessary to reduce the malaria burden in pediatric patients.
Taify Pomegranate Juice Extract Abrogates Testicular Dysfunction Induced by Acrylamide: Role of Inflammatory, Antioxidants, and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers
Authors: Soliman Mohamed Mohamed , Sayed Samy M. , Youssef Gehan Basiony Ahmed , Athobaiti Saed , El-Shehawi Ahmed M.
Published: September 2023

High altitude (HA) poses various dangers to living organisms, the most serious of which are oxidative stress and its accompanying metabolic problems, as well as hypoxia and its associated metabolic abnormalities. Acrylamide is a poisonous chemical produced under the oxidative stress as a result of intracellular reactive oxygen species formation and toxicity. Heating carbohydrates-rich meals give acrylamide that is widely used in the industry. The precise mechanism of acrylamide toxicity is unknown. The current study aimed to examine the impacts of Taify pomegranate juice (TPJ) from Taif area (Punica granatum L.) on acrylamide-induced testicular stress and dysfunction. Twenty four male of adult Wistar rats, were divided into four groups: Group 1 was a negative-control received only saline; Group 2 was a positive-control that received orally acrylamide (20 mg/kg/bw) for consecutive 4 weeks; and Group 3 received TPJ; 2 mL/kg/bw, orally for 4 weeks. Rats in Group 4 received pomegranate juice and acrylamide as described in Groups 2 and 3, with the TPJ delivered 1 week before the acrylamide. Acrylamide elevated serum levels of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)). Moreover, acrylamide decreased concentrations of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), leutinizing hormone (LH), and testosterone and altered semen characteristics (decreased sperm viability and concentration, and increased sperm abnormalities). Acrylamide increased malondialdehyde levels (MDA), while it decreased antioxidant activities (superoxide dismutase; SOD and reduced glutathione; GSH). The inflammation associated cytokines were restored by TPJ administration to acrylamide rats. GSH and SOD were significantly recovered to near control levels in TPJ plus acrylamide group compared to acrylamide-administered rats. TPJ preadministration to rats restored semen profiles, alteration in testis pathology, and normalized the changes on the male reproductive hormones affected by acrylamide. Furthermore, the TPJ reversed the upregulation in caspases-3 and the decrease in B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) gene expressions affected by acrylamide, with significant upregulation of hemoxygenase-1 (HO-1) and nuclear factor erythroid-2 (Nrf2) mRNA expression. These findings collectively revealed that TPJ possesses anti-inflammatory, potent antioxidant, and antiapoptotic effect against acrylamide-induced testicular damage.
Understanding the Association of Self-Efficacy, Mood, and Demographics with Physical Activity in Syrian and Iraqi Refugees: A Cross-Sectional Study in Jordan
Authors: Amr Rula A. , Al-Smadi Ahmed M. , Deiranieh Rula A. , Amr Romel A. , Mayyas Amal H. , Akasheh Rand T.
Published: September 2023

Objective. This cross-sectional study aimed at investigating the influence of sociodemographic factors on physical activity among Syrian and Iraqi refugees in Jordan. In addition, it sought to determine the predictive ability of self-efficacy and mood in relation to the level of physical activity in this population. Methods. A convenient sample of refugees residing in Jordanian cities was collected. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire pack consisting of a demographic data sheet, a physical activity level questionnaire, the Brunel Mood Scale, and the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze demographic details, while the chi-square test examined the association between physical activity and demographic factors. The independent t-test assessed differences in self-efficacy and mood subscales in relation to physical activity. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify potential predictors of the two categories of physical activity. Results. Most participants reported low levels of physical activity. The frequency of moderate-to-high physical activity was higher in male participants, those with higher education, better health, and higher income. Compared to participants of low physical activity, those in the moderate-to-high physical activity category expressed significantly higher mean score of self-efficacy but lower mean scores of tension, depression, anger, vigor, fatigue, and confusion, indicating better mood. The logistic regression analysis for physical activity indicated that the model was significant for education, income, good health perception, self-efficacy, and one mood subscale (vigor), with these variables collectively accounting for 11–18% of the variance (

P

value <0.001). Conclusion. The higher physical activity level is significantly associated with being male, higher education, higher income, better health, higher self-efficacy, and increased vigor. These findings highlight the importance of considering sociodemographic factors and psychological aspects, such as self-efficacy and mood, when addressing physical activity among refugees in Jordan.
2‐Year Experience with Risankizumab in the Treatment of Plaque Psoriasis in Lazio Region, Italy
Authors: Caldarola Giacomo , De Luca Eleonora , Bavetta Mauro , Bernardini Nicoletta , Dattola Annunziata , De Simone Clara , Graceffa Dario , Bonifati Claudio , Tribuzi Paola , Giordano Domenico , Mariani Marco , Moretta Gaia , Pagnanelli Gianluca , Panasiti Vincenzo , Provini Alessia , Richetta Antonio , Zangrilli Arianna , Bianchi Luca , Pellacani Giovanni , Peris Ketty
Published: September 2023

Background. Given the chronic relapsing, remitting course of psoriasis, data about long‐term effectiveness may be useful to assess the maintenance of clinical response over time. Objective. To evaluate 2‐year drug survival of risankizumab and identify any predictive factor of discontinuation for ineffectiveness. Materials and Methods. A multicenter retrospective study was conducted in patients who initiated risankizumab between July 2019 and December 2020. PASI was measured at baseline and after 104 weeks. Any adverse event was registered during visits. Univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were used to assess baseline patients’ characteristics that predicted clinical response. The drug survival analysis was descriptively performed using the Kaplan–Meier survival curve. Results. 112 patients with moderate‐to‐severe plaque psoriasis were included. The overall median observation time was 35.3 months (26.7–37.3); the estimated survivor cumulative function at months 12 and 24 was 93.6% and 90.6%, respectively. No differences in BMI, disease duration, disease severity, or previous biological therapies were observed in patients who responded or did not respond to treatment. No significant adverse events were reported, but there was relapse of psoriatic arthritis and ulcerative colitis in a patient. Conclusions. We found that risankizumab was associated with long‐term effectiveness, and a favorable safety profile in a population of psoriatic patients was observed, over a period of 2 years.
Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists for Chronic Weight Management
Authors: Wojtara Magda , Mazumder Ashmita , Syeda Yusra , Mozgała Nikodem
Published: September 2023

Rates of obesity have risen over the past few decades. Subsequently, the popularity of the pharmaceutical weight-loss drug market has grown over the past few years to meet growing demand. Among the most commonly prescribed drugs for weight management, many are glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 agonists) which are also utilized for the management of type 2 diabetes. There is a substantial and growing body of research comparing the efficacy of different clinical trials and examining long-term safety. This literature review examines the rise of off-label prescribing practices in the management of weight, with a focus on GLP-1 agonists. Physicians and patients should be aware of the unique aspects of existing treatment options, the impacts of off-label prescribing, and the effects of these medications. This review emphasizes the importance of informed decision-making, as well as the need for further research to guide future clinical practice.
Supplementary Figure S3 from Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Cells Regulate NLRP3 Activation to Generate a Tolerogenic Microenvironment
Authors: Amo-Aparicio Jesus , Dominguez Adrian , Atif Shaikh M. , Dinarello Alberto , Azam Tania , Alula Kibrom M. , Piper Miles , Lieu Christopher H. , Lentz Robert W. , Leal Alexis D. , Bagby Stacey M. , Messersmith Wells A. , Karam Sana D. , Dinarello Charles A. , Pitts Todd M. , Marchetti Carlo
Published: September 2023

Gating strategy used for the definition of the populations of interest.
Supplementary Figure S2 from Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Cells Regulate NLRP3 Activation to Generate a Tolerogenic Microenvironment
Authors: Amo-Aparicio Jesus , Dominguez Adrian , Atif Shaikh M. , Dinarello Alberto , Azam Tania , Alula Kibrom M. , Piper Miles , Lieu Christopher H. , Lentz Robert W. , Leal Alexis D. , Bagby Stacey M. , Messersmith Wells A. , Karam Sana D. , Dinarello Charles A. , Pitts Todd M. , Marchetti Carlo
Published: September 2023

OLT1177 levels in mice.
FIGURE 5 from Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Cells Regulate NLRP3 Activation to Generate a Tolerogenic Microenvironment
Authors: Amo-Aparicio Jesus , Dominguez Adrian , Atif Shaikh M. , Dinarello Alberto , Azam Tania , Alula Kibrom M. , Piper Miles , Lieu Christopher H. , Lentz Robert W. , Leal Alexis D. , Bagby Stacey M. , Messersmith Wells A. , Karam Sana D. , Dinarello Charles A. , Pitts Todd M. , Marchetti Carlo
Published: September 2023

NLRP3 activation mediates lympthocyte suppression. A, Tumor volume and weight in NCG mice fed standard (STD) or OL1177 (OLT) diet (n = 5/group). B, COX-2 levels measured by ELISAs in primary tumors of mice of mice fed STD and OLT-enriched diets. C, PGE2 levels measured by ELISAs in primary tumors of mice of mice fed STD and OLT-enriched diets. Data expressed as mean ± SEM. *, P < 0.05.
FIGURE 4 from Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Cells Regulate NLRP3 Activation to Generate a Tolerogenic Microenvironment
Authors: Amo-Aparicio Jesus , Dominguez Adrian , Atif Shaikh M. , Dinarello Alberto , Azam Tania , Alula Kibrom M. , Piper Miles , Lieu Christopher H. , Lentz Robert W. , Leal Alexis D. , Bagby Stacey M. , Messersmith Wells A. , Karam Sana D. , Dinarello Charles A. , Pitts Todd M. , Marchetti Carlo
Published: September 2023

NLRP3 activation mediates a Th2-like inflammatory response. A, Flow cytometry analysis of CD4, CD4/PD1, CD4/CD44/PD-1 cells in primary tumors of mice fed standard (STD) and OLT1177 (OLT)-enriched diets (n = 5/group). B, Flow cytometry analysis of memory (CD62L+/CD44+), naïve (CD62L+/CD44−), and effector (CD62L−/CD44+) CD4 cells in primary tumors of mice fed STD and OLT-enriched diets (n = 5/group). C, Gene expression of Il2, Il4, and Il10 in primary tumors of mice of mice fed STD and OLT-enriched diets (n = 5/group). D, COX-2 and PGE2 levels measured by ELISA in primary tumors of mice of mice fed STD and OLT-enriched diets (n = 5/group). E, PGE2 levels measured by ELISA in primary tumors of mice of mice fed STD and OLT-enriched diets (n = 5/group). Data expressed as mean ± SEM; ****, P < 0.0001; ***, P < 0.001; **, P < 0.01; *, P < 0.05.
FIGURE 3 from Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Cells Regulate NLRP3 Activation to Generate a Tolerogenic Microenvironment
Authors: Amo-Aparicio Jesus , Dominguez Adrian , Atif Shaikh M. , Dinarello Alberto , Azam Tania , Alula Kibrom M. , Piper Miles , Lieu Christopher H. , Lentz Robert W. , Leal Alexis D. , Bagby Stacey M. , Messersmith Wells A. , Karam Sana D. , Dinarello Charles A. , Pitts Todd M. , Marchetti Carlo
Published: September 2023

NLRP3 inhibition reduces PDAC progression. A, Tumor volume and weight in WT and Nlrp3−/− mice (n = 8/group). B, Tumor volume and weight in mice fed standard (STD) or OL1177 (OLT) diet (n = 16/group). C, Survival curve in mice fed standard or OLT1177 diet (n = 20/group). D, Flow cytometry analysis of CD8, CD8/PD1, CD8/CD44/PD-1 cells in primary tumors of mice in B (n = 5/group). E, Flow cytometry analysis of memory (CD62L+/CD44+), naïve (CD62L+/CD44−), and effector (CD62L−/CD44+) CD8 cells in primary tumors of mice in D–F (n = 5/group). F, Gene expression of Ifng, Prf1, and Gzmb in primary tumors of mice in B (n = 5/group). Data expressed as mean ± SEM; ****, P < 0.0001; **, P < 0.01; *, P < 0.05.
Reversible Pulsed Electrical Fields as an In Vivo Tool to Study Cardiac Electrophysiology: The Advent of Pulsed Field Mapping
Authors: Koruth Jacob S. , Neuzil Petr , Kawamura Iwanari , Kuroki Kenji , Petru Jan , Rackauskas Gediminas , Funasako Moritoshi , Aidietis Audrius , Reddy Vivek Y.
Published: September 2023

BACKGROUND:

During electrophysiological mapping of tachycardias, putative target sites are often only truly confirmed to be vital after observing the effect of ablation. This lack of mapping specificity potentiates inadvertent ablation of innocent cardiac tissue not relevant to the arrhythmia. But if myocardial excitability could be transiently suppressed at critical regions, their suitability as targets could be conclusively determined before delivering tissue-destructive ablation lesions. We studied whether reversible pulsed electric fields (PF
REV
) could transiently suppress electrical conduction, thereby providing a means to dissect tachycardia circuits in vivo.

METHODS:

PF
REV
energy was delivered from a 9-mm lattice-tip catheter to the atria of 12 swine and 9 patients, followed by serial electrogram assessments. The effects on electrical conduction were explored in 5 additional animals by applying PF
REV
to the atrioventricular node: 17 low-dose (PF
REV-LOW
) and 10 high-dose (PF
REV-HIGH
) applications. Finally, in 3 patients manifesting spontaneous tachycardias, PF
REV
was applied at putative critical sites.

RESULTS:

In animals, the immediate post-PF
REV
electrogram amplitudes diminished by 74%, followed by 78% recovery by 5 minutes. Similarly, in patients, a 69.9% amplitude reduction was followed by 84% recovery by 3 minutes. Histology revealed only minimal to no focal, superficial fibrosis. PF
REV-LOW
at the atrioventricular node resulted in transient PR prolongation and transient AV block in 59% and 6%, while PF
REV-HIGH
caused transient PR prolongation and transient AV block in 30% and 50%, respectively. The 3 tachycardia patients had atypical atrial flutters (n=2) and atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia. PF
REV
at putative critical sites reproducibly terminated the tachycardias; ablation rendered the tachycardias noninducible and without recurrence during 1-year follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS:

Reversible electroporation pulses can be applied to myocardial tissue to transiently block electrical conduction. This technique of pulsed field mapping may represent a novel electrophysiological tool to help identify the critical isthmus of tachycardia circuits.
Shapes, Wholes, History: For Benjamin
Authors: Haidu Rachel
Published: September 2023

How can we understand the phrase “Painting After the Subject of History,” which forms the subtitle of Benjamin Buchloh's opus on Gerhard Richter? This essay proposes that that post-subject might be addressed by shapes, rather than figures, closely examining paintings from Philip Guston's celebrated “return to figuration” in the 1970s, when, it is argued, figuration's referentiality is exceeded by the force of Guston's painted shapes. Indeed that force registers as the public dimension of the artist's paintings, addressing an American hellscape, or its unconscious register, populated by images from Kent State, Civil Rights massacres, Vietnam, and more. As Gestalt theorists (Max Wertheimer) and philosophers (Ludwig Wittgenstein) have determined, shapes are respectively “imprinted as wholes” and participate in sign systems––becoming, thereby, not-whole. It is with this ambivalent relation to the sign that Guston's painting explores how shapes can make unconscious forces public. Rather than understanding shapes along a continuum between figuration and abstraction, however, this essay argues that it is Guston's collaborations with poets such as Frank O'Hara that serve as the origin point of his “shape painting.”