bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on Power Grid Data Asset Management Based on Big Data BI Analysis – The Role of Renewable Energy Technologies
Authors: Zhong Du , Haiyan Yao
Published: July 2023

With the advancement of the industrial Internet of Things era, and the use of renewable energy technologies, smart grid has become the main form of power grid, and data has become a key link. The problem of data islands is common, and the data value, especially the commercial value, has yet to be tapped. This phenomenon is particularly prominent in power grid enterprises. Therefore, a data management model and method for power grid enterprises are proposed. The model aims at data asset management of power grid enterprises, reveals the process of extracting, modeling, analyzing and value mining of power grid data based on big data BI technology, and puts forward a practical and easy-to-land data asset management method, which really solves the problems of how to collect, store, manage and use data. Finally, taking the linkage between power marketing data and power grid planning in a certain area of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province as a specific scenario, the BI analysis conclusion of relevant marketing data is displayed, which realizes the echo of conventional application and advanced application, reduces investment practically, improves economic benefits, and demonstrates the feasibility and scientificity of the method.
Research on Sustainable Landscape Design and Public Environmental Perception of Modern Communities Based on Deep Learning Nonlinear Data
Authors: Hu Wangming , Wang Gulong
Published: July 2023

In order to study the impact of modern community sustainable landscape design under deep learning nonlinear data and its role in public environmental perception, this paper discusses the traditional landscape design concept and the modern community sustainable landscape design concept under deep learning nonlinear data, and compares and analyzes the relevant elements, the functional performance of landscape architecture and the comprehensive effect through statistical methods. The results are statistically significant. Through analysis and verification, modern community sustainable landscape design based on deep learning nonlinear data can better promote the integration of landscape, humanities and environment, improve the quality of community environment, so as to improve the physical and mental health of the public and meet the public’s needs for the environment.
LCOE Calculation Method Based on Carbon Cost Transmission in an “Electricity-Carbon” Market Environment
Authors: Zhang Jian , Sun Qian , Liang Xiaohe , Chen Jian , Kuai Jipeng , Xia Nannan
Published: July 2023

The current Chinese electricity market and carbon market are built relatively independently, without coupling and synergy, and the incoherence between the two markets is beginning to emerge. Carbon emissions costs in the carbon trading market will affect the marginal cost of renewable energy and thermal power in the electricity market, limiting market participants’ profitability. In order to simulate and evaluate the changes of LCOE of renewable energy and thermal power in the “electricity-carbon” market environment, this paper presents the calculation method of carbon emission cost of thermal power and CCER benefit of renewable energy based on the relevant regulations in China, and calculates the carbon emission cost transmission rate of thermal power based on Cournot model. In addition, we proposed a method for calculating the LCOE based on the international common calculation method for LCOE, combined with China’s taxation policy and the cost and benefit factors of renewable energy and thermal power in the carbon market, and proposed a method for calculating the LCOE applicable to the “electricity-carbon” market environment in China. The findings indicate that as a result of the influence of the carbon market, the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) cost of thermal power will increase, and the profitability of thermal power in the electricity market will be further reduced. On the other hand, the LCOE cost of renewable energy will further decrease, and its profitability will improve due to the additional CCER benefits in the carbon market.
Medium- and Long-term Forecast of China’s Electricity Consumption Considering the Fast Growth of New Infrastructure
Authors: Yang JunChao , Li Tianfeng
Published: July 2023

In order to predict China’s electricity consumption demand under situation of fast growth of the new infrastructure, a medium- and long-term electricity consumption demand prediction model based on LEAP is proposed, which calculates the overall electricity consumption of the country according to the activity level and intensity of typical new infrastructure and other sectors. Five different scenarios are set for comparison. The results show that under the basic scenario, China’s electricity consumption will reach 7408 billion kWh in 2035, in which the consumption of new infrastructure accounts for 31.31%.While under the other four scenarios, China’s electricity consumption will reach to the minimum of 7319 billion kWh under the scenario of improvement of energy-saving technology, and the maximum of 7525 billion kWh under the scenario of fast development of the new infrastructure, with higher contributions of the consumption of commercial charging, data centers and 5G base station. Relevant suggestions are put forward from the aspects of new infrastructure construction, development of clean energy and technical standards to reduce the electricity consumption of new infrastructure.
Effectiveness of incisional negative pressure wound therapy after major lower extremity amputation: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Vaddavalli VV , Girdhani B , Savlania A , Behera A , Rastogi A , Kaman L , Abuji K
Published: July 2023

Introduction

The aim was to study the effect of incisional negative pressure wound therapy (iNPWT) in wound healing compared with standard sterile gauze dressings after major lower extremity amputation in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

Methods

This prospective, randomised controlled trial included 50 patients undergoing major lower extremity amputations for PAD. Patients were randomised into iNPWT and standard dressing groups. The patency of blood vessels at the level of the stump was ensured with or without revascularisation. The primary outcome was wound-related complications such as surgical site infection (SSI), wound dehiscence, seroma/haematoma formation or the need for revision amputation. The secondary outcome was the time taken for the eligibility of prosthesis placement.

Results

It was found that only 12% of the patients in the iNPWT group had SSI compared with 36% in the standard dressing group (p = 0.047). Rates of wound dehiscence, seroma/haematoma formation and revision amputation were decreased in the iNPWT group but this was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). There was a significant reduction in the time taken for eligibility of prosthesis placement in the iNPWT group (5.12 ± 1.53 vs 6.8 ± 1.95 weeks, p = 0.002).

Conclusions

iNPWT is effective in reducing the incidence of SSI and the time taken for rehabilitation in patients undergoing major lower limb amputation due to PAD.
From managing volunteers to managing partnerships: excluded youth as active partners in non-profit organisations
Authors: Yanay-Ventura Galit , Yakhnich Liat , Michael Keren , Sharabi Moshe
Published: July 2023

This article aims to provide a theoretical framework for working with excluded youth as active partners in non-profit organisations. Using the Youth-Adult Partnership model, we propose three strategies for creating partnerships with youth in the realm of volunteerism: (1) group volunteering; (2) mentoring as a managerial strategy; and (3) management councils. Each strategy is a means of relying on youths’ knowledge and expertise, and assigning volunteers and practitioners joint authority to lead the services. Based on Bourdieu’s (1986) theory of capital, we argue that such partnerships serve not only as a means of reducing the inequality of young people experiencing social exclusion as volunteers, but also as an opportunity to demonstrate the social capital of youth as service providers stemming from their marginalisation. Such recognition by adults and staff, who are the service providers of the youths as clients, can change the rules for both the youth and the organisations.
The centrality of disablement subjectivation to the reproduction of capitalist social relations: considerations for Critical and Global Political Economy
Authors: Chis Ioana Cerasella
Published: July 2023

In the face of a global, mass impairment- and chronic illness-producing event such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the question of how to consider and integrate the politics of disablement within Global Political Economy scholarship and anti-capitalist activism has become ever-more pressing. In this article, I provide a proposal for how to conceptualise the capitalism-specific commonality between people who identify as having impairments, being chronically ill, neurodivergent, D/deaf, experiencing mental distress and who may or may not also identify as disabled people. To this end, in this article I adopt the ‘social model of disability’ and engage with both Moran’s cultural-materialist approach to identity and Autonomist Marxism’s ‘class composition’ thesis. Then, I make the case for the analytic usefulness of the non-identity, relational concept ‘subjects of disablement’ as the technical composition of disability on the basis of which the socio-political identity ‘disabled people’ as the political composition of disability emerges. Acknowledging disablement oppression and exploitation as central and fundamental to the reproduction of capitalist social relations would equip the GPE scholarship embedded within the praxis of dissent and resistance (see Bonfert et al, 2022) to generatively support activist groups’ already-existing efforts and mobilisations against and beyond – what I call – disabling capitalism. The Global Political Economy journal offers the opportunity for the ‘sluice gates’ (Clua-Losada and Moore, 2022: 6) of this interdisciplinary field to be widely opened for, and welcoming of, further explorations of how capitalism cannot be fully understood and ruptured without an analysis of structural disablement.
Generation of sub-100  fs pulses from a SESAM-NPE hybrid mode-locked Yb-doped fiber laser at a fundamental repetition rate of 1.15  GHz
Authors: Sui Qinglin , Ou Shangming , Chen Yun , Zhang Nan , Liu Huanhuan , Shum Perry Ping , Ma Menglong , Guo Liang , Zhang Qingmao
Published: July 2023

Supercontinuum generation via direct pumping of unamplified high-repetition-rate, sub-100 fs pulses with a pulse energy lower than 50 pJ is superior in noise performance and features a high acquisition speed. We demonstrate a novel, to the best of our knowledge, gigahertz-repetition-rate, mode-locked Yb-doped fiber laser, where the hybrid mode-locking approach is employed. The laser has a low initiating threshold of 300 mW and a broad mode-locking range of 600 mW (300–900 mW) in terms of pump power. The shortest obtained pulse width of the laser after compression is 95 fs, and the highest output pulse energy is 92.9 pJ at a fundamental repetition rate of 1.15 GHz. Moreover, the laser’s output polarization states are switchable, and it has a polarization extinction ratio of 17.9 dB.
Active control of resonant asymmetric transmission based on topological edge states in paired photonic crystals with a Ge2Sb2Te5 film
Authors: Ge Zekun , Sang Tian , Li Shi , Luo Chen , Wang Yueke
Published: July 2023

For many high-precision applications such as filtering, sensing, and photodetection, active control of resonant responses of metasurfaces is crucial. Herein, we demonstrate that active control of resonant asymmetric transmission can be realized based on the topological edge state (TES) of an ultra-thin Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) film in a photonic crystal grating (PCG). The PCG is composed of two pairs of one-dimensional photonic crystals (PCs) separated by a GST film. The phase change of the GST film re-distributes the field distributions of the PCG; thus active control of narrowband asymmetric transmission can be achieved due to the switch of the on–off state of the TES. According to multipole decompositions, the appearance and disappearance of the synergistically reduced dipole modes are responsible for the high-contrast asymmetric transmission of the PCG. In addition, the asymmetric transmission performances are robust to the variation of structural parameters, and good unidirectional transmission performances with a high peak transmission and high contrast ratio can be balanced, as the layer number of the two PCs is set as four. By changing the crystallization fraction of GST, the peak transmission and peak contrast ratio of asymmetric transmission can be flexibly tuned with the resonance locations kept almost the same.
Micro-fabricated Si subwavelength grating for frequency-domain THz beam steering covering the 0.3–0.5 THz frequency band
Authors: Chiba Kohei , Okatani Taiyu , Inomata Naoki , Kanamori Yoshiaki
Published: July 2023

We designed and fabricated beam steering subwavelength grating (BS-SWG) with high efficiency, wide angles, and broadband beam steering in the terahertz (THz) range. Beam steering technology in the THz range by a fixed structure and frequency sweep has to date lacked a device combining high efficiency and a wide beam steering angle. A subwavelength structure using float zone Si, a low-loss dielectric, could combine both of these aspects, but no experimental demonstration in the THz range has been performed to our knowledge. The BS-SWG was designed with an efficiency of 0.708 at 0.4 THz and beam steering angles of −72.1°–−34.8° by sweeping the incident frequency from 0.3 THz to 0.5 THz including the Beyond 5 G/6 G communication bands. An efficiency of 0.354 at 0.400 THz and beam steering angles of −74°–−34° were experimentally achieved, demonstrating the potential of high-efficiency, wide-angle beam steering for THz communications, imaging, and radar applications.
Implementation of energy-efficient convolutional neural networks based on kernel-pruned silicon photonics
Authors: Huang Duan , Xiong YanTing , Xing Zhuangzhuang , Zhang Qi
Published: July 2023

Silicon-based optical neural networks offer the prospect of high-performance computing on integrated photonic circuits. However, the scalability of on-chip optical depth networks is restricted by the limited energy and space resources. Here, we present a silicon-based photonic convolutional neural network (PCNN) combined with the kernel pruning, in which the optical convolutional computing core of PCNN is a tunable micro-ring weight bank. Our numerical simulation demonstrates the effect of weight mapping accuracy on PCNN performance and we find that the performance of PCNN decreases significantly when the weight mapping accuracy is less than 4.3 bits. Additionally, the experimental demonstration shows that the accuracy of the PCNN on the MNIST dataset has a slight loss compared to the original CNN when 93.75 % of the convolutional kernels are pruned. By making use of kernel pruning, the energy saved by a convolutional kernel removal is about 202.3 mW, and the overall energy saved has a linear relationship with the number of kernels removed. The methodology is scalable and provides a feasible solution for implementing faster and more energy-efficient large-scale optical convolutional neural networks on photonic integrated circuits.
Laser-sustained plasma of high radiance in the ultraviolet spectral range based on the reservoir effect of the annular beam
Authors: Yang Shichao , Shi Zhaojiang , Yu Fei , Yu Xia
Published: July 2023

Laser-sustained plasma (LSP) featured by high radiance in the ultraviolet (UV) spectral range is found to be powerful in high resolution inspection and spectroscopy applications. In this paper, we demonstrate significant enhancement of UV radiance in LSP excited by a high power focused annular laser beam of small F-number. A two-dimensional refractive index distribution in the plasma region is established to obtain the propagation path of the annular beam. Subsequently, the spatial distribution of the annular beam power density is calculated to establish the quantitative relationship between laser power and plasma dimension. Theoretical analysis of a “reservoir” effect constructed by the annular beam is carried out. Abrupt plasma dimension change is observed when the laser power exceeds the “reservoir” boundary. The new model is then validated by experiments. LSP with the highest reported UV radiance to our knowledge has been achieved. This work paves what we believe is a novel way of generating high radiance UV sources by spatial manipulation of excitation laser beam.
Fast and robust calibration method of liquid-crystal spatial light modulator based on polarization multiplexing
Authors: Li Junxiang , Du Yijun , Fan Chen , Zhao Rong , Hu Xiaohan , Wan Jiahao , Yang Xinyu , Cheng Huan , Hu Zirui , Zhao Zixin , Zhao Hong
Published: July 2023

We propose a fast and robust method for calibrating Spatial Light Modulators (SLMs) based on polarization phase-shifting interferometry. Our method effectively calibrates the SLM by addressing both the static aberration and nonlinear phase response, utilizing specially designed gray images loaded sequentially onto the SLM. Notably, we introduce a novel kinoform that effectively eliminates the influence of tilt phase shift between two shots of the polarization camera. This results in a highly accurate phase aberration map and phase modulation curve with exceptional stability, making it an ideal method to calibrate the SLM with exceptional efficiency and precision in real applications.
Unidirectional manipulation of Smith–Purcell radiation by phase-gradient metasurfaces
Authors: Xu Yadong , Wang Yang , Zhou Qingjia , Gao Lei , Fu Yangyang
Published: July 2023

Here, we present a new, to the best of our knowledge, approach to control Smith–Purcell radiation (SPR) via phase-gradient metasurfaces (PGMs), i.e., periodic grating structures with gradient phase modulation. We show that the phase gradient and the parity design of the PGM can efficiently manipulate higher order diffraction to achieve perfect unidirectional SPR, which significantly alters the SPR in the spectrum and the spatial distribution beyond traditional understanding. Specifically, the even-parity PGM results in incidence-free unidirectional radiation, while the odd-parity PGM enables incidence-locking unidirectional radiation. This unidirectional SPR is very robust, ensured by the parity-dependent diffraction rule in PGMs. A modified formula is presented to reveal the relationship between the radiation wavelength and the radiation angle. Our findings offer a new way to control the electromagnetic radiation of moving charged particles (CPs) with structured materials, which may lead to novel applications in tunable, efficient light sources and particle detectors.
Highly sensitive photoacoustic gas sensor with micro-embedded acoustic resonator for gas leakage detection
Authors: Zhang Bo , Jia Yunjiang , Zhao Benlei , Zhu Xiaosong , Shi Yiwei
Published: July 2023

In this work, a photoacoustic (PA) gas sensor with a micro-embedded acoustic resonator for gas leakage detection was demonstrated. The micro-embedded acoustic resonator was fabricated by putting a leaky hollow-core fiber (L-HCF) into a cylindrical buffer chamber. The L-HCF was utilized as the PA cavity and the light transmission media simultaneously. The optimal inner diameter of the L-HCF was 1.7 mm. The embedded acoustic resonator was experimentally proven to be equivalent to a T-type half-open acoustic resonator, but the structure became much more compact. The volume of the amount of gas in the cell was only ∼0.3 mL, and the gas diffusion time to fill the sensor under room temperature (25°C) and ambient pressure (101 kPa) was ∼44 s. Trace acetylene (C2H2) in pure nitrogen (N2) was chosen as the target gas, and the minimum detectable limit (MDL) reached 29 ppb when the lock-in integration time was 1 s. The normalized noise equivalent absorption (NNEA) coefficient was calculated to be 3.0 × 10−9 W·cm-1·Hz-1/2. The micro-resonant PA gas sensor, with merits of compactness, low gas consumption, and low cost, has the potential to be a remote gas sensing scheme in fields of environmental protection, industrial process monitoring, and so on.
Climate obstruction in the Global South: Future research trajectories
Authors: Edwards Guy , Gellert Paul K. , Faruque Omar , Hochstetler Kathryn , McElwee Pamela D. , Kaswhan Prakash , McKie Ruth E. , Milani Carlos , Roberts Timmons , Walz Jonathan
Published: July 2023

“Climate Obstruction” broadly refers to campaigns and other policy actions led by well-organized and financed networks of corporate and other actors who have actively sought to prevent global and/or national action on climate change over the past four decades. In turn, these campaigns often shape public debates, which can affect political support and collective mobilization to mitigate climate change. However, to date, most of the research on climate obstruction has focused on countries in the Global North, especially the United States. Given considerable gaps in research and knowledge, this opinion paper presents a future research agenda needs to shine greater light on if and in what form climate obstruction in the Global South appears.
Histone methyltransferase SUV39H1 regulates the Golgi complex via the nuclear envelope-spanning LINC complex
Authors: Nishino Miyu , Imaizumi Hiromasa , Yokoyama Yuhki , Katahira Jun , Kimura Hiroshi , Matsuura Nariaki , Matsumura Miki
Published: July 2023

Cell motility is related to the higher-order structure of chromatin. Stimuli that induce cell migration change chromatin organization; such stimuli include elevated histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation (H3K9me3). We previously showed that depletion of histone H3 lysine 9 methyltransferase, SUV39H1, suppresses directional cell migration. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this association between chromatin and cell migration remains elusive. The Golgi apparatus is a cell organelle essential for cell motility. In this study, we show that loss of H3K9 methyltransferase SUV39H1 but not SETDB1 or SETDB2 causes dispersion of the Golgi apparatus throughout the cytoplasm. The Golgi dispersion triggered by SUV39H1 depletion is independent of transcription, centrosomes, and microtubule organization, but is suppressed by depletion of any of the following three proteins: LINC complex components SUN2, nesprin-2, or microtubule plus-end-directed kinesin-like protein KIF20A. In addition, SUN2 is closely localized to H3K9me3, and SUV39H1 affects the mobility of SUN2 in the nuclear envelope. Further, inhibition of cell motility caused by SUV39H1 depletion is restored by suppression of SUN2, nesprin-2, or KIF20A. In summary, these results show the functional association between chromatin organization and cell motility via the Golgi organization regulated by the LINC complex.
Towards a barrier-free anthropomorphic brain phantom for quantitative magnetic resonance imaging: Design, first construction attempt, and challenges
Authors: Kraft Mikail , Ryger Slavka , Berman Ben P. , Downs Matthew E. , Jordanova Kalina V. , Poorman Megan E. , Oberdick Samuel D. , Ogier Stephen E. , Russek Stephen E. , Dagher Joseph , Keenan Kathryn E.
Published: July 2023

Existing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reference objects, or phantoms, are typically constructed from simple liquid or gel solutions in containers with specific geometric configurations to enable multi-year stability. However, there is a need for phantoms that better mimic the human anatomy without barriers between the tissues. Barriers result in regions without MRI signal between the different tissue mimics, which is an artificial image artifact. We created an anatomically representative 3D structure of the brain that mimicked the T1 and T2 relaxation properties of white and gray matter at 3 T. While the goal was to avoid barriers between tissues, the 3D printed barrier between white and gray matter and other flaws in the construction were visible at 3 T. Stability measurements were made using a portable MRI system operating at 64 mT, and T2 relaxation time was stable from 0 to 22 weeks. The phantom T1 relaxation properties did change from 0 to 10 weeks; however, they did not substantially change between 10 weeks and 22 weeks. The anthropomorphic phantom used a dissolvable mold construction method to better mimic anatomy, which worked in small test objects. The construction process, though, had many challenges. We share this work with the hope that the community can build on our experience.
The impact of angles of insonation on left and right ventricular global longitudinal strain estimation in fetal speckle tracking echocardiography
Authors: Nichting Thomas J. , de Vet Chantelle M. , van der Ven Myrthe , van der Woude Daisy A. A. , Regis Marta , van Sloun Ruud J. G. , Oei S. Guid , van Laar Judith O. E. H. , van Oostrum Noortje H. M.
Published: July 2023

Objectives

Two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography has been considered an angle-independent modality. However, current literature is limited and inconclusive on the actual impact of angle of insonation on strain values. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to assess the impact of angles of insonation on the estimation of fetal left ventricular and right ventricular global longitudinal strain. Secondarily, the impact of different definitions for angles of insonation was investigated in a sensitivity analysis.

Methods

This is a retrospective analysis of a prospective longitudinal cohort study with 124 healthy subjects. The analyses were based on the four-chamber view ultrasound clips taken between 18+0 and 21+6 weeks of gestation. Angles of insonation were categorized into three groups: up/down, oblique and perpendicular. The mean fetal left and right ventricular and global longitudinal strain values corresponding to these three groups were compared by an ANOVA test corrected for heteroscedasticity.

Results

Fetal left and right ventricular global longitudinal strain values were not statistically different between the three angles of insonation (p-value >0.062 and >0.149, respectively). When applying another definition for angles of insonation in the sensitivity analysis, the mean left ventricular global longitudinal strain value was significantly decreased for the oblique compared to the up/down angle of insonation (p-value 0.041).

Conclusions

There is no evidence of a difference in fetal left and right ventricular global longitudinal strain between the different angles of insonation in fetal two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography.
Rediscovery of Rhyacoglanis pulcher (Boulenger, 1887) (Siluriformes: Pseudopimelodidae), a rare rheophilic bumblebee catfish from Ecuadorian Amazon
Authors: Chuctaya Junior , Shibatta Oscar Akio , Encalada Andrea C. , Barragán Karla S. , Torres Maria de Lourdes , Rojas Estefanía , Ochoa-Herrera Valeria , Ferrer Juliano
Published: July 2023

Rhyacoglanis pulcher is a rare Neotropical rheophilic bumblebee catfish known only from the type locality in the Cis-Andean Amazon region, Ecuador, and the type-species of the genus. So far, the three syntypes collected in 1880 were the only specimens unambiguously associated to the name R. pulcher available in scientific collections. Recently, a specimen was discovered in a fast-flowing stretch of the Villano river, a tributary of the Curaray river, Napo river basin, Ecuador, representing a new record after nearly 140 years. Here, we present this new record, identified by morphology, provide the DNA barcode sequence of the specimen, and propose why the species of Rhyacoglanis are scarce in zoological collections. Additionally, we discuss the intraspecific variation in the color pattern observed in R. pulcher.
Staphylococcal species composition in the skin microbiota of domestic pigeons (Columba livia domestica)
Authors: Szczuka Ewa , Wesołowska Maria , Krawiec Adrianna , Kosicki Jakub Z.
Published: July 2023

Staphylococci are a natural component of the skin microbiota of many organisms, including humans and birds. As opportunistic pathogens, they can cause a variety of infections in humans. The close contact between domestic pigeons and their owners provide an opportunity for exchange of skin-associated bacteria. In this study, 41 healthy racing pigeons were tested. Staphylococci were detected on the skin of each bird (41/41, 100%). Isolates were identified at the species level using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The diversity of the Staphylococcus species was relatively high and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) were predominantly isolated. In total, ten different staphylococcal species were identified. S. lentus (19/41, 46.3%) was noted most frequently. The pigeon skin was also inhabited by S. xylosus (6/41, 14.6%), S. equorum (4/41, 9.8%), S. hyicus (3/41, 7.3%), S. intermedius (2/41, 4.9%), S. sciuri (2/41, 4.9%), S. vitulinus (2/41, 4.9%), S. lugdunensis (1/41, 2.4%), S. hominis (1/41, 2.4%), and S. auricularis (1/41, 2.4%). Our results indicate that domestic pigeons may carry pathogens with zoonotic potential. All strains were susceptible to 12 antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, clindamycin chloramphenicol, erythromycin, fosfomycin, gentamicin, levofloxacin, norfloxacin, rifampicin, tobramycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, vancomycin) representing 8 different classes. None isolate displayed a multidrug-resistant phenotype. Resistance to tetracycline (6/41, 14.6%) and to penicillin (4/41, 9.7%) was shown. The mecA gene was not detected in the examined strains and no methicillin-resistant staphylococci were found on the skin of the healthy pigeons.
A large scale randomized controlled trial on herding in peer-review discussions
Authors: Stelmakh Ivan , Rastogi Charvi , Shah Nihar B. , Singh Aarti , Daumé Hal
Published: July 2023

Peer review is the backbone of academia and humans constitute a cornerstone of this process, being responsible for reviewing submissions and making the final acceptance/rejection decisions. Given that human decision-making is known to be susceptible to various cognitive biases, it is important to understand which (if any) biases are present in the peer-review process, and design the pipeline such that the impact of these biases is minimized. In this work, we focus on the dynamics of discussions between reviewers and investigate the presence of herding behaviour therein. Specifically, we aim to understand whether reviewers and discussion chairs get disproportionately influenced by the first argument presented in the discussion when (in case of reviewers) they form an independent opinion about the paper before discussing it with others. In conjunction with the review process of a large, top tier machine learning conference, we design and execute a randomized controlled trial that involves 1,544 papers and 2,797 reviewers with the goal of testing for the conditional causal effect of the discussion initiator’s opinion on the outcome of a paper. Our experiment reveals no evidence of herding in peer-review discussions. This observation is in contrast with past work that has documented an undue influence of the first piece of information on the final decision (e.g., anchoring effect) and analyzed herding behaviour in other applications (e.g., financial markets). Regarding policy implications, the absence of the herding effect suggests that the current status quo of the absence of a unified policy towards discussion initiation does not result in an increased arbitrariness of the resulting decisions.
The synergistic impact of Spirulina and selenium nanoparticles mitigates the adverse effects of heat stress on the physiology of rabbits bucks
Authors: El-Ratel Ibrahim T. , Elbasuny Mawada E. , El-Nagar Hamdy A. , Abdel-Khalek Abdel-Khalek E. , El-Raghi Ali A. , El Basuini Mohammed Fouad , El-Kholy Khaled H. , Fouda Sara F.
Published: July 2023

Heat stress has a detrimental effect on animal fertility, particularly testicular functions, including reduced sperm output and quality, which causes an economic loss in the production of rabbits. The present trial investigated the efficacy of dietary Spirulina (SP) (Arthrospira platensis), selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), and their combination (SP-SeNPs) on semen quality, haemato-biochemical, oxidative stress, immunity, and sperm quality of heat-stressed (HS) rabbit bucks. Sixty mature bucks (APRI line) were distributed into 6 groups of ten replicates under controlled conditions. Bucks in the 1st group (control-NC) were kept under normal conditions (11–22°C; 40–45% RH% = relative humidity), while the 2nd group (control-HS) was kept under heat stress conditions (32±0.50°C; 60–66% RH %). The control groups were fed a commercial pelleted diet and the other four heat-stressed groups were fed a commercial pelleted diet with 1 g SP, 25 mg SeNPs, 1 g SP+25 mg SeNPs, and 1 g SP+50 mg SeNPs per kg diet, respectively. The dietary inclusion of SP, SeNPs, and their combinations significantly increased hemoglobin, platelets, total serum protein, high-density lipoproteins, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and seminal plasma testosterone while decreased triglycerides, total cholesterol, urea, creatinine, and malondialdehyde compared with the control-HS. Red blood cells, packed cell volume, serum albumin, and testosterone significantly increased, while SeNPs, SP+SeNPs25, and SP+SeNPs50 significantly decreased low-density lipoproteins, aspartate, and alanine amino transferees. Total antioxidant capacity substantially increased in serum and seminal plasma, while seminal plasma malondialdehyde decreased in 25 or 50 mg of SeNPs+SP/kg groups. All supplements significantly improved libido, sperm livability, concentration, intact acrosome, membrane integrity, total output in fresh semen, and sperm quality in cryopreserved semen. SP-SeNPs50 had higher synergistic effect than SP-SeNPs25 on most different variables studied. In conclusion, the dietary inclusion of SP plus SeNPs50 has a synergistic effect and is considered a suitable dietary supplement for improving reproductive efficiency, health, oxidative stress, and immunity of bucks in the breeding strategy under hot climates.
Interfering with the ERC1–LL5β interaction disrupts plasma membrane–Associated platforms and affects tumor cell motility
Authors: Ribolla Lucrezia Maria , Sala Kristyna , Tonoli Diletta , Ramella Martina , Bracaglia Lorenzo , Bonomo Isabelle , Gonnelli Leonardo , Lamarca Andrea , Brindisi Matteo , Pierattelli Roberta , Provenzani Alessandro , de Curtis Ivan
Published: July 2023

Cell migration requires a complex array of molecular events to promote protrusion at the front of motile cells. The scaffold protein LL5β interacts with the scaffold ERC1, and recruits it at plasma membrane–associated platforms that form at the front of migrating tumor cells. LL5 and ERC1 proteins support protrusion during migration as shown by the finding that depletion of either endogenous protein impairs tumor cell motility and invasion. In this study we have tested the hypothesis that interfering with the interaction between LL5β and ERC1 may be used to interfere with the function of the endogenous proteins to inhibit tumor cell migration. For this, we identified ERC1(270–370) and LL5β(381–510) as minimal fragments required for the direct interaction between the two proteins. The biochemical characterization demonstrated that the specific regions of the two proteins, including predicted intrinsically disordered regions, are implicated in a reversible, high affinity direct heterotypic interaction. NMR spectroscopy further confirmed the disordered nature of the two fragments and also support the occurrence of interaction between them. We tested if the LL5β protein fragment interferes with the formation of the complex between the two full-length proteins. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments showed that LL5β(381–510) hampers the formation of the complex in cells. Moreover, expression of either fragment is able to specifically delocalize endogenous ERC1 from the edge of migrating MDA-MB-231 tumor cells. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments show that the ERC1-binding fragment of LL5β interacts with endogenous ERC1 and interferes with the binding of endogenous ERC1 to full length LL5β. Expression of LL5β(381–510) affects tumor cell motility with a reduction in the density of invadopodia and inhibits transwell invasion. These results provide a proof of principle that interfering with heterotypic intermolecular interactions between components of plasma membrane–associated platforms forming at the front of tumor cells may represent a new approach to inhibit cell invasion.
In vitro and in silico studies for the identification of anti-cancer and antibacterial peptides from camel milk protein hydrolysates
Authors: Taghipour Mohammad Javad , Ezzatpanah Hamid , Ghahderijani Mohammad
Published: July 2023

Today, breast cancer and infectious diseases are very worrying that led to a widespread effort by researchers to discover natural remedies with no side effects to fight them. In the present study, we isolated camel milk protein fractions, casein and whey proteins, and hydrolyzed them using pepsin, trypsin, and both enzymes. Screening of peptides with anti-breast cancer and antibacterial activity against pathogens was performed. Peptides derived from whey protein fraction with the use of both enzymes showed very good activity against MCF-7 breast cancer with cell viability of 7.13%. The separate use of trypsin and pepsin to digest whey protein fraction yielded peptides with high antibacterial activity against S. aureus (inhibition zone of 4.17 ± 0.30 and 4.23 ± 0.32 cm, respectively) and E. coli (inhibition zone of 4.03 ± 0.15 and 4.03 ± 0.05 cm, respectively). Notably, in order to identify the effective peptides in camel milk, its protein sequences were retrieved and enzymatically digested in silico. Peptides that showed both anticancer and antibacterial properties and the highest stability in intestinal conditions were selected for the next step. Molecular interaction analysis was performed on specific receptors associated with breast cancer and/or antibacterial activity using molecular docking. The results showed that P3 (WNHIKRYF) and P5 (WSVGH) peptides had low binding energy and inhibition constant so that they specifically occupied active sites of protein targets. Our results introduced two peptide-drug candidates and new natural food additive that can be delivered to further animal and clinical trials.
Molecular diagnosis of patients with hepatitis A virus infection using amplicon-based nanopore sequencing
Authors: Lee Geum-Young , Park Kyungmin , Lee Young-Sun , Kim Ji Hoon , Byun Kwan Soo , Kim Jongwoo , Kim Won-Keun , Song Jin-Won
Published: July 2023

High-throughput sequencing is a robust tool used for identifying and tracking pathogen outbreaks. Whole-genome sequencing of hepatitis A virus (HAV) remains poor due to ultra-low viral loads, limitations of next-generation sequencing technology, and its high costs in clinical applications. This study evaluated multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based nanopore sequencing to obtain whole-genome sequences of HAV. The HAV genomes were obtained directly from patient specimens for a rapid molecular diagnosis of viral genotypes. Serum and stool samples were collected from six patients with hepatitis A infection. Amplicon-based nanopore sequencing was performed from the clinical specimens to identify HAV genotypes by acquiring nearly complete-genome sequences. TaqMan-based quantitative PCR (qPCR) was conducted to detect and quantify multiple HAV genes. Singleplex-based nanopore sequencing demonstrated high genome coverage rates (90.4–99.5%) of HAV within 8 h, at viral RNA loads of 10 to 105 copies/μL. TaqMan qPCR showed multiplex quantification of HAV genes namely, VP0, VP3, and 3C. This study provides useful insights into rapid molecular diagnosis during hepatitis A outbreaks and may ultimately augment public health disease surveillance in the hospital and epidemiology field.
The influence of social withdrawal and depression on the self-esteem of female adolescents: The mediating effect of grit
Authors: Lee Donguk , Lee Sangmi
Published: July 2023

Previous studies have shown that female adolescents are at a higher risk of low self-esteem than male adolescents, and self-esteem in adolescents is critical for academic performance, adult health, and economic status. Depression, social withdrawal, and grit are predicted to be internal factors that affect self-esteem, and an integrated exploration of the relationship between them is required for a proper approach to enhance self-esteem in female adolescents. Therefore, this study investigated the influence of social withdrawal and depression on self-esteem among female adolescents and explored the mediating effect of grit on self-esteem. Data collected from 1,106 girls in the third year of middle school of the third-year survey (2020) of the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey 2018 were analyzed in this study. For data analysis, partial least square-structural equation modeling was performed using SmartPLS 3.0. Social withdrawal was negatively related to grit, but not related to self-esteem. Depression was negatively related to grit and self-esteem. Grit was positively related to self-esteem. In addition, grit showed mediating effects in the associations between social withdrawal and self-esteem, and between depression and self-esteem in female adolescents. In conclusion, in female adolescents, the mediating effects of grit attenuated the negative effects of social withdrawal and depression on self-esteem. To enhance self-esteem in female adolescents, it is important to develop and implement strategies to strengthen grit and control negative emotional states, such as depression.
Infrastructural media and discrimination: McLuhan’s method as an ethic of understanding
Authors: Dowd John
Published: July 2023

In the field of media studies, Marshall McLuhan has often been celebrated as either a prognosticator of media development and social change or maligned as an interesting but otherwise inconsistent theoretician lacking rigour. However, wherever one falls within this spectrum McLuhan did have practical ideas that can provide insight into contemporary digital environments. This claim itself is unremarkable; however, perhaps more controversial a claim is that he also provides resources for a critical sensibility regarding racial discrimination and social justice. My goals for supporting this contention are threefold: first, I argue that McLuhan’s work might be constructively framed by what I call an ethic of understanding, which both responds to a common critique of McLuhan’s work as moral-neutral but also allows researchers to utilize his keen insights for revealing both overt and tacit modes of discrimination. Second, I unpack McLuhan’s use of the term media to demonstrate how common usage (largely limited to communication technologies) constrains our ability to identify vital connections among other forms of racial discrimination such as infrastructure and urban planning, which are also forms of media as conceptualized by McLuhan. Finally, I argue that to treat infrastructure media as distinct from and unrelated to contemporary digital platforms impedes our awareness of how current discriminatory behaviours are merely extensions of long-existing ideologies and institutional practices of coordinated (and often intentional) racial discrimination.
A media ecological approach to the history of music notation: The neume, staff and mensural rhythm
Authors: Liss Barry
Published: July 2023

This article examines the transition from the oral mode of memorized song to the visualization of written musical notation. Modern music notation, unlike writing, emerged as a product of the medieval era. Musical forms burst information capacity boundaries sometime around fifteen centuries ago when unison cantillated plain-chant (one cantor) evolved into diversified organum (harmonious voices) in sacred ceremonies. New modalities of visually codifying song were required to keep pace with the growing possibilities of rhythm and harmony. Musical notation took recognizable shape roughly four hundred years prior to the printing press and some twelve hundred years after the onset of the phonetic alphabet. Moreover, musical notation, the ability to recreate from visual symbols polyphonic pitch and rhythmic complexity, was firmly in place centuries before the onset of the Renaissance. Although song and the spoken word coevolved naturally over perhaps hundreds of thousands of years, the split from orality to literacy eventually required a visual technology to ‘hold’ song in stasis similar to the alphabet’s capturing of speech. This article focuses attention on the history of the neume, the musical staff and the mensural rhythm system as fundamental building blocks in the architecture of modern musical notation. This suggests that modes of visual specialist separation and tendencies towards individualist learning in the form of musical practice were embodied prior to and synergistically inspired the social transformations shaped by literacy.
Bowel Urgency in Ulcerative Colitis: Current Perspectives and Future Directions
Authors: Dubinsky Marla , Bleakman Alison Potts , Panaccione Remo , Hibi Toshifumi , Schreiber Stefan , Rubin David , Dignass Axel , Redondo Isabel , Gibble Theresa Hunter , Kayhan Cem , Travis Simon
Published: July 2023

Bowel urgency (BU), the sudden or immediate need for a bowel movement, is one of the most common and disruptive symptoms experienced by patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Distinct from the separate symptom of increased stool frequency, BU has a substantial negative impact on quality of life and psychosocial functioning. Among patients with UC, BU is one of the top reasons for treatment dissatisfaction and one of the symptoms patients most want improved. Patients may not discuss BU often due to embarrassment, and healthcare providers may not address the symptom adequately due to the lack of awareness of validated tools and/or knowledge of the importance of assessing BU. The mechanism of BU in UC is multifactorial and includes inflammatory changes in the rectum that may be linked to hypersensitivity and reduced compliance of the rectum. Responsive and reliable patient-reported outcome measures of BU are needed to provide evidence of treatment benefits in clinical trials and facilitate communication in clinical practice. This review discusses the pathophysiology and clinical importance of BU in UC and its impact on the quality of life and psychosocial functioning. Patient-reported outcome measures developed to assess the severity of BU in UC are discussed alongside overviews of treatment options and clinical guidelines. Implications for the future management of UC from the perspective of BU are also explored.