bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human STING oligomer function is governed by palmitoylation of an evolutionarily conserved cysteine
Authors: Chan Rebecca , Cao Xujun , Ergun Sabrina L , Njomen Evert , Lynch Stephen R. , Ritchie Christopher , Cravatt Benjamin , Li Lingyin
Published: August 2023

The anti-viral and anti-cancer STING innate immune pathway can exacerbate autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases when aberrantly activated, emphasizing a key unmet need for STING pathway antagonists. However, no such inhibitors have advanced to the clinic because it remains unclear which mechanistic step(s) of human STING activation are crucial for potent and context-independent inhibition of downstream signaling. Here, we report that C91 palmitoylation, the mechanistic target of a potent tool compound, is not universally necessary for human STING signaling, making it a poor target for drug development. Instead, we discover that evolutionarily conserved C64 is basally palmitoylated and is crucial for preventing unproductive STING oligomerization in the absence of cGAMP stimulation. The effects of palmitoylation at C64 and C91 converge on the control of intra-dimer disulfide bond formation at C148. Importantly, we show for the first time that signaling-competent STING oligomers are composed of a mixture of two species: disulfide-linked STING dimers that stabilize the oligomer, and reduced STING dimers that are phosphorylated to actuate interferon signaling. Given this complex landscape and cell type specificity of palmitoylation modifications, we conclude that robust STING inhibitors must directly inhibit the oligomerization process. Taking inspiration from STING’s natural autoinhibitory mechanism, we identified an eight amino acid peptide that binds a defined pocket at the inter-dimer oligomerization interface as a proof-of-concept human STING inhibitor, setting the stage for future therapeutic development.

We report that functional STING oligomers require palmitoylation at cysteine 64 and some proportion of reduced dimers, and define the site of autoinhibition that can be targeted to disrupt STING oligomerization and activity.
Comparisons of Auditory Steady State and Auditory Brainstem Response Thresholds in Infants with Normal Hearing and Conductive Hearing Loss
Authors: Valeriote Hope , Small Susan A.
Published: August 2023

This study investigates how well the air- and bone-conduction auditory steady-state response detects mild conductive hearing loss compared to the auditory brainstem response in young infants. Air-bone gap sizes are compared between infants with normal hearing and conductive loss using a two-group cross-sectional design. Twenty-three (500 Hz) and 22 (2000 Hz) infants (0-6 months of age) with normal hearing and 15 (500 Hz) infants with conductive loss were recruited from newborn hearing screening. Thresholds were obtained to frequency-specific air- and bone-conducted stimuli. There were no instances of conductive loss at 2000 Hz. 500 Hz mean thresholds and air-bone gap sizes were compared. Sensitivity and specificity for identifying conductive loss were measured. Overall, mean bone-conduction thresholds were similar between groups, and mean 500-Hz air conduction thresholds were higher with larger air-bone gap size for infants with conductive loss. Sensitivity and specificity for identifying conductive loss was highest for air-conduction auditory brainstem response threshold measurement compared to screening and auditory steady-state response threshold measurements. Compared to the auditory brainstem response, the variability of auditory steady-state response thresholds and air-bone gap size was too great to reliably separate normal hearing from mild conductive loss. More research is needed using infants with varying degrees of hearing loss at multiple frequencies to fully assess the appropriateness of the auditory steady-state response as a clinical diagnostic tool for an infant population.
Whole-Brain Causal Discovery Using fMRI
Authors: Arab Fahimeh , Ghassami AmirEmad , Jamalabadi Hamidreza , Peters Megan A. K. , Nozari Erfan
Published: August 2023

Despite significant research, discovering causal relationships from fMRI remains a challenge. Popular methods such as Granger Causality and Dynamic Causal Modeling fall short in handling contemporaneous effects and latent common causes. Methods from causal structure learning literature can address these limitations but often scale poorly with network size and need acyclicity. In this study, we first provide a taxonomy of existing methods and compare their accuracy and efficiency on simulated fMRI from simple topologies. This analysis demonstrates a pressing need for more accurate and scalable methods, motivating the design of Causal discovery for Large-scale Low-resolution Time-series with Feedback (CaLLTiF). CaLLTiF is a constraint-based method that uses conditional independence between contemporaneous and lagged variables to extract causal relationships. On simulated fMRI from the macaque connectome, CaLLTiF achieves significantly higher accuracy and scalability than all tested alternatives. From resting-state human fMRI, CaLLTiF learns causal connectomes that are highly consistent across individuals, show clear top-down flow of causal effect from attention and default mode to sensorimotor networks, exhibit Euclidean distance-dependence in causal interactions, and are highly dominated by contemporaneous effects. Overall, this work takes a major step in enhancing causal discovery from whole-brain fMRI and defines a new standard for future investigations.

AUTHOR SUMMARY

Discovering causal relationships from fMRI data is challenging due to contemporaneous effects and latent causes. Popular methods like Granger Causality and Dynamic Causal Modeling struggle with these issues, especially in large networks. To address this, we introduce CaLLTiF, a scalable method that uses both lagged and contemporaneous variables to identify causal relationships. CaLLTiF outperforms various existing techniques in accuracy and scalability on simulated fMRI data. When applied to human resting-state fMRI, it reveals consistent and biologically-plausible patterns across individuals, with a clear top-down causal flow from attention and default mode networks to sensorimotor areas. Overall, this work advances the field of causal discovery in large-scale fMRI studies.
Toxinome - The Bacterial Protein Toxin Database
Authors: Danov Aleks , Segev Ofir , Bograd Avi , Eliyahu Yedidya Ben , Dotan Noam , Kaplan Tommy , Levy Asaf
Published: August 2023

Protein toxins are key molecular weapons in biology that are used to attack neighboring cells. Bacteria use protein toxins to kill or inhibit growth of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells using various modes of action that target essential cellular components. The toxins are responsible for shaping microbiomes in different habitats, for abortive phage infection, and for severe infectious diseases of animals and plants. Although several toxin databases have been developed, each one is devoted to a specific toxin family and they encompass a relatively small number of toxins. Antimicrobial toxins are often accompanied by antitoxins (or immunity proteins) that neutralize the cognate toxins. Here, we combined toxins and antitoxins from many resources and created Toxinome, a comprehensive and updated bacterial protein toxin database. Toxinome includes a total of 1,483,028 toxins and 491,345 antitoxins encoded in 59,475 bacterial genomes across the tree of life. We identified a depletion of toxin and antitoxin genes in bacteria that dwell in extreme temperatures. We defined 5,161 unique Toxin Islands within phylogenetically diverse bacterial genomes, which are loci dense in toxin and antitoxin genes. By focusing on the unannotated genes within these islands, we characterized a number of these genes as toxins or antitoxins. Finally, we developed an interactive Toxinome website (http://toxinome.pythonanywhere.com) that allows searching and downloading of our database. The Toxinome resource will be useful to the large research community interested in bacterial toxins and can guide toxin discovery and function elucidation, and infectious disease diagnosis and treatment.

Importance

Microbes use protein toxins as important tools to attack neighboring cells, microbial or eukaryotic, and for self-killing when attacked by viruses. These toxins work by different mechanisms to inhibit cell growth or kill cells. Microbes also use antitoxin proteins to neutralize the toxin activities. Here, we developed a comprehensive database called Toxinome of nearly two million toxin and antitoxins that are encoded in 59,475 bacterial genomes. We described the distribution of bacterial toxins and identified that they are depleted from bacteria that live in hot and cold temperatures. We find 5,161 cases in which toxins and antitoxins are densely clustered in bacterial genomes and termed these areas “Toxin Islands”. The Toxinome database is a useful resource for anyone interested in toxin biology and evolution, and it can guide discovery of new toxins.
The identification of expected functional food quality: female consumers' perspective
Authors: Sumaedi Sik , Bakti I Gede Mahatma Yuda , Rakhmawati Tri , Astrini Nidya
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This study aimed to identify the quality consumers expect from functional food. This study investigated the quality dimensions and indicators female consumers expect in functional food.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a quantitative approach. Data were collected through a survey using a self-administered questionnaire from 149 women aged 17 years and over in the Greater Jakarta area. Data analysis consists of three stages: exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis-structural equation modeling (CFA-SEM) and consumer expectation value analysis. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Lisrel software were used to assist the analysis.

Findings

The analysis results showed that women expect functional food products to fulfill the aspects of product presentation, product assurance, convenience, health benefits and safety and sensory characteristics. These five aspects are referred to as the expected quality dimensions. Twenty-one indicators can be used to measure the quality of functional food expected by women.

Research limitations/implications

Other researchers can use this study to understand functional food female consumers' behavior. Furthermore, functional food companies can utilize it to measure consumers' expectations of their products' quality and performance.

Originality/value

This research is believed to be the first study to identify the dimensions of functional food quality expected by female consumers. Most existing research on the perceived quality of functional food measures functional food quality based on performance and ignored the differences in expectations between men and women.
Pyopneumothorax with bronchopleural fistula due to pulmonary infection caused by Porphyromonas gingivalis in a patient with periodontitis
Authors: Sha Jun , Shao Jie , Lu Sheng , Yao Wei , Deng Yimai , Chen Jie , Zhang Jianfeng , Feng Yufeng
Published: August 2023

Pyopneumothorax with bronchopleural fistula is a rare complication of lung infection. We herein report a case of pyopneumothorax with bronchopleural fistula caused by Porphyromonas gingivalis infection, a common pathogenic pathogen of periodontitis, in a 49‐year‐old man with periodontitis. The patient was admitted with respiratory failure. Pleural puncture yielded a lot of gas continually and foul‐smelling light brown pus, which was found to be caused due to infection with P. gingivalis by the metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) and anaerobic culture.
An exploration of recent trends in the number of British pubs and how these vary by neighbourhood type
Authors: Clark Stephen , Leahy Christopher , Hood Nick
Published: August 2023

The common narrative in the media is that the British public house is in terminal decline and that these losses are having a significant impact on local communities. While it is true that some pubs are closing, it is also true that others are opening. This article examines the quarterly trend of pub numbers over eight years in various neighbourhoods and utilises a multilevel model to estimate and illustrate these trends. City and town centres with a thriving night‐time economy show the most significant increases in pub numbers, whereas suburban areas show a more mixed picture, with pubs in less affluent areas performing better. The areas where reductions are most pronounced are rural locations, especially remote rural communities. The article concludes with an analysis of the reasons behind these trends and suggests avenues for future research.
Moderate‐carbohydrate diet without caloric or lipid restriction for Japanese adult patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Tamai Hideyuki , Okamura Jumpei , Nanjo Kishio
Published: August 2023

Aim

Although a low‐calorie diet with lipid restriction is recommended in clinical practice guidelines for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), both compliance and adherence are poor. The present study aimed to evaluate the compliance, adherence, and effectiveness of a moderate‐carbohydrate diet without caloric or lipid restrictions.

Methods

Participants comprised 300 patients with NAFLD with elevated ALT levels who received counseling in carbohydrate restriction (150–200 g/day). Complete response (CR) was defined as ALT normalization and partial response as a ≥30% reduction in ALT from baseline without CR.

Results

Dropout rates were 3% (10 of 300) after 6 months and 8% (23 of 300) after 12 months. Achievement rates of carbohydrate intake ≤200 g/day after 1, 3, 6, and 12 months were 80%, 81%, 80%, and 73%, respectively. CR and partial response rates were 60% and 31% after 6 months, and 65% and 25% after 12 months, respectively. Rates of achieving a ≥7% weight reduction after 6 and 12 months were 51% and 49%, respectively. Significant reductions in percentage body fat and visceral fat area were obtained, along with a significant increase in liver/spleen attenuation ratio. Serum lipids, uric acid, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, hemoglobin A1c, C‐reactive protein, ferritin, immunoglobulin, blood cell, shear wave velocity in the liver, and Mac‐2‐binding protein glycosylated isomers all decreased significantly.

Conclusions

Compliance and adherence to a moderate‐carbohydrate diet without caloric or lipid restriction is high. The sustained high effectiveness of this therapy would improve the pathophysiological state of NAFLD.
Toxicological interactions between spinosad and essential oils in the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata
Authors: Cortez‐Vega Ana , Jofré‐Barud Flavia , Andino Natalia , Gómez María Pía , López María Liza
Published: August 2023

In recent decades, the use of biopesticides for pest management has increased, especially in modern and organic agriculture. Spinosad is a biopesticide approved in many countries for its use against Ceratitis capitata. However, an increasing amount of pest resistance against spinosad had been found in different pest species. In the present study, we propose the use of a combination between essential oils (EOs) and spinosad as a way to contribute to the development of sustainable alternatives, integrating natural substances with anti‐insect properties and reducing the amount of commercial active ingredients by synergistic effects. Our primary objective was to investigate the synergistic potential of EOs and spinosad in order to enhance the insecticidal efficacy against C. capitata adults. We evaluate the toxic effect of the EOs of Baccharis spartioides (Hook), Eucalyptus cinerea (F. Muell. ex Benth) and Schinus areira (Linneo), the bioinsecticide spinosad and their combinations. We evaluated the combined toxicities of EOs from B. spartioides, E. cinerea and S. areira with spinosad and characterized the LD50 of each mixture and each substance administered topically alone on male and female individuals of C. capitata. A synergistic effect was observed for the B. spartioides–spinosad mixture in females and the S. areira–spinosad mixture in both sexes, and an antagonistic effect was found for the B. spartioides–spinosad mixture and the E. cinerea–spinosad mixture in males. Considering these results, we suggest the use of the EO from S. areira combined with spinosad as an alternative way of controlling C. capitata.
Fertility‐sparing management of stage IIIC serous borderline ovarian tumor: A case report of a 20‐year follow‐up
Authors: Iwamoto Maiko , Tsubamoto Hiroshi , Yoshiyasu Kanako , Wakimoto Yu , Nakagawa Kohei , Shibahara Hiroaki
Published: August 2023

Multimodal treatment, including assisted reproductive technology, is necessary in young patients with advanced borderline ovarian tumors. However, the details of long‐term follow‐up cases have not been reported. In this report, a 19‐year‐old patient presented with a stage IIIC serous borderline tumor. The patient underwent five fertility‐sparing surgeries. The tumor did not respond to any of the three lines of chemotherapy administered. Serological and radiological responses were observed following hormonal treatment with leuprorelin, followed by a fourth surgery. Before the planned fifth surgery for complete resection of both adnexa, cryopreservation of the fertilized eggs was performed. At age 36, when the disease‐free interval exceeded the previous one, we proposed embryo transfer; however, she declined fertility treatment. The patient had developed rheumatoid arthritis and childbirth not a priority. The patient had lived without any evidence of disease for 7 years following the last surgery and 20 years after the initial visit.
Dental Health Services Victoria value‐based health care principles for oral health models of care
Authors: Lin Clare Elizabeth , Nguyen Tan Minh , McGrath Roisin , Patterson Amy , Hall Martin
Published: August 2023

Background

Efforts to progress oral healthcare reform can be challenging with competing interests of governments and service providers to achieve the intended outcomes. The value‐based health care approach has been adopted in many areas of healthcare but has had limited applications to oral healthcare systems. Dental Health Services Victoria, an Australian state government funded entity, commenced its journey to value‐based health care in 2016, to shift away from traditional dental service models that reward activity and volume towards a stronger emphasis on value and outcomes.

Aims

To maintain the value‐based health care agenda focus, Dental Health Services Victoria developed three key principles, which can be adopted by other organisations engaged in reforming oral healthcare, to improve the oral health for the population it serves.

Materials & Methods

In 2018, Dental Health Services Victoria developed a value‐based health care framework, which has informed strategic organisation priorities for action. In 2023, the following three key principles are identified as being essential to support the operationalisation and development of effective models of oral healthcare: Principle 1 – Care is co‐designed with the person or population Principle 2 – Prevention and early intervention are prioritised. Principle 3 – Consistent measurement of health outcomes and costs are embedded.

Discussion

The exploration of the three key principles is an important communication tool to translate value‐based health care into practice with key stakeholders. Further work is required to socialise them to within dental teams.

Conclusion

Organisations looking to commence the value‐based health care agenda can apply Dental Health Services Victoria's three key principles as a first step.
Species diversity, trophic structure, and taxonomic distinctness of molluscan assemblages associated with Sargassum beds in a historically impacted bay
Authors: Longo Pedro A. S. , Mansur Karine F. R. , Silva Amanda T. , Passos Flávio D. , Leite Fosca P. P.
Published: August 2023

Anthropogenic impacts on coastal habitats can result in alterations of diversity parameters in marine invertebrate assemblages. Macroalgae beds are highly susceptible to human‐induced disturbances, supporting a great diversity of molluscan species and being ecologically important for coastal ecosystems. This study investigates the diversity alterations on Sargassum‐associated molluscan assemblages from areas with different distances from a main source of pollution within a historically impacted bay in Brazil. In general, sites closer to the pollution source presented lower species diversity, trophic diversity, and taxonomic relatedness among species. Beta diversity among assemblages was highly correlated with environmental differentiations among localities due to heavy metal concentrations in algal tissue. Bittiolum varium was the dominant species and was mainly responsible for differences in community parameters. Several trophic groups were well‐represented in Sargassum‐associated molluscan fauna, but assemblages were mostly dominated by micrograzers. A seasonal trend was observed in diversity alterations, with lower diversity during warm season at most sites except Santa Rita, possibly because it is the site less affected by human impacts. The importance of other environmental variables, such as hydrodynamism, for molluscan composition is also discussed. Our results highlight the potential of Sargassum‐associated molluscan assemblages for the study of impacted areas and reinforce the importance of using multiple community metrics to understand the biodiversity patterns of marine invertebrates under anthropogenic impacts.
Inter Generation Relationships in Taking Care of the Elderly in Karo, Indonesia
Authors: Achmad Nurman , Yusuf Mohammad
Published: August 2023

This study aims to uncover family conflict stemming from caring for the elderly in the Karo ethnic group in North Sumatera resulting in the elderly not feeling comfortable and prefering to live alone or go to a nursing home. An ethnographical study was conducted in Lingga village, Karo to gather information on what Cliffort Geertz has proposed as the thick description of cultural values and the expectations of the elderly. Data was collected through participant observation and in-depth interviews with the elderly with different characteristics. This study found that the elderly’s ideal conception of a place to live is related to various social and cultural aspects of their society, which are interrelated with the functions of affection, obedience and tolerance as  family members in the community. This study finds that the elderly expect to have autonomy, but were in fact dependant on their children. This study also finds that research on the elderly should investigate sociocultural aspects of the elderly in order to minimalize conflict.
Examining Journalist’s Perception of Fake News and Their Attitude toward Debunking disinformation
Authors: Çela Erlis
Published: August 2023

Fake news and other forms of disinformation pose a serious threat to the news ecosystem and the informing of audiences, who are increasingly dependent on online sources of information. After the attention paid to the spreading of fake news, researchers have focused on the study of the negative effects that different typologies of disinformation are prone to having on audiences. Similarly, great attention has also been paid to the motives that users have for the spreading of fake news.These studies, which combine various disciplines, attempt to analyze the psychological factors and motives that lead users to engage with online fake news. On the other hand, several studies have analyzed the role of platforms and their algorithmic logic, as well as the main approaches for addressing this significant problem. Although much effort has been devoted to the phenomenon of disinformation in social media, the role of professional journalists in exposing false information has not been given the necessary attention.Albania is a country with a high rate of fake news and conspiracy theories. This study will investigate the Albanian journalists’ perception of fake news and the risk in them being used as a means of (dis)informing the audience. It will also focus on how this perception affects their behavior and willingness to debunk disinformation on social media. Making use of a national-level questionnaire, to which 270 journalists contributing in the Albanian media responded, the study aims to answer some important questions about the role of journalists in addressing disinformation issues in the social media space. The findings from this study indicate that although journalists in Albania perceive fake news as a danger to democracy, the media and the journalism profession, they do not seem motivated to engage in the debunking actions and exposing of fake news circulating online.
Metaplasticity: Dark exposure boosts local excitability and visual plasticity in adult human cortex
Authors: Min Seung Hyun , Wang Zili , Chen Meng Ting , Hu Rongjie , Gong Ling , He Zhifen , Wang Xiaoxiao , Hess Robert F. , Zhou Jiawei
Published: August 2023

An interlude of dark exposure for about 1 week is known to shift excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance of the mammalian visual cortex, promoting plasticity and accelerating visual recovery in animals that have experienced cortical lesions during development. However, the translational impact of our understanding of dark exposure from animal studies to humans remains elusive. Here, we used magnetic resonance spectroscopy as a probe for E/I balance in the primary visual cortex (V1) to determine the effect of 60 min of dark exposure, and measured binocular combination as a behavioural assay to assess visual plasticity in 14 normally sighted human adults. To induce neuroplastic changes in the observers, we introduced 60 min of monocular deprivation, which is known to temporarily shift sensory eye balance in favour of the previously deprived eye. We report that prior dark exposure for 60 min strengthens local excitability in V1 and boosts visual plasticity in normal adults. However, we show that it does not promote plasticity in amblyopic adults. Nevertheless, our findings are surprising, given the fact that the interlude is very brief. Interestingly, we find that the increased concentration of the excitatory neurotransmitter is not strongly correlated with the enhanced functional plasticity. Instead, the absolute degree of change in its concentration is related to the boost, suggesting that the dichotomy of cortical excitation and inhibition might not explain the physiological basis of plasticity in humans. We present the first evidence that an environmental manipulation that shifts cortical E/I balance can also act as a metaplastic facilitator for visual plasticity in humans.

image

Key points

A brief interlude (60 min) of dark exposure increased the local concentration of glutamine/glutamate but not that of GABA in the visual cortex of adult humans.

After dark exposure, the degree of the shift in sensory eye dominance in favour of the previously deprived eye from short‐term monocular deprivation was larger than that from only monocular deprivation.

The neurochemical and behavioural measures were associated: the magnitude of the shift in the concentration of glutamine/glutamate was correlated with the boost in perceptual plasticity after dark exposure.

Surprisingly, the increase in the concentration of glutamine/glutamate was not correlated with the perceptual boost after dark exposure, suggesting that the physiological mechanism of how E/I balance regulates plasticity is not deterministic. In other words, an increased excitation did not unilaterally promote plasticity.
Descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty is the predominant keratoplasty procedure in Germany since 2016: a report of the DOG-section cornea and its keratoplasty registry
Authors: Flockerzi Elias , Turner Christina , Seitz Berthold , Collaborators GeKeR Study Group
Published: August 2023

Background/aims

This retrospective multicentric panel study provides absolute numbers, types of and indications for corneal transplantation in Germany from 2011 to 2021 and sets them into the international context.

Methods

A questionnaire was sent to the 104 German ophthalmologic surgery departments and 93 (89%) provided their data.

Results

The number of reported keratoplasties more than doubled from 2011 (n=4474) to 2021 (n=8998). Lamellar keratoplasties (49% posterior (n=2883), 4% anterior (n=231)) surpassed penetrating keratoplasty (PKP, 47%, n=2721) for the first time in 2014. Since 2016, Descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) has become the predominant keratoplasty procedure in Germany. Its number increased by 1.5-fold from 3850 (2016) to 5812 (2021). Main indications in 2021 were Fuchs’ endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD, 43%), pseudophakic corneal decompensation (12%), repeated keratoplasty (11%), infections (7%), keratoconus (6%) and corneal scarring (4%, others: 9%). The PKP percentage decreased from 70.2% in 2011 (n=3141) to 31.7% in 2021 (n=2853). Descemet’s stripping (automated) endothelial keratoplasties (DSAEKs) decreased to 1% in 2021 (n=74). 98.6% of all posterior lamellar keratoplasties were DMEKs in Germany in 2021. The number of deep anterior lamellar keratoplasties (DALKs) remained comparable from 2011 (n=269) to 2021 (n=251, 2.8%).

Conclusion

Main indications for corneal transplantation in Germany (2021) were FECD and pseudophakic corneal decompensation. DMEK is by far the predominant corneal transplantation procedure since 2016 followed by PKP, whose absolute number decreased only slightly during the decade from 2011 to 2021. DALK proportions remain low, but stable, whereas DSAEK decreased annually and plays a minor role in Germany.

Trial registration number

NCT03381794.
The Z resonance, inelastic dark matter, and new physics anomalies in the Simple Extension of the Standard Model (SESM) with general scalar potential
Authors: Zhang Wenxing , Li Tianjun , Yin Xiangwei
Published: August 2023

We consider the generic scalar potential with CP-violation, and study the Z resonance and inelastic dark matter in the Simple Extension of the Standard Model (SESM), which can explain the dark matter as well as new physics anomalies such as the B physics anomalies and muon anomalous magnetic moment, etc. With the new scalar potential terms, we obtain the mass splittings for the real and imaginary parts of scalar fields. And thus we can have the DM co-annihilation process mediated by Z boson, which couples exclusively to the CP-even and CP-odd parts of scalar fields. This is a brand new feature compared to the previous study. For the CP conserving case, we present the viable parameter space for the Higgs and Z resonances, which can explain the B physics anomalies, muon anomalous magnetic moment, and dark matter relic density, as well as evade the constraint from the XENON1T direct detection simultaneously. For the CP-violating case, we consider the inelastic dark matter, and study four concrete scenarios for the inelastic DM-nucleon scatterings mediated by the Higgs and Z bosons in details. Also, we present the benchmark points which satisfy the aforementioned constraints. Furthermore, we investigate the constraints from the dark matter-electron inelastic scattering processes mediated by the Higgs and Z bosons in light of the XENONnT data. We show that the constraint on the Z mediated process is weak, while the Higgs mediated process excludes the dark matter with mass around several MeV.
Vacuum polarization induced by a cosmic string and a brane in AdS spacetime
Authors: dos Santos W. Oliveira , de Mello E. R. Bezerra
Published: August 2023

In this paper we investigate the vacuum polarization effects associated to a charged quantum massive scalar field on a $$(D+1)$$

(
D
+
1
)

-dimensional anti-de Sitter background induced by a magnetic-flux-carrying cosmic string in the braneworld model context. We consider the brane parallel to the anti-de Sitter boundary and the cosmic string orthogonal to them. Moreover, we assume that the field obeys the Robin boundary condition on the brane. Because the brane divides the space into two regions with different properties of the quantum vacuum, we calculate the vacuum expectation value (VEV) of the field squared and the energy–momentum tensor (EMT) in each region. To develop these analyses, we have constructed the positive frequency Wightman function for both regions. The latter is decomposed in a part associated with the anti-de Sitter bulk in the presence of a cosmic string only, and the other part induced by the brane. The vacuum polarization effects associated with the higher-dimensional anti-de Sitter bulk in the presence of cosmic string have been developed in the literature, and here we are mainly interested in the effects induced by the brane. We show that the VEVs of the field squared and the components of the EMT induced by the cosmic string are finite on the brane. Explicitly, we compare these observables with the corresponding ones induced by the brane only, and show that near the brane the contribution induced by the latter is larger than the one induced by the string; however, for points distant from the brane the situation is reversed. Moreover, some asymptotic expressions for the VEV of the field squared and EMT are provided for specific limiting cases of the physical parameters of the model. Also, an application of our results is given for a cosmic string in the $$Z_2$$

Z
2

-symmetric Randall–Sundrum braneworld model with a single brane.
Charged particles and quasiperiodic oscillations around magnetized Schwarzschild black holes
Authors: Qi Mai , Rayimbaev Javlon , Ahmedov Bobomurat
Published: August 2023

We study the motion of charged particles around Schwarzschild black holes immersed in external (i) asymptotically uniform, (ii) dipolar, and (iii) parabolic-like magnetic fields. The effect of the different magnetic-field configurations on the position of innermost stable circular orbits (ISCOs) for test-charged particles is analyzed. Furthermore, we investigated frequencies of radial and vertical oscillations of the charged particles along their stable circular orbits together with the Keplerian one. As an astrophysical application, we explore quasiperiodic oscillations (QPOs) observed in microquasars sourced by black hole candidates in the frame of the relativistic precession (RP) model. In order to obtain constraints on the values of the magnetic parameter and black hole mass for the microquasars GRO J1655-40 and GRS 1915-105, we use the method so-called $$\chi ^2$$

χ
2

in the Bayesian approach. Also, we get constraints on the magnetic field around the black hole in the microquasars by treating electrons and protons as oscillating test-charged particles in the accretion disc. Our performed analyses show that the masses of black hole candidates in the above-mentioned objects and magnetic parameters are different for the uniform and dipolar magnetic field configurations. However, no constraints on the magnetic field and black hole masses are obtained in the case of a parabolic magnetic field configuration. The obtained results on the black hole masses are compared with the measurements in independent astrophysical observations of these black hole masses.
Stock Price Forecasting with LSTM: A Brief Analysis of Mathematics Behind LSTM
Authors: Al-Utaibi Khaled A. , Siddiq Shehneel , Sait Sadiq M.
Published: August 2023

Stock marketing prediction is really important in this digital world and for this reason, its forecasting tools are highly desired. This research examines the influence of Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) in stock market prediction. The basic genetic algorithm behind the time series analysis tool is described with the help of a structure diagram, and its mathematical structure is explained. We also described the application of LSTM in the field of finance. LSTM is playing a vital role in prediction in several applications. Experiments on the proposed method have been conducted on stock market data. The results show that LSTM predicts the price quite fairly accurately. It outperformed other prediction models due to long-term dependency and due to its accuracy. The research demonstrates the LSTM tool’s impact on finance, particularly stock market prediction.
Beauty
Authors: DiBlasi Johnny , Castellanos Carlos , Bello Bello
Published: August 2023

We discuss Beauty, a machine-microbial artwork, currently in development by Phylum, an experimental research collective specializing in cultural production informed by the intersections of science, technology and the arts (and of which the authors are founding members). The work is based upon an artificial intelligence agent that uses deep reinforcement learning to interact with and alter cultures of pattern-forming social bacteria in order to make them more aesthetically pleasing.
High Efficiency Production of Urea from Electrochemical Coreduction of Carbon Dioxide and Nitrite at Carbon Supported Iron(III) Tetrasulfophthalocyanine Under Ambient Conditions
Authors: Akther Jasmeen , Song Chaojie , Fatih Khalid , Pickup Peter G.
Published: August 2023

Electrochemical coreduction of carbon dioxide with nitrite can potentially be used to remove two serious pollutants from the environment while producing urea as an essential fertilizer and valuable fuel. However, efficiencies are currently much too low due to the high overpotentials required and/or low faradaic efficiency (FE) for urea formation. Although metal phthalocyanine catalysts can provide reasonably high FE (≤42%), high negative potentials (≤−0.75 V vs RHE) are required. Here it is shown that a water soluble, sulfonated iron(III) phthalocyanine can produce a higher FE for urea (54%) at +0.053 V vs RHE, with 25% coproduction of ammonia. Urea production was measured by the diacetyl monoxime (DAM) method, and verified by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Electrodes prepared with a carbon black support and Nafion binder exhibited good stability in the 0.1 M NaHCO3 electrolyte.
Analysis of Public Technology Collaborative Innovation Based on Private Technology: A Tripartite Evolutionary Game Approach
Authors: Liang Yunjuan , Liang Xin , Wei Hua
Published: August 2023

Public technology collaborative innovation serves as an essential driving force to implement the innovation-driven strategy as well as promote national and regional economic sustainable development. Moreover, strengthening the construction of public technology collaborative innovation system is likewise of great significance for strengthening the quality and technology level of enterprises, enhancing their independent innovation capability, and achieving strategic transformation. Particularly, collaborative innovation of public technology in accordance with mature private technology enables the efficient allocation of technological and economic resources. In practice, there are still issues including high innovation costs, insufficient motivation, and low efficiency of innovation. Existing research typically ignores the technical cooperation among multiple parties. An evolutionary game model of public technology collaborative innovation is established in this paper to examine the interaction mechanism among the government, enterprises, and technology owners. For the purpose of analyzing the dynamic evolution of public technology collaborative innovation behavior and its influencing factors, numerical simulation experiments were conducted with meaningful results: (1) Setting the cost and benefit allocation coefficient in a scientific manner contributes to system stability and promotes cooperation among game players. (2) Reasonable government subsidies and penalties can assist in the formation of an active technological innovation between the firm and the technology owner. (3) The pricing method of private technology transfer is a significant factor influencing the evolution process. Besides, the adoption of a technology pricing method on the basis of government interests is conducive to the formation of a stable tripartite win-win situation. The research on collaborative innovation of public technology is further expanded in this paper, offering a reference for the formulation of relevant policies aimed at promoting cooperation in public technology innovation.
Ecoepidemiological Model and Optimal Control Analysis of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus Disease in Tomato Plant
Authors: Kahsay Berhe Nerea , Makinde Oluwole D.
Published: August 2023

The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of control strategies, namely, insecticide spray, roguing of a diseased tomato plant, and protective netting to protect tomato plant from tomato yellow leaf curl virus disease (TYLCVD). For this, we formulate and analyze a simple deterministic model for the transmission dynamics of TYLCVD that incorporates these control strategies. We initially take into account the constant control case, we calculate the basic reproduction number, and we investigate the existence and stability of the disease-free and endemic equilibria. We use the Kamgang-Sallet stability to ensure that the disease-free equilibrium point is globally asymptotically stable when the reproduction number

R

0

is less than one. This indicates that TYLCVD dies out independent of the initial size of the tomato population. For

R

0

<
1

, the disease-free equilibrium becomes unstable, and the endemic equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable. This indicates that TYLCVD propagates. In the nonconstant control case, we use Pontryagin’s maximum principle to derive the necessary conditions for the optimal control of the disease. Our findings show that all the combined efforts of two out of three strategies can significantly reduce the power of infectivity of the disease except the combination of the use of insecticide spray and rouging infected tomato plants. Besides our numerical simulations show, the implementation of the combination of roguing diseased plants and protective netting has a similar effect in minimizing or eliminating TYLCV as the use of all strategies. Hence, as resources are always in scarce, we recommend policymakers to adapt the combination of the use of roguing diseased tomato plants and protective netting to eradicate the disease.
Pilot Study of a Screen-Free Week: Exploration of Changes in Parent and Child Screen Time, Parent Well-Being and Attitudes, and Parent-Child Relationship Quality
Authors: McDaniel Brandon T. , Rasmussen Sydney , Reining Lauren , Culp Leesha , Deverell Kacey
Published: August 2023

Screen use is associated with a variety of potential impacts on child development, which has led to recommendations to regulate screen use. The current pilot study was conducted to explore the potential effects of implementing screen-free times (Screen-Free Week) on parent and child screen use, parent feelings and well-being, and parent-child interactions and relationships. Specifically, we evaluated the outcomes utilizing pre and postintervention self-report surveys with 24 parents (of a child age 5 years or younger). Overall, the screen-free week program decreased parent depressive symptoms, increased the parenting of child screen time and establishments of screen time limits, and decreased both parent and child screen time. Though the decrease in overall parent and child screen time was not maintained by 4 weeks after, effects on parent depression, child TV watching, and parent phone use specifically during child time were maintained. These findings support previous research emphasizing screen-free times as a viable method to increase intentionality around screen use. Interestingly, the program appears to have had the strongest effects on parent phone use around their child, suggesting the program may build awareness in parents and may cause them to change or desire to change their screen habits during family time. Although we saw initial shifts in parent-child play, effects were not maintained by week 4. Yet, the small changes parents made across one week were not sufficient to shift the overall parent-child relationship. While effects cannot be viewed as definitive, it is promising that shifts were seen in parent well-being and screen use for a relatively small amount of effort across one week.
Perfil das decisões dos processos judiciais cíveis em oftalmologia no TJSP entre 2014 e 2021
Authors: Abdalla Milena , Ferro Emilio Zuolo , Motta Marcia Vieira da
Published: August 2023

A judicialização da saúde é fenômeno que vem aumentando no Brasil, sendo a área da oftalmologia particularmente sensível a processos de má prática profissional por envolver procedimentos cirúrgicos e patologias com risco de perda da visão. O objetivo deste estudo foi levantar o entendimento da jurisprudência do Tribunal de Justiça do Estado de São Paulo, por meio da análise dos acórdãos de apelação disponíveis online, do período de 2014 a 2021. Encontrou-se 39 decisões de erro médico em oftalmologia, entre processos públicos (43,59%) e privados (56,41%), nos quais houve êxito do pleito em 48,71% dos casos. Os tratamentos cirúrgicos foram os que mais motivaram o litígio (46,15%), sendo o tratamento de catarata o mais frequente (61,5%). Também motivaram as lides: os erros de diagnóstico ou de instituição de tratamento (17,94%), a demora para início do tratamento em serviços públicos (7,69%), a infecção hospitalar por insumo contaminado (2,56%), o tratamento de pterígio (5,12%), e a cirurgia refrativa (7,69%). Considerando o acesso, 50% das ações foram propostas por mulheres, com 97,44% de concessão de justiça gratuita no geral. A maioria dos casos exigiu perícia para resolução (84,61%); dos quais 27,27% eram especialistas com registro no CFM nas áreas da perícia (oftalmologia e reumatologia, em um caso). As condenações, quando houve perda de visão, ficaram com maior frequência no patamar de 60 mil reais, divididos entre danos morais e estéticos. Danos materiais foram concedidos em apenas três casos, e não houve pensionamento em qualquer situação, mesmo nos casos em que a pessoa perdeu a visão e o emprego. Um grande número de ações tratou de erros grosseiros em cirurgias de catarata realizadas por meio de mutirão. Concluiu-se que a presente jurisprudência segue a literatura nacional e internacional, que apresenta maior frequência de litígios relacionados a cirurgias de catarata. Não é claro ainda aos autores de ações públicas quais são as partes que devem compor o polo passivo da ação de erro médico, principalmente nos casos que envolvem parcerias público-privadas, com proposituras envolvendo pessoas jurídicas estranhas ao processo e a Justiça errada – pública e não privada. Embora a Justiça gratuita facilite o acesso ao judiciário, com altos valores pleiteados na inicial, o ressarcimento ainda é diminuto quando comparado aos processos internacionais, e observaram-se narrativas com pedidos genéricos nas iniciais, dificultando a prestação jurisdicional.