bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Analysis of Practices and Challenges for Plastic Recycling Industry in Malaysia
Authors: Tan Ming Hui , Chiong Meng Soon , Chun Yoon-Young , Tsukahara Kenichiro , Tahara Kiyotaka ,   School of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Johor Bahru, Johor 81310, Malaysia,   UTM LoCARtic, IVeSE, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Johor Bahru, Malaysia,   National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan
Published: November 2022

There is a significant increase in plastic consumption with the growing economies of Asia, causing severe environmental issues as a large proportion of the plastic waste is not appropriately disposed due to the underdeveloped collection systems. The situation in Malaysia is particularly worrying as the total plastic waste increased by nearly 30% in 2018, becoming the second-highest of the entire household solid waste. This problem can be addressed by improving the plastic waste management system and increasing the plastic wastes recycling rate. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the current situation of plastic waste generation. Malaysia’s waste management framework is a unique integration of the formal and informal sectors. The lack of uniformity has been the main challenge for the policy implementation in improving plastic waste management. From the plastic material flow analysis, only 41.4% of the plastic wastes were recycled in 2019. The most recycled plastic types in Malaysia are high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and polypropylene (PP), as they are easier to collect and have higher density. From the identified plastic recycling process flow, the main challenge is low recyclability. Most recyclables are usually contaminated with food waste or non-recyclable plastic, which hinders the sorting process. Informing the public how to recycle plastic waste properly can increase the effectiveness of recyclables collection as well as the sorting process.
Action Research on a Locally Oriented Sustainable Product
Authors: Tajima Shota ,   Graduate School of Global and Transdisciplinary Studies, Chiba University 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba 263-8522, Japan
Published: November 2022

This research aims to visualize the social relations of a locally oriented sustainable product based on specialty product development in Nagara, Chiba. Japan’s population has declined since 2008. Sustainable regional revitalization, such as the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, is an urgent issue. Developing specialty products to foster regional brands is flourishing in various places because regional brands will improve their earning power. Although various specialty products are being developed nationwide, there is no indicator of their social sustainability regarding how locally oriented products directly contribute to regional revitalization. Nagara Town is located in the central part of Chiba Prefecture and is the second-smallest town in the prefecture with a population of 6,520. Nagara Town and Chiba University signed a partnership agreement on regional revitalization in 2015 and are working on industry-government-academia collaborative community development with the theme of a continuous care retirement community (CCRC). In 2019, the university, local companies, and the town hall collaborated to develop a specialty product, “Nagara and Guarana (N&G).” Design thinking was used for the development, and the N&G prototype was completed in 2020. After prototype testing, N&G was commercialized in 2021, and 45,000 bottles were manufactured. It was sold at facilities and station shops inside and outside the town, and sold 36,510 bottles, successfully exceeding the original schedule. Unlike normal specialty product development, Nagara Town has become an N&G seller. Related studies have shown that locally oriented products contribute to social sustainability by localizing them according to the social context of the region on a global scale. However, in regional revitalization, building social connections within regions through locally oriented products contributes to social sustainability. However, there is no indicator of how locally oriented sustainable products contribute to this region. The author proposed a Socio-Relation Map (SRMap) to quantitatively measure the social relations of a product by counting the stakeholders involved. SRMap comprises stakeholders involved in product planning, manufacturing, and dissemination. Then, we applied SRMap to N&G to verify its effectiveness and limitations.
Milling of Sintered Carbide via Electrochemical Reaction – Investigation of Machining Phenomena –
Authors: Goto Akihiro ,   Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shizuoka Institute of Science and Technology 2200-2 Toyosawa, Fukuroi, Shizuoka 437-8555, Japan, Chen Junda , Shirai Kosuke
Published: November 2022

Herein, a new milling method via an electrochemical reaction is proposed to realize the high-speed machining of sintered carbide. In this method, cobalt (Co) on the surface of the sintered carbide is eluted via an electrochemical reaction, and the sintered carbide weakened by the elution of Co is scraped off with an insulating cutting edge. Results show that the cutting resistance is significantly reduced by the electrochemical reaction. However, under the conditions of a previous machining experiment, the amount of removal was low, and the machining test was conducted within a range that did not reflect the high-speed machining of sintered carbide. In this study, the conditions required to realize the high-speed machining of sintered carbide using the abovementioned method are examined. To increase the speed of electrolysis, the facing area between the tool and workpiece must be increased, and the current used for electrolysis must be increased as well. It is shown that the electrolytic current can be increased by performing machining with a large depth of cut. Consequently, the machining speed can be increased compared with that for the case without electrolysis, although a few problems remain.
PENGARUH SELF-REGULATION TERHADAP PRESTASI BELAJAR MATEMATIKA SISWA KELAS VI SEKOLAH DASAR
Authors: Ningsih Bekti Setiya , Darmanto Eko , Sumaji Sumaji
Published: November 2022

Penelitian dilakukan dengan tujuan mengetahui apakah terdapat atau tidak terdapat pengaruh antara self-regulation terhadap prestasi belajar matematika siswa VI Sekolah Dasar. Penelitian ini dilakukan di 4 Sekolah Dasar Negeri di Kecamatan Wedarijaksa, Kabupaten Pati, Jawa Tengah dengan sampel sebesar 82 siswa. Analisis data yang dilakukan dalam penelitian ini adalah statistik deskriptif dan pengujian hipotesis menggunakan analisis regresi linear berganda. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan terdapat pengaruh antara self-regulation terhadap prestasi belajar matematika siswa VI Sekolah Dasar. Pada uji koefisien determinasi meunjukkan bawha aspek-aspek self-regulation dalam penelitian ini sebesar 38,4% mempengaruhi prestasi belajar matematika siswa VI Sekolah Dasar
Effect of Alcalase modification of yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus L.) protein isolate on some functional properties and antioxidant activity
Authors: TESAROWICZ Iwona , ZAWIŚLAK Agnieszka , MACIEJASZEK Ireneusz , SURÓWKA Krzysztof
Published: November 2022

Protein isolate obtained from sweet yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus L.) and its Alcalase hydrolysates were examined for their functional and antioxidant properties in relation to surface hydrophobicity of proteins and peptides, and molecular weight distribution. Enzymatic hydrolysis improved the foaming characteristics of lupin proteins, while the emulsifying properties deteriorated. It means that good foaming properties of preparations are determined by the presence of low-molecular δ conglutin and small subunits of γ conglutins. In turn, larger proteins such as α and β conglutin are responsible for maintaining good emulsifying properties. The measured surface hydrophobicity was consistent with the results of emulsifying properties. It has also been shown that the scope of changes in antioxidant properties due to hydrolysis, measured by DPPH method and as reducing power, is more pronounced than with the use of ABTS and FRAP methods.
WITHDRAWN: Efficient Data Loading for Deep Neural Network Training
Authors: Liu Chengjian , Shi Pengcheng , Li Yihong , Liang Lixin , Lin Lin
Published: November 2022

Deep neural networks (DNN) have achieved outstanding results in a wide range of applications. However, deep neural network training is a data-intensive and compute-intensive task to obtain high accuracy. While multiple state-of-the-art AI accelerators such as GPUs can be deployed in a single machine for training, data loading for deep neural network training dominates a significant amount of time in the whole training process. As a result, data loading becomes the key bottleneck to limit the whole training performance. This issue is mainly caused by the factor that a large number of small-size files are loaded during the training process. In this paper, we present efficient data loading for DNN training by using two methods: Based on data access pattern and efficient utilization of disk I/O, we use a block as the unit for data reading. As data are repeated used in training an accurate model, we cache partially loaded data for faster access. We use image-net as the dataset and present comprehensive evaluations in terms of running time and accuracy for stateof-the-art deep neural networks on a machine with four V100 GPU cards. The evaluation results demonstrated while that the accuracy is maintained for commonly used DNNs, our optimizations can achieve up to 10 fold performance growth in terms of the whole running time for DNN training.
An overview of tuberculosis outbreaks reported in the years 2011-2020
Authors: Żukowska Lidia , Zygała-Pytlos Daria , Zabost Anna , Kozińska Monika , Augustynowicz-Kopeć Ewa , Dziadek Jarosław , Minias Alina
Published: November 2022

Background
Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly prevalent disease, with millions of people dying yearly. The fight against TB requires surveillance of the population of strains circulating worldwide and the analysis of the prevalence of certain strains in populations. Nowadays, whole genome sequencing (WGS) allows for accurate tracking of TB transmission. Currently, there is a lack of a comprehensive summary of the characteristics of TB outbreaks.
Methods
We systematically analyzed studies reporting TB outbreaks worldwide, monitored through WGS of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We 1) mapped the reported outbreaks from 2011–2020, 2) estimated the average size of the outbreaks, 3) indicated genetic lineages causing the outbreaks, and 4) determined drug-resistance patterns of M. tuberculosis strains involved in the outbreaks.
Results
Most data originated from Europe, Asia, and North America. We found that TB outbreaks were reported throughout the globe, on all continents, and in countries with both high and low incidences. The detected outbreaks contained a median of five M. tuberculosis isolates. Most strains causing the outbreaks belonged to lineage four, more rarely to lineage two. Reported outbreak isolates were often drug resistant.
Conclusions
We conclude that more WGS surveillance of M. tuberculosis outbreaks is needed. Globally standardized procedures might improve the control of M. tuberculosis infections.
Optimal age at first calving in pasture-based dairy systems
Authors: Vargas-Leitón Bernardo , Romero-Zúñiga Juan José , Castillo-Badilla Gloriana , Saborío-Montero Alejandro
Published: November 2022

The age at first calving (AFC) is one of the most used indicators to evaluate the efficiency of rearing systems in dairy cattle herds. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the association between AFC and different parameters of productive and reproductive efficiency in dairy cows of Holstein and Jersey breeds and their crosses. A retrospective longitudinal study was carried out with information on the performance of 77,311 cows with birth and culling dates between 1990 and 2016 from 633 specialized dairy herds from mid and high-altitude regions of Costa Rica. Cows were classified into five categories according to their age in months at first calving (≤ 24, 25–27, 28–30, 31–33, ≥ 34). A generalized linear mixed model was used to assess the effect of AFC and racial factors on milk production (first lactation, lifetime total, and per day of life), open period (first calving and lifetime total), and herd life. The mean AFC was 29.5, 29.1, and 28.0 months for Holstein, Holstein×Jersey, and Jersey, respectively. The AFC was significantly associated (P < 0.01) with all the variables evaluated. Cows with AFC ≤ 24 presented a higher (P < 0.01) milk production (total lifetime and per day of life), as well as a longer herd life, compared to cows in categories of AFC > 28 m. The reduction in AFC contributes to a significant increase in the efficiency of dairy herds in Costa Rica.
Users’ preference for using emoji in the online medical community
Authors: Liao Jing , Jiang Mengyao , Duan Yifan , Liu Jiaxiu , Zhou Xiaoyu , Zhang Zhuyue , Wei Peng , Hou Xiaorong
Published: November 2022

Background
The application of information technology in the medical industry is growing. The traditional face-to-face doctor–patient interaction has turned into an online doctor–patient interaction, particularly in the case of an epidemic outbreak. Online doctor–patient communication has become increasingly common. Text communication can no longer meet people’s new communication needs. The appearance of emoji compensates for the challenges in online doctor–patient interactions to convey nontext information, such as facial emoji, gestures and voice tones.
Objective
This study aimed to explore the impact of using emoji during online doctor–patient communication on users’ perception of the medical community by considering the moderating effect of demographics.
Methods
An online questionnaire survey was conducted amongst 520 people from December 2021 to January 2022 by random sampling. The frequency, emoji use style and the users’ previous consultation experience score were used as the main independent variables in this study. The perceived effect of the user was adopted as the dependent variable. Wilcoxon signed-rank test and multiple regression analysis were used for data analysis.
Result
For the use frequency and style of emoji mentioned in this study, a significant difference exists between the preference of users who use emoji for a single time and those who use the same emoji continuously (P < 0.001), with the former showing a better performance than the latter. A significant difference exists between users who use open-style emoji and users who use neutral-style emoji (P < 0.001). The emoji perception effect of open style was better than that of neutral style. Users’ preference for emoji use is not affected regardless of whether they are platform users a platform is used (P > 0.05). Men and individuals under 30 are easily influenced by the use of emoji and the characteristics of emoji use. People (users) with educational attainment not higher than high school education tend to have preferences for the frequency of emoji use.
Conclusion
The characteristics of emoji use affected the perceived effect of online communication with doctors. Single use of emoji and relatively open style of emoji had a positive impact on the degree of acceptance of doctors’ information. Men and people under the age of 30 showed more expressive preferences for facial features than women and people over the age of 30. Therefore, doctors should properly use emoji for patients with different characteristics to help strengthen the communication between doctors and patients. Moreover, the online medical community should design diversified emoji for patients with different characteristics to provide personalized services.
Multi-Scale Mechanical Properties of Bulk-Heterojunction Films in Polymer Solar Cells
Authors: Xiao Biao , Zhong Tian , Guo Feng , Lei Shiyun , Li Qingduan , Jia Tao , Wang Xunchang , Yang Renqiang
Published: November 2022

The mechanical properties of ¬bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) films play critical roles in the operational stability of flexible polymer solar cells (PSCs). However, research on the mechanical properties of BHJ films is far behind the studies on their optoelectronic properties. Herein, investigations are conducted to systematically evaluate the multi-scale mechanical properties of the BHJ films. The fullerene derivative PC71BM, the fused ring non-fullerene electron acceptor Y6, and the polymer acceptor PRi-C39 are selected as the acceptor materials of the BHJ films for comparative analysis. Interestingly, the tensile moduli of the films based on PC71BM, Y6, and PRi-C39 measured by using the “film-on-water” (FOW) method decrease sequentially, and their fracture strain and toughness show an increasing trend. Moreover, the nanoindentation moduli of the BHJ films based on different electron acceptors vary in accordance with the results of FOW characterizations, and their moduli and hardness distributions are uniform in these films. Time-dependent creep analyses from both macroscopic tensile measurements and microscopic indentation characterizations illustrate that the occurrence of creep deformation in the PC71BM, Y6 and PRi-C39 based films decrease sequentially. Contact angle tests demonstrate that the main reason for the different mechanical properties in these films is the varied interactions between the donor and the acceptors. All results above demonstrate the effects of acceptor type on the multi-scale mechanical properties of the BHJ films, which are of great importance for the designing of novel electron acceptor materials and manufacturing of reliable flexible PSCs.
The stromal-tumor amplifying STC1-Notch1 feedforward signal promotes the stemness of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Bai Shuya , Zhao Yuchong , Chen Wei , Peng Wang , Wang Yun , Xiong Si , - Aruna , Li Yanling , Yang Yilei , Chen Shiru , Cheng Bin , Wang Ronghua
Published: November 2022

Background
Cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs), an important component of the tumor microenvironment (TME), play crucial roles in tumor stemness. Stanniocalcin-1 (STC1) was found secreted by CAFs in various cancers, but its main source and its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was still unclear.
Methods
The serum and intracellular expression levels of STC1 were detected by ELISA and western blot. The role of CAFs-derived STC1 in HCC stemness was probed by sphere formation, sorafenib resistance, colony formation, and transwell migration and invasion assays in vitro and orthotopic liver xenograft tumor model in vivo. An HCC tissue microarray containing 72 samples was used to identify the STC1 and the Notch1 in HCC tissues. Co-immunoprecipitation (CoIP) and dual-luciferase reporter assay were performed to further explore the underlying mechanisms. ELISA assays were used to detect the serum concentration of STC1 in HCC patients.
Results
We demonstrated that CAFs were the main source of STC1 in HCC and that CAFs-derived STC1 promoted HCC stemness through the activation of the Notch signaling pathway. In HCC patients, the expression of STC1 was positively correlated with poor prognosis and the Nocth1 expression. Co-IP assay showed that STC1 directly bound to Notch1 receptors to activate the Notch signaling pathway, thereby promoting the stemness of HCC. Our data further demonstrated that STC1 was a direct transcriptional target of CSL in HCC cells. Furthermore, ELISA revealed that the serum STC1 concentration was higher in patients with advanced liver cancer than patients with early liver cancer.
Conclusions
CAFs-derived STC1 promoted HCC stemness via the Notch signaling pathway. STC1 might serve as a potential biomarker for the prognostic assessment of HCC, and the stromal-tumor amplifying STC1-Notch1 feedforward signal could provide an effective therapeutic target for HCC patients.
Spatiotemporal dynamics of cholera in the Democratic Republic of the Congo before and during the implementation of the Multisectoral Cholera Elimination Plan: A cross-sectional study from 2000-2021
Authors: Taty Nadège , Bompangue Didier , Muyembe JJ , De Richmond Nancy
Published: November 2022

Background
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) implemented the first strategic Multisectoral Cholera Elimination Plan (MCEP) in 2008–2012. Two subsequent MCEPs have since been implemented covering the periods 2013–2017 and 2018–2022. The current study aimed to assess the spatiotemporal dynamics of cholera over the recent 22-year period to determine the impact of the MCEPs on cholera epidemics, establish lessons learned and provide an evidence-based foundation to improve the implementation of the next MCEP (2023–2027).
Methods
In this cross-sectional study, secondary weekly epidemiological cholera data covering the 2000–2021 period was extracted from the DRC Ministry of Health surveillance databases. The data series was divided into four periods: pre-MCEP 2003–2007 (pre-MCEP), first MCEP (MCEP-1), second MCEP (MCEP-2) and third MCEP (MCEP-3). For each period, we assessed the overall cholera profiles and seasonal patterns. We analyzed the spatial dynamics and identified cholera risk clusters at the province level. We also assessed the evolution of cholera sanctuary zones identified during each period.
Results
During the 2000–2021 period, the DRC recorded 520,024 suspected cases and 12,561 deaths. The endemic provinces remain the most affected with more than 75% of cases, five of the six endemic provinces were identified as risk clusters during each MCEP period (North Kivu, South Kivu, Tanganyika, Haut-Lomami and Haut-Katanga). Several health zones were identified as cholera sanctuary zones during the study period: 14 health zones during MCEP-1, 14 health zones during MCEP-2 and 29 health zones during MCEP-3. Over the course of the study period, seasonal cholera patterns remained constant, with one peak during the dry season and one peak during the rainy season.
Conclusion
Despite the implementation of three MCEPs, the cholera context in the DRC remains largely unchanged since the pre-MCEP period (p-value > 0.05). To better orient cholera elimination activities, the method used to classify priority health zones should be optimized by analyzing epidemiological; water, sanitation and hygiene; socio-economic; environmental and health indicators at the local level. Additional studies should also aim to identify bottlenecks and gaps in the coordination and strategic efforts of cholera elimination interventions at the local, national and international levels.
Non-invasive Authentication of Mail Packages using Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance Spectroscopy
Authors: Horace-Herron Kelsey , Masna Naren Vikram Raj , Dehghanzadeh Peyman , Mandal Soumyajit , Bhunia Swarup
Published: November 2022

The international postal network is one of the most widely used methods for correspondence throughout the world. Most postal traffic across the globe consists of legitimate interpersonal, business-consumer, and business-business communications. However, the global postal system is also utilized for criminal activity. In particular, it is often utilized to ship and distribute contraband, including illegal psychoactive drugs such as fentanyl and heroin, to consumers. Existing technological solutions are capable of identifying synthetic opioids and other illegal drugs within packages, but are accompanied by several disadvantages that make them unsuitable for large-scale authentication of international mail traffic. This paper presents a novel method for non-invasive authentication of mail packages that overcomes these challenges. The approach uses nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) spectroscopy to detect and quantify the presence of known active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) within the package. It has been experimentally demonstrated using a benchtop prototype. Test results from a variety of package types demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed authentication approach.
Fenretinide inhibits obesity and fatty liver disease but induces Smpd3 to increase serum ceramides and worsen atherosclerosis in LDLR-/- mice
Authors: Thompson Dawn , Mahmood Shehroz , Morrice Nicola , Kamli-Salino Sarah , Dekeryte Ruta , Hoffmann Philip A. , Doherty Mary K. , Whitfield Philip D. , Delibegovic Mirela , Mody Nimesh
Published: November 2022

Fenretinide is a synthetic retinoid that can prevent obesity and improve insulin sensitivity in mice by directly altering retinol/retinoic acid homeostasis and inhibiting excess ceramide biosynthesis. We determined the effects of Fenretinide on LDLR−/− mice fed high-fat/high-cholesterol diet +/- Fenretinide, a model of atherosclerosis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Fenretinide prevented obesity, improved insulin sensitivity and completely inhibited hepatic triglyceride accumulation, ballooning and steatosis. Moreover, Fenretinide decreased the expression of hepatic genes driving NAFLD, inflammation and fibrosis e.g. Hsd17b13, Cd68 and Col1a1. The mechanisms of Fenretinide’s beneficial effects in association with decreased adiposity were mediated by inhibition of ceramide synthesis, via hepatic DES1 protein, leading to increased dihydroceramide precursors. However, Fenretinide treatment in LDLR−/− mice enhanced circulating triglycerides and worsened aortic plaque formation. Interestingly, Fenretinide led to a 4-fold increase in hepatic sphingomyelinase Smpd3 expression, via a retinoic acid-mediated mechanism and a further increase in circulating ceramide levels, linking induction of ceramide generation via sphingomyelin hydrolysis to a novel mechanism of increased atherosclerosis. Thus, despite beneficial metabolic effects, Fenretinide treatment may under certain circumstances enhance the development of atherosclerosis. However, targeting both DES1 and Smpd3 may be a novel, more potent therapeutic approach for the treatment of metabolic syndrome.
The P1/HC-Pro of turnip mosaic virus has more inhibits RISC activity unlike the other potyviruses
Authors: Hong Syuan-Fei , Fang Ru-Ying , Wei Wei-Lun , Pan Zhao-Jun , Hung Yu-Ling , Pham Thang Ha , Chiu Yen-Hsin , Shen Tang-Long , Huang Chien-Kang , Lin Shih-Shun
Published: November 2022

Ectopically expressing viral suppressors of RNA silencing (VSR) in transgenic Arabidopsis overcome host range limitation and viral titer variation, and have similar VSR levels to investigate RNA silencing suppression. Therefore, identifying the insertion of the transgenic VSR gene and developing an endogenous AGO1-based in vitro RNA-inducing silencing complex (RISC) assay prompted further investigation into VSR-mediated suppression. Three P1/HC-Pro plants from turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) (P1/HC-ProTu), zucchini yellow mosaic virus (P1/HC-ProZy), and tobacco etch virus (P1/HC-ProTe) were investigated for in vitro RISC cleavage efficiency. We identified T-DNA insertion for these P1/HC-Pro plants and applied these plant materials to compare the endogenous AGO1 levels and RISC activity. Our results indicated that P1/HC-ProTu plants have lower AGO1 levels and lower RISC activity than the other P1/HC-Pro plants. In addition, the phenomena are consistent with those in TuMV-infected Arabidopsis, implying that HC-ProTu could directly interfere with AGO1 stability. In this study, we demonstrated the application of various plant materials with an in vitro RISC assay in VSR-mediated RNA silencing suppression.
Lessons Learned from the epidemiology of Tuberculosis in Nakfa District, Eritrea, 2007– 2021
Authors: Mengistu Samuel Tekle , Kesete Yafet , Tesfay Meron , Ghebremeskel Ghirmay Ghebrekidan , Abraham Saron , Hamida Mohammed Elfatih , Achila Oliver Okoth
Published: November 2022

Background
Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the deadliest diseases in the world. Mitigation of the its impact requires high-quality data on multiple themes. In this analysis, our objective was to provide information on the incidence and spatio-temporal distribution of tuberculosis in one of the remotest districts (Nakfa) in Eritrea.
Methodology:
In this retrospective observational study, data on patients diagnosed with tuberculosis were captured from 2007–2021 in the Nakfa hospital registry. The crude incidence rate (CIR) and the age-standardized rate (ASR) were analyzed and expressed per 100,000 persons per year. The Joinpoint Regression Program, Version 4.9.0.0 and Arc GIS (v 10.7.1 (Esri, Redlands, CA, USA)) were used to evaluate the temporal trends and spatio-temporal distribution of tuberculosis.
Results
Of the 2,155 Nakfa district sputum samples collected during the study period, 165 (7.6%) were smear positive for pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Smear-negative PTB was diagnosed in 47 individuals and 104 patients with extra-pulmonary TB. Among all these TB patients, 178 were female vs. 138 males. The median age at the time of diagnosis was 32 years (IQR: 20–50). The average annual incidence rate was 55.64 (95% CI 48.2–60.1) cases per 100,000 inhabitants. In the Joint Point Regression model, age adjusted incidence (AAR) increased from 2009 (AAR = 57.96) to 2018 (AAR = 91.67) (p-value = 0.004) and decreased thereafter (AAR = 23.03). The highest AAR of TB was reported in women > 45 years. This corresponded to an annual increase of 11.3% from 2009–2018 (p-value = 0.004) and a decrease of 38.5% in 2018–2021 (p-value = 0.012). The average annual percentage change (AAPC) in the incidence rate was − 6.6% (95%CI: -15.7-3.6). The incidence rate in patients > 65 years demonstrated a significant increase (APC = 16.1%; 95%CI: 8.8–24.0) in the joint point (p-value < 0.001) and a precipitous decline (APC= -33%; 95%CI: -52.3 -6.7) in 2017–2021 (p-value = 0.023). Spatiotemporal analysis demonstrated that TB is largely clustered in areas close proximity to Nakfa Hospital. Lastly, active case finding activities in 2017 and 2018 suggested possible under diagnosis of TB.
Conclusion
The incidence of tuberculosis in Nakfa district is relatively stable. However, the distribution is largely uneven. Active case-finding activities in 2017 and 2018 suggested that the observed heterogeneity in case density may be associated with underdiagnosis of TB in some subzones in the district. More decentralization of TB care services and intensification of case finding through the expansion of sputum collection are required.
Evolutionary dynamics of genome size and content during the adaptive radiation of Heliconiini butterflies
Authors: Cicconardi Francesco , Milanetti Edoardo , de Castro Érika , Mazo-Vargas Anyimilehidi , Belleghem Steven Van , Ruggieri Angelo , Rastas Pasi , Hanly Joseph , Evans Elizabeth , Jiggins Chris , McMillan W. Owen , Papa Riccardo , Marino Daniele di , Martin Arnaud , Montgomery Stephen
Published: November 2022

Heliconius butterflies, a speciose genus of Müllerian mimics, represent a classic example of an adaptive radiation involving a range of derived dietary, life history, physiological and neural traits. However, key lineages within the genus, and across the broader Heliconiini tribe, lack genomic resources, contrasting our understanding of how adaptive and neutral processes shaped genome evolution across their radiation. Here, we build new, highly contiguous genome assemblies for nine new Heliconiini, reference-assembled genomes for 29 species, and improve 10 existing assemblies, to provide a major new dataset of annotated genomes for 63 species, including 58 species within the Heliconiini tribe. We provide a robust, dated heliconiine phylogeny, identify major patterns of introgression, explore the evolution of genome size, content, and the genomic basis of key innovations in this enigmatic group for the first time. We illustrate how dense genomic sampling improves our resolution of gene-phenotype links, and our understanding of how genomes evolve.
CaCl2 Priming Promotes Sorghum Seed Germination under Salt Stress by Activating Sugar Metabolism
Authors: xing yifan , Chen xiaofei , Zhang Min , Li Bang , Cui Tong , Liu chang , Liu Chunjuan , Chen Bingru , Zhou Yufei
Published: November 2022

Salt stress notably inhibits the germination of sorghum seeds. CaCl2 priming effectively promotes seed germination under salt stress, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study explored the CaCl2 -primed regulation of sorghum seed germination under salt stress. Hydro-primed seeds (HPS) and CaCl2-primed seeds (CaPS) were cultured under NaCl stress. The unprimed seeds were cultured in distilled water (NPN) or 150 mM NaCl stress (NPS). Primed and unprimed seeds were evaluated for amylase activity, starch content, sugar metabolism, and mitochondrial repair. We found that salt stress significantly inhibited sorghum seed germination and reduced the germination rate. It also decreased amylase activity, starch decomposition, and sugar accumulation during germination, indicating inhibition of sugar metabolism. However, CaCl2 priming reversed the adverse effects of salt stress, increasing amylase activity, starch decomposition, and sugar content. It also up-regulated the expression of genes for phosphofructokinase and other enzymes involved in the glycolytic, tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA), and pentose phosphate pathways. CaCl2 priming also resulted in the repair and maintenance of mitochondrial structural integrity, contributing to activation of the TCA cycle. In short, CaCl2 priming promotes sorghum seed germination by activating sugar metabolism under salt stress and provides a strategy for improving seed germination during agricultural production.
Evolutionary design of swing-up controllers for stabilization task of underactuated inverted pendulums
Authors: Meza-Sánchez Marlen , Rodríguez-Liñán M. C. , Clemente Eddie , Herrera Leonardo
Published: November 2022

The development of control laws for underactuated mechanical systems with pendulum-like behaviors is of paramount importance due to their use in the modeling of more complex systems and other challenging tasks. The underactuated feature describes constraints in the maneuverability and capabilities of a mechanical system with the advantage of offering less energy consumption. In this work, a novel methodology for solving the automation of evolved nonlinear controllers for the swing-up phase of switching control laws for underactuated inverted pendulums is proposed. Automatic synthesis of linear controllers with optimal performance applied to linear systems modeled as transfer functions is a forward leap proposed by Koza in 2003. Our proposed approach introduces the nonlinear nature within the automated construction of a set of swing-up controllers integrating an evolutionary process based on GP. The presented framework is based on an analytic behaviorist setup that merges Control Theory with Genetic Programming. Control Theory is applied to formulate the mathematical description of the problem and the design of the fitness function that guides the automated synthesis; Genetic Programming is implemented as an evolutionary engine for the construction of the solutions. The advantage is that the symbolic feature of Genetic Programming is exploited to develop large sets of nonlinear controllers that can be further studied with analytic tools from the Control Theory approach. The proposed framework is applied to an underactuated two-link inverted pendulum giving a set of 13590 evolved nonlinear swing-up controllers with the same and better fitness value than a state-of-the-art human-made design.
Myeloid deficiency of the intrinsic clock protein BMAL1 accelerates cognitive aging by disrupting microglial synaptic pruning
Authors: Iweka Chinyere Agbaegbu , Seigneur Erica , Hernandez Amira Latif , Paredes Sur Herrera , Cabrera Mica , Blacher Eran , Pasternak Connie Tsai , Longo Frank M. , de Lecea Luis , Andreasson Katrin I.
Published: November 2022

Aging is associated with loss of circadian immune responses and circadian gene transcription in peripheral macrophages. Microglia, the resident macrophages of the brain, also show diurnal rhythmicity in regulating local immune responses and synaptic remodeling. To investigate the interaction between aging and microglial circadian rhythmicity, we examined mice deficient in the core clock transcription factor, BMAL1. Aging Cd11bcre;Bmallox/lox mice demonstrated accelerated cognitive decline in association with suppressed hippocampal long-term potentiation and increases in immature dendritic spines. C1q deposition at synapses and synaptic engulfment were significantly decreased in aging Bmal1-deficient microglia, suggesting that BMAL1 plays a role in regulating synaptic pruning in aging. In addition to accelerated age-associated hippocampal deficits, Cd11bcre;Bmallox/lox mice also showed deficits in the sleep-wake cycle with increased wakefulness across light and dark phases. These results highlight an essential role of microglial BMAL1 in maintenance of synapse homeostasis in the aging brain.
Exercise-induced irisin improves follicular dysfunction by inhibiting IRE1α-TXNIP/ROS-NLRP3 pathway in PCOS
Authors: Weng Yajing , Zhang Yaling , Wang Daojuan , Wang Rong , Zou Xiang , Shen Shanmei , Wang Hongwei , Wu Xiaoke , Wen Yanting , Wang Yong
Published: November 2022

Background
Excessive production of androgen drives oxidative stress (OS) and inflammasome activation in ovarian granulosa cells (GCs). Therefore, the induced follicular developmental disorder is the major cause of infertility in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Exercise-induced upregulation of irisin is capable of regulating metabolism by reducing OS and inflammation. Exercise has been shown to alleviate a range of PCOS symptoms, including maintaining a normal menstrual cycle, in several clinical trials.
Methods
Female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and primary ovarian cells were treated with two different androgens, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), to simulate a hyperandrogenic environment, followed by eight weeks of exercise training and irisin intervention. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), tissue inflammation and fibrosis were examined using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, western blot, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) probe detection, immunofluorescence staining, immunohistochemistry, and Sirius red staining.
Results
Exercise for eight weeks improved polycystic ovarian morphology and decreased the levels of inflammation, OS, and fibrosis in PCOS rats. Hyperandrogen increased ROS production in ovarian cells by inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and activating the inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α)-thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP)/ROS-NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) signaling pathway, further enhancing the levels of inflammation. Irisin suppressed the expression of IRE1α and its downstream targets, thus improving the ovarian dysfunction of PCOS rats induced by hyperandrogen.
Conclusion
Exercise can alleviate various phenotypes of PCOS rats induced by DHEA, and its therapeutic effect may be mediated by secreting beneficial myokines. IRE1α may be an important target of irisin for reducing OS and inflammation, thereby improving ovarian fibrosis.
K[(CuII,MnII,MnIII)2(TeO3)3]∙2H2O, the first zemannite-type structure based on a Jahn-Teller-distorted framework
Authors: Eder Felix , Weil Matthias , Miletich Ronald
Published: November 2022

Synthetic single crystals of K[(CuII,MnII,MnIII)2(TeO3)3]∙2H2O were obtained from an overconcentrated alkaline aqueous solution in the system K2O-MnO-CuO-TeO2 under hydrothermal conditions at T ≤ 220 °C. Subeuhedral single crystals have been investigated crystallographically by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal structure of this new zemannite-type representative follows a monoclinic twofold superstructure. The doubling of the unit-cell volume is accompanied by a hexagonal-to-monoclinic symmetry reduction, resulting in threefold twinning with individual crystal domains following the space group symmetry P21. Refinements of site-occupation factors and the evaluation of bond valences suggest a distribution of di- and trivalent cations on the octahedral M sites with a ratio (CuII+MnII) : MnIII approximating 1 : 1. From arguments about the cation sizes and the individual bond valence sums, a distribution of CuII1–xMnIIIx and MnIIx MnIII1–x at each two of the four M positions can be assumed with a presumed x between ~0.14 and ~0.50. The K+ cations and crystal water molecules inside the channels are located off the central channel axis. In contrast to most other known zemannite-type phases, the extra-framework atoms show full site occupations and are not disordered. The distribution of the channel contents supports the anisotropic deformation of the surrounding framework, which follows the local symmetry reduction as required for the Jahn-Teller distortion of the octahedrally coordinated M sites within the framework. The arrangement of the deformed channels can be understood as the origin of the existing superstructure.
Clinical and demographic factors associated with the effectiveness of temporomandibular joint arthroscopy
Authors: Gaete Carlos , Droguett Christian , Sáez Felipe , Astorga Paula
Published: November 2022

Purpose
High success rates and minimal complications have consolidated arthroscopy as the therapeutic alternative of choice for minimally invasive treatment of internal disorders (ID) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). However, there is no certainty regarding the demographic and clinical factors associated with the technique's success or failure. This study was performed to analyze the effectiveness of arthroscopy regarding pain and the mandibular dynamics and also to determine whether variables such as age, sex, preoperative Wilkes stage and the level of arthroscopy performed influence the results.
Methods
A retrospective study was conducted involving 92 patients with ID of the TMJ between September 2017 and February 2020. In all cases a first stage of intra-articular lysis and lavage was executed. As needed, a phase of operative arthroscopy or arthroscopic discopexy were implemented.
Results
A total of 152 arthroscopies were performed. Both the variation in pain and mouth opening in patients with ID of the TMJ treated were statistically significant for the follow-up periods studied. Better results were observed for patients with lower Wilkes stages and for higher levels of arthroscopy performed. No association with age was found.
Conclusion
Based on the results, we recommend early intervention as soon as an ID in the TMJ is detected.
SDNTruth: Innovative DDoS Detection Scheme for Software-Defined Networks (SDN)
Authors: Linhares Tiago , Patel Ahmed , Barros Ana Luiza , Fernandez Marcial
Published: November 2022

Software-Defined Networks (SDN) are becoming a trending technology in the modern Internet by splitting control and data planes and using a central controller. A SDN controller provides flexible flows management at wire-speed packet forwarding. The centralized control gives an opportunity to implement detection and mitigation security attacks inside the SDN controller. Typically, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks poses an immense threat to the Internet security. However, the prediction and prevention of DDoS attacks in SDN environments are a huge challenge. In this paper, we introduce a mechanism to mitigate DDoS attacks in SDN using statistical analysis and traffic entropy. To validate the proposal, a prototype was built in Mininet tool. The accuracy and training time were compared against different Machine Learning algorithms. Finally, we expound about the effectiveness and limitation of the proposed solution as well indicate further research opportunities.
A lexicographic optimisation approach to promote more recent features on longitudinal decision-tree-based classifiers: Applications to the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
Authors: Ribeiro Caio , Freitas Alex A.
Published: November 2022

Supervised machine learning algorithms rarely cope directly with the temporal information inherent to longitudinal datasets, which have multiple measurements of the same feature across several time points and are often generated by large health studies. In this paper we report on experiments which adapt the feature-selection function of decision tree-based classifiers to consider the temporal information in longitudinal datasets, using a lexicographic optimisation approach. This approach gives higher priority to the usual objective of maximising the information gain ratio, and it favours the selection of features more recently measured as a lower priority objective. Hence, when selecting between features with equivalent information gain ratio, priority is given to more recent measurements of biomedical features in our datasets.
We performed experiments with 20 longitudinal datasets created from a human ageing study, and concluded from our results that this lexicographic optimisation approach is worthwhile and computationally inexpensive. In addition to a slight improve in predictive accuracy, the changed feature-selection function promotes models based on information that is more directly related to the subject's current biomedical situation and, thus, more actionable.
Lopinavir and Ritonavir have a high affinity to SARS-CoV-2 S-protein Receptor-Binding Domain sequenced in Brazil
Authors: Marinho Aline Diogo , Braz Helyson Lucas , Silveira João Alison Moraes , Rocha Danilo Galvão , Jorge Roberta Jeane Bezerra , Andrade Geanne Matos
Published: November 2022

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detected at China in December 2019 and rapid worldwide spread, causing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In this pandemic situation, the importance of structural-functional relationships between virus and host cell should be considered. In this work, we investigated the molecular interactions of seven drugs used in clinical therapy by in silico analysis with specific protein target of SARS-CoV-2 – RBD domain of the Brazilian S protein genome sequence – in docking models. Initially, a three-dimensional structure of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein receptor-binding domain (RBD) model was obtained by homology. Then, a prediction analysis of cavities in the RBD structure was performed to detect a possible active site in the S protein fragment. Our molecular docking study demonstrated that only 2 ligands showed considerably acceptable values in relation to the seven drugs (Umifenovir, Darunavir, Lopinavir, Ritonavir, Remdesivir, Pirfenidone, Oseltamivir) used to screen. The interaction between Lopinavir and RBD revealed binding affinity of -9.8 kcal/mol and interactions with residues PHE168, GLY167, SER176, GLN175, GLU166, LEU134, LEU137, TYR171, PHE138, LEU174, PHE172. Ritonavir demonstrated binding affinity of -8.9 kcal/mol and interactions with residues ARG148, ASN130, VAL23, SER81, ASN33, PHE29, TYR33, SER31, ASN132, ALA26, ALA30, ALA34, TYR133. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to evaluate the stability of the complexes formed. The present study shows that protease inhibitors Lopinavir and Ritonavir have best binding at the active site (the RBD of S protein) through molecular docking.