bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental and Numerical Evaluations of Dynamic Transfer Matrix for a Three-Dimensional Centrifugal Impeller Based on Unsteady Energy Conservation
Authors: Kambayashi Izuru , Dou Chengye , Kang Donghyuk
Published: March 2024

Under unsteady operating conditions in turbomachinery, the performance is unable to respond rapidly enough to follow characteristic curves for the steady condition. To design a reliable turbomachinery under unexpected unsteady conditions, we evaluated the dynamic transfer matrix of a three-dimensional centrifugal impeller. The working fluid is incompressible air. To make the current results more applicable in a broader sense such as pumps, all parameters and results were normalized. The experimental results showed a more significant negative slope in the unsteady performance curve compared to that in the steady performance curve. This was mainly caused by the phase delay of the pressure rise to the pulsating flowrate. We clarified the changes in gain and phase delay under unsteady conditions by conducting numerical simulations. The numerical results showed that the unsteady pressure rise was primarily generated by inertia and power terms in the unsteady energy conservation equation. The power term was predominantly influenced by the angular momentum flowrate difference and the change rate of angular momentum. Each term was quantitatively evaluated, and its contribution to the unsteady pressure rise was discussed. Within the range of frequencies tested in this study, the transfer matrix for the three-dimensional centrifugal impeller could be effectively approximated through a first-order lag approximation considering a series-connected derivative system. We believe that our findings can be extended to centrifugal pumps when disregarding the compressibility effects such as cavitation.
Automated Wall Thickness Evaluation for Turbine Blades Using Robot-Guided Ultrasonic Array Imaging
Authors: Hassenstein Christian , Heckel Thomas , Tomasson Ingimar , Vöhringer Daniel , Berendt Torsten , Wassermann Jonas , Prager Jens
Published: March 2024

Nondestructive testing has become an essential part of the maintenance of modern gas turbine blades and vanes since it provides an increase in both safety against critical failure and efficiency of operation. Targeted repairs of the blade's airfoil require localized wall thickness information. This information, however, is hard to obtain by nondestructive testing due to the complex shapes of surfaces, cavities, and material characteristics. To address this problem, we introduce an automated nondestructive testing system that scans the part using an immersed ultrasonic array probe guided by a robot arm. For imaging, we adopt a two-step, surface-adaptive Total Focusing Method (TFM) approach. For each test position, the TFM allows us to identify the outer surface, followed by calculating an adaptive image of the interior of the part, where the inner surface's position and shape are obtained. To handle the large volumes of data, the surface features are automatically extracted from the TFM images using specialized image processing algorithms. Subsequently, the collection of 2D extracted surface data is merged and smoothed in 3D space to form the outer and inner surfaces, facilitating wall thickness evaluation. With this approach, representative zones on two gas turbine vanes were tested, and the reconstructed wall thickness values were evaluated via comparison with reference data from an optical scan. For the test zones on two turbine vanes, average errors ranging from 0.05 mm to 0.1 mm were identified, with a standard deviation of 0.06–0.16 mm.
Improved optical and electrical response by glancing angle synthesized Al2O3 nanorod array device
Authors: Das Abhijit , Singh Naorem Khelchand , Singh Laishram Robindro , Sarkar Mitra Barun
Published: March 2024

An Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3) nanorod (NR) array–based device has been synthesized upon an Al2O3 thin film (TF) by electron beam (E-beam) evaporation with a glancing angle deposition technique. The complete fabrication has been done inside a vacuum coating unit. The Al2O3 nanostructures have been fabricated on a silicon substrate. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy show a vertically aligned Al2O3 NR array. From the Tauc plot, the optical band energies are estimated as 5 eV and 5.5 eV for the bare Al2O3 TF and Al2O3 NR/Al2O3 TF devices, respectively. Significant improvement has been observed in photosensitivity by 10 fold, detectivity by 4.2 fold, and noise equivalent power (NEP) by 16.5 fold for the Al2O3 NR/Al2O3 TF device compared with the Al2O3 TF. The Al2O3 NR/Al2O3 TF device exhibits a very fast photoswitching response (rise time = 0.15 s and fall time = 0.13 s). Therefore, the Al2O3 NR/Al2O3 TF device proves to be a prominent candidate for next-generation optoelectronic device applications.
Having Impact and Doing It Quickly: The Place for Brief and Single-Session Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies in Sport Psychology Practice
Authors: Britton Darren , Wood Andrew G. , Pitt Tim
Published: March 2024

Cognitive-behavioral therapies and related approaches are highly prevalent within sport psychology practice. Traditionally, these approaches are delivered across interventions comprising multiple sessions. However, in the fast-paced environments in which many applied sport psychologists operate, practitioners are sometimes required to provide fast, effective, and impactful interventions to athletes at their point of need within a single session. Single-session integrated cognitive-behavioral therapy presents a potentially effective approach for practice wherein time is often at a premium, and there is frequently pressure to make an impact quickly to improve performance. In this article, we put forward a stimulus piece that contextualizes single-session integrated cognitive-behavioral therapy and overviews how sport psychology practitioners may use such techniques with athletes. We also put forth a call for more practitioners to report more idiographic case studies that feature the use of brief or single-session interventions to further build the evidence base for such approaches.
eEF1A2 promotes PTEN-GSK3β-SCF complex-dependent degradation of Aurora kinase A and is inactivated in breast cancer
Authors: Treekitkarnmongkol Warapen , Solis Luisa M. , Sankaran Deivendran , Gagea Mihai , Singh Pankaj K. , Mistry Ragini , Nguyen Tristian , Kai Kazuharu , Liu Jiajun , Sasai Kaori , Jitsumori Yoshimi , Liu Jianwen , Nagao Norio , Stossi Fabio , Mancini Michael A. , Wistuba Ignacio I. , Thompson Alastair M. , Lee Jonathan M. , Cadiñanos Juan , Wong Kwong-Kwok , Abbott Catherine M. , Sahin Aysegul A. , Liu Suyu , Katayama Hiroshi , Sen Subrata
Published: March 2024

The translation elongation factor eEF1A promotes protein synthesis. Its methylation by METTL13 increases its activity, supporting tumor growth. However, in some cancers, a high abundance of eEF1A isoforms is associated with a good prognosis. Here, we found that eEF1A2 exhibited oncogenic or tumor-suppressor functions depending on its interaction with METTL13 or the phosphatase PTEN, respectively. METTL13 and PTEN competed for interaction with eEF1A2 in the same structural domain. PTEN-bound eEF1A2 promoted the ubiquitination and degradation of the mitosis-promoting Aurora kinase A in the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle. eEF1A2 bridged the interactions between the SKP1-CUL1-FBXW7 (SCF) ubiquitin ligase complex, the kinase GSK3β, and Aurora-A, thereby facilitating the phosphorylation of Aurora-A in a degron site that was recognized by FBXW7. Genetic ablation of
Eef1a2
or
Pten
in mice resulted in a greater abundance of Aurora-A and increased cell cycling in mammary tumors, which was corroborated in breast cancer tissues from patients. Reactivating this pathway using fimepinostat, which relieves inhibitory signaling directed at PTEN and increases
FBXW7
expression, combined with inhibiting Aurora-A with alisertib, suppressed breast cancer cell proliferation in culture and tumor growth in vivo. The findings demonstrate a therapeutically exploitable, tumor-suppressive role for eEF1A2 in breast cancer.
Accounting for the microbial assembly of each process in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs): study of four WWTPs receiving similar influent streams
Authors: Cheng Hong , Monjed Mohammad K. , Myshkevych Yevhen , Wang Tiannyu , Hong Pei-Ying
Published: March 2024

We evaluated a unique model in which four full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with the same treatment schematic and fed with similar influent wastewater were tracked over an 8-month period to determine whether the community assembly would differ in the activated sludge (AS) and sand filtration (SF) stages. For each WWTP, AS and SF achieved an average of 1-log
10
(90%) and <0.02-log
10
(5%) reduction of total cells, respectively. Despite the removal of cells, both AS and SF had a higher alpha and beta diversity compared to the influent microbial community. Using the Sloan neutral model, it was observed that AS and SF were individually dominated by different assembly processes. Specifically, microorganisms from influent to AS were predominantly determined by the selective niche process for all WWTPs, while the microbial community in the SF was relatively favored by a stochastic, random migration process, except two WWTPs. AS also contributed more to the final effluent microbial community compared with the SF. Given that each WWTP operates the AS independently and that there is a niche selection process driven mainly by the chemical oxygen demand concentration, operational taxonomic units unique to each of the WWTPs were also identified. The findings from this study indicate that each WWTP has its distinct microbial signature and could be used for source-tracking purposes.

IMPORTANCE

This study provided a novel concept that microorganisms follow a niche assembly in the activated sludge (AS) tank and that the AS contributed more than the sand filtration process toward the final microbial signature that is unique to each treatment plant. This observation highlights the importance of understanding the microbial community selected by the AS stage, which could contribute toward source-tracking the effluent from different wastewater treatment plants.
Cellulolytic
Bacillus cereus
produces a variety of short-chain fatty acids and has potential as a probiotic
Authors: Liao Yixiao , Wu Shihui , Zhou Guixian , Mei Shihui , Yang Zemin , Li Shuang , Jin Zhengyu , Deng Yongjun , Wen Ming , Yang Ying
Published: March 2024

Cellulolytic bacteria ferment dietary fiber into short-chain fatty acids, which play an important role in improving fiber utilization and maintaining intestinal health. Safe and effective cellulolytic bacteria are highly promising probiotic candidates. In this study, we isolated three strains of
Bacillus cereus,
which exhibited cellulolytic properties, from Kele pig feces. To assess the genetic basis of cellulose degradation by the isolates, whole-genome sequencing was used to detect functional genes associated with cellulose metabolism. Subsequently, we identified that the
B. cereus
CL2 strain was safe in mice by monitoring body weight changes, performing histopathologic evaluations, and determining routine blood indices. We next evaluated the biological characteristics of the CL2 strain in terms of its growth, tolerance, and antibiotic susceptibility, with a focus on its ability to produce short-chain fatty acids. Finally, the intestinal flora structure of the experimental animals was analyzed to assess the intestinal environment compatibility of the CL2 strain. In this study, we isolated a cellulolytic
B. cereus
CL2, which has multiple cellulolytic functional genes and favorable biological characteristics, from the feces of Kele pigs. Moreover, CL2 could produce a variety of short-chain fatty acids and does not significantly affect the diversity of the intestinal flora. In summary, the cellulolytic bacterium
B. cereus
CL2 is a promising strain for use as a commercial probiotic or in feed supplement.

IMPORTANCE

Short-chain fatty acids are crucial constituents of the intestinal tract, playing an important and beneficial role in preserving the functional integrity of the intestinal barrier and modulating both immune responses and the structure of the intestinal flora. In the intestine, short-chain fatty acids are mainly produced by bacterial fermentation of cellulose. Therefore, we believe that safe and efficient cellulolytic bacteria have the potential to be novel probiotics. In this study, we systematically evaluated the safety and biological characteristics of the cellulolytic bacterium
B. cereus
CL2 and provide evidence for its use as a probiotic.
MicroRNA-5010-5p ameliorates high-glucose induced inflammation in renal tubular epithelial cells by modulating the expression of PPP2R2D
Authors: Choi Sunghee , Sarker Mithun Kumer , Yu Mi Ra , Lee Haekyung , Kwon Soon Hyo , Jeon Jin Seok , Noh Hyunjin , Kim Hyoungnae
Published: March 2024

Introduction

We previously reported the significant upregulation of eight circulating exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD). However, their specific roles and molecular mechanisms in the kidney remain unknown. Among the eight miRNAs, we evaluated the effects of miR-5010-5p on renal tubular epithelial cells under diabetic conditions in this study.

Research design and methods

We transfected the renal tubular epithelial cell line, HK-2, with an miR-5010-5p mimic using recombinant plasmids. The target gene of hsa-miR-5010-5p was identified using a dual-luciferase assay. Cell viability was assessed via the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Moreover, mRNA and protein expression levels were determined via real-time PCR and western blotting, respectively.

Results

High glucose levels did not significantly affect the intracellular expression of miR-5010-5p in HK-2 cells. Transfection of the miR-5010-5p mimic caused no change in cell viability. However, miR-5010-5p-transfected HK-2 cells exhibited significantly decreased expression levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, interleukin-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-ɑ, under high-glucose conditions. These changes were accompanied by the restored expression of phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and decreased phosphorylation of nuclear factor-kappa B. Dual-luciferase assay revealed that miR-5010-5p targeted the gene, protein phosphatase 2 regulatory subunit B delta (PPP2R2D), a subunit of protein phosphatase 2A, which modulates AMPK phosphorylation.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that increased miR-5010-5p expression reduces high glucose-induced inflammatory responses in renal tubular epithelial cells via the regulation of the target gene, PPP2R2D, which modulates AMPK phosphorylation. Therefore, miR-5010-5p may be a promising therapeutic target for DKD.
Effectiveness of mHealth interventions to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviours on work-related productivity and performance: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Miki Takako , Nohara Michiko , Nomura Kyoko
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Technologies such as health and fitness applications (apps) and wearable activity trackers have recently gained popularity and may play a key role in promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviours. Although several systematic reviews have investigated their efficacy in physical activity and sedentary behaviours, few studies have focused on their impact on work-related outcomes among workers. Here, to explore the effects of mHealth interventions designed to encourage physical activity and decrease sedentary behaviours on work-related outcomes, including absenteeism, presenteeism, productivity, work performance and workability among workers, we will conduct a systematic review based on recent articles and an extensive literature search.

Methods and analysis

The literature search will be performed using PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library and the Japan Medical Abstracts Society from inception to 23 September 2023. We will select studies that (1) investigated the impact of mHealth interventions to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviours on work-related outcomes such as absenteeism, presenteeism, productivity, work performance and workability; (2) were designed as a randomised controlled trial (RCT) or non-randomised study of interventions (NRSI); (3) were conducted among workers and (4) were published as full-text original articles in Japanese or English. We will assess the review quality with the AMSTAR 2 tool. The risk of bias will be assessed with the RoB tool 2.0 and ROBINS-I.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval is unnecessary as the study will rely solely on previously published articles. The research results will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Trial registration number

The study protocol has been registered with the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (ID=UMIN000052290).
Joint effects of heat-humidity compound events on drowning mortality in Southern China
Authors: Jiang Zhiying , Lin Ziqiang , Li Zhixing , Yu Min , He Guanhao , Hu Jianxiong , Meng Ruilin , Hou Zhulin , Zhu Sui , Zhou Chunliang , Xiao Yize , Huang Biao , Xu Xiaojun , Jin Donghui , Qin Mingfang , Xu Yiqing , Liu Tao , Ma Wenjun
Published: March 2024

Background

Several previous studies have examined the association of ambient temperature with drowning. However, no study has investigated the effects of heat-humidity compound events on drowning mortality.

Methods

The drowning mortality data and meteorological data during the five hottest months (May to September) were collected from 46 cities in Southern China (2013–2018 in Guangdong, Hunan and Zhejiang provinces). Distributed lag non-linear model was first conducted to examine the association between heat-humidity compound events and drowning mortality at city level. Then, meta-analysis was employed to pool the city-specific exposure-response associations. Finally, we analysed the additive interaction of heat and humidity on drowning mortality.

Results

Compared with wet-non-hot days, dry-hot days had greater effects (excess rate (ER)=32.34%, 95% CI: 24.64 to 40.50) on drowning mortality than wet-hot days (ER=14.38%, 95%CI: 6.80 to 22.50). During dry-hot days, males (ER=42.40%, 95% CI: 31.92 to 53.72), adolescents aged 0–14 years (ER=45.00%, 95% CI: 21.98 to 72.35) and urban city (ER=36.91%, 95% CI: 23.87 to 51.32) showed higher drowning mortality risk than their counterparts. For wet-hot days, males, adolescents and urban city had higher ERs than their counterparts. Attributable fraction (AF) of drowning attributed to dry-hot days was 23.83% (95% CI: 21.67 to 26.99) which was significantly higher than that for wet-hot days (11.32%, 95% CI: 9.64 to 13.48%). We also observed that high temperature and low humidity had an additive interaction on drowning mortality.

Conclusion

We found that dry-hot days had greater drowning mortality risk and burden than wet-hot days, and high temperature and low humidity might have synergy on drowning mortality.
NASP
gene contributes to autism by epigenetic dysregulation of neural and immune pathways
Authors: Zhang Sipeng , Yang Jie , Ji Dandan , Meng Xinyi , Zhu Chonggui , Zheng Gang , Glessner Joseph , Qu Hui-Qi , Cui Yuechen , Liu Yichuan , Wang Wei , Li Xiumei , Zhang Hao , Xiu Zhanjie , Sun Yan , Sun Ling , Li Jie , Hakonarson Hakon , Li Jin , Xia Qianghua
Published: March 2024

Background

Epigenetics makes substantial contribution to the aetiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and may harbour a unique opportunity to prevent the development of ASD. We aimed to identify novel epigenetic genes involved in ASD aetiology.

Methods

Trio-based whole exome sequencing was conducted on ASD families. Genome editing technique was used to knock out the candidate causal gene in a relevant cell line. ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq and RNA-seq were performed to investigate the functional impact of knockout (KO) or mutation in the candidate gene.

Results

We identified a novel candidate gene
NASP
(nuclear autoantigenic sperm protein) for epigenetic dysregulation in ASD in a Chinese nuclear family including one proband with autism and comorbid atopic disease. The de novo likely gene disruptive variant t
NASP
(Q289X) subjects the expression of t
NASP
to nonsense-mediated decay. t
NASP
KO increases chromatin accessibility, promotes the active promoter state of genes enriched in synaptic signalling and leads to upregulated expression of genes in the neural signalling and immune signalling pathways. Compared with wild-type t
NASP
, t
NASP
(Q289X) enhances chromatin accessibility of the genes with enriched expression in the brain. RNA-seq revealed that genes involved in neural and immune signalling are affected by the t
NASP
mutation, consistent with the phenotypic impact and molecular effects of nasp-1 mutations in
Caenorhabditis elegans
. Two additional patients with ASD were found carrying deletion or deleterious mutation in the
NASP
gene.

Conclusion

We identified novel epigenetic mechanisms mediated by t
NASP
which may contribute to the pathogenesis of ASD and its immune comorbidity.
Resective epilepsy surgery and its impact on depression in adults: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and implications for future research
Authors: Hernandez Poblete Natalia , Gay Florian , Salvo Francesco , Micoulaud-Franchi Jean-Arthur , Bienvenu Thomas , Coelho Julien , Aupy Jerome
Published: March 2024

Background

How epilepsy surgery influences the bidirectional relationship of epilepsy and depression remains poorly defined.

Method

For a better understanding of this question, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of risk ratio on depression prevalence before and after epilepsy surgery, using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Three databases were comprehensively screened for all studies assessing depression before and after resective surgery in adult epileptic patients until 8 October 2022. Studies were included if depression was assessed before and after epilepsy surgery regardless of the time of follow-up. A total of 1917 studies were screened for eligibility and 91 full-texts up for inclusion; 35 studies were finally included, 25 studies and 2563 patients were included in main meta-analysis and 10 for exploratory analysis. Risk of bias was assessed using Risk Of Bias In Non-randomised Studies - of Interventions (ROBINS-I) from Cochrane. To derive the pooled depression rates before and after surgery, a meta-analysis with inversed-variance was performed using random-effects logistic models with Peto’s correction and a 95% CI. Heterogeneity was assessed with Cochran’s Q-test along with its derived measure of inconsistency I2.

Results

Overall, the depression rates before and after resective epilepsy surgery were 0.70 (0.53 to 0.91) 95% CI, suggesting that the rate of depression at last follow-up evaluation tends to decrease after Resective Epilepsy Surgery (RES). Subgroup analysis suggest a positive long-term effect appears with a significant lower rates of depression already 6 months (0.61 (0.38 to 0.98)), after surgery which is maintained over time after 1 year (0.53 (0.31 to 0.90)), and after 2 years (0.62 (0.42 to 0.92)).

Conclusion

This important finding should be taken in consideration before resective surgery for drug-resistant epilepsies. However, prospective studies should be conducted to characterise which patient, at the individual level, might be at risk of de novo or worsening of depression.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022355386.
Remission definitions guiding immunosuppressive therapy in rheumatoid arthritis: which is best fitted for the purpose?
Authors: Duarte Catia , Ferreira Ricardo J O , Welsing Paco M J , Jacobs Johannes W G , Gossec Laure , Machado Pedro M , van der Heijde Désirée , da Silva Jose Antonio Pereira
Published: March 2024

Objective

To assess which definition of remission best predicts good radiographic outcome (GRO) and good functional outcome (GFO) in rheumatoid arthritis, focusing the updated American College of Rheumatology/European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology criteria.

Material and methods

Meta-analyses of individual patient data (IPD) from randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Six definitions of remission were considered: (1) Boolean with Patient Global Assessment (PGA)≤1 (Boolean); (2) Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI)≤3.3; (3) Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI)≤2.8; (4) Boolean with PGA≤2 (Updated-Boolean); (5) Boolean with Physician Global Assessment (PhGA≤1) replacing PGA (Boolean-PhGA) and (6) Boolean excluding PGA (3VBoolean). GRO was defined as a worsening ≤0.5 units in radiographic score and GFO as a no worsening in Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), that is, ∆HAQ-DI≤0.0 units. Relationships between each remission definition at 6 and/or 12 months and GRO and GFO during the second year were analysed. Pooled probabilities for each outcome for each definition and their predictive accuracy were estimated.

Results

IPD from eight RCTs (n=4423) were analysed. Boolean, SDAI, CDAI, Updated-Boolean, Boolean-PhGA and 3VBoolean were achieved by 24%, 27%, 28%, 32%, 33% and 43% of all patients, respectively. GRO among patients achieving remission ranged from 82.4% (3VBoolean) to 83.9% (SDAI). 3VBoolean showed the highest predictive accuracy for GRO: 51.1% versus 38.8% (Boolean) and 44.1% (Updated-Boolean). The relative risk of GFO ranged from 1.16 (Boolean) to 1.05 (3VBoolean). However, the proportion of GFO correctly predicted was highest for the 3VBoolean (50.3%) and lowest for the Boolean (43.8%).

Conclusion

3VBoolean definition provided the most accurate prediction of GRO and GFO, avoiding the risk of overtreatment in a substantial proportion of patients without increment in radiographic damage progression, supporting the proposal that 3VBoolean remission is preferable to guide immunosuppressive treatment. The patient’s perspective, which must remain central, is best served by an additional patient-oriented target: a dual-target approach.
Resilient Machine Learning: Advancement, Barriers, and Opportunities in the Nuclear Industry
Authors: Khadka Anita , Sthapit Saurav , Epiphaniou Gregory , Maple Carsten
Published: March 2024

The widespread adoption and success of
Machine Learning (ML)
technologies depend on thorough testing of the resilience and robustness to adversarial attacks. The testing should focus on both the model and the data. It is necessary to build robust and resilient systems to withstand disruptions and remain functional despite the action of adversaries, specifically in the security-sensitive Nuclear Industry (NI), where consequences can be fatal in terms of both human lives and assets. We analyse ML-based research works that have investigated adversaries and defence strategies in the
NI
. We then present the progress in the adoption of ML techniques, identify use cases where adversaries can threaten the ML-enabled systems, and finally identify the progress on building
Resilient Machine Learning (rML)
systems entirely focusing on the NI domain.
Performance Evaluation of Spintronic-Based Spiking Neural Networks using Parallel Discrete-Event Simulation
Authors: Cruz-Camacho Elkin , Qian Siyuan , Shukla Ankit , McGlohon Neil , Rakheja Shaloo , Carothers Christopher
Published: March 2024

Spintronic devices that use the spin of electrons as the information state variable have the potential to emulate neuro-synaptic dynamics and can be realized within a compact form-factor, while operating at ultra-low energy-delay point. In this paper, we benchmark the performance of a spintronics hardware platform designed for handling neuromorphic tasks.

To explore the benefits of spintronics-based hardware on realistic neuromorphic workloads, we developed a Parallel Discrete-Event Simulation model called Doryta, which is further integrated with a materials-to-systems benchmarking framework. The benchmarking framework allows us to obtain quantitative metrics on the throughput and energy of spintronics-based neuromorphic computing and compare these against standard CMOS-based approaches. Although spintronics hardware offers significant energy and latency advantages, we find that for larger neuromorphic circuits, the performance is limited by the interconnection networks rather than the spintronics-based neurons and synapses. This limitation can be overcome by architectural changes to the network.

Through Doryta we are also able to show the power of neuromorphic computing by simulating Conway’s Game of Life (GoL), thus showing that it is Turing complete. We show that Doryta obtains over 300× speedup using 1,024 CPU cores when tested on a convolutional, sparse, neural architecture. When scaled-up 64 times, to a 200 million neuron model, the simulation ran in 3:42 minutes for a total of 2,000 virtual clock steps. The conservative approach of execution was found to be faster in most cases than the optimistic approach, even when a tie-breaking mechanism to guarantee deterministic execution, was deactivated.
Analysing Utterances in LLM-Based User Simulation for Conversational Search
Authors: Sekulić Ivan , Alinannejadi Mohammad , Crestani Fabio
Published: March 2024

Clarifying underlying user information needs by asking clarifying questions is an important feature of modern conversational search systems. However, evaluation of such systems through answering prompted clarifying questions requires significant human effort, which can be time-consuming and expensive. In our recent work, we proposed an approach to tackle these issues with a user simulator,USi. Given a description of an information need,USiis capable of automatically answering clarifying questions about the topic throughout the search session. However, while the answers generated byUSiare both in line with the underlying information need and in natural language, a deeper understanding of such utterances is lacking. Thus, in this work, we explore utterance formulation of large language model (LLM)–based user simulators. To this end, we first analyze the differences betweenUSi, based on GPT-2, and the next generation of generative LLMs, such as GPT-3. Then, to gain a deeper understanding of LLM-based utterance generation, we compare the generated answers to the recently proposed set of patterns of human-based query reformulations. Finally, we discuss potential applications as well as limitations of LLM-based user simulators and outline promising directions for future work on the topic.
Current Interrupt Technique to Fully Characterize PEMWE Cells
Authors: Krenz Tobias , Gottschalk Torben , Helmers Lennard , Trinke Patrick , Bensmann Boris , Hanke-Rauschenbach Richard
Published: March 2024

It is common practice to characterize cells in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Tafel analysis, which require special equipment and operation procedures. Additionally, these techniques are not suitable for large industrial size cells with very low impedances. We present a simpler approach based on a novel evaluation of the current interrupt (CI) technique. The CI technique utilizes the voltage response after an instantaneous drop of electric current to identify the ohmic resistance R
Ω, charge transfer resistance R
ct and double-layer capacity C
dl in a simplified equivalent circuit (EC) of the cell. A direct link to results of typical EIS and Tafel analysis can be defined by using the improved CI method which considers a non-linear activation resistance instead of a constant charge transfer resistance. Thereby, access to equivalent information as the established standard method is granted, while being applicable to all cell and stack sizes without requiring special equipment (e.g. impedance spectrometer). The agreement with experimental data is significantly improved over the assumption of a constant charge transfer coefficient. Consistency of the proposed interpretation with explicit EIS and Tafel analysis is demonstrated and options for industrial application of the evaluation scheme are discussed.
Theoretical Understanding of Effects of Operating Modes on the Performance Durability of Solid Oxide Cells: A Comparison between Potentiostatic and Galvanostatic Operations
Authors: Wang Yudong , Zhou Xiao-Dong
Published: March 2024

In solid oxide cells (SOCs), the choice between galvanostatic (constant current) and potentiostatic (constant voltage) modes does not significantly affect the performance of SOCs as long as the cell components remain unchanged and intact. However, the degradation of cell components, which leads to changes in electrochemical and physical properties of the cell, elevates the importance of the selected operating mode. This paper aims to investigate the effects of galvanostatic and potentiostatic operating modes on the evolving properties of SOCs and their subsequent influence on performance durability. Employing non-equilibrium thermodynamic analysis, a crucial approach for understanding the degradation phenomena within an active electrochemical system, this study aims to provide in-depth insights into how these operating modes affect the longevity and efficacy of SOCs. Key findings include: In cases where oxygen electrode (OE) degradation is accelerated by higher partial pressure of oxygen (

p

O

2

), operating under constant voltage electrolysis can mitigate the high

p

O

2

at the OE|electrolyte (OE|EL) interface. Conversely, if OE degradation occurs more rapidly under a lower

p

O

2

,

constant current electrolysis is more effective in suppressing degradation by achieving a high

p

O

2

at the OE|EL interface. For degradation of the fuel electrode (FE) due to higher

p

O

2

,

constant current electrolysis is beneficial for more stable performance, which helps maintain low

p

O

2

at the FE|EL interface. When FE degradation is accelerated by lower

p

O

2

,

constant voltage electrolysis can avert low

p

O

2

at the FE|EL interface. In practical scenarios, more complex degradation mechanisms come into play, especially when

p

O

2

significantly deviates from initial conditions. Degradation in one electrode can influence

p

O

2

in the other electrode, a phenomenon more pronounced in potentiostatic than in galvanostatic electrolysis.
Effect of Moringa oleifera, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and Their Combination on Growth Performance, Digestive Enzymes, Immunity, and Microbiota in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Authors: Guan Mingxuan , Guan Junfeng , Zhang Haotian , Peng Dikuang , Wen Xiaotong , Zhang Xiaoyong , Pan Qing
Published: March 2024

To exploit aquatic animals’ feed resources and functional ingredients and additives, this experiment investigated the effects (a 2 × 2 factorial trial) and mechanism of woody plants and probiotics on Nile tilapia. Each treatment group was randomly assigned triplicate nets of 40 fish (initial body weight of 35.04 ± 0.01 g) in 12 tanks for 56 days. Fish were fed four diets, including a CON–CON diet (with no supplementation) and CON–Ba (basal diet + 1 × 107 CFU/g B. amyloliquefaciens), MO‐CON (basal diet + 10% Moringa oleifera) and MO‐Ba (basal diet + 1 × 107 CFU/g B. amyloliquefaciens + 10% Moringa oleifera) until apparent satiation (2 meals/day). The results showed that the MO diet had a lower feed conversion ratio than the non‐MO diets (P < 0.05). The weight gain in the Ba group was significantly higher than those in the groups without Ba treatment (P < 0.05). Both MO and Ba improved the morphological indices when applied individually (P < 0.05). Ba supplementation improved the activities of digestive enzymes (P < 0.05). MO significantly upregulated the gene expression of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, and C3 in the spleen of Nile tilapia (P < 0.05), while Ba significantly upregulated the gene expression of IL‐6 and C3 (P < 0.05). The microbiological analyses showed that the abundances of beneficial bacteria increased, and the relative abundances of pathogenic bacteria decreased in fish‐fed MO. In conclusion, dietary MO and Ba can effectively improve the immunity of Nile tilapia, while Ba can enhance the activities of digestive enzymes. The synergistic effect of MO and Ba on the intestinal microbiota of Nile tilapia promotes growth, thus showing promising application prospects.
Betaine Alleviates High‐Fat Diet Induced Excessive Lipid Deposition in Gibel Carp Hepatopancreas and L8824 Cells by Enhancing VLDL Secretion through HNF4α/MTTP Pathway
Authors: Dong Xiaojing , Wang Jianqiao , Zhao Mengjie , Du Xuedi , Fan Hongying , Fu Yuanyuan , Gong Zhiyuan , Miao Shuyan
Published: March 2024

Betaine, a methyl donor, plays a crucial role in lipid metabolism. Previous studies have shown that appropriate betaine supplementation in a high‐fat diet reduces triglycerides (TG) of serum and hepatopancreas in fish. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study examined whether betaine can enhance the secretion of very low‐density lipoprotein (VLDL) and sought to identify the specific mechanisms through which this enhancement occurs. A lipid accumulation model was established in gibel carp and L8824 cells using a high‐fat diet and oleic acid, respectively. Different doses of betaine (1, 4, and 16 g/kg in the diet; 400 μmol in cell culture) were administered, and measurements were taken for lipid deposition, gene expression of HNF4α, MTTP, and ApoB, as well as the regulation of Mttp and Apob promoters by HNF4α. The results showed that betaine supplementation mitigated lipid droplet accumulation, TG levels, and VLDL production induced by the high‐fat diet in gibel carp hepatopancreas and L8824 cells. Moreover, betaine not only increased VLDL content in the cell culture supernatant but also reversed the inhibitory effects of the high‐fat diet on protein expression of MTTP, ApoB, and HNF4α in both gibel carp hepatopancreas and L8824 cells. Additionally, HNF4α exhibits transactivating activity on the promoter of Mttp in gibel carp. These findings suggest that betaine supplementation exerts its effects through the HNF4α/MTTP/ApoB pathway, promoting the assembly and secretion of VLDL and effectively reducing lipid accumulation in the hepatopancreas of farmed gibel carp fed a high‐fat diet.
Efficacy of Definitive Radiotherapy for Patients with Clinical Stage IIIB or IIIC Lung Adenocarcinoma and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Mutations Treated Using First- or Second-Generation EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors
Authors: Tu Chih-Yen , Hsia Te-Chun , Lin Ying-Chun , Liang Ji-An , Li Chia-Chin , Chien Chun-Ru
Published: March 2024

Background. The effectiveness of definitive radiotherapy (RT) for patients with clinical stage IIIB or IIIC lung adenocarcinoma and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations who received first- or second-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is unclear. Methods. Taiwan Cancer Registry data were used in this retrospective cohort study to identify adult patients diagnosed with EGFR-mutated stage IIIB or IIIC lung adenocarcinoma between 2011 and 2020. Patients treated with first- or second-generation EGFR TKIs were classified into RT and non-RT groups. Propensity score (PS) weighting was applied to balance covariates between groups. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and the incidence of lung cancer mortality (ILCM) was considered as a supplementary outcome. Additional supplementary analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the findings. Results. Among 270 eligible patients, 41 received RT and 229 did not. After a median follow-up of 46 months, PS-weighted analysis showed the PS-weighted hazard ratio of death for the RT group compared to the non-RT group was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.61–1.45, p=0.78). ILCM rates did not differ significantly between the two groups. Supplementary analyses yielded consistent results. Conclusion. The addition of definitive RT to first- or second-generation EGFR TKI treatment does not significantly improve OS of patients with EGFR-mutated stage IIIB or IIIC lung adenocarcinoma. NCT03521154NCT05167851.
Review of the Design and Operation Criteria of a DC Submerged Arc Discharge Carbon Nanostructure Synthesis Installation
Authors: Hernandez-Tabares Lorenzo , Chao-Mujica Frank J. , Darias-Gonzalez Juan G. , Ledo Pereda Luis M. , Antuch Manuel , Carrillo-Barroso Ernesto , Chong-Quero J. Enrique , Desdin-Garcia Luis F.
Published: March 2024

The submerged arc discharge (SAD) allows the production of high-quality carbon nanostructures. The SAD method uses simple and inexpensive equipment. However, the carbon nanostructures obtained contain contaminants that are difficult to remove. The study of the published articles shows that reporting similar operating parameters informs quite different results. Reducing the generation of pollutants requires optimization of the design and the operation of installations. Nevertheless, the study of the state-of-the-art indicates that this aspect has been underestimated, which is manifested in the absence of publications on this subject. On the other hand, the increase in the production scale causes new problems that are not manifested in small-volume productions that are carried out in a research laboratory. The present work aims to analyze the SAD installation design and operation criteria to reduce the presence of contaminants. This study indicated that the key elements of the design and the operation are the electrodes alignment, feeding and attachment mechanisms, the electrode micropositioning system, the synthesis reactor design, the sensitive parameters control, the data acquisition system, and the selection of the liquid medium. Herein, these elements are analyzed and the best strategies for their design and operation are exposed. Those aspects relevant to scaling up of production are emphasized.
Modelo de Negocio - Business Model
Authors: Castillo-Vergara Mauricio , Geldes Cristian , Muñoz-Cisternas Victor
Published: March 2024

EI modelo de negocio es un término ampliamente utilizado en emprendimiento, innovación y estrategia empresarial aunque su definición y componentes a menudo son percibidos como difusos. Este artículo se centra en tres áreas clave: definiciones, el "lienzo de modelo de negocios" y su aplicación. Un modelo de negocios sirve como un mapa detallado que responde a preguntas cruciales sobre por qué los clientes eligen una empresa y cómo genera ingresos. EI 'Eusiness Model Canvas" es una herramienta ampliamente reconocida para comprender y diseñar modelos de negocios. Se compone de nueve bloques que abordan aspectos como segmento de clientes, propuesta de valor, canales, relaciones con los clientes, recursos clave, actividades clave, socios clavet estructura de costos y fuentes de ingresos. Se ilustra eI uso del lienzo en eI caso de Marvel Studios@i destacando cómo este enfoque ayuda a visualizar la estructura del modelo de negocios.
TABLE 2 from The NUTRIENT Trial (NUTRitional Intervention among myEloproliferative Neoplasms): Results from a Randomized Phase I Pilot Study for Feasibility and Adherence
Authors: Mendez Luque Laura F. , Avelar-Barragan Julio , Nguyen Hellen , Nguyen Jenny , Soyfer Eli M. , Liu Jiarui , Chen Jane H. , Mehrotra Nitya , Huang Xin , Kosiorek Heidi E. , Dueck Amylou , Himstead Alexander , Heide Elena , Lem Melinda , El Alaoui Kenza , Mas Eduard , Scherber Robyn M. , Mesa Ruben A. , Whiteson Katrine L. , Odegaard Andrew , Fleischman Angela G.
Published: March 2024

Energy intake, fiber intake, and percentage of calories from carbohydrates, sugar, protein, and fat calculated from 24-hour diet recalls. Data are represented as mean ± SD
TABLE 1 from The NUTRIENT Trial (NUTRitional Intervention among myEloproliferative Neoplasms): Results from a Randomized Phase I Pilot Study for Feasibility and Adherence
Authors: Mendez Luque Laura F. , Avelar-Barragan Julio , Nguyen Hellen , Nguyen Jenny , Soyfer Eli M. , Liu Jiarui , Chen Jane H. , Mehrotra Nitya , Huang Xin , Kosiorek Heidi E. , Dueck Amylou , Himstead Alexander , Heide Elena , Lem Melinda , El Alaoui Kenza , Mas Eduard , Scherber Robyn M. , Mesa Ruben A. , Whiteson Katrine L. , Odegaard Andrew , Fleischman Angela G.
Published: March 2024

Demographics of study cohort
FIGURE 5 from The NUTRIENT Trial (NUTRitional Intervention among myEloproliferative Neoplasms): Results from a Randomized Phase I Pilot Study for Feasibility and Adherence
Authors: Mendez Luque Laura F. , Avelar-Barragan Julio , Nguyen Hellen , Nguyen Jenny , Soyfer Eli M. , Liu Jiarui , Chen Jane H. , Mehrotra Nitya , Huang Xin , Kosiorek Heidi E. , Dueck Amylou , Himstead Alexander , Heide Elena , Lem Melinda , El Alaoui Kenza , Mas Eduard , Scherber Robyn M. , Mesa Ruben A. , Whiteson Katrine L. , Odegaard Andrew , Fleischman Angela G.
Published: March 2024

Changes in plasma cytokine concentrations throughout the study. Plasma cytokines were measured at weeks 1, 6, 9, and 15.
The “Hysterical Psychosis” Dilemma: A Narrative Review
Authors: Rinaldi Fiamma , Sacchetto Silvia , Di Francia Antonio , Siracusano Alberto , Niolu Cinzia , di Michele Flavia
Published: March 2024

Background: Hysteria in its most severe expression may reach psychotic manifestations. Such symptomatology has been occasionally described by various authors starting from the 19th century and defined as “hysterical psychosis” (HP) by Hollender and Hirsch in 1964. Currently, diagnostic psychiatric manuals such as DSM and ICD do not include the diagnosis of HP, although this term is commonly used in clinical practice. This raises a well-known problem with case definition due to an inconsistent use of terminology. Summary: Here, we propose a review of the literature that aims to highlight the clinical features of HP endorsed by the majority of authors, such as histrionic premorbid personality, acute reactive onset, short duration, altered state of consciousness, unstable delusions, typical hallucinations, labile mood, lack of flat affect. In the discussion, we focus on the differential diagnosis between HP and other diagnoses such as brief psychosis and schizophrenia, trying to point out aspects of distinction and continuity. Key Messages: The debate about this nosographic entity still remains a huge dilemma and needs further contributions.
Decision-Making at Swissmedic, the Swiss Regulatory Agency, with a Focus on (Neo)adjuvant Cancer Treatments
Authors: Zosso-Pavic Matea , Li Qiyu , Juritz Stephanie , Gircys Arunas , Wolfer Anita , Rohr Ulrich-Peter
Published: March 2024

Introduction: Additional considerations are required for the benefit-risk assessment of new drugs or indications in the setting of (neo)adjuvant cancer treatment as compared to the metastatic/advanced setting, possibly leading to different decision patterns for the (neo)adjuvant versus the metastatic and advanced setting within a health authority but also among different health authorities. Methods: We analyzed regulatory decisions at the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products Swissmedic (SMC) for all oncology indications (mostly metastatic indications) and indications in the (neo)adjuvant setting and compared these to decisions taken by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Results: Comparing the positive and negative decisions within SMC between July 2017 and December 2021, the approval rates were with 66.7% lower for (neo)adjuvant indications versus 88.4% in the metastatic and advanced indications. While the approval rates for metastatic and advanced new active substances (NAS) applications were similar at SMC as compared to the EMA and the FDA, they were lower for (neo)adjuvant applications at SMC as compared to the EMA and the FDA. The underlying reason in all cases with divergent decisions at SMC as compared to EMA and FDA was that no overall survival benefit as compared to control arm has been observed in the submitted data package. Conclusion: Approval and consensus decision rates at SMC in comparison to EMA and FDA were lower for (neo)adjuvant indications but not for advanced and metastastic NAS oncology indications.