bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Analysis of a Digital Electro Hydrostatic Actuator for Application in Aircraft Flight Control Systems
Authors: Nostrani Marcos Paulo , Oliveira e Silva Dimitri , Simões Lopes Junior Rodrigo , Vigolo Vinícius , Krus Petter , De Negri Victor Juliano
Published: November 2023

With the global awareness of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, research into developing more energy efficient hydraulic systems has become important. The aeronautical industry has been looking for more efficient solutions for aircraft application, where the search for more efficient systems has increased considerably, bringing the concept called More Electric Aircraft. However, hydraulic actuators are unbeatable against other technologies, due to their high power/weight ratio and reliability, being the predominant technology in flight control surfaces. Nevertheless, the hydraulic systems have low energy efficiency. With the aim of improving the energy efficiency of hydraulic systems, digital hydraulics has become one of the main technologies under study. However, the use in aircraft is still new. Therefore, this paper presents a digital hydraulic actuator for aircraft flight control surfaces called Digital Electro Hydrostatic Actuator - DEHA. A mathematical model was elaborated and was validated in a test bench rig. The actuator was applied to control an aircraft in the Aero-Data Model in a Research Environment - ADMIRE model. Furthermore, a Servo Hydraulic Actuator - SHA model was developed for comparison. The results show that DEHA can fly the ADMIRE aircraft in the proposed missions, with an energy efficiency of 41.63% while the SHA reached an efficiency of 0.46%, considering the LOE. This represents an efficiency increasing of 90.5 times, which demonstrates that DEHA can be a promising solution for aeronautical application.
A Survey Study on ePump Design Architectures for Mobile Hydraulics
Authors: Sarode Shanmukh , Assaf Hassan , Tawarawala Parth , Vacca Andrea , Shang Lizhi , Sudhoff Scott
Published: November 2023

With the electrification trends affecting mobile hydraulics, there is a growing need for energy-efficient and compact hydraulic supply units driven by electric machines, also known as ePumps. This paper aims to compare various ePump designs that utilize different combinations of “best-in-class” commercially available hydraulic pumps and electric machines (EMs), to meet the requirements of a generic mobile hydraulic application.

The paper intends to discuss the effect of the design architecture of the combination of a permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM), with several hydraulic pumps, including axial piston machines, bent axis piston machines, external gear machines, vane pumps, and radial piston pumps. A large combination of ePump architectures exists, and for engineers, it can be challenging to assess the pros and cons of each option for an electrified application. To address this challenge, in this paper, different commercially available pumps and an EM are chosen to evaluate key performance and design parameters such as drive cycle efficiencies, mass, and volume. Qualitative cost and power density considerations are also investigated. The effect of variable displacement ePump operation on the drive cycle is demonstrated for two ePump cases. By providing a benchmarking based on a generalized utilization cycle, this study serves as a guideline for selecting appropriate ePump architectures in electrified mobile hydraulic applications.
Training a deep operator network as a surrogate solver for two-dimensional parabolic-equation models
Authors: Xu Liang , Zhang Haigang , Zhang Minghui
Published: November 2023

Parabolic equations (PEs) are useful for modeling sound propagation in a range-dependent environment. However, this approach entails approximating a leading-order cross-derivative term in the PE square-root operators. Deep operator networks (DeepONets) are designed to approximate operators. In this paper, we train DeepONets to take complex sound pressure and speed of sound at any depth location of interest as inputs and approximate the PE square operator in modeling two-dimensional sound propagation. Once trained, a network can predict the far field for a wide variety of environmental conditions, without needing to approximate the operator or calculate the whole mode trajectory and at a lower computational cost. The original DeepONet learns the operator of a single function. By contrast, the modified version presented here learns multiple-input operators with Fourier features. Using computational and theoretical examples, we demonstrate that DeepONet is efficient for learning complex ocean acoustic physics with good accuracy.
Major shifts in biogeographic regions of freshwater fishes as evidence of the Anthropocene epoch
Authors: Leroy Boris , Bellard Céline , Dias Murilo S. , Hugueny Bernard , Jézéquel Céline , Leprieur Fabien , Oberdorff Thierry , Robuchon Marine , Tedesco Pablo A.
Published: November 2023

Animals and plants worldwide are structured in global biogeographic regions, which were shaped by major geologic forces during Earth history. Recently, humans have changed the course of events by multiplying global pathways of introduction for nonindigenous species and propagating local species extirpations. Here, we report on how introductions and extirpations have changed the distributions of freshwater fishes worldwide and how it affected their natural biogeographic regions. We found major shifts in natural regions, with the emergence of an intercontinental region arising from the fusion of multiple faunas, which we named Pan-Anthropocenian Global North and East Asia (PAGNEA). The PAGNEA region is evocative of the Pangea supercontinent, as flows of introductions show that dispersal has become possible again across multiple continents, suggesting that human activities have superseded natural geological forces. Our results constitute evidence on the expected modification of biostratigraphic boundaries based on freshwater fish, which are abundant in the fossil record, thereby supporting the concept of the Anthropocene epoch.
Increased palmitoylation improves estrogen receptor alpha–dependent hippocampal synaptic deficits in a mouse model of synucleinopathy
Authors: Moors Tim E. , Li Shaomin , McCaffery Thomas D. , Ho Gary P. H. , Bechade Pascal A. , Pham Luu N. , Ericsson Maria , Nuber Silke
Published: November 2023

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by conversion of soluble α-synuclein (αS) into intraneuronal aggregates and degeneration of neurons and neuronal processes. Indications that women with early-stage PD display milder neurodegenerative features suggest that female sex partially protects against αS pathology. We previously reported that female sex and estradiol improved αS homeostasis and PD-like phenotypes in E46K-amplified (3K) αS mice. Here, we aimed to further dissect mechanisms that drive this sex dimorphism early in disease. We observed that synaptic abnormalities were delayed in females and improved by estradiol, mediated by local estrogen receptor alpha (ERα). Aberrant ERα distribution in 3K compared to wild-type mice was paired with its decreased palmitoylation. Treatment with ML348, a de-palmitoylation inhibitor, increased ERα availability and soluble αS homeostasis, ameliorating synaptic plasticity and cognitive and motor phenotypes. Our finding that sex differences in early-disease αS–induced synaptic impairment in 3KL mice are in part mediated by palmitoylated ERα may have functional and pathogenic implications for clinical PD.
Alkylperoxy radicals are responsible for the formation of oxygenated primary organic aerosol
Authors: El Hajj Omar , Hartness Samuel W. , Vandergrift Gregory W. , Park Yensil , Glenn Chase K. , Anosike Anita , Webb Annabelle R. , Dewey Nicholas S. , Doner Anna C. , Cheng Zezhen , Jatana Gurneesh S. , Moses-DeBusk Melanie , China Swarup , Rotavera Brandon , Saleh Rawad
Published: November 2023

Organic aerosol (OA) is an air pollutant ubiquitous in urban atmospheres. Urban OA is usually apportioned into primary OA (POA), mostly emitted by mobile sources, and secondary OA (SOA), which forms in the atmosphere due to oxidation of gas-phase precursors from anthropogenic and biogenic sources. By performing coordinated measurements in the particle phase and the gas phase, we show that the alkylperoxy radical chemistry that is responsible for low-temperature ignition also leads to the formation of oxygenated POA (OxyPOA). OxyPOA is distinct from POA emitted during high-temperature ignition and is chemically similar to SOA. We present evidence for the prevalence of OxyPOA in emissions of a spark-ignition engine and a next-generation advanced compression-ignition engine, highlighting the importance of understanding OxyPOA for predicting urban air pollution patterns in current and future atmospheres.
Emergence and fate of stem cell–likeTcf7+CD8+T cells during a primary immune response to viral infection
Authors: Silva Joana Gomes , Pais Ferreira Daniela , Dumez Alexandre , Wyss Tania , Veber Romain , Danilo Maxime , Pinschewer Daniel D. , Charmoy Mélanie , Held Werner
Published: November 2023

In response to infection, naïve CD8+T (TN) cells yield a large pool of short-lived terminal effector (TTE) cells that eliminate infected host cells. In parallel, a minor population of stem cell–like central memory (TCM) cells forms, which has the capacity to maintain immunity after pathogen clearance. It has remained uncertain whether stem-like TCMcells arise by dedifferentiation from a subset of cytolytic TTEcells or whether priming generates stem-like cells capable of seeding the TCMcompartment and, if so, when cytolytic TTEcells branch off. Here, we show that CD8+T cells with stem-like properties, which are identified by the expression of TCF1 (encoded byTcf7), are present across the primary response to infection. Priming programs TNcells to undergo multiple cell divisions, over the course of which TCF1 expression is maintained. These TCF1+cells further expand relatively independently of systemic inflammation, antigen dose, or affinity, and they quantitatively yield TCF1+TCMcells after pathogen clearance. Inflammatory signals suppress TCF1 expression in early divided TCF1+cells. TCF1 down-regulation is associated with the irreversible loss of self-renewal capacity and the silencing of stem/memory genes, which precedes the stable acquisition of a TTEstate. TCF1 expression restrains cell cycling, explaining in part the limited expansion of TCF1+relative to TCF1−cells during the primary response. Thus, our data are consistent with terminal differentiation of effector cells being a step-wise process that is initiated by inflammation in primed stem-like cells, which would otherwise become central memory cells by default.
The preterm human milk microbiota fluctuates by postpartum week and is characterized by gestational age and maternal BMI
Authors: Filatava Evgenia Jen , Liu Zhongmao , Xie Jiaojiao , Tran Dong-Binh , Chen Kun , El Habbal Noura , Weinstock George , Zhou Yanjiao , Gregory Katherine E.
Published: November 2023

Evidence suggests that the type of nutrition fed to preterm infants influences their intestinal microbiome and immunity. However, few studies have conducted a longitudinal analysis of the microbiota of mother’s own milk (MOM) and the factors shaping its composition. Furthermore, the microbiota of pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) and infant formula have not been extensively investigated. Here, we examine the microbiota of 238 MOM, 30 PDHM, and 73 formula samples from a cohort of 72 preterm infants using 16S rRNA sequencing. We find differences in the microbial diversity and composition between nutrition types. Additionally, we demonstrate that the microbiota of MOM exhibits temporal fluctuations and has associations with several maternal factors. Lastly, we identify three microbiota community clusters within MOM—termed lactotypes—that have distinct taxonomic compositions and maternal factors. Collectively, our findings lay the foundation for exploring the relationship between the microbiota of nutrition and preterm infant health outcomes.

IMPORTANCE

Despite a growing recognition that the type of nutrition received by preterm infants influences their intestinal microbiome and health outcomes, the microbiota of mother's own milk (MOM), pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM), and infant formula remain poorly characterized. In our study, we found that the structure of microbial communities, bacterial diversity, and relative abundances of specific genera were significantly different between MOM, PDHM, and formula. Additionally, our results suggest that the microbiota of MOM changes as a function of time and maternal factors. Lastly, we identified three lactotypes within MOM that have distinct microbial compositions and described the maternal factors associated with them. These findings set the stage for future research aimed at advancing our knowledge of the microbiota of preterm infant nutrition and the specific influence it may have on health outcomes.
Rocket-miR, a translational launchpad for miRNA-based antimicrobial drug development
Authors: Neff Samuel L. , Hampton Thomas H. , Koeppen Katja , Sarkar Sharanya , Latario Casey J. , Ross Benjamin D. , Stanton Bruce A.
Published: November 2023

Developing software tools that leverage biological data sets to accelerate drug discovery is an important aspect of bioinformatic research. Here, we present a novel example: a web application called Rocket-miR that applies an existing bioinformatic algorithm (IntaRNA) to predict cross-species miRNA-mRNA interactions and identify human miRNAs with potential antimicrobial activity against antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Rocket-miR is the logical extension of our prior finding that human miRNA let-7b-5p impairs the ability of the ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
to form biofilms and resist the bactericidal effect of β-lactam antibiotics. Rocket-miR’s point and click interface enables researchers without programming expertise to predict additional human-miRNA-pathogen interactions. Identified miRNAs can be developed into novel antimicrobials effective against the 24 clinically relevant pathogens, implicated in diseases of the lung, gut, and other organs, that are included in the application. The paper incorporates three case studies contributed by microbiologists that study human pathogens to demonstrate the usefulness and usability of the application. Rocket-miR is accessible at the following link:
http://scangeo.dartmouth.edu/RocketmiR/
.

IMPORTANCE

Antimicrobial-resistant infections contribute to millions of deaths worldwide every year. In particular, the group of bacteria collectively known as ESKAPE (
Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
and
Enterobacter
sp
.
) pathogens are of considerable medical concern due to their virulence and exceptional ability to develop antibiotic resistance. New kinds of antimicrobial therapies are urgently needed to treat patients for whom existing antibiotics are ineffective. The Rocket-miR application predicts targets of human miRNAs in bacterial and fungal pathogens, rapidly identifying candidate miRNA-based antimicrobials. The application’s target audience are microbiologists that have the laboratory resources to test the application’s predictions. The Rocket-miR application currently supports 24 recognized human pathogens that are relevant to numerous diseases including cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), urinary tract infections, and pneumonia. Furthermore, the application code was designed to be easily extendible to other human pathogens that commonly cause hospital-acquired infections.
In vitro
pharmacodynamics of nemonoxacin and other antimicrobial agents against
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Authors: Wang Na , Chen Yuancheng , Qu Xingyi , Bian Xingchen , Hu Jiali , Xu Xiaogang , Xiao Li , Liu Yang , Zhang Jing
Published: November 2023

Mycoplasma pneumoniae
is the causative agent of respiratory infections in children and adults. Macrolide still plays a significant role in treating infections by
M. pneumoniae
. However, macrolide-resistant
M. pneumoniae
(MRMP) was encountered, causing more severe or prolonged disease worldwide from the early 2000s. Nemonoxacin is a newly developed C-8-methoxy non-fluorinated quinolone having broad-spectrum activity against gram-positive, gram-negative, and atypical pathogens
in vitro
, as well as general safety and well tolerance
in vivo
. This study aimed to assess the killing kinetics of nemonoxacin and other antimicrobial agents against MRMP and macrolide susceptible
M. pneumoniae
(MSMP) by static time-kill curves. In addition, the pharmacodynamic analyses of these drugs were determined by the sigmoid
E
max
model. The static time-kill curves indicated that nemonoxacin had good mycoplasmacidal activity against both MSMP and MRMP strains. The pharmacodynamic analysis demonstrated that the mycoplasmacidal effect of nemonoxacin was greater than those of moxifloxacin and levofloxacin based on the
K
max
, displaying a dualism of concentration dependency in low minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and time dependency in high MICs. Therefore, nemonoxacin demonstrated efficacy against
M. pneumoniae in vitro
and is a potential candidate for clinical studies for assessing its therapeutic effects against
M. pneumoniae
infections. The killing pattern or PK/PD characteristics of nemonoxacin against
M. pneumoniae
from
in vitro
data, animal studies, or clinical studies merit further evaluation for treating infections caused by the organism.

IMPORTANCE

This study first reported the
in vitro
effector kinetics of the new non-fluorinated quinolone, nemonoxacin, against macrolide-resistant
M. pneumoniae
(MRMP) and macrolide susceptible
M. pneumoniae
(MSMP) strains along with other antimicrobial agents. The time-kill assays and pharmacodynamic analysis showed that nemonoxacin has significant mycoplasmacidal activity against MRMP and MSMP. This study paves the road to establish appropriate dosing protocols of a new antimicrobial drug for children infected with
M. pneumoniae
.
The
Acinetobacter baumannii
K70 and K9 capsular polysaccharides consist of related K-units linked by the same Wzy polymerase and cleaved by the same phage depolymerases
Authors: Kasimova Anastasiya A. , Sharar Nowshin S. , Ambrose Stephanie J. , Knirel Yuriy A. , Shneider Mikhail M. , Timoshina Olga Y. , Popova Anastasiya V. , Perepelov Andrey V. , Dmitrenok Andrey S. , Hsu Li Yang , Hall Ruth M. , Kenyon Johanna J.
Published: November 2023

The extensively antibiotic-resistant
Acinetobacter baumannii
GC1(ST1
IP
) isolate SGH0807 from Singapore carries the KL70 gene cluster. The structure of the K70 capsular polysaccharide (CPS) produced by SGH0807 was determined using sugar analysis and one- and two-dimensional
1
H and
13
C NMR spectroscopy. The K70 CPS consists of branched tetrasaccharide K-units and is closely related to the previously reported K9 CPS. The KL70 and KL9 loci differ in a short segment that encodes the initiating transferase for
d
-Fuc
p
NAc in K70 and
d
-Glc
p
NAc in K9. The two structures differ only in the identity of the “first” sugar of the K-unit,
d
-Fuc
p
NAc in K70 and
d
-Glc
p
NAc in K9. This difference alters the identity of one of the sugars involved in the linkage between K-units formed by the Wzy polymerase. However, KL70 and KL9 encode an identical Wzy polymerase, designated as Wzy
KL9
, indicating that the differences between
d
-Fuc
p
NAc and
d
-Glc
p
NAc do not affect its function. Whether the difference in the first sugars was recognized by the depolymerases encoded by three K9-specific bacteriophages, AM24, BS46, and APK09, that hydrolyze the bond in K9 CPS formed by Wzy
KL9
was also examined. Purified depolymerases incubated with K70 CPS purified from SGH0807 formed oligosaccharide fragments that were monomers and dimers of the CPS cleaved at the linkage between K-units. As depolymerases encoded by phage determine host specificity by hydrolyzing specific CPS types, these phages could infect and lyse the SGH0807 K70 isolate.
A. baumannii
carrying KL70 were found in Singapore hospitals between 2006 and 2009.

IMPORTANCE

Bacteriophage show promise for the treatment of
Acinetobacter baumannii
infections that resist all therapeutically suitable antibiotics. Many tail-spike depolymerases encoded by phage that are able to degrade
A. baumannii
capsular polysaccharide (CPS) exhibit specificity for the linkage present between K-units that make up CPS polymers. This linkage is formed by a specific Wzy polymerase, and the ability to predict this linkage using sequence-based methods that identify the Wzy at the K locus could assist with the selection of phage for therapy. However, little is known about the specificity of Wzy polymerase enzymes. Here, we describe a Wzy polymerase that can accommodate two different but similar sugars as one of the residues it links and phage depolymerases that can cleave both types of bond that Wzy forms.
Nucleocapsid protein accumulates in renal tubular epithelium of a post-COVID-19 patient
Authors: Grootemaat Anita E. , Wiersma Niek , van der Niet Sanne , Schimmel Irene M. , Florquin Sandrine , Reits Eric A. , Miller Sara E. , van der Wel Nicole N.
Published: November 2023

In this study, we investigated whether severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral proteins and virus particles can be detected (i) in post-mortem kidney of fatal coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and (ii) in renal biopsy of patients suffering from kidney failure months after combating a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Using fluorescence microscopy, antibodies against viral proteins [nucleocapsid, membrane (M), non-structural proteins (nsp) 3, 4, and 13] and double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) were validated on SARS-CoV-2-infected Vero cells. dsRNA was detected in lipid-filled electron-lucent (white) compartments in SARS-CoV-2-producing cells. In the kidney of a patient with acute kidney failure, accumulation of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid N protein was detected in tubular epithelium. In contrast, none of the other viral proteins (M, nsp3, 4, 13) nor dsRNA was detected in these regions, suggesting that no viral replication takes place in the kidney of these patients. High-resolution immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated N protein accumulation in Golgi-like structures but absence of intracellular virus particles. The presence of the N protein in Golgi-like structures in kidney of patients suggests that this protein may have an unforeseen role in post-COVID-19 renal complications.

IMPORTANCE

Even though the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is slowly developing into a conventional infectious disease, the long-term effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus infection are still not well understood. One of the problems is that many COVID-19 cases develop acute kidney injuries. Still, it is heavily debated whether SARS-CoV-2 virus enters and actively replicates in kidney tissue and if SARS-CoV-2 virus particles can be detected in kidney during or post-infection. Here, we demonstrated that nucleocapsid N protein was detected in kidney tubular epithelium of patients that already recovered form COVID-19. The presence of the abundantly produced N protein without signs of viral replication could have implications for the recurrence of kidney disease and have a continuing effect on the immune system.
Experience and impact of gender-based violence in Honiara, Solomon Islands: a cross-sectional study recording violence over a 12-month period
Authors: Chadwick Verity , Kluckow Hannah , Mapstone Kristine , Whiffin Victoria , Ryder Bret , Rimon Mia , Hebala Hugo , Hill Sophia , Martiniuk Alexandra LC
Published: November 2023

Objective

This study aims to collect data on the experience and impact of gender-based violence experienced by women attending health clinics in Honiara, Solomon Islands.

Method

Any woman over the age of 18 who attended a local health clinic in Honiara, Solomon Islands during the time of recruitment (ten consecutive weekdays in May 2015) was eligible to participate in an interviewer administered, in-person survey, gathering data on gender-based violence over the past 12 months.

Results

A total of 100 women were recruited into this study. Of these women, 47% of women reported experiencing physical or sexual violence in the past 12 months. The most common perpetrators were the woman’s husband or boyfriend. There are low rates of reporting, particularly through formal avenues such as to police or village leaders. Alcohol was involved in more than half the cases of reported violence.

Conclusion

Women in this study report high rates of gender-based violence. To our knowledge, this is the only study examining women’s personal experience of gender-based violence in the Solomon Islands, with self-reported data on the frequency and nature of the violence, and the impact on women, including physical and mental, utilisation of healthcare services, police and legal involvement. Efforts to reduce gender-based violence should aim to reduce intimate partner violence, increase reporting and address wider social attitudes towards gender equality.
Intrusion Detection Using Bat Optimization Algorithm and DenseNet for IoT and Cloud Based Systems
Authors: Bella H. Kanakadurga , Vasundra S.
Published: November 2023

In Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud systems, Intrusion Detection (ID) is very vital for protecting the security infrastructures. ID techniques are extensively used to detect and track malicious threats in cloud and IoT systems. In the IoT based ID, the conventional techniques work based on the manual traffic feature values that increase the complexity of the networks and achieve a limited detection rate on the larger IoT databases. For addressing the above-stated issues and achieving high classification results, an effective deep learning based ID-System (IDS) is implemented in this article. Initially, the IoT data is acquired from the NSW-NB15 and NSL-KDD databases, and then, the standard scaling normalization technique, known as Min-Max normalization, is applied to select the dominant attributes and to eliminate outliers from the acquired databases. Additionally, the optimal features are selected from the rescaled normalized data by implementing the Bat optimization algorithm. The selection of optimal features decreases the computational complexity and training time of the IDS. The chosen optimal features are passed into the DenseNet model for carrying out intrusion attack detection. Particularly, in the binary-class classification, the Bat-based DenseNet model obtained 98.89% and 98.40% of accuracy on the UNSW-NB15 and NSL-KDD databases, correspondingly. The obtained simulation results prove the higher effectiveness of the current study when it is related to the state-of-the-art classifiers.
Intelligent Program Correction and Evaluation System
Authors: Ganguli Isha , Bhowmick Rajat Subhra , Biswas Shivam , Sil Jaya
Published: November 2023

The growing popularity of computing applications has sparked the interest of students in computer programming languages. Minor mistakes are prevalent while writing small code blocks due to the coder’s lack of knowledge and carelessness. Instead of merely providing syntax warnings, it would be better to offer developers with an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that can automatically correct short code blocks containing mistakes. This makes code composition easier and more time-efficient, thus improving the efficacy of large-scale development environments. Because Python is becoming more popular, the goal of our study is to enhance the efficiency of writing Python code by offering an automatic code-correcting approach. Furthermore, automatic program evaluation has been performed to assist in the debugging of small code blocks, which will ultimately be employed in the creation of real-time computer applications. The proposed technique would be useful for new learners who wish to create small Python code blocks for ease of writing and debugging on online platforms (like edX, Coursera, and Udacity). One of the major contributions of the project is to create an erroneous dataset of Python coding that contains all potential forms of probable syntax errors. The dataset induces variety through the use of multiple coding templates and is used to train deep learning models. We used the state-of-the-art text-to-text T5 transformer network model to automatically repair and evaluate the incorrect code. The outcomes of auto-correction are examined using the ROUGE and BLEU scores, as well as accuracy. The model corrects Python code with single, double, and the multiple number of errors with greater than 80% accuracy. Similarly, the performance of the basic T5 transformer network for program auto-evaluation with and without mistakes has been examined, and the model achieves greater than 65% accuracy in both cases. The proposed T5 base transformer outperforms the SOTA auto-correction models in terms of accuracy, according to a comparison study of the proposed method with the earlier techniques for auto-correcting codes.
Harmonic maps on locally conformal almost cosymplectic manifolds
Authors: Gherghe Cătălin , Vîlcu Gabriel-Eduard
Published: November 2023

We investigate harmonic maps on almost contact metric manifolds which are locally conformal to almost cosymplectic manifolds. We obtain the necessary and sufficient conditions for the holomorphy to imply harmonicity and then we find obstructions to the existence of non-constant pluriharmonic maps. We also establish some results on the stability of the identity map on a locally conformal almost cosymplectic manifold of pointwise constant [Formula: see text]-holomorphic sectional curvature.
Persistent homology for functionals
Authors: Bauer Ulrich , Medina-Mardones Anibal M. , Schmahl Maximilian
Published: November 2023

We introduce topological conditions on a broad class of functionals that ensure that the persistent homology modules of their associated sublevel set filtration admit persistence diagrams, which, in particular, implies that they satisfy generalized Morse inequalities. We illustrate the applicability of these results by recasting the original proof of the Unstable Minimal Surface Theorem given by Morse and Tompkins in a modern and rigorous framework.
Analysis of the Organizational Innovation Level: Evidence from Brazil
Authors: Braga Levi Cunha , Magalhães Correia Ana Maria , Da Veiga Claudimar Pereira , Barreto Miranda Ana Lucia Brenner , Araújo Silva Napiê Galvê , Gonçalves Helen Silva
Published: November 2023

Recent research has demonstrated that innovation is a factor that can add a competitive differential among small- and medium-sized enterprises. The literature presents several types of companies that have invested in the process of organizational innovation. Recently, one type of company that has drawn attention is called “graduated”, that is, one that went through the incubation process and received support from an incubator. Research shows that graduated companies (GCs) have enough competencies to develop themselves in their market. This research analyzes the level of organizational innovation in nine GCs in an emerging economy, such as Brazil. To achieve the proposed objective, this study (i) identifies the profile of these companies; (ii) identifies the proposed innovation actions; (iii) applies the innovation radar and (iv) analyzes the dimensions proposed by the innovation radar. The results revealed that the GCs are occasional innovators, with an average of 3.60. Among the nine companies analyzed, seven presented averages above 3.0, considered as occasional innovators and the other two companies, with averages a little above 2.0, were analyzed as little or not at all innovative. GCs, in their majority, are innovative companies. From the theoretical perspective, the results highlight the possibility of improvements and the suggestion of new dimensions for the innovation radar. In the practical scenario, the participating GCs were able to reflect on themes and day-to-day situations that, for lack of time, or even planning, were not analyzed.
Dynamics of Feline Coronavirus and FIP: A Compartmental Modeling Approach
Authors: Dobie Ayse Peker , Bayrakal Alper , Or Mehmet Erman , Bilge Ayse Humeyra
Published: November 2023

The investigation of infectious agents invading human and nonhuman populations represents a rich research domain within the framework of mathematical biology, captivating the interest of scientists across various disciplines. In this work, we examine the endemic equilibrium of feline coronavirus and feline infectious peritonitis by using a modified susceptible‐infected‐susceptible epidemiological model. We incorporate the concept of mutations from FCoV to FIP to enrich our analysis. We establish that the model, when subjected to reasonable parameter ranges, supports an endemic equilibrium wherein the FCoV group dominates. To demonstrate the stability of the equilibria under typical parameters and initial conditions, we employ the model SCF presented by Dobie in 2022 (Dobie, 2022). We ascertain that the equilibrium values reside within the interior domains of stability. Additionally, we displayed perturbed solutions to enhance our understanding. Remarkably, our findings align qualitatively with existing literature, which reports the prevalence of seropositivity to FCoV among stray cats (Tekelioglu et al. 2015, Oğuzoğlu et al. 2010, Pratelli 2008, Arshad et al. 2004).
Examining Course Facilitators’ Perspectives on Online Facilitation for Distance Education
Authors: Segbenya Moses , Bervell Brandford , Somuah Beatrice Asante , Minadzi Vincent Mensah
Published: November 2023

The importance of online learning for delivering academic content in distance education cannot be an understatement. Online learning is not only associated with benefits, but it also comes with some challenges among course facilitators in distance education. This study, therefore, examined course facilitators’ perspectives on online facilitation in distance education within the context of a less developed economy. The study adopted the quantitative approach based on descriptive research design with a sample of 529 course facilitators out of a population of 2,768 using multiple sampling techniques such as stratified and simple random sampling. Data were gathered using a structured questionnaire, and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was utilized to analyze the results. Findings from the study revealed that course facilitators had online tools and content knowledge but lacked online lesson presentation skills. Availability of online gadgets significantly predicted functionality and online teaching presentation method. Challenges with online learning, availability and functionality of online gadgets, and online presentation methods significantly predicted online use intention and subsequently influenced online usage for teaching among course facilitators. It was recommended that managers of distance education train and provide technical support as well as online gadgets for course facilitators to effectively implement online education. This study provides new insights into how online gadgets, their functionality, and online presentation methods by course facilitators intricately relate among themselves and finally influence online usage intentions and actual usage of online instruction in the distance education milieu.
Inhibition and Reduction of Biofilm Production along with Their Antibiogram Pattern among Gram-Negative Clinical Isolates
Authors: Shrestha Ojaswee , Shrestha Nabina , Khanal Sadhana , Pokhrel Sushant , Maharjan Sujina , Thapa Tika Bahadur , Khanal Puspa Raj , Joshi Govardhan
Published: November 2023

Background. Bacterial biofilm is a significant virulence factor threatening patients, leading to chronic infections and economic burdens. Therefore, it is crucial to identify biofilm production, its inhibition, and reduction. In this study, we investigated biofilm production among Gram-negative isolates and assessed the inhibitory and reduction potential of ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) towards them. In addition, we studied the antimicrobial resistance pattern of the Gram-negative isolates. Methods. Bacterial isolation and identification was done using standard microbiological techniques, following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guideline, 28th edition. The Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method was used to determine the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the isolates, and β-lactamase production was tested via the combination disk method. Biofilm formation was detected through the tissue culture plate (TCP) method. Different concentrations of EDTA and DMSO were used to determine their inhibitory and reduction properties against the biofilm. Both inhibition and reduction by the various concentrations of EDTA and DMSO were analyzed using paired t-tests. Results. Among the 110 clinical isolates, 61.8% (68) were found to be multidrug resistant (MDR). 30% (33/110) of the isolates were extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producers, 14.5% (16/110) were metallo-β-lactamase (MBL), and 8% (9/110) were Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) producers. Biofilm formation was detected in 35.4% of the isolates. Biofilm-producing organisms showed the highest resistance to antibiotics such as cephalosporins, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, and carbapenem. The inhibition and reduction of biofilm were significantly lower (

p

 < 0.05) for 1 mM of EDTA and 2% of DMSO. Conclusion. Isolates forming biofilm had a higher resistance rate and β-lactamase production compared to biofilm nonproducers. EDTA and DMSO were found to be potential antibiofilm agents. Hence, EDTA and DMSO might be an effective antibiofilm agent to control biofilm-associated infections.
An Artificial Intelligence Approach for Verifying Persons by Employing the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Nucleotides
Authors: Al-Nima Raid Rafi Omar , Al-Hatab Marwa Mawfaq Mohamedsheet , Qasim Maysaloon Abed
Published: November 2023

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) can be considered as one of the most useful biometrics. It has effectively been used for recognizing persons. However, it seems that there is still a need to propose a new approach for verifying humans, especially after the recent big wars, where too many people lost and die. This approach should have the capability to provide high personal verification performance. In this paper, a personal recognition approach based on artificial intelligence is proposed. This approach is called the artificial DNA algorithm for recognition (ADAR). It utilizes a unique identity for each person acquired from DNA nucleotides, and it can verify individuals efficiently with high performance. The ADAR has been designed and applied to multiple datasets, namely, the DNA classification (DC), sample DNA sequence (SDS), human DNA sequences (HDS), and DNA sequences (DS). For all datasets, a low value of 0% is achieved for each of the false acceptance rate (FAR) and false rejection rate (FRR).
A Comparative Study between Reduced-Order and Switching Models of Grid-Following Inverter Interfacing Renewable Energy Sources
Authors: Abuishmais Ibrahim , Salem Qusay , Aljarrah Rafat , Al-Quraan Ayman
Published: November 2023

This paper presents a performance comparison between switching and reduced-order models of grid-following inverters. Different models have been developed to study the inverter’s operation using MATLAB and PSIM simulation tools. These models offer a tradeoff between accuracy and computational burden. The switching model fully represents the discontinuities in the inverter due to switching, but such a model demands high computational resources. The inverter representation is simplified using reduced-order models, which is common in the literature. However, the fidelity of these simplified models might not be adequate for some applications. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the performance of such models closely to ensure their suitability depending on the purpose of the analysis. Hence, a comparative study between switching and reduced-order models is presented here by simulating different scenarios and operation conditions. The results have validated the efficacy of the reduced-order model in representing the grid-following inverter’s operation in both steady state and response to a step change resulting from active or reactive power variation. Unlike the switching model, the findings illustrate that the reduced-order modeling fails to represent harmonics and losses. After simulating different scenarios, this work highlights the main differences between the switching and reduced-order models to facilitate the choice of the proper modeling method for researchers.
Hybrid Delay‐Minimization Scheduling Algorithm of FT and MPTS in WSN Data Aggregation
Authors: Li Cheng , Zhang Guoyin , Mao Yan
Published: November 2023

The data acquisition of Internet of Things (IoT) is mostly brought out by wireless sensor networks (WSNs), and the efficiency of IoT is directly affected by the time delay in the process of data acquisition, which is researched mainly by the data aggregation of WSNs. Minimizing the delay in the data aggregation process is one of the most important operations. In order to reduce the data aggregation delay, a hybrid delay‐minimization data aggregation scheduling (HDDAS) algorithm is proposed, which optimizes the delay from the two main aspects that affect the delay, namely, the transmission path and the collision rate. Accordingly, the algorithm is divided into two phases: the aggregation tree construction and the data transmission scheduling. In the aggregation tree construction phase, the fat tree (FT) is introduced to generate an optimal aggregation tree with the shortest path; in the data transmission scheduling phase, the maximum parallel transmission set (MPTS) is adopted to increase the amount of the collision‐free data transmission. The simulation experiment results demonstrate that the HDDAS algorithm proposed in the paper has performed favorably in terms of the data aggregation delay.
Sistema Universitario Chileno y la Reforma de 1981
Authors: Barrientos Oradini Nicolás , Álvarez Maldonado David , Amon Jadue Alberto
Published: November 2023

Los cambios realizados por el Régimen Militar al sistema universitario fueron radicales, totalizantes y generalizantes, comparables a los del presidente Eduardo Frei Montalva y Salvador Allende, pero enmarcados e impregnados de ideologías neoliberales y de nacionalismo autoritario. Continuar leyendo...
Cárceles y reinserción social en Chile
Authors: Díaz Carlos
Published: November 2023

El sistema penitenciario chileno se encuentra colapsado. A pesar de que los 81 centros de reclusión cuentan con un total de 42 mil plazas, datos de Gendarmería(1) indican que se estarían alojando a casi 55 mil personas en régimen cerrado. Las personas privadas de libertad han aumentado en 30% en los últimos 18 meses y la tasa de ocupación ronda el 130% a nivel nacional (con regiones como Atacama y Maule con tasas en el entorno del 200%). Continuar leyendo...
Phase I/IIa Trial in Advanced Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Treated with Cytotoxic Drug-Packaged, EGFR-Targeted Nanocells and Glycolipid-Packaged Nanocells
Authors: Ganju Vinod , Marx Gavin , Pattison Scott , Amaro-Mugridge Nancy B. , Zhao Jing-Ting , Williams Bryan R.G. , MacDiarmid Jennifer A. , Brahmbhatt Himanshu
Published: November 2023

Purpose:

We assessed the safety and efficacy of an EGFR-targeted, super-cytotoxic drug, PNU-159682-packaged nanocells with α-galactosyl ceramide-packaged nanocells (E-EDV-D682/GC) in patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) who had exhausted all treatment options.

Patients and Methods:

ENG9 was a first-in-man, single-arm, open-label, phase I/IIa, dose-escalation clinical trial. Eligible patients had advanced PDAC, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group status 0 to 1, and failed all treatments. Primary endpoints were safety and overall survival (OS).

Results:

Of 25 enrolled patients, seven were withdrawn due to rapidly progressive disease and one patient withdrew consent. All 25 patients were assessed for toxicity, 24 patients were assessed for OS, which was also assessed for 17 patients completing one treatment cycle [evaluable subset (ES)]. Nineteen patients (76.0%) experienced at least one treatment-related adverse event (graded 1 to 2) resolving within hours. There were no safety concerns, dose reductions, patient withdrawal, or treatment-related deaths.

Median OS (mOS) was 4.4 months; however, mOS of the 17 ES patients was 6.9 months [208 days; range, 83–591 days; 95.0% confidence interval (CI), 5.6–10.3 months] and mOS of seven patients who did not complete one cycle was 1.8 months (54 days; range, 21–72; 95.0% CI, 1.2–2.2 months). Of the ES, 47.1% achieved stable disease and one partial response. Ten subjects in the ES survived over 6 months, the longest 19.7 months. During treatments, 82.0% of the ES maintained stable weight.

Conclusions:

E-EDV-D682/GC provided significant OS, minimal side effects, and weight stabilization in patients with advanced PDAC. Advanced PDAC can be safely treated with super-cytotoxic drugs via EnGeneIC Dream Vectors to overcome multidrug resistance.
Endothelin Receptor Blockade Improves Cerebral Blood Flow-Mediated Dilation in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Henrion Daniel , Bonnin Philippe , Vessieres Emilie , Guihlot Anne-Laure , Iglarz Marc , Lévy Bernard I.
Published: November 2023

Introduction: Cerebral blood flow (CBF) is reduced in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Flow-mediated dilation (FMD), which plays a key role in the regulation of blood flow, is attenuated by endothelin-1. We hypothesized that endothelin receptor blockade may improve CBF in AD. Methods: We investigated cerebrovascular reactivity in a mouse model of AD (APP-PS1; 5-6-month-old male subjects). We assessed the in vivo response to normoxic hypercapnia and in vitro FMD in isolated cerebral and mesenteric resistance arteries before and after endothelin receptor blockade (bosentan). Results: Normoxic hypercapnia increased basilar trunk blood flow velocity (+12.3 ± 2.4%; p = 0.006, n = 6) in wild-type (WT) mice but reduced blood flow in APP-PS1 mice (−11.4 ± 1.2%; p < 0.0001, n = 8). Bosentan (50 mg/kg, acute intraperitoneal injection) restored cerebrovascular reactivity in APP-PS1 mice (+10.2 ± 2.2%; p < 0.0001, n = 8) but had no effect in WT. FMD was reduced in the posterior cerebral artery of APP-PS1 compared to WT and was normalized by bosentan (1 μmol/L, 30 min, or 50 mg/kg/day for 28 days). FMD was similar in the mesenteric artery of APPS-PS1 and WT. Conclusion: APP-PS1 mice exhibited cerebrovascular endothelial dysfunction. Acute and chronic blockade of endothelin receptors restored endothelial vasomotor function, suggesting a promising therapeutic approach to restoring cerebral vasoreactivity in AD.