bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Problems of civilizational development in the texts of the staff of the Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences of different years (in the context of the preparation of the volume “Memoria”).
Authors:   Institute of Philosophy, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kasavina Nadezhda A.
Published: July 2022

The article analyzes the discussions on the problems of civilizational development in the texts of the period from 1982 to 2011, the authors of which worked at the Institute of Phi­losophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Selected texts are being prepared for publi­cation in a special memorial volume of publications within the framework of the “Rus­sian Project for Civilizational Development”. Emphasis is placed on methodological ap­proaches to the understanding of civilization, the boundaries and interrelations of this concept and categories close to it with reference to the works of V.S. Bibler, V.J. Kelle, N.V. Motroshilova, A.P. Ogurtsov, V.S. Stepin. The example of some texts shows the un­derstanding of civilization as a historical process (L.I. Novikova, Yu.K. Pletnikov). In the 1990–2000s, the question of the specifics of Russia as a civilization, its place in the world political and cultural space (A.S. Akhiezer, V.M. Mezhuev, A.S. Panarin, V.L. Tsymbursky) was particularly problematic. The present and the future of the civiliza­tion in the projection of philosophical insight sounds in the texts of B.A. Grushin, A.A. Zinoviev. The main results of the work of the staff of the Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences on the problem of civilization is a comprehensive analysis of this concept at different levels (world, regional, local); designation of qualita­tive parameters, measurements of civilization; conclusions and forecasts about Russia as a civilization and its future.
National identity of Russia in strategic instability (analytical review of the 19th International Panarin’s readings, dedicated to the memory of professor Valeriy Rastorguev, 23th December 2021)
Authors:   Lomonosov Moscow State University, Alasania Kira Yu. , Moschelkov Evgeniy N. ,   Lomonosov Moscow State University, Nikandrov Aleksey V. ,   Lomonosov Moscow State University, Sedykh Tatiana N. ,   Lomonosov Moscow State University
Published: July 2022

The article is devoted to a review of the 19th International Panarin’s readings held on De­cember 23, 2021, and dedicated to the memory of Valeriy N. Rastorguev, the professor of Moscow State University. The theme of conference: “National identity of Russia strategic instability”. The article describes the course of the conference: greetings to the conference participants, plenary with a brief summary of the reports, summarizing.
Modern civilizational research of Russia: observations and insights
Authors:   Novosibirsk State University, Tyugashev Evgeny A.
Published: July 2022

In connection with the preparation by the Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences of a collective monograph on the results of the implementation of the megath­eme “Russian project of civilizational development: philosophical foundations”, the book review analyzes the experience of preparing monographs of recent years devoted to the civ­ilizational interpretation of Russia. As follows from the review of monographs, there are stable interdisciplinary research teams that continue to comprehend the civilizational identity of Russia in the subjects of various disciplines (philosophy, sociology, political science, cultural studies). The problems of the architectonics of civilizational development, the correlation of So­viet civilization and the Eurasian project, the prehistory of Russia as a geo-civilization, its position in the modern world order, the identification of Russia as a northern civilization are discussed. The concept of local civilizations is mainly used as the most convenient methodological tool. Sociologists are testing the methodology of civilizational analysis (J. Arnason, S. Eisenstadt). The civilizational identity of Russia is recorded ambiguously. The frontal comprehension of the civilizational nature of Russia has not led to significant results. Peer-reviewed scientific monographs are recommended to the widest range of readers and are mainly made in an informational and educational style. The degree of scientific elaboration of the problems under consideration and the analysis of available solutions to them are rarely recorded. Ideas are formulated intuitively, without sufficient conceptual justification. Therefore, the authors’ proposals on the civilizational develop­ment of Russia look naively utopian The discussions of civilizationists (in particular, bul­garists and tatarists in the Republic of Tatarstan) remain insignificant for the population. These are manifestations of the postsoviet regression of scientific and methodological culture in social and humanitarian studies. According to the author the review shows that the fruitful directions of civilizational re­search are the assimilation of French civilizationism of the XIX century, the clarification of the disciplinary status of the concept of civilization and the civilizational approach, the identification of fundamental values specific to local civilizations.
Contribution in philosophical understanding of historical sense of civilizations made by the researchers of Institute of Philosophy on the edge of XX–XXI centuries
Authors:   Institute of Philosophy, Russian Academy of Sciences, Lapin Nikolay I.
Published: July 2022

The general purpose of this article is to evaluate the contribution made by researchers of Institute of Philosophy in understanding the historical sense of civilizations. The au­thor scrutinizes works of Piama P. Gaidenko, Alexander S. Panarin, Boris A. Grushin, Alexander S. Akhiezer. It is stated that practical outcomes of civilizational development are not obligatory universal and could be expressed through various forms as a response to fundamental existential need of humanity to survive. The equality of civilizations and cultures is assumed as they are based on the structure of the mass consciousness. The possibility of civilization to fall into the phase of destruction is outlined along with the sources of “barbarization”.
In vitro assessment of multipotential therapeutic importance of Hericium erinaceus mushroom extracts using different solvents
Authors: Suleiman Waleed , Shehata Reda M. , Younis Ahmed M.
Published: July 2022

Infectious disease is one of the major threats to humans and it is the second leading cause of death worldwide, especially at present in which the Covid-19 and its modified variants. Edible mushrooms have many nutritional and medicinal values to human health. The medicinal properties of edible mushroom extract in inhibiting pathogenic microorganisms had advantages over the use of chemically synthetic antimicrobial compounds due to less unwanted side effects and can combat microbial resistance. The study hypothesized that the polarity affects the extraction quality of Hericium erinaceus mushroom which was prepared as fruiting bodies and subsequently affects its activity as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiviral potential. So, the mushroom was quantitively evaluated to assess its content of flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, saponins, carbohydrates, protein, nitrogen, and oil. The current research clarified here that aquatic extract has a significant activity as an antioxidant (IC50 = 53.7 µg/ml), and antiviral (IC50 = 24.97 µg/ml) while, ethyl acetate extract showed a reasonable antimicrobial activity rather than all tested extract against tested microorganisms. Unfortunately, all extracts under investigation possess low anti-inflammatory action according to the adopting protocol. The superior results of both water and ethyl acetate extracts were later investigated by HPTLC and GC-MS for preliminary prediction of the chemical constitution of those extracts. H. erinaceus mushroom succeeded to establish promising antimicrobial, antiviral, and antioxidant activities while it has low ani-inflammatory activity. Both HPTLC and GC-MS could identify the chemical constituents of the mushroom crude extract.
Metformin Combined with Alendronate Ameliorates Osteoarthritis by Attenuating RANKL-induced Bone Resorption and Protecting Cartilage Against Degradation
Authors: Guo Yanjing , Yang Ruijia , Zong Sujing , Wang Zhenyu , Zhao Jiyu , Chen Chongwei , Wang Chunfang , Wang Shaowei
Published: July 2022

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of metformin combined with alendronate on subchondral bone and cartilage degeneration in a destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM)-induced osteoarthritis (OA) mouse model. There were lower OARSI scores and fewer TRAP-positive cells in DMM mice after treatment with metformin combined with alendronate. In cartilage, metformin inhibited the expression of MMP3 and MMP13 in IL-1β-stimulated OA chondrocytes and increased the expression of Sox9 and aggrecan. In parallel, metformin also inhibited cartilage matrix degradation, as shown by Alcian blue staining and SO/FG staining in ATDC5 cells and cartilage tissues. Moreover, metformin and alendronate downregulated the levels of specific genes and proteins (NFATc1, c-Fos, DC-STAMP, TNFRSF11, CTSK), thereby inhibiting osteoclast differentiation in vitro. Mechanistically, metformin increased the expression of phospho-AMPK alpha1, attenuated the phosphorylation of NF-κB, and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Metformin combined with alendronate may be a useful candidate for attenuating early-stage OA. This would be an ideal drug/drug combination for treating osteoarthritis in the presence of osteoporosis combined with T2D.
Canopies, the Final Frog-tier: Exploring responses of a specialist treefrog to prescribed fire in a pyrogenic ecosystem
Authors: Biazzo Ian , Quintana-Ascencio Pedro F
Published: July 2022

Background: Pine flatwoods of the southeastern United States were shaped by frequent fires. Land managers use prescribed fires to control fuels but also to restore historical lightning-caused fire dynamics. Broad outcomes of this practice are well-understood, but impacts on many organisms are still being explored. Frogs, for example, have upland and wetland requirements, limited mobility, and skin susceptible to desiccation. Treefrogs spend most of their lives in uplands away from water. When fire approaches, animals may escape to an unburned area, hide in place, or be killed by the fire. We examined which of these mechanisms is the prevailing short-term dynamic for persistence of a specialist treefrog in a pyrogenic flatwoods system. Results: We assessed short-term impacts of prescribed fire on the dynamics of an upland flatwoods specialist, the pinewoods treefrog Dryophytes femoralis, using a replicated before-after-control-impact field experiment. We set pipes as treefrog refugia at 3 m, 6 m, 9 m, and 9+ m in 12 pine trees spread evenly across two treatments: reference trees in units burned in 2020 and trees in units with 2021 prescribed fire. Prescribed fires occurred April 16 and July 21, 2021. Every two weeks between 5 March and 5 September we checked pipes for frogs and assigned them unique color marks. We observed 78 individuals with 199 additional recaptures. We modeled abundance (as raw counts), survival, and vertical movement using mark-recapture methods, multi-state, and mixed linear models with a Bayesian framework. Survival and recapture were comparable among prescribed fire treatments, but abundances and movement probability varied. Frogs in trees in areas burned during the study were more likely to stay in place and less likely to descend to lower heights. We observed more frogs in trees after a 2021 fire compared to reference trees.Conclusions:The prevailing mechanism for resiliency to fire for pinewoods treefrogs was migration up large pines, then likely recolonization to lower vegetation layers when they regreen post-fire. This substantiates conclusions from other works that integrity of mature pines is key to sustaining native biodiversity. Future work and management should consider the three-dimensional structure of habitat when developing burn prescriptions and study designs.
Impact of intraoperative goal-directed fluid therapy on tissue oxygen saturation and major morbidity in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung resection: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Zhang Jiatong , Zhang Yang , Sun Siyang , Wu Keting , Yang Liuqing , Gao Ju
Published: July 2022

Background Incision healing after thoracoscopic lung resection, resistance to infection, and gastrointestinal recovery are dependent on tissue perfusion and oxygenation. OLV decreases blood flow and tissue oxygen partial pressure in the emblematic circulation, which in turn regulates tissue blood flow and local tissue oxygen diffusion. This study was aimed at investigating the effects of different fluid management methods on regional tissue oxygen saturation (rSO2) and hemodynamics in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung resection. Furthermore, we comparatively evaluated the effects of the different fluid management strategies on postoperative hospital stay and complications.Methods This is a prospective randomized controlled trial. Sixty patients scheduled for thoracoscopic lung resection are randomly allocated to receive either goal-directed fluid therapy (GDFT) or restrictive fluid therapy at a 1:1 ratio. The rSO2 of each part, mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate, CI, and SVV were recorded before induction (T1), before one-lung ventilation (T2), 30 and 60 min after one-lung ventilation (T3 and T4, respectively), and at the end of surgery (T5). Radial artery blood gas analysis was performed at T1, T4, and T5 to record pH and lactic acid level. Furthermore, patients’ score on the Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) scale and creatinine and urea nitrogen levels on the first postoperative day, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative nausea and vomiting, and complications were recorded. The primary outcome is the regional tissue oxygen saturation (rSO2) and hemodynamics during surgery. The secondary outcomes included postoperative hospital stay and complications.Results Compared with group C, the GDFT group had a significantly higher MAP and CI, lower SVV at T3 to T5 (P < 0.05). In the GDFT group, the intraoperative crystalloid requirement and norepinephrine dose were lower and colloidal requirement and total volume of fluid infused were significantly higher (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the renal rSO2 at T3 to T4 and brachioradialis muscle rSO2 at T4 to T5 in the group were significantly higher (P < 0.05). The postoperative 24-h QoR-15 score was significantly higher in the GDFT group than in group C. Furthermore, the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting was significantly lower in the GDFT group than in group C (P < 0.05).Conclusions GDFT can improve the intraoperative renal rSO2 and brachioradialis muscle rSO2 in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung resection. It also can maintain hemodynamic stability, decrease the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, and improve the quality of postoperative recovery.Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2100050474. Registered on August 27 2021.
Prevalence and level of control of biochemical markers of Bone Mineral Disorder among End Stage Renal Disease Patients Receiving Hemodialysis in Saint Paul’s Referral Hospital in Ethiopia: A Retrospective study.
Authors: Temere Zelalem Sisay , Atlabachew Minaleshew , Juhar Leja Hamza , Assefa Eskedar Getachew
Published: July 2022

Despite the fact that dialysis treatment is useful in End Stage Renal Diseases (ESRD) patients for prolonging their life, the occurrence of Bone Mineral Disease (BMD) associated with an abnormal levels of serum calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) has been increasing, and deaths remain high. The risks in the derangement of serum Ca and P levels on BMD in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) have not been consistently studied in Ethiopia. Thus, our study aimed to assess serum Ca, P, and Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) levels, risks on BMD, and it's level of control in patients undergoing HD and compared the value with clinical practice guidelines of the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (K/DOQI). This study was a hospital-based quantitative retrospective study conducted on patients who had Ca, P, and PTH measurements from the medical record and assessed 56 patients (March 2018 to February 2022) in the dialysis center. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS software: Versions 22 computes variables by correlation and regression analysis. The finding of the study showed that patients average Ca level was 7.21, which is fairly low, and the value has decreased with the increase in hemodialysis frequency, and their relationship signified as 80.1%. In contrast to this, elevated P and PTH values were beyond the recommended KDOQ's P and PTH values. The level of P and PTH have increased with the increased HD frequency and demonstrated a very strong positive relationship signified with 84.2% and 71.2% with a frequency of hemodialysis, respectively. The increased disturbance of serum Ca, P and PTH levels noted in patients with HD in the dialysis center which appear to increase the prevalence of abnormalities of mineral metabolism in patients, and these adverse outcomes results in full-blown high-risk patients linked with metabolic bone diseases unless the conditions are aggressively managed.
Frequency, intensity and influences of tropical cyclones in the Northwest Pacific and China, 1977–2018
Authors: Wang Jie , Yang Yijie , Wang Jiarui , Wang Jie , luan kuifeng
Published: July 2022

China is part of the western Pacific region, which is the source of the most frequent tropical cyclones in the world. These cause severe disasters each year, including huge economic losses and casualties. To better understand their frequency and intensity, remote sensing tropical cyclone data were obtained for the entire Northwest Pacific region for the period 1977–2018. MATLAB and ArcGIS were used to analyse the frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones and their landfall characteristics in various regions of China. The annual frequency of tropical cyclones in the Northwest Pacific showed a trend of fluctuating and decreasing. In particular, since 1994, the overall frequency decreased significantly but rebounded in recent years, while the intensity did not change significantly. It was found that cyclone intensity is lower when the frequency is higher, and vice versa. Some 85% of tropical cyclones occurred in summer and autumn, with the highest intensities in autumn, when the maximum average wind speed peaked at 37 m/s. The area with the most frequent tropical cyclones was 5–20° N, 125–155 °E. A total of 314 tropical cyclones made landfall in China, an annual average of about 7.5. Their frequency and intensity gradually decreased as they moved from coastal to inland areas. Both sea surface temperature and El Niño were significantly related to tropical cyclones. This study’s analyses of the distribution, intensity and landfall characteristics of Northwest Pacific tropical cyclones will help to predict the frequency of disasters and provide a basis for disaster prevention work.
Cellulase-assisted deinking approach for the recycling of mixed office waste papers and its quality improvement
Authors: Pathak Puneet , Sango Chakarvati , Sabharwal Anshul , Kapoor Rajeev , Shukla Pratyoosh , Bhardwaj Nishi Kant
Published: July 2022

This study involves the evaluation of the potential of commercial cellulase enzyme for the deinking of mixed office waste paper. The pH and temperature optima for the enzyme were 6.0 and 50°C. Enzyme dose and reaction time for the deinking process were optimized. An optimum dose of 300 g/t and reaction time of 90 min for commercial cellulase enzyme significantly improved deinking efficiency (79.3%) than the control set (59.4%) and chemical deinking (75.7%). Strength properties (except tear index) like tensile index, breaking length, burst factor and double fold were improved at optimized conditions. Cleanliness of pulp in terms of dirt and specks contents was also improved up to a significant level after cellulase treatment. Thus, it was concluded that commercial cellulase enzyme-based deinking was better than chemical deinking of mixed office waste in terms of improved pulp and paper quality.
Longitudinal associations between physical activity and other health behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic: A fixed effects analysis
Authors: Mitchell John J , Bu Feifei , Fancourt Daisy , Steptoe Andrew , Bone Jessica K
Published: July 2022

Government enforced restrictions on movement during the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to have had profound impacts on the daily behaviours of many individuals, including physical activity (PA). Given the associations between PA and other health behaviours, changes in PA during the pandemic may have been detrimental for other health behaviours. This study aimed to evaluate whether changes in PA during and after the first national lockdown in the United Kingdom (UK) were associated with concurrent changes in alcohol consumption, sleep, nutrition quality, diet quantity and sedentary time. Data were derived from the UCL COVID-19 Social Study whereby 52,784 adults were followed weekly across 22 weeks of the pandemic from 23rd March to 23rd August 2020. Fixed effects regression models revealed that greater PA was positively associated with improved sleep and nutrition quality. However, increases in PA also showed modest associations with increased alcohol consumption and sedentary time. Encouraging people to engage in PA may lead to wider changes in their other health behaviours in times of adversity. These associations could be a result of increases in available leisure time for many people during COVID-19 restrictions and are of ongoing importance given the emerging, long-term changes to lifestyle and working patterns.
Mean Reversion and Convergence of Ecological Footprint in the MENA Region: Evidence from a Fractional Integration Procedure
Authors: Bello Mufutau Opeyemi , Gil-Alana Luis Alberiko , Ch'ng Kean Siang
Published: July 2022

This paper deals with the analysis of mean reversion and convergence of the ecological footprint (EF) in the MENA region. Using a long memory model based on fractional integration, we find that the results are very heterogeneous across countries depending on the assumptions made on the error term and the use of original versus logged data. Nevertheless, some conclusions can be obtained. Thus, mean reversion is decisively found in the case of Tunisia, and other countries showing some degree of reversion to the mean include Israel, Syria, Yemen, and Iran. Dealing with the issue of convergence within the MENA countries, similar conclusions hold and only Tunisia reports statistical evidence of convergence for the two types of errors. Additional evidence is found in the case of Syria, Yemen, and Jordania with uncorrelated errors and for Iran with autocorrelation. It is recommended that environmental policies targeted at stabilizing the trends in EF in the MENA region should not be indiscriminately applied in consideration of the heterogeneous nature of the series in the region
Preparation of bimetal modified HMS zeolite and its catalytic effect on phenol degradation
Authors: Pang Yaming , Gao Liguo , Xia Mingxuan , Fu Yuxiu , Song Xiaoli
Published: July 2022

In this paper, phenol was used as the material to be treated, and HMS molecular sieve was used as the catalyst for the catalytic treatment of the material. HMS, Ti-HMS, Ce-HMS and composite modified Ce/Ti-HMS molecules were used to prepare sieved catalysts. Simulated phenol-containing wastewater with phenol as the main component is treated. The structure of the molecular sieve and its elements and contents were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscope; the morphology of atoms or molecules in the material was characterized by X-ray diffractometer; the chemical bonds in the molecular structure were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The change of vibration peak was analyzed, and the change of surface and skeleton structure was analyzed; the absorbance of the substance to be tested to visible light was measured by ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance method. The experiment was optimized by response surface methodology, and the oxidation of Ce3+ was detected by infrared tracking, and the reaction mechanism of phenol catalytic degradation was analyzed. The active sites that determine the catalytic performance of the composite catalyst were studied by DFT calculations, which further confirmed that the bimetallic modified zeolite has better catalytic effect.
P-wave velocity and radial anisotropy beneath Sichuan-Yunnan area revealed by teleseismic traveltime tomography
Authors: tang xin , Wang Biao , Wen Jiaxing , Guo Zhengchao , Zhou Xiaoyi , Zhou Tingqiang
Published: July 2022

The Sichuan-Yunnan area is located on the southeastern margin of the Tibet Plateau, and it interacts with the Tibet Plateau because of the the southeastward motion of the plateau material since the Cenozoic. Therefore, the Sichuan-Yunnan area acts an important window to understand the uplift and deformation processes of the largest and highest plateau in the world. In this study, we invert the teleseismic relative traveltime differentials extracted from waveform cross-correction to invert the P-wave and radial anisotropy (RAN) beneath the Sichuan-Yunnan area. In the tomographic inversion, we utilize an eikonal equation-based tomography method, and obtain the subsurface P-wave velocity and radial anisotropic structure down to a depth of 700 km. Our P-wave tomography results show that high-velocity anomalies are beneath Sichuan basin at depths from ~ 30 km to ~ 200 km, and remarkable low-velocity anomalies south of Sichuan basin are below the Xiaojiang fault and Red River fault at the same depths. Notably, low-velocity anomalies west of Sichuan basin are under the Songpan-Ganzi block at depths less than 200 km. In addition, our tomography results do not reveal high-velocity anomalies in the mantle transition zone (MTZ) beneath Xiaojiang fault. Evidently, the lithosphere of Sichuan basin exhibits negative radial anisotropy, and the Emeishan large igneous province shows visible negative radial anisotropy. Remarkably, positive radial anisotropy is found underneath Red River fault and it extends a depth of at least 170 km.
Percutaneous transhepatic treatment of biliary-enteric anastomotic occlusive strictures with compliant balloon cholangiography and large-bore catheter: A novel technique
Authors: Li Chaojie , Gong Ju , Huang Wei , Shan Qungang , Wang Ziyin , Wang Zhongmin
Published: July 2022

ObjectivesEndoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a challenge in resolving biliary-enteric anastomotic occlusive strictures (BEAOS) and/or coexisting stones. Here, a novel technique that combined percutaneous compliant balloon block cholangiography and the maintenance of a large-bore catheter was described to resolve this issue.MethodsTen patients developed BEAOS and/or coexisting stones after a Roux-en-Y hepatico- or choledocho-jejunostomy. A percutaneous transhepatic compliant balloon was combined with a high-pressure injection of contrast media to mark the biliary-enteric anastomosis. The biliary-enteric anastomosis was dilated by high-pressure conventional angioplasty balloons, and the compliant balloon was used to push stones into the intestinal tract through the BEAOS. An internal/external biliary catheter was implanted as an alternative minor operation to resolve this problem. Then, the primary drain was exchanged for large-bore 12F and 16F catheters in monthly intervals . The preoperative clinical conditions, postoperative liver function tests and complications were recorded.ResultsAll ten cases had successful techniques, and a total of nine stones in six patients were successfully removed by the compliant balloon. All catheters were removed after the patency of the stricture was confirmed by PTHS six months later. No severe adverse events occurred during the perioperative period. Two patients had episodes of cholangitis during the follow-up period (mean, 17 months; range, 4–24 months), and neither BEAOS nor bile duct stones recurred within two years after the procedure.ConclusionsPercutaneous transhepatic compliant balloon cholangiography and the maintenance of a large-bore catheter were effective and safe alternative operations for resolving BEAOS and/or coexisting stones.
Tamanu Blended Diesel Fuel Operated IC Engine Emissions and Performance Characteristics Optimization using Taguchi with GRA
Authors: Sureshbabu Y. , Ashokavarthanan P.
Published: July 2022

Diesel engines cause major pollutants such as hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). These emissions affect environmental systems and lead to global warming and climatic change effects. These pollutants also affect humans and lead to health problems like lung cancer, breathing problems, and headaches, etc. Hence, some necessary action has to be taken to minimise these pollutants. There are several steps available to control these emissions. The coating of the piston using catalytic material is an effective method and novel approach of reducing emissions in diesel engines with alternate fuel operated diesel engines. The copper-chromium-zirconium alloy (CuCr1Zr) is known for its good thermal conductivity and good catalyst material, and the piston is coated by copper-chromium-zirconium alloy with 250µm thickness. Tamanu oil was blended with diesel fuel in a 20% (B20) to 40% (B40) ratio and used as an alternate fuel for the coated engine. The results showed a significant reduction in emissions and improvements in performance. In this research, the Taguchi with grey relational analysis (GRA) optimization technique is also used to study the effect of engine operating parameters on the emission level such as load and fuel for copper-chromium-zirconium alloy-coated diesel engine. Based on experimental results found that fuel is the most influential factor for CO and HC exhaust gas emissions reductions for coated type diesel engines.
On derivations of basic governing equations for solid bodies in bispherical coordinate system
Authors: Desai Payal
Published: July 2022

Traditionally solid mechanics problems are formulated in Cartesian, cylindrical and spherical coordinate system. Using such formulation and coordinate system, solutions of solid mechanics problems are obtained for specific geometries such as straight boundary, circular, cylindrical and spherical boundaries. However, such available coordinate system cannot describe many geometries in spherical or cylindrical coordinate system with inclusion of eccentricities, two spherical or cylindrical bodies in contact and parallel. In this article, author address this issue by giving complete original formulations and derivations of basic governing partial differential equations in Bispherical coordinate system. Bispherical coordinate system allow us to solve problems such as eccentric spheres, two parallel spheres (intersecting or non-intersecting) in solid mechanics which traditional spherical coordinate system cannot handle. Author develop the original equations in bispherical coordinates in terms of useful quantities of stresses and strains components in three dimensions. The paper is limited to basic formulations and practical applications of such formulations can easily be expanded for getting solutions using any known analytical or numerical methods.
Management strategies for acute type A aortic dissection complicated by limb malperfusion
Authors: Song Shibo , Lu Lin , Peng Hua , Qiang Hai Feng , Wang Juxiang , Wu Yuan , Wu Xijie , Zhuang Hui
Published: July 2022

Objective: Acute type A aortic dissection complicated by limb malperfusion confers a risk of mortality to the patients. And,debates still exist about how to manage the predicament focused on reperfusion first or immediate repair.Here,we aimed to describe our experience with the management of acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) complicated by limb malperfusion.Methods: From January 1st 2020 to December 31st 2021, 22 consecutive patients were admitted to Xiamen Cardiovascular Hospital due to acute type A aortic dissection complicated by limb malperfusion. All perioperative variables were recorded and analyzed. Limb malperfusion was diagnosed according to the clinical symptom,computed tomography angiography ,and laboratory test. We adopt the clinical categories of acute limb ischemia to stratify severity of limb ischemia.Surgery strategies are as follows:Reperfusion first followed by central repair,immediate central repair,immediate central repair followed by stenting. Results: There were 21 males and 1 female with an average of (53.3±11.7) years. Management strategies were as follows :immediate central repair using total arch replacement with frozen elephant trunk in fifteen patients, endovascular stenting followed by central repair in four patients, and endovascular stenting after central repair in two patients.The average extracorporeal circulation time was 258.8 ± 70.5 min;the average aortic cross-clamp time was 177.9 ± 54.2 min; and the average circulatory arrest time was 45.5 ± 13.1 min. The early mortality rate was 13.6% (3/22). Two patients left the hospital voluntarily due to cerebral infarction and bleeding. One patient underwent fasciotomy for osteofascial compartment syndrome and was discharged uneventfully. Six patients underwent continuous renal replacement therapy and hemoperfusion.Conclusion: Central repair is safe and feasible for ATAAD complicated with limb malperfusion. For serious limb malperfusion, endovascular stenting followed by central repair is a good choice with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and hemoperfusion. Hospital mortality rate is high in cases with multiple organ malperfusion.
Discriminative estimated cumulants-based automatic modulation classification over multipath fading channels
Authors: Kadoun Iyad , Bizaki Hossein Khaleghi
Published: July 2022

Automatic modulation classification (AMC) is an essential task in intelligent receivers. AMC research papers over multipath fading channels have two problems. The first problem is the Higher-order moment (HOM)based normalized channel coefficients estimator is not valid for some types of digital modulations. The second problem is poor classification accuracy. This paper solves these problems through significant steps, first, by finding a new HOM-based normalized channel coefficients estimator for all cases of digital modulation types, and second, by finding the mathematical forms of the transmitted signal's estimated normalized HOMs and Higherorder cumulants (HOCs), and third, by selecting the most discriminative estimated HOCs for AMC using features selection algorithms. The simulation results show that the classification accuracy of the selected estimated HOCs, for M-array Phase Shift Keying (MPSK) and M-array quadrature amplitude shift modulation (MQAM) classification is highly improved compared with reference papers. It's 100% for the three-tap multipath channel case, and Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values greater than 6 dB.
CircSTK39 suppresses the proliferation and invasion in Bladder Cancer via regulating miR-135a-5p/NR3C2-mediated Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition signaling pathway
Authors: Li Zhi , Wang Zejin , Yang Shaobo , Shen Chong , Zhang Yinglang , Jiang Ruixue , Zhang Zhe , Zhang Yu , Hu Hailong
Published: July 2022

Circular RNAs (circRNAs), served as a novel non-coding RNA, have crucial functions in the development of tumors, including bladder cancer (BCa). However, the roles and the underlying molecular mechanism of circRNAs mediating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) processes in BCa remains to be studied. In this research, we first found a novel circRNA, circSTK39 (termed as has_circ_0001079), which was a downregulated gene based on the results of high-throughput RNA sequencing. Subsequently, we determined that the expression of circSTK39 in BCa tissues and their cell lines was significantly reduced. In addition, lower circSTK39 expression was strongly related to a worse prognosis for BCa patients. Next, we detected the biological functions of circSTK39 by using loss- and gain- experiments in vitro and in vivo. Ectopic expression of circSTK39 decreased cell proliferation, colony formation, and invasion capacities, while circSTK39 knockdown prevented the above phenotypes. Mechanically, circSTK39 could sponge with miR-135a-5p, thus inhibiting NR3C2-mediated EMT processes in the BCa progression. In conclusion, our results revealed that circSTK39 inhibited EMT of BCa cells through the miR-135a-5p/NR3C2 axis and may provide promising biomarkers for the diagnosis or prospective therapeutic targets for BCa.
Effect of music on objective sleep quality in older inpatients: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Sasaki-Otomaru Akiyo , Sato Rina , Kanoya Yuka
Published: July 2022

Background: This study examined the effect of listening to music on objective sleep quality in older Japanese inpatients.Methods: This unblinded, randomized controlled parallel trial included inpatients (age ≥ 65 years) who had symptoms associated with pneumonia or heart failure and were enrolled from April 2016 to October 2017. Patients were randomly assigned to either the music or the control group. The randomization was stratified according to sex and the use of sleeping pills at baseline. The patients in the music group listened to classical music for 30 min before nocturnal sleep. Objective sleep was assessed using Sleep Scan SL-503 for three nights after admission. Results: A total of 43 patients were assigned to the music (n = 23) and control (n = 20) groups. The rapid eye movement sleep (REM) duration in the music group was significantly longer than that in the control group on the third night. Results of a two-way repeated analysis of variance indicated interactions between the music intervention and REM sleep duration. Conclusions: Listening to music may prolong REM sleep duration in older patients in the early days after hospitalization. REM sleep is one of the factors contributing to the pathogenesis of dementia; therefore, listening to music potentially prevents a decline in cognitive function among hospitalized older adults. Further research is needed to confirm the effect of music on the sleep patterns of hospitalized older patients.Trial registration: Registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network on April 1, 2016 (http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index-j.htm; ID: UMIN000021490).
Exploring and Mitigating Gender Bias in Book Recommender Systems with Explicit Feedback
Authors: Saxena Shrikant , Jain Shweta
Published: July 2022

Recommender systems are indispensable because they influence our day-to-day behavior and decisions by giving us personalized suggestions. Services like Kindle, Youtube, and Netflix depend heavily on the performance of their recommender systems to ensure that their users have a good experience and to increase revenues. Despite their popularity, it has been shown that recommender systems reproduce and amplify the bias present in the real world. The resulting feedback creates a self-perpetuating loop that deteriorates the user experience and results in homogenizing recommendations over time. Further, biased recommendations can also reinforce stereotypes based on gender or ethnicity, thus reinforcing the filter bubbles that we live in. In this paper, we address the problem of gender bias in recommender systems with explicit feedback. We propose a model to quantify the gender bias present in book rating datasets and in the recommendations produced by the recommender systems. Our main contribution is to provide a principled approach to mitigate the bias being produced in the recommendations. We theoretically show that the proposed approach provides unbiased recommendations despite biased data. Through empirical evaluation on publicly available book rating datasets, we further show that the proposed model can significantly reduce bias without significant impact on accuracy. Our method is model agnostic and can be applied to any recommender system. To demonstrate the performance of our model, we present the results on four recommender algorithms, two from the K-nearest neighbors family, UserKNN and ItemKNN, and the other two from the matrix factorization family, Alternating least square and Singular value decomposition. The extensive simulations on various recommender algorithms show the generality of the proposed approach.
Formulation of biofungicides based on Streptomyces lincolnensis strain SZ03 spores and efficacy against R. solani damping-off of tomato seedlings
Authors: Zamoum Miyada , Allali Khadidja , Benadjila Abderrahmane , Zitouni Abdelghani , Goudjal Yacine
Published: July 2022

This work aimed to explore an antagonistic actinobacterial strain isolated from roots of Ziziphus lotus in bioformulation processes and the biocontrol of Rizoctonia solani damping-off of tomato seedlings. The strain Streptomyces lincolnensis SZ03 was investigated for the principal in vitro biocontrol mechanisms and then formulated in three different biofungicides Wettable Talcum Powder (WTP), Sodium-Alginate Propagules (SAP) and Clay Sodium-Alginate Propagules (CAP). Compared to a marketed control products (Serenade® and Acil 060FS®), the formulated biofungicides were investigated against the R. solani damping-off of tomato cv. Aïcha seedlings. The strain S. lincolnensis SZ03 produced chitinases, cellulases, β-1,3-glucanases, cyanhydric acid and siderophores and it showed strong antagonistic effect on the mycelial growth of R. solani. Bioautographic and HPLC analysis revealed the production of a single antifungal compound. The biofungicide WTP showed an attractive biocontrol effect by reducing significantly the disease severity index (DSI) compared to untreated seeds. No significant differences were obtained compared to the chemical treatment with Acil 060FS®. The viability of spores and biocontrol efficacy of the WTP were confirmed after one year storage. S. lincolnensis strain SZ03 has never been reported in the biocontrol of phytopathogenic fungal diseases and it open up very attractive prospects in the fields of biocontrol and crop improvement.
Cognitive changes in lung cancer associated with increased blood-brain barrier leakage in patients with non-brain metastases
Authors: Zhang Dafu , Li Zhen-Hui , Zhang Zhi-Ping , He Yin-Fu , Shang Bin-Li , Xu Xiu-Feng , Ding Ying-Ying , Cheng Yu-Qi
Published: July 2022

Background: To explore the relationship between cognitive function and blood-brain barrier leakage in non-brain metastasis lung cancer and healthy controls.Methods:75 lung cancers without brain metastasis and 29 healthy controls matched with age, sex, and education were evaluated by cognitive assessment, and the Patlak pharmacokinetic model was used to calculate the average leakage in each brain region according to the automated anatomical labelling atlas. After that, the relationships between cognitive and blood-brain barrier leakage were evaluated.Results: Compared with healthy controls, the leakage of 3 brain regions were higher in patients with early lung cancers, and the leakage of 8 brain regions was higher in patients with advanced lung cancers. In contrast to early lung cancers, the leakage of 6 brain regions was increased in advanced lung cancers. The cognitive impairment of advanced lung cancers was mainly reflected in the damage to visuospatial/executive, and delayed recall. Brain regions with increased blood-brain barrier leakage showed negative correlations with visuospatial/executive, delayed recall, tumour size, and tumour marker (r=-0.35 to -0.21, P<0.05). Blood-brain barrier leakage was positively correlated with tumour size and tumour marker CYFRA21-1 (R=0.23 to 0.66, P<0.05).Conclusion: An increase in blood-brain barrier leakage was found in non-brain metastases of advanced lung cancers that corresponded to decreased visuospatial/executive and delayed recall. With progression in lung cancer staging, blood-brain barrier shows higher leakage and may lead to brain metastases and lower cognitive development.
Associations between Neonatal Jaundice and Autism Spectrum Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Nationwide Population Based Cohort Study
Authors: Chou Hung-Chieh , Lin Hung-Chih , Huang Kuang-Hua , Chiu Hsiao-Yu , Tsai Ming-Luen , Chen Yin-Ting , Chang Yu-Chia
Published: July 2022

Objectives: Neonatal jaundice might result brain insults. Both autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are developmental disorders, which might result from early brain injury at neonatal period. We aimed to explore the association between neonatal jaundice treated with phototherapy and the ASD or ADHD. Methods: This retrospective nationwide population cohort study was based on a nationally representative database of Taiwan, and neonates born from 2004 to 2010 were enrolled. All eligible infants were divided into 4 groups, without jaundice, jaundice with no treatment, jaundice with simple phototherapy only and jaundice with intensive phototherapy or blood exchange transfusion (BET). Each infant was follow-up until the date of incident primary outcomes, death, or 7-year-old, whichever occurred first. Primary outcomes were ASD, ADHD. Using cox proportional hazard model to analyze their associations.Results: In total, 118,222 infants with neonatal jaundice were enrolled, including diagnosed only (7260), simple phototherapy (82,990), intensive phototherapy or BET (27,972 infants). The incidences of ASD in each group was 0.57%, 0.81%, 0.77%, and 0.83%, respectively. The incidences of ADHD in each group was 2.83%, 4.04%, 3.52% and 3.48%, respectively. Jaundice groups were significantly associated with ASD, ADHD, or either one, even after all other extraneous maternal and neonatal variables were adjusted. After stratification, the associations were still existed in subgroup with birth weights ≥2500 grams and in male subgroup. Conclusions: Neonatal jaundice correlated with the ASD and ADHD. The associations were significant in infants of both sexes and with birth weights larger than 2500 grams.
Development of a framework for addressing sexual harassment in public transport
Authors: Lane-Visser Tanya , Vanderschuren Marianne
Published: July 2022

The volume of information on addressing sexual harassment (in public transport) is too large for policy makers to navigate unaided. The EMPOWER framework described in this paper is developed with the goal to relate and integrate all complex components that decision makers need to consider when formulating policy on the management of sexual harassment in public transportation, allowing for exploration of the topic and supporting policy and decision making. Use of the framework reduces the amount of information to consider by using intelligence to extract only the pertinent knowledge from the database, presenting it in a four-dimensional manner so that a holistic representation of proposed elements involved in addressing sexual harassment can be provided, and suggesting synergistic packages of interventions to be converted into sexual harassment management strategies. This paper describes the methodology followed to develop the framework, the contents of the framework and provides examples of how the framework can be used to inform policy and decision-making efforts.