bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gravity-driven thin film flow of a third-grade fluid on a movable inclined plane with slip boundary condition
Authors: Deb Purbasha , Layek G. C.
Published: June 2024

The prime aim and essence of this study are to present a closed-form solution of the unidirectional velocity field for thin film flow generated by a third-grade liquid moving over a fixed or movable inclined plane in the presence of partial slip boundary condition. Consideration of partial slip makes this problem different from other published research works. Here lies the novelty of this study. The nondimensional, unidirectional velocity profiles rely on the material parameter of third-grade fluid, slip parameter and initial velocity of the movable plane. Study discloses that the fluid’s velocity decelerates with raising the material property of grade-3 fluid and it accelerates with the slip parameter and initial velocity of the inclined plane. The outcomes of this study are deliberated physically at length.
Impact of Body Mass Index (BMI) and Age on in Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Outcome in Indian Patients with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Authors: Rasool Sabahat , Shah Duru , Akhtar Omar Salim
Published: June 2024

Aim: The study evaluated the effect of body mass index (BMI) and age on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Methods: A retrospective study of 412 IVF cycles in PCOS patients aged between 20 and 40 years from January 2019 to 2022. Patients were divided into three groups based on their BMI-normal (18.5–24.9[Formula: see text]kg/m2), overweight (25–29.9[Formula: see text]kg/m2), and obese ([Formula: see text][Formula: see text]kg/m2). The patients were divided into two groups based on their age [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] years. The IVF cycle outcomes, clinical pregnancy (CPR), and live birth rates (LBR) were studied. The Mantel–Haenszel Chi-square test was used for statistics.

Results: The oocyte yield and endometrial thickness, fertilization, CPR, and LBR were significantly higher in the normal BMI group. Similarly, oocyte yield, mature oocytes, and endometrial thickness were significantly higher in the younger age-group. Comparing the CPR in younger and older normal, overweight, and obese groups, it was observed to be highest in the younger, normal BMI group and lowest in the older, obese group. The LBR were significantly higher in the younger, normal-BMI group compared to the older, obese patients.

Conclusion: Oocyte yield, CPR, and LBR were higher in the normal-BMI PCOS patients. The oocyte yield, endometrial thickness, and fertilization rates were higher in the younger age group. The CPR and LBR were significantly lower in the older obese patients. Patients with PCOS must be encouraged to normalize BMI before embarking on IVF. Timely treatment must be encouraged for better IVF outcomes.
SMT based parameter identifiable combination detection for non-linear continuous and hybrid dynamics
Authors: Ghosh Devleena , Mandal Chittaranjan
Published: June 2024

Parameter identifiability is an important aspect of parameter estimation of dynamic system modelling. Several methods exist to determine identifiability of parameter sets using the model definition and analysis of experimental data. There is also the possibility of some parameters being independently unidentifiable but forming identifiable parameter combinations. These identifiable parameter combinations are useful in model reparameterisation to estimate parameters experimentally. Multiple numerical and algebraic methods exist to detect identifiable parameter combinations of dynamic system models represented as ordinary differential equations (ODE). Local identifiability analysis of hybrid system models are available in the literature. However, methods for structural identifiability analysis and identifiable combination detection for hybrid systems are not explored. Here, we have developed a parameter identifiable combination detection method for non-linear hybrid systems along with ODE systems using an SMT based parameter space exploration method. For higher dimensional systems and larger parameter space, SMT based approaches may easily become computationally intractable. This problem has been mitigated to a large extent by heuristically limiting the parameter space to be explored, using Gaussian process regression and gradient based approaches. The developed method has been demonstrated for some simple hybrid models, biochemical models of ODE systems and non-linear hybrid systems.
Mix-DDPM: Enhancing Diffusion Models through Fitting Mixture Noise with Global Stochastic Offset
Authors: Wang Hanzhang , Zhai Deming , Zhou Xiong , Jiang Junjun , Liu Xianming
Published: June 2024

Denoising diffusion probabilistic models (DDPM) have shown impressive performance in various domains as a class of deep generative models. In this article, we introduce the mixture noise-based DDPM (Mix-DDPM), which considers the Markov diffusion posterior as a Gaussian mixture model. Specifically, Mix-DDPM randomly selects a Gaussian component and then adds the chosen Gaussian noise, which can be demonstrated as a more efficient way to perturb the signals into a simple known distribution. We further define the reverse probabilistic model as a parameterized Gaussian mixture kernel. Due to the intractability in calculating the KL divergence between Gaussian mixture models, we derive a variational bound to maximize the likelihood, offering a concise formulation for optimizing the denoising model and valuable insights for designing the sampling strategies. Our theoretical derivation highlights that
Mix-DDPM need only shift image which requires the inclusion of a global stochastic offset in both the diffusion and reverse processes
, which can be efficiently implemented with just several lines of code. The global stochastic offset effectively fits a Gaussian mixture distribution enhancing the degrees of freedom of the entire diffusion model. Furthermore, we present three streamlined sampling strategies that interface with diverse fast dedicated solvers for diffusion ordinary differential equations, boosting the efficacy of image representation in the sampling phase and alleviating the issue of slow generation speed, thereby enhancing both efficiency and accuracy. Extensive experiments on benchmark datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of Mix-DDPM and its superiority over the original DDPM.
Denoising Autoencoder-Based Defensive Distillation as an Adversarial Robustness Algorithm Against Data Poisoning Attacks
Authors: Badjie Bakary , Cecílio José , Casimiro António
Published: June 2024

Deep neural networks (DNNs) have demonstrated promising performances in handling complex real-world scenarios, surpassing human intelligence. Despite their exciting performances, DNNs are not robust against adversarial attacks. They are specifically vulnerable to data poisoning attacks where attackers meddle with the initial training data, despite the multiple defensive methods available, such as defensive distillation. However, defensive distillation has shown promising results in robustifying image classification deep learning (DL) models against adversarial attacks at the inference level, but they remain vulnerable to data poisoning attacks. This work incorporates a data denoising and reconstruction framework with a defensive distillation methodology to defend against such attacks. We leverage a denoising autoencoder (DAE) to develop a data reconstruction and filtering pipeline with a well-designed reconstruction threshold. We added carefully created adversarial examples to the initial training data to assess the proposed method's performance. Our experimental findings demonstrate that the proposed methodology significantly reduced the vulnerability of the defensive distillation framework to a data poison attack.
From Entry to the Nucleus: How Retroviruses Commute
Authors: Osega Camila E. , Bustos Fernando J. , Arriagada Gloria
Published: June 2024

Once inside host cells, retroviruses generate a double-stranded DNA copy of their RNA genomes via reverse transcription inside a viral core, and this viral DNA is subsequently integrated into the genome of the host cell. Before integration can occur, the core must cross the cell cortex, be transported through the cytoplasm, and enter the nucleus. Retroviruses have evolved different mechanisms to accomplish this journey. This review examines the various mechanisms retroviruses, especially HIV-1, have evolved to commute throughout the cell. Retroviruses cross the cell cortex while modulating actin dynamics and use microtubules as roads while connecting with microtubule-associated proteins and motors to reach the nucleus. Although a clearer picture exists for HIV-1 compared with other retroviruses, there is still much to learn about how retroviruses accomplish their commute.
Inhibition of nuclear factor-κB activation improves non-nitric oxide-mediated cutaneous microvascular function in reproductive-aged healthy women
Authors: Content Virginia G. , Williams Auni C. , Alexander Lacy M.
Published: June 2024

The transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) regulates multiple aspects of innate and adaptive immunity by encoding for genes that participate in inflammation and impact endothelial function following NF-κB inhibition with salsalate treatment. Our results show that cutaneous microvascular function is increased through non-nitric oxide (NO)-dependent mechanisms following salsalate treatment in reproductive-aged healthy women.
Runx1 is sufficient but not required for cardiomyocyte cell-cycle activation
Authors: Akins Kaelin A. , Flinn Michael A. , Swift Samantha K. , Chanjeevaram Smrithi V. , Purdy Alexandra L. , Buddell Tyler , Kolell Mary E. , Andresen Kaitlyn G. , Paddock Samantha , Buday Sydney L. , Veldman Matthew B. , O’Meara Caitlin C. , Patterson Michaela
Published: June 2024

Runx1 is sufficient but not required for cardiomyocyte cell cycle.
Shared Mechanisms in Pparγ1sv and Pparγ2 Expression in 3T3‐L1 Cells: Studies on Epigenetic and Positive Feedback Regulation of Pparγ during Adipogenesis
Authors: Takenaka Yasuhiro , Kakinuma Yoshihiko , Ikeda Masaaki , Inoue Ikuo
Published: June 2024

We have previously reported the identification of a novel splicing variant of the mouse peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ (Pparγ), referred to as Pparγ1sv. This variant, encoding the PPARγ1 protein, is abundantly and ubiquitously expressed, playing a crucial role in adipogenesis. Pparγ1sv possesses a unique promoter and 5 ′ untranslated region (5 ′UTR), distinct from those of the canonical mouse Pparγ1 and Pparγ2 mRNAs. We observed a significant increase in DNA methylation at two CpG sites within the proximal promoter region (‐733 to ‐76) of Pparγ1sv during adipocyte differentiation. Concurrently, chromatin immunoprecipitation‐quantitative PCR (ChIP‐qPCR) using antibodies against H3K4me3 and H3K27ac indicated marked elevations in both methylation and acetylation of histone H3, while the repressive histone mark H3K9me2 significantly decreased, at the transcription start sites of both Pparγ1sv and Pparγ2 following differentiation. Knocking down Pparγ1sv using specific siRNA also led to a decrease in Pparγ2 mRNA and PPARγ2 protein levels; conversely, knocking down Pparγ2 resulted in reduced Pparγ1sv mRNA and PPARγ1 protein levels, suggesting synergistic transcriptional regulation of Pparγ1sv and Pparγ2 during adipogenesis. Furthermore, our experiments utilizing the CRISPR‐Cas9 system identified crucial PPARγ‐binding sites within the Pparγ gene locus, underscoring their significance in adipogenesis. Based on these findings, we propose a model of positive feedback regulation for Pparγ1sv and Pparγ2 expression during the adipocyte differentiation process in 3T3‐L1 cells.
RNA-Binding Protein Lin28B Promotes Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Blast Crisis by Transcriptionally Upregulating miR-181d
Authors: Zhou Minran , Yin Xiaolin , Zhang Lu , Cui Zelong , Jiang Xinwen , Ji Qingli , Ma Sai , Chen Chunyan
Published: June 2024

The blast crisis (BC) of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has poor efficacy against existing treatments and extremely short survival. However, the molecular mechanism of CML-chronic phase (CP) transformation to CML-BC is not yet fully understood. Here, we show that Lin28B, an RNA-binding protein, acted as an activator enhancing the transformation to CML-BC by mediating excessive cell proliferation. The level of Lin28B expression was apparently elevated in patients with CML-BC compared with newly diagnosed patients with CML-CP. The overexpression of Lin28B promoted the proliferation of leukemia cells. Mechanistically, we identified Lin28B as a DNA-binding protein by binding to the promoter region of miR-181d and upregulating its expression, which inhibited the expression of programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) by binding to the PDCD4 3'UTR region, thereby enhancing the proliferation of CML cells. Overall, the “Lin28B-miR-181d-PDCD4” regulatory axis promoted CML blast crisis.

Implications: Our findings highlight the oncogenic role of Lin28B in CML blast crisis, acting as a DNA-binding protein that transcriptionally upregulates miR-181d expression.
Bioética e Medicina Legal
Authors: Segre Marco
Published: June 2024

O autor apresenta as conexões que ele considera existirem entre Bioética e Medicina Legal. Parte de um conceito bastante abrangente desta última, apontando o imperativo de sua existência na estruturação do Direito, e considerando-a não apenas ciência médico-biológica (na acepção clássica de Flaminio Fávero), mas "ciência da vida aplicada ao Direito". Daí, passa a discorrer sobre o conceito atual da Bioética, indicando sua metodologia voltada para uma hierarquização dos valores envolvidos na vida e na saúde humana e propondo a autonomia do indivíduo na estruturação dessa hierarquia. O autor destaca ainda sua visão anti-positivista do saber médico, mostrando exemplos de profissionais que, à luz do mesmo saber, posicionaram-se opostamente em questões éticas e políticas. Concluindo, clarifica a confluência entre Medicina Legal e Bioética, ambas indispensáveis para o Direito, como, aliás, já era admitido pelos autores clássicos de Medicina Legal (embora sob outra forma), quando falavam de Medicina Legal e Deontologia Médica.
Ética e exercício profissional do cirurgião dentista
Authors: Lima Jorge de Souza
Published: June 2024

O autor, militando há mais de 35 anos no IML-MG, e agora aprticipando da Comissão Ética do CRO-MG (Conselho Regional de Odontologia), observa o aumento no número de denúncias que têm sido apresentadas a este órgão. Após estas considerações, sente a necessidade de que haja uma orientação aos profissionais da área de saúde, no sentido de que, ao se formarem, entendam serem responsáveis por seus atos, sem perda de sua atonomia de direitos. Abrange ainda temas polêmicos, como o segredo profissional, a questão dos honorários e o destino da ficha clínica como documento legal, além de fazer menção ao problema ético do atendimento do paciente portador do vírus da AIDS.
Lesões e eventual mortalidade no trânsito envolvendo condutores e passageiros obesos: uma revisão sistemática
Authors: Oliveira Dalmo Claro , Cavallari Maria Luiza
Published: June 2024

A obesidade é um problema de saúde pública crescente em todo o mundo e acomete indivíduos de todos os níveis sociais e econômicos. Caracteriza-se pelo acúmulo excessivo de gordura corporal e é medida mais frequentemente pelo Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC), cujo cálculo é feito dividindo-se o peso do indivíduo pela sua altura ao quadrado (Kg/ m²). Pesquisas têm demonstrado cada vez mais a obesidade como fator de risco para diabetes, dislipidemias, hipertensão arterial, doenças cardiovasculares, osteoartropatias, câncer, apneia do sono e outras doenças. Entretanto, os problemas decorrentes da obesidade vão além dessas patologias. O objetivo desta pesquisa consistiu em realizar uma revisão sistêmica sobre a literatura existente que trata da ocorrência de lesões e de mortalidade envolvendo condutores e passageiros obesos em acidentes de trânsito apresentada à comunidade científica. Foi observado que há aumento do risco de morte para condutores obesos, assim como para condutores com baixo IMC. Além disso, condutores obesos de motocicletas têm mais chances de ter lesões graves e ficar mais tempo internado do que condutores não obesos. Conclui-se, portanto, que pessoas situadas nos dois extremos do IMC tendem a ser as que mais sofrem com danos causados por acidentes de trânsito.
Novel Multiplexed Plasma Biomarker Panel Has Diagnostic and Prognostic Potential in Children With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Captur Gabriella , Doykov Ivan , Chung Sheng-Chia , Field Ella , Barnes Annabelle , Zhang Enpei , Heenan Imogen , Norrish Gabrielle , Moon James C. , Elliott Perry M. , Heywood Wendy E. , Mills Kevin , Kaski Juan Pablo
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND:

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is defined clinically by pathological left ventricular hypertrophy. We have previously developed a plasma proteomics biomarker panel that correlates with clinical markers of disease severity and sudden cardiac death risk in adult patients with HCM. The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of adult biomarkers and perform new discoveries in proteomics for childhood-onset HCM.

METHODS:

Fifty-nine protein biomarkers were identified from an exploratory plasma proteomics screen in children with HCM and augmented into our existing multiplexed targeted liquid chromatography-tandem/mass spectrometry-based assay. The association of these biomarkers with clinical phenotypes and outcomes was prospectively tested in plasma collected from 148 children with HCM and 50 healthy controls. Machine learning techniques were used to develop novel pediatric plasma proteomic biomarker panels.

RESULTS:

Four previously identified adult HCM markers (aldolase fructose-bisphosphate A, complement C3a, talin-1, and thrombospondin 1) and 3 new markers (glycogen phosphorylase B, lipoprotein a and profilin 1) were elevated in pediatric HCM. Using supervised machine learning applied to training (n=137) and validation cohorts (n=61), this 7-biomarker panel differentiated HCM from healthy controls with an area under the curve of 1.0 in the training data set (sensitivity 100% [95% CI, 95–100]; specificity 100% [95% CI, 96–100]) and 0.82 in the validation data set (sensitivity 75% [95% CI, 59–86]; specificity 88% [95% CI, 75–94]). Reduced circulating levels of 4 other peptides (apolipoprotein L1, complement 5b, immunoglobulin heavy constant epsilon, and serum amyloid A4) found in children with high sudden cardiac death risk provided complete separation from the low and intermediate risk groups and predicted mortality and adverse arrhythmic outcomes (hazard ratio, 2.04 [95% CI, 1.0–4.2];
P
=0.044).

CONCLUSIONS:

In children, a 7-biomarker proteomics panel can distinguish HCM from controls with high sensitivity and specificity, and another 4-biomarker panel identifies those at high risk of adverse arrhythmic outcomes, including sudden cardiac death.
Oreocharis hapii (Gesneriaceae), a new species from central Vietnam
Authors: NGUYEN KHANG SINH , AVERYANOV LEONID V. , LIN CHE WEI
Published: June 2024

Oreocharis hapii, a new species endemic to Quang Nam Province in central Vietnam, is described and illustrated here. This species bears a superficial resemblance to O. cotinifolia in its elliptic leaves, campanulate corolla tube, and the stamens protruding from the tube. However, the new species differs in its stoloniferous habit (vs. absent stolons), petioles and stems densely woolly (vs. villous), leaf blade adaxially scabrous (vs. villous), sub-actinomorphic corolla (vs. distinctly zygomorphic) that is white (vs. pink) with 4 stamens (vs. 2). Following IUCN criteria, the conservation status of the new speciesis proposed to be Vulnerable (VU: D1).
Solenopsora rhizomorpha (Catillariaceae): A new lichen species from India
Authors: CHRISTY ARUN , SEQUEIRA STEPHEN , ANILKUMAR ASWATHI , JOSEPH SILJO
Published: June 2024

A new species of Solenopsora (Lichenized fungi), S. rhizomorpha from the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, India, is described and illustrated, along with its distribution map. The species is characterized by small foliose-type thallus covered with white pruina, presence of rhizines, and lacking secondary metabolites. In addition, the genus Solenopsora is recorded in India for the first time.
Two new species of South Asian Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the far northern peaks of the Western Ghats, India
Authors: KHANDEKAR AKSHAY , THACKERAY TEJAS , AGARWAL ISHAN , GANGALMALE SATPAL , KININGE SAURABH , GAIKWAD SUNIL M.
Published: June 2024

We describe two new species of South Asian Cnemaspis from far northern peaks of the Northern Western Ghats of Maharashtra, India. The two new species are the most northernly distributed representatives of the girii clade and are phylogenetically and morphologically allied to C. uttaraghati. The new species are 15.0% divergent from C. uttaraghati in pairwise uncorrected ND2 sequence data, 9.9 % from each other, and over 17.5–18.8% from other members of the girii clade. The two new species can easily be distinguished from most members of the girii clade by a combination of non-overlapping morphological characters such as body size (maximum snout to vent length 35–43 mm), low number of dorsal tubercle rows (6–11), having irregular paravertebral tubercles, and high subdigital lamellae counts; and from each other and C. uttaraghati by the number of midventral scales across belly, the number of subdigital lamellae, and the number of poreless scales separating series of femoral pores. The new species and C. uttaraghati are distributed within 10–25 km of each other, providing an example of extreme micro-endemism in the Northern Western Ghats.
Extended Descriptions and Revised Diagnoses of Three Recently Described, Little-Known Mountain Dragons (Reptilia: Agamidae: Diploderma) from the Yalong River Valley in Southwest China
Authors: DONG WENJIE , LI LING , XUN HAO , GAO WEI , WANG KAI , CHE JING
Published: June 2024

Mountain Dragons of the genus Diploderma has experienced rapid taxonomic change in the recent years. The fast rate of taxonomic changes often leads to insufficient data for newly described species on their morphological variation, especially regarding sexual dimorphism, as well as the missing information on their natural history and conservation status. Limited time for taxonomic works may also result in misidentification of “new species”. Among these recently described species, two taxa from the Yalong River Valley in Southwest China, namely D. panchi Wang, Zheng, Xie, Che, Siler, 2021 and D. panlong Wang, Che, Siler, 2021, are only known from specimens of a single sex; and D. bowoense Wang, Gao, Wu, Siler, Che, 2022 is known from a very limited number of specimens only. As extreme sexual dimorphism and dichromatism are evident in the genus, and since many other new species have been described ever since and only compared to the available materials at the time, it is crucial to fill the gap of knowledge and revise the diagnoses of D. panchi, D. panlong, and D. bowoense based on more specimens of both sexes accordingly. We provide expanded descriptions of D. panchi, D. panlong and D. bowoense based on newly collected topotypic specimens, and fill the gaps of the sexual dimorphism of D. panchi and D. panlong. In addition, we discussed the validity of a more recently described species, D. kangdingense, with regards to D. bowoense. Finally, we reemphasized the importance of stabilizing Chinese common names of Diploderma and provide Chinese common names for the recently described species.
The millipede family Striariidae Bollman, 1893. IX. The identity of Striaria californica Cook, 1899, and the new genus Bayaria for Striaria nana Loomis, 1936, with a key to genera and an annotated checklist of the Striariidae (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida, Striarioidea)
Authors: SHEAR WILLIAM A. , MAREK PAUL E.
Published: June 2024

The identity of Striaria californica Cook, described in 1899 from a single female, is established on the basis of additional specimens collected by Cook in 1929 and determined to be that species by Loomis (1936) as well as specimens from the San Francisco Bay region, likely to be from near the original collection locality. We propose Amplaria californica (Cook, 1899) new combination. A new genus, Bayaria Shear & Marek n. gen., is established for Striaria nana Loomis, 1936 Bayaria nana (Loomis, 1936) new combination. Striaria carmela Chamberlin, 1947, is a junior synonym of Bayaria nana. A key to the 16 genera of Striariidae and an annotated checklist of the 52 species are provided.
Establishment of three new species of Rhabdoblatta Kirby, 1903 (Blattodea, Blaberidae, Epilamprinae) from China on the basis of molecular and morphological data
Authors: GUO LIN , ZHANG ZHI-YU , CAI JIN-ZHUO , WANG ZONG-QING , CHE YAN-LI
Published: June 2024

Combining the results of morphological identification and molecular species delimitation (ABGD), with newly sequenced 23 COI fragments from three new species and seven known species of Rhabdoblatta, we describe three species of Rhabdoblatta, namely Rhabdoblatta maculosa Guo et Che, sp. n., Rhabdoblatta equalisinensis Guo et Che, sp. n. and Rhabdoblatta cavicola Guo et Che, sp. n. Their morphological and the Rhabdoblatta maculosa Guo et Che, sp. n. habitat photographs are also included. There is also a checklist of Chinese Rhabdoblatta species.
First record of the adeliine genus Paradelius de Saeger, 1942 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from India with the description of two new species
Authors: RANJITH A.P. , BUTCHER BUNTIKA A.
Published: June 2024

The chelonine tribe Adeliini is one of the least studied groups in the family Braconidae. Here we report the distribution range of the genus Paradelius from the Indian subcontinent for the first time. We descibe two new species, P. flavus Ranjith and P. striatus Ranjith from south India. A taxonomic key to the descirbed species of Paradelius is given.
Design and Numerical Analysis of Double Encoder-Swinnets-A Novel Swin Transformers-Based Diabetic Foot
Authors: Maheswari D. , Kayalvizhi M.
Published: June 2024

Thermography is crucial for early diabetic foot (DF) diagnosis and accurate segmentation of ulcer-prone areas. However, existing segmentation methods fall short due to image complexities and ambiguities. Recent advancements in deep learning show promise, but they rely on color images,
not thermal ones. This research introduces an automated, robust, and precise diabetic foot segmentation approach using a deep neural network based on U-Nets and modified Swin transformers. The unique attention mechanism known as the axial attention parallel module (A2PM) is combined with the
Unet-based Swin transformer model for an efficient segmentation process to extract local foreground features. The combination of the modified Swin Transformer’s multi-headed attention networks enhances thermal color information integration, resulting in superior segmentation accuracy.
In addition, the proposed model makes use of the stacking dilated convolution (SDC) approach to protect the deep features that could be lost in the up-sampling modules. The feature maps are immediately integrated at the encoder and decoder stages using the shortcut connection (ResConv route)
based on the residually connected convolutional layer. Furthermore, this ResConv path is added serially before the encoder and decoder characteristics are combined. The model is tested on 124 diabetic and 100 healthy subjects, evaluating its performance with metrics like DICE, IoU, precision,
and recall. The suggested approach outperforms current techniques in an experimental evaluation, achieving 99.5% DICE, 98.9% IoU, 99.33% precision, and 99.56% recall for diabetic thermal ulcer image segmentation.
Analyzing the Performance of a Low Power, High Performance Latch-Based Static Random-Access Memory Sense Amplifier for Epilepsy Detection
Authors: Dinesh Kumar S. , Viswanathan N.
Published: June 2024

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by unpredictable seizures, making early detection crucial for effective management and treatment. Traditional detection methods often rely on bulky and power-hungry equipment, limiting their practicality for continuous monitoring. As
such, there is a growing demand for lowpower, high-performance sensing technologies to enable wearable or implantable epilepsy detection devices. In this context, the development of a latch-based SRAM sense amplifier presents a promising avenue for achieving both sensitivity and power efficiency
in seizure detection systems. The proposed latch-based SRAM sense amplifier architecture is meticulously designed to meet the specific requirements of epilepsy detection applications. Leveraging advanced semiconductor technologies and circuit design techniques, we optimize the sense amplifier’s
performance parameters, including sensitivity, speed, and power consumption. Through extensive simulations using industry-standard tools, we evaluate the sense amplifier’s performance under varying conditions, such as input signal amplitude, frequency, and power supply voltage. Additionally,
we compare the proposed architecture with existing solutions to assess its superiority in terms of both performance and energy efficiency. Our analysis reveals that the developed latch-based SRAM sense amplifier exhibits superior sensitivity to subtle signals associated with epileptic activity
while consuming significantly less power compared to conventional designs. The sense amplifier demonstrates rapid response times, enabling real-time detection and timely intervention in seizure events. By combining sensitivity, speed, and energy efficiency, the proposed architecture offers
a compelling solution to the challenges associated with continuous monitoring of epileptic seizures.
Multi-Objective Intelligent Optimization Design Method of Microstrip Antenna Based on Back Propagation Neural Network
Authors: Dingli Liu , Yue Yang , Guilin Xu , Xian Yu
Published: June 2024

Antenna plays an important role in modern communication. Accurate calculation of antenna structure to obtain reasonable electromagnetic characteristic parameters is an important part of antenna design. With the increasing complexity of the antenna structure, a large number of numerical
calculations are required in the design process to determine the optimal structure size. Therefore, it’s necessary to study the fast optimization algorithm of antenna multi-objective (antenna bandwidth, gain, polarization characteristics, etc) optimization design method. In this paper,
a new adaptive BF neural network is proposed to optimize the resonant frequency and size structure of dual frequency circular polarization microstrip antenna, so as to improve the efficiency of antenna design.
Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Sheets for Improved Photocatalytic Performance
Authors: Umar Ahmad , Ibrahim Ahmed A. , Ansari Sajid Ali , Alhamami Mohsen A. M.
Published: June 2024

In this study, we present an efficient and straightforward approach to synthesize zinc oxide sheets (ZN-S) from readily available raw materials. Through comprehensive spectroscopic/microscopic analyses, the characteristics of the synthesized ZN-S photocatalysts were thoroughly examined.
Their photocatalytic efficiency was evaluated by monitoring the decomposition of the methylene blue dye under UV light exposure. The experiments revealed that ZN-S demonstrates a particularly enhanced photocatalytic activity, likely due to its small band gap energy and the efficient separation
of charge carriers. This research introduces a feasible method for producing ZN-S through a simple process, offering a scalable solution for various applications.
Relationship between Synoptic Weather Patterns and Topography on Snowfall in the Idaho Mountainous Regions during the SNOWIE Project
Authors: Xie Zhixing , Friedrich Katja , Tessendorf Sarah A. , Xue Lulin , Chen Sisi , Whittock Theodore , Geerts Bart , Ikeda Kyoko
Published: June 2024

Snowpack melting is a crucial water resource for local ecosystems, agriculture, and hydropower in the Intermountain West of the United States. Glaciogenic seeding, a method widely used in mountain regions to enhance precipitation, has been subject to numerous field studies aiming to understand and validate this mechanism. However, investigating precipitation distribution and amounts in mountainous areas is complicated due to the intricate interplay of synoptic circulation patterns and local complex topography. These interactions significantly influence microphysical processes, ultimately affecting the amount and distribution of surface precipitation. To address these challenges, this study leverages Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model simulations, providing high-resolution (900 m), hourly data, spanning the Payette region of Idaho from January to March 2017. We applied the self-organizing map approach to categorize the most representative synoptic circulation patterns and conducted a multiscale analysis to explore their associated environmental conditions and microphysical processes, aiming to assess the cloud seeding potential. The analysis identified four primary synoptic patterns: cold zonal flow (CZF), cold southwesterly flow (CSWF), warm zonal flow (WZF), and warm southwesterly flow (WSWF), constituting 21.3%, 23.1%, 30.0%, and 25.5%, respectively. CSWF and WSWF demonstrated efficiency in generating natural precipitation. These patterns were characterized by abundant supercooled liquid water (SLW) and ice particles, facilitating cloud droplet growth through seeder–feeder processes. On the other hand, CZF exhibited the least SLW and limited potential for cloud seeding, while WZF displayed a lower ice water content but substantial SLW in the diffusion/dendritic growth layer, suggesting a favorable scenario for cloud seeding.

Significance Statement

Understanding snowfall amounts and distribution in the mountains and how it is linked to topography, synoptic flow, and microphysical processes will help in the development of effective strategies for cloud seeding operations, managing runoff, reservoir, and mitigating flood risks, garnering substantial interest from stakeholders and the government agencies.
How Erroneous Beliefs Trigger Authoritarian Collapse: The Case of Tunisia, January 14, 2011
Authors: Wolf Anne
Published: June 2024

Why was the longtime Tunisian ruler Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali ousted on January 14, 2011? Prevailing theories focus on popular mobilization, grievances, and the role of the army to explain the collapse of the authoritarian regime. I evaluate these arguments in light of new empirical evidence, which shows that they are insufficient to explain Ben Ali’s ousting. Analyzing key decisional moments and counterfactual scenarios, I propose that the regime collapsed because of a set of erroneous beliefs, which flourished amid the contingent revolutionary context. Erroneous beliefs are endogenous to highly contingent revolutionary periods and a potential contingency themselves in that they can change collective outcomes. This study shows how the microanalysis of events can furnish new insights into highly impactful events in history—the collapse of the Ben Ali regime gave rise to the wider Arab Uprisings—and topics of key concern to scholars of contentious politics, authoritarianism, and democratization.
Applying Artificial Intelligence in Special Education: Exploring Availability and Functionality of AI Platforms for Special Educators
Authors: Waterfield Danielle A. , Watson Latesha , Day Jamie
Published: June 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been rapidly developing, both in the education field and beyond, in recent years. Due to this fast-paced nature, special education teachers may not be aware of the availability of AI that could be pertinent to their practice. In this manuscript, five AI platforms that are readily available for special education teachers to access are explored. AI platform details including pricing, functionality, and feature options are provided for each. Suggestions for how each AI platform can be utilized by special education teachers within their practice is conveyed. Overall implications regarding AI integration, usage, and ethical considerations in special education practice are discussed.
Research progress on thermal aging of reactor pressure vessel steel
Authors: Gao Junkang , Li Jun , Li Junwan , Li Shaohong , Li Zhimin
Published: June 2024

Nuclear energy is highly valued in many countries for its reliability, cleanliness and cost-effectiveness. Ensuring the safe development and utilization of nuclear energy has become crucial for addressing the global energy shortage and mitigating climate change. The reactor pressure vessel (RPV) is exposed to a high-temperature, high-corrosion and high-radiation environment, the RPV materials have a significant impact on the stability and safety of a nuclear power station. In this paper, the effects of long-term high-temperature hot aging on microstructure and mechanical properties of RPV steel, as well as the research progress in embrittlement mechanism and service life prediction, are reviewed. At the same time, the existing problems and further research directions of RPV steel are pointed out.
Genetic Microcephaly in a Saudi Population: Unique Spectrum of Affected Genes Including a Novel One
Authors: Alrifai Muhammad Talal , Alrumayyan Yousof , Baarmah Duaa , Alrumayyan Ahmed , Altuwaijri Waleed , AlMuqbil Mohammed , Eyaid Wafaa , Swaid Abdulrahman , Al Mutairi Fuad , Alfadhel Majid
Published: June 2024

Background: Genetic microcephaly is linked to an increased risk of developmental disabilities, epilepsy, and motor impairment. The aim of this study is to describe the spectrum of identifiable genetic etiologies, clinical characteristics, and radiologic features of genetic microcephaly in patients referred to a tertiary center in Saudi Arabia. Method: This is a retrospective chart review study of all patients with identifiable genetic microcephaly presenting to a tertiary center in Saudi Arabia. The patients’ demographics, clinical, laboratory, radiologic, and molecular findings were collected. Results: Of the total 128 cases referred, 52 cases (40%) had identifiable genetic causes. Monogenic disorders were found in 48 cases (92%), whereas chromosomal disorders were found in only 4 cases (8%). Developmental disability was observed in 40 cases (84%), whereas only 8 cases (16%) had borderline IQ or mild developmental delay. Epilepsy was seen in 29 cases (56%), and motor impairment was seen in 26 cases (50%). Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed abnormalities in 26 (50%) of the cohort. Hereditary neurometabolic disorders were seen in 7 (15%) of the 48 cases with monogenic disorders. The most common gene defect was ASPM, which is responsible for primary microcephaly type 5 and was seen in 10 cases (19%). A novel PLK1 gene pathogenic mutation was seen in 3 cases (6%). Conclusion: Single gene defect is common in this Saudi population, with the ASPM gene being the most common. Hereditary neurometabolic disorders are a common cause of genetic microcephaly. Furthermore, we propose the PKL1 gene mutation as a possible novel cause of genetic microcephaly.
The Dark Sides of AI Advertising: The Integration of Cognitive Appraisal Theory and Information Quality Theory
Authors: Nguyen Luan-Thanh , Dang Tri-Quan , Duc Dang Thi Viet
Published: June 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a collection of rapidly evolving disruptive technologies that radically alter various aspects of people, business, society, and the environment. AI increasingly provides significant advertising opportunities for society and business organizations. However, AI could be used to spread disinformation if it were deliberately programmed to produce misleading advertising content. Using cognitive appraisal theory and information quality theory to study how consumers assess threats and develop AI marketing coping strategies from the information generated by AI, this study examines the outcome of the dark side of AI advertising. We collected data from 451 AI-advertising users in Vietnam. The results based on PLS-SEM showed interesting and novelty results. The statistical analysis showed a negative correlation between contextual, representational, accessibility, and threat appraisals. There was also a statistically significant positive correlation between contextual, representational, accessibility, and coping appraisals. Threat appraisals were positively correlated with anger and anxiety but not loneliness. Coping appraisal was significant and negatively correlated with anxiety but not anger or loneliness. This study advances theory and management.
Dynamics and capability of along orbit debris self-collecting with rotating constant magnets
Authors: Zhang Yuan-wen , Ma Tian
Published: June 2024

Orbital debris with equivalent size of 1∼10 cm is hard to be detected and its number is huge, which is the most harmful to on-orbit spacecraft while there is still no effective removal means. Inspired by vacuum cleaner, applying the conductive property of orbital debris and the physical law that variable magnetic flux would induce eddy current on the surface of a conductive material, this paper put forward a novel approach of ‘along orbit debris self-collecting with rotating constant magnetic dipole array’. Based on dynamic modeling, self-collecting feasibility and control capability analysis, evolution law of relative orbital motion with induced magnetic force derivation, and on-orbit debris magnetic collecting numerical simulation, this novel approach has been verified and the corresponding requirements of magnetic collector are put forward. In addition, this paper also gave how to use several key parameters to adjust the region of along orbit debris self-collecting, and pointed out several problems needing to be researched in-depth for actual application.
Science popularisation as diffusion of knowledge?
Authors: Panayotova Plamena
Published: June 2024

This article offers an in-depth analysis of the diffusion model of science popularisation. It reviews criticisms against the model and shows that they do not warrant its rejection. It argues that the diffusion model has elements, hitherto neglected, which can facilitate a better understanding of popularisation. Viewing popularisation as the diffusion of knowledge is beneficial because it enables us to: (1) pinpoint the origins of popularisation and trace its historical continuity; (2) explain why science requires continuous popularisation; (3) understand why the values that popularisers promote are not arbitrary; and (4) define more precisely the role of popularisers.
ExGenet, Integrating Design of Experiments and Response Surface Methodology for Cancer Gene Detection in Gene Regulatory Networks
Authors: Ayoubi Mahboube , Teimourpour Babak , Hassanzadeh Alireza
Published: June 2024

Objective:

Network analysis techniques often require tuning hyperparameters for optimal performance. For instance, the independent cascade model necessitates determining the probability of diffusion. Despite its importance, a consensus on effective parameter adjustment remains elusive.

Methods:

In this study, we propose a novel approach utilizing experimental design methodologies, specifically 2-Factorial Analysis for Screening, and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) for parameter adjustment. We apply this methodology to the task of detecting cancer driver genes in colorectal cancer.

Result:

Through experimental validation of colorectal cancer data, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed methodology. Compared with existing methods, our approach offers several advantages, including reduced computational overhead, systematic parameter selection grounded in statistical theory, and improved performance in detecting cancer driver genes.

Conclusion:

This study presents a significant advancement in the field of network analysis by providing a practical and systematic approach to hyperparameter tuning. By optimizing parameter settings, our methodology offers promising implications for critical biomedical applications such as cancer driver gene detection.
In Silico Study, Protein Kinase Inhibition and Molecular Docking Study of Benzimidazole Derivatives
Authors: Karthick Kamaraj , Abishek Kamaraj , Angel Jemima Ebenezer
Published: June 2024

Kinase enzymes play an important role in cellular proliferation, and inhibition of their activity is a major goal of cancer therapy. Protein kinase inhibitors as benzimidazole derivatives can be applied for prevention or treatment of cancers through inhibition of cell proliferation. To evaluate their protein kinase inhibitory effects, as well as the in silico study for active benzimidazole derivatives. Benzimidazole derivatives has presented significant therapeutic potential against several disorders and known to have numerous biological activities (such as antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory). Benzimidazole derivatives have shown significant potential in the reduction of viral load as well as in enhancing immunity. To forecast absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity, simply known as ADMET and the Lipinski rule of five parameters of the examined substances, the admetSAR and Swiss ADME were used. The ADMET predictions revealed that the compounds had good and safe pharmacokinetic features, making them acceptable for further development as therapeutic candidates in clinical trials. This study primarily focused on blocking 2 key targets of kinase proteins (CDK4/CycD1 and Aurora B). 2-Phenylbenzimidazole has shown the greatest inhibitory potential (with a binding energy of −8.2 kcal/mol) against protein kinase inhibitors. This study results would pave the potential lead medication for anticancer therapeutic strategies.
Hotel brand signature, brand attitude, subject norm, and perceived behavior control
Authors: Pai Chen-Kuo , Chen Tianqi , Lee Timothy J. , Wu Xiao Dong
Published: June 2024

This study examines the impact of hotel brand names and brand logos on tourist destination loyalty, with a discussion of the related theoretical principles. Macau was selected as the research site, and the respondents were mainly from mainland China. The items for the questionnaires were obtained from the verified items of the brand name, logo, attitudes, perceived behavioral control, customer loyalty, subjective norm, brand reputation, and customer commitment. The validated data were extracted from 420 questionnaires. The study used structural equation modeling to evaluate the research hypotheses and build the relationship model. The results show that brand name and logo positively influence brand attitude, brand attitude positively affects brand reputation, and brand reputation positively influences customer loyalty and commitment. These findings provide valuable contributions to the theoretical discussion of the choice of hotels and provide insightful messages to brand design companies and hotels for their successful marketing activities.