bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maslinic acid attenuates UVB‐induced oxidative damage in HFF‐1 cells
Authors: Cheng Yuxin , Xia Qingyue , Lu Zhiyu , Luan Xingbao , Fan Lipan , Wang Zhaopeng , Luo Dan
Published: March 2023

Background

Oxidative damage is one of the major mechanisms of ultraviolet B (UVB)‐induced damage to the skin. Maslinic acid (MA) is a natural compound of pentacyclic triterpene acids. It has been proved to have anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Objective

This study aimed to explore the effects of MA on oxidative damage in human foreskin fibroblast cells (HFF‐1) and the potential molecular mechanisms.

Methods

A specific dose of UVB radiation was used to induce oxidative damage in HFF‐1. Based on this, we performed measurements of cell proliferation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, antioxidant enzyme activity, inflammation‐related mediators, and NF‐κB nuclear localization with or without the addition of MA.

Results

MA significantly promoted cell proliferation viability at 10 and 20 μM. The addition of MA 24 h before UVB irradiation was more effective at enhancing cell proliferation and also produced lower ROS levels compared to co‐cultured fibroblasts and MA for 24 h after irradiation. However, there was no statistically significant difference between groups at concentrations of 10 and 20 μM. The pretreatment group with MA had elevated superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, decreased IL‐6 generation, and lowered mRNA levels of IL‐6, TNF‐α and MMP3 in comparison with the UVB‐irradiated group without additional MA. Meanwhile, the nuclear translocation of NF‐κB and the degradation of IκB were inhibited by MA pretreatment.

Conclusion

Taken together, these findings suggest that MA may alleviate UVB‐induced oxidative damage in HFF‐1 by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of NF‐κB.
Number of occlusal contacts during maximum intercuspation in dentate adults: A systematised review
Authors: Qadeer Sarah , Türp Jens Christoph
Published: March 2023

Background

Evaluating occlusal contacts during maximum intercuspation is one of the requirements for guiding clinicians during occlusal corrections and has been a topic of considerable importance for researchers over many decades.

Objective

This systematised review intends to evaluate the average number of occlusal contacts present in dentate adults, as documented within the dental literature over the past four decades (1980s–2022).

Methodology

Electronic searches were conducted in three databases (PubMed, Livivo and Ovid) using a combination of search words.

Results

A total of 651 records were identified through PubMed and another 37 records through Livivo and Ovid databases. After eliminating duplicates and irrelevant records, 168 records were screened. Full texts of 61 articles remained, out of which 18 relevant papers that presented occlusal contacts in quantifiable value were considered. Various occlusal indicators, such as articulating paper, wax sheets, shimstock foil, impression material, gnathodynamometers and digital occlusal analysis systems, were used to evaluate occlusal contacts. The number of occlusal contacts widely ranged from 11 to 70. These variations likely depends upon the type and technique of occlusal indicator used, diversity among sampled populations and differing data collection procedures.

Conclusion

Different methods of identifying occlusal contacts in the intercuspal position yield different numbers and patterns of contacts, depending on the nature and physical properties of the indicators used.
Academic and Attendance Outcomes after Participation in a School Breakfast Program
Authors: Chandrasekhar Aparajita , Xie Luyu , Mathew Matthew S. , Fletcher Julie G. , Craker Kelsey , Parayil Megin , Messiah Sarah E.
Published: March 2023

BACKGROUND

Little is known about how school breakfast programs are associated with school attendance and academic performance. This study evaluated Dallas Independent School District's (DISD) breakfast after the bell (BATB) program that provides breakfast for both habitually tardy and non‐tardy students on (1) academic performance and (2) student attendance over 2 school years.

METHODS

A pre‐post study design evaluated the impact of the BATB program in elementary/middle/high schools on student attendance and academic outcomes. Paired t‐tests evaluated changes in outcomes between 2017 to 2018 and 2018 to 2019 school years.

RESULTS

The analytical sample consisted of 30,493 students (70.32% BATB participants, 50.47% male, 68.78% Hispanic). BATB participants were over 2.5 times more likely to attend school versus non‐BATB participants (aOR = 2.55; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.23‐2.92; p < .001). Compared to pre‐participation (2017‐2018), unadjusted models showed 2018 to 2019 BATB participants' mean reading scores increased from 1502.72 to 1545.76 during the 2018 to 2019 academic year (p < .001). There were no significant changes in reading and math scores over the 2‐year implementation after adjustment.

CONCLUSIONS

Results here showed that a school breakfast program that is housed in a large public school system that serves predominantly low resource, ethnically diverse students is associated with increased student attendance.
Walls between groups: Self‐uncertainty, social identity, and intergroup leadership
Authors: Hogg Michael A.
Published: March 2023

Lowering barriers between polarized groups and the identity silos they inhabit can be challenging in times of crisis and uncertainty. This article overviewsuncertainty‐identity theory’s analysis of the motivational role played by self‐uncertainty in group identification and group/intergroup behavior, and focuses on how self‐uncertainty can motivate zealous identification with “extremist” groups and identities. People need a clear sense of who they are to understand the world and their place within it, and to plan action and anticipate others’ behavior. They strive to reduce self‐uncertainty, and can achieve this by identifying with distinctive groups that have unambiguously defined social identities. Tumultuous social change can create identity threat, self‐uncertainty, and alienation from and marginalization in society. To reduce self‐uncertainty people zealously identify with ethnocentric, populist and xenophobic groups that are intolerant of dissent and have autocratic leaders—effectively building identity silos and walls between hyper‐polarized groups. Under these circumstances breaking down walls to reconcile polarized and hostile groups and identities is a challenge. I close by outliningintergroup leadership theory, and its implications for building harmony between polarized identities—a particular form of leadership and identity messaging plays a key role.
DNER and GNL2 are differentially m6A methylated in periodontitis in comparison with periodontal health revealed by m6A microarray of human gingival tissue and transcriptomic analysis
Authors: Wang Zhenxiang , Chen Hang , Peng Limin , He Yujuan , Wei Jingjing , Zhang Xiaonan
Published: March 2023

Objective

This study aims to investigate the differences in the epigenomic patterns of N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) methylation in gingival tissues between patients with periodontitis (PD) and healthy controls, identifying potential biomarkers.

Background

As a multifactorial disease, PD involves multiple genetic and environmental effects. The m6A modification is the most prevalent internal mRNA modification and linked to various inflammatory diseases. However, the m6A modification pattern and m6A‐related signatures in PD remain unclear.

Materials and Methods

An m6A microarray of human gingival tissues was conducted in eight subjects: four diagnosed with PD and four healthy controls. Microarray analysis was performed to identify the differentially m6A methylated mRNAs (DMGs) and the differentially expressed mRNAs (DEGs). The differentially methylated and expressed mRNAs (DMEGs) were subjected to functional enrichment analysis by Metascape. The weighted gene co‐expression network analysis (WGCNA) algorithm, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, and univariate logistic regression were performed to identify potential biomarkers. The cell type localization of the target genes was determined using single‐cell RNA‐seq (scRNA‐seq) analysis. The m6A methylation level and gene expression of hub genes were subsequently verified by m6A methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP) and quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR).

Results

In total, 458 DMGs, 750 DEGs, and 279 DMEGs were identified based on our microarray. Pathway analyses conducted for the DMEGs revealed that biological functions were mainly involved in the regulation of stem cell differentiation, ossification, circadian rhythm, and insulin secretion pathways. Besides, the genes involved in crucial biological processes were mainly expressed in fibroblast and epithelial cells. Furthermore, the m6A methylation and expression levels of two hub biomarkers (DNER and GNL2) were validated.

Conclusion

The current study exhibited a distinct m6A epitranscriptome, identified and verified two PD‐related biomarkers (DNER and GNL2), which may provide novel insights into revealing the new molecular mechanisms and latent targets of PD.
Inference for high‐dimensional linear models with locally stationary error processes
Authors: Xia Jiaqi , Chen Yu , Guo Xiao
Published: March 2023

Linear regression models with stationary errors are well studied but the non‐stationary assumption is more realistic in practice. An estimation and inference procedure for high‐dimensional linear regression models with locally stationary error processes is developed. Combined with a proper estimator for the autocovariance matrix of the non‐stationary error, the desparsified lasso estimator is adopted for the statistical inference of the regression coefficients under the fixed design setting. The consistency and asymptotic normality of the desparsified estimators is established under certain regularity conditions. Element‐wise confidence intervals for regression coefficients are constructed. The finite sample performance of our method is assessed by simulation and real data analysis.
Demographic and spatially explicit landscape genomic analyses in a tropical oak reveal the impacts of late Quaternary climate change on Andean montane forests
Authors: Ortego Joaquín , Espelta Josep Maria , Armenteras Dolors , Díez María Claudia , Muñoz Alberto , Bonal Raúl
Published: March 2023

The tropical Andes are one of the most important biodiversity hotspots on Earth, yet our understanding of how their biotas have responded to Quaternary climatic oscillations is extraordinarily limited and the alternative models proposed to explain their demographic dynamics have been seldom formally evaluated. Here, we test the hypothesis that the interplay between the spatial configuration of geographical barriers to dispersal and elevational displacements driven by Quaternary cooling–warming cycles has shaped the demographic trajectories of montane oak forests (Quercus humboldtii) from the Colombian Andes. Specifically, we integrate genomic data and environmental niche modelling at fine temporal resolution to test competing spatially explicit demographic and coalescent models, including scenarios considering (i) isotropic gene flow through the landscape, (ii) the hypothetical impact of contemporary barriers to dispersal (i.e., inter‐Andean valleys), and (iii) distributional shifts of montane oak forests from the Last Glacial Maximum to the present. Although our data revealed a marked genetic fragmentation of montane oak forests, statistical support for isolation‐with‐migration models indicates that geographically separated populations from the different Andean Cordilleras regularly exchange gene flow. Accordingly, spatiotemporally explicit demographic analyses supported a model of flickering connectivity, with scenarios considering isotropic gene flow or currently unsuitable habitats as persistent barriers to dispersal providing a comparatively worse fit to empirical genomic data. Overall, these results emphasize the role of landscape heterogeneity on shaping spatial patterns of genomic variation in montane oak forests, rejecting the hypothesis of genetic continuity and supporting a significant impact of Quaternary climatic oscillations on their demographic trajectories.
Overruled by nature: A plastic response to environmental change disconnects a gene and its trait
Authors: Besnier François , Skaala Øystein , Wennevik Vidar , Ayllon Fernando , Utne Kjell Rong , Fjeldheim Per Tommy , Andersen‐Fjeldheim Kaja , Knutar Sofie , Glover Kevin A.
Published: March 2023

In Atlantic salmon, age at maturation is a life history trait governed by a sex‐specific trade‐off between reproductive success and survival. Following environmental changes across large areas of the Northeast Atlantic, many populations currently display smaller size at age and higher age at maturation. However, whether these changes reflect rapid evolution or plasticity is unknown. Approximately 1500 historical and contemporary salmon from the river Etne in Western Norway, genotyped at 50,000 SNPs, revealed three loci associated with age at maturation. These included vgll3 and six6 which collectively explained 36%–50% of the age at maturation variation in the 1983–1984 period. These two loci also displayed sex‐specific epistasis, as the effect of six6 was only detected in males bearing two copies of the late maturation allele for vgll3. Strikingly, despite allelic frequencies at vgll3 remaining unchanged, the combined influence of these genes was nearly absent in all samples from 2013 to 2016, and genome‐wide heritability strongly declined between the two time‐points. The difference in age at maturation between males and females was upheld in the population despite the loss of effect from the candidate loci, which strongly points towards additional causative mechanisms resolving the sexual conflict. Finally, because admixture with farmed escaped salmon was excluded as the origin of the observed disconnection between gene(s) and maturation age, we conclude that the environmental changes observed in the North Atlantic during the past decades have led to bypassing of the influence of vgll3 and six6 on maturation through growth‐driven plasticity.
Neither Progress nor Regress: The Theological Substructure of T. F. Torrance's Genealogy of Modern Theology
Authors: Sarisky Darren
Published: March 2023

T. F. Torrance's corpus of historical and theological writings contains genealogical reflections on the field of Christian doctrine. The basic shape of the genealogy is determined by what Torrance calls certain “ultimates,” theological commitments that derive their justification not from other beliefs that possess more authority than they themselves do, but from the way in which they seek to depict God in himself and in his economic activity. Core ultimate beliefs include the doctrine of the Trinity, the incarnation, and the ascension and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. These beliefs, more than the idealization of any particular stretch of past history, underlie all of Torrance's genealogical work, for instance, the subjects against which he develops sustained polemic; the overall structure of his genealogical account, which bears only a superficial resemblance to a decline narrative; and, most importantly, the point around which the genealogy revolves, namely, the epistemic reconciliation between human beings and God. This essay illustrates the nature of the genealogical narrative by outlining Torrance's treatment of Scripture and its interpretation and closes by assessing his effort as a whole. While the genealogy contains drawbacks that are worth registering, Torrance's narrative rightly avoids the sort of sweeping evaluative judgments associated with some often‐discussed genealogies, and it properly places its focus on the perennial issue of divine‐human reconciliation, which manifests itself differently in a variety of historical circumstances, even as it is not ultimately contingent upon them.
It is not me, it is you: The emergence of secessionist parties in Western democracies
Authors: Rivard Alex B.
Published: March 2023

Although there exists a voluminous amount of existing literature that studies secessionist parties and the emergence of political parties more generally, there exists little that looks at the emergence of secessionist parties specifically. This article models the emergence of secessionist parties across western democracies and argues that the emergence of said parties is structured by both sociodemographic and political realities. This article shows that the structures of secessionist party entry differ across the arena in which parties compete: what influences emergence in subnational (provincial) elections differs than in national elections.
Genetic regulation of nitrogen use efficiency in Gossypium spp
Authors: Ninkuu Vincent , Liu Zhixin , Sun Xuwu
Published: March 2023

Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is the most important fibre crop, with desirable characteristics preferred for textile production. Cotton fibre output relies heavily on nitrate as the most important source of inorganic nitrogen (N). However, nitrogen dynamics in extreme environments limit plant growth and lead to yield loss and pollution. Therefore, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), which involves the utilisation of the ‘right rate’, ‘right source’, ‘right time’, and ‘right place’ (4Rs), is key for efficient N management. Recent omics techniques have genetically improved NUE in crops. We herein highlight the mechanisms of N uptake and assimilation in the vegetative and reproductive branches of the cotton plant while considering the known and unknown regulatory factors. The phylogenetic relationships among N transporters in four Gossypium spp. have been reviewed. Further, the N regulatory genes that participate in xylem transport and phloem loading are also discussed. In addition, the functions of microRNAs and transcription factors in modulating the expression of target N regulatory genes are highlighted. Overall, this review provides a detailed perspective on the complex N regulatory mechanism in cotton, which would accelerate the research toward improving NUE in crops.
Low billing rates for pediatric sedation fee on magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Tanaka Yuko , Inage Eisuke , Matsumoto Megumi , Murano Yayoi , Endo Akifumi , Nakabayashi Yosuke , Yokoya Susumu , Iwama Itaru , Suzuki Yasuyuki , Oyama Shoichi , Baba Yosuke , Kudo Takahiro , Ohtsuka Yoshikazu , Shimizu Toshiaki
Published: March 2023

Background: The 2018 revision of social insurance in Japan allows additional fees to be calculated for pediatric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that must be performed under sedation. The number and trend of actual claims since this revision was established is unknown. The aim of this study to investigate the use of the additional fees and any regional differences in the use.

Methods: To analyze the claims of additional fees for pediatric sedated MRI after the fiscal year (FY) 2018, the actual claims in inpatient and outpatient practice was analyzed using publicly‐available data from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). We analyzed the calculation rate for all MRI scans. Annual changes in the actual number and calculation rate were analyzed. The ratio of the number of additional fees to the overall number of pediatric radiological procedures was used to examine the geographic disparity.

Results: The number of calculations from FY 2018 to FY 2020 was available. In FY 2020, only 1347 additional fees were calculated, corresponding to 0.35% of the total number of MRI scans. The number of fees showed a decreasing trend. Most cases were in the 0–4 year age group; however, there were a few cases in the 10–14 year age group without such a decrease. The relative number of calculations by prefecture showed an up to 14‐fold disparity.

Conclusions: The requirements for sedation for pediatric MRI are strict, but they are not fully utilized. Measures such as relaxing the requirements for the fee are needed to make MRI‐related sedation safer.
COVID‐19 Vaccination Acceptance: A Case of Interplay Between Political and Health Dimensions
Authors: da Silva Lima Kaline , Do Bú Emerson Araújo , Silva Washington Allysson Dantas , Miranda Mariana P. , Pereira Cicero Roberto
Published: March 2023

Vaccines are essential for the eradication of diseases. Yet for many reasons, individuals do not embrace them completely. In the COVID‐19 pandemic and with the possibility of the Brazilian population's immunization against the disease, both political and health‐related dimensions might have had a role in individual COVID‐19 vaccination acceptance. In two studies (n = 974), we tested the hypothesis that participants' vaccination acceptance is related to their past vote in the 2018 Brazilian presidential election (being or not being a Jair Bolsonaro voter) and their different levels of perceived vulnerability to disease (PVD). We further tested whether Bolsonaro's opposition or ambiguous messages towards vaccination (vs. control) increased vaccination rejection among those who have (vs. have not) voted for him and who are low (vs. high) in PVD. Results show that Bolsonaro (vs. non‐Bolsonaro) voters accepted less vaccination, with higher rejection rates when participants expressed low (vs. high) PVD. Also, when primed either with Bolsonaro's opposed or ambiguous messages towards COVID‐19 vaccination, such participants accepted less vaccines (vs. participants primed with neutral information). These findings are the first to show that the COVID‐19 vaccine acceptance is related to their past vote and leadership influence but also different levels of perceived vulnerability to disease.
A substantial problem for priority monism
Authors: Glazier Martin
Published: March 2023

Priority monism is the doctrine that there is exactly one substance: the whole concrete cosmos. This paper develops an objection to priority monism. The objection is that although every substance is necessarily a substance, for the priority monist the cosmos is not necessarily a substance. It follows that the cosmos is not a substance and so priority monism is false. The priority monist's pluralist opponent, I argue, can avoid a parallel objection to her view.
Empathy, sympathy, and altruism—An evident triad based on compassion. A theoretical model for caring
Authors: Arman Maria
Published: March 2023

Background

Based on existing confusion and a suggested contradiction regarding empathy and compassion in relation to caring science as well as in clinical health care.

Aim

The aim of the study was to find a knowledge base for the development of clinical caring science for, empathy, sympathy altruism, and compassion and their mutual relationship.

Design

A theoretical paper.

Results

The text discusses the different concepts separately, considering their history, research, obstacles, and bias and then brings them together in a concept model. The conclusion shows that empathy, sympathy, and altruism have no contradictions. Instead, they together form an evident triad based on compassion. Compassion is a prerequisite and a basis for the others to work. In clinical application, empathy is metaphorically a quality coming from the head, sympathy from the heart and altruism from the hand, merged in an attitude of compassion as a motif to care. The paper also reflects on the possibilities to increase and develop a compassionate mood and capacity by education and training.
The use of prothrombin complex concentrate in chronic liver disease: A review of the literature
Authors: van Dievoet Marie‐Astrid , Stephenne Xavier , Rousseaux Madeleine , Lisman Ton , Hermans Cedric , Deneys Véronique
Published: March 2023

Patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) and cirrhosis present a rebalanced hemostatic system in the three phases of haemostasis. This balance is however unstable and can easily tip towards bleeding or thrombosis. Management of both spontaneous bleeding and bleeding during invasive procedures remains a challenge in this patient population. Transfusion of blood products can result in circulatory overload and thereby worsen portal hypertension. As an alternative to fresh frozen plasma (FFP), prothrombin complex concentrates (PCC) may have merit in patients with liver disease because of their low volume. The impact of PCC in in‐vitro spiking experiments of cirrhotic plasma is promising, but also warrants cautious use in light of thromboembolic risk. The majority of existing studies carried‐out in CLD patients are retrospective or do not have an adequate control arm. A prospective study (the PROTON trial) was set up in 2013 to investigate the utility of PCC in patients undergoing liver transplantation. However, the study has never recruited the planned number of patients. Robust data on PCC safety in CLD is also required. The limited existing evidence does not seem to indicate an excessive thromboembolic risk. Currently, the utilisation of PCC in CLD cannot be routinely recommended but can provide an option for carefully selected cases in which other measures were not sufficient to control bleeding and after delicately weighing risks and benefits.
CmCNIH1 improves salt tolerance by influencing the trafficking of CmHKT1;1 in pumpkin
Authors: Wei Lanxing , Liu Liu , Chen Zhi , Huang Yuan , Yang Li , Wang Pengwei , Xue Shaowu , Bie Zhilong
Published: March 2023

Pumpkin is often used as a rootstock for other Cucurbitaceae crops due to its resistance to soil‐borne diseases and abiotic stress. Pumpkin rootstocks use a sodium transporter (CmHKT1;1) to promote the transport of Na+ from the shoot to the root effectively and improve the salt tolerance of the scion. However, the molecular regulatory mechanisms that influence the activity of CmHKT1;1 during salt stress response remain unknown. In this study, CmCNIH1, a cornichon homolog, was identified as a potential cargo receptor for CmHKT1;1. Yeast two‐hybrid, biomolecular fluorescence complementation and luciferase complementary assays demonstrated that CmCNIH1 and CmHKT1;1 could interact. CmCNIH1 was a key component of the cellular vesicle transport machinery located in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), ER export site and Golgi apparatus. A CmCNIH1 knockout mutant was more sensitive to salt stress than the wild‐type (WT). In addition, ion homeostasis was disrupted in cmcnih1 mutants, which had higher Na+ and lower K+ content in shoots and roots than the WT. Two‐electrode voltage‐clamp experiment displayed that CmCNIH1 could not influence the Na+ current that passed through the plasma membrane (PM) in CmHKT1;1‐expressing Xenopus laevis oocytes. Data from co‐localization assays indicated that intact CmCNIH1 protein could alter the subcellular localization of CmHKT1;1 in tobacco leaf, pumpkin root and yeast. In summary, CmCNIH1 may function as a cargo receptor that regulates the localization of CmHKT1;1 to the PM to improve salt tolerance in pumpkin.
The Waring problem for matrix algebras, II
Authors: Brešar Matej , Šemrl Peter
Published: March 2023

Let be a noncommutative polynomial of degree over an algebraically closed field of characteristic 0. If and are nonzero elements from such that , then every trace zero matrix over can be written as for some in the image of in .
Design of Decoupled and Dynamically Isotropic Parallel Manipulators Considering Five Degrees-of-Freedom
Authors: Pratap Singh Yogesh , Ahmad Nazeer , Ghosal Ashitava
Published: March 2023

A six degrees-of-freedom (DOF) two-radii Gough–Stewart Platform (GSP) can be designed to be dynamically isotropic and has been proposed for micro-vibration isolation. In many applications, the torsional mode can be ignored, and a 5DOF dynamically isotropic, parallel manipulator capable of attenuating three translational (3T) and two rotational (2R) modes are sufficient. In this work, we present the designs of a novel 5DOF dynamically isotropic parallel manipulator for vibration isolation where the torsion mode can be ignored. We present closed-form solutions in their explicit form, and these are obtained using a geometry-based approach. The first design is based on a modification to the two-radii GSP and provides enhanced design flexibility and feasibility. The second design, with the first five decoupled modes, is based on superposing geometrical parameters of two three-legged dynamically isotropic or decoupled parallel manipulators. It is shown that this design has two translational modes, namely the X, Y modes, which are decoupled from two rotational modes Rot(X), Rot(Y) and are controlled by two different sets of three legs. This feature can lead to simpler control and less power requirements if active vibration control is chosen. The designs presented in this work include the effect of asymmetry and the payload center of mass variation. The dynamically isotropic and decoupled designs were successfully validated using the finite element software ansys®. Experimental results based on a two-radii GSP prototype further validate analytical and simulation results.
Design of the Novel Single Incision, Free Motion Laparoscopic Surgical System
Authors: Galvin Samson , Yanalitis Rachael Kate , Leon Eric , Winder Joshua , Haluck Randy , von Lockette Paris , Moore Jason Z.
Published: March 2023

Laparoscopic surgery is a common minimally invasive surgery that uses specialized tools to access the abdominal cavity and pelvic regions via small incisions called ports. Compared to open surgery, laparoscopy's small incision size better protects a patient's health and reduces recovery time. However, restricted rotation of the tools around chosen port locations can limit a surgeon's mobility while operating. To address this, the novel single incision, free motion (SIFM) laparoscopic surgical system was created, and its design was explored through three experiments. Experiment 1 analyzed different permanent magnetic configurations to optimize the magnetic force between a tool on the inside of the abdominal wall and an external tool. The chosen configuration was a single-pole external magnet, coupled to an axially magnetized internal magnet. Experiment 2 analyzed the experimental and theoretical forces applied by the internal tool. The tool was able to provide sufficient cutting forces at 26.1 mm of separation between the tools. Experiment 3 measured the precision of the tool's end effector which was controlled by a stepper motor-powered cable system. The tool's end effector rotates no more than 1 deg about the y-axis and no more than 2 deg about the x-axis. The SIFM system combines the health benefits of minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery, with the free motion and ease of open surgery.
Upstream Jet Cooling and Dual Cavity Slashface Leakage Cooling on a Transonic Nozzle Guide Vane Endwall
Authors: Mao Shuo , Van Hout Daniel , Zhang Kaiyuan , Lee Jin Woo , Ng Wing F. , Xu Hongzhou , Fox Michael , Li Jun
Published: March 2023

This paper presents an experimental and computational study on implementing a dual cavity slashface cooling scheme on the thermal performance for the first stage nozzle guide vane with an axisymmetric, converging endwall. An upstream dual-row, staggered cylindrical hole cooling scheme provided purged coolant. The study was conducted under representative engine conditions of Maexit = 0.85 and Reexit,Cax = 1.5 × 106. Data were collected and analyzed using infrared thermography to map the endwall heat transfer performance throughout the passage. A flow visualization study was employed to gather qualitative insights into the endwall flow field. In addition, a complimentary computational fluid dynamics study was carried out to understand the endwall flow ingestion and egress behavior near the slashface. Results indicate that the dual-plenum slashface scheme leads to a unique ingestion-egression-ingestion-egression pattern. The ingestion and egression suppress the upstream coolant attachment at mid-passage near the suction side but create a favorable coolant coverage downstream of the slashface tail-end, where the neat heat flux reduction is 0.4–0.5. The study also compared the dual-plenum design with the single-plenum design and concluded that the dual-plenum slashface is superior in film cooling performance.
Computational Analysis of Air/Mist Film Cooling Using A Sweeping Jet Fluidic Oscillator–Part II: Sweeping Mist Jets
Authors: Abdelmaksoud Ramy , Wang Ting
Published: March 2023

An ongoing research effort has been conducted for years to investigate the feasibility of mixing the air with mist (micron-level water droplets) to enhance heat transfer. It becomes very interesting to investigate how these tiny droplets behave in conjunction with the periodic sweeping jets. Will they move synchronously with the fluid or asynchronously with a phase lag? How would the interaction between the droplets and the sweeping jets affect the film cooling effectiveness? To answer these questions, Part II of this paper specifically focuses on investigating the droplet dynamics and thermoflow behavior of droplet evaporation on film cooling effectiveness in a sweeping jet. An unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes simulation accompanied by the k–ω shear stress transport turbulence model is used in this study. The multiphase computational fluid dynamics model employs an Eulerian–Lagrangian approach. The Eulerian method is used for the continuous phase including air and water vapor and the Lagrangian method in terms of the discrete phase model is used to simulate the dispersed phase (e.g., liquid droplets) in a continuous phase (e.g., air). A mist ratio of 10% with a droplet size of 10 μm was used in this study. The results show that, for a blowing ratio of 1, using mist provides better film cooling performance with an average enhancement of 50–90% in comparison to that without mist. Using a mist ratio of 10% could save approximately 50% of the cooling air. It is observed that the liquid droplets mostly follow the main sweeping flow and its vortical structure and horseshoe vortices, but with a phase lag between the droplets and the main sweeping jet. This phase lag further enhances both temporal and spatial film cooling surface protection during the sweeping motion.
Comparative Numerical Study of Melting Behavior of a Phase Change Material in Shell and Tube Latent Heat Energy Storage Unit With Longitudinal, Spiral, and Annular Fins in Horizontal and Vertical Orientations
Authors: Mahdi Mustafa S. , Ezzat Akram W. , Mahood Hameed B.
Published: March 2023

Owing to the high storage capacity of the latent heat energy storage unit (LHSU), it is preferred among other types of thermal energy storage to overcome the mismatch between energy supply and demand. The orientation of the LHSU affects the melting process of the phase change material (PCM), and this effect could vary according to the fin shape of the LHSU. Thus, the present study aims to numerically examine the impact of vertical and horizontal orientations on the longitudinal, spiral, and annular finned shell and tube LHSUs. The computational fluid dynamics simulation solved the time-dependent conservation equations of mass, momentum, and energy in the three-dimensional domain. The enthalpy-porosity and the Boussinesq approximation were used respectively to simulate the PCM phase change and the change in density. The results show that the LHSUs have completely different behavior in the vertical orientation than in the horizontal orientation due to the various obstructions to the natural convection flow induced by the fins, depending on the fin shape, and the direction of natural convection flow. In the vertical orientation, the annular finned LHSU has a faster melting rate than the longitudinal finned LHSU by 25.6%. In contrast, in the horizontal orientation, the longitudinal finned LHSU melted more rapidly than the annular finned LHSU by 52.5%. The spiral finned LHSU performance was moderate between the two other finned LHSUs in both orientations due to its spiral shape that lies between the shape of the annular and longitudinal fins.
Use of Zebrafish Embryos To Reproduce Human Norovirus and To Evaluate Human Norovirus Infectivity Decay after UV Treatment
Authors: Tan Malcolm Turk Hsern , Gong Zhiyuan , Li Dan
Published: March 2023

HNoVs are a leading cause of gastroenteritis outbreaks worldwide. The zebrafish embryo tool as developed in this study serves as an efficient way to generate viruses with high titers and clean background and a straightforward platform to evaluate HNoV inactivation efficacies. It is expected that this tool will not only benefit epidemiological research on HNoV but also be used to generate HNoV inactivation parameters which are highly needed by the water treatment and food industries.
Structural Study of the Cobetia marina Bacteriophage 1 (Carin-1) by Cryo-EM
Authors: d’Acapito Alessio , Roret Thomas , Zarkadas Eleftherios , Mocaër Pierre-Yves , Lelchat Florian , Baudoux Anne-Claire , Schoehn Guy , Neumann Emmanuelle
Published: March 2023

Oceans play a central role in the carbon cycle on Earth and on the climate regulation (half of the planet's CO2 is absorbed by phytoplankton photosynthesis in the oceans and just as much O2 is liberated). The understanding of the biochemical equilibriums of marine biology represents a major goal for our future.
Metagenomic Discovery of “
Candidatus
Parvarchaeales”-Related Lineages Sheds Light on Adaptation and Diversification from Neutral-Thermal to Acidic-Mesothermal Environments
Authors: Rao Yang-Zhi , Li Yu-Xian , Li Ze-Wei , Qu Yan-Ni , Qi Yan-Ling , Jiao Jian-Yu , Shu Wen-Sheng , Hua Zheng-Shuang , Li Wen-Jun
Published: March 2023

“
Candidatus
Parvarchaeales” microbes may represent a lineage uniquely distributed in extreme environments such as AMD and hot springs. However, little is known about the strategies and processes of how they adapted to these extreme environments.
Complete Genetic Analysis of Plasmids Carrying Multiple Resistance, Virulence, and Phage-Like Genes in Foodborne Escherichia coli Isolate
Authors: Liu Xiaobo , Li Ruichao , Chan Edward Wai-Chi , Chen Sheng
Published: March 2023

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been increasingly prevalent in agricultural and clinical fields. Understanding the genetic environment involved in AMR genes is important for preventing transmission and developing mitigation strategies.
Development and Clinical Application of a Multilocus Sequence Typing Scheme for
Bacteroides fragilis
Based on Whole-Genome Sequencing Data
Authors: Nielsen Flemming D. , Skov Marianne N. , Sydenham Thomas V. , Justesen Ulrik S.
Published: March 2023

Here, we present the first MLST scheme for
Bacteroides fragilis
, one of the most abundant pathogenic bacteria in the human gut microbiota. The scheme enables standard classification and monitoring of
B. fragilis
on a worldwide scale and groups the majority of current isolate data in one place.
Supplemental Material: Revised onset age of magnetochron M0r: Chronostratigraphic and geologic implications
Authors: Li Youjuan , He Huaiyu , al. et
Published: March 2023

Text S1: U-Pb, 40Ar/39Ar, and Bayesian modeling analytical methods. Table S1: Summary of radioisotopic ages from Qingshan Group, Jiaolai Basin, China. Table S2: Summary of ages determined for Barremian-Aptian boundary and chron M0r. Tables S3, S4, and S5: Complete U-Pb CA-ID-IRMS, CA-ID-TIMS, and 40Ar/39Ar data from three different laboratories.
Supplemental Material: Tectonic and stratigraphic evolution of the late Paleozoic Darwin Basin, eastern California, USA, and implications for the onset of subduction along the southwestern Cordilleran margin of Laurentia
Authors: Vaughn Lochlan W. , et al.
Published: March 2023

Extended methods section, additional measured sections, a sample list, clast count data, and a detailed discussion of our subsidence analysis. 
Hypoglycemia and glycemic variability of people with type 1 diabetes with lower and higher physical activity loads in free-living conditions using continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion with predictive low-glucose suspend system
Authors: Montt-Blanchard Denise , Sánchez Raimundo , Dubois-Camacho Karen , Leppe Jaime , Onetto María Teresa
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Maintaining glycemic control during and after physical activity (PA) is a major challenge in type 1 diabetes (T1D). This study compared the glycemic variability and exercise-related diabetic management strategies of adults with T1D achieving higher and lower PA loads in nighttime–daytime and active– sedentary behavior hours in free-living conditions.

Research design and methods

Active adults (n=28) with T1D (ages: 35±10 years; diabetes duration: 21±11 years; body mass index: 24.8±3.4 kg/m2; glycated hemoglobin A1c: 6.9±0.6%) on continuous subcutaneous insulin delivery system with predictive low glucose suspend system and glucose monitoring, performed different types, duration and intensity of PA under free-living conditions, tracked by accelerometer over 14 days. Participants were equally divided into lower load (LL) and higher load (HL) by median of daily counts per minute (61122). Glycemic variability was studied monitoring predefined time in glycemic ranges (time in range (TIR), time above range (TAR) and time below range (TBR)), coefficient of variation (CV) and mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE). Parameters were studied in defined hours timeframes (nighttime–daytime and active–sedentary behavior). Self-reported diabetes management strategies were analysed during and post-PA.

Results

Higher glycemic variability (CV) was observed in sedentary hours compared with active hours in the LL group (p≤0.05). HL group showed an increment in glycemic variability (MAGE) during nighttime versus daytime (p≤0.05). There were no differences in TIR and TAR across all timeframes between HL and LL groups. The HL group had significantly more TBR during night hours than the LL group (p≤0.05). Both groups showed TBR above recommended values. All participants used fewer post-PA management strategies than during PA (p≤0.05).

Conclusion

Active people with T1D are able to maintain glycemic variability, TIR and TAR within recommended values regardless of PA loads. However, the high prevalence of TBR and the less use of post-PA management strategies highlights the potential need to increase awareness on actions to avoid glycemic excursions and hypoglycemia after exercise completion.
The impact of COVID-19 on pulmonary function and airway reactivity after recovery in college-aged adults
Authors: Johnson Nicholas M. , Saunders Michael J. , Womack Christopher J. , Kurti Stephanie P.
Published: March 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine (1) whether pulmonary function is reduced, and airway reactivity is increased after recovery from COVID-19 in individuals who did not have severe illness, and (2) whether physical activity levels had any impact on pulmonary function or airway reactivity. An exploratory aim of the study was also to assess whether number of symptoms was associated with pulmonary function outcomes. The maximal flow volume loop was used to measure pulmonary function in individuals who had previously tested positive for COVID-19 (COV; n = 20, 23.0 ± 5.4 years) and those who had not (CON; n = 20, 23.7 ± 5.5 years) before and after a hypertonic saline challenge (HSC) designed to increase airway reactivity. Self-reported symptoms and physical activity levels (MET (min/week)) were collected to examine their correlation with pulmonary outcomes. There were no significant differences in any pulmonary function outcomes between the COV and CON groups before or after the HSC. There were also no associations between physical activity and pulmonary function outcomes. However, among participants who reported greater than four symptoms, there was a larger decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 s divided by forced vital capacity following HSC ( p = 0.035). Pulmonary function and airway reactivity are not impacted after recovery from COVID-19 in young individuals; however, it appears that the number of symptoms reported may be associated with increased airway reactivity even after recovery in young adults who were not hospitalized with the virus.
A Hybrid CNN Model for Deep Feature Extraction for Diabetic Retinopathy Detection and Gradation
Authors: Mukherjee Nilarun , Sengupta Souvik
Published: March 2023

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a complication of prolonged diabetic mellitus causing damage to the micro-vascular system in retina. Computer-aided detection of DR can significantly reduce time, effort, and cost in early diagnosis and thereby restrict further complications. In this paper, we present a deep learning based framework for automated DR stage classification from fundus retinal images.We design and develop a custom build Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model named Model-IVS to extract meaningful and discriminative features from the retinal fundus images. The proposed hybrid-CNN combines the multi-scale pyramidal feature processing concept of inception model with the convolutional pipeline based feature extraction concept of VGG-Nets and adopts multi-scale feature concatenation based short-cut connections of DenseNet with learnable convolutions. For the binary classification tasks, we employ Model-IVS as a feature extractor and use Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier on the reduced features obtained through principal component analysis. The proposed hybrid model is end-to-end trained incrementally on a class-balanced dataset curated from the train set of EyePACS dataset. The cross-dataset generalization of the proposed hybrid CNN based DR classification framework is evaluated on APTOS, MESSIDOR-1 and MESSIDOR-2 datasets. Experimental results demonstrate that our model has outperformed all the existing state-of-the-art methods for DR severity grading task on APTOS dataset. The proposed Model-IVS has achieved best accuracy, AUC-ROC, and kappa score of 84.33%, 0.978 and 0.899, respectively in DR severity grading task. In binary classification tasks like DR screening and referable DR predictions, our Model-IVS feature extraction network with SVM classifier on PCA features has also achieved comparable performance results w.r.t. the state-of-the-art methods. In DR screening task, we recorded an accuracy of 97.84%, 87.42%, and 89.67% on APTOS, MESSIDOR-1, and MESSIDOR-2 datasets, respectively. In referable DR prediction, we achieved AUC-ROC score of 0.987, 0.928, and 0.873 on APTOS, MESSIDOR-1, and MESSIDOR-2 datasets, respectively.
Duo Property Applied to Powers and Regular Elements
Authors: Kwak Tai Keun , Lee Yang , Piao Zhelin , Seo Yeonsook
Published: March 2023

The object of this article is to initiate the study of a class of rings in which the right duo property is applied in relation to powers of elements and the monoid of all regular elements. Such rings shall be called right exp-DR. We investigate the structures of group rings, right quotient rings, matrix rings and (skew) polynomial rings, through the study of right exp-DR rings. In addition, we provide a method of constructing finite non-abelian [Formula: see text]-groups for any prime [Formula: see text].