bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Memory Dependence Speculation for Simultaneous Multi-Threading Processors
Authors: Flores Jonathan , Lin Wei-Ming
Published: January 2024

Simultaneous Multi-Threading (SMT) processors provide improvement over the traditional out-of-order superscalar architecture by allowing instructions from several independent threads to execute out-of-order concurrently. Maintaining the accuracy of values read from and written to memory is a great bottleneck for processor performance, as loads must stall execution until all prior store addresses are known or risk reading invalid data. Prior research in this area has mainly focused on superscalar architecture, as such, it is only natural to extend memory dependence speculation techniques to an SMT architecture. In this paper, we allow for loads among threads to execute as soon as their addresses are resolved without checking for prior memory address conflicts. Stores also perform a check on all later loads to see if any read was too early due to an address match, if so, the processor state is recovered, and the load re-issued. This aggressive technique allows for the greatest potential instructions per clock cycle gains over predictive techniques as the pipeline is never stalled for loads. Our simulations show that an overall IPC gain up to 12% and 10% is possible for both 4-threaded and 8-threaded workloads respectively. Conversely, a maximum overall IPC loss of at least 2.3% and 2% for 4-threaded and 8-threaded workloads respectively was also observed.
Consequence of the direction of uniform horizontal magnetic field on nanolubricant flow over a permeable rotating disk
Authors: Gamaoun Fehmi , Shankaralingappa B. M. , Thanesh Kumar K. , Shanker B. , Kumar Raman , Punith Gowda R. J.
Published: January 2024

In order to reduce friction between moving elements in automobiles’ heat exchange systems, SAE50 is a vital lubricant. Additionally, by preventing corrosion and abrasion of moving parts, it increases durability, reduces fuel consumption, and improves efficiency. SAE50 has a low thermal conductivity, despite this. The current inquiry is concentrated on how Zinc Oxide-Society of Automotive Engineers 50 nanolubricant flow (ZnO-SAE50 nanolubricant) through a permeable rotating disk is affected by a uniform horizontal magnetic field (UHMF) and thermal radiation. By employing the appropriate transformations, the governing modeled equations are changed into ordinary differential equations (ODEs). Then the ODEs are solved numerically by combining the Runge–Kutta-fourth-and-fifth Fehlberg’s (RKF-45) order and shooting tactic. The findings show that radiation is crucial in enhancing heat transfer for the flow of ZnO-SAE50 nanolubricant over the disk surface. With higher heat source/sink parameter values, it is discovered that the temperature boundary layer produces energy, causing thermal profiles to rise. Further in this scenario, it is found that the increase in magnetic field decreases the fluid flow gradually at rate of 5–10%.
Structural, magnetic, and optoelectronic properties of rock salt MgO co-doped with Eu-TM (TM = Cu, Ag, and Au) for spintronic and UV detector applications: SP-DFT investigations
Authors: Tayeb Halais Wissem , Doghmane Malika , Bouhlala Aicha , Chettibi Sabah
Published: January 2024

This study analyzes how adding europium and transition metals (Cu, Ag, and Au) at a 12.5% concentration to magnesium oxide (MgO) affects its physical characteristics and potential uses. To do so, the full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method, based on spin-polarized density functional theory (SP-DFT), is used to derive the results. Wu and Cohen’s generalized gradient approximation (GGA-WC) described the exchange-correlation potential. The modified Becke-Johnson exchange potential (TB-mBJ) was also used to improve the findings of optoelectronic properties. When Eu and TM (Cu, Ag, and Au) impurities are co-doped into the nonmagnetic (NM) semiconductor MgO, the structural optimization results show that the lattice constants increase, and the bulk modulus decreases with increasing the atomic number of transition metals. The resulting dilute magnetic oxides (DMOs) are stable in the spin-polarized ferromagnetic (FM) phase, and the formation energy values confirm their stability in the [Formula: see text] cubic structure, with the lowest value belonging to Eu[Formula: see text]TM[Formula: see text]Mg[Formula: see text]O. Similarly, calculations of electronic properties using the WC-mBJ functional demonstrate that all compounds have an indirect half-metallic bandgap at L-[Formula: see text] equal to 2.53, 2.49, and 1.39 eV for Eu[Formula: see text]Cu[Formula: see text]Mg[Formula: see text]O, Eu[Formula: see text]Ag[Formula: see text]Mg[Formula: see text]O, and Eu[Formula: see text]Au[Formula: see text]Mg[Formula: see text]O, respectively. They have an integer magnetic moment of 6 [Formula: see text]. The density of states shows that at the Fermi level, the 4f-Eu, d-TM, and p-O states give rise to new energy levels. This indicates that the f–p–d hybridization provides this system with its FM properties. Also, these compounds’ dielectric function and absorption spectra are calculated and analyzed to learn more about their optical properties. The results provide insight into the optical behavior of the materials. It is observed that the co-doped compounds exhibit greater optical absorbance than their un-doped MgO counterparts do. This theoretical investigation opens the way to preparing high magnetic moment DMOs using TM and rare earth as dopants suitable for spintronic and UV devices.
What Is in a ? Cross-lingual Topic Detection & Information Retrieval in Archives Portal Europe
Authors: Musso Marta , Arnold Kerstin , Nanni Federico , Cannelli Beatrice
Published: January 2024

Archives Portal Europe (APE,
www.archivesportaleurope.net
) is the portal of European archives, an aggregator that connects on a single research point the catalogues and digitised archival material of all archives in and about Europe. It currently hosts material from more than 30 countries and from a variety of archival institutions (such as State archives, city archives, university and parish archives, private institutions, and more). It is maintained by the Archives Portal Europe Foundation, an international consortium of State archives and other archival institutions that aim to connect the archival material of single institutions into one digital repository to allow universal access to the archival heritage of Europe, promoting new forms of archival research beyond national or local boundaries. One of the research tools made available by Archives Portal Europe is by topics; however, these are currently maintained manually by the archivists, and the vast amount of archival material ingested in the portal makes it impossible to have a comprehensive body of topics that describe the whole of the APE repository. Archives are traditionally not organised by their subject content, but around the entity (person, organization, body) that created and/or collected the documents in the course of their activities. While this is an undisputed pillar of archival management, the availability of online digital repositories for archival research requires new tools for digital archival research, particularly when different archival traditions from different countries and different types of institutions are merged into a unique research portal. Topic detection becomes a fundamental tool to guide archival research and to allow archives to be accessible to potentially world-wide users in a situation where national and linguistics barriers blur or are re-defined. This article presents the preliminary results and plan for future iterations of an AI tool for automated topic detection in a multi- lingual environment, where human-created taxonomies act as bases for the algorithms to aggregate relevant material around a specific topic. The development is based on supervised machine learning, with a combination of human inputs in different languages, and of the usage of Wikipedia pages to model the relevant vocabulary and entities.
Dedicated Hardware Accelerators for Processing of Sparse Matrices and Vectors: A Survey
Authors: Isaac–Chassande Valentin , Evans Adrian , Durand Yves , Rousseau Frédéric
Published: January 2024

Performance in scientific and engineering applications such as computational physics, algebraic graph problems or Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), is dominated by the manipulation of large sparse matrices—matrices with a large number of zero elements. Specialized software using data formats for sparse matrices has been optimized for the main kernels of interest: SpMV and SpMSpM matrix multiplications, but due to the indirect memory accesses, the performance is still limited by the memory hierarchy of conventional computers. Recent work shows that specific hardware accelerators can reduce memory traffic and improve the execution time of sparse matrix multiplication, compared to the best software implementations. The performance of these sparse hardware accelerators depends on the choice of the sparse format,
COO
,
CSR
, etc, the algorithm,
inner-product
,
outer-product
,
Gustavson
, and many hardware design choices. In this article, we propose a systematic survey which identifies the design choices of state-of-the-art accelerators for sparse matrix multiplication kernels. We introduce the necessary concepts and then present, compare, and classify the main sparse accelerators in the literature, using consistent notations. Finally, we propose a taxonomy for these accelerators to help future designers make the best choices depending on their objectives.
On the Influence and Political Leaning of Overlap between Propaganda Communities
Authors: Sen Anirban , Gun Soumyasis , De Soham , Pal Joyojeet
Published: January 2024

Social media offers increasingly diverse mechanisms for the distribution of motivated information, with multiple propaganda communities exhibiting overlaps with respect to user, content, and network characteristics. This has particularly been an issue in the Global South, where recent work has shown various forms of strife related to polarizing speech online. It has also emerged that propagandist information, including fringe positions on issues, can find its way into the mainstream when sufficiently reinforced in tone and frequency, some of which often requires sophisticated organizing and information manipulation. In this study, we analyze the overlap between three events with varying degrees of propagandist messaging by analyzing the content and network characteristics of users leading to overlap between their users and discourse. We find that a significant fraction of users leading to overlap between the three event communities are influential in information spread across the three event networks, and political leaning is one of the factors that helps explain what brings the communities together. Our work sheds light on the importance of network characteristics of users, which can prove to be instrumental in establishing the role of political leaning on overlap between multiple propaganda communities.
BEANet: An Energy-efficient BLE Solution for High-capacity Equipment Area Network
Authors: Xu Yifan , Dang Fan , Liu Kebin , Zhu Zhui , Chen Xinlei , Wang Xu , Miao Xin , Zhao Haitian
Published: January 2024

The digital transformation of factories has greatly increased the number of peripherals that need to connect to a network for sensing or control, resulting in a growing demand for a new network category known as the Equipment Area Network (EAN). The EAN is characterized by its cable-free, high-capacity, low-latency, and low-power features. To meet these expectations, we presentBEANet, a novel solution designed specifically for EAN that combines a two-stage synchronization mechanism with a time division protocol. We implemented the system using commercially available Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) modules and evaluated its performance. Our results show that the network can support up to 150 peripherals with a packet reception rate of 95.4%, which is only 0.9% lower than collision-free BLE transmission. When the cycle time is set to 2 s, the average transmission latency for all peripherals is 0.1 s, while the power consumption is 18.9 μW, which is only half that of systems using LLDN or TSCH. Simulation results also demonstrate that BEANet has the potential to accommodate over 30,000 peripherals under certain configurations.
Invisible, Unreadable, and Inaudible Cookie Notices: An Evaluation of Cookie Notices for Users with Visual Impairments
Authors: Clarke James M. , Mehrnezhad Maryam , Toreini Ehsan
Published: January 2024

This article investigates the accessibility of cookie notices on websites for users with visual impairments (VI) via a set of system studies on top UK websites (
n
=46) and a user study (
n
=100). We use a set of methods and tools—including accessibility testing tools, text-only browsers, and screen readers—to perform our system studies. Our results demonstrate that the majority of cookie notices on these websites have some form of accessibility issue, including contrast issues, not having headings, and not being read aloud immediately when the page is loaded. We discuss how such practices impact the user experience and privacy and provide a set of recommendations for multiple stakeholders for more accessible websites and better privacy practices for users with VIs. To complement our technical contribution, we conduct a user study, finding that people with VIs generally have a negative view of cookie notices and believe our recommendations could help their online experience.
Microbialite Accretion and Growth: Lessons from Shark Bay and the Bahamas
Authors: Reid R. Pamela , Suosaari Erica P. , Oehlert Amanda M. , Pollier Clément G.L. , Dupraz Christophe
Published: January 2024

Microbialites provide geological evidence of one of Earth's oldest ecosystems, potentially recording long-standing interactions between coevolving life and the environment. Here, we focus on microbialite accretion and growth and consider how environmental and microbial forces that characterize living ecosystems in Shark Bay and the Bahamas interact to form an initial microbialite architecture, which in turn establishes distinct evolutionary pathways. A conceptual three-dimensional model is developed for microbialite accretion that emphasizes the importance of a dynamic balance between extrinsic and intrinsic factors in determining the initial architecture. We then explore how early taphonomic and diagenetic processes modify the initial architecture, culminating in various styles of preservation in the rock record. The timing of lithification of microbial products is critical in determining growth patterns and preservation potential. Study results have shown that all microbialites are not created equal; the unique evolutionary history of an individual microbialite matters.
Oppositely-Doped Core-Shell Junctionless Nanowire FET: Design and Investigation
Authors: Bharti  , Mittal Poornima
Published: January 2024

Junctionless Nanowire Field Effect Transistor (JL-NWFET) has garnered significant attention in recent years owing to its simplified fabrication process, achieved through uniform doping across the device. However, JL-NWFET suffers from certain drawbacks, including low drive current, insufficient volume depletion, and lateral band-to-band tunneling. To address these issues, this paper proposes Improved JL-NWFET with an oppositely doped core–shell structure along with a Dual Material gate (DMG) and high-k spacer. Furthermore, Improved JL-NWFET is optimized for parameters such as core thickness, gate oxide material, spacer material, and spacer length. The performance of Improved JL-NWFET is also evaluated in comparison with other structural variants of JL-NWFET. Notably, Improved JL-NWFET showcases an enhancement of 23.1% and 20% in ON-state current (I

ON
) and transconductance (g

m
), respectively when compared to the conventional JL-NWFET. Furthermore, the Subthreshold Slope (SS) experiences an 88% improvement in the Improved JL-NWFET as opposed to the JL-NWFET. Additionally, the OFF-state leakage current (I

OFF
) undergoes a fivefold reduction, leading to a sixfold increase in the I

ON

/I

OFF
ratio compared to the JL-NWFET. Among all the variants of JL-NWFET devices analyzed in this paper, Improved JL-NWFET stands out with its exceptional performance characteristics.
A Study on the Large AMOLED Display Backplane-Less Mask Process
Authors: Chung In Young , Jin Guang Hai , Yoon Hyun Sik
Published: January 2024

In this work, the large AMOLED Display Backplane LTPS 5Mask PA method was studied. A storage cap was formed by doping boron on the poly Si under the GI cap in the contact hole process without using a storage cap doping mask. In the contact hole process, half-tone PR was used to simultaneously perform cap doping and TFT Source drain open. Since half-tone PR must remain uniform to protect the cap lead-in end with GI uniformly within 8 G Glass, photolithography PR process conditions with good half-tone uniformity were set up.
Pathogenic Characteristics of an Infection with Canine Influenza Virus and Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus Alone or in Combination in Mice
Authors: Zhao Dan , Sun Yaru , Guo Jingjing , Tang Yuping , Wang Zhibo , Wen Xia , Dong Yuhao , Liu Yongjie
Published: January 2024

Both Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (SEZ) and canine influenza virus (CIV) are two important pathogens causing infectious respiratory disease in dogs and are frequently codetected in respiratory secretions. However, the clinical significance of viral/bacterial coinfection remains unknown. This study investigated the pathogenic characteristics of infection with CIV and SEZ alone or in combination in mice. Our data indicated that the severity of the disease is related to the challenge order of CIV and SEZ. Coinfection of CIV and SEZ induced higher weight loss in mice than single infection, except for the VB group (viral followed by secondary bacterial infection). Compared with the concurrent or sequential infection groups of CIV and SEZ, mice in the CIV–SEZ preincubation group exhibited more obvious weight loss, higher mortality, and significantly enhanced burden of SEZ and CIV in tissues. Interestingly, viral and bacterial preincubation before coinfection caused typical pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Correspondingly, transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β was upregulated, and its canonical small mother against decapentaplegic (Smad) 2/3 signaling was noticeably induced. Further investigation indicated that the activity of the viral neuraminidase (NA) enzyme upon sialic acid was considerably increased due to the direct interaction of CIV with SEZ, which may be related to the activation of the TGF‐β signaling pathway. These findings implicate an unexpected contribution of the direct interaction between CIV and SEZ to synergistic pathogenicity.
Blocking Superantigen‐Mediated Diseases: Challenges and Future Trends
Authors: Wang Pengbo , Fredj Zina , Zhang Hongyong , Rong Guoguang , Bian Sumin , Sawan Mohamad
Published: January 2024

Superantigens are virulence factors secreted by microorganisms that can cause various immune diseases, such as overactivating the immune system, resulting in cytokine storms, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis. Some studies have demonstrated that superantigens do not require intracellular processing and instated bind as intact proteins to the antigen‐binding groove of major histocompatibility complex II on antigen‐presenting cells, resulting in the activation of T cells with different T‐cell receptor Vβ and subsequent overstimulation. To combat superantigen‐mediated diseases, researchers have employed different approaches, such as antibodies and simulated peptides. However, due to the complex nature of superantigens, these approaches have not been entirely successful in achieving optimal therapeutic outcomes. CD28 interacts with members of the B7 molecule family to activate T cells. Its mimicking peptide has been suggested as a potential candidate to block superantigens, but it can lead to reduced T‐cell activity while increasing the host’s infection risk. Thus, this review focuses on the use of drug delivery methods to accurately target and block superantigens, while reducing the adverse effects associated with CD28 mimic peptides. We believe that this method has the potential to provide an effective and safe therapeutic strategy for superantigen‐mediated diseases.
Assessment of Load Manual Lifting among Shelf-Stoking Workers in Chain Stores: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Choobineh Alireza , Dortaj Elahe , Razeghi Mohsen , Ghaem Haleh , Daneshmandi Hadi
Published: January 2024

In Iranian stores, shelf workers, in addition to shelf-stocking, perform diverse tasks, such as working as a cashier, cleaning, barcode reading, labeling goods, and entering the price with the portable data terminal (PDT). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms (WMSs) and assess load manual lifting among shelf-stoking workers. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 101 shelf-stoking workers (60 males and 41 females) in chain stores at Shiraz city, Iran. The subjects were selected by cluster sampling from chain stores in Shiraz city, namely Refah, Canbo, Soroush, and Tirazis. Then, the required number of samples was selected and entered into the study from each cluster in proportion. The Persian version of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health–variable lifting index method were used to collect the required data. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 22 using the Mann–Whitney U test, Spearman’s correlation coefficient, and linear regression. Ankles/feet, lower back, and knees had the highest prevalence of WMSs among the participants. About 70.3% of workers had a VLI higher than 1. There was an association between gender and VLI. The VLI was higher in males than females. The study’s findings revealed that the medians of the VLI were significantly different among participants with/without upper back symptoms during 12 months prior to the study and among participants with/without lower back symptoms during 7 days prior to the study. According to the linear regression analysis, gender and lower back symptoms during 7 days prior to the study remained in the model and were associated with the VLI. The findings revealed that the back region of the shelf-stoking workers is prone to work-related musculoskeletal disorders. In addition, based on the results, gender and lower back symptoms during the 7 days prior to the study were predicting variables for VLI. This study provides an overview of pain/discomfort and postural load in shelf-stoking workers. Since the principles of ergonomics for the placement and layout of shelves are the same in all stores, the findings of the present study can be used in other stores.
Detection of Brucella in Dermacentor Ticks of Wild Boar with Brucellosis
Authors: Rebollada-Merino Agustín , Martínez Irene , Duque Clara , García-Seco Teresa , Escacena Cristina , Domínguez Lucas , Rodríguez-Bertos Antonio , García Nerea
Published: January 2024

Brucellosis is a sanitary and economically relevant disease affecting humans, livestock, and wildlife. Ticks have been suggested as vectors, long‐term carriers, and amplifiers of Brucella. In this study, ticks from wildlife ungulate hosts living in hunting reserves of a central region of Spain were collected during a 6‐year period, pooled, and screened for Brucella spp. by PCR. Aiming to correlate Brucella spp. DNA presence in ticks with Brucella spp. infections in wildlife ungulate hosts, liver samples from deceased wildlife ungulates coming from the hunting reserves showing a positive result for Brucella in ticks were tested using a commercial ELISA. In total, 229 tick pools from wild boar (Sus scrofa, n = 176; 76.8%, 95% CI 70.9%–81.8%), red deer (Cervus elaphus, n = 40; 17.4%, 95% CI 13.1%–22.9%), mouflon (Ovis orientalis musimon, n = 7; 3.06%, 95% CI 1.49%–6.17%), and fallow deer (Dama dama, n = 6; 2.62%, 95% CI 1.21%–5.60%) were analyzed. PCR results showed that 3.93% (95% CI 2.08%–7.30%) tick pools (9/229) from 16.6% hunting reserves (7/41) screened yielded a positive PCR result for Brucella. All positive ticks were Dermacentor (Dermacentor marginatus or Dermacentor reticulatus) collected from wild boar. Ticks collected from wild boars were positive to Brucella in a relative percentage of 5.10% (95% CI = 1.61–11.4) in 2018 and of 7.59% (95% CI = 2.79–15.6) in 2021 (6‐year prevalence of 5.17%, 9/176). ELISA showed positive results in three wild boars coming from two out of seven hunting reserves (28.5%) with a positive PCR for Brucella in ticks. To conclude, Brucella spp. DNA can be detected in Dermacentor ticks parasitizing wild boars living in hunting reserves harboring Brucella spp.‐seropositive wild boars. This study provides evidence that the contribution of arthropod vectors should be considered in the epidemiology of brucellosis in wildlife.
Rice-Based Alcoholic Fermented Beverages of North-East India: Insight into Ethnic Preparation, Microbial Intervention, Ethnobotany, and Health Benefits
Authors: Loying Rikraj , Kalita Jatin , Manna Prasenjit
Published: January 2024

Introduction. Alcoholic fermented rice-based beverages (AFRBs) have been used since time immemorial for spiritual connection and cultural rituals in North-East India. AFRBs are also used traditionally in the healthcare system for remedy of tiredness, digestion problems, hypertension, and diabetes. Problems Statement. Limited scientific documents are available on AFRBs including starter cake preparation, production of the beverages, microbial intervention, nutritional aspects, and health benefits. Objectives. This review has been undertaken to find insight into ethnic preparation, microbial intervention, ethnobotany, and health benefits as well as nutritional aspects of popular AFRBs of North-East India. Major Findings. Studies reveal that AFRBs are enriched with medicinal benefits due to the presence of various microflora and medicinal plants. The presence of medicinal plants plays an important role underlying the health benefits of AFRBs. In addition, several functional microorganisms, such as strains of Lactobacillus and yeast, enhance the therapeutic potential of the AFRBs. Interestingly, strains of Pediococcus and Lactobacillus spp. improve bile and gastric juice tolerance, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity, and amylolytic activities and regulate the expression of fatty acid biosynthetic genes. Moreover, strains of Saccharomyces decrease the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines and alter the respective mRNA expression. Furthermore, the consumption of AFRBs has no harmful effect among the communities on a regular basis in normal diet. Conclusion. A detailed scientific approach is required to maintain the desired product quality of AFRBs for the upliftment of the socioeconomic status of North-East India.
Writing a Scientific Review Article: Comprehensive Insights for Beginners
Authors: Amobonye Ayodeji , Lalung Japareng , Mheta Gift , Pillai Santhosh
Published: January 2024

Review articles present comprehensive overview of relevant literature on specific themes and synthesise the studies related to these themes, with the aim of strengthening the foundation of knowledge and facilitating theory development. The significance of review articles in science is immeasurable as both students and researchers rely on these articles as the starting point for their research. Interestingly, many postgraduate students are expected to write review articles for journal publications as a way of demonstrating their ability to contribute to new knowledge in their respective fields. However, there is no comprehensive instructional framework to guide them on how to analyse and synthesise the literature in their niches into publishable review articles. The dearth of ample guidance or explicit training results in students having to learn all by themselves, usually by trial and error, which often leads to high rejection rates from publishing houses. Therefore, this article seeks to identify these challenges from a beginner’s perspective and strives to plug the identified gaps and discrepancies. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to serve as a systematic guide for emerging scientists and to summarise the most important information on how to write and structure a publishable review article.
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of One‐Dimensional Electroosmotic Consolidation Based on Segment Inheritance Strategy
Authors: Yang Xiaoyu , Pei Meijuan , Xie Yongbin , Zhou Xinhai , Dong Xuguang
Published: January 2024

The attenuation of effective potential is a significant factor leading to the low postdrainage efficiency in the electroosmotic consolidation and drainage methods. In this study, the influence of the attenuation of effective potential on the electroosmotic consolidation process and the problem of solving the governing equations were investigated. A 102.5‐hr one‐dimensional electroosmotic consolidation test was performed to monitor the changes in the properties of the soil interior and the soil–electrode interface, and the variation curve of the effective potential in the test model was measured. The time‐dependent nature of the potential distribution due to the attenuation of effective potential contradicts the assumption of introducing intermediate variables. To address this key issue, the variation curve of the effective potential was linearly segmented, ensuring the validity of introducing intermediate variables within each local state segment. Based on the continuity between state segments, the initial conditions of the governing equations in different state segments were updated, thereby extending the differential iteration within local state segments to the entire electroosmotic time domain. A finite‐difference program for this method was developed using the Python language. Calculations and analyses based on the measured potential data were performed, revealing that a decrease in potential leads to a reduction in the effectiveness of electroosmotic drainage and consolidation in terms of the instantaneous distribution of pore pressure and the overall average degree of consolidation. This method can reflect the influence of the attenuation of effective potential on the pore water pressure during the electroosmotic consolidation process. The research findings of this paper can provide theoretical and numerical support for the improvement and engineering application of the electroosmotic consolidation and drainage method.
The Use of Recycled Polyethylene in Water‐Oil Emulsion for Lightweight Concrete
Authors: Nangor Emmanuel , Damoah Lucas N. W. , Annan Ebenezer , Konadu David Sasu , Mensah Bismark , Bensah Yaw Delali
Published: January 2024

This study was to determine the suitability of recycled waste polyethylene (WPE) processed into water‐oil emulsion for lightweight concrete applications. The processed WPE in the form of polyethylene emulsion (PE‐e) is to promote physical interaction between the polymeric material and the cementitious matrix. The PE‐e used was also to partially replace concrete mix composition by PE‐e_1, PE‐e_2.5, PE‐e_5, and PE‐e_10 percents for reference concrete and to introduce plasticity into the mechanical behaviour of the concrete. The PE was processed into PE‐e to promote affinity for water, and this hydrophilicity was prominent in PE‐e_1 and PE‐e_2.5 percent concretes. Concretes with PE‐e_1 and PE‐e_2.5 percent formed good miscibility with the cementitious matrix. The density of the PE‐e concrete decreased to 13.68% with 10% PE‐e at 28 days. The replacement of mix constituents of PE‐e_1, PE‐e_2.5, and PE‐e_5 percent induced elastic to plastic behaviour in the concrete coupled with low water absorption. The FTIR data showed characteristic peaks of 3378 cm-1, 1740 cm-1, and 1148 cm-1 in the PE‐e. Using optical microscopy, it was shown that the PE particles were homogenously dispersed in the concrete matrix. The study shows the feasibility of using PE‐e_1 percent to produce structural lightweight concrete and up to PE‐e_10 percent for nonstructural applications mainly for light non‐load‐bearing partitions.
Genomic Epidemiology of African Swine Fever Virus Identified in Domestic Pig Farms in South Korea during 2019–2021
Authors: Kwon Oh-Kyu , Kim Da-Won , Heo Jin-Hwa , Kim Ji-Yun , Nah Jin-Ju , Choi Ji-Da , Lee Dong-Wook , Cho Ki-Hyun , Hong Seong-Keun , Kim Yeon-Hee , Kang Hae-Eun , Kwon Jung-Hoon , Shin Yeun-Kyung
Published: January 2024

African swine fever (ASF), a contagious viral disease, poses a significant threat to the global swine industry. In South Korea, ASF outbreaks have occurred since 2019, highlighting the need for a comprehensive understanding of the epidemiology and genetic characterization of the circulating African swine fever viruses (ASFVs). We obtained 21 ASFV isolates from domestic pig farms and analyzed their whole‐genome sequences using the Illumina MiniSeq. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted using the maximum likelihood and time‐scaled approaches to determine the genetic relationships and evolutionary dynamics of the Korean ASFV isolates. Comparative analysis of the 21 ASFV genomes with the reference strain Georgia 2007/1 revealed that while Korean isolates shared 11 mutations, they also had 22 discrete mutations, including single nucleotide polymorphisms and insertion/deletion polymorphisms (Indels). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that all Korean isolates were within the Asian subgroup of ASFV genotype II but were further divided into at least three distinct subclusters. Spatiotemporal analysis indicated multiple introductions of ASFVs into South Korea, crossing the national border with North Korea. In addition, we observed putative self‐recombination between MGF 505‐9R and MGF 505‐10R genes in the ASFV/Korea/Pig/Inje2/2021 strain. Our findings provide insights into the genetic variations and evolution of ASFVs on South Korean pig farms from 2019 to 2021, uncovering multiple introductions of ASFVs across the national border, and highlighting the need for enhanced disease control strategies.
Study on Numerical Simulation of Surrounding Rock Structure Safety of Urban Underwater Shield Tunnel: A Case in Chongqing
Authors: Yang Zeng-Qiang , You Xiao-Ming , Jin Hui-Wu
Published: January 2024

Based on the engineering background of shield construction of a subway section in Chongqing, which needs to pass through a park and there is a lake inside this park, this paper adopts theoretical analysis methods and numerical simulation calculation methods to explore the distribution law of the seepage field and the characteristics of water pressure in lining segments during shield tunneling. The results show that, during the whole excavation of a double‐track tunnel with EPB shield, the maximum vertical effective stress is about 4.24 MPa, which is located at the arch foot of the tunnel. The maximum effective stress in the horizontal direction is about 3.61 MPa, which is located on both side walls of the tunnel in the horizontal direction; after the left and right tunnels are excavated in sequence, a “double precipitation funnel‐shaped” pore pressure distribution is formed around the tunnel; during the construction of the shield tunnel, the vertical displacement and horizontal displacement of the surrounding rock show an increasing trend and gradually tend to be stable values of 24.09 mm and 25.28 mm; the segment vault has settlement, the maximum settlement is 21.8 mm, the arch bottom has uplift, and the maximum uplift is 24.4 mm. The maximum horizontal displacement of the segment appears on both sides of the arch waist, and the maximum horizontal displacement decreases with the increase of excavation steps; the positive bending moment of the lining segment is mainly distributed on both sides of the arch crown, and the negative bending moment is mainly distributed on both sides of the arch bottom. The axial force of the lining segment is compressive stress, and the maximum axial force is mainly distributed on both sides of the arch waist. The maximum normal shear stress occurs on both sides of the segment arch bottom. The study conclusions provide theoretical foundation and a new guidance for long‐term safety evaluation of underwater tunnel structures.
The Effect of Partial and Temporary Vaccination on African Swine Fever Eradication Rates
Authors: Gervasi Vincenzo , Guberti Vittorio
Published: January 2024

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most severe diseases of pigs, with drastic impact on pig industry. Wild boar populations play the role of ASF virus epidemiological reservoir. No effective and safe ASF vaccine is available, yet, but a future vaccine will not be 100% effective and will provide protection for no more than a few months. We present an individual‐based spatially explicit model of wild boar demography and ASF epidemiology, allowing to simulate a vaccination campaign. We tested how many animals should be vaccinated in relation to vaccine efficacy and to the duration of vaccine protection. We estimated how these parameters will affect ASF eradication probabilities. We also assessed how partial vaccination will interact with a series of ecological, epidemiological, and management‐related factors linked to ASF persistence. In the case of a highly effective vaccine with short duration, eradication chances were generally low, and the virus disappeared only when simulating a high effort (2.5 vaccinated wild boars/km2). A vaccine with low efficacy and long duration was even less effective in eradicating the ASFV, as none of the simulated scenarios provided acceptable eradication rates. Our results indicate that, under realistic conditions, vaccination against the ASF genotype II virus cannot be seen as an effective stand‐alone tool for eradication. Its use should be integrated into a more comprehensive strategy, making use of all the available management tools, such as density control through hunting and carcass removal. If the vaccine will exhibit 12 months or longer duration of its protection, splitting the vaccination effort into two or three bait distribution campaigns during the year will be a feasible option. If the vaccine will exhibit a duration of its immunization significantly shorter than 1 year, a single distribution at the end of winter will maximize the probability of eradication.
Targeting Ferroptosis-Elicited Inflammation Suppresses Hepatocellular Carcinoma Metastasis and Enhances Sorafenib Efficacy
Authors: Mu Ming , Huang Chun-Xiang , Qu Chuang , Li Pei-Lin , Wu Xiang-Ning , Yao Wudexin , Shen Chu , Huang Rucheng , Wan Chao-Chao , Jian Zhi-Wei , Zheng Limin , Wu Rui-Qi , Lao Xiang-Ming , Kuang Dong-Ming
Published: January 2024

Triggering ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of cell death, has recently emerged as an approach for treating cancer. A better understanding of the role and regulation of ferroptosis is needed to realize the potential of this therapeutic strategy. Here, we observed extensive activation of ferroptosis in hepatoma cells and human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases. Patients with low to moderate activation of ferroptosis in tumors had the highest risk of recurrence compared to patients with no or high ferroptosis. Upon encountering ferroptotic liver cancer cells, aggregated macrophages efficiently secreted proinflammatory IL1β to trigger neutrophil-mediated sinusoidal vascular remodeling, thereby creating favorable conditions for aggressive tumor growth and lung metastasis. Mechanistically, hyaluronan fragments released by cancer cells acted via an NF-κB–dependent pathway to upregulate IL1β precursors and the NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages, and oxidized phospholipids secreted by ferroptotic cells activated the NLRP3 inflammasome to release functional IL1β. Depleting either macrophages or neutrophils or neutralizing IL1β in vivo effectively abrogated ferroptosis-mediated liver cancer growth and lung metastasis. More importantly, the ferroptosis-elicited inflammatory cellular network served as a negative feedback mechanism that led to therapeutic resistance to sorafenib in HCC. Targeting the ferroptosis-induced inflammatory axis significantly improved the therapeutic efficacy of sorafenib in vivo. Together, this study identified a role for ferroptosis in promoting HCC by triggering a macrophage/IL1β/neutrophil/vasculature axis.

Significance:

Ferroptosis induces a favorable tumor microenvironment and supports liver cancer progression by stimulating an inflammatory cellular network that can be targeted to suppress metastasis and improve the efficacy of sorafenib.
Clinical Characteristics of Pathogenic ACAN Variants and 3-Year Response to Growth Hormone Treatment: Real-World Data
Authors: Renes Judith S. , Reedijk Ardine M.J. , Losekoot Monique , Kant Sarina G. , Van der Steen Manouk , Van der Kaay Danielle C.M. , Hokken-Koelega Anita C.S. , Van Duyvenvoorde Hermine A. , de Bruin Christiaan
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Heterozygous variants in the ACAN gene may underlie disproportionate short stature with characteristically accelerated bone age (BA) maturation and/or early-onset osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: The objective of this study was to describe phenotype, analyze genotype-phenotype correlations, and assess the response of growth hormone (GH) treatment in children with a heterozygous ACAN variant. Thirty-six subjects (23 boys, 13 girls) with ACAN deficiency and treated for ≥1 year with GH were identified in the Dutch National Registry of GH treatment in children. Results: We identified 25 different heterozygous ACAN variants in 36 subjects. Median (interquartile range) height SDS at start of GH was −2.6 SDS (−3.2 to −2.2). Characteristic features such as disproportion, advanced BA, early-onset OA, and dysmorphic features like midface hypoplasia and brachydactyly were present in the majority of children, but in ∼20%, no specific features were reported. Subjects with a truncating ACAN variant had a shorter height SDS compared to subjects with a non-truncating variant (−2.8 SDS and −2.1 SDS, respectively, p = 0.002). After 3 years of GH, height gain SDS in prepubertal children was 1.0 SDS (0.9–1.4). In pubertal children, height SDS remained relatively stable. Conclusion: The phenotype of subjects with pathogenic heterozygous ACAN variants is highly variable, and genetic testing for ACAN deficiency should be considered in any child with significant short stature, even in the absence of disproportion, specific dysmorphic features, or BA advancement. Furthermore, children with ACAN deficiency may benefit from GH with a modest but significant response, which is sustained during 3 years of treatment.
Quality of Life in Patients with Excellent 3-Month Clinical Outcome after First-Ever Ischemic Stroke: A Time to Redefine Excellent Outcome?
Authors: Šaňák Daniel , Gurková Elena , Štureková Lenka , Šaňáková Šárka , Zapletalová Jana , Franc David , Bartoníčková Daniela
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Ischemic stroke (IS) may have impact on long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) even in the patients with good clinical outcome, and tools mostly used for the assessment of outcome may underestimate or not reflect all relevant sequels after IS. We aimed to analyze HRQoL in the patients with excellent outcome after IS. Methods: We analyzed consecutive IS patients enrolled in the prospective FRAILTY study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04839887) with excellent 3-month clinical outcome (score 0–1 in modified Rankin Scale [mRS]). Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) version 3.0 and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were used for the HRQoL, anxiety, and depression assessments, and subgroup comparisons were performed according to NIHSS score (0, ≥1), age (50<, ≥50 years), and sex. Results: In total, 158 patients (55.7% men, mean age 60.3 ± 13.4 years) were analyzed, and 72.2% of them had score 0 in mRS. The overall lowest median scores were found in the SIS domain “emotion,” “strength,” and “participation.” Patients with NIHSS ≥1 had lower scores in all SIS domains except “emotions” and “mobility.” Patients ≥50 years had lower score in “mobility” (p = 0.004) and females in domain of “social participation” (p = 0.044). No differences were found among all subgroups in HADS anxiety and depression. Age, NIHSS score, and depression were found negative predictors for the physical domains of HRQoL. Discussion/Conclusions: Despite excellent 3-month clinical outcome after IS, patients had affected substantially their HRQoL, especially those with NIHSS ≥1. Patients ≥50 years had more affected “mobility” and females “social participation.”
Risk factors for progression of primary open angle glaucoma with lower normal intraocular pressure
Authors: Ueda Yuta , Suda Kenji , Kameda Takanori , Ikeda Hanako , Miyake Masahiro , Hasegawa Tomoko , Numa Shogo , Tsujikawa Akitaka
Published: January 2024

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate intraocular pressure (IOP)-independent factors associated with the progression of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) with IOP ≤15 mmHg.
Methods: POAG patients with maximum IOP ≤15 mmHg at the Kyoto University Hospital between January 2011 and August 2021 were retrospectively enrolled. We evaluated effects of various factors on the rate of mean deviation (MD) changes in the visual field (VF) examinations using a linear mixed model. These factors included hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), hyperlipidemia (HL), cardiovascular disease, arrhythmia, disc hemorrhage (DH), sleep apnea syndrome, orthopedic diseases, and malignant tumors.
Results: In total, 98 eyes from 68 patients were included. The baseline MD was –9.74 ± 7.85 dB. The mean rate of MD change and IOP during the observation period were –0.28 ± 0.04 dB/year and 11.8 ± 1.0 mmHg, respectively. Comorbidity of DM or HL showed a significant positive association with the rate of MD change (b = 0.35, P = 0.0006 and b = 0.18, P = 0.036, respectively) in the model adjusted for age, sex, AL, mean IOP, and standard deviation of IOP during the observation period. However, no significant association of DM or HL was found after adjusting for central corneal thickness.
Conclusion: This study suggests that DM or HL is associated with VF deterioration in glaucoma with lower IOP, but the association may be due to differences in IOP characteristics.
Textos, audiencias y medios de comunicación: La persistencia de las preguntas
Authors: Sandoval García Carlos
Published: January 2024

Este artículo se interroga por cambios y permanencias en los modos en que se analizan los vínculos entre medios de comunicación, poder y sociedad a propósito de los ecosistemas comunicativos hoy llamados tradicionales, como la prensa, la radio y la televisión, y las plataformas digitales que se han consolidado en el siglo XXI. En particular se presta atención a tres perspectivas: la capacidad de los discursos para interpelar a audiencias, la actividad de las audiencias y el papel de las industrias comunicacionales. La investigación académica sobre los vínculos entre medios, poder y sociedad requiere reparar los cambios entre lo “tradicional” y lo “nuevo”, y las permanencias. Asimismo, se sugiere una apropiación crítica de las trayectorias de investigación de estos vínculos, para que no se reproduzcan algunos de los “callejones sin salida” transitados décadas atrás.
Enfatizar en la persistencia de las preguntas sugiere que los entornos mediáticos tradicionales y nuevos se representan usualmente como separados, como una suerte de un “antes” y un “después”, y ello se expresa también en las formas de análisis que, con frecuencia, se llevan adelante. En contraste, este ensayo subraya que la investigación académica acerca de los vínculos entre medios, poder y sociedad requiere reparar no solo en los cambios entre lo “tradicional” y lo “nuevo”, sino también en las permanencias. Asimismo, sugiere una apropiación crítica de las trayectorias de investigación de estos vínculos, de modo que no se reproduzcan algunos de los “callejones sin salida” transitados décadas atrás.