bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ana Cristina Cesar retradutora de Baudelaire
Authors: Faleiros Álvaro
Published: September 2022

A partir da fortuna crítica e dos escritos de Ana C sobre tradução visamos, neste artigo, depreender alguns dos princípios que regem sua concepção do traduzir e, por meio deles, pensar sua reescrita de “Le Cygne” de Baudelaire, assim como situar esse seu trabalho no espaço da (re)tradução de Baudelaire no Brasil.
Disposição para o debate e capacidade de exposição e síntese em livro ambicioso sobre literatura brasileira
Authors: Araújo Homero Vizeu
Published: September 2022

Há um título de Borges que poderia ser a epígrafe do livro de Luís Augusto Fischer: o tamanho de minha esperança. Duas formações, uma história consiste em um longo e detalhado ensaio escrito em prosa argumentativa que recusa o jargão e que aposta na densidade e no esclarecimento, sem deixar de afirmar uma esperança inconformista na importância da leitura e da literatura. Resulta um feito intelectual extraordinário ao articular debate teórico, avaliação de conceitos e procedimentos estabelecidos, postulação de novas propostas e, mais surpreendente, autobiografia intelectual repassada por informação precisa e formulações bem-humoradas. O conjunto não se abstém de provocar e arguir posições estabelecidas e alguns consensos.
New Concepts of Time and Matter Supported by Fifteen Proofs
Authors: Niemz Markolf H. , Stein Siegfried W.
Published: September 2022

We introduce two symmetric concepts to physics: “distance” (space and time in one) and “wavematter” (electromagnetic wave packet and matter in one). We claim that physics has chosen the wrong concept of time: It is not aware that the time of a moving object flows in a direction other than my time. We provide 15 proofs for our claim by solving 15 mysteries of physics graphically! For example, we prove that length contraction and time dilation are actually geometrical effects in a 4D manifold that we call “Euclidean spacetime” (ES). We prove that the discrepancy in calculating the Hubble constant stems from a systematic error in the redshift measurement. We prove that what I deem wave, deems itself matter, which solves wave–particle duality. We even untangle quantum entanglement without the issue of non-locality. We finally understand why alternative theories of Euclidean relativity have failed: They are all based on four dimensions of space rather than distance. A huge amount of energy was injected into ES at a point that we take as origin. Ever since has this energy been moving radially away at the speed of light. We live in the 3D hypersurface of an expanding 4D hypersphere. Hyperspherical coordinates have the great advantage that they reduce all that is ever happening to just one formula. So, it is the Theory of Everything in these coordinates: “Energy is covering radial distance which, divided by Euclidean time, is equal to the speed of light.” Acceleration and force like gravitation emerge from a rotation of objects in ES and a subsequent projection to 3D space. Matching the symmetry simplifies physics.
Study on the Mesostructure Evolution and Strength Damage Mechanism of Dolomite under Dissolution Condition
Authors: Liu Wenlian , Liu Pengen , Xu Hanhua , Gong Bocheng , Ji Feng
Published: September 2022

Dolomite is a common type of natural soluble rock. The strength of rock decreases under the action of corrosion, which has a significant impact on the self-stability and long-term safety of the tunnel surrounding the rock. To reveal the microscopic structure evolution and strength-damage law of carbonate rock caused by corrosion, chemical corrosion, rock uniaxial compression, and electron microscope scanning tests are conducted at different pH values on the dolomite of the Doushantuo Formation. The rock dissolution at different pH values exhibits four typical stages: the initial dissolution stage, secondary dissolution acceleration stage, stable dissolution rate stage, and dissolution attenuation stage. During the dissolution process, the initial dissolution rate is 25.91 times that of the stable stage, and the maximum strength attenuation is 76.2% after 21 days of dissolution. For macroscopic failure, the rock is developed from 1 to 2 external fractures to multiple internal and external fractures and penetrated, and the specimen transforms from brittle to flexible. For microstructure, the sample exhibits corrosion characteristics along the joint surface, intensified corrosion at the edge, etc. The porosity increase rate is 0.6%/d; however, the length–width ratio of the pores is maintained at 1.7–1.85, indicating that the development rate of pores in different directions is similar. The results of this study have enriched the study of the dolomite dissolution mechanism and have important reference value for the stability evaluation of tunnel surrounding rock in karst environments.
The Impact of New Doctorate Graduates on Innovation Systems in Europe
Authors: Leogrande Angelo , Costantiello Alberto , Laureti Lucio
Published: September 2022

In this article we investigate the determinants of “New Doctorate Graduates” in Europe. We use data from the EIS-European Innovation Scoreboard of the European Commission for 36 countries in the period 2010-2019 with Pooled OLS, Dynamic Panel, WLS, Panel Data with Fixed Effects and Panel Data with Random Effects. We found that “New Doctorate Graduates” is positively associated, among others, with “Human Resources” and “Government Procurement of Advanced Technology Products” and negatively, associated among others, with “Total Entrepreneurial Activity” and “Innovation Index”. We apply a clusterization with k-Means algorithm either with the Silhouette Coefficient either with the Elbow Method and we found that in both cases the optimal number of clusters is three. Furthermore, we use the Network Analysis with the Distance of Manhattan, and we find the presence of seven network structures. Finally, we propose a confrontation among ten machine learning algorithms to predict the value of “New Doctorate Graduates” either with Original Data-OD either with Augmented Data-AD. Results show that SGD-Stochastic Gradient Descendent is the best predictor for OD while Linear Regression performs better for AD.
Spike Spectra for Recurrences
Authors: Kraemer K. Hauke , Hellmann Frank , Anvari Mehrnaz , Kurths Juergen , Marwan Norbert
Published: September 2022

A novel kind of power spectrum is constructed, the inter-spike spectrum, which transforms any signal into its spike-frequency domain. This method clearly shows the apparent cycles in the data and overcomes the problems for spike-train-like signals when using the obvious idea of Fourier-transforming it. We invent this instructive approach with the idea of transforming the τ-recurrence rate of a recurrence plot (RP), which often has a spiky appearance. The τ-recurrence rate is the density of recurrence points along diagonals of the RP, which are parallel to the main diagonal with a distance of τ. In this context the inter-spike spectrum can be interpreted as a nonlinear power spectrum of a potentially high dimensional system which constitutes the RP. The proposed measure is robust to noise and is able to detect and analyze bifurcations.
Evaluating the Injection Moulding of Plastic Parts using In Situ Time-Resolved Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering Techniques
Authors: Costa André A. , Gameiro Fábio , Potêncio Artur , Silva Daniel P. da , Carreira Pedro , Martinez Juan Carlos , Pascoal-Faria Paula , Mateus Artur , Mitchell Geoffrey R.
Published: September 2022

We describe the design and fabrication of an industrial injection moulding system which can be mounted and used on the NCD-SWEET Small-angle X-Ray Scattering Beamline at ALBA. We show how highly useful time-resolved data can be obtained using this system. We are able to evaluate the fraction of material in the mould cavity and identify the first material to solidify and how this varies with the injection tem-perature. The design follows current industrial practice and provides opportunities to collect time-resolved data at several points within the mould cavity so we can build up a 4D perspective of the morphology and its temporal development. The quantitative data obtained will prove invaluable for the optimisation of the next generation of in-jection moulding techniques. This preliminary work used results from the injection moulding of a general purpose isotactic polypropylene.
SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Unvaccinated High Risk Pregnant Women in the Bronx, NY is Associated with Placental Abnormalities, Shorter Gestation and Lower Apgar Scores
Authors: Reznik Sandra , Vuguin Patricia , Khoury Rasha , Loudig Olivier , Balakrashnian Ridin , Fineberg Susan , Hughes Francine , Harigopal Malini , Charron Maureen J.
Published: September 2022

Abstract. Babies born to severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infected mothers are at greater risk for perinatal morbidity and more likely to receive a neurodevelopmental diagnosis in the first year of life. However, the effect of maternal infection on placental function and neonatal outcomes varies depending upon the patient population. We set out to test our hypothesis that maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection in our underserved, socioeconomically disadvantaged, predominantly African American and Latina population in the Bronx, NY would have effects evident at birth. Fifty-five SARS-CoV-2 positive and 61 negative third trimester patients were randomly selected from Montefiore Medical Center (MMC), Bronx, NY. In addition, two positive cases from Yale New Haven Hospital, CT were included as controls. All 55 placentas delivered by SARS-CoV-2 positive mothers were uninfected by the virus, based on immunohistochemistry, in-situ hybridization, and qPCR analysis. However, placental villous infarcts, mild preeclampsia, shortened gestational periods and lower Apgar scores were observed in the infected cases. These findings suggest that even without entering the placenta, SARS-CoV-2 can affect various systemic pathways culminating in altered placental development and function, which may adversely affect the fetus, especially in a high-risk patient population such as ours. These results underline the importance of vaccination among pregnant women, particularly in low resource areas.
Global Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Activity Habits of Competitive Runners: an Analysis of Wearable Device Data
Authors: Romero Julia Lee , Lv Qin
Published: September 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in government restrictions that altered the lifestyle of people worldwide. Studying the impact of these restrictions on exercise behaviors will improve our understanding of environmental factors that influence individuals’ PA. We conducted a retrospective analysis using an index of government pandemic stringency developed by Oxford and a wearable device for runners to compare strictness of lockdowns and exercise habits, using digitally-logged PA data from more than 7,000 runners on a global scale. Additionally, time-of-day of PA globally and levels of PA in 14 countries are compared between the pre-pandemic year of 2019 and the first pandemic year of 2020. We found that during the pandemic the time-of-day that people exercised experienced a major shift, with significantly more activities logged during standard working hours on workdays (p<0.001) and fewer during the same time frame on weekends (p<0.001). Of the countries examined, Italy and Spain had among the most strict lockdowns and suffered the largest decreases in activity counts, whereas France experienced a minimal decrease in activity counts despite enacting a similarly strict lockdown. This study suggests that there are several factors affecting PA, including government policy, workplace policy, and cultural norms.
Density and Velocity Analysis of the Planetary Nebula NGC 6853
Authors: Hrubý Robert
Published: September 2022

Stellar NGC 6853, also known as the Dumbbell Nebula, is a remarkable example of an elliptical morphological type 1 multiple shell planetary nebula, which is now in one of its last evolutionary stages. This project focuses on examining the distinct varieties of the nebula temperatures and densities using observation data from the Issac Newton Group of Telescopes and comparing them with the observation data from Observatoire de Haute Provence from 14th to 18th of October 2019, with a primary focus on the data from the Issac Newton Telescope (INT). The densities ranged from diffused regions of 376.63 ± 228.97 atoms per cm3 to dense regions of 6441.11 ± 228.90 atoms per cm3; these values are slightly lower approximately by 2000 than the values from the Observatoire de Haute Provence. The radial velocity and the expansion velocity were also calculated using the spectroscopic data and were found to be 29.50 ± 0.38 km−1 and 37.40 ± 0.38 km−1 respectively. This result is expected from a multi-shell nebula that consists of the main body and surrounding halo
Metal-Based Conducive Nano-Inks: A Review of Synthesis and Characterisation Techniques
Authors: Saha Mainak
Published: September 2022

In the recent decade, metal-based conductive nano-inks comprising of nanometer-sized metallic particles of high electrical conductivity (mainly Ag and Cu) suspended in a polymer have revolutionized the field of printed electronics. The present review aims to provide an overview of the current state of research in synthesis and characterization techniques for metallic nano-inks and associated challenges. Moreover, the end of the review will discuss future perspectives in this field (from industrial and academic viewpoints).
Prognostic Impact of LAG-3 Expression in Early Breast Cancer
Authors: Heimes Anne-Sophie , Almstedt Katrin , Krajnak Slavomir , Runkel Anne , Droste Annika , Schwab Roxana , Stewen Kathrin , Lebrecht Antje , Battista Marco J. , Brenner Walburgis , Hasenburg Annette , Gehrmann Mathias , Hengstler Jan G. , Schmidt Marcus
Published: September 2022

Background: Monoclonal antibodies against PD-1 or PD-L1 are established in clinical practice for the treatment of both early and advanced/metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. Beyond the established immune checkpoints (ICPs) (PD-1 and CTLA-4) additional ICPs such as lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3) are subject of current research. In the present retrospective gene ex-pression analysis, we evaluated the prognostic significance of LAG-3 in 461 patients with early breast cancer. In addition, we examined whether there was a correlation between the different ICPs and CD8 expression. Methods: Using microarray-based gene expression analysis, we examined the prognostic signif-icance for metastasis-free survival (MFS) of LAG-3 mRNA expression in the whole cohort of 461 breast cancer patients and among different molecular subtypes. Correlations were analyzed us-ing Spearman-Rho correlation coefficient. Results: In the whole cohort, LAG-3 expression had no significant impact on MFS (p = 0.712, Log Rank). In the subgroup analyses, there was a trend, that higher LAG-3 expression was associated with favorable outcome in the luminal B (p = 0.217), basal-like (p = 0.370) and HER2 (p = 0.089) subtypes, although significance was not reached. In contrast, in multivariate Cox regression analysis adjusted for age, tumor size, axillary nodal status, histological grade of differentiation and the proliferation marker Ki-67, LAG-3 showed a significant influence on MFS (HR 0.574; 95% CI 0.369–0.894; p = 0.014). High LAG-3 significantly correlated with CD8 ( = 0.571; p < 0.001). Conclusion: LAG-3 expression had an independent impact on MFS. In addition to PD-1 and PD-L1, further immune checkpoints such as LAG-3 could serve as therapeutic targets in breast cancer.
Short-range near-surface seismic ensemble predictions and uncertainty quantification for layered medium
Authors: Vecherin Sergey , Ketcham Stephen , Meyer Aaron , Dunn Kyle , Desmond Jacob , Parker Michael
Published: September 2022

To make a prediction for seismic signal propagation, one needs to specify physical properties and subsurface ground structure of the site. This information is frequently unknown or estimated with significant uncertainty. This paper describes a methodology for probabilistic seismic ensemble prediction for vertically stratified soils and short ranges with no in situ site characterization. Instead of specifying viscoelastic site properties, the methodology operates with probability distribution functions of these properties taking into account analytical and empirical relationships among viscoelastic variables. This yields ensemble realizations of signal arrivals at specified locations where statistical properties of the signals can be estimated. Such ensemble predictions can be useful for preliminary site characterization, for military applications, and risk analysis for remote or inaccessible locations for which no data can be acquired. Comparison with experiments revealed that measured signals are not always within the predicted ranges of variability. Variance-based global sensitivity analysis has shown that the most significant parameters for signal amplitude predictions in the developed stochastic model are the uncertainty in the shear quality factor and the Poisson ratio above the water table depth.
Distinct landscapes of genetic and epigenetic alterations of E2F familygenes between esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and esophageal adenocarcinoma
Authors: Yan Jie , Zheng Guo-Liang , Zheng Zhi-Chao
Published: September 2022

Background/Aims: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) are primarily driven by different genetic changes. The E2F transcription factors (E2Fs) are involved in various malignancies; yet little is known about their roles in ESCC and EAC. This study aimed to investigate genetic and epigenetic alterations of the E2F family genes in ESCC and EAC, and to examine whether the differential changes are associated with the distinct mechanisms. Materials and Methods: mRNA and methylation levels of E2F family genes in ESCC and EAC were retrieved from the database UALCAN. The cBioPortal for Cancer Genomics and Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) database were used to analyze genetic mutations and interaction networks for E2Fs, respectively.Results: The genetic alteration patterns of E2Fs were different between ESCC and EAC. Furthermore, differences in methylation levels, CNV, and mutation frequency in certain E2F family genes were observed between ESCC and EAC. Moreover, E2Fs were co-expressed and interacted with proteins involved in the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) and histone modifications in EC. Additionally, Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed significant lower E2F1, E2F3, E2F5, E2F7, and E2F8 mRNA levels in association with better prognosis for EAC; while lower E2F1, E2F3, E2F6, E2F7, and E2F8 mRNA levels indicated poorer outcome for ESCC. Conclusions: The different patterns of genetic and epigenetic alterations in the E2F family genes between ESCC and EAC are likely to be associated with different mechanisms. Certain E2Fs hold promise as biomarkers for differential diagnosis of EAC and ESCC, and for prognostic prediction.
Isoflavones induce cell apoptosis by inhibiting autophagy in ovarian and endometrial cancer cells
Authors: Shi Zhichao , Qi Yaozhi , Wei Lili , Su Hongyong , Pan Chen , Guo Fengbiao
Published: September 2022

Epithelial ovarian cancer and breast cancer are common gynecological malignancies with high mortality rates. Isoflavones are phytoestrogens that are ubiquitous in food and Chinese herbs. Although many epidemiological studies have shown that ingestion of isoflavones could decrease the risk of ovarian and breast cancer, their cellular functions and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study used isoflavones to treat the breast and ovarian cancer cell lines SKOV-3 and MCF-7, which have high estrogen levels. Cell number and viability were measured using cell counting and MTS assays, respectively. Real-time quantitative PCR and western blotting were used to investigate the expression levels of key apoptotic factors. The results showed that isoflavones inhibited the proliferation and viability of SKOV-3 and MCF-7 cells under high estrogen levels. The expression levels of p62, LC3B, Caspase3, Bax, and Cyt c were significantly increased, whereas the expression levels of Bcl-2 were significantly decreased when treated with isoflavone. These results suggest that isoflavones can inhibit autophagy and induce apoptosis in ovarian and breast cancer cells at high estrogen levels. These findings provide a new theoretical basis for the treatment of malignant gynecological tumors.
Smartphone-RCCT: An online repository of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials of Smartphone Applications for Chronic Conditions
Authors: Barth Jürgen , Jiani Wang , Jesus Lopez-Alcalde , Christoph Kramm , Daniel Pach , Noelia Álvarez-Díaz , Eulàlia Grifol-Clar , Claudia Witt M
Published: September 2022

Background
Chronic health conditions have a big impact on disability, morbidity, and mortality worldwide. Smartphone health applications (apps) can improve the health of patients with chronic conditions and enhance the quality and efficiency of healthcare. The number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of smartphone health apps is increasing, but a collection of the available evidence into a single database is still missing. The purpose of this study is to describe Smartphone-RCCT, which is an in-progress database of RCTs of smartphone apps for chronic conditions.
Methods
For a study to be included in the database, the following criteria had to be met: a) RCT published in a peer-reviewed journal; b) Population: adult study participants with one or several chronic conditions that represent the main health problem addressed by the study intervention; c) Intervention: smartphone health app used by the patient; d) Comparator: any control condition; e) Outcomes: any patient-reported health outcome (studies exclusively measuring the patients’ knowledge about the chronic conditions or their satisfaction with the smartphone app were excluded); f) Sample size: at least 15 participants per study arm. We searched in electronic databases and other resources to identify relevant studies. Two reviewers selected the studies and extracted data independently. Annual updates are planned.
Results
The proposed database is called Smartphone-RCCT, an open-access repository collecting bibliographic references and important characteristics of RCTs of smartphone apps for chronic conditions. The database is available for free in Open Science Framework (OSF): https://osf.io/nxerf/. To date it includes 70 trials. Their references can be exported to standard reference management software and the extracted data is available in a Microsoft Excel file.
Conclusions
Smartphone-RCCT is the first systematic open-access database collecting peer-reviewed publications of RCTs of smartphone apps for patients with chronic conditions. The database accelerates the delivery of evidence-based information in a dynamic research field. It represents an essential resource for different stakeholders, such as professionals working in evidence synthesis, meta-epidemiological studies, or planning an RCT.
Autocatalytic reaction cycles for non-enzymatic synthesis of life-sustaining sugars in neutral media
Authors: Tabata Hiro , Chikatani Genta , Nishijima Hiroaki , Harada Takashi , Miyake Rika , Kato Souichiro , Igarashi Kensuke , Mukouyama Yoshiharu , Shirai Soichi , Waki Minoru , Hase Yoko , Nakanishi Shuji
Published: September 2022

Biological assimilation of CO2 to produce sugars occurs in metabolic cycles with an autocatalytic nature, such as the Calvin cycle and reverse citric acid cycle. The formose reaction, in which sugars are non-enzymatically synthesized from formaldehyde under basic conditions, involves such an autocatalytic cycle and has attracted much interest from the viewpoint of the abiotic chemical synthesis of sugars. However, many side reactions are indiscriminately accelerated by hydroxide ions, which results in a very low selectivity of sugar formation. Here we report non-enzymatic sugar synthesis under neutral conditions using mono-oxometalate as a catalyst to form an autocatalytic cycle. The construction of an autocatalytic reaction system under neutral conditions significantly improved the selectivity of sugar formation. It was also demonstrated that abiotically synthesized sugars could sustain the growth of microbial cells.
Resource Efficiency and Economic Efficiency of Fish Farms in the Southeast of Côte d’Ivoire
Authors: Aboua Christian Angui
Published: September 2022

Fish farming is considered a complement to fish production in Côte d’Ivoire. Better use of resources in the production process would ensure sustainable fish production. This study analyzes the resource efficiency and economic efficiency of 32 fish farms in the southeast of Côte d’Ivoire using a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model and cost-benefit analysis. The results revealed that fish farmers showed low performance, with average technical efficiency scores of 0.738 (CRS) and 0.575 (SBM) and an average economic score of 0.553. Fish farmers using industrial feed are the most technically and economically efficient. Through DEA model scenarios, the study shows that fish farmers generated excesses in resource utilization, causing a shortfall in output. Scenario-3 based on the slack-based model minimizing resources simultaneously with a maximization of output indicated that a reduction of excesses in resources would have increased the output by 16.18%. Finally, the cost benefit analysis shows that, overall, fish farms achieved a positive gross and net profit margin. This study suggests that policy actors should play an important role in facilitating fish farmers’ access to feed and quality fingerlings. In addition, fish farmers must be trained on good practices for sustainable production and pond management.
A new species of Phoreiobothrium Linton, 1889 (Cestoda: Onchoproteocephalidea) from the spinner shark, Carcharhinus brevipinna (Valenciennes) off the coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Authors: Spuy Linda Van Der , Smit Nico J. , Naidoo Kristina , Schaeffner Bjoern C.
Published: September 2022

The extreme sparsity of collection efforts in many parts of the word, including southern Africa, leaves a vast hidden diversity of marine cestode species, such as species of Phoreiobothrium. The investigation of a common South African coastal-pelagic species, the spinner shark Carcharhinus brevipinna (Valenciennes) resulted in the discovery of a new species of Phoreiobothrium Linton, 1889. Phoreiobothrium martini n. sp. is undoubtedly different from all other congeners in several morphological characteristics, however, it is most easily distinguished from other species by the size of its hooks. Furthermore, this species is peculiar in the sense of its microthrix pattern. It only possesses filitriches on its proximal bothridial surface. Additionally, P. martini n. sp. also displays a scarcity of gladiate spinitriches on its cephalic peduncle. This has not been recorded in any other congener within this genus and could resemble a new, generic characteristic. The addition of P. martini n. sp. increases the total number of valid species of Phoreiobothrium to 18 worldwide. Furthermore, P. martini n. sp. marks the description of representatives of only the second onchoproteocephalidean genus from southern Africa, therefore expanding the generic biogeographical representation and introducing new host associations. Apart from the description of this new species of cestode, the discovery of P. martini n. sp. as well as additional species of Phoreiobothrium is beneficial regarding future ecological investigations. With the high degree of host-specificity found amongst species of Phoreiobothrium, species such as P. martini n. sp. could be used as sentinel species for the accurate identification, separation and diagnosis of commonly misidentified shark species, such as C. brevipinna and C. limbatus (Valenciennes).
LOTUS suppresses amyloid β-induced dendritic spine elimination through the blockade of amyloid β binding to PirB
Authors: Kawaguchi Yuki , Matsubayashi Junpei , Kawakami Yutaka , Nishida Ryohei , Kurihara Yuji , Takei Kohtaro
Published: September 2022

Background:Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide but has no effective treatment. Amyloid beta (Aβ) protein, a primary risk factor for AD, accumulates and aggregates in the brain of patients with AD. Paired immunoglobulin-like receptor B (PirB) has been identified as a receptor of Aβ and Aβ–PirB molecular interactions that cause synapse elimination and synaptic dysfunction. PirB deletion has been shown to suppress Aβ-induced synaptic dysfunction and behavioral deficits in AD model mice, implying that PirB mediates Aβ-induced AD pathology. Therefore, inhibiting the Aβ–PirB molecular interaction could be a successful approach for combating AD pathology. We previously showed that lateral olfactory tract usher substance (LOTUS) is an endogenous antagonist of type1 Nogo receptor and PirB and that LOTUS overexpression promotes neuronal regeneration following damage to the central nervous system, including spinal cord injury and ischemic stroke. Therefore, in this study, we investigated whether LOTUS inhibits Aβ–PirB interaction and Aβ-induced dendritic spine elimination.Methods:The inhibitory role of LOTUS against Aβ-PirB (or leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor subfamily B member 2：LilrB2) binding was assessed using a ligand-receptor binding assay in Cos7 cells overexpressing PirB and/or LOTUS. We assessed whether LOTUS inhibits Aβ-induced intracellular alterations and synaptotoxicity using immunoblots and spine imaging in a primary cultured hippocampal neuron.Results:We found that LOTUS inhibits the binding of Aβ to PirB overexpressed in Cos7 cells. In addition, we found that Aβ-induced dephosphorylation of cofilin and Aβ-induced decrease in post-synaptic density-95 expression were suppressed in cultured hippocampal neurons from LOTUS-overexpressing transgenic (LOTUS-tg) mice compared with that in wild-type mice. Moreover, primary cultured hippocampal neurons from LOTUS-tg mice improved the Aβ-induced decrease in dendritic spine density. Finally, we studied whether human LOTUS protein inhibits Aβ binding to LilrB2, a human homolog of PirB, and found that human LOTUS inhibited the binding of Aβ to LilrB2 in a similar manner.Conclusions:This study implied that LOTUS improved Aβ-induced synapse elimination by suppressing Aβ-PirB interaction in rodents and inhibited Aβ–LilrB2 interaction in humans. Our findings revealed that LOTUS may be a promising therapeutic agent in counteracting Aβ-induced AD pathologies.
Parametric decay induced first-order phase transition in a two-dimensional dusty plasma crystal
Authors: Maity Srimanta , Arora Garima
Published: September 2022

The melting process of a two-dimensional (2D) dusty plasma crystal induced by an external perturbation has been explored using Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations. A 2D monolayer of particles interacting via Yukawa pair potential is formed in the presence of an external confinement potential. The confinement potential is a combined effect of the gravitational force and an externally applied electric force, which mimics the sheath electric field in dusty plasma experiments. The response of the 2D crystalline layer to an external perturbation is investigated. It is shown that transverse surface waves are generated below a particular threshold value of initial perturbation, but the crystalline order remains. However, above a threshold value of initial disturbance, the crystalline order structure of the 2D layer breaks, and it melts. The melting process is shown to be a first-order phase transition. We have demonstrated that the nonlinear amplitude modulation of initial disturbance through the parametric decay instability is responsible for the melting. Our proposed mechanism of first-order phase transition in the context of 2D dusty plasma crystal is distinctly different from the existing theoretical models. This research can provide a deeper understanding of the experimental observations in the context of plasma crystal.
Video Quality Enhancement Using an Optimized Dehazing Algorithm
Authors: Ayoub Abeer , Naeem Ensherah A. , El-Shafai Walid , Soltan E. , Zahran O. ,   F. E. Abd El-Samie1,   S. EL-Rabaie1
Published: September 2022

Video in open environments faces several problems such as the hazing problem. Hazing is produced due to light scattering from particles in the atmosphere around the scene to be imaged. In this paper, an optimized dehazing algorithm is modified by applying pre-processing on frames before dehazing process to remove noise and limited dynamic range because all frames contain some noise and limited dynamic range due to sensor measurement errors that can be amplified in the haze removal process if ignored. Different types of enhancement techniques are applied to remove noise and limited dynamic range before the dehazing process. Two video sequences are used: a Near Infrared (NIR) and a visible sequence. The hazing effect can be performed according to the hazing mathematical model. The effect of attenuation parameter α and attenuation weight ω on dehazed frames are investigated. The proposed algorithm proves good results in the enhancement of two types of video as shown in the spectral entropy of dehazed frames.
Ultrasonic energy attenuation characteristics in plastic deformation of 2219-O aluminum alloy
Authors: Li Shuangli , Zhao Yixi , Cui Junhui , Yu Zhongqi , Kou Linyuan
Published: September 2022

In the ultrasonic-assisted metal forming process, the dislocations within the material are easier to move due to the absorption of ultrasonic energy, which can effectively promote material flow and improve the formability of components, this phenomenon is called the ultrasonic softening effect. The ultrasonic softening effect is generally treated as homogeneous at the whole materials for simplicity, while the attenuation of the ultrasonic energy along the propagation direction will bring inhomogeneous distribution of softening degree. In addition, the absorption of the ultrasonic energy by material is also affected by the dislocation movements in the metal plastic processing procedure, resulting in the variation of the ultrasonic attenuation characteristics in the material with the plastic deformation, the current research has little concerned it. In this paper, the ultrasonic attenuation properties in 2219-O aluminum alloy with plastic strain were investigated. The influence of the dislocations and the dislocation movements caused by plastic deformation on the ultrasonic attenuation was characterized. The pre-strain specimen was designed to indicate the degree of plastic deformation of the material, and the specimen thickness direction was defined as the propagation direction of the ultrasonic energy. The experimental results and the microstructure observation showed that the absorption of ultrasonic energy by the material increases firstly and then decreases with the plastic strain increasing, which is related to the evolution of movable dislocations within the material. In order to accurately describe the ultrasonic energy attenuation characteristics in plastic deformation, the hardening equation of 2219-O aluminum alloy considering ultrasonic propagation distance and plastic strain was built and the model accuracy was verified based on the experimental data.
The value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in the diagnosis of primary testicular non-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions in adults
Authors: Xue Nianyu , Zhang Shengmin , Wang Guoyao
Published: September 2022

Background: Different pathological types of testicular tumors are treated differently. For example, malignant germ cell tumors require radical orchiectomy, benign tumors only require mass enucleation and segmental infarction does not require treatment. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) can more sensitively display tumor microvessels, thereby distinguishing between benign and malignant tumors.Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of 35 patients with primary testicular non-neoplastic and neoplastic confirmed by pathology in our hospital from February 2017 to February 2022. Conventional ultrasonography and CEUS of primary testicular non-neoplastic lesions and neoplastic lesions of different pathological types in adults were retrospectively analyzed and their diagnostic values were compared with the pathological results. Results: The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy rates for conventional ultrasound in the diagnosis of benign testicular tumors based on "onion skin-like" echo (epidermoid cysts) and peripheral annular blood flow were 30.8%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 71.9% and 75.0%, respectively. According to CEUS without enhancement (non-neoplastic lesions and epidermoid cysts) and uniform high enhancement with fast forward and slow backward (SLCT), the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy rates for diagnosing benign testicular tumors were 100.0%, 100.0%, 100.0%, 100.0% and 100.0%, respectively. Compared with conventional ultrasound, the difference was statistically significant (P=0.004).Conclusions: CEUS could accurately distinguish between benign and malignant testicular tumors and also diagnosed specific pathological types (such as testicular focal infarction, epidermoid cysts, spermatocytic tumors, SLTC and lymphoma). Different pathological types of testicular tumors had different treatment options; thus, accurate preoperative diagnosis was of great significance and could guide the selection of appropriate treatment options.
CHRNA5 links chandelier cells to protection against amyloid pathology in human aging and Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Rybnicek Jonas , Chen Yuxiao , Millic Milos , McLaurin JoAnne , De Jager Philip , Schneider Julie , Wang Yanling , Bennett David , Tripathy Shreejoy , Felsky Daniel , Lambe Evelyn
Published: September 2022

Changes in high-affinity nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are intricately connected to neuropathology in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Protective and cognitive-enhancing roles for the nicotinic α5 subunit have been identified, but this gene has not been closely examined in the context of human aging and dementia. Therefore, we investigate the nicotinic α5 gene CHRNA5 and the impact of relevant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in prefrontal cortex from 922 individuals with matched genotypic and post-mortem RNA sequencing in the Religious Orders Study and Memory and Aging Project (ROS/MAP). We find that a genotype robustly linked to expression of CHRNA5 (rs1979905A2) predicts significantly reduced β-amyloid load in prefrontal cortex. Yet, co-expression analysis shows a clear dissociation between expression of CHRNA5 and other cholinergic genes, suggesting a distinct cellular expression profile for the human nicotinic α5 subunit. Consistent with this prediction, single nucleus RNA sequencing from 22 individuals reveals disproportionately-elevated CHRNA5 expression in chandelier cells. These interneurons are enriched in amyloid-binding proteins and also play a vital role in excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance. Cell-type proportion analysis demonstrates that chandelier cells have increased amyloid vulnerability in individuals homozygous for the missense CHRNA5 SNP (rs16969968A2) that impairs function/trafficking of nicotinic α5-containing receptors. These findings suggest that CHRNA5 and its nicotinic α5 subunit exert a neuroprotective role in aging and Alzheimer's disease potentially centered on chandelier interneurons.
Factors associated with the periodicity of Loa loa microfilaremia in the Republic of the Congo
Authors: Campillo Jérémy T. , Louya Frédéric , Bikita Paul , Missamou François , Pion Sébastien D. S. , Boussinesq Michel , Chesnais Cédric B.
Published: September 2022

Background: Loa loa microfilariae circulate in the peripheral blood of human hosts following a diurnal periodicity, with maximal microfilaremia levels generally observed between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm. Few studies have assessed factors potentially associated with this periodicity. Methods: Microfilaremia data were collected repeatedly between 9:00 am and 8:00 pm from 13 individuals in the Republic of Congo. Using local polynomial regression (LOESS), we determined the best models representing the dynamics of microfilaremia over this time period. In a second step, using cosinor models we evaluated the influence of sex, age and body temperature on the periodicity of L. loa microfilaraemia in blood.Results: All subjects had their maximum microfilaremia reached between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. Individual microfilaremia showed different patterns between individuals and some clearly showed multiple peaks within a day. LOESS provided good fit to the observed data. Without adjustment, the maximum microfilarial density was reached around 11:00 am. Adjustment revealed three distinct modes of microfilaremia, occurring around 10:00 am, 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm.Cosinor models also provided good fit to our data. After adjustment on body temperature, the L. loa microfilaremia fluctuation amplitude decreased significantly from 1684.8 to 310.6 mf/mL and the predicted peak was estimated at 12:02 pm. Conclusion: We characterized the periodicity of Loa loa microfilaremia mathematically with 2 different approaches: cosinor models and LOESS regression. Both models suggest that body temperature plays a role in the variation of microfilaremia within a day. Further studies are needed to identify individual cofactors affecting microfilaremia.
A distributed task assignment algorithm for multi-robots in plant factory
Authors: Wang Dong , Du Yongliang , Gu Dongbing , Lian Jie
Published: September 2022

This paper focuses on the task allocation problem relating to multi-handling robots in agricultural picking and transportation system. It focuses on how to effectively and equally allocate tasks to handling robots, while avoiding collisions. A distributed task allocation algorithm for multi-handling robots based on task similarity grouping is proposed. First, the central controller divides the tasks into similar groups. On the one hand, it divides the tasks into different areas and reduces the collision between the handling robots, and on the other hand, it ensures the balanced utilization of the handling robots. Then, the central controller transmits the task groups to the handling robots through wireless communication, and the task group bidding between the handling robots is carried out by using a novel auction algorithm to minimize the travel cost (TC) of the handling robots, minimize the total travel cost (TTC) of the handling robots, and maximize the balanced utilization (BU) of the handling robots.We propose three evaluation indexes: the TC of the handling robot, TTC of the handling robot, and BU rate of the handling robot. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can reduce the TC and improve the BU. Therefore, the newly proposed task allocation algorithm is important for the scheduling of multi-handling robots in agricultural picking and transportation systems.
Rainstorms impacts water, sediment and trace elements loads in an urbanized catchment within Moscow city: case study of summer 2020 and 2021
Authors: Chalov Sergey , Platonov Vladimir , Erina Oxana , Moreido Vsevolod , Samokhin Mikhail , Sokolov Dmitriy , Tereshina Maria , Yarinich Yulia , Kasimov Nikolay
Published: September 2022

In 2020 and 2021 the city of Moscow, Russia, has experienced two historical rainfall events that had caused major flooding of small rivers. Based on long-term observation datasets from the surrounding weather stations, regional mesoscale COSMO-CLM climate model results, and a detailed hydrological and water quality monitoring data collected in 2019–2021, we performed pioneer climate change and urbanization impact assessment on flooding hazard and water quality of case study urban Setun river. Statistically significant rise of moderate extremity indices and absence of significant trends for the most extreme indices was revealed for the 1966‑2020 period. The combined impact of climate change and increased urbanization is highly non-linear and results in as much as a four-fold increase in extreme floods and shift of water regime features which lead to formation of specific seasonal flow patterns. The rainstorm flood wave catchment response, involving infiltrated and hillslope-routed fraction of rainfall, is accounted as 6 to 11 hours, which it is more than twice as rapid as compared to the non-urbanized nearby catchments. Behaviour of four types of chemicals in the river water during rainstorms was identified, as well as main differences compared to the spring freshet period revealed. Based on the obtained results we conclude that lack of research focused on the combined impacts of climate change and urbanization on flooding and water quality in the Moscow urban area is a key problem in water management advances.
Interaction between Conformational Features and Hemodynamic Flows affecting Progression of Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection Disorders
Authors: Jadaun Vishakha , Singh Nitin Raja
Published: September 2022

Hemodynamic flows are subjected to quasi-periodic velocity modulations. Currently, there is no methodology to predict the rate of progression of aortic aneurysm and dissection disorders. In this paper, the association between conformational features of the vessel wall and intra-luminal hemodynamic flows is explored to understand shear forces affecting the structural integrity of the vessel wall. The infinitesimal component of the vessel wall with cystic medial necrosis in tunica media is considered as nonlinear ballooning in the aorta with aortic aneurysm and dissection disorders. Assuming the hemodynamic system as a finite dissipative system, we frame the equation of the vessel wall of the aorta as well as lesion related to aortic aneurysm and dissection disorders. We introduce the main results for the generalized (3+1)-dimensional nonlinear evolution equation, using the Lie group of transformations method. Furthermore, we discuss the implications of traveling wave solutions and the shape, height, and width of the aneurysm to describe the impact of ballooning on hemodynamic flow in the aorta with aortic aneurysm and dissection disorders. We find that cumulative accretion of potential energy contributes to the creation of bright soliton in non-ballooned regions. The wave speed is minimum at the center of the ballooned region and maximum at the center of the non-ballooned region of the aorta. Interactions of topological defects and multi-breathers cause thrombus formation and/or turbulent flow. Interaction between breathers and standing waves is associated with thrombus formation.