bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ca2+‐induced structural changes and intramolecular interactions in N‐terminal region of diacylglycerol kinase alpha
Authors: Takahashi Daisuke , Yonezawa Kento , Okizaki Yuki , Caaveiro Jose M. M. , Ueda Tadashi , Shimada Atsushi , Sakane Fumio , Shimizu Nobutaka
Published: June 2022

Diacylglycerol kinases (DGKs) are multi‐domain lipid kinases that modulate the levels of lipid messengers, diacylglycerol, and phosphatidic acid. Recently, increasing attention has been paid to its α isozyme (DGKα) as a potential target for cancer immunotherapy. However, little progress has been made on the structural biology of DGKs, and a detailed understanding of the Ca2+‐triggered activation of DGKα, for which the N‐terminal domains likely play a critical role, remains unclear. We have recently shown that Ca2+ binding to DGKα‐EF induces conformational changes from a protease‐susceptible “open” conformation in the apo state to a well‐folded one in its holo state. Here, we further studied the structural properties of DGKα N‐terminal (RVH and EF) domains using a series of biophysical techniques. We first revealed that the N‐terminal RVH domain is a novel Ca2+‐binding domain, but the Ca2+‐induced conformational changes mainly occur in the EF domain. This was corroborated by NMR experiments showing that the EF domain adopts a molten‐globule like structure in the apo state. Further analyses using SEC‐SAXS and NMR indicate that the partially unfolded EF domain interacts with RVH domain, likely via hydrophobic interactions in the absence of Ca2+, and this interaction is modified in the presence of Ca2+. Taken together, these results present novel insights into the structural rearrangement of DGKα N‐terminal domains upon binding to Ca2+, which is essential for the activation of the enzyme.
The free energy folding penalty accompanying binding of intrinsically disordered α‐helical motifs
Authors: Hadži San , Lah Jurij
Published: June 2022

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are abundant in eukaryotic proteomes and preform critical roles in many cellular processes, most often through the association with globular proteins. Despite lacking a stable three‐dimensional structure by themselves, they may acquire a defined conformation upon binding globular targets. The most common type of secondary structure acquired by these binding motifs entails formation of an α‐helix. It has been hypothesized that such disorder‐to‐order transitions are associated with a significant free energy penalty due to IDP folding, which reduces the overall IDP‐target affinity. However, the exact magnitude of IDP folding penalty in α‐helical binding motifs has not been systematically estimated. Here, we report the folding penalty contributions for 30 IDPs undergoing folding‐upon‐binding and find that the average IDP folding penalty is +2.0 kcal/mol and ranges from 0.7 to 3.5 kcal/mol. We observe that the folding penalty scales approximately linearly with the change in IDP helicity upon binding, which provides a simple empirical way to estimate folding penalty. We analyze to what extent do pre‐structuring and target‐bound IDP dynamics (fuzziness) reduce the folding penalty and find that these effects combined, on average, reduce the folding cost by around half. Taken together, the presented analysis provides a quantitative basis for understanding the role of folding penalty in IDP‐target interactions and introduces a method estimate this quantity. Estimation and reduction of IDP folding penalty may prove useful in the rational design of helix‐stabilized inhibitors of IDP‐target interactions.

Statement

The α‐helical binding motifs are ubiquitous among the intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs). Upon binding their targets, they undergo a disorder‐to‐order transition, which is accompanied by a significant folding penalty whose magnitude is generally not known. Here, we use recently developed statistical‐thermodynamic model to estimate the folding penalties for 30 IDPs and clarify the roles of IDP pre‐folding and bound‐state dynamics in reducing the folding penalty.
Comparison of herbicide specificity of CYP81A cytochrome P450s from rice and a multiple‐herbicide resistant weed, Echinochloa phyllopogon
Authors: Ha Woosuk , Yamaguchi Takuya , Iwakami Satoshi , Sunohara Yukari , Matsumoto Hiroshi
Published: June 2022

BACKGROUND

CYP81A cytochrome P450s (CYP81As) play a key role in herbicide detoxification in Poaceae plants. Crop CYP81As confer natural tolerance to multiple herbicides, whereas CYP81As in weeds disrupt herbicide action. Identifying differences in CYP81A herbicide specificity between crops and weeds could provide valuable information for controlling weeds. In this study, we quantitatively compared herbicide specificity between CYP81A6 from rice (Oryza sativa) and CYP81A12 and CYP81A21 from a weed, Echinochloa phyllopogon, using transgenic Escherichia coli and Arabidopsis.

RESULTS

All three CYP81As metabolized the five tested herbicides and formed similar metabolites, with the highest relative activities of 400 to 580% toward bentazone compared to their activity on bensulfuron‐methyl (defined as 100%). However, they showed differing activity toward propyrisulfuron. The relative activities of Echinochloa phyllopogon CYP81A12 (12.2%) and CYP81A21 (34.4%) toward propyrisulfuron were lower than that of rice CYP81A6 (98.5%). Additionally, rice CYP81A6 produced O‐demethylated propyrisulfuron and hydroxylated products, whereas Echinochloa phyllopogon CYP81As produced only hydroxylated products. Arabidopsis expressing CYP81A12 and CYP81A21 exhibited lower levels of resistance against propyrisulfuron compared to that in Arabidopsis expressing CYP81A6. Homology modeling and in silico docking revealed that bensulfuron‐methyl docked well into the active centers of all three CYP81As, whereas propyrisulfuron docked into rice CYP81A6 but not into Echinochloa phyllopogon CYP81As.

CONCLUSION

The differing herbicide specificity displayed by rice CYP81A6 and Echinochloa phyllopogon CYP81A12 and CYP81A21 will help design inhibitors (synergists) of weed CYP81As, as well as develop novel herbicide ingredients that are selectively metabolized by crop CYP81As, to overcome the problem of herbicide resistance. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Targeting the microRNA pathway core genes, Dicer 1 and Argonaute 1, negatively affects the survival and fecundity of Bemisia tabaci
Authors: Bidari Farzad , Fathipour Yaghoub , Asgari Sassan , Mehrabadi Mohammad
Published: June 2022

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small regulatory non‐coding RNAs that are involved in a variety of biological processes such as immunity, cell signaling and development by regulating gene expression. The whitefly Bemisia tabaci is a polyphagous vector that transmits many plant viruses causing economic damage to crops worldwide. In this study, we characterized and analyzed the expression of the miRNA core genes Argonaute‐1 (Ago1) and Dicer‐1 (Dcr1) in B. tabaci and explored the effect of their silencing on the insect's fitness.

RESULTS

Our results showed that Ago1 and Dcr1 are differentially expressed in different tissues and developmental stages of B. tabaci. To determine the function of the miRNA pathway in B. tabaci, we silenced Ago1 and Dcr1 using specific double‐stranded RNAs to the genes. RNA interference (RNAi) of Ago1 and Dcr1 decreased the expression level of the core genes and reduced the abundance of Let‐7 and miR‐184 miRNAs. Silencing of the miRNA pathway core gene also negatively affected the biology of B. tabaci by reducing fertility, fecundity and survival of this insect pest.

CONCLUSIONS

Together, our results showed that silencing the miRNA pathway core genes reduced the miRNA levels followed by reduced fecundity and survival of B. tabaci, which highlighted the importance of the miRNA pathway in this insect. The miRNA core genes are attractive targets for developing an RNAi‐based strategy for targeting this notorious insect pest. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Multi‐model averaging improves the performance of model‐guided infliximab dosing in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases
Authors: Kantasiripitak Wannee , Outtier An , Wicha Sebastian G. , Kensert Alexander , Wang Zhigang , Sabino João , Vermeire Séverine , Thomas Debby , Ferrante Marc , Dreesen Erwin
Published: June 2022

Infliximab dosage de‐escalation without prior knowledge of drug concentrations may put patients at risk for underexposure and trigger the loss of response. A single‐model approach for model‐informed precision dosing during infliximab maintenance therapy has proven its clinical benefit in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. We evaluated the predictive performances of two multi‐model approaches, a model selection algorithm and a model averaging algorithm, using 18 published population pharmacokinetic models of infliximab for guiding dosage de‐escalation. Data of 54 patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis who underwent infliximab dosage de‐escalation after an earlier escalation were used. A priori prediction (based solely on covariate data) and maximum a posteriori prediction (based on covariate data and trough concentrations) were compared using accuracy and precision metrics and the classification accuracy at the trough concentration target of 5.0 mg/L. A priori prediction was inaccurate and imprecise, with the lowest classification accuracies irrespective of the approach (median 59%, interquartile range 59%–63%). Using the maximum a posteriori prediction, the model averaging algorithm had systematically better predictive performance than the model selection algorithm or the single‐model approach with any model, regardless of the number of concentration data. Only a single trough concentration (preferably at the point of care) sufficed for accurate and precise prediction. Predictive performance of both single‐ and multi‐model approaches was robust to the lack of covariate data. Model averaging using four models demonstrated similar predictive performance with a five‐fold shorter computation time. This model averaging algorithm was implemented in the TDMx software tool to guide infliximab dosage de‐escalation in the forthcoming prospective MODIFI study (NCT04982172).
Ursolic acid inhibits the activation of smoothened‐independent non‐canonical hedgehog pathway in colorectal cancer by suppressing AKT signaling cascade
Authors: Chen Li , Liu Maolun , Yang Han , Ren Shan , Sun Qiang , Zhao Hui , Ming Tianqi , Tang Shun , Tao Qiu , Zeng Sha , Meng Xianli , Xu Haibo
Published: June 2022

It is being brought to light that smoothened (SMO)‐independent non‐canonical Hedgehog signaling is associated with the pathogenesis of various cancers. Ursolic acid (UA), a pentacyclic triterpenoid present in many medicinal herbs, manifests potent effectiveness against multiple malignancies including colorectal cancer (CRC). In our previous study, UA was found to protect against CRC in vitro by suppression of canonical Hedgehog signaling cascade. Here, the influence of UA on SMO‐independent non‐canonical Hedgehog signaling in CRC was investigated in the present study, which demonstrated that UA hampered the proliferation and migration, induced the apoptosis of HCT‐116hSMO− cells with SMO gene knockdown, accompanied by the augmented expression of the suppressor of fused (SUFU), and lessened levels of MYC (c‐Myc), glioma‐associated oncogene (GLI1) and Sonic Hedgehog (SHH), and lowered phosphorylation of protein kinase B (PKB, AKT), suggesting that UA diminished non‐canonical Hedgehog signal transduction in CRC. In HCT‐116hSMO− xenograft tumor, UA ameliorated the symptoms, impeded the growth and caused the apoptosis of CRC, with heightened SUFU expression, and abated levels of MYC, GLI1, and SHH, and mitigated phosphorylation of AKT, indicating that UA down‐regulated non‐canonical Hedgehog signaling cascade in CRC. Taken together, UA may alleviate CRC by suppressing AKT signaling‐dependent activation of SMO‐independent non‐canonical Hedgehog pathway.
Accounting for Lambertian reflection in the assimilation of microwave sounding radiances over snow and sea‐ice
Authors: Bormann Niels
Published: June 2022

This article investigates two aspects aimed at an increased use of surface‐sensitive microwave sounding radiances for numerical weather prediction (NWP), namely the assimilation of humidity‐sounding radiances from the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) over snow, as well as the use of Lambertian reflection in radiative‐transfer modelling over snow and sea‐ice surfaces for temperature‐ and humidity‐sounding radiances. The Lambertian characteristics are modelled through a parameterisation of the effective zenith angle used to calculate the downwelling radiation in the radiative‐transfer model. Using Lambertian rather than specular reflection improves the forward modelling significantly for 183‐GHz humidity‐sounding channels over snow and sea‐ice in comparisons with observations, including a reduction of significant zenith‐angle‐dependent biases. For temperature‐sounding channels in the 50‐GHz band, comparisons between observations and background equivalents also suggest improvements from treating snow and sea‐ice surfaces as Lambertian or semi‐Lambertian, but the characteristics appear more variable and there are indications of other sources of error, such as biases in the skin temperature. For both spectral regions, the improvement from using nonspecular reflection is clearest for snow‐covered land surfaces. Assimilation experiments show that the addition of 183‐GHz humidity‐sounding channels from ATMS over snow‐covered land leads to a slight positive impact over higher latitudes in winter. On top of this, replacing the specular surface assumption over snow and sea‐ice with a fully Lambertian one for 183‐GHz channels on ATMS and semi‐Lambertian one for 50‐GHz channels on ATMS and the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit–A (AMSU‐A) means that more observations pass quality control, giving a neutral to slightly positive impact at higher latitudes in winter. Combining the two changes leads to small forecast benefits that are statistically significant up to day 3 at higher latitudes.
Comprehensive metabolite identification study of arterolane using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry
Authors: Niguram Prakash , Kate Abhijeet S.
Published: June 2022

Rationale

In 2012, arterolane (ART) in combination with piperaquine received approval in India for the treatment of plasmodium‐induced malaria; however, to date, a detailed metabolite identification study of ART has not been reported. Being polar in nature, ART shows early elution on reversed‐phase columns which might be the rate‐limiting factor of its systematic analytical studies. We have utilized hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) to separate in vitro and in vivo metabolites of ART.

Methods

The possible sites of metabolism were predicted by XenoSite software to obtain an initial assessment. In vitro studies were conducted by incubating the drug with liver microsomes such as human, rat and human S9 fractions. Later, in vivo studies were performed to check the metabolites in urine, faeces and plasma. The samples were pooled and subjected to the protein precipitation method before analysis by liquid chromatography/quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (LC/QTOFMS).

Results

We have observed 15 metabolites in this study which were phase I metabolites formed due to hydroxylation, dihydroxylation, peroxide bond scission and oxidation. Here, we report 11 metabolites of ART for the first time. The metabolic pathways and plausible structures were proposed according to accurate mass measurements and its MS/MS data.

Conclusions

The present study comprehensively reports the in vitro and in vivo metabolism of ART mentioning 11 novel metabolites. Here, extensive use of HILIC has helped to efficiently separate various metabolites. These findings would help prospects of ART disposition and its congeners.
Global stabilization for a class of upper‐triangular stochastic nonlinear systems with input delay via sampled‐data output feedback
Authors: Mao Jun , Zou Wencheng , Guo Jian , Xiang Zhengrong
Published: June 2022

The contribution of this investigation lies in solving a sampled‐data output feedback stabilization problem for a class of upper‐triangular stochastic nonlinear systems in ‐normal structure with unavailable states and uncertain time‐varying input delay. A reduced‐order observer with the available sampled output detection is developed for the focused system to estimate its unavailable states, and under such observer, a sampled‐data output feedback stabilizer is constructed by combining the backstepping and adding a power integral techniques. Through selecting the appropriate Lyapunov–Krasovskii functionals, we can demonstrate that the adverse influences caused by the uncertain time‐varying delays in the resulting closed‐loop system can be restricted effectively by the constructed stabilizer, and further, by following the stochastic differential theories, the global stability of the considered resulting closed‐loop system can be analyzed under the suitable design parameters and allowable sampling period. Finally, two examples are given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control method.
Robust adaptive control Lyapunov‐barrier function for non‐collocated control and safety of underactuated robotic systems
Authors: Azimi Vahid , Hutchinson Seth
Published: June 2022

Quadratic program‐based control Lyapunov‐control barrier function (QP‐CLBF) is a recently developed control scheme that balances stability and safety in an optimal fashion. However, direct application of such controllers to uncertain nonlinear systems with model uncertainties and disturbances could potentially degrade the performance of closed‐loop systems and violate/restrict safety‐critical constraints. This article presents a novel robust QP‐based adaptive approach for non‐collocated control of a class of underactuated robotic systems with a semi‐strict‐feedback form through which exponential disturbance‐to‐error (eDE) stability of all system solutions is ensured. We begin by developing a backstepping design technique based on which a neural network‐based adaptive control is designed to approximate unknown nonlinear functions. To compensate for uncanceled uncertainties, including modeling approximation error, chained error effects between coordinates, and disturbances, virtual inputs are designed whose gains are evolved by projection‐based adaptation mechanisms. To construct a three‐term control law, including feedforward, adaptive, and optimal terms, a QP optimization problem is synthesized to compute a family of optimal stabilizing signals while encoding time‐varying robust CLF (TVRCLF) and CBF (TVRCBF), and control bounds as constraints. In contrast with existing QP‐CLBF, our control technique with the proposed TVRCLF and TVRCBF significantly improves control objectives and strictly guarantees safety by automatically compensating for unknown uncertainties without the need for knowing their bounds a priori. The eDE stability of all system errors is proven using Lyapunov stability arguments for both collocated and non‐collocated coordinates. Simulations and comparisons to a baseline QP‐CLBF‐based feedback linearization (QP‐CLBF/FL) on a single‐link flexible‐joint robot verify the benefits of the proposed control approach.
Testing and validating the improved estimation of the spectrometer‐transmission function with UNIFIT 2022
Authors: Hesse Ronald , Denecke Reinhard , Radnik Jörg
Published: June 2022

Recent developments of X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy using excitation energies different from the usual lab‐sources Mg Kα and Al Kα, thus covering larger and different kinetic energy ranges, require more flexible approaches for determining the transmission function than the well‐established ones using reference spectra. Therefore, the approach using quantified peak areas (QPA) was refined allowing a more precise estimation of the transmission function. This refinement was tested by comparing the results obtained with the new version with former calculations. Furthermore, the obtained transmission function was validated by comparing the results with a transmission function using the reference spectrum of polyethylene. Additionally, an ionic liquid was used as reference for estimating the transmission function at the energy‐resolved HE‐SGM beamline at BESSY II. Comparison between the measured and stoichiometric composition shows that a transmission function was determined, which allows a reasonable quantification.
Epidural catheter misplacement and knot formation within the hypoaxial musculature of a dog
Authors: Martinez i Ferré Bernat , Corletto Federico , Shing Hannah , Bhalla Rebecca
Published: June 2022

Technical complications associated with the use of epidural catheters account for a significant proportion of failures of this technique. Misplacement and knotting of epidural catheters are complications rarely described in both human and veterinary literature. The method used to identify and confirm the correct position of the catheter in the epidural space plays an important role in preventing such complications. However, some of the techniques commonly used can still lead to an equivocal catheter placement. We report a case where loss of resistance, positive analgesic effect and motor deficits of both hindlimbs masked a misplaced epidural catheter in a dog, with knotting of the catheter occurring when removal was attempted.
An Introduction to Digital Transformation
Authors: Mikalef Patrick , Parmiggiani Elena
Published: June 2022

Digital transformation has been one of the most studied phenomena in information systems (IS) and organizational science literature. With novel digital technologies emerging at a growing pace, it is important to understand what we have learned in over three decades of research and what we still need to understand in order to harness the full potential of such digital tools. In this chapter, we present a brief overview of digital transformation and develop a conceptual framework which we use as a basis of discussing the extant literature. The conceptual framework is also used as a means of positioning the empirical chapters presented in the rest of this edited volume. Finally, we discuss the role of context in digital transformation and identify some differences that span industry, domain, size class, and country of operation.
Notes on self-dual gravity
Authors: Mao Pujian , Zhao Weicheng
Published: June 2022

Abstract

In this paper, we study self-dual gravity in the Newman-Penrose formalism. We specify the self-dual solution space from the Newman-Unti solutions. We show that the asymptotic symmetries of the self-dual gravity are still the (extended) BMS symmetries. We transform the self-dual Taub-NUT solution into the Newman-Unti gauge in analytical form.
Serum sclerostin levels in osteoporotic fracture patients
Authors: Gorter Erwin A. , Reinders Casper R. , Krijnen Pieta , Appelman-Dijkstra Natasha M. , Schipper Inger B.
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Sclerostin inhibits bone formation and stimulates bone resorption. Previous studies found a positive association between bone density and serum sclerostin, but literature on sclerostin levels in osteoporotic fracture patients is scarce. The aim of the present study was to compare the serum sclerostin levels in osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic fracture patients and to assess the correlation of the sclerostin levels with bone mineral density and vitamin D status.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, we included patients over 50 years, with an extremity fracture after low-energy trauma treated between 2012 and 2018, with biobank samples and available bone density measurements by Dual X-ray Absorption. Osteoporosis was diagnosed according the World Health Organisation criteria. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as a 25(OH)D concentration < 30 nmol/L. After defrosting biobank samples, serum sclerostin was measured using the human SOST (sclerostin) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. We prespecified a subgroup analysis including only female patients.

Results

179 patients were included of whom 139(78%) were female. In 46 patients (25.7%), osteoporosis was diagnosed. Bone mineral density was positively associated with sclerostin levels (r = 0.17, p = 0.026) and patients with osteoporosis had a significantly lower serum sclerostin compared to non-osteoporotic fracture patients (mean 41.9 pmol/L vs 48.1 pmol/L; p = 0.03). This difference remained significant after correction for potential confounders. Similar results were found in the subgroup of female patients. No association between serum sclerostin and vitamin D deficiency was found.

Conclusion

Osteoporotic fracture patients had lower levels of sclerostin than non-osteoporotic fracture patients. Future research should focus on the use of sclerostin as biomarker for osteoporosis in fracture patients.
Omission of tranexamic acid does not increase the amount of perioperative blood transfusions in patients undergoing one-level spinal fusion surgery: a retrospective propensity score-matched noninferiority study
Authors: Alfitian Jonas , Scheyerer Max Joseph , Rohde Axel , Schick Volker , Kammerer Tobias , Schier Robert
Published: June 2022

Introduction

Application of tranexamic acid (TXA) in spine surgery is very frequent even without signs of hyperfibrinolysis, although its beneficial blood-saving effects are offset by harmful adverse events such as thromboembolic incidents. Thus, we investigated whether in relatively less invasive spinal procedures such as one-level posterior spinal fusion, omission of TXA affects the requirement for blood transfusions.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective propensity score-matched noninferiority study with 212 patients who underwent one-level posterior spine fusion and who were stratified according to whether they received TXA intraoperatively at our tertiary care center. The primary endpoint was the volume of transfused packed red cells. Testing for noninferiority or equivalence was performed by two one-sided testing procedure (TOST) with a priori defined noninferiority margins ($$\delta$$
δ
).

Results

After propensity score matching a total of five patients (11.6%) treated with TXA were transfused compared with five patients (11.6%) who did not receive TXA. The majority of patients (51.2%) had a risk-increasing condition. The risk difference (no TXA–TXA) of intraoperative transfusion was − 4.7% (CI 90% − 13.62 to 4.32%), and omitting TXA was noninferior ($$\delta$$
δ
 = $$\pm$$
±
 10%). The mean intergroup difference in transfused volume (no TXA–TXA) was − 23.26 ml intraoperatively (CI 90% − 69.34 to 22.83 ml) and − 46.51 ml overall (CI 90% − 181.12 to 88.1 ml), respectively, suggesting equivalence of TXA omission ($$\delta$$
δ
 = $$\pm$$
±
300 ml). The hemoglobin decline between both groups was also equivalent (with $$\delta$$
δ
 = $$\pm$$
±
1 g/dl) both on the first postoperative day ($$\Delta \Delta$$

Δ
Δ

Hb = 0.02 g/dl, CI 90% − 0.53 to 0.56 g/dl) and at discharge ($$\Delta \Delta$$

Δ
Δ

Hb = − 0.29 g/dl, CI 90% − 0.89 to 0.31 g/dl).

Conclusion

We demonstrated that requirement of transfusion is rare among one-level fusion surgery and the omission of TXA is noninferior with regard to blood transfusion in high-risk patients undergoing this procedure. Therefore, the prophylactic use of TXA cannot be recommended here, suggesting to focus on alternative blood conservation strategies, if necessary.
Diagnostic captioning: a survey
Authors: Pavlopoulos John , Kougia Vasiliki , Androutsopoulos Ion , Papamichail Dimitris
Published: June 2022

Diagnostic captioning (DC) concerns the automatic generation of a diagnostic text from a set of medical images of a patient collected during an examination. DC can assist inexperienced physicians, reducing clinical errors. It can also help experienced physicians produce diagnostic reports faster. Following the advances of deep learning, especially in generic image captioning, DC has recently attracted more attention, leading to several systems and datasets. This article is an extensive overview of DC. It presents relevant datasets, evaluation measures, and up-to-date systems. It also highlights shortcomings that hinder DC’s progress and proposes future directions.
Domestic pig sound classification based on TransformerCNN
Authors: Liao Jie , Li Hongxiang , Feng Ao , Wu Xuan , Luo Yuanjiang , Duan Xuliang , Ni Ming , Li Jun
Published: June 2022

Excellent performance has been demonstrated in implementing challenging agricultural production processes using modern information technology, especially in the use of artificial intelligence methods to improve modern production environments. However, most of the existing work uses visual methods to train models that extract image features of organisms to analyze their behavior, and it may not be truly intelligent. Because vocal animals transmit information through grunts, the information obtained directly from the grunts of pigs is more useful to understand their behavior and emotional state, which is important for monitoring and predicting the health conditions and abnormal behavior of pigs. We propose a sound classification model called TransformerCNN, which combines the advantages of CNN spatial feature representation and the Transformer sequence coding to form a powerful global feature perception and local feature extraction capability. Through detailed qualitative and quantitative evaluations and by comparing state-of-the-art traditional animal sound recognition methods with deep learning methods, we demonstrate the advantages of our approach for classifying domestic pig sounds. The scores for domestic pig sound recognition accuracy, AUC and recall were 96.05%, 98.37% and 90.52%, respectively, all higher than the comparison model. In addition, it has good robustness and generalization capability with low variation in performance for different input features.
Types of Vertical Structure of the Nocturnal Boundary Layer
Authors: Mahrt L. , Acevedo O.
Published: June 2022

The vertical structure of the observed stable boundary layer often deviates substantially from textbook profiles. Even over flat homogeneous surfaces, the turbulence may not be completely related to the surface conditions and instead generated by elevated sources of turbulence such as low-level jets and transient modes. In stable conditions, even modest surface heterogeneity can alter the vertical structure of the stable boundary layer. With clear skies and low wind speeds, cold-air drainage is sometimes generated by very weak slopes and induces a variety of different vertical structures. Our study examines the vertical structure of the boundary layer at three contrasting tower sites. We emphasize low wind speeds with strong stratification. At a given site, the vertical structure may be sensitive to the surface wind direction. Classification of vertical structures is posed primarily in terms of the profile of the heat flux. The nocturnal boundary layer assumes a variety of vertical structures, which can often be roughly viewed as layering of the heat-flux divergence (convergence). The correlation coefficient between the temperature and vertical velocity fluctuations provides valuable additional information for classification of the vertical structure.
Assessing Visual Avoidance of Faces During Real-Life Social Stress in Children with Social Anxiety Disorder: A Mobile Eye-Tracking Study
Authors: Lidle Leonie Rabea , Schmitz Julian
Published: June 2022

This study measured visual attention (fixation count, dwell time) during two real-life social stress tasks using mobile eye-tracking glasses in children (9–13 years) diagnosed with social anxiety disorder (SAD; n = 25) and a healthy control group (HC; n = 30). The influence of state anxiety on attention allocation and negative self-evaluation biases regarding gaze behavior were also examined. Compared to the HC group, children with SAD showed visual avoidance (i.e., fewer fixations) of the faces of interaction partners during the second social stress task. While visual avoidance in HC children decreased with declining state anxiety from the first to the second social stress task, no such effect was found in children with SAD. A negative self-evaluation bias regarding gaze behavior in children with SAD was not found. In sum, measuring visual attention during real-life social situations may help enhance our understanding of social attention in childhood SAD.
Modelling the growth and filling of creep-induced grain-boundary cavities in self-healing alloys
Authors: Fu Yifan , van der Zwaag S. , van Dijk N. H.
Published: June 2022

A set of numerical and analytical models is presented to predict the growth and contraction of grain-boundary creep cavities in binary self-healing alloys. In such alloys, the healing is realised by preferential precipitation of supersaturated solutes at the free surface of the cavity. The cavity grows due to the diffusional flux of vacancies towards the cavity, which is driven by the stress gradient along the grain boundary. Upon deposition of healing solute atoms on the cavity wall, effectively vacancies are removed from the cavity due to the inverse Kirkendall effect. The competition between the inward and outward vacancy fluxes results in a time-dependent filling ratio (i.e. the fraction of the vacancies removed from the original cavity) of the creep cavity. It is found that for stress levels lower than a critical stress σcr, the filling ratio can proceed to unity, i.e. to complete filling and annihilation of the pore. For applied stresses higher than σcr, complete filling is not achieved and the open volume of the creep cavity will continue to grow once a maximum filling ratio is reached at the critical time tcr. The critical stress σcr, critical time tcr, and time for complete filling th (if fully filling is achievable) are derived from the models for different combinations of parameters. The results from the analytical model and from previous nanotomography experiments are compared and are found to be in good agreement.

Graphical abstract
Structure, Seebeck coefficient and DC electrical conductivity of Bi2Mn4O10 prepared by mechanochemical method
Authors: Fareed Shereef A. , Ibrahim Makram , Hannora Ahmed E. , El-Desoky M. M.
Published: June 2022

Bismuth and manganese oxides were mixed as source-materials using the mechanochemical technique followed by heat treatment to prepare the phase Bi2Mn4O10. The X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis was carried out to obtain the formed phases during the mechanochemical process. Bismuth manganese oxide phase with the chemical formula Bi2Mn4O10 was formed at heat treatment 1073 K and was partially decomposed to γ-Bi12.8O19.2 and α-Mn2O3 after 5 h of milling time. The variation of the crystallite size is obtained at different milling time (1 h, 5 h, 10 h, 15 h, 30 h and 50 h). The temperature dependency of the DC electrical conductivity was observed at different milling times in the temperature range 300–425 K for the samples milled at 5 h, 10 h, 30 h and 50 h. The temperature dependency (300–4 80 K) of the thermoelectric power/Seebeck coefficient (S) and its modulus variation with milling time were observed; the modulus varied in the range (45 µV/K-277 µV/K). The concentration of manganese ions (N), the average distance between manganese ions (R) and the fraction (C) of reduced transition ions were calculated for all samples. The hopping carrier mobility (μ) of the samples was also calculated at a fixed temperature. As a result, the conduction mechanism agreed with the non-adiabatic process of small polaron hopping.
Framework for simulation-based control design evaluation for a snake robot as an example of a multibody robotic system
Authors: Sibilska-Mroziewicz Anna , Możaryn Jakub , Hameed Ayesha , Fernández María Molina , Ordys Andrzej
Published: June 2022

Snake robots are the multibody mechanisms allowing us to solve specific problems efficiently, i.e., navigate into diverse environments and maneuver through tight spaces or uneven grounds in a way that resembles living organisms. However, the path following and controlling such systems is challenging due to nonlinear dynamics, coupling between links, and nonstandard definitions of the set-point that differ from industrial applications. This paper describes a framework for simulation and evaluation of the controller design for snake robot as the set of tools for the 3D design and robot dynamic simulation. Combined with a theoretical background (equations of robot dynamics), it allows testing new solutions and strategies of robot control design. Firstly, based on the proposed methodology, we provide a mechanical design of a ten-link snake robot. We present control algorithms enabling point-to-point tracking of the robot position in two cases: (i) tracking the center of gravity of the robot and (ii) tracking the position of the head of the robot. Then we provide a simulation-based robustness analysis of a simple fault-tolerant control algorithm, where some snake robot joints are broken. The proposed framework can be used efficiently to study control strategies for multibody mechanisms.
The convergence rate and necessary-and-sufficient condition for the consistency of isogeometric collocation method
Authors: Lin Hong-wei , Xiong Yun-yang , Hu Hui , Yan Jia-cong , Hu Qian-qian
Published: June 2022

Although the isogeometric collocation (IGA-C) method has been successfully utilized in practical applications due to its simplicity and efficiency, only a little theoretical results have been established on the numerical analysis of the IGA-C method. In this paper, we deduce the convergence rate of the consistency of the IGA-C method. Moreover, based on the formula of the convergence rate, the necessary and sufficient condition for the consistency of the IGA-C method is developed. These results advance the numerical analysis of the IGA-C method.
Development and Validation of a Diagnostic Nomogram to Predict the Anthracycline-Induced Early Cardiotoxicity in Children with Hematological Tumors
Authors: Liu Zhi-yuan , Wang Yun-gong , Huang Xiao-bi , Qi Xiao-hui , Qian Cui-ping , Zhao Sheng
Published: June 2022

This study aimed to establish and validate an effective nomogram to predict the risk of cardiotoxicity in children after each anthracycline treatment. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the eligible children were randomly divided into the training cohort (75%) and the validation cohort (25%). Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used to select the predictors and a nomogram was developed. Then, concordance index (C-index), the area under the curve (AUC), Hosmer–Lemeshow (H–L) test, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were employed to evaluate the performance and clinical utility of nomogram. Internal validation was processed to inspect the stability of the model. A total of 796 eligible children were included in this study and divided into a training set (n = 597) and a validation set (n = 199). LASSO regression analysis revealed that cumulative anthracycline dose, ejection fractions, NT-proBNP, and diastolic dysfunction were effective predictors of cardiotoxicity. The nomogram was established based on these variables. The C-index and the AUC of the predicting nomogram were 0.818 in the training cohort and 0.773 in the validation cohort, suggesting that the nomogram had good discrimination. The calibration curve of the nomogram presented no significant deviation from the reference line, and the P-value of the H–L test was 0.283, implying a preferable degree of calibration. The threshold of DCA also reflects that the nomogram is clinically useful. A nomogram was developed to predict anthracycline chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity in children with hematological tumors. The nomogram has a good prediction effect and can provide a reference for clinicians’ diagnosis and treatment.
Against Aggression? Revisiting an Overlooked Contender for Moral Bioenhancement
Authors: Brown Cohen Marcus Lionel
Published: June 2022

In moral bioenhancement (MBE) discourse, aggression has been identified as one potential target of biomedical intervention. Early suggestions that aggression might be modulated to improve moral outcomes were met with strong opposition from those claiming it is impossible to modulate aggression without harming traits of distinct social and agential value. If we are to preclude (or endorse) particular paths to moral enhancement then we ought to establish sound reasons for doing so. However, in paying due consideration to contemporary aggression studies we will see that current efforts to rule out aggression as one such path are untenable. I argue that the rejection of aggression-reduction as a viable target of MBE is a mistake, and that this arises from a rudimentary view of aggression which is incompatible with current scientific consensus. Drawing on contemporary psychological views I argue that it is necessary to distinguish subtypes of aggression, and that once these distinctions are recognised there is a potential space for MBE to target the biological correlates of specific kinds of aggressive behaviour. Ultimately, I suggest that aggression remains a legitimate target of inquiry, and that mitigating deleterious manifestations may yet offer one prospect for MBE.
Nanocrystalline embedded In2Se3 amorphous thin film investigation and optical enhancement characterization for photo-sensing application
Authors: Ebraheem Bassant , El-Nahass M. M. , Roushdy N. , Farag A. A. M.
Published: June 2022

In this investigation, highly adherent and unique advantageous properties of In2Se3 films were prepared for different studies and applications using a thermal evaporation technique under a high vacuum on different substrates (including glass, quartz, and a p-Si single crystal). X-ray diffraction results show that the prepared In2Se3 powder has a polycrystalline nature with α-phase. The average size of the crystallite, microstrain, and dislocation density was measured and found to be 273.6 nm, 4.9 × 10–3, and 1.34 × 10–5 nm−2, respectively. Due to the long-range array, the deposited In2Se3 films have an amorphous nature. SEM images of the film surface were measured to examine the RMS roughness features and grain-boundary effect. Spectrophotometer measurements of transmittance and reflectance were used to estimate the optical constants of In2Se3 films. The relationship between absorption coefficient and photon energy was tested, and the results revealed that the optical transition is directly allowed with an energy gap of 2.25 eV. The dispersion and oscillator energies were measured using the single oscillator model employing a relation of Wemple–DiDomenico and found to be 3.8 and 1.7 eV. The characteristics of the In2Se3-based junction showed promising candidates for photosensor applications under illumination.

Graphical abstract
Multi-Agent Natural Actor-Critic Reinforcement Learning Algorithms
Authors: Trivedi Prashant , Hemachandra Nandyala
Published: June 2022

Multi-agent actor-critic algorithms are an important part of the Reinforcement Learning (RL) paradigm. We propose three fully decentralized multi-agent natural actor-critic (MAN) algorithms in this work. The objective is to collectively find a joint policy that maximizes the average long-term return of these agents. In the absence of a central controller and to preserve privacy, agents communicate some information to their neighbors via a time-varying communication network. We prove convergence of all the three MAN algorithms to a globally asymptotically stable set of the ODE corresponding to actor update; these use linear function approximations. We show that the Kullback–Leibler divergence between policies of successive iterates is proportional to the objective function’s gradient. We observe that the minimum singular value of the Fisher information matrix is well within the reciprocal of the policy parameter dimension. Using this, we theoretically show that the optimal value of the deterministic variant of the MAN algorithm at each iterate dominates that of the standard gradient-based multi-agent actor-critic (MAAC) algorithm. To our knowledge, it is the first such result in multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL). To illustrate the usefulness of our proposed algorithms, we implement them on a bi-lane traffic network to reduce the average network congestion. We observe an almost 25% reduction in the average congestion in 2 MAN algorithms; the average congestion in another MAN algorithm is on par with the MAAC algorithm. We also consider a generic 15 agent MARL; the performance of the MAN algorithms is again as good as the MAAC algorithm.
Extracting time patterns from the lifespans of TikTok challenges to characterize non-dangerous and dangerous ones
Authors: Bonifazi Gianluca , Cecchini Silvia , Corradini Enrico , Giuliani Lorenzo , Ursino Domenico , Virgili Luca
Published: June 2022

One of the key aspects that distinguish TikTok from other social media is the presence of challenges. A challenge is a kind of competition that starts when a user posts a video with certain actions and a certain hashtag and invites other users to replicate the same video in their own way. Most challenges are fun and harmless, but sometimes dangerous challenges are launched as well. The authors of these challenges use various tricks to bypass TikTok’s controls. In this paper, we analyze the lifespans of some TikTok challenges and show how they are very different for non-dangerous and dangerous ones. Then, we deepen our analysis by identifying some time patterns that characterize the two types of challenges. Finally, we test the accuracy of the results obtained on a large set of challenges different from those used during the detection of time patterns. The focus of this paper is the detection of time patterns allowing the classification of challenges in dangerous and non-dangerous ones. This could represent a first step towards an approach for the early detection of dangerous challenges in TikTok.
Construct maps and item frameworks: an example in proportional reasoning
Authors: Carney Michele B. , Smith Everett , Hughes Gwyneth
Published: June 2022

Construct maps and related item type frameworks, which respectively describe and identify common patterns in student reasoning, provide teachers with tools to support instruction built upon students’ intuitive thinking. We present a methodological approach–embedded within common assessment development processes–for developing such construct maps and item type frameworks which entails (1) articulating a construct map, (2) developing diagnostic item types, (3) comparing item type difficulties, and (4) modifying or providing evidence in support of the construct map. We present an example focused on students’ proportional reasoning based on its centrality to mathematical success. The results further inform our construct map for students’ proportional reasoning and provide a diagnostic item-type framework.