bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parental support and bullying bystander behaviors in Chinese adolescents: Longitudinal mediation through social harmony
Authors: Jia Xiaoyu , Wang Jun , Zhang Yuchi
Published: March 2023

Objectives

Bullying in schools is a serious concern worldwide. The active defending or passive bystanding behaviors of bullying bystanders significantly contributes to the prevention of bullying. Relevant studies have increasingly adopted a social-ecological system approach in bullying research. However, the role of parental factors (microsystem) and cultural value (macrosystem) factors in adolescents' bullying behaviors in non-western culture contexts is unclear. Social harmony, which is closely related to social behavior, is a core value in Chinese culture. Exploring the role of social harmony in bullying bystanders in China could enhance our understanding of bullying, and enrich the diversity of the literature. This study aimed to examine the mediation effects of social harmony on the associations between parental support and the bullying bystanders among Chinese adolescents.

Materials and methods

The participants comprised 445 Chinese adolescents (mean age = 14.41, SD = 0.51) from Beijing City, China. A 17-month, two-point longitudinal study was conducted. Parental support, social harmony, and the behavior of bullying bystanders were evaluated at two time points. The hypothesized mediation model was examined using a structural equation modeling approach using bootstrapping techniques.

Results

The results showed that social harmony partly mediated the positive relationship between adolescents' parental support and active defending behaviors, and fully mediated the negative relationship between adolescents' parental support and passive bystanding behaviors.

Conclusion

These results highlight the importance of studying parental and cultural values in research on bullying bystanders.
Truth-telling with a smartphone: The effect of communication media in strategic interactions
Authors: Cartwright Edward , Xue Lian
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Technological advancements have transformed our business as well as social interactions. A recent trend is the increasing use of smartphones for work and customer engagement. Given that smartphones have been associated with a heightened sense of personal ownership and moral disengagement we argue that this may have negative implications for ethical behavior.

Method

To evaluate this conjecture we ran an experiment comparing dishonesty when using pen and paper, a desktop computer, or a smartphone. We make this comparison in both a setting where dishonesty benefits another (mutual-gain) and one where it harms another (constant-sum).

Results

We find higher levels of dishonesty when using a smartphone than pen and paper. We find relatively high levels of dishonesty when using a desktop computer in the mutual-gain setting but low levels in the constant-sum setting.

Discussion

Our results are consistent with the conjecture that smartphone use can lead to less ethical behavior.

JEL codes

C72, C91.
Case report: Sustained complete remission with ivosidenib in a patient with relapsed, IDH1-mutated acute leukemia
Authors: Sahasrabudhe Kieran , Zhao Weiqiang , Berg Miriam , Bhatnagar Bhavana
Published: March 2023

Older patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have a poor prognosis, with a 5-year overall survival rate of only 10%–20%. This is attributable to patient comorbidities, poor performance status, and high-risk disease biology. The prognosis for patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) disease remains poor, particularly for patients who are not candidates for therapies targeting CD19 or CD22. Additional treatment options are needed for these patient populations. The patient presented here is a 76-year-old man diagnosed with precursor B-cell ALL with aberrant expression of myeloid markers and lacking significant CD19 or CD22 expression. A 3-year remission was achieved with one cycle of CVP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone) followed by 22 months of maintenance DOMP (dexamethasone, vincristine, methotrexate, and 6-mercaptopurine) prior to relapse. He was then treated with one cycle of salvage CVP, which was complicated by a stroke resulting in hemiparesis. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed on the relapsed bone marrow, which revealed the presence of an R132H mutation in the isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) gene. He was subsequently treated with the IDH1 inhibitor ivosidenib and remained in a second remission for nearly 1 year. IDH1 mutations are present in up to 14% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases but are also seen more rarely in ALL, particularly in cases involving aberrant expression of myeloid markers. Ivosidenib has demonstrated efficacy in patients with IDH1-mutated AML but has not been extensively studied in other hematologic malignancies. This case demonstrates the role of NGS in revealing treatment options in patients with otherwise limited available therapies.
Innovative agroecological practices can restore degraded farmlands and revive crop yields
Authors: Ntamwira Jules , Ocimati Walter , Blomme Guy , Lubobo Antoine Kanyenga , Mwarabu Lolonga Pyame Dieudonne , Dhed'a Djailo Benoit
Published: March 2023

Land degradation is a major obstacle to agricultural development in Africa, where it's accentuated by poor agricultural practices and climate change effects. Restoration of degraded lands is crucial to prevent incursions into virgin and marginal lands. A field experiment was carried out over a four-year period on two degraded sites, to assess and compare the effect of the common practices of: (i) burning crop residues and weeds by resource-poor farmers (T1) and (ii) burning crop residues and weeds followed with application of manure and/or NPK as external inputs (T2) by resource-endowed farmers with (iii) an innovative agroecological package (T3) on soil physical, chemical and biological attributes, and crop yields. T3 consisted of crop rotation and/ intercropping with Mucuna pruriens cover crop, grasses (Pennisetum purpureum and Setaria sphacelate) and shrubs (Calliandra calothyrsus, and Leucaena diversifolia), and the application of manure and NPK. A randomized complete block design with 8 and 10 blocks, with each package appearing once in each block, was used respectively, at Mulungu and Mushinga. The agroecological package significantly improved soil and plant parameters compared to the common practices at both sites. The average plot-level aboveground biomass was significantly lower (p < 0.001) in T1 (11.3–17.4 t/ha) and T2 (10.1–21.9) than in T3 (39.9–60.4 t/ha). Similar trends were observed for bean and maize grain and banana bunch yields. When T1 is compared to T3, mean yields increased 2.6 times (848 kg/ha against 327 kg/ha), 2.8 times (2,201 kg/ha against 792 kg/ha) and 1.5 times (7.4 t/ha against 5.0 t/ha) for bean grains, maize grain, and banana bunches, respectively. Improvements were also observed for soil physical, biological, and chemical properties. A decrease in soil temperature; and increases in soil porosity, earthworm density/m2 (1,932 against 0), nodules/bean plant (28 against 21) and root length density (65 against 15.5 cm) were observed in T3. T3 (compared to T1), had a decrease in acidity and Al3+; an increase in soil organic matter, K+, Ca+, and aboveground carbon stock (26.5 t/ha against 5.6 t/ha). The innovative agroecological package is thus an approach that can be used to effectively restore degraded and abandoned farmlands.
Constructing intervertebral disc degeneration animal model: A review of current models
Authors: Liang Tongzhou , Gao Bo , Zhou Jinlang , Qiu Xianjian , Qiu Jincheng , Chen Taiqiu , Liang Yanfang , Gao Wenjie , Qiu Xuemei , Lin Youxi
Published: March 2023

Low back pain is one of the top disorders that leads to disability and affects disability-adjusted life years (DALY) globally. Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) and subsequent discogenic pain composed major causes of low back pain. Recent studies have identified several important risk factors contributing to IDD's development, such as inflammation, mechanical imbalance, and aging. Based on these etiology findings, three categories of animal models for inducing IDD are developed: the damage-induced model, the mechanical model, and the spontaneous model. These models are essential measures in studying the natural history of IDD and finding the possible therapeutic target against IDD. In this review, we will discuss the technical details of these models, the duration between model establishment, the occurrence of observable degeneration, and the potential in different study ranges. In promoting future research for IDD, each animal model should examine its concordance with natural IDD pathogenesis in humans. We hope this review can enhance the understanding and proper use of multiple animal models, which may attract more attention to this disease and contribute to translation research.
Development and validation of a prognostic nomogram for neuroendocrine prostate cancer, based on the SEER database
Authors: Chen Siming , Xiong Kangping , Shi Jiageng , Yao Shijie , Wang Gang , Qian Kaiyu , Wang Xinghuan
Published: March 2023

Background

The tumor biology of neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is different from that of ordinary prostate cancer, herefore, existing clinical prognosis models for prostate cancer patients are unsuitable for NEPC. The specialized individual situation assessment and clinical decision-making tools for NEPC patients are urgently needed. This study aimed to develop a valid NEPC prognostic nomogram and risk stratification model to predict risk associated with patient outcomes.

Methods

We collected 340 de-novo NEPC patients from the SEER database, and randomly selected 240 of them as the training set and the remaining 100 as the validation set. Cox regression model was used to screen for risk factors affecting overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) and construct a corresponding nomogram. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration curves, C-indexes, and decision curve analysis (DCA) curves are used to verify and calibrate nomograms.

Results

NEPC prognosis nomograms were constructed by integrating independent risk factors. The C-indexes, ROC curves, calibration curves, and DCA curves revealed excellent prediction accuracy of the prognostic nomogram. Furthermore, we demonstrated that NEPC patients in the high-risk group had significantly lower OS and CSS than those in the low-risk group with risk scores calculated from nomograms.

Conclusions

The nomogram established in this research has the potential to be applied to the clinic to evaluate the prognosis of NEPC patients and support corresponding clinical decision-making.
The Concept of a Hybrid Data Transmission Network with a Mobile Application Intended for Monitoring the Operating Parameters of a Solar Power Plant
Authors: Kavaliauskas Žydrūnas , Šajev Igor , Blažiūnas Giedrius , Gecevičius Giedrius , Čapas Vytautas
Published: March 2023

Often, solar power parks are built in remote areas where the provider’s internet connection using the GSM network is insufficient. In addition, in order to monitor the parameters of each solar module, a very dense arrangement of IoT components would be required, as a result of which the speed of the external network would not be sufficient. In solving this problem, a hybrid data transmission network (there are no universal hybrid network concepts proposed in the literature for monitoring the operating parameters of a solar power park) was designed and tested for the monitoring system of the working parameters (voltage, current, etc.) of the solar power plant. This network consists of RF modules, RS458 modules communicating with a twisted pair cable, a GSM module, etc. PIC series microcontrollers with original programming code written in the C language were used to ensure the operation of the monitoring system and the hybrid data network. The data of the operating parameters of the solar power plant are stored centrally on a server, in a MySQL database. The central server has the ability to display data not only on the graphical output device, but also to transmit it to mobile devices using the Android operating system. During the testing of this network, observations of the working parameters of the 870 W solar power plant were made. Observations lead to the conclusion that such a network can be fully used in solar power parks as an alternative to the GSM network. Analyzing the data, it was found that the efficiency of bifacial type batteries is about 15–20% higher than that of traditional, silicon-based solar batteries. The voltammetric characteristics of a bifacial type battery, a new silicon battery and a 10-year-old battery basically match, which means that the silicon active material of all types of batteries has a similar alloying degree and the same internal resistance.
Rapid Assessment of COVID-19 Mortality Risk with GASS Classifiers
Authors: Greco Salvatore , Salatiello Alessandro , Fabbri Nicolò , Riguzzi Fabrizio , Locorotondo Emanuele , Spaggiari Riccardo , De Giorgi Alfredo , Passaro Angelina
Published: March 2023

Risk prediction models are fundamental to effectively triage incoming COVID-19 patients. However, current triaging methods often have poor predictive performance, are based on variables that are expensive to measure, and often lead to hard-to-interpret decisions. We introduce two new classification methods that can predict COVID-19 mortality risk from the automatic analysis of routine clinical variables with high accuracy and interpretability. SVM22-GASS and Clinical-GASS classifiers leverage machine learning methods and clinical expertise, respectively. Both were developed using a derivation cohort of 499 patients from the first wave of the pandemic and were validated with an independent validation cohort of 250 patients from the second pandemic phase. The Clinical-GASS classifier is a threshold-based classifier that leverages the General Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 Severity (GASS) score, a COVID-19-specific clinical score that recently showed its effectiveness in predicting the COVID-19 mortality risk. The SVM22-GASS model is a binary classifier that non-linearly processes clinical data using a Support Vector Machine (SVM). In this study, we show that SMV22-GASS was able to predict the mortality risk of the validation cohort with an AUC of 0.87 and an accuracy of 0.88, better than most scores previously developed. Similarly, the Clinical-GASS classifier predicted the mortality risk of the validation cohort with an AUC of 0.77 and an accuracy of 0.78, on par with other established and emerging machine-learning-based methods. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of accurate COVID-19 mortality risk prediction using only routine clinical variables, readily collected in the early stages of hospital admission.
Survival Benefit of Experience of Liver Resection for Advanced Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Sorafenib: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis
Authors: Hsueh Kuan-Chun , Lee Cheng-Chun , Huang Pi-Teh , Liang Chih-Yu , Yang Shun-Fa
Published: March 2023

Several studies have shown that liver resection (LR) confers better survival outcomes in intermediate- and advanced-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. However, the postoperative recurrence rate is high, and little is known about the survival benefits of LR for recurrent HCC patients who have already received systemic treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of LR on recurrent advanced-stage HCC patients who received sorafenib as a systemic treatment. In this study, 147 advanced HCC patients were enrolled between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2019. Two study groups were classified, based on whether they underwent LR or not. To reduce the possible selection bias, a propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed. The primary study endpoint was set as overall survival (OS), and the secondary endpoint was set as progression-free survival (PFS). Our study results revealed that advanced HCC patients who received sorafenib with LR had a longer OS than did those without LR, whether before or after PSM (15.0 months vs. 6.0 months, HR 0.45, 95% CI 0.31–0.67, p < 0.001; 15.0 months vs. 5.0 months, HR 0.46, 95% CI 0.28–0.76, p = 0.001). Similar results were obtained in PFS, before or after PSM (4.14 months vs. 2.60 months, HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.40–0.89, p = 0.01; 4.57 months vs. 2.63 months, HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.34–0.97, p = 0.037). Multivariate analysis showed that the experience of LR was independent of other factors associated with better OS and PFS, whether before or after PSM (p < 0.05). Therefore, advanced HCC patients who have undergone liver resection should be encouraged to continue sorafenib treatment to improve prognosis.
Novel Detection of Atmospheric Turbulence Profile Using Mie-Scattering Lidar Based on Non-Kolmogorov Turbulence Theory
Authors: Mao Jiandong , Zhang Yingnan , Li Juan , Gong Xin , Zhao Hu , Rao Zhimin
Published: March 2023

Turbulence can cause effects such as light intensity fluctuations and phase fluctuations when a laser is transmitted in the atmosphere, which has serious impacts on a number of optical engineering application effects and on climate improvement. Therefore, accurately obtaining real-time turbulence intensity information using lidar-active remote sensing technology is of great significance. In this paper, based on residual turbulent scintillation theory, a Mie-scattering lidar method was developed to detect atmospheric turbulence intensity. By extracting light intensity fluctuation information from a Mie-scattering lidar return signal, the atmospheric refractive index structure constant, Cn2, representing the atmospheric turbulence intensity, could be obtained. Specifically, the scintillation effect on the detection path was analyzed, and the probability density distribution of the light intensity of the Mie-scattering lidar return signal was studied. It was verified that the probability density of logarithmic light intensity basically follows a normal distribution under weak fluctuation conditions. The Cn2 profile based on Kolmogorov turbulence theory was retrieved using a layered, iterative method through the scintillation index. The method for detecting Kolmogorov turbulence intensity was applied to the detection of the non-Kolmogorov turbulence intensity. Through detection using the scintillation index, the corresponding C˜n2 profile could be calculated. The detection of the C˜n2 and Cn2 profiles were compared with the Hufnagel–Valley (HV) night model in the Yinchuan area. The results show that the detection results are consistent with the overall change trend of the model. In general, it is feasible to detect a non-Kolmogorov turbulence profile using Mie-scattering lidar.
Non-Monotonic Complexity of Stochastic Model of the Channel Gating Dynamics
Authors: Machura Lukasz , Wawrzkiewicz-Jałowiecka Agata , Richter-Laskowska Monika , Trybek Paulina
Published: March 2023

The simple model of an ionic current flowing through a single channel in a biological membrane is used to depict the complexity of the corresponding empirical data underlying different internal constraints and thermal fluctuations. The residence times of the channel in the open and closed states are drawn from the exponential distributions to mimic the characteristics of the real channel system. In the selected state, the dynamics are modeled by the overdamped Brownian particle moving in the quadratic potential. The simulated data allow us to directly track the effects of temperature (signal-to-noise ratio) and the channel’s energetic landscape for conformational changes on the ionic currents’ complexity, which are hardly controllable in the experimental case. To accurately describe the randomness, we employed four quantifiers, i.e., Shannon, spectral, sample, and slope entropies. We have found that the Shannon entropy predicts the anticipated reaction to the imposed modification of randomness by raising the temperature (an increase of entropy) or strengthening the localization (reduction of entropy). Other complexity quantifiers behave unpredictably, sometimes resulting in non-monotonic behaviour. Thus, their applicability in the analysis of the experimental time series of single-channel currents can be limited.
Counting-Based Effective Dimension and Discrete Regularizations
Authors: Horváth Ivan , Markoš Peter , Mendris Robert
Published: March 2023

Fractal-like structures of varying complexity are common in nature, and measure-based dimensions (Minkowski, Hausdorff) supply their basic geometric characterization. However, at the level of fundamental dynamics, which is quantum, structure does not enter via geometric features of fixed sets but is encoded in probability distributions on associated spaces. The question then arises whether a robust notion of the fractal measure-based dimension exists for structures represented in this way. Starting from effective number theory, we construct all counting-based schemes to select effective supports on collections of objects with probabilities and associate the effective counting dimension (ECD) with each. We then show that the ECD is scheme-independent and, thus, a well-defined measure-based dimension whose meaning is analogous to the Minkowski dimension of fixed sets. In physics language, ECD characterizes probabilistic descriptions arising in a theory or model via discrete “regularization”. For example, our analysis makes recent surprising results on effective spatial dimensions in quantum chromodynamics and Anderson models well founded. We discuss how to assess the reliability of regularization removals in practice and perform such analysis in the context of 3d Anderson criticality.
Jensen–Inaccuracy Information Measure
Authors: Kharazmi Omid , Shirazinia Faezeh , Buono Francesco , Longobardi Maria
Published: March 2023

The purpose of the paper is to introduce the Jensen–inaccuracy measure and examine its properties. Furthermore, some results on the connections between the inaccuracy and Jensen–inaccuracy measures and some other well-known information measures are provided. Moreover, in three different optimization problems, the arithmetic mixture distribution provides optimal information based on the inaccuracy information measure. Finally, two real examples from image processing are studied and some numerical results in terms of the inaccuracy and Jensen–inaccuracy information measures are obtained.
Matters of Perception
Authors: Lucey Thomas
Published: March 2023

This Issue in Education Sciences publishes select responses to a call for papers concerning groundings for knowledge that inform education [...]
A Direct Numerical Simulation Assessment of Turbulent Burning Velocity Parametrizations for Non-Unity Lewis Numbers
Authors: Mohan Vishnu , Herbert Marco , Klein Markus , Chakraborty Nilanjan
Published: March 2023

The predictions of turbulent burning velocity parameterizations for non-unity Lewis number flames have been assessed based on a single-step chemistry Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) database of premixed Bunsen flames for different values of characteristic Lewis numbers ranging from 0.34 to 1.2. It has been found that the definition of the turbulent burning velocity is strongly dependent on the choice of projected flame brush area in the Bunsen burner configuration. The highest values of normalized turbulent burning velocity are obtained when the projected flame brush area is evaluated using the area of the isosurface of the Reynolds averaged reaction progress variable of 0.1 out of different options, namely the Favre averaged and Reynolds averaged isosurfaces of reaction progress variable of 0.5 and integral of the gradient of Favre and Reynolds averaged reaction progress variable. Because of the axisymmetric nature of the mean flame brush, the normalized turbulent burning velocity has been found to decrease as the burned gas side is approached, due to an increase in flame brush area with increasing radius. Most models for turbulent burning velocity provide comparable, reasonably accurate predictions for the unity Lewis number case when the projected flame brush area is evaluated using the isosurface of the Reynolds averaged reaction progress variable of 0.1. However, most of these parameterizations underpredict turbulent burning velocity values for Lewis numbers smaller than unity. A scaling relation has been utilized to extend these parameterizations for non-unity Lewis numbers. These revised parameterizations have been shown to be more successful than the original model expressions. These modified expressions also exhibit small values of L2-norm of the relative error with respect to experimental data from literature for different Lewis numbers, higher turbulence intensity and thermodynamic pressure levels.
The Induction Motor MRAS-Based Speed Estimator Capable of Modelling the Slip Frequency Dependent Variability of the Rotor Impedance
Authors: Utrata Grzegorz , Rolek Jaroslaw
Published: March 2023

Speed feedback is indispensable not only for closed-loop controlled induction motors (IM) but also for the state monitoring systems of open-loop controlled IMs. Replacing speed sensors with speed estimations has many advantages including, e.g., hardware complexity reduction, sensor cabling elimination, and reduction of IM drive costs. From the various methods for IM speed estimation proposed in the literature, the model reference adaptive system (MRAS)-based speed estimator stands out because of its straightforward synthesis technique and lower computational complexity. On the other hand, this estimator is inherently sensitive to mismatching of IM equivalent circuit parameters. During transients, when the slip frequency cannot be temporarily controlled over the assumed operating point, rotor impedance varies with the slip frequency changes. This phenomenon is even more significant for open-loop controlled high-slip IMs (NEMA design D IMs), which operate under the cycling load like in, e.g., oil well pumps. The rate and the range of rotor impedance variability are related to the rate and the range of the slip frequency changes. Therefore, a speed estimator capable of modelling the slip frequency dependent variability of the rotor impedance may be required, particularly for the state monitoring systems of open-loop controlled IMs. This paper presents an MRAS-based speed estimator developed on the IM space vector model with the rotor impedance variability modelled by the parallel connected branches of the series rotor equivalent resistance and leakage inductance. The experimental test results confirm the precise speed estimation of the tested IMs achieved by the devised MRAS-based speed estimator in the considered slip frequency range and indicate its potential industrial application.
Research on Production Performance Prediction Model of Horizontal Wells Completed with AICDs in Bottom Water Reservoirs
Authors: Zhang Ning , An Yongsheng , Huo Runshi
Published: March 2023

With the advancement of completion technology for horizontal wells in bottom water reservoirs, Autonomous Inflow Control Devices (AICDs), which have achieved good results in recent years, have been widely used in the oil fields of the eastern South China Sea. Although some mathematical methods can be used to predict the production performance of horizontal wells, there is no dynamic prediction method for the production performance of horizontal wells completed with AICDs. In this work, a mathematical model of porous flow in the reservoir, nozzle flow in the AICD, and pipe flow in the horizontal well is established, and then a new model is presented for predicting the dynamic performance of horizontal wells completed with AICDs in bottom water reservoirs. The new coupling model is compared with two horizontal wells completed with AICDs in the bottom water reservoirs of the eastern South China Sea, and the results indicate that the accuracy of the new model is sufficiently high to provide theoretical support for the further prediction of horizontal wells in the eastern South China Sea.
Comparative Risk Assessment of a Hydrogen Refueling Station Using Gaseous Hydrogen and Formic Acid as the Hydrogen Carrier
Authors: Kim Changsoo , Lee Younggeun , Kim Kyeongsu
Published: March 2023

To realize a hydrogen economy, many studies are being conducted regarding the development and analysis of hydrogen carriers. Recently, formic acid has been receiving attention as a potential hydrogen carrier due to its high volumetric energy density and relatively safe characteristics. However, hydrogen refueling systems using formic acid are very different from conventional hydrogen refueling stations, and quantitative risks assessments need to be conducted to verify their safe usage. In this study, a comparative safety analysis of a formic acid hydrogen refueling station (FAHRS) and a gaseous hydrogen refueling station (GHRS) was conducted. Since there is no FAHRS under operation, a process simulation model was developed and integrated with quantitative risk assessment techniques to perform safety analysis. Results of the analysis show that the FAHRS poses less risk than the GHRS, where the vapor cloud explosion occurring in the buffer tank is of greatest consequence. A GHRS poses a greater risk than an FAHRS due to the high pressure required to store hydrogen in the tube trailer. The mild operating conditions required for storage and dehydrogenation of formic acid contribute to the low risk values of an FAHRS. For risk scenarios exceeding the risk limit, risk mitigation measures were applied to design a safe process for GHRS. The results show that the installation of active safety systems for the GHRS allow the system to operate within acceptable safety regions.
Dealing with Deadlocks in Industrial Multi Agent Systems
Authors: Čapkovič František
Published: March 2023

Automated Manufacturing Systems (AMS) consisting of many cooperating devices incorporated into multiple cooperating production lines, sharing common resources, represent industrial Multi-Agent Systems (MAS). Deadlocks may occur during operation of such MAS. It is necessary to deal with deadlocks (more precisely said, to prevent them) to ensure the correct behavior of AMS. For this purpose, among other methods, methods based on Petri nets (PN) are used too. Because AMS are very often described by PN models, two PN-based methods will be presented here, namely based on (i) PN place invariants (P-invariants); and (ii) PN siphons and traps. Intended final results of usage these methods is finding a supervisor allowing a deadlock-free activity of the global MAS. While the former method yields results in analytical terms, latter one need computation of siphons and traps.
Making Bedlam: Toward a Trauma-Informed Mad Feminist Literary Theory and Praxis
Authors: Mason Jessica Lowell
Published: March 2023

Building on what Margaret Price describes as the “long history of positive and person-centered discourses” of the term Mad, this article seeks to offer a (re)tooling and (re)theorization of the not-so-antiquated concept of “bedlam” as part of a Mad feminist literary theory and practice that aims to situate reading and writing practices on the subject of madness within a trauma-informed Mad framework and to (re)shape reading and writing practices by (re)seeing or seeing-in-a-new-and-old-Mad way the concept of “bedlam”—rendering it agential and unhinging it from its historical meanings. The article theorizes “bedlam” as a form of deliberate Mad literary practice, offering two examples of “bedlam-making”, one in the poetry of Anne Sexton’s 1960 collection To Bedlam and Part-way Back and the other in the historical fiction of Toni Morrison’s Beloved. The article strives to re-articulate “bedlam” in a way that draws attention to the agency of language on the subject of madness, when written and read by writers and readers aware of the acute violences and traumas performed upon bodies exiled from “Reason”, attending to the ways in which writers and readers make a subjectivity of “bedlam” or a resistance to and critique of systemic oppression that gives social agency to Mad literary action. “Making bedlam”, it is argued in this essay, is a Mad feminist literary theory and practice, part of social justice discourses and liberation-focused action, which is deeply connected with other liberation movements in pursuit of the end of systemic violences.
Extensive Investigation on the Effect of Niobium Insertion on the Physical and Biological Properties of 45S5 Bioactive Glass for Dental Implant
Authors: Hammami Imen , Gavinho Sílvia Rodrigues , Pádua Ana Sofia , Lança Maria do Carmo , Borges João Paulo , Silva Jorge Carvalho , Sá-Nogueira Isabel , Jakka Suresh Kumar , Graça Manuel Pedro Fernandes
Published: March 2023

Dental implants have emerged as one of the most consistent and predictable treatments in the oral surgery field. However, the placement of the implant is sometimes associated with bacterial infection leading to its loss. In this work, we intend to solve this problem through the development of a biomaterial for implant coatings based on 45S5 Bioglass® modified with different amounts of niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5). The structural feature of the glasses, assessed by XRD and FTIR, did not change in spite of Nb2O5 incorporation. The Raman spectra reveal the Nb2O5 incorporation related to the appearance of NbO4 and NbO6 structural units. Since the electrical characteristics of these biomaterials influence their osseointegration ability, AC and DC electrical conductivity were studied by impedance spectroscopy, in the frequency range of 102–106 Hz and temperature range of 200–400 K. The cytotoxicity of glasses was evaluated using the osteosarcoma Saos-2 cells line. The in vitro bioactivity studies and the antibacterial tests against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria revealed that the samples loaded with 2 mol% Nb2O5 had the highest bioactivity and greatest antibacterial effect. Overall, the results showed that the modified 45S5 bioactive glasses can be used as an antibacterial coating material for implants, with high bioactivity, being also non-cytotoxic to mammalian cells.
Feline Calicivirus P39 Inhibits Innate Immune Responses by Autophagic Degradation of Retinoic Acid Inducible Gene I
Authors: Mao Jianwei , Ye Shaotang , Deng Jie , Song Jie , Wang Zhen , Chen Aolei , Zhou Pei , Li Shoujun
Published: March 2023

Feline calicivirus (FCV) is a feline pathogen that can cause severe upper respiratory tract disease in cats, thus posing a major threat to their health. The exact pathogenic mechanism of FCV is still unclear, although it has been identified as having the ability to induce immune depression. In this study, we discovered that FCV infection triggers autophagy and that its non-structural proteins, P30, P32, and P39, are responsible for initiating this process. Additionally, we observed that altering autophagy levels via chemical modulation resulted in different influences on FCV replication. Moreover, our findings indicate that autophagy can modify the innate immunity induced by FCV infection, with increased autophagy further suppressing FCV-induced RIG-I signal transduction. This research provides insights into the mechanism of FCV replication and has the potential to aid in the development of autophagy-targeted drugs to inhibit or prevent FCV infection.
Artemisia annua Extract Improves the Cognitive Deficits and Reverses the Pathological Changes of Alzheimer’s Disease via Regulating YAP Signaling
Authors: Zhou Wenshu , Lei Bingxi , Yang Chao , Silva Marta , Xing Xingan , Yu Hua , Lu Jiahong , Zheng Wenhua
Published: March 2023

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease characterized by the occurrence of cognitive deficits. With no effective treatments available, the search for new effective therapies has become a major focus of interest. In the present study, we describe the potential therapeutic effect of Artemisia annua (A. annua) extract on AD. Nine-month-old female 3xTg AD mice were treated with A. annua extract for three months via oral administration. Animals assigned to WT and model groups were administrated with an equal volume of water for the same period. Treated AD mice significantly improved the cognitive deficits and exhibited reduced Aβ accumulation, hyper-phosphorylation of tau, inflammatory factor release and apoptosis when compared with untreated AD mice. Moreover, A. annua extract promoted the survival and proliferation of neural progenitor cells (NPS) and increased the expression of synaptic proteins. Further assessment of the implicated mechanisms revealed that A. annua extract regulates the YAP signaling pathway in 3xTg AD mice. Further studies comprised the incubation of PC12 cells with Aβ1–42 at a concentration of 8 μM with or without different concentrations of A. annua extract for 24 h. Obtained ROS levels, mitochondrial membrane potential, caspase-3 activity, neuronal cell apoptosis and assessment of the signaling pathways involved was performed using western blot and immunofluorescence staining. The obtained results showed that A. annua extract significantly reversed the Aβ1–42-induced increase in ROS levels, caspase-3 activity and neuronal cell apoptosis in vitro. Moreover, either inhibition of the YAP signaling pathway, using a specific inhibitor or CRISPR cas9 knockout of YAP gene, reduced the neuroprotective effect of the A. annua extract. These findings suggest that A. annua extract may be a new multi-target anti-AD drug with potential use in the prevention and treatment of AD.
A Comprehensive Analysis Revealing FBXW9 as a Potential Prognostic and Immunological Biomarker in Breast Cancer
Authors: Yu Shiyi , Liang Zhengyan , Fan Zhehao , Cao Binjie , Wang Ning , Wu Rui , Sun Haibo
Published: March 2023

The WD40 repeat-containing F-box proteins (FBXWs) family belongs to three major classes of F-box proteins. Consistent with the function of other F-box proteins, FBXWs are E3 ubiquitin ligases to mediate protease-dependent protein degradation. However, the roles of several FBXWs remain elusive. In the present study, via integrative analysis of transcriptome profiles from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets, we found that FBXW9 was upregulated in the majority of cancer types, including breast cancer. FBXW expression was correlated with the prognosis of patients with various types of cancers, especially for FBXW4, 5, 9, and 10. Moreover, FBXWs were associated with infiltration of immune cells, and expression of FBXW9 was associated with poor prognosis of patients receiving anti-PD1 therapy. We predicted several substrates of FBXW9, and TP53 was the hub gene in the list. Downregulation of FBXW9 increased the expression of p21, a target of TP53, in breast cancer cells. FBXW9 was also strongly correlated with cancer cell stemness, and genes correlated with FBXW9 were associated with several MYC activities according to gene enrichment analysis in breast cancer. Cell-based assays showed that silencing of FBXW9 inhibited cell proliferation and cell cycle progression in breast cancer cells. Our study highlights the potential role of FBXW9 as a biomarker and promising target for patients with breast cancer.
Function of ALA Content in Porphyrin Metabolism Regulation of Ananas comosus var. bracteatus
Authors: Adjei Mark Owusu , Luo Jiaheng , Li Xi , Du Juan , Luan Aiping , Li Shujiang , Ma Jun
Published: March 2023

Chlorophyll and heme are essential molecules for photosynthesis and respiration, which are competing branches of the porphyrin metabolism pathway. Chlorophyll and heme balance regulation is very important for the growth and development of plants. The chimeric leaves of Ananas comosus var. bracteatus were composed of central photosynthetic tissue (PT) and marginal albino tissue (AT), which were ideal materials for the study of porphyrin metabolism mechanisms. In this study, the regulatory function of ALA content on porphyrin metabolism (chlorophyll and heme balance) was revealed by comparing PT and AT, 5-Aminolevulinic Acid (ALA) exogenous supply, and interference of hemA expression. The AT remained similar in porphyrin metabolism flow level to the PT by keeping an equal ALA content in both tissues, which was very important for the normal growth of the chimeric leaves. As the chlorophyll biosynthesis in AT was significantly inhibited, the porphyrin metabolism flow was directed more toward the heme branch. Both tissues had similar Mg2+ contents; however, Fe2+ content was significantly increased in the AT. The chlorophyll biosynthesis inhibition in the white tissue was not due to a lack of Mg2+ and ALA. A 1.5-fold increase in ALA content inhibited chlorophyll biosynthesis while promoting heme biosynthesis and hemA expression. The doubling of ALA content boosted chlorophyll biosynthesis while decreasing hemA expression and heme content. HemA expression interference resulted in a higher ALA content and a lower chlorophyll content, while the heme content remained at a relatively low and stable level. Conclusively, a certain amount of ALA was important for the stability of porphyrin metabolism and the normal growth of plants. The ALA content appears to be able to regulate chlorophyll and heme content by bidirectionally regulating porphyrin metabolism branch direction.
Solvatochromism, Acidochromism and Photochromism of the 2,6-Bis(4-hydroxybenzylidene) Cyclohexanone Derivative
Authors: Homocianu Mihaela , Serbezeanu Diana , Tachita Vlad Bubulac
Published: March 2023

In this paper, we studied the photophysical behavior of 2,6-bis(4-hydroxybenzylidene) cyclohexanone (BZCH) under the influence of various stimuli. The photophysical properties were correlated with different solvent parameters, such as the Kamlet–Abraham–Taft (KAT), Catalán, and Laurence solvent scales, suggesting that the behavior of BZCH is influenced by both nonspecific and specific solvent-solute interactions. The Catalán solvent dipolarity/polarizability parameters were found to have a significant role in the solvatochromic behavior, which is also confirmed by the KAT and Laurence models. The acidochromism and photochromism properties of this sample in dimethylsulfoxide and chloroform solutions were also investigated. The compound showed reversible acidochromism after the addition of dilute NaOH/HCl solutions, accompanied by a change in color and the appearance of a new absorption band (514 nm). The photochemical behavior was also examined by irradiating BZCH solutions with both 254 and 365 nm light.
Effect of Plasma On-Time with a Fixed Duty Ratio on Reactive Species in Plasma-Treated Medium and Its Significance in Biological Applications
Authors: Mumtaz Sohail , Rana Juie Nahushkumar , Lim Jun Sup , Javed Rida , Choi Eun Ha , Han Ihn
Published: March 2023

Optimizing the therapeutic range of nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTAPP) for biomedical applications is an active research topic. For the first time, we examined the effect of plasma on-times in this study while keeping the duty ratio and treatment time fixed. We have evaluated the electrical, optical, and soft jet properties for two different duty ratios of 10% and 36%, using the plasma on-times of 25, 50, 75, and 100 ms. Furthermore, the influence of plasma on-time on reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) levels in plasma treated medium (PTM) was also investigated. Following treatment, the characteristics of (DMEM media) and PTM (pH, EC, and ORP) were also examined. While EC and ORP rose by raising plasma on-time, pH remained unchanged. Finally, the PTM was used to observe the cell viability and ATP levels in U87-MG brain cancer cells. We found it interesting that, by increasing the plasma on-time, the levels of ROS/RNS dramatically increased in PTM and significantly affected the viability and ATP levels of the U87-MG cell line. The results of this study provide a significant indication of advancement by introducing the optimization of plasma on-time to increase the efficacy of the soft plasma jet for biomedical applications.
The Effect of Belantamab Mafodotin on Primary Myeloma–Stroma Co-Cultures: Asymmetrical Mitochondrial Transfer between Myeloma Cells and Autologous Bone Marrow Stromal Cells
Authors: Matula Zsolt , Uher Ferenc , Vályi-Nagy István , Mikala Gábor
Published: March 2023

Belantamab mafodotin (belamaf) is an afucosylated monoclonal antibody conjugated to the microtubule disrupter monomethyl auristatin-F (MMAF) that targets B cell maturation antigen (BCMA) on the surface of malignant plasma cells. Belamaf can eliminate myeloma cells (MMs) through several mechanisms. On the one hand, in addition to inhibiting BCMA-receptor signaling and cell survival, intracellularly released MMAF disrupts tubulin polymerization and causes cell cycle arrest. On the other hand, belamaf induces effector cell-mediated tumor cell lysis via antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis. In our in vitro co-culture model, the consequences of the first mentioned mechanism can be investigated: belamaf binds to BCMA, reduces the proliferation and survival of MMs, and then enters the lysosomes of malignant cells, where MMAF is released. The MMAF payload causes a cell cycle arrest at the DNA damage checkpoint between the G2 and M phases, resulting in caspase-3-dependent apoptosis. Here, we show that primary MMs isolated from different patients can vary widely in terms of BCMA expression level, and inadequate expression is associated with extremely high resistance to belamaf according to our cytotoxicity assay. We also reveal that primary MMs respond to increasing concentrations of belamaf by enhancing the incorporation of mitochondria from autologous bone marrow stromal cells (BM-MSCs), and as a consequence, MMs become more resistant to belamaf in this way, which is similar to other medications we have analyzed previously in this regard, such as proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib or the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax. The remarkable resistance against belamaf observed in the case of certain primary myeloma cell cultures is a cause for concern and points towards the use of combination therapies to overcome the risk of antigen escape.
Sessile Trichomes Play Major Roles in Prey Digestion and Absorption, While Stalked Trichomes Function in Prey Predation in Byblis guehoi
Authors: Li You-Xian , Chen Alvin , Leu Wei-Ming
Published: March 2023

Carnivorous plants in the genus Byblis obtain nutrients by secreting viscous glue drops and enzymes that trap and digest small organisms. Here, we used B. guehoi to test the long-held theory that different trichomes play different roles in carnivorous plants. In the leaves of B. guehoi, we observed a 1:2.5:14 ratio of long-stalked, short-stalked, and sessile trichomes. We demonstrated that the stalked trichomes play major roles in the production of glue droplets, while the sessile trichomes secrete digestive enzymes, namely proteases and phosphatases. In addition to absorbing digested small molecules via channels/transporters, several carnivorous plants employ a more efficient system: endocytosis of large protein molecules. By feeding B. guehoi fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA) to monitor protein transport, we found that sessile trichomes exhibited more endocytosis than long- and short-stalked trichomes. The uptaken FITC-BSA was delivered to the neighboring short epidermal cells in the same row as the sessile trichomes, then to the underlying mesophyll cells; however, no signals were detected in the parallel rows of long epidermis cells. The FITC control could be taken up by sessile trichomes but not transported out. Our study shows that B. guehoi has developed a well-organized system to maximize its food supply, consisting of stalked trichomes for prey predation and sessile trichomes for prey digestion. Moreover, the finding that sessile trichomes transfer large, endocytosed protein molecules to the underlying mesophyll, and putatively to the vascular tissues, but not laterally to the terminally differentiated epidermis, indicates that the nutrient transport system has evolved to maximize efficiency.