bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HK2: a potential regulator of osteoarthritis via glycolytic and non-glycolytic pathways
Authors: Bao Chuncha , Zhu Siyi , Song Kangping , He Chengqi
Published: August 2022

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an age-related chronic degenerative joint disease where the main characteristics include progressive degeneration of cartilage, varying degrees of synovitis, and periarticular osteogenesis. However, the underlying factors involved in OA pathogenesis remain elusive which has resulted in poor clinical treatment effect. Recently, glucose metabolism changes provide a new perspective on the pathogenesis of OA. Under the stimulation of external environment, the metabolic pathway of chondrocytes tends to change from oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) to aerobic glycolysis. Previous studies have demonstrated that glycolysis of synovial tissue is increased in OA. The hexokinase (HK) is the first rate limiting enzyme in aerobic glycolysis, participating and catalyzing the main pathway of glucose utilization. An isoform of HKs, HK2 is considered to be a key regulator of glucose metabolism, promotes the transformation of glycolysis from OXPHOS to aerobic glycolysis. Moreover, the expression level of HK2 in OA synovial tissue (FLS) was higher than that in control group, which indicated the potential therapeutic effect of HK2 in OA. However, there is no summary to help us understand the potential therapeutic role of glucose metabolism in OA. Therefore, this review focuses on the properties of HK2 and existing research concerning HK2 and OA. We also highlight the potential role and mechanism of HK2 in OA.
Microglia-derived CCL2 has a prime role in neocortex neuroinflammation
Authors: Errede Mariella , Annese Tiziana , Petrosino Valentina , Longo Giovanna , Girolamo Francesco , de Trizio Ignazio , d’Amati Antonio , Uccelli Antonio , Kerlero de Rosbo Nicole , Virgintino Daniela
Published: August 2022

Background

In myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), several areas of demyelination are detectable in mouse cerebral cortex, where neuroinflammation events are associated with scarce inflammatory infiltrates and blood–brain barrier (BBB) impairment. In this condition, the administration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) controls neuroinflammation, attenuating astrogliosis and promoting the acquisition of stem cell traits by astrocytes. To contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of EAE in gray matter and in the reverting effects of MSC treatment, the neocortex of EAE-affected mice was investigated by analyzing the cellular source(s) of chemokine CCL2, a molecule involved in immune cell recruitment and BBB-microvessel leakage.

Methods

The study was carried out by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and dual RNAscope IHC/in situ hybridization methods, using astrocyte, NG2-glia, macrophage/microglia, and microglia elective markers combined with CCL2.

Results

The results showed that in EAE-affected mice, hypertrophic microglia are the primary source of CCL2, surround the cortex neurons and the damaged BBB microvessels. In EAE-affected mice treated with MSCs, microgliosis appeared diminished very soon (6 h) after treatment, an observation that was long-lasting (tested after 10 days). This was associated with a reduced CCL2 expression and with apparently preserved/restored BBB features. In conclusion, the hallmark of EAE in the mouse neocortex is a condition of microgliosis characterized by high levels of CCL2 expression.

Conclusions

This finding supports relevant pathogenetic and clinical aspects of the human disease, while the demonstrated early control of neuroinflammation and BBB permeability exerted by treatment with MSCs may have important therapeutic implications.
Circulating histones contribute to monocyte and MDW alterations as common mediators in classical and COVID-19 sepsis
Authors: Ligi Daniela , Lo Sasso Bruna , Giglio Rosaria Vincenza , Maniscalco Rosanna , DellaFranca Chiara , Agnello Luisa , Ciaccio Marcello , Mannello Ferdinando
Published: August 2022

Objective

Histone proteins are physiologically involved in DNA packaging and gene regulation but are extracellularly released by neutrophil/monocyte extracellular traps and mediate thrombo-inflammatory pathways, associated to the severity of many human pathologies, including bacterial/fungal sepsis and COVID-19. Prominent and promising laboratory features in classic and viral sepsis emphasize monocyte distribution width (MDW), due to its ability to distinguish and stratify patients at higher risk of critical conditions or death. No data are available on the roles of histones as MDW modifiers.

Design

Comparison of MDW index was undertaken by routine hematology analyzer on whole blood samples from patients with COVID-19 and Sepsis. The impact of histones on the MDW characteristics was assessed by the in vitro time-dependent treatment of healthy control whole blood with histones and histones plus lipopolysaccharide to simulate viral and classical sepsis, respectively.

Measurements and main results

We demonstrated the breadth of early, persistent, and significant increase of MDW index in whole blood from healthy subject treated in vitro with histones, highlighting changes similar to those found in vivo in classic and viral sepsis patients. These findings are mechanistically associated with the histone-induced modifications of cell volume, cytoplasmic granularity and vacuolization, and nuclear structure alterations of the circulating monocyte population.

Conclusions

Histones may contribute to the pronounced and persistent monocyte alterations observed in both acute classical and viral sepsis. Assessment of the biological impact of circulating histone released during COVID-19 and sepsis on these blood cells should be considered as key factor modulating both thrombosis and inflammatory processes, as well as the importance of neutralization of their cytotoxic and procoagulant activities by several commercially available drugs (e.g., heparins and heparinoids).
Novel diaminoguanidine functionalized cellulose: synthesis, characterization, adsorption characteristics and application for ICP-AES determination of copper(II), mercury(II), lead(II) and cadmium(II) from aqueous solutions
Authors: Akl Magda A. , Hashem Mohammed A. , Ismail Mohammed A. , Abdelgalil Dina A.
Published: August 2022

In this study, the novel adsorbent diaminoguanidine-modified cellulose (DiGu.MC) was synthesized to extract mercury, copper, lead and cadmium ions from aqueous solutions and environmental water samples. The synthetic strategy involved oxidizing cellulose powder into dialdehyde cellulose (DAC) and reacting DAC with diaminoguanidine to create an imine linkage between the two reactants to form diaminoguanidine-modified cellulose (DiGu.MC). The structure and morphology of the adsorbent were studied using a variety of analytical techniques including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area measurements. Adsorption of mercury, copper, lead, and cadmium ions was optimized by examining the effects of pH, initial concentration, contact time, dose, temperature and competing ions. Under optimal adsorption conditions, the adsorption capacities of Cu2+, Hg2+, Pb2+, and Cd2+ were 66, 55, 70 and 41 mg g−1, respectively. The adsorption isotherm is in very good agreement with the Langmuir isotherm model, indicating that a monomolecular layer is formed on the surface of DiGu.MC. The kinetics of adsorption are in good agreement with the pseudo-second kinetics model that proposes the chemical adsorption of metal ions via the nitrogen functional groups of the adsorbent. Thermodynamic studies have confirmed that the adsorption of heavy metals by DiGu.MC is exothermic and spontaneous. Regeneration studies have shown that the adsorbent can be recycled multiple times by removing metal ions with 0.2 M nitric acid. The removal efficiency for regeneration was over 99%. DiGu.MC is introduced as a unique adsorbent in removing mercury, copper, lead and cadmium with a simple synthetic strategy, with cheap starting materials, a unique chemical structure and fast adsorption kinetics leading to excellent removal efficiency and excellent regeneration. The mechanism of adsorption of the investigated heavy metals, is probably based on the chelation between the metal ions and the N donors of DiCu.MC.
Barriers and facilitators to clinical behaviour change by primary care practitioners: a theory-informed systematic review of reviews using the Theoretical Domains Framework and Behaviour Change Wheel
Authors: Mather Melissa , Pettigrew Luisa M. , Navaratnam Stefan
Published: August 2022

Background

Understanding the barriers and facilitators to behaviour change by primary care practitioners (PCPs) is vital to inform the design and implementation of successful Behaviour Change Interventions (BCIs), embed evidence-based medicine into routine clinical practice, and improve quality of care and population health outcomes.

Methods

A theory-led systematic review of reviews examining barriers and facilitators to clinical behaviour change by PCPs in high-income primary care contexts using PRISMA. Embase, MEDLINE, PsychInfo, HMIC and Cochrane Library were searched. Content and framework analysis was used to map reported barriers and facilitators to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) and describe emergent themes. Intervention functions and policy categories to change behaviour associated with these domains were identified using the COM-B Model and Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW).

Results

Four thousand three hundred eighty-eight reviews were identified. Nineteen were included. The average quality score was 7.5/11. Reviews infrequently used theory to structure their methods or interpret their findings. Barriers and facilitators most frequently identified as important were principally related to ‘Knowledge’, ‘Environmental context and resources’ and ‘Social influences’ TDF domains. These fall under the ‘Capability’ and ‘Opportunity’ domains of COM-B, and are linked with interventions related to education, training, restriction, environmental restructuring and enablement. From this, three key areas for policy change include guidelines, regulation and legislation. Factors least frequently identified as important were related to ‘Motivation’ and other psychological aspects of ‘Capability’ of COM-B. Based on this, BCW intervention functions of persuasion, incentivisation, coercion and modelling may be perceived as less relevant by PCPs to change behaviour.

Conclusions

PCPs commonly perceive barriers and facilitators to behaviour change related to the ‘Capability’ and ‘Opportunity’ domains of COM-B. PCPs may lack insight into the role that ‘Motivation’ and aspects of psychological ‘Capability’ have in behaviour change and/or that research methods have been inadequate to capture their function. Future research should apply theory-based frameworks and appropriate design methods to explore these factors. With no ‘one size fits all’ intervention, these findings provide general, transferable insights into how to approach changing clinical behaviour by PCPs, based on their own views on the barriers and facilitators to behaviour change.

Systematic review registration

A protocol was submitted to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine via the Ethics and CARE form submission on 16.4.2020, ref number 21478 (available on request). The project was not registered on PROSPERO.
Gut microbiome-targeted therapies in liver cirrhosis: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Jiang Honglin , Peng Yan , Zhang Wei , Chen Yue , Jiang Qingwu , Zhou Yibiao
Published: August 2022

Background

Microbiome-targeted therapies (MTTs), including probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), have been proposed as a potential treatment for cirrhosis via modulation of gut microbiome, while the impact of gut microflora alteration on liver function in cirrhosis trajectory is unclear, and no related systematic review has been published. We aim to comprehensively assess the effects of MTTs in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Methods

We will search databases of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) with no time restriction. Only randomized controlled trials published in English will be included. Two independent reviewers will be responsible for study identification and selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment, with discrepancies resolved by consensus or referral to a third author. Heterogeneity of studies will be examined using Cochrane Q-test and I2 statistics. The data will be pooled using either a fixed- or random-effects model based on I2 statistics. The results will be presented as risk ratios (RR) or mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). We will perform subgroup analysis on the type of MTTs and assess the reporting biases. Sensitivity analysis will be conducted to test the stability of each outcome result.

Discussion

There is no current study about the role of MTTs in developing the liver function, and the therapeutic effects of MTTs are inconsistent. By investigating the liver-specific indicators when treating with multiple MTTs on course of cirrhosis, our findings will give more conclusive and stronger evidence about the efficacy of MTTs and provide new insight into the action mechanisms of these MTTs.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO CRD42021253198.
DSTS: A hybrid optimal and deep learning for dynamic scalable task scheduling on container cloud environment
Authors: Muniswamy Saravanan , Vignesh Radhakrishnan
Published: August 2022

Containers have grown into the most dependable and lightweight virtualization platform for delivering cloud services, offering flexible sorting, portability, and scalability. In cloud container services, planner components play a critical role. This enhances cloud resource workloads and diversity performance while lowering costs. We present hybrid optimum and deep learning approach for dynamic scalable task scheduling (DSTS) in container cloud environment in this research. To expand containers virtual resources, we first offer a modified multi-swarm coyote optimization (MMCO) method, which improves customer service level agreements. Then, to assure priority-based scheduling, we create a modified pigeon-inspired optimization (MPIO) method for task clustering and a rapid adaptive feedback recurrent neural network (FARNN) for pre-virtual CPU allocation. Meanwhile, the task load monitoring system is built on a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN), which allows for dynamic priority-based scheduling. Finally, the presentation of the planned DSTS methodology will be estimated utilizing various test vectors, and the results will be associated to present state-of-the-art techniques.
Cloud-based bug tracking software defects analysis using deep learning
Authors: Hai Tao , Zhou Jincheng , Li Ning , Jain Sanjiv Kumar , Agrawal Shweta , Dhaou Imed Ben
Published: August 2022

Cloud technology is not immune to bugs and issue tracking. A dedicated system is required that will extremely error prone and less cumbersome and must command a high degree of collaboration, flexibility of operations and smart decision making. One of the primary goals of software engineering is to provide high-quality software within a specified budget and period for cloud-based technology. However, defects found in Cloud-Based Bug Tracking software’s can result in quality reduction as well as delay in the delivery process. Therefore, software testing plays a vital role in ensuring the quality of software in the cloud, but software testing requires higher time and cost with the increase of complexity of user requirements. This issue is even cumbersome in the embedded software design. Early detection of defect-prone components in general and embedded software helps to recognize which components require higher attention during testing and thereby allocate the available resources effectively and efficiently. This research was motivated by the demand of minimizing the time and cost required for Cloud-Based Bug Tracking Software testing for both embedded and general-purpose software while ensuring the delivery of high-quality software products without any delays emanating from the cloud. Not withstanding that several machine learning techniques have been widely applied for building software defect prediction models in general, achieving higher prediction accuracy is still a challenging task. Thus, the primary aim of this research is to investigate how deep learning methods can be used for Cloud-Based Bug Tracking Software defect detection with a higher accuracy. The research conducted an experiment with four different configurations of Multi-Layer Perceptron neural network using five publicly available software defect datasets. Results of the experiments show that the best possible network configuration for software defect detection model using Multi-Layer Perceptron can be the prediction model with two hidden layers having 25 neurons in the first hidden layer and 5 neurons in the second hidden layer.
Research on influencing factors of artificial intelligence multi-cloud scheduling applied talent training based on DEMATEL-TAISM
Authors: Bian Yi-jie , Xie Lu , Li Jing-qi
Published: August 2022

With the rapid development of Internet of Things (IoT) technology and the rising popularity of IoT devices, an increasing number of computing intensive IoT applications have been developed. However, due to the limited resources of IoT devices, cloud computing systems are required to compute intensive IoT applications. Furthermore, to be subject to a single cloud computing service provider, multi-cloud computing has become an IoT service cloud computing solution. As a result of the complexity of multi-cloud scheduling, the application of artificial intelligence is an important technology to solve IoT multi-cloud scheduling. The corresponding talent training plays an important role in the development and implementation of the IoT artificial intelligence multi-cloud scheduling. First, this paper studies the key influencing factors of IoT artificial intelligence multi-cloud scheduling applied talent training. Combined with the characteristics of the development of China’s artificial intelligence industry, this paper summarizes the influencing factors from the four-dimensional training path of government departments, universities, enterprises and scientific research institutes. The purpose of artificial intelligence multi-cloud scheduling applied talent training is to build an artificial intelligence multi-cloud scheduling applied talent training influencing factor index system. Then, the DEMATEL method is used to establish multiple correlation matrices according to the direct influence correlation between the factors and calculate the degree of influence, the degree of being influenced, the center degree and the cause degree of the factors. Using the improved AISM method, based on the idea of game confrontation, from the two opposite extraction rules of result priority and cause priority, a group of confrontation level topological maps with comprehensive influence values reflecting the interacting factors are obtained, and relevant suggestions are presented to provide a reference for the training of artificial intelligence multi-cloud scheduling applied talent.
A cross-sectional study of antimicrobial use among self-medicating COVID-19 cases in Nyeri County, Kenya
Authors: Kimathi George , Kiarie Jackline , Njarambah Lydiah , Onditi Jorum , Ojakaa David
Published: August 2022

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Nyeri County in Kenya was among the regions reporting a high number of confirmed cases. This exemplified the increased need of addressing potential antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and self-medication during disease outbreaks. This study examined the extent of self-medication with antimicrobials among COVID-19 confirmed cases in the County.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey using phone-based interviews was conducted in August 2021 among a sample of 280 out of 2317 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the County using a pre-coded questionnaire. Descriptive analyses of frequencies and causal logistic regression were conducted using STATA version 13.

Results

A total of 193 (68.9%) of the respondents indicated developing COVID-19 related symptoms-mainly cough (41.5%), headache (38.3%), and fatigue (34.7%). Over one-fifth (23.4%) of the respondents had self-medicated with antibiotics, 60.6% of whom did so at the onset of symptoms before the confirmatory test, and 51.5% self-medicating more than once. Common antibiotics used were Azithromycin (40.0%) and Amoxycilline (23.3%), with a considerable 21.7% having difficulty remembering the name of the drugs. Only half (50.4%) of the respondents (128/254) were aware of regulations towards self-medication with antibiotics. Age was the only socio-demographic variable significantly related to reduced self-medication, with older persons less likely to self-medicate. On the other hand, developing COVID-19 symptoms, awareness of COVID regulations, and appreciation of the need for self-medication awareness were related to increased self-medication.

Conclusion

Being older, developing COVID-19 symptoms, and appreciating self-medication awareness have influential effects on the use of antimicrobials. Public health interventions should be timely during infectious disease outbreaks to prevent undesirable health-seeking behavior such as irrational antimicrobial use. AMR policies should enhance awareness of the risks of self-medication and address barriers that deter people from timely access of health services during disease outbreaks. Further research should be conducted on the self-medication and AMR nexus, especially during health emergencies.
External validation of the Tyrolean hip arthroplasty registry
Authors: Wagner Moritz , Neururer Sabrina , Dammerer Dietmar , Nardelli Paul , Kaufmann Gerhard , Braito Matthias , Brunner Alexander
Published: August 2022

Purpose

Arthroplasty registries gained increasing importance to the re-certification of orthopaedic implants according to the European Union (EU) Medical Device Regulation (MDR) adopted in 2017. Until recently, several European countries only had regional arthroplasty registries. Whether regional registries deliver data quality comparable with national registries remained unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to validate the Austrian Tyrolean Hip Arthroplasty Registry (THAR) and to evaluate if this regional registry showed adequate adherence, completeness and correctness when compared with well-established national registries.

Methods

A consecutive series of 1100 primary total hip arthroplasties were identified from our institution’s medical database. Patients were interviewed by phone and completed questionnaires after a mean follow-up period of 8.05 years and were asked if they had had revision surgeries. The data were compared to the corresponding dataset from the THAR.

Results

Adherence was 97.91% for primary total hip arthroplasty. Clinical follow-up identified 10 missing cases, resulting in adherence of 81.48% for revisions. Completeness of patient-reported outcome measurements was 78.55% before surgery and 84.45% 1 year after surgery. Correctness was 99.7% for demographic data, 99.54% for implant specifications, and 99.35% for mode of fixation.

Conclusion

The data of this study showed that regional arthroplasty registries can deliver data quality comparable with well-established national registries. The main reason for unrecorded revision cases and wrongly recoded implants was human error. Further digitalization with more automatic data submission may have the potential to reduce these failure rates in the future. Overall, the THAR represents a valid data source for re-certification of medical implants according to the EU’s MDR.
Bilateral subdiaphragmatic renal ectopia with associated congenital anomalies: a case report and systematic review of cases
Authors: Chaudhary Ranjit Kumar , Larsen Michael , Nepal Pankaj , Songmen Swachchhanda , Gupta Elina , Sapire Joshua
Published: August 2022

Background

Cephalad renal ectopia is rare. Ectopic kidneys besides being prone to various pathologies are occasionally associated with other congenital abnormalities. To the best our knowledge, at the time of this writing, only ten cases of bilateral subdiaphragmatic renal ectopia had been reported.

Case presentation: We present a rare case of bilateral subdiaphragmatic ectopic kidneys incidentally discovered during evaluation of the abdominal pain. In addition, our patient had associated anomalies of the liver, spleen and mesocardia.

Conclusions

Recognition of this condition is important for accurate diagnosis, surgical and/or intervention planning, as well as identifying other associated anomalies.
Beyond bold versus shy: Zebrafish exploratory behavior falls into several behavioral clusters and is influenced by strain and sex
Authors: Rajput Neha , Parikh Kush , Kenney Justin W.
Published: August 2022

Individual differences in exploratory behavior have been found across a range of taxa and are thought to contribute to evolutionary fitness. Animals that explore more of a novel environment and visit areas of high predation risk are considered bold, whereas animals with the opposite behavioral pattern are shy. Here, we determined whether this bimodal characterization of bold versus shy adequately captures the breadth of behavioral variation in zebrafish or if there are more than these two subtypes. To identify behavioral categories, we applied unsupervised machine to three-dimensional swim traces from over 400 adult zebrafish across four strains (AB, TL, TU, and WIK) and both sexes. We found that behavior stratified into four distinct clusters: previously described bold and shy behavior and two new behavioral types we call wall-huggers and active explorers. Clusters were stable across time and influenced by strain and sex where we found that TLs were shy, female TU fish were bold, male TU fish were active explorers, and female ABs were wall-huggers. Our work suggests that zebrafish exploratory behavior has greater complexity than previously recognized and lays the groundwork for the use of zebrafish in understanding the biological basis of individual differences in behavior.
Behavioural temperature regulation is a low priority in a coral reef fish (Plectropomus leopardus): insights from a novel behavioural thermoregulation system
Authors: Clark Timothy D. , Scheuffele Hanna , Pratchett Morgan S. , Skeeles Michael R.
Published: August 2022

Current understanding of behavioural thermoregulation in aquatic ectotherms largely stems from systems such as ‘shuttle boxes’, which are generally limited in their capacity to test large-bodied species. Here, we introduce a controlled system that allows large aquatic ectotherms to roam freely in a tank at sub-optimal temperatures, using thermal refuges to increase body temperature to their thermal optimum as desired. Of the 10 coral grouper (Plectropomus leopardus; length ∼400 mm) implanted with thermal loggers, three fish maintained themselves at the ambient tank temperature of 17.5–20.5°C for the entire 2–4 days of the trial. Of the other seven fish, body temperature never exceeded ∼21.5°C, which was well below the temperature available in the thermal refuges (∼31°C) and below the species' optimal temperature of ∼27°C. This study adds to a growing literature documenting an unexpected lack of behavioural thermoregulation in aquatic ectotherms in controlled, heterothermal environments.
Separating Ownership and Information
Authors: Voss Paul , Kulms Marius
Published: August 2022

This paper identifies an upside of the separation of ownership and control, typically the source of inefficiencies in the theory of the firm. Because insiders obtain private information by exercising control, the separation of ownership and control leads to a separation of ownership and information. We show that this separation is necessary for efficient trade in the market for corporate control. The analysis reveals how strategic communication between inside and outside shareholders facilitates takeovers by eliciting external bidders’ private information. Our results call into question mandatory disclosure requirements during takeovers. (JEL D21, D82, G32, G34)
Nudging As a Public Policy Tool: Exploring the Relationship Between Nudge and the Ability of Citizens for Rational Thought and Choice
Authors: Georgiou Panayiota
Published: August 2022

This paper presents a theoretical analysis of the use of nudge as a tool of governments in influencing people’s behaviour. It captures the emergence of nudge as a policy making tool and its meaning within the context of policy interventions. Then, the different conditions under which nudge effectively leads to citizens’ loss of their ability for choice and thought are examined, which are (i) referring to the choice of architects promoting their own interests, (ii) unconscious nudging, (iii) overuse of nudging and (iv) the issue of who gets nudged and its associated implications. To conclude, the summative assessment of nudge’s role in negatively influencing citizens’ ability for choice and rational thought while also providing comments for future analysis is also discussed. Overall, this paper critically examines the use of nudge as a policy tool for governments, adding to the existing public management and policy literature.
The Ageing Population of the European Union: Challenges and Prospects
Authors: Tzouganatou Simoni Gerasimina
Published: August 2022

During the last few decades, the shape of Europe’s population pyramid has transformed substantially, due to a considerably older population structure, with fewer working-age people and more pensioners. This paper examines the EU’s demographic problem which involves an increasing ageing population as a result of low birth rates and longer life expectancies, leading to the so called “greying of Europe”. Therefore, certain recommendations are suggested in order to mitigate the negative economic, social and geopolitical effects of this demographic phenomenon. It is concluded that the EU’s ageing population should not be regarded solely as a threat, as it has also the potential to provide opportunities for societies through intergenerational solidarity and the rapidly emerging silver economy.
Discursos de la prensa digital sobre el conflicto por la urbanización cerrada en un área protegida de la provincia de Buenos Aires
Authors: Cabral Victoria Noelia
Published: August 2022

En Argentina gran cantidad de áreas naturales protegidas atraviesan conflictos vinculados a la urbanización. La Reserva de Biosfera Parque Atlántico Mar Chiquito (Buenos Aires, Argentina) no es ajena a este proceso. En el 2012 se inició la construcción de un barrio cerrado en un sector de la reserva, ante lo cual surgen una serie de reclamos y demandas judiciales por parte de la comunidad local contra la firma encargada del proyecto inmobiliario. Teniendo en cuenta que los medios de comunicación son un actor más en los conflictos ambientales, el objetivo de este trabajo es analizar los discursos sobre el conflicto en tres medios digitales durante el periodo 2015-2021. La metodología consistió en el estudio de noticias desde el Análisis Crítico del Discurso y el análisis de fotografías. En los resultados se identificaron lenguajes de valoración sobre el conflicto y el área natural protegida caracterizados por aspectos culturales.
Analytical Solution for Thermoelastic Stress Wave Propagation in an Orthotropic Hollow Cylinder
Authors: Sharifi Hamid
Published: August 2022

The problem of thermoelastic stress wave propagation in an orthotropic hollow cylinder is investigated using analytical methods. The fully coupled classical theory of thermoelasticity is used to extract the equations for an orthotropic cylinder. To solve the boundary value problem, heat conduction equation and equation of motion are divided into two different sets of equations, the first set consists of uncoupled equations with considering boundary conditions and the second set comprises coupled ones with initial conditions. Finite Hankel transform (Fourier-Bessel expansion) is utilized to solve the problem with respect to radial variable. Two different cases, pure mechanical load and pure thermal load, were studied numerically to show the effect of considering the thermomechanical coupling term in the heat conduction equation. To show the effect of considering the coupling term in the heat conduction equation, the temperature history is plotted for the pure mechanical load case, where the temperature rises without applying any thermal load. By applying boundary conditions on the inner surface of the cylinder, initiation of the stress waves from the inner surface of the cylinder, propagation through the thickness in the radial direction and reflection from the outer surface were observed in the plotted figures.
5G NOMA Defense Application Environment and Stacked LSTM Network Architectures
Authors: Shankar Ravi , Beuria Manoj Kumar , Singh Sudhansu Sekhar , Ana Farkhanda , Mehraj Haider , Krishnan V. Gokula
Published: August 2022

In 5G and beyond 5G wireless communication networks, the NOMA scheme is widely considered a major non-orthogonal access technique for improving system capacity and data rates. The main challenges in current NOMA systems are limited channel feedback and the difficulty of integrating it with advanced adaptive coding and modulation algorithms. This study analyses S-LSTM-based DL NOMA receivers in i.i.d. Nakagami-m fading channel circumstances as opposed to previously presented solutions. The LSTM has the advantage of responding dynamically to changing channel conditions. When compared to a typical NOMA system, a typical NOMA system has a 12% lower outage probability, a 39% increase in net throughput, and a maximum SER reduction of 48%. Complex modulated M-ary PSK and M-ary QAM data symbols are employed in D/L NOMA transmission. Classic receivers such as LS and MMSE are outperformed by the S-LSTM-based DL-NOMA receiver. The CP and non-linear clipping noise simulation curves compare the performance of the MMSE and LS receivers with that of the DL NOMA receiver in real-time propagation circumstances. The DL-based detector outperforms the MMSE for SNRs greater than 15 dB because the S-LSTM method is more robust than the clipping noise.
MORBIDADE AUTORREFERIDA POR MULHERES FEIRANTES
Authors: Silva Barreiros Oliveira Arlisson
Published: August 2022

As feiras livres compõem uma modalidade de mercado varejista localizado ao ar livre, onde se comercializam frutas, verduras e legumes produzidos por pequenos produtores que se deslocam com suas mercadorias à centros urbanos, assim como osprodutos que são comprados de grandes produtores para revenda nas feiras.
Laser stripping of functional coatings on glass fiber reinforced plastic substrate
Authors: Cheng Jian , Liao Jianfei , Yang Zhen , Xie Feng , Chen Yulong , Du Hongyu , Liu Dun
Published: August 2022

Glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) with functional coatings is applied more and more in aircraft, thanks to its light weight and excellent mechanical properties. However, the outermost coating must be removed duo to discoloration, paint dropping, cracking, pits, or other fatigued phenomena after a certain amount of service time. The outermost torn coating on a GFRP material is successfully stripped with a nanosecond laser source. The influences of key laser parameters such as laser power, pulse overlap, and pulse width are studied. Thereafter, an optimized laser processing window is obtained and further validated with specified characterization methods. The repainting and adhesive bonding tests afterward indicate that a laser stripping process is superior to traditional sandpaper polishing because of the effects of surface roughening and microstructure interlocking. A case study further suggests that laser stripping outperforms sandpaper polishing because of its higher efficiency and better quality.
Specular flare suppression method for reflective materials based on the optimal polarizing angle
Authors: Zhu Zhenmin , Li Xuefei , Zhang Jing , Zhou Yumeng , Zhao Yan
Published: August 2022

A specular suppression model on reflective material figures based on polarization information and figure grayscale information is built. The model can optimize the imaging effect of reflective material in a strong light environment to restore the information characteristics of the figure. Taking the workpiece surface of reflective material as the experimental object, figure surfaced information restoration and visual measurement effect analysis were carried out. The experimental results show that the method offered can achieve good suppression of the large-area light spot phenomenon in the imaging of reflective material. The texture contours of the figures are significantly improved, and the imaging indicators in all aspects are further optimized, which verifies the feasibility of the offered method to a certain extent.
Astigmatism-free Czerny–Turner spectrometer with a low f-number by a bicylinder lens
Authors: Zhou Qian , Zou Zhiyong
Published: August 2022

A modified optical design for a broadband astigmatism-corrected Czerny–Turner spectrometer with high resolution and large throughput is presented. The theory of astigmatism correction is analyzed with the use of a bicylinder lens with different radii of curvature in tangential and sagittal planes. The optical performances of a modified spectrometer and two traditional spectrometers are compared in detail. The results show that the modified Czerny–Turner spectrometer can obtain superior astigmatism-free performance, an

f

-number of 2.5, and spectral resolution of 1.5 nm in 350–750 nm. Its volume decreases by approximately 77% compared with a traditional spectrometer with the same

f

-number.
Three-color reflections in one-dimensional ordered and disordered atomic lattices with trapped N-type cold atoms
Authors: Wang Maohua , Li Tianming , Zhang Yan , Pei Xiaoshan , Yang Hong
Published: August 2022

Investigating and controlling light propagation in one-dimensional (1D) ordered and disordered atomic lattices is critical both fundamentally and for applications. In this study, cold atoms are trapped in 1D optical lattice and driven to the four-level N configuration. In each period, the atoms exhibit a Gaussian density distribution with the average atomic density N0 (1 + Δ
k
). When the random number Δ
k
 = 0 (the atomic density N
k
(z)) corresponding to an ordered 1D atomic lattice, there are three reflection regions of high reflectivity located in two EIT windows and one large detuning range. However, the atomic density may increase (

N

k

+

(
z
)

with Δ
k
 > 0) or decrease (

N

k

−

(
z
)

with Δ
k
 < 0) owing to the imperfect manufacturing process or random distribution of atoms corresponding to a disordered atomic lattice. The results show that the width and height of reflections can be raised (reduced) by the increased (decreased) ratio of

N

k

+

(
z
)

/

N

k

(
z
)

(

N

k

−

(
z
)

/

N

k

(
z
)

) with the random distribution of lattice cells with

N

k

+

(
z
)

(

N

k

−

(
z
)

). When a cluster of disordered lattice cells with

N

k

+

(
z
)

and

N

k

−

(
z
)

is located at the front or tail of the atomic lattice, reflection symmetry can be broken. However, the symmetry and robustness can be well preserved with the random fluctuation of the average atomic density in each lattice cell.
High-security and low-complexity OCDM transmission scheme based on GAN enhanced chaotic encryption
Authors: Zhao Delin , Zhu Xiaorong , Liu Bo , Ren Jianxin , Zhu Xu , Mao Yaya , Wu Xiangyu , Zhu Suiyao , Guo Zeqian , Wu Yongfeng , Zhao Lilong , Sun Tingting , Ullah Rahat
Published: August 2022

We report a low-complexity and high-security orthogonal chirp division multiplexing (OCDM) transmission scheme based on generative adversarial networks (GAN) enhanced chaotic encryption. Our investigation focuses on the security and efficiency of the communication system. To successfully apply GAN for the encryption scheme, we design our networks with new network architectures and modify the loss functions to improve the adversarial training performance of the networks. In the experiment, a weakly coupled seven cores fiber of 2 km was applied to achieve a 70 Gb/s transmission system. The results reveal that our proposed scheme has a maximum receiver sensitivity gain of about 1.26dB than traditional OFDM transmission system, and our encryption scheme has a large keyspace at about 1 × 10202 against brute force cracking by illegal optical network units with only 0.63% running time compared with the traditional chaotic scheme. The results highlight that the proposed encryption scheme has a remarkable reduction in complexity and improvement in security, which is a promising candidate for next-generation PONs.
Optimal broadband starlight injection into a single-mode fibre with integrated photonic wavefront sensing
Authors: Norris Barnaby , Betters Christopher , Wei Jin , Yerolatsitis Stephanos , Amezcua-Correa Rodrigo , Leon-Saval Sergio
Published: August 2022

In astronomy and related fields there is a pressing need to efficiently inject light, transmitted through the atmosphere, into a single-mode fibre. However this is extremely difficult due to the large, rapidly changing aberrations imprinted on the light by the turbulent atmosphere. An adaptive optics system must be used, but its effectiveness is limited by non-common-path aberrations and insensitivity to certain crucial modes. Here we introduce a new concept device - the hybrid mode-selective photonic lantern - which incorporates both focal plane wavefront sensing and broadband single-mode fibre injection into a single photonic package. The fundamental mode of an input multimode fibre is directly mapped over a broad (1.5 to 1.8μm) bandwidth to a single-mode output fibre with minimal (<0.1%) crosstalk, while all higher order modes are sent to a fast detector or spectrograph for wavefront sensing. This will enable an AO system optimised for maximum single-mode injection, sensitive to otherwise ‘blind’ modes and avoiding non-common-path wavefront-sensor aberrations.
Electrically addressed focal stack plenoptic camera based on a liquid-crystal microlens array for all-in-focus imaging
Authors: Chen Mingce , Ye Mao , Wang Zhe , Hu Chai , Liu Taige , Liu Kewei , Shi Jiashuo , Zhang Xinyu
Published: August 2022

Focal stack cameras are capable of capturing a stack of images focused at different spatial distance, which can be further integrated to present a depth of field (DoF) effect beyond the range restriction of conventional camera’s optics. To date, all of the proposed focal stack cameras are essentially 2D imaging architecture to shape 2D focal stacks with several selected focal lengths corresponding to limited objective distance range. In this paper, a new type of electrically addressed focal stack plenoptic camera (EAFSPC) based on a functional liquid-crystal microlens array for all-in-focus imaging is proposed. As a 3D focal stack camera, a sequence of raw light-field images can be rapidly manipulated through rapidly shaping a 3D focal stack. The electrically addressed focal stack strategy relies on the electric tuning of the focal length of the liquid-crystal microlens array by efficiently selecting or adjusting or jumping the signal voltage applied over the microlenses. An algorithm based on the Laplacian operator is utilized to composite the electrically addressed focal stack leading to raw light-field images with an extended DoF and then the all-in-focus refocused images. The proposed strategy does not require any macroscopic movement of the optical apparatus, so as to thoroughly avoid the registration of different image sequence. Experiments demonstrate that the DoF of the refocused images can be significantly extended into the entire tomography depth of the EAFSPC, which means a significant step for an all-in-focus imaging based on the electrically controlled 3D focal stack. Moreover, the proposed approach also establishes a high correlation between the voltage signal and the depth of in-focus plane, so as to construct a technical basis for a new type of 3D light-field imaging with an obvious intelligent feature.
Optical spectrum detection of synthetic microsphere resonator using a nanofiber
Authors: Song Lijun , Wang Chenxi , Wang Xin , Yu Xudong , Li Gang , Zhang Pengfei , Zhang Tiancai
Published: August 2022

We demonstrate optical spectrum detection of a synthetic silica microsphere (SSM) resonator with whispering gallery modes fabricated by chemical methods using an optical nanofiber to touch the SSM. Critical coupling, under coupling and over coupling are obtained by controlling the nanofiber radius. The SSM radius deviation, 0.51 nm, can be obtained through multiple measurements when the nanofiber touches the SSM equatorial planes randomly. The scheme opens a new avenue for accurate sample characterization and sample tracking for microparticle detection.
All-optically modulated nonvolatile optical switching based on a graded-index multimode fiber
Authors: Zhang Yu , Liu Shuai , Chen Jiming , Cheng Siying , Jin Wei , Zhang Yaxun , Liu Zhihai , Zhang Jianzhong , Yuan Libo
Published: August 2022

Photonic switches have attractive application prospects in optical communication data networks that require dynamic reconfiguration. Integrating optical switching devices with optical fiber, the most widely deployed photonic technology platform, can realize signal transmission and processing in practical applications. Here, we demonstrate the multilevel optical switching using the phase-change material Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) integrated on a graded-index multimode fiber. This switching process works by exploiting the significant difference in extinction coefficient between the crystalline state and the amorphous state of the GST. Using GST to achieve the switch function, no external energy source is needed to maintain the existing state of the switch, and the device is nonvolatile. This multi-level optical switch is an all-fiber integrated device. We apply GST to the end facets of the graded-index multimode fiber by magnetron sputtering, which is a reflective structure. A pulsing scheme is used to control the optical propagation state of the optical modulation signal to realize the switching function. It can store up to 11 non-volatile reliable and repeatable levels encoded by the pump source laser with a wavelength of 1550 nm. At the same time, the switching process between states is on the order of hundreds of nanoseconds. The present experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of 11 multilevel states in the field of optical fibers commonly used in communications. It can be well coupled with the all-fiber terminal device. It also shows that the device is still applicable in the 1525 nm∼1610 nm broadband range, promising for designing future multilevel photonic switches and memory devices.
Magnon-atom-optical photon entanglement via the microwave photon-mediated Raman interaction
Authors: Kong Deyi , Xu Jun , Gong Cheng , Wang Fei , Hu Xiangming
Published: August 2022

We show that it is possible to generate magnon-atom-optical photon tripartite entanglement via the microwave photon-mediated Raman interaction. Magnons in a macroscopic ferromagnet and optical photons in a cavity are induced into a Raman interaction with an atomic spin ensemble when a microwave field couples the magnons to one Raman wing. The controllable magnon-atom entanglement, magnon-optical photon entanglement, and even genuine magnon-atom-optical photon tripartite entanglement can be generated simultaneously. In addition, these bipartite and tripartite entanglements are robust against the environment temperature. Our scheme paves the way for exploring a quantum interface bridging the microwave and optical domains, and may provide a promising building block for hybrid quantum networks.