bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Matrine regulates miR‐495‐3p/miR‐543/PDK1 axis to repress the progression of acute myeloid leukemia via the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway
Authors: Lei Yanping , Li Xiao , Zhu Liping
Published: January 2024

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a commonly hematological malignancy with feature of rapidly increased immature myeloid cells in bone marrow. The anti‐tumor activity of matrine has been reported in various cancers. However, the functional role of matrine in AML progression still needs to be studied. Cell growth, apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in AML cells were evaluated using 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, 5‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine (EdU) assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)/adenosine diphosphate (ADP) ratio, lactate production and glucose consumption were detected to evaluate glycolysis. Dual‐luciferase reporter assay was conducted to determine the relationships between phosphoinositide‐dependent kinase 1 (PDK1) and microRNA‐495‐3p (miR‐495‐3p)/microRNA‐543 (miR‐543) in AML cells. The results showed that matrine inhibited cell proliferation, glycolysis, and accelerated cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in AML cells. MiR‐495‐3p/miR‐543 was lowly expressed, and PDK1 was highly expressed in AML. Functionally, both miR‐495‐3p and miR‐543 could reverse the effects of matrine on cell proliferation, glycolysis, apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in AML cells. Mechanistically, miR‐495‐3p/miR‐543 directly targeted PDK1, and the inhibition impacts of miR‐495‐3p/miR‐543 on AML progression could be rescued by PDK1 overexpression. Moreover, matrine also could regulate PDK1 expression to suppress AML progression. Besides, matrine modulated miR‐495‐3p/miR‐543/PDK1 axis to inhibit the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway. In summary, matrine hampered the progression of AML through targeting miR‐495‐3p and miR‐543 to attenuate PDK1 expression, thereby repressing the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway.
Consistency between POLARS and LARS scores regarding the incidence of low anterior resection syndrome in a Chilean population undergoing rectal surgery secondary to cancer in a high‐volume hospital
Authors: Gaete M. I. , Moreno D. , Iglesias A. , Navarro F. , Dreyse J. , Cerda J. , Durán V. , Molina M. E. , Miguieles R. , Urrejola G. , Larach J. T. , Bellolio F.
Published: January 2024

Aim

The aim of this work was to evaluate the concordance between the low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) and preoperative LARS (POLARS) scores regarding the incidence of LARS in a Chilean population undergoing rectal surgery for cancer in a high‐volume hospital.

Method

The LARS score questionnaire, following telephone requests, was used to determine the presence and severity of LARS. The POLARS score was calculated based on variables described previously. Correlations and qualitative and quantitative concordance were evaluated using Spearman's correlation coefficient, the kappa coefficient and the Bland–Altman plot with Lin's concordance correlation coefficient.

Results

A total of 120 patients met the inclusion criteria: 37.5% underwent neoadjuvant radiotherapy, 61% underwent total mesorectal excision (TME) and 51.6% underwent ostomy. A total of 49% of patients did not present with LARS, whereas 28% had major LARS. The correlation between scales was poor, with a fair qualitative concordance to determine the presence/absence of LARS and a slight qualitative concordance to determine the degree of the intensity. The quantitative concordance was poor.

Conclusion

In the Chilean population, concordance between the LARS and POLARS scores was qualitatively fair to determine the presence/absence of the disease and qualitatively slight to determine the degree of intensity. We do not suggest using the POLARS score in the perioperative period in the Chilean population deliberately, as the score may help to determine the presence/absence of LARS but cannot determine its degree of intensity. Additional evaluations are required to determine the factors contributing to the degree of agreement between the scales.
Risk factors for hemorrhagic cystitis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in a letermovir‐exposed CMV‐free population receiving PTCy
Authors: Galli Eugenio , Metafuni Elisabetta , Gandi Carlo , Limongiello Maria Assunta , Giammarco Sabrina , Mattozzi Andrea , Santangelo Rosaria , Bacigalupo Andrea , Sorà Federica , Chiusolo Patrizia , Sica Simona
Published: January 2024

Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a highly impacting complication in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), occurring in 12%–37% of patients. The impact of transplant‐ and patient‐specific variables has been described, with a possible role for JCV and BKV, which may be cooperating with cytomegalovirus (CMV). Here, we analyze 134 letermovir‐exposed, CMV‐free patients, treated with the same cyclophosphamide‐based graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis, describing risk factors for HC. The overall incidence of HC was 23%. Patients with HLA mismatched transplant, higher comorbidity score, and receiving three alkylating agents with TBF (thiotepa, busulfan, and fludarabine) conditioning regimen had a higher risk of HC in multivariate analysis (OR: 4.48, 6.32, and 1.32, respectively). A HC‐score including male gender, TBF conditioning, and HLA‐mismatch stratifies the risk of HC in the first 100 days after HSCT. The role of BKV and JCV was not highly impacting in those patients, suggesting a possible synergistic effect between CMV and JCV in causing HC. HC can be interpreted as the combination of patient‐related factors, chemotherapy‐related toxicities—especially due to alkylating agents—and immunological elements.
Inverse priority effects: A role for historical contingency during species losses
Authors: Torres Agostina , Kuebbing Sara E. , Stuble Katharine L. , Catella Samantha A. , Núñez Martín A. , Rodriguez‐Cabal Mariano A.
Published: January 2024

Communities worldwide are losing multiple species at an unprecedented rate, but how communities reassemble after these losses is often an open question. It is well established that the order and timing of species arrival during community assembly shapes forthcoming community composition and function. Yet, whether the order and timing of species losses can lead to divergent community trajectories remains largely unexplored. Here, we propose a novel framework that sets testable hypotheses on the effects of the order and timing of species losses—inverse priority effects—and suggests its integration into the study of community assembly. We propose that the order and timing of species losses within a community can generate alternative reassembly trajectories, and suggest mechanisms that may underlie these inverse priority effects. To formalize these concepts quantitatively, we used a three‐species Lotka‐Volterra competition model, enabling to investigate conditions in which the order of species losses can lead to divergent reassembly trajectories. The inverse priority effects framework proposed here promotes the systematic study of the dynamics of species losses from ecological communities, ultimately aimed to better understand community reassembly and guide management decisions in light of rapid global change.
Constitutively expressed small heat shock protein LsHsp21.5 not only enhances heat tolerance but also helps to maintain reproduction in female Laodelphax striatellus
Authors: Xia Xue , Zhu Feng , Niu Hongtao , Pan Lei , Zheng Zhouting , Pan Lingyun , Hoffmann Ary A. , Fang Jichao , Wang Lihua
Published: January 2024

Coping with stressful conditions and maintaining reproduction are two key biological processes that affect insect population dynamics. Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are involved in the stress response and the development of insects. The sHsp gene Laodelphax striatellus (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) sHsp 21.5 (LsHsp21.5) showed constitutive, stage‐ and organ‐specific expression in L. striatellus, a pest that damages cultivated rice in east Asia. The expression of LsHsp21.5 was highest in the ovary, with 43.60, 12.99 and 1.45 time higher expression here than in the head, gut and female fat bodies, respectively. The expression of this gene was weakly affected by heat or cold shock. The gene provided in vitro protection against heat damage to malate dehydrogenase and in vivo protection against heat stress in Escherichia coli (Enterobacteriales: Enterobacteriaceae) BL21(DE3) and L. striatellus. Moreover, L. striatellus reproduction decreased by 1.85 times when the expression of LsHsp21.5 was inhibited by RNA interference. The expression of some genes related to reproduction, such as the homologous gene of chorion protein, also declined. These results suggest that LsHsp21.5 expression not only protects other proteins against stress but also helps maintain the stable expression of some reproduction‐related genes under non‐stressful conditions, with impacts on L. striatellus fecundity.
Analyzing the effect of sibling number on input and output in the first 18 months
Authors: Laing Catherine , Bergelson Elika
Published: January 2024

Prior research suggests that across a wide range of cognitive, educational, and health‐based measures, first‐born children outperform their later‐born peers. Expanding on this literature using naturalistic home‐recorded data and parental vocabulary reports, we find that early language outcomes vary by number of siblings in a sample of 43 English‐learning U.S. children from mid‐to‐high socioeconomic status homes. More specifically, we find that children in our sample with two or more—but not one—older siblings had smaller productive vocabularies at 18 months, and heard less input from caregivers across several measures than their peers with less than two siblings. We discuss implications regarding what infants experience and learn across a range of family sizes in infancy.
Developmental trajectories of picture‐based object representations during the first year of life
Authors: Shinskey Jeanne L.
Published: January 2024

Experience with an object's photograph changes 9‐month‐olds’ preference for the referent object, confirming they can represent objects from pictures. However, picture‐based representations appear weaker than object‐based representations. The current study's first objective was to investigate age differences in object recognition memory after familiarization with objects' pictures. The second objective was to test whether age differences in object permanence sensitivity with picture‐based representations match those found with object‐based representations, whereby 7‐month‐olds search more for familiar hidden objects but 11‐month‐olds search more for novel ones. Six‐ and 11‐month‐olds were familiarized with an object's photo and tested on their representation of the real object by comparing their reaching for it versus a novel object. Objects were visible under conditions testing recognition memory and hidden under conditions testing object permanence. Like 9‐month‐olds, 6‐ and 11‐month‐olds preferred novelty with visible objects, showing early object recognition after picture familiarization, as well as developmental continuity. Unlike 9‐month‐olds, who switched to preferring familiarity with hidden objects, 6‐ and 11‐month‐olds switched to null preference. This pattern fails to match 7‐ and 11‐month‐olds’ hidden‐object preferences after familiarization with real objects, revealing discontinuity in sensitivity to object permanence after picture familiarization, and suggesting that picture‐based representations are weaker than object‐based ones.
Workload and psychosocial risks among nurses in mental health and psychiatry in Chile
Authors: Fuentes‐Olavarría Daniela , Rodríguez‐Rivas Matías E. , Romo‐Neira Javiera
Published: January 2024

The present study aims to explore and compare psychosocial risks and work overload among nursing professionals in the field mental health and psychiatry in Chile. Quantitative, observational and cross‐sectional research was designed for this purpose. Nurses from community, ambulatory, hospital and emergency units in mental health and psychiatry in Chile were recruited between January and May 2022. Instruments of psychosocial variables and an occupational psychosocial risk scale based on the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire were used. Descriptive and correlational statistics were used, as well as independent samples t‐tests, Factorial Anova and post‐hoc analysis with Bonferroni correction. As a result, 174 nursing professionals were recruited, 79.3% female, average age 33.9 years. One‐third belonged to the Metropolitan Region of Chile. The highest psychosocial risk was obtained by nurses over 30 years of age, from the Metropolitan Region, with more than 16 patients under their care, at the hospital or psychiatric emergency level. Significant differences were observed in work overload and psychosocial risks according to personal and work characteristics of the professionals, as well as of the users and health services. The levels of psychosocial risk and work overload of mental health and psychiatric nurses were reported, as well as the comparison of these according to personal, sociodemographic, and work characteristics. In order to improve the quality of work life of these professionals and the quality of these services, it is essential to develop interventions focused on the dimensions addressed, as well as to define norms and policies that ensure a workload in accordance with international standards.
Timing, reasons, and predictors for first dental visits among children seen at two university hospitals
Authors: Farsi Deema , Farsi Nada , Albadawi Ghaidaa , Mulla Nadin , Bhadila Ghalia
Published: January 2024

Background

Dental caries is the most common chronic childhood disease. The recommended age for the first dental visit (FDV) is 1 year, yet a minority of children visit before the age of 3 years.

Aim

The aim of the study was to estimate the patterns of and predictors for dental visits among a sample of children.

Design

Parents of children between the ages of 6 months and 18 years, who attended the paediatric dentistry clinics and the well‐baby clinics, were recruited. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data. Logistic regression was utilized to assess the predictors of ever visiting a dentist.

Results

The mean age at FDV was 5.8 ± 2.1 years. Parents' belief of not needing to see a dentist was the most common barrier to visiting a dentist (33%). Among the reasons for FDV, caries and pain were the most common (45% and 20%, respectively). Predictors of ever visiting a dentist were children who are not an only child and children of parents who visited a dentist themselves.

Conclusion

Children visited the dentist at an age older than that recommended, and the reasons for FDV were mainly caries and its consequences.
A brief version of the Scale of Emotional Development – Short
Authors: Sappok T. , Barrett B. , Lutter S.
Published: January 2024

Background

The Scale of Emotional Development – Short (SED‐S) captures the level of emotional development in persons with a disorder of intellectual development (DID) with 200 items on five developmental levels. The study aims to develop a brief version of the SED‐S.

Methods

Based on item analysis (proportions, χ2‐test, Spearman's ρ and corrected item–total correlation), a brief version of the SED‐S was developed in a sample of 224 adults with a DID (n1) and validated in a second independent matched sample (n2 = 223).

Results

Item reliability ranged per item set from Cronbach's α = 0.835 to 0.924. Weighted kappa resulted in κω = 0.743 (P < 0.001, 95% confidence interval = 0.690–0.802). Overall agreement of the brief version with the original SED‐S was PO = 0.7. The brief version of the SED‐S showed weaknesses in distinguishing level 2 from the adjacent levels.

Conclusions

The brief version of the SED‐S showed good reliability and moderate to good validity results. Items of phase 2 and, to some degree, of phase 5 should be revised to further improve the psychometric properties of the scale.
Tertiary lymphoid structures in tongue cancer: Association with clinicopathological parameters, preoperative S‐1 chemotherapy response, and prognosis
Authors: Seki Mai , Sano Takaaki , Saito Emi , Ogawa Masaru , Yokoo Satoshi , Oyama Tetsunari
Published: January 2024

Background

Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) are observed in cancer‐invasive sites of various organs, and show evidence of tumor‐specific B and/or T cells, suggesting an active humoral antitumor response. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between TLSs and prognosis in patients with tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) after preoperative S‐1 chemotherapy.

Methods

Among 196 TSCC cases, 111 patients who received preoperative S‐1 chemotherapy were compared to 85 patients who did not receive chemotherapy. We investigated the incidence of TLSs in both preoperative biopsy and resected specimens.

Results

TLSs were present in 24 (12%) biopsy specimens and 31 (16%) resected specimens. TLSs were associated with clinicopathologically advanced cases and positivity for lymphatic invasion. None of the cases with pStage 0 (i.e., noninvasive cancer) showed TLSs. In preoperative S‐1 chemotherapy cases, TLSs were significantly more common in those treated with S‐1 for more than 21 days and in those with treatment effects 0, Ia, and Ib. TLSs may not be a favorable prognostic factor by themselves but maybe a prognostic factor when combined with preoperative S‐1 treatment.

Conclusion

The presence of TLSs was suggested to be a factor indicating a favorable prognosis when considering the indication for preoperative S‐1 chemotherapy. The synergistic effect of S‐1 by activating antitumor immunity may be associated with a better prognosis in TSCC patients with TLSs.
Structural priming: An experimental paradigm for mapping linguistic representations
Authors: Cai Zhenguang G. , Zhao Nan
Published: January 2024

Previous reviews have extensively explored structural priming, but there is a noticeable absence of comprehensive discussion on its potential as a tool for mapping linguistic representations in various fields. This paper addresses this gap by reviewing studies that have utilised structural priming to tackle psycholinguistic issues beyond the persistence of syntactic structures itself. We discuss how structural priming can be employed to map syntactic representations and processes that underlie sentence comprehension, to decipher grammatical encoding in sentence production, to probe the way lexical entries interrelate, to arbitrate alternative syntactic analyses for disputed constructions in experimental syntax, and to illuminate linguistic representations in large language models. We conclude that structural priming, as an experimental paradigm, presents an exciting and promising pathway towards a nuanced, empirically‐grounded understanding of linguistic representations and processes.
Assessing the accuracy of phase equilibrium software in reproducing the liquidus multiple saturation conditions of lunar and Martian basalt compositions
Authors: Astudillo Manosalva Daniel F. , Elardo Stephen M.
Published: January 2024

Accurate computational modeling allows the use of software as a first approach to some petrological problems that typically require experimentation, but most programs have not yet been fully tested for accuracy with lunar or Martian melt compositions. The programs pMELTS, MAGPOX, and Perple_X stand out for phase equilibrium modeling, as their calibrations include experiments of lunar compositions or have precise thermodynamic constraints for similar compositions. A set of lunar mare basalts, picritic glasses, and basaltic Martian compositions with known experimentally determined multiple saturation point (MSP) conditions were used here for phase equilibrium modeling. The accuracy of each program was tested through the determination of MSPs on the liquidus of the selected compositions. This point in pressure–temperature space can be considered as a direct proxy of the stable phases and the equilibrium conditions during partial melting of mantle sources. We identify a trend in experimental data between MSP temperature and MgO, CaO, and SiO2concentrations, and similar trends are found in model results. However, only Perple_X is able to closely match the experimental data, despite the fact it does not accurately model ilmenite saturation for high‐Ti lunar basalts. We find that pMELTS miscalculates olivine saturation for MgO‐rich compositions and MAGPOX systematically underestimates MSP pressure and temperatures and can only be used when olivine is the liquidus phase. For modeling lunar or Martian basalt compositions, Perple_X can be used for optimal results, although no software is yet capable of bypassing the need to constrain MSP conditions through experimentation.
Paravertebral Muscular Neurophysiological Function as an Independent Outcome Predictor of Recurring Herniation/Low Back Pain after Radiofrequency Ablation: A Prospective Follow‐Up and Case‐Control Study Based on Surface Electromyography
Authors: Li Jian , Xing Gengyan , Lu Pengfei , Ding Yi
Published: January 2024

Objective

Spinal endoscopy radiofrequency is a minimally invasive technique for lumbar disc herniation (LDH) and low back pain (LBP). However, recurring LDH/LBP following spinal endoscopy radiofrequency is a significant problem. Paravertebral musculature plays a crucial role in spine stability and motor function, and the purpose of the present study was to identify whether patients’ baseline lumbar muscular electrophysiological function could be a predictor of recurring LDH/LBP.

Methods

This was a prospective follow‐up and case‐control study focusing on elderly patients with LDH who were treated in our department between January 1, 2018, and October 31, 2021. The end of follow‐up was recurring LBP, recurring LDH, death, missing to follow‐up or 2 years postoperation. The surface electromyography test was performed before the endoscopy C‐arm radiofrequency (ECRF) operation to detect the flexion–relaxation ratio (FRR) of the lumbar multifidus (FRRLM) and the longissimus erector spinae (FRRES), and the other baseline parameters included the general characteristics, the visual analogue scale, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association score, and the Oswestry Disability Index. Intergroup comparisons were performed by independent t‐test and χ2‐test, and further binary logistic regression analysis was performed.

Results

Fifty‐four patients completed the 2‐year follow‐up and were retrospectively divided into a recurring LDH/LBP group (Group R) (n = 21) and a no recurring group (Group N) (n = 33) according to their clinical outcomes. FRRLM and FRRES in Group N were much higher than those in Group R (p < 0.001, p = 0.009). Logistic regression analysis showed that only the FRRLM (odds ratio [OR] = 0.123, p = 0.011) and FRRES (OR = 0.115, p = 0.036) were independent factors associated with the ECRF outcome.

Conclusions

Lumbar disc herniation patients’ baseline FRRLM and FRRES are independent outcome predictors of recurring LDH/LBP after ECRF. For every unit increase in baseline FRRLM, the risk of recurring LDH/LBP is decreased by 87.7%, and for every unit increase in baseline FRRES, the risk of recurring LDH/LBP is decreased by 88.5%.
Building extraction from oblique photogrammetry point clouds based on PointNet++ with attention mechanism
Authors: Hu Hong , Tan Qing , Kang Ruihong , Wu Yanlan , Liu Hui , Wang Baoguo
Published: January 2024

Unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAVs) capture oblique point clouds in outdoor scenes that contain considerable building information. Building features extracted from images are affected by the viewing point, illumination, occlusion, noise and image conditions, which make building features difficult to extract. Currently, ground elevation changes can provide powerful aids for the extraction, and point cloud data can precisely reflect this information. Thus, oblique photogrammetry point clouds have significant research implications. Traditional building extraction methods involve the filtering and sorting of raw data to separate buildings, which cause the point clouds to lose spatial information and reduce the building extraction accuracy. Therefore, we develop an intelligent building extraction method based on deep learning that incorporates an attention mechanism module into the Samling and PointNet operations within the set abstraction layer of the PointNet++ network. To assess the efficacy of our approach, we train and extract buildings from a dataset created using UAV oblique point clouds from five regions in the city of Bengbu, China. Impressive performance metrics are achieved, including 95.7% intersection over union, 96.5% accuracy, 96.5% precision, 98.7% recall and 97.8% F1 score. And with the addition of attention mechanism, the overall training accuracy of the model is improved by about 3%. This method showcases potential for advancing the accuracy and efficiency of digital urbanization construction projects.
Emerging economy firm technological catch‐up through a dual innovation ecosystem framework
Authors: Sears Joshua B. , Muhammad Muhammad A.
Published: January 2024

Research has identified two principal mechanisms for emerging economy (EE) firms to technologically catch up with advanced economy (AE) firms: absorbing knowledge spillovers from AE subsidiaries and internationalizing R&D into AEs. Prior technological catch‐up research has assumed EE firms are merely trailing their AE counterparts on the technological frontier when in fact the research on the bottom of the pyramid, as well as other research streams, have recognized that the different consumer demands in EEs and AEs drive different R&D activities in EEs and AEs. We submit that technological catch‐up requires both the upgrading of technological capabilities and the shifting of R&D activity from solving EE demand problems to solving AE demand problems. Utilizing patent data, we investigate the relative efficacy of AE knowledge spillovers and internationalizing R&D in AEs on technological catch‐up within a dual innovation ecosystem framework. We find that knowledge spillovers affect technological catch‐up through a process that initially decreases the technological capabilities of EE firms before increasing such capabilities as EE firms shift R&D activity towards the AE innovation ecosystem. However, we find that internationalizing R&D in AEs yields a significant positive effect on EE firms' technological capabilities and shifts their innovative activities towards solving AE demand problems.
Why Don't South Asians in the U.S. Count As “Asian”?: Global and Local Factors Shaping Anti‐South Asian Racism in the United States*
Authors: Kurien Prema , Purkayastha Bandana
Published: January 2024

In a 2020 U.S. survey, more Asian Indians than Chinese indicated that they were worried about post‐Covid‐19 hate crimes. Yet, post‐Covid violence against people of Asian background has been viewed as being directed against “Chinese‐looking” individuals. This is just one example of how South Asians are overlooked in discourses about Asian Americans. This theoretical paper provides an expansion of the racial formation framework to explain this exclusion. We demonstrate how global factors, including the foreign engagements of the United States shaped the development of the Asian American group and category, and why, even though Asian Americans can be brown, yellow, white, or black, an East Asian phenotype is viewed as denoting an “Asian” body in the United States. We also discuss how the racialization of religion shapes anti‐South Asian racism, a factor largely ignored in the literature on racial formation and Asian Americans. We end by calling for the inclusion of South Asians in Asian American literature to challenge many of the reigning paradigms regarding Asian America and anti‐Asian racism.
A Novel Gait Event Detection Algorithm Using a Thigh-Worn Inertial Measurement Unit and Joint Angle Information
Authors: Strick Jacob A. , Farris Ryan J. , Sawicki Jerzy T.
Published: January 2024

This paper describes the development and evaluation of a novel, threshold-based gait event detection algorithm utilizing only one thigh inertial measurement unit (IMU) and unilateral, sagittal plane hip and knee joint angles. The algorithm was designed to detect heel strike (HS) and toe off (TO) gait events, with the eventual goal of detection in a real-time exoskeletal control system. The data used in the development and evaluation of the algorithm were obtained from two gait databases, each containing synchronized IMU and ground reaction force (GRF) data. All database subjects were healthy individuals walking in either a level-ground, urban environment or a treadmill lab environment. Inertial measurements used were three-dimensional thigh accelerations and three-dimensional thigh angular velocities. Parameters for the TO algorithm were identified on a per-subject basis. The GRF data were utilized to validate the algorithm's timing accuracy and quantify the fidelity of the algorithm, measured by the F1-Score. Across all participants, the algorithm reported a mean timing error of −41±20 ms with an F1-Score of 0.988 for HS. For TO, the algorithm reported a mean timing error of −1.4±21 ms with an F1-Score of 0.991. The results of this evaluation suggest that this algorithm is a promising solution to inertial based gait event detection; however, further refinement and real-time evaluation are required for use in exoskeletal control.
Thermo-Economic Analysis of Solar-Powered Trigeneration System With Integrated Ejector-Absorption Recompression and Modified Organic Rankine Cycle
Authors: Mishra Shubham Kumar , Rehalia Amrit Singh , Verma Ashutosh Kumar , Yadav Laxmikant
Published: January 2024

In this study, the organic Rankine cycle (ORC) and hybrid absorption recompression cycle have been modified by the addition of turbine bleeding with regeneration and ejector, making it a unique solar-powered trigeneration system. With this modification, the useful electric power increases by 65 kW due to increased mass flowrate and overall efficiency nearly by 0.7%, and this difference grows as direct normal irradiation (DNI) rises. After identifying these improvements, a parametric study was conducted to determine the optimum value of these operating variables, such as direct normal irradiation, condenser pressure, turbine inlet temperature, and pressure ratio based on the desired outputs and efficiencies of the proposed modified systems. The results indicate that the proposed system is capable of simultaneously generating 315.3 kW of electric power, 1588 kW of heating output, and 501.6 kW of cooling at energy and exergy efficiencies of 80.8% and 25.36%, respectively. Further, in terms of energy one could conclude that only 19.2% of total available energy is getting wasted, but in reality, around 75% of the work potential of the input exergy is getting wasted. The maximum exergy is lost at the solar collector and destructed at heat recovery vapor generator (HRVG), hence requiring careful design to improve their performance. Lastly, an economic analysis of the proposed system has also been conducted, and the payback period is found to be 2.33 years, which ensures its economic viability.
Assessment of the correlation between optical properties and CQD preparation approaches
Authors: Ateia Ebtesam E. , Rabie Obaida , Mohamed Amira T.
Published: January 2024

Various production procedures, for carbon quantum dots (CQDs), are still being extensively researched to understand the nature of CQD luminescence. This study compares and examines the impact of chemical as well as green methods on the structural and optical properties of CQDs. We present a straightforward, cost-effective bottom-up method for producing fluorescent CQDs from lemon peels (L-CQDs), orange juice (O-CQDs), and citric acid (C-CQDs) without having to deal with time-consuming or ineffective post-processing processes. The proposed green synthesis has no toxic by-products, and the residual resources utilized promote the large-scale production of CQDs. X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, FTIR, Raman, DLS, and UV–Vis spectroscopy are utilized to investigate the structure and optical characteristics of the prepared CQDs. The as-prepared CQDS possess small particle sizes of 5.6 nm, 6.2 nm, and 1.1 nm for L-CQDs, O-CQDs, and C-CQDs samples, respectively. FTIR results reveal the coexistence of carboxylic and hydroxyl groups on the surface of the CQDs, as also supported by zeta-potential values. Maximal fluorescence intensity was reached at excitation wavelengths of 365, 250, and 280 nm with an emission color of blue, indigo, and light blue for L-CQDs, O-CQDs, and C-CQDs, respectively. The presented approaches show a high quantum yield of 88% for O-CQDs, 49% for L-CQDs, and 37% for C-CQDs. Due to their minuscule particle size, perfect water solubility, high stability, and tunable luminescence properties, the prepared CQDs are preferred for potential applications in multicolor imaging, metal ion sensing, and wastewater technologies.
Are Users of Digital Archives Ready for the AI Era? Obstacles to the Application of Computational Research Methods and New Opportunities
Authors: Jaillant Lise , Aske Katherine
Published: January 2024

Innovative technologies are improving the accessibility, preservation, and searchability of born-digital and digitised records. In particular, Artificial Intelligence is opening new opportunities for archivists and researchers. However, the experience of scholars (particularly humanities scholars) and other users remain understudied. This article asks
how
and
why
researchers and general users are, or are not, using computational methods. This research is informed by an open-call survey, completed by 22 individuals, and semi-structured interviews with 33 professionals, including archivists, librarians, digital humanists, literary scholars, historians, and computer scientists. Drawing on these results, this article offers an analysis of user experiences of computational research methods applied to digitised and born-digital archives. With a focus on humanities and social science researchers, this article also discusses users who resist this kind of research, perhaps because they lack the skills necessary to engage with these materials at scale, or because they prefer to use more traditional methods, such as close reading and historical analysis. Here, we explore the uses of computational and more “traditional” research methodologies applied to digital records. We also make a series of recommendations to elevate users’ computational skills but also to improve the digital infrastructure to make archives more accessible and usable.
Bridging Software-Hardware for CXL Memory Disaggregation in Billion-Scale Nearest Neighbor Search
Authors: Jang Junhyeok , Choi Hanjin , Bae Hanyeoreum , Lee Seungjun , Kwon Miryeong , Jung Myoungsoo
Published: January 2024

We propose
CXL-ANNS
, a software-hardware collaborative approach to enable scalable approximate nearest neighbor search (ANNS) services. To this end, we first disaggregate DRAM from the host via compute express link (CXL) and place all essential datasets into its memory pool. While this CXL memory pool allows ANNS to handle billion-point graphs without an accuracy loss, we observe that the search performance significantly degrades because of CXL’s far-memory-like characteristics. To address this, CXL-ANNS considers the node-level relationship and caches the neighbors in local memory, which are expected to visit most frequently. For the uncached nodes, CXL-ANNS prefetches a set of nodes most likely to visit soon by understanding the graph traversing behaviors of ANNS. CXL-ANNS is also aware of the architectural structures of the CXL interconnect network and lets different hardware components collaborate with each other for the search. Furthermore, it relaxes the execution dependency of neighbor search tasks and allows ANNS to utilize all hardware in the CXL network in parallel.

Our evaluation shows that CXL-ANNS exhibits 93.3% lower query latency than state-of-the-art ANNS platforms that we tested. CXL-ANNS also outperforms an oracle ANNS system that has unlimited local DRAM capacity by 68.0%, in terms of latency.
The Role of Biomarkers Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase‐Activating Polypeptide (PACAP) and Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) in Chronic and Episodic Migraines: A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Thapa Sangharsha , Shah Sangam , Bhattarai Abhinav , Yadav Rukesh , Yu Fang , Chand Swati , Li Jin
Published: January 2024

Background. Migraine is a neurological disorder that results in disability accumulation, and there are no blood‐based markers for indicating migraine susceptibility. Here, we aimed to evaluate the possible biomarker role of neuropeptides, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating polypeptide (PACAP) in chronic (CM) and episodic migraine (EM). Method. PubMed, medRxiv, and Google Scholar databases were searched up to the 7th of September 2022 using the search syntax to define all relevant articles addressing the plasma and serum levels of VIP and PACAP in migraineurs and controls. Concerning bias assessment, the risk of bias in nonrandomized studies‐I (ROBINS‐I) was assessed. Also, the standardized mean difference (SMD) was measured with a random effects model. Results. Five case‐control studies with 503 migraine cases were included. CM patients had elevated VIP levels compared to controls (SMD = 0.44, 95% CI 0.25‐0.62, p < 0.00001). In contrast, PACAP levels were lower in EM patients (SMD = −0.30, 95% CI ‐0.48 to ‐0.11, p = 0.002). Overall, migraine cases had higher VIP levels (SMD = 0.25, 95% CI 0.11‐0.39, p = 0.0006) but lower PACAP levels (SMD = −0.16, 95% CI ‐0.30 to ‐0.03, p = 0.020) than controls. Conclusion. The results support the role of VIP and PACAP neuropeptides in migraine pathophysiology. CM patients have significantly higher serum VIP levels, while EM patients have lower serum PACAP levels compared to controls. Further studies should confirm these findings.
Weakly Supervised Fatigue Crack Detection in Steel Bridge Girders Using a Proposed Two‐Stage Network Training with a Segmentation Refinement Module
Authors: Jiang Fei , Ding Youliang , Song Yongsheng , Geng Fangfang , Wang Zhiwen
Published: January 2024

Existing semantic segmentation methods for fatigue cracks in steel bridge girders are fully supervised and thus demand manual annotation of pixel‐level labels, which is time‐consuming. Recently, there have been remarkable developments in semantic segmentation under image‐level tag supervision. However, these weakly supervised approaches are still inferior to the fully supervised manner in terms of accuracy. To mitigate this gap, this paper commits to improving the correlation between high‐level semantics to low‐level appearance. A two‐stage training manner with a segmentation refinement module for progressively refining pseudolabels and training the segmentation network was proposed. First, an activation modulation and recalibration scheme was recommended, which leverages a spotlight branch and a compensation branch to locate both the discriminative and less‐discriminative object regions. Then, the generated pseudolabels were used as supervision to train the segmentation network in the proposed two‐stage manner. In the first stage, the network was pretrained to learn all essential information and provide a basic segmentation performance, aiming to facilitate network convergence in the following training. To develop the inference quality, in the second stage, the pretrained network was further trained recursively with the designed segmentation refinement module to improve the labels using two postprocessing algorithms between each iteration. Overall, our method achieves comparable inference results to fully supervised approaches while significantly reducing annotation workload, which improves the efficiency of routine bridge inspection.
Prevalence and Molecular Evolution of Parvovirus in Cats in Eastern Shandong, China, between 2021 and 2022
Authors: Wang Jingyu , Yan Zhirong , Liu Haoran , Wang Wenjie , Liu Yakun , Zhu Xu , Tian Lili , Zhao Jianjun , Peng Qisheng , Bi Zhenwei
Published: January 2024

Feline panleukopenia (FPL) is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by infection with feline parvovirus (FPV) and canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV‐2). In recent years, the number of cats with FPL has increased with the expansion of pet cat population in China. The feces of 51 cats with diarrhea symptoms collected from 2021 to 2022 in Eastern Shandong, China, were detected by polymerase chain reaction for parvovirus and other viruses related to feline diarrhea to investigate the prevalence and gene variation of parvovirus in cats. In all the 51 samples, 45.1% (23/51) were positive for at least one viral pathogen, and the positivity of parvovirus was 41.2% (21/51), showing a high prevalence. Multiple‐pathogen testing indicated high‐coinfection rates of 42.9% (9/21) with other common viruses in parvovirus‐positive cats. Most of the coinfections are feline coronavirus (FCoV), followed by feline astrovirus (FAstV) and feline bocavirus (FBoV). The complete VP2 sequences of 21 parvoviruses were obtained. Among them, 20 sequences were identified as FPV, and only one was CPV‐2c of Asian origin, which was first detected from cats in Eastern Shandong, China. A phylogenetic tree of the 20 FPVs was constructed together with 698 FPVs (cat/dog host) worldwide on the basis of complete VP2. The 18 FPVs displayed high‐sequence identity to one another (99.8%–100%), and they were clustered into FPV‐G1 group, whereas the other two were clustered into FPV‐G3 group. The FPV‐G1 group increased dramatically to become predominant after 2019 in China, contributing to the prevalence of A91S mutation due to 96.07% FPV‐G1 with A91S mutation as well as 100% of FPV‐G2 and 99.12% of FPV‐G3 with 91A in the statistical analysis. This study enriched the understanding of the prevalence, molecular evolution, and cross‐species transmission of parvovirus in cats and provided a basis for responding to challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of FPL.
Examining the Association of Rare Allelic Variants in Urate Transporters SLC22A11, SLC22A13, and SLC17A1 with Hyperuricemia and Gout
Authors: Vávra Jiří , Pavelcová Kateřina , Mašínová Jana , Hasíková Lenka , Bubeníková Eliška , Urbanová Aneta , Mančíková Andrea , Stibůrková Blanka
Published: January 2024

Genetic variations in urate transporters play a significant role in determining human urate levels and have been implicated in developing hyperuricemia or gout. Polymorphism in the key urate transporters, such as ABCG2, URAT1, or GLUT9 was well-documented in the literature. Therefore in this study, our objective was to determine the frequency and effect of rare nonsynonymous allelic variants of SLC22A11, SLC22A13, and SLC17A1 on urate transport. In a cohort of 150 Czech patients with primary hyperuricemia and gout, we examined all coding regions and exon–intron boundaries of SLC22A11, SLC22A13, and SLC17A1 using PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing. For comparison, we used a control group consisting of 115 normouricemic subjects. To examine the effects of the rare allelic nonsynonymous variants on the expression, intracellular processing, and urate transporter protein function, we performed a functional characterization using the HEK293A cell line, immunoblotting, fluorescent microscopy, and site directed mutagenesis for preparing variants in vitro. Variants p.V202M (rs201209258), p.R343L (rs75933978), and p.P519L (rs144573306) were identified in the SLC22A11 gene (OAT4 transporter); variants p.R16H (rs72542450), and p.R102H (rs113229654) in the SLC22A13 gene (OAT10 transporter); and the p.W75C variant in the SLC17A1 gene (NPT1 transporter). All variants minimally affected protein levels and cytoplasmic/plasma membrane localization. The functional in vitro assay revealed that contrary to the native proteins, variants p.P519L in OAT4 (p≤0.05), p.R16H in OAT10 (p≤0.05), and p.W75C in the NPT1 transporter (p≤0.01) significantly limited urate transport activity. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of (1) the risk of urate transporter-related hyperuricemia/gout and (2) uric acid handling in the kidneys.
Can Heated Distilled Water Effectively Prevent Precipitate Formation between NaOCl and CHX?
Authors: Boppré Letícia Mendes , Menezes Savaris Julia , Catherine Maiola Emanuelle , Peressoni Vieira-Schuldt Daniela , da Fonseca Roberti Garcia Lucas , da Silveira Teixeira Cleonice , Antunes Bortoluzzi Eduardo
Published: January 2024

Introduction. The present study aimed to investigate the capacity of different irrigation protocols using heated distilled water at 65°C (HDW), in preventing the formation of the brown–orange precipitate observed after the interaction between sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and chlorhexidine (CHX). Methods. Forty human canines were selected, prepared, and cleaved in two halves. Images of delimited areas in each root canal thirds were obtained through a stereomicroscope (16x and 40x). After reassembly, the teeth were distributed into four groups (n = 10) according to the final irrigation protocol: G1 (no HDW): EDTA + NaOCl + CHX with conventional irrigation (CI); G2 (HDW + CI): EDTA with passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) + NaOCl (PUI) + HDW (CI) + CHX (PUI); G3 (HDW + PUI): EDTA + NaOCl + HDW + CHX with PUI; G4 (HDW + CUI): EDTA (PUI) + NaOCl (PUI) + HDW with continuous ultrasonic irrigation (CUI) + CHX (PUI). After irrigation, the teeth were re‐separated and images of the same delimited areas were obtained again. Scores were assigned according to the amount of precipitate observed, comparing the initial and final images. The data were submitted to Kruskal–Wallis, Dunn and Friedman statistical tests (α = 5%). Results. G1(no HDW) showed the highest scores in the analysis between groups (p < 0.001), with a greater amount of precipitate in the cervical and medium thirds (p < 0.001). The thirds of the other experimental groups did not differ from each other (p > 0.05). Conclusion. The intermediate irrigation with heated distilled water at 65°C prevented the formation of brown–orange precipitate, regardless of the use of ultrasonic activation (PUI or CUI).