bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Approaching the Ecological Role of the Squat Lobster (Munida gregaria) and the Fuegian Sprat (Sprattus fuegensis) in the Francisco Coloane Marine Area (Magellan Strait, Chile) Using a Pelagic Food Web Model
Authors: Haro Daniela , Neira Sergio , Hernández-Padilla Juan Carlos , Arreguín-Sánchez Francisco , Sabat Pablo , Vargas Cristian
Published: December 2022

The structure and functioning of the food web of the Francisco Coloane Marine Area in the Magellan Strait, Chile, was quantified, with an emphasis on identifying the ecological role of the squat lobster (Munida gregaria) and the Fuegian sprat (Sprattus fuegensis). Food web indicators, the trophic level, and centrality indices were estimated using Ecopath with Ecosim. Dynamic simulations were carried out to evaluate the ecosystem impacts of biomass changes in squat lobster and Fuegian sprat. The model calculated a total ecosystem biomass of 71.7 t km−2 and a total primary production of 2450.9 t km−2 year−1. Squat lobster and Fuegian sprat were located in specific trophic levels of 2.3 and 2.7, respectively. Squat lobster reduction produced a decrease in the biomass of red cod (42–56%) and humpback whales (25–28%) and Fuegian sprat reduction a decrease in penguins (15–37%) and seabirds (11–34%). The Francisco Coloane Area is an immature ecosystem with productivity and energy flows values within those reported for productive ecosystems; the role of the squat lobster seems to be related to the structure of the food web, and the role of the Fuegian sprat seems to be related to the functioning of the ecosystem and to the energy transfer to top predators.
The Importance of SGLT-2 Inhibitors as Both the Prevention and the Treatment of Diabetic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Kowalska Klaudia , Wilczopolski Piotr , Buławska Dominika , Młynarska Ewelina , Rysz Jacek , Franczyk Beata
Published: December 2022

According to the 2021 report of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), there have been approximately 573 million cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among adults, which sets the disease as a major concern in healthcare worldwide. The development of T2DM is strongly promoted by unhealthy lifestyle factors associated with urbanization and western civilization. The disease is associated with a broad list of systemic complications that can result in premature death, disability and significantly reduced quality of life. The most dramatic in their consequences are cardiovascular complications of T2DM. Our work focuses on one such complication that is specific for diabetes, named diabetic cardiomyopathy (DC). In this condition cardiac dysfunction occurs despite the absence of underlying hypertension, coronary artery disease and valvular disease, which suggest a leading role for metabolic disturbances as a cause. We aimed to establish the role of relatively new hypoglycaemic drugs that have taken the medical world by storm with their broad pleiotropic effects—SGLT-2 inhibitors—in the prevention and treatment of DC at any stage.
Transcriptome and 16S rRNA Analyses Reveal That Hypoxic Stress Affects the Antioxidant Capacity of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides), Resulting in Intestinal Tissue Damage and Structural Changes in Microflora
Authors: Song Zhuo , Ye Wei , Tao Yifan , Zheng Tao , Qiang Jun , Li Yan , Liu Wenting , Xu Pao
Published: December 2022

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is a key factor affecting the health of aquatic organisms in an intensive aquaculture environment. In this study, largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were subjected to acute hypoxic stress for 96 h (DO: 1.00 mg/L) followed by recovery under sufficient DO conditions (DO: 7.50 mg/L) for 96 h. Serum biochemical indices, intestinal histomorphology, the transcriptome, and intestinal microbiota were compared between hypoxia-treated fish and those in a control group. The results showed that hypoxia caused oxidative stress, exfoliation of the intestinal villus epithelium and villus rupture, and increased cell apoptosis. Transcriptome analyses revealed that antioxidant-, inflammation-, and apoptosis-related pathways were activated, and that the MAPK signaling pathway played an important role under hypoxic stress. In addition, 16S rRNA sequencing analyses revealed that hypoxic stress significantly decreased bacterial richness and identified the dominant phyla (Proteobacteria, Firmicutes) and genera (Mycoplasma, unclassified Enterobacterales, Cetobacterium) involved in the intestinal inflammatory response of largemouth bass. Pearson’s correlation analyses showed that differentially expressed genes in the MAPK signaling pathway were significantly correlated with some microflora. The results of this study will help to develop strategies to reduce damage caused by hypoxic stress in aquacultured fish.
Mobility Prediction of Mobile Wireless Nodes
Authors: Abbas Shatha , Alenazi Mohammed J. F. , Samha Amani
Published: December 2022

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a fundamental part of improving information technology systems. Essential AI techniques have revolutionized communication technology, such as mobility models and machine learning classification. Mobility models use a virtual testing methodology to evaluate new or updated products at a reasonable cost. Classifiers can be used with these models to achieve acceptable predictive accuracy. In this study, we analyzed the behavior of machine learning classification algorithms—more specifically decision tree (DT), logistic regression (LR), k-nearest neighbors (K-NN), latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA), Gaussian naive Bayes (GNB), and support vector machine (SVM)—when using different mobility models, such as random walk, random direction, Gauss–Markov, and recurrent self-similar Gauss–Markov (RSSGM). Subsequently, classifiers were applied in order to detect the most efficient mobility model over wireless nodes. Random mobility models (i.e., random direction and random walk) provided fluctuating accuracy values when machine learning classifiers were applied—resulting values ranged from 39% to 81%. The Gauss–Markov and RSSGM models achieved good prediction accuracy in scenarios using a different number of access points in a defined area. Gauss–Markov reached 89% with the LDA classifier, whereas RSSGM showed the greatest accuracy with all classifiers and through various samples (i.e., 2000, 5000, and 10,000 steps during the whole experiment). Finally, the decision tree classifier obtained better overall results, achieving 98% predictive accuracy for 5000 steps.
Hybrid Algorithm of Improved Beetle Antenna Search and Artificial Fish Swarm
Authors: Ni Jian , Tang Jing , Wang Rui
Published: December 2022

The beetle antenna search algorithm (BAS) converges rapidly and runs in a short time, but it is prone to yielding values corresponding to local extrema when dealing with high-dimensional problems, and its optimization result is unstable. The artificial fish swarm algorithm (AFS) can achieve good convergence in the early stage, but it suffers from slow convergence speed and low optimization accuracy in the later stage. Therefore, this paper combines the two algorithms according to their respective characteristics and proposes a mutation and a multi-step detection strategy to improve the BAS algorithm and raise its optimization accuracy. To verify the performance of the hybrid composed of the AFS and BAS algorithms based on the Mutation and Multi-step detection Strategy (MMSBAS), AFS-MMSBAS is compared with AFS, the Multi-direction Detection Beetle Antenna Search (MDBAS) Algorithm, and the hybrid algorithm composed of the two (AFS-MDBAS). The experimental results show that, with respect to high-dimensional problems: (1) the AFS-MMSBAS algorithm is not only more stable than the MDBAS algorithm, but it is also faster in terms of convergence and operation than the AFS algorithm, and (2) it has a higher optimization capacity than the two algorithms and their hybrid algorithm.
Heavy Metal Content in the Soil along the Road No. 7 near Chyżne
Authors: Korzeniowska Joanna
Published: December 2022

The aim of the study was to determine the content of heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in the soil near Road No. 7, near Chyżne. Soil samples were collected in 12 transects (locations) on the east (downwind) and west (upwind) sides of the road. The samples were taken at a distance of: 5, 50, 100, 300, 500, and 600 m from the edge of the road. Six transects were located in the open area, and another six in the forest. The zinc content in the soil was the highest while that of copper was the lowest. Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations decreased with increasing distance from the road. Differences in the concentration of metals in the soil on the upwind and downwind sides were found. The contents of all tested metals in the soil were higher on the downwind side of the road compared to the concentrations of metals on the upwind side.
Big Data Maturity Assessment Models: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Al-Sai Zaher Ali , Husin Mohd Heikal , Syed-Mohamad Sharifah Mashita , Abdullah Rosni , Zitar Raed Abu , Abualigah Laith , Gandomi Amir H.
Published: December 2022

Big Data and analytics have become essential factors in managing the COVID-19 pandemic. As no company can escape the effects of the pandemic, mature Big Data and analytics practices are essential for successful decision-making insights and keeping pace with a changing and unpredictable marketplace. The ability to be successful in Big Data projects is related to the organization’s maturity level. The maturity model is a tool that could be applied to assess the maturity level across specific key dimensions, where the maturity levels indicate an organization’s current capabilities and the desirable state. Big Data maturity models (BDMMs) are a new trend with limited publications published as white papers and web materials by practitioners. While most of the related literature might not have covered all of the existing BDMMs, this systematic literature review (SLR) aims to contribute to the body of knowledge and address the limitations in the existing literature about the existing BDMMs, assessment dimensions, and tools. The SLR strategy in this paper was conducted based on guidelines to perform SLR in software engineering by answering three research questions: (1) What are the existing maturity assessment models for Big Data? (2) What are the assessment dimensions for Big Data maturity models? and (3) What are the assessment tools for Big Data maturity models? This SLR covers the available BDMMs written in English and developed by academics and practitioners (2007–2022). By applying a descriptive qualitative content analysis method for the reviewed publications, this SLR identified 15 BDMMs (10 BDMMs by practitioners and 5 BDMMs by academics). Additionally, this paper presents the limitations of existing BDMMs. The findings of this paper could be used as a grounded reference for assessing the maturity of Big Data. Moreover, this paper will provide managers with critical insights to select the BDMM that fits within their organization to support their data-driven decisions. Future work will investigate the Big Data maturity assessment dimensions towards developing a new Big Data maturity model.
Optogenetic Suppression of Lateral Septum Somatostatin Neurons Enhances Hippocampus Cholinergic Theta Oscillations and Local Synchrony
Authors: Espinosa Nelson , Alonso Alejandra , Caneo Mauricio , Moran Constanza , Fuentealba Pablo
Published: December 2022

The septal complex regulates both motivated and innate behaviors, chiefly by the action of its diverse population of long-range projection neurons. A small population of somatostatin-expressing GABAergic cells in the lateral septum projects deep into subcortical regions, yet on its way it also targets neighboring medial septum neurons that profusely innervate cortical targets by ascending synaptic pathways. Here, we used optogenetic stimulation and extracellular recordings in acutely anesthetized transgenic mice to show that lateral septum somatostatin neurons can disinhibit the cholinergic septo-hippocampal pathway, thus enhancing the amplitude and synchrony of theta oscillations while depressing sharp-wave ripple episodes in the dorsal hippocampus. These results suggest that septal somatostatin cells can recruit ascending cholinergic pathways to promote hippocampal theta oscillations.
Time-Frequency Analysis of Somatosensory Evoked High-Frequency (600 Hz) Oscillations as an Early Indicator of Arousal Recovery after Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury
Authors: Ou Ze , Guo Yu , Gharibani Payam , Slepyan Ariel , Routkevitch Denis , Bezerianos Anastasios , Geocadin Romergryko G. , Thakor Nitish V.
Published: December 2022

Cardiac arrest (CA) remains the leading cause of coma, and early arousal recovery indicators are needed to allocate critical care resources properly. High-frequency oscillations (HFOs) of somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) have been shown to indicate responsive wakefulness days following CA. Nonetheless, their potential in the acute recovery phase, where the injury is reversible, has not been tested. We hypothesize that time-frequency (TF) analysis of HFOs can determine arousal recovery in the acute recovery phase. To test our hypothesis, eleven adult male Wistar rats were subjected to asphyxial CA (five with 3-min mild and six with 7-min moderate to severe CA) and SSEPs were recorded for 60 min post-resuscitation. Arousal level was quantified by the neurological deficit scale (NDS) at 4 h. Our results demonstrated that continuous wavelet transform (CWT) of SSEPs localizes HFOs in the TF domain under baseline conditions. The energy dispersed immediately after injury and gradually recovered. We proposed a novel TF-domain measure of HFO: the total power in the normal time-frequency space (NTFS) of HFO. We found that the NTFS power significantly separated the favorable and unfavorable outcome groups. We conclude that the NTFS power of HFOs provides earlier and objective determination of arousal recovery after CA.
Perceived Safety in the Neighborhood: Exploring the Role of Built Environment, Social Factors, Physical Activity and Multiple Pathways of Influence
Authors: Zeng Erli , Dong Yu , Yan Li , Lin Alin
Published: December 2022

Considering the sensitivity to environmental safety is rooted in human genes, the external variables that affect the perception of environmental safety and their influence mechanisms have become a point of concern. The existing literature has proven that elements of the built environment are vital influencing factors; however, little is known about the mechanism by which the built environment affects perceived safety and multiple influence pathways have been ignored. Based on defining the concept of perceived safety, this article applies a structural equation model to study the relationship between the built environment and residents’ safety perception with the social environment and physical activity as potential mediators. The statistical results suggest that the variables of the built environment, social factors, and physical activity all significantly influence perceived safety. This finding also reveals that the social environment and group physical activities slightly mediate the relationship, proving that the built environment exerts both direct and indirect effects on perceived safety. This study provides evidence that built environment design is more important than previously thought because it contributes positively to the social atmosphere and encourages the passion for physical activities, which are also beneficial to safety perception.
A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment of Radionecrosis in Malignant Gliomas and Cerebral Metastases
Authors: Mangesius Julian , Mangesius Stephanie , Demetz Matthias , Uprimny Christian , Di Santo Gianpaolo , Galijasevic Malik , Minasch Danijela , Gizewski Elke R. , Ganswindt Ute , Virgolini Irene , Thomé Claudius , Freyschlag Christian F. , Kerschbaumer Johannes
Published: December 2022

Radiation necrosis represents a potentially devastating complication after radiation therapy in brain tumors. The establishment of the diagnosis and especially the differentiation from progression and pseudoprogression with its therapeutic implications requires interdisciplinary consent and monitoring. Herein, we want to provide an overview of the diagnostic modalities, therapeutic possibilities and an outlook on future developments to tackle this challenging topic. The aim of this report is to provide an overview of the current morphological, functional, metabolic and evolving imaging tools described in the literature in order to (I) identify the best criteria to distinguish radionecrosis from tumor recurrence after the radio-oncological treatment of malignant gliomas and cerebral metastases, (II) analyze the therapeutic possibilities and (III) give an outlook on future developments to tackle this challenging topic. Additionally, we provide the experience of a tertiary tumor center with this important issue in neuro-oncology and provide an institutional pathway dealing with this problem.
Best Supportive Care of the Patient with Oesophageal Cancer
Authors: Pichel Rita Carrilho , Araújo Alexandra , Domingues Vital Da Silva , Santos Jorge Nunes , Freire Elga , Mendes Ana Sofia , Romão Raquel , Araújo António
Published: December 2022

Background: Oesophageal cancer patients have poor survival, and most are unfit for curative or systemic palliative treatment. This article aims to review the best supportive care for oesophageal cancer, focusing on the management of its most frequent or distinctive symptoms and complications. Methods: Evidence-based review on palliative supportive care of oesophageal cancer, based on Pubmed search for relevant clinical practice guidelines, reviews and original articles, with additional records collected from related articles suggestions, references and societies recommendations. Results: We identified 1075 records, from which we screened 138 records that were related to oesophageal cancer supportive care, complemented with 48 additional records, finally including 60 records. This review summarizes the management of oesophageal cancer-related main problems, including dysphagia, malnutrition, pain, nausea and vomiting, fistula and bleeding. In recent years, several treatments have been developed, while optimal management is not yet standardized. Conclusion: This review contributes toward improving supportive care and decision making for oesophageal cancer patients, presenting updated summary recommendations for each of their main symptoms. A robust body of evidence is still lacking, and the best supportive care decisions should be individualized and shared.
Sensing Cells-Peptide Hydrogel Interaction In Situ via Scanning Ion Conductance Microscopy
Authors: Tikhonova Tatiana N. , Kolmogorov Vasilii S. , Timoshenko Roman V. , Vaneev Alexander N. , Cohen-Gerassi Dana , Osminkina Liubov A. , Gorelkin Petr V. , Erofeev Alexander S. , Sysoev Nikolay N. , Adler-Abramovich Lihi , Shirshin Evgeny A.
Published: December 2022

Peptide-based hydrogels were shown to serve as good matrices for 3D cell culture and to be applied in the field of regenerative medicine. The study of the cell-matrix interaction is important for the understanding of cell attachment, proliferation, and migration, as well as for the improvement of the matrix. Here, we used scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) to study the growth of cells on self-assembled peptide-based hydrogels. The hydrogel surface topography, which changes during its formation in an aqueous solution, were studied at nanoscale resolution and compared with fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). Moreover, SICM demonstrated the ability to map living cells inside the hydrogel. A zwitterionic label-free pH nanoprobe with a sensitivity > 0.01 units was applied for the investigation of pH mapping in the hydrogel to estimate the hydrogel applicability for cell growth. The SICM technique that was applied here to evaluate the cell growth on the peptide-based hydrogel can be used as a tool to study functional living cells.
Upstream Regulation of Development and Secondary Metabolism in Aspergillus Species
Authors: Moon Heungyun , Han Kap-Hoon , Yu Jae-Hyuk
Published: December 2022

In filamentous fungal Aspergillus species, growth, development, and secondary metabolism are genetically programmed biological processes, which require precise coordination of diverse signaling elements, transcription factors (TFs), upstream and downstream regulators, and biosynthetic genes. For the last few decades, regulatory roles of these controllers in asexual/sexual development and primary/secondary metabolism of Aspergillus species have been extensively studied. Among a wide spectrum of regulators, a handful of global regulators govern upstream regulation of development and metabolism by directly and/or indirectly affecting the expression of various genes including TFs. In this review, with the model fungus Aspergillus nidulans as the central figure, we summarize the most well-studied main upstream regulators and their regulatory roles. Specifically, we present key functions of heterotrimeric G proteins and G protein-coupled receptors in signal transduction), the velvet family proteins governing development and metabolism, LaeA as a global regulator of secondary metabolism, and NsdD, a key GATA-type TF, affecting development and secondary metabolism and provide a snapshot of overall upstream regulatory processes underlying growth, development, and metabolism in Aspergillus fungi.
Multidomain Joint Learning of Pedestrian Detection for Application to Quadrotors
Authors: Wang Yuan-Kai , Guo Jonathan , Pan Tung-Ming
Published: December 2022

Pedestrian detection and tracking are critical functions in the application of computer vision for autonomous driving in terms of accident avoidance and safety. Extending the application to drones expands the monitoring space from 2D to 3D but complicates the task. Images captured from various angles pose a great challenge for pedestrian detection, because image features from different angles tremendously vary and the detection performance of deep neural networks deteriorates. In this paper, this multiple-angle issue is treated as a multiple-domain problem, and a novel multidomain joint learning (MDJL) method is proposed to train a deep neural network using drone data from multiple domains. Domain-guided dropout, a critical mechanism in MDJL, is developed to self-organize domain-specific features according to neuron impact scores. After training and fine-tuning the network, the accuracy of the obtained model improved in all the domains. In addition, we also combined the MDJL with Markov decision-process trackers to create a multiobject tracking system for flying drones. Experiments are conducted on many benchmarks, and the proposed method is compared with several state-of-the-art methods. Experimental results show that the MDJL effectively tackles many scenarios and significantly improves tracking performance.
Quadratic Admissibility for a Class of LTI Uncertain Singular Fractional-Order Systems with 0 < α < 2
Authors: Wang Yuying , Zhang Xuefeng , Boutat Driss , Shi Peng
Published: December 2022

This paper provides a unified framework for the admissibility of a class of singular fractional-order systems with a given fractional order in the interval (0, 2). These necessary and sufficient conditions are derived in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). The considered fractional orders range from 0 to 2 without separating the ranges into (0, 1) and [1, 2) to discuss the admissibility. Moreover, the uncertain system with the fractional order in the interval (0, 2) is norm-bounded. The quadratic admissibility and general quadratic stability of the system are analyzed, and the equivalence between the two is proved. All the above can be expressed in terms of strict LMIs to avoid any singularity problem in the solution. Finally, the effectiveness of the method is illustrated by three numerical examples.
In-Orchard Sizing of Mango Fruit: 1. Comparison of Machine Vision Based Methods for On-The-Go Estimation
Authors: Neupane Chiranjivi , Koirala Anand , Walsh Kerry B.
Published: December 2022

Estimation of fruit size on-tree is useful for yield estimation, harvest timing and market planning. Automation of measurement of fruit size on-tree is possible using RGB-depth (RGB-D) cameras, if partly occluded fruit can be removed from consideration. An RGB-D Time of Flight camera was used in an imaging system that can be driven through an orchard. Three approaches were compared, being: (i) refined bounding box dimensions of a YOLO object detector; (ii) bounding box dimensions of an instance segmentation model (Mask R-CNN) applied to canopy images, and (iii) instance segmentation applied to extracted bounding boxes from a YOLO detection model. YOLO versions 3, 4 and 7 and their tiny variants were compared to an in-house variant, MangoYOLO, for this application, with YOLO v4-tiny adopted. Criteria developed to exclude occluded fruit by filtering based on depth, mask size, ellipse to mask area ratio and difference between refined bounding box height and ellipse major axis. The lowest root mean square error (RMSE) of 4.7 mm and 5.1 mm on the lineal length dimensions of a population (n = 104) of Honey Gold and Keitt varieties of mango fruit, respectively, and the lowest fruit exclusion rate was achieved using method (ii), while the RMSE on estimated fruit weight was 113 g on a population weight range between 180 and 1130 g. An example use is provided, with the method applied to video of an orchard row to produce a weight frequency distribution related to packing tray size.
A Preliminary Analysis of Anthropogenic and Natural Impacts on a Volcanic Lake Ecosystem in Southern Italy by UAV-Based Monitoring
Authors: Mirauda Domenica , Padula Maria Giuseppina , Mirauda Enza , Paternò Claudio , D’Onofrio Fiorenzo , Loguercio Domenico
Published: December 2022

Lakes play an important role in providing various ecosystem services. However, stressors such as climate change, land use, or land-cover change threaten the ecological functions of lakes. National and international legislations address these threats and establish consistent, long-term monitoring schemes. Remote sensing techniques based on the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) have recently been demonstrated to provide accurate and low-cost spatio-temporal views for the assessment of the ecological status of aquatic ecosystems and the identification of areas at risk of contamination. Few studies have been carried out so far on the employment of these tools in the monitoring of lakes. Therefore, high-resolution UAV surveys were used to analyse and evaluate natural and anthropogenic impacts on the habitat status of a volcanic lake in a protected area. Five UAV flights took place during a year-long cycle (November 2020 to November 2021) in a volcanic lake located in southern Italy. For each flight performance, an orthomosaic of georeferenced RGB images was obtained, and the different features of interest were monitored and quantified using automated processing in a GIS environment. The UAV images made it possible not only to estimate the flooded shores but also to detect the impact of human-made structures and infrastructures on the lagoon environment. It has been possible to observe how the rapid changes in lake-water level have led to the submersion of about 90.000 m2 of terrain in winter, causing the fragmentation and degradation of habitats, while the connectivity of the natural ecosystem has been threatened by the presence of the road around the lake. The proposed methodology is rather simple and easily replicable by decision makers and local administrators and can be useful for choosing the best restoration interventions.
Field Study on Indoor Thermal Environments of Monastic Houses and Thermal Comfort of Monks
Authors: Chen Chuan , He Mengshu , Chu Zihan , He Lishi , Zhu Jiale , Bu Yuan , Wan Jiangjun , Zhang Lingqing
Published: December 2022

Monastic houses are an essential part of the Tibetan monastic system in China. In this study, the monastic houses of Labrang in the Tibetan region of Gannan were used as the research objects. Physical parameters such as indoor temperature, humidity, and radiation temperature of the monastic houses were measured. The measured results were compared with the standard values, while the air temperature was linearly fitted using TSV, PMV, and aPMV. The results show that the temperature inside and outside the monastic houses fluctuates considerably; the theoretical thermal neutral temperature of the tested monks in winter is 22.46 °C, which is higher than the measured thermal neutral temperature in winter of 16.43 °C. When analyzing the results, it was found that the local climate, dress code, and the monks’ specific habits all impact the perception of thermal comfort, which creates a discrepancy between the accurate results and the standard values. The above findings provide a more comprehensive reference for the thermal comfort requirements of the monks in cold areas, which can be used as a guide for the improvement and evaluation of the monastic houses in cold areas.
Association between Experiences of Different Types of Harassment or Derogatory Treatment and Sexual Harassment among Employees at a Large Swedish University
Authors: Pilgaard Frida , Agardh Anette , Östergren Per-Olof , Priebe Gisela
Published: December 2022

Sexual harassment (SH) and other forms of mistreatment continue to be a significant problem at workplaces, leading to negative health and work-related outcomes. Previous studies have mainly examined SH and other types of workplace harassment separately. In this study we investigated whether harassment related to any of the seven Swedish legal grounds for discrimination (sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation, or age) and derogatory treatment were associated with SH at a large Swedish university. Using cross-sectional survey data obtained from 33% of all staff, multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate associations between harassment, derogatory treatment, and SH. We found a sixfold increased risk of SH among women with experience of other forms of harassment and a three-times-higher risk among women with experience of derogatory treatment, indicating that SH co-occurs with other forms of mistreatment. This pattern was similar among men, although men reported lower prevalence of mistreatment. Our findings have implications for preventive strategies at academic workplaces indicating that issues related to the defence of power and various types of abusive behaviours, including SH, both need to be addressed to create more equal opportunities for all employees.
Introduction to the Special Issue: L2/HL Writing and Technology
Authors: Elola Idoia , Vasseur Raychel
Published: December 2022

The growing recognition of the important role that technology plays in language learning has been reflected in increasingly dynamic and productive discussions on the topic of second language (L2) and heritage language (HL) instruction and writing theory [...]
Effect of Multi-Pass Friction Stir Processing on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of a Metastable Dual-Phase High Entropy Alloy
Authors: Meena Neelam , Rao Ardula Gourav , Dommeti Satya Gowtam , Prabhu Nithyanand
Published: December 2022

Studies on Multi-pass Friction Stir Processing (FSP) of Fe49.5Mn30Co10Cr10C0.5, a metastable dual-phase High Entropy Alloy (HEA), were carried out with the aim to systematically investigate the microstructural changes occurring during different passes, and to evaluate the mechanical response of this alloy with progressive passes. A reduction in grain size and a change in HCP volume fraction was observed after each pass. Dynamic recrystallization, occurring during FSP, led to grain refinement, and the transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) effect resulted in observed changes in HCP phase fraction. One-pass FSPed material exhibits a higher work hardening rate and a higher ultimate tensile strength (UTS.) value, as compared to both, an annealed and two-pass FSPed material. This is due to a combination of two factors, a small grain size and a large fraction of metastable Face Centred Cubic (FCC) phase, in the microstructure of the one-pass material.
Mathematical and Physical Analyses of Middle/Neutral Surfaces Formulations for Static Response of Bi-Directional FG Plates with Movable/Immovable Boundary Conditions
Authors: Melaibari Ammar , Mohamed Salwa A. , Assie Amr E. , Shanab Rabab A. , Eltaher Mohamed A.
Published: December 2022

This article is prompted by the existing confusion about correctness of responses of beams and plates produced by middle surface (MS) and neutral surface (NS) formulations. This study mathematically analyzes both formulations in the context of the bending of bi-directional functionally graded (BDFG) plates and discusses where the misconceptions are. The relation between in-plane displacement field variables on NS and on MS are derived. These relations are utilized to define a modified set of boundary conditions (BCs) for immovable simply supported plates that enables either formulation to apply fixation conditions on the refence plane of the other formulation. A four-variable higher order shear deformation theory is adopted to present the displacement fields of BDFG plates. A 2D plane stress constitution is used to govern stress–strain relations. Based on MS and NS, Hamilton’s principles are exploited to derive the equilibrium equations which are described by variable coefficient partial differential equations. The governing equations in terms of stress resultants are discretized by the differential quadrature method (DQM). In addition, analytical expressions that relate rigidity terms and stress resultants associated with the two formulations are proved. Both the theoretical analysis and the numerical results demonstrate that the responses of BDFG plates based on MS and NS formulations are identical in the cases of clamped BCs and movable simply supported BCs. However, the difference in responses of immovable simply supported BCs is expected since each formulation assumes plate fixation at different planes. Further, numerical results show that the responses of immovable simply supported BDFG plates obtained using the NS formulation are identical to those obtained by the MS formulation if the transferred boundary condition (from NS- to MS-planes) are applied. Theoretical and numerical results demonstrate also that both MS and NS formulations are correct even for immovable simply supported BCs if fixation constraints at different planes are treated properly.
Clinical, Laboratory, Histological, Radiological, and Metabolic Features and Prognosis of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
Authors: Zhang Yuan , Li Ran , Gu Yumei , LiZhu Yuerong , Liu Xiaofang , Zhang Shu
Published: December 2022

Background: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive and rare malignant pleural tumor. Methods: MPM patients diagnosed in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital and Beijing Tongren Hospital were the focus of this study. We collected and analyzed the histological, radiological, and metabolic features of MPM patients. At the same time, Cox univariable and multivariable analyses were used to explore the laboratory risk factors affecting the prognosis of MPM patients. Results: A total of 129 MPM patients were included in this study. MPM includes three main histological subtypes: epithelioid, sarcomatoid and biphasic. Among them, epithelial subtypes accounted for the highest proportion. Calretinin, Wilms’ tumor gene (WT1), cytokeratin 5/6 (CK5/6), and D2-40 were the most useful mesothelial markers to support a MPM diagnosis. The imaging features of MPM patients are pleural thickening and pleural effusion. In PET-CT, the affected pleura showed obvious high uptake of tracer, and the degree was related to the specific subtype. The median follow-up time was 55.0 (30.0, 94.0) months. A total of 92 (71.3%) patients died during follow-up. The median survival time of patients was 21.0 (9.0, 48.0) months. The Cox multivariable analysis showed that age [hazard ratio (HR), 1.824; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.159–2.872; p = 0.009; uncorrected], ESR (HR, 2.197; 95% CI 1.318–3.664; p = 0.003; with Bonferroni correction), lymphocytes (HR, 0.436; 95% CI 0.258–0.737; p = 0.002; with Bonferroni correction), platelets (HR, 1.802; 95% CI 1.084–2.997; p = 0.023; uncorrected) and total protein (HR, 0.625; 95% CI 0.394–0.990; p = 0.045; uncorrected) were independent risk factors for prognosis, after adjusting for confounding factors. Conclusions: Age, ESR, lymphocytes, platelets and total protein may be related to the prognosis of MPM patients. Summarizing the histological, radiological, and metabolic features of MPM patients in the two centers can increase clinicians’ understanding of this rare tumor.
Exploring the Formation Mechanism, Evolution Law, and Precise Composition Control of Interstitial Oxygen in Body-Centered Cubic Mo
Authors: Xing Hai-Rui , Hu Ping , He Chao-Jun , Zhang Xiang-Yang , Yang Fan , Han Jia-Yu , Ge Song-Wei , Hua Xing-Jiang , Zhang Wen , Wang Kuai-She , Volinsky Alex A.
Published: December 2022

Interstitial oxygen (O) on the formation mechanism and enrichment distribution of body-centered cubic (BCC) molybdenum (Mo) has rarely been reported, and the O usually can cause serious brittle fracture in Mo. In this paper, we studied the formation mechanism and evolution of oxygen (O) when it was precisely controlled in the range of 3700–8600 parts per million (wppm). It was found that, with an increase in O concentration, O element not only existed in the form of solid solution but generated O element with different valence states in Mo metal. Large amounts of MoO2, MoO3, and Mo4O11 intermediate oxides were identified by electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Thermodynamic calculations revealed the formation process of oxides, and authenticity of the presence of O was verified by XPS. Enrichment and distribution of O element were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and EPMA. Moreover, the compressive yield strength and hardness of Mo were greatly affected by O content range of 4500–8600 wppm. Our study is helpful to understand the behavior of interstitial impurity O in refractory Mo metals and provides important guidance for development of high-purity rare Mo metals.
Comparative Investigation of Raw and Processed Radix Polygoni Multiflori on the Treatment of Vascular Dementia by Liquid Chromatograph−Mass Spectrometry Based Metabolomic Approach
Authors: Wu Fengye , Li Yunlin , Liu Wenya , Xiao Ran , Yao Benxing , Gao Mingzhe , Xu Di , Wang Junsong
Published: December 2022

Radix Polygoni Multiflori (PM) is a well−known nootropic used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Considering the efficacy and application discrepancy between raw (RPM) and processed PM (PPM), the similarities and differences between them in the treatment of vascular dementia (VaD) is intriguing. In this study, a VaD rat model was constructed by 2−vessel occlusion (2−VO). During 28 days of treatment, plasma was collected on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 after the start of dosing and the metabolic profile was analyzed by HPLC−MS/MS−based metabolomics. The Morris Water Maze Test, hematoxylin–eosin and Nissl staining, and biochemical analysis were used to assess cognitive function, pathogenic alterations and oxidative stress, respectively. RPM and PPM effectivelyreducedthe 2VO−induced cognitive impairment and mitigated histological alterations in hippocampus tissue. The 2−VO model significantly elevated MDA level and decreased SOD activity and GSH level, indicating severe oxidative stress, which could also be attenuated by RPM and PPM treatment. RPM outperformed PPM in decreasing MDA levels while PPM outperformed RPM in increasing GSH levels. Differential metabolites were subjected to Metabolite Set Enrichment Analysis (MSEA) and genes corresponding to proteins having interactions with metabolites were further annotated with Gene Ontology (GO). Both RPM and PPM ameliorated VaD−relevant vitamin B6 metabolism, pentose phosphate pathways, and taurine and hypotaurine metabolism. In addition, the metabolism of cysteine and methionine was regulated only by RPM, and riboflavin metabolism was modulated only by PPM. The results suggested that raw and processed PM had comparable efficacy in the treatment of VaD but also with some mechanistic differenece.
Two-Step Synthesis, Structure, and Optical Features of a Double Hetero[7]helicene
Authors: Salem Mohamed S. H. , Sabri Ahmed , Khalid Md. Imrul , Sasai Hiroaki , Takizawa Shinobu
Published: December 2022

A novel double aza-oxa[7]helicene was synthesized from the commercially available N1,N4-di(naphthalen-2-yl)benzene-1,4-diamine and p-benzoquinone in two steps. Combining the acid-mediated annulation with the electrochemical sequential reaction (oxidative coupling and dehydrative cyclization) afforded this double hetero[7]helicene. Moreover, the structural and optical features of this molecule have been studied using X-ray crystallographic analysis, and the absorption and emission behaviors were rationalized based on DFT calculations.
Effect of Ultrasonic Irradiation on the Physicochemical and Structural Properties of Laminaria japonica Polysaccharides and Their Performance in Biological Activities
Authors: Wu Jinhui , Wang Huiying , Liu Yanfei , Xu Baojun , Du Bin , Yang Yuedong
Published: December 2022

Due to the large molecular weight and complex structure of Laminaria japonica polysaccharides (LJP), which limit their absorption and utilization by the body, methods to effectively degrade polysaccharides had received more and more attention. In the present research, hot water extraction coupled with three-phase partitioning (TPP) was developed to extract and isolate LJP. Ultrasonic L. japonica polysaccharides (ULJP) were obtained by ultrasonic degradation. In addition, their physicochemical characteristics and in vitro biological activities were investigated. Results indicated that ULJP had lower weight-average molecular weight (153 kDa) and looser surface morphology than the LJP. The primary structures of LJP and ULJP were basically unchanged, both contained α-hexo-pyranoses and were mainly connected by 1,4-glycosidic bonds. Compared with LJP, ULJP had stronger antioxidant activity, α-amylase inhibitory effect and anti-inflammatory effect on RAW264.7 macrophages. The scavenging rate of DPPH free radicals by ULJP is 35.85%. Therefore, ultrasonic degradation could effectively degrade LJP and significantly improve the biological activity of LJP, which provided a theoretical basis for the in-depth utilization and research and development of L. japonica in the fields of medicine and food.
Biologic Impact of Green Synthetized Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles on Two Different Lung Tumorigenic Monolayers and a 3D Normal Bronchial Model—EpiAirwayTM Microtissue
Authors: Moacă Elena-Alina , Watz Claudia , Faur Alexandra-Corina , Lazăr Daniela , Socoliuc Vlad , Păcurariu Cornelia , Ianoș Robert , Rus Cristiana-Iulia , Minda Daliana , Barbu-Tudoran Lucian , Dehelean Cristina Adriana
Published: December 2022

The present study reports the successful synthesis of biocompatible magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs) by an ecofriendly single step method, using two ethanolic extracts based on leaves of Camellia sinensis L. and Ocimum basilicum L. The effect of both green raw materials as reducing and capping agents was taken into account for the development of MNPs, as well as the reaction synthesis temperature (25 °C and 80 °C). The biological effect of the MNPs obtained from Camellia sinensis L. ethanolic extract (Cs 25, Cs 80) was compared with that of the MNPs obtained from Ocimum basilicum L. ethanolic extract (Ob 25, Ob 80), by using two morphologically different lung cancer cell lines (A549 and NCI-H460); the results showed that the higher cell viability impairment was manifested by A549 cells after exposure to MNPs obtained from Ocimum basilicum L. ethanolic extract (Ob 25, Ob 80). Regarding the biosafety profile of the MNPs, it was shown that the EpiAirwayTM models did not elicit important viability decrease or significant histopathological changes after treatment with none of the MNPs (Cs 25, Cs 80 and Ob 25, Ob 80), at concentrations up to 500 µg/mL.
Quadratic Theory of Gravity with a Scalar Field and Type I Shapovalov Wave Spacetimes
Authors: Osetrin Konstantin , Kirnos Ilya , Filippov Altair
Published: December 2022

For the quadratic theory of gravity with a scalar field, exact solutions are found for gravitational-wave models in Shapovalov I-type spacetimes, which do not arise in models of the general theory of relativity. The theory of gravity under consideration can effectively describe the early stages of the universe. Type I Shapovalov spaces are the most general forms of gravitational-wave Shapovalov spacetimes, whose metrics in privileged coordinate systems depend on three variables, including the wave variable. For Einstein vacuum spacetimes, these wave models degenerate into simpler types. The exact models of gravitational waves in the quadratic theory of gravity can be used to test the realism of such theories of gravity.
The use of BIM technologies in the design of metal structures of a chemical plant in the environment of model studio CS construction solutions
Authors:   Department of Industrial and Civil Engineering Systems, Nizhniy Novgorod, Belkin A.S. , Sukharev M.Yu. ,   Department of integrated solutions, Nizhniy Novgorod
Published: December 2022

Information modeling and 3D design of the construction part of industrial and civil facilities are carried out in a single information space of the project in parallel with related specialties based on Russian software. This became possible thanks to the joint use of the entire Model Studio CS line, including the Model Studio CS Construction Solutions software package, and CADLib Project technologies. This approach ensures the formation of a unified system for managing the processes of three-dimensional design and obtaining a high-quality, three-dimensional information model linked into a single complex, which subsequently serves as a data source for the release of project documentation.
Música y construcción de género: análisis de las canciones de Jenny Rivera
Authors: Santos-de-Dios Raquel Olivia de los , Santos-de- Dios David de los , Mazo-Quevedo María Lyssette
Published: December 2022

Objetivo: Analizar el contenido de las canciones interpretadas por la cantante Jenny Rivera, donde se representan los roles de género femenino, en su actuar con otras mujeres y su relación con la figura masculina. Los universos artísticos y culturales con la visceralidad y emocionalidad del ser humano, es evidente y prácticamente imposible no trazar vínculos entre cómo la música se relaciona a la salud mental. Y aunque se puede ser testigo de las formas en que el arte del sonido y el silencio se interna en nuestro cerebro para generar reacciones emocionales “positivas” y “negativas”, pocas veces somos verdaderamente conscientes de la manera en que esto sucede y del rol tan importante que la música puede cobrar en nuestra salud mental (Ríos, 2019). Material y Método: Se utilizó el análisis de contenido cualitativo, de una muestra de 10 canciones, las cuales poseen esta temática. Resultados: En las canciones analizadas, nos damos cuenta, como la misma mujer fomenta a sus congéneres los medios y formas equivocadas de asumir y confrontar situaciones de pareja. Fomentando la violencia no solamente física, sino psicológica hacia ella misma, así como la denigración de su misma figura femenina. El discurso y contenido de cada una de estas canciones, junto con el tipo de música (banda) se conjuntan para darle un valor más significativo, eso sin tomar en cuenta los lugares donde mayormente son escuchadas este tipo de canciones. Conclusiones: Con este trabajo podemos concluir que este tipo de canciones en un futuro podrían ser analizadas y pasadas por filtros musicales formales, para realmente poder producirlas y llevarlas al mercado.