bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Цифровая инфраструктура и ее роль в экономическом росте
Authors: Хасанова З.Р.
Published: March 2024

Данная статья рассматривает влияние цифровой инфраструктуры на современную экономику. Автор выделяет ключевые аспекты, такие как стимулирование инноваций, повышение производительности и улучшение качества жизни, объясняя, почему развитие цифровых технологий становится стратегическим приоритетом для многих стран. Статья также подчеркивает важность цифровой инфраструктуры в укреплении конкурентоспособности страны и преодолении глобальных вызовов. Работа предоставляет обзор положительных воздействий цифровой трансформации на экономику и общество, подчеркивая необходимость инвестиций в развитие технологической сферы для достижения устойчивого и процветающего будущего.
Пути совершенствования процедуры выдвижения кандидатов на выборах в Российской Федерации
Authors: Аванесов Г.Э.
Published: March 2024

В данной работе необходимо рассмотреть научные аспекты изучения путей совершенствования процедуры выдвижения кандидатов на выборах в РФ. Стоит отметить, что в рамках данной статьи мы рассмотрим ключевые мероприятия и изменения, направленные на улучшение и упрощение процедуры выдвижения кандидатов на выборах в России. Данная тема весьма актуальная, так как до сегодняшнего времени ей не уделялось достаточного внимания. Важен не только теоретический, но и практический аспект данного вопроса. Исследуется научная литература по заданной проблеме, а также практический отечественный опыт.
Проблемы экологического права в сфере компенсации морального вред
Authors: Богомолов С.Е.
Published: March 2024

В данной статье рассматриваются проблемные моменты, возникающие при проведении процедуры компенсации морального вреда в области экологического права, а также предлагаются возможные пути их решения. Автором исследуются положения Постановление Пленума Верховного Суда РФ «О применении судами законодательства об ответственности за нарушения в области охраны окружающей среды и природопользования», а также акцентируется внимание на пробелах в рамках данного документа.
Проблемная ситуация формирования правовой модели регулирования процессов обращения с побочными продуктами производства в экономике природопользования замкнутого цикла
Authors: Донченко В.К.
Published: March 2024

В статье рассмотрена проблемная ситуация формирования правовой модели регулирования процессов обращения с побочными продуктами производства в экономике природопользования замкнутого цикла, причиной возникновения которой стало двойственное положение побочных продуктов производства. В одной части нормативных правовых документов они трактуются как отход, в другой как продукт, который может использоваться в производстве.
Is Dentistry in Crisis? An Online Survey of Iranian Dentists’ Attitudes toward La Cascada Declaration
Authors: Kazemian Ali
Published: March 2024

In August 2017, six international senior dental researchers published a critical declaration called ‘La Cascada; Dentistry in Crisis: Time to Change’. This statement outlined major concerns with the current trajectory of the dental profession and proposed recommendations for change. This study piloted an online survey among an exploratory convenience sample of 138 Iranian dentists, ensuring a suitable gender mix and a representative mix of generalists and specialists. The questionnaire included two main questions about the respondents’ agreement with the declaration and some of the recommendations. The majority (72.2%) of the 138 participants expressed agreement with the messages of the La Cascada Declaration by selecting 4 or 5 on a 5-point Likert scale. However, there was not a strong consensus among participants regarding all six selected recommendations. In conclusion, it appears that groups of dentists agree that the dental profession is facing a crisis. However, the profession has not yet reached a consensus on solutions.
STYLISTIC LITERALISMS: DEFINITION AND TYPOLOGY
Authors: Matuzkova O. P. , Kovalenko O. V.
Published: March 2024

The description of literal translation problematics is an age long tradition. Notwithstanding this fact, many dimensions of literalisms have been open for academic research both in theoretical and practical aspects. The article focuses on such kind of literalisms as stylistic literalisms and explores their definition and typology. The subject matter of this article is crucially topical and reflects the current demand of modern theory of translation for new and profound research in this sphere. The objective of the article is to describe stylistic literalisms through the prism of modern Translation Studies. The objective determined the tasks of the research: to clarify and describe literalisms and the factors of their creation, to define the term “stylistic literalism” and to classify their multifaceted essence. Our study relies substantially on the application of linguistic descriptive methodology and devices.
The innovation of this article relies in specifying the quintessence of “stylistic literalism” notion which is relevant for understanding the translation interference mechanism and crucial for modern Translation Studies; highlighting and analyzing different types of stylistic literalisms; grounding the comprehensive definition of literalism — key term of modern Translation Studies.
The article claims that stylistic literalisms are the result of interference between two languages which leads to violation of target language stylistic norms. Various factors of stylistic literalisms origins contribute to their types selection: difference in relative frequency of definite word; ignorance of the erase metaphor degree; distinction in stylistic tone of source and target texts; stylistic discrepancies among words of different languages or within the boundaries of one target text; disparities in connotations; vague and sloppy phrases in translation text.
Crafting a Strong Research Design: A Step-by-Step Journey in Academic Writing
Authors: Fodouop Kouam Arthur William
Published: March 2024

This study provides a comprehensive guide for researchers aiming to formulate a robust research design in academic writing. By addressing the definition, significance, and components of research design, this study aims to bridge the knowledge gap and equip researchers with the necessary tools to enhance the quality and reliability of their research. The originality of this study lies in its holistic approach, offering a step-by-step journey that covers various research methods and their suitability for different contexts, as well as crucial components of research design such as sampling strategies, data collection instruments, and data analysis techniques. By enhancing researchers' understanding of research design, this study aims to empower them to produce high-quality research and make meaningful contributions to their fields of study.
La dolarización en la literatura ecuatoriana: especulaciones iniciales
Authors: Montenegro Fernando
Published: March 2024

En el presente artículo se discute sobre los posibles modos en que la literatura ecuatoriana, estudiada a través de cuatro obras de principios del siglo XXI, ha comentado uno de los sucesos más importantes de la historia nacional: la dolarización. El artículo parte de una breve comparación entre el feriado bancario (suceso que antecedió a la dolarización) y los atentados al World Trade Center el 11 de septiembre de 2001. Posteriormente, el trabajo se centra en estudiar las posibles consecuencias que tuvo la dolarización en la novelística de Javier Vásconez, Alfredo Noriega, Gabriela Alemán y Leonardo Valencia. Finalmente, se plantean una serie de preguntas que guiarán los debates establecidos especularmente en el presente trabajo.
Apresentação do dossiê
Authors: Villela Alice , Leaha Mihai Andrei , Prado Yuri
Published: March 2024

A relação entre a etnografia, a música e a mídia audiovisual é marcada por uma grande interdependência. Em muitas situações de trabalho de campo, a presença de equipamentos capazes de gravar áudio e vídeo possibilitou a documentação de práticas musicais, mesmo quando a música não estava no centro das preocupações do projeto de pesquisa. Em outros casos, a própria multissensorialidade dessas práticas inspirou a adoção do audiovisual como meio de documentação, na medida em que ela possibilitava a gravação não somente da música em sua forma sonora, mas também, dos rostos, corpos, vozes e gestos de seus praticantes, do modo de fabricação e execução instrumental, e das interações e do entorno de uma performance. Este dossiê pretende explorar precisamente essas interdependências e a relação com a multimodalidade, considerada como um ato musical, multissensorial e reflexivo de comunicação, que vem marcar um novo contexto para pesquisas e explorações de metodologias nos campos da antropologia e da etnomusicologia.
Zwitterionic hydrogels and their biomedical applications: a review
Authors: Li Chengcheng , Zheng Hao , Zhang Xingguo , Pu Zhihua , Li Dachao
Published: March 2024

The coexistence of anions and cations in zwitterionic hydrogels results in electrostatic interactions between the polymer chains. This structure endows zwitterionic hydrogels with higher ion sensitivity and promising properties, such as anti-polyelectrolyte and thermosensitive effects. Hydrophilic groups on the molecular backbone give zwitterionic hydrogels good biocompatibility, and they effectively resist the non-specific adsorption of proteins. The abundant functional groups on the molecular skeleton also facilitate the chemical modification of zwitterionic hydrogels. In recent years, these excellent properties have made zwitterionic hydrogels broadly interesting and they have been heavily studied for medical applications. A comprehensive review will help researchers have a deeper understanding of zwitterionic hydrogels and their potential applications. In this review, the types, functional characteristics, and applications in the biomedicine of zwitterionic hydrogels are summarized in detail. In addition, the challenges and opportunities for using zwitterionic hydrogels for biomedical applications are discussed.
The settlement of Konoplyanka 2: a new site of the Cherkaskul’ Culture in the steppe Trans-Urals (results of research on line 1)
Authors: Panteleeva S.E.
Published: March 2024

This article presents the results of chronostratigraphic analysis of cultural deposits in a sector of line 1 of the Konoplyanka 2 settlement in the southern Trans-Urals. During the excavations, materials of the Srubnaya (its Srubnaya-Alakul’ variant) and Cherkaskul’ Cultures were obtained. The Srubnaya-Alakul’ population was actively settling across this territory in the first third of the 2nd millennium BC. The Cherkaskul’ population came into the region later from the northern areas. Identification of Cher-kaskul’ objects in the multilayer steppe sites is a topical scientific problem. During the excavations of the Konoplyanka 2 settle-ment, the remains of house 1, which contained four wells, a household pit and a sacrifice place were studied. Intriguing was the discrepancy between the obtained data and the results of the geophysical survey. While the intensive rounded magnetic anomalies, as expected, matched the wells and a household pit, the linear magnetic anomalies did not correspond to the con-tour of the house walls. Studies have revealed that house 1 was erected during the Srubnaya-Alakul’ building phase. Investiga-tion of the spatial distribution of pottery was undertaken to clarify the position of the Cherkaskul’ deposits. The study included three analytical stages: the distribution of shards by depth, correlation of pottery types with soil layers, and the planigraphic distribution of fragments. As a result of this exercise, another structure — Cherkaskul’ house 2 — was found above the Srub-naya-Alakul’ house 1. Comparing the contours of this structure with the results of geomagnetic mapping suggests that the linear anomalies mark the walls of the actual Cherkaskul’ house. As such, two houses attributed to two building phases were identified at Konoplyanka 2; their dimensions and configuration were established, and the organization of the internal space has been considered. Noteworthy, the settlement does not contain layers of the final period of the Bronze Age. Due to this, we are dealing with a rare example of the satisfactory preservation of the Cherkaskul’ deposits. Thus, the settlement of Konoplyanka 2 contri-butes to the list of the known sites of the Cherkaskul’ Culture in the steppe Trans-Urals, representing a prospective object for further archaeological research.
Revealing the power play: Unraveling the dynamic environment's influence on intangible resources and sustainable competitive advantage
Authors: Rahmat Muhammad Wadud
Published: March 2024

Purpose – The objective of this study is to examine the impact of the dynamic environment on the relationship between intangible resources and sustainable competitive advantage in large and medium-sized manufacturing firms operating across various sectors.Design/methodology/approach – The research sample was selected using cluster random sampling, which is based on company size, namely large and medium-sized companies only, totalling 257 companies as the unit of analysis. A questionnaire was utilized to collect data. While the study employed residual technique and the Hayes (2012) method for variable assessment, the primary method used was a causal analysis.Findings – The findings indicate that the dynamic environment does not act as a moderating variable, implying that the sustainability of the organization is unaffected by the firm’s dynamic environment.Research limitations/implications – Research findings can play a pivotal role in corporate strategy, enabling companies to reach a sustainable competitive advantage by closely monitoring environmental changes. Practical implications – This research can assist companies in developing business strategies that are more adaptive to environmental changes, enabling them to actively monitor and identify emerging opportunities and threats. By doing so, companies can take appropriate steps to maintain their competitive advantage.Originality/value – Previous researchers have rarely conducted this research, primarily due to a lack of understanding on how to effectively connect dynamic environments with intangible resources in order to achieve sustainable competitive advantage.
Gamification aspects affecting mobile app continued use, attitude, and satisfaction
Authors: Nugroho Sahid Susilo
Published: March 2024

Purpose – The aim of this study is to shed light on the factors influencing continued use, attitude, and satisfaction with gamified mobile app usage. A research model is proposed, featuring achievement, social, confirmation, ease of use, enjoyment, recognition, and social influence as independent variables. Dependent variables encompass continued use, attitude, satisfaction, motivation, and usefulness.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 1,633 respondents who use gamified shopping apps. Hypothesis testing was conducted using path analysis, and the Bootstrapping method was used to test the significance level of each relationship.Findings – Results indicate that achievement and social factors have a positive impact on motivation. Motivation, confirmation, and usefulness all positively influence satisfaction. Usefulness is shaped by confirmation and ease of use. Moreover, usefulness, ease of use, and social influence positively correlate with attitude and continued use. Contrarily, neither enjoyment nor recognition appeared to influence attitude or continued use.Research limitations/implications – This study did not incorporate frequency and personal traits into the model. While the results are particularly relevant to shopping apps, their applicability may extend beyond this context. Future research could consider frequency and personal characteristics as moderating variables and sample objects from varied industries.Practical implications – When developing gamification strategies, businesses ought to take into account both utilitarian and social aspects of gamification. It's vital to understand user expectations, prioritize user-friendly gamification interfaces, and promote positive word-of-mouth.Originality/value – This research enriches both the gamification and marketing literature by introducing a model grounded in gamification elements, human motivation theory, and the expectation-confirmation paradigm. It underscores the pivotal role of utilitarian and social facets in shaping usefulness, motivation, satisfaction, attitude, and continued app use. Notably, this work paves the way for further exploration into the roles of enjoyment and recognition.
The Dirac Fermion of a Monopole Pair (MP) Model
Authors: Yuguru Samuel
Published: March 2024

The electron of spin −1/2 is a Dirac fermion of a complex four-component spinor field. Though it is effectively addressed by relativistic quantum field theory, an intuitive form of the fermion still remains lacking and it is often described by the so-called Dirac belt trick. In this novel undertaking, the electron is examined within the boundary posed by a recently proposed MP model of a hydrogen atom into 4D space-time. Its transformation to Dirac fermion is consistent with Dirac belt trick, quantum mechanics and Lie group with gravity considered to be a classical force. These outcomes are compatible with Dirac field theory and its associated features like wave function collapse, quantized Hamiltonian, non-relativistic wave function, Lorentz transformation and Feynman diagrams. The model though speculative, it could become important towards defining the fundamental state of matter subject to further investigations.
Net Energy Gain from a Berry Geometrical Phase: Low-Energy Perturbations of the Strong Interaction and the QCD Mass Gap
Authors: Gibbons Mark
Published: March 2024

A Berry geometrical phase is identified in a strongly metastable system containing dynamically responsive clathrate hydrate structures within a crystal-fluid material. High energy degeneracy in the associated chemistry produces local stability and false vacuum conditions that lead to non-extensive and non-additive contributions in the fundamental thermodynamic relation. The reciprocating action of a piston expander confirms a net energy gain despite the crystal-fluid material maintaining almost constant density. Application of Ginzburg-Landau theory and the scaling laws reveals a coherence length and a penetration depth for a macro-scale dual superconductor. The coherence length determines non-extensive volume changes whilst its inverse gives the Higgs mass. The penetration depth determines the extent of QCD vacuum suppression whilst its inverse gives the vector boson mass together with indirect manifestation as non-additive hyperbolic curvature. Additionally, the dual superconductor signifies long-range entanglement within a magnetic condensate displaying relativistic effects, whilst the hyperbolic curvature is attributed to quantum interactions. Gravity-mediated entanglement within the laboratory is thereby deduced. Simultaneous emergence of the Ginzburg-Landau superconducting phase transition is consistent with gauge-invariant coupling of the scalar field to the Yang-Mills action in QCD. The discovery of an energy gap in the gradient energy term of the system Lagrangian is associated with a critical correlation length revealed in the transition from a gapped to a gapless superconducting state. Together with the emergence and absorption of the Higgs-like scalar field, a mechanism for describing the QCD mass gap arises.
New Solution to 3D Projection in Human-like Binocular Vision
Authors: Xie Ming , Fang Yuhui , Lai Tingfeng
Published: March 2024

A human eye has about 120 million rod cells and 6 million cone cells. This huge number of light sensing cells inside a human eye will continuously produce a huge quantity of visual signals which flow into a human brain for daily processing. However, the real-time processing of these visual signals does not cause any fatigue to a human brain. This fact tells us the truth which is to say that human-like vision processes do not rely on complicated formulas to compute depth, displacement, and colors, etc. On the other hand, a human eye is like a PTZ camera. Here, PTZ stands for pan, tilt and zoom. We all know that in computer vision, each set of PTZ parameters (i.e., coefficients of pan, tilt and zoom) requires a dedicated calibration to determine a camera’s projection matrix. Since there is an infinite number of PTZ parameters which could be produced by a human eye, it is unlikely that a human brain stores an infinite number of calibration matrices for each human eye. Therefore, it is an interesting question for us to answer, which is to say whether simpler formulas of computing depth and displacement exist or not. Moreover, these formulas must be calibration friendly (i.e., easy process on the fly or on the go). In this paper, we disclose an important discovery of a new solution to 3D projection in a human-like binocular vision system. The purpose of doing 3D projection in binocular vision is to undertake forward and inverse transformations (or mappings) between coordinates in 2D digital images and coordinates in a 3D analogue scene. The formulas underlying the new solution are accurate, easily computable, easily tunable (i.e., to be calibrated on the fly or on the go) and could be easily implemented by a neural system (i.e., a network of neurons). Experimental results have validated the discovered formulas.
Theory of Differences between Elements
Authors: Cardoso Carlos Eduardo Ramos
Published: March 2024

The Theory of differences between elements explains the reasons for the differences in physical concepts between different elements, such as quantum physics and the Theory of general relativity, being explained through observations. Thus, it is possible to conclude from the observations that the differences are motivated by the reactions between the elements, by the composition of the elements, and by the influence of the spaces that promote losses and gains of characteristics; therefore, there is no general similarity between quantum physics and the general Theory of relativity. The study aims to understand the elements and their physical concepts that make up the Universe.
Assembly Theory of Binary Messages (How to Assemble a Black Hole and Use it to Assemble New Binary Information?)
Authors: Łukaszyk Szymon , Bieniawski Wawrzyniec
Published: March 2024

Using assembly theory, we investigate assembly pathways of fixed-length binary strings formed by joining the individual bits present in the assembly pool and the strings that entered the pool as a result of previous joining operations. We show that the string assembly index is bounded from below and above. We derive the lower bound and conjecture the upper bound's form. We show that the length of an elegant binary program required to assemble a string featuring the smallest assembly index is equal to its assembly index, and conjecture that there is no binary program that has a length shorter than the length of the string featuring the largest assembly index that could assemble this string. We conjecture that a black hole surface is defined by a balanced distinct string that satisfies the upper bound of a distinct string assembly index. The results confirm that four Planck areas provide the minimum information capacity that provides a minimum thermodynamic (Bekenstein-Hawking) entropy. Knowing that the problem of determining the assembly index is at least NP-complete, we conjecture that the problem of determining the assembly index of a given binary string is NP-complete, while the problem of creating the string so that it would have a predetermined maximum assembly index is NP-hard. Therefore, once the new information is assembled by a dissipative structure or by a human, increasing the information entropy according to the second law of infodynamics, it is subject to the second law of thermodynamics, and nature seeks to optimize its assembly pathway.
Weighted Similarity-Confidence Laplacian Synthesis for High-Resolution Art Painting Completion
Authors: Sari Irawati Nurmala , Du Weiwei
Published: March 2024

Artistic image completion is fundamental for the preservation and restoration of invaluable art paintings and it has experienced significant progress through the implementation of deep learning methodologies. Despite these advancements, challenges persist, even with sophisticated approaches like Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), particularly in achieving optimal results for high-resolution paintings. Small-scale texture synthesis and the inference of missing information from distant contexts present persistent issues, leading to distortions in lines and unnatural colors, especially in art paintings with complicated structures and textures. Concurrently, patch-based image synthesis has evolved by incorporating global optimization on the image pyramid to enhance structural coherence and details. However, methods relying on gradient-based synthesis encounter obstacles related to directionality, inconsistency, and the heavy computational burdens associated with solving the Poisson equation in non-integrable gradient fields. This paper introduces a groundbreaking approach, integrating Weighted Similarity-Confidence Laplacian Synthesis, to comprehensively address these challenges and advance the field of artistic image completion. This proposal addresses challenges not only in high-resolution artistic image completion but also makes a significant contribution to the broader field of patch-based synthesis by utilizing the Laplacian pyramid for enhanced edge-aware correspondence search. Experimental result confirms the effectiveness of our approach, offering promising outcomes for the preservation and restoration of art paintings with complicated details and irregular missing regions.
The Influence of Affective Empathy on Online News Belief: The Moderated Mediation of State Empathy and News Type
Authors: Yu Yifan , Yan Shizhen , Zhang Qihan , Xu Zhenzhen , Zhou Guangfang , Jin Hua
Published: March 2024

The belief in online news has become a hot topic. Previous studies have shown the role of emotion in susceptibility to believing fake news. However, Few studies have explored the effect of empathy on belief in online news. This study investigated the relationships between trait empathy, state empathy, the belief in online news, and the potential moderating effect of the news type. One hundred and forty undergraduates evaluated 50 online news pieces (25 real, 25 fake) regarding their believability, state empathy, valence, arousal, and familiarity. Trait empathy data were collected using the Chinese version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. State empathy was positively correlated with affective empathy in trait empathy and believability, and affective empathy was positively correlated with believability. The influence of affective empathy on news belief was partially mediated by state empathy, regulated by the news type (fake, real). We discussed the influence of empathy on the belief in online news and its internal processes. This study explains some unique insights for researchers, practitioners, social media users, and social media platform providers.
Optimizing Methane Yield through Anaerobic Digestion Using Hollander Beater as Mechanical Pre-Treatment Method
Authors: Adisa Abidemi Olawunmi , Durrant Andy
Published: March 2024

The UN Sustainable Development Goal 7 Report 2022 is about ensuring access to clean and affordable energy, which is key to the development of agriculture, business, communications, education, healthcare, and transportation. The lack of access to energy hinders economic and human development. Nevertheless, the current pace of progress is insufficient to achieve Goal 7 by 2030. Huge disparities in access to modern sustainable energy persist. Rising commodity, energy and shipping prices have increased the cost of producing and transporting solar photovoltaics modules, wind turbines and biofuels worldwide, adding uncertainty to a development trajectory that is already far below Goal 7 ambitions. Achieving energy and climate goals will require continued policy support and a massive mobilization of public and private capital for clean and renewable energy such as methane from biomass. An important factor in improving methane yield from biomass waste is pre-treatment of the biomass prior to anaerobic digestion. Size reduction of lignocellulose biomass is important for changing and increasing digestibility thus increasing methane yield. A Hollander beater was used as the mechanical pre-treatment machine throughout this study. Results indicate that methane yield is directly proportional to feedstock/Inoculum (F/I) ratio as higher F/I ratio led to higher methane yield. It was observed at an F/I ratio of 0.5 that 5 minutes pre-treatment time produced highest methane yield, while the lowest methane yield was observed at an F/I ratio of 0.2 with 1 minute of pre-treatment time. Methane yield decreased by 30% from 140 mL gTS-1 at F/I ratio 0.5 with 5 minutes pre-treatment time to 98 mL gTS-1 at F/I 0.2 with 5 minutes pre-treatment time. The optimum methane yield was attained at high F/I ratio allowing sufficient nutrient essential for complete degradation of biomass. Overall, this research shows the Hollander beater is not efficient in optimizing methane yield for cardboard.
Mangroves as Coastal Protection for Restoring Low-Energy Waterfront Property
Authors: Weaver Robert J. , Stehno Abigail L.
Published: March 2024

Mangroves offer vital ecological advantages including air and water filtration, coastal and estuarine habitat provision, sediment stabilization, and wave energy absorption. Their intricate root systems play a key role in safeguarding shorelines from tsunamis and erosive storms by dissipating wave energy. Moreover, mangroves shield against boat wakes and wind-waves, bolstering shoreline defense. Wave dissipation is a function of forest width, tree diameter, and forest density. Restoration efforts of juvenile mangroves in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon (IRL) aim to reduce wave energy in areas vulnerable to erosion. Physical model testing of wave dissipation through mangroves is limited due to the complexity in representing the mangrove structure, where prop roots are non-uniform in both diameter and location. Previous studies have quantified wave dissipating effects through use of scaled and parameterized mangrove structures. This study measures the dissipation effects of live mangroves in a wave flume, forced by conditions representative of the IRL. These measurements are used to validate a parameterized dowel model. Error between wave attenuation factors for the live mangrove and dowel system was on average 2.5%. Validation of the modularized dowel system allowed for further parameterized testing to understand forest structure effects, such as sediment stabilization and wave attenuation.
Development of New Resolvin D1 Analogues for Osteoarthritis Therapy: Acellular and Computational Approaches to Study Their Antioxidant Activities
Authors: Kariminezhad Zahra , Rahimi Mahdi , Fernandes Julio , Poirier Donald , Maltais René , Sancéau Jean-Yves , Fahmi Hassan , Benderdour Mohamed
Published: March 2024

In osteoarthritis (OA), oxidative stress plays a crucial role in maintaining and sustaining cartilage degradation. Current OA management requires a combination of pharmaceutical and non-pharmacological strategies, including intraarticular injections of hyaluronic acid (HA). However, several lines of evidence reported that HA oxidation by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is linked with HA cleavage and fragmentation, resulting in reduced HA viscosity. Resolvin D1 (RvD1) is a lipid mediator that is biosynthesized from omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and is a good candidate with the potential to regulate of panoply of biological processes, including tissue repair, inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell death in OA. Herein, newly designed, and synthesized imidazolium RvD1 analogues were introduced to compare their potential antioxidant properties with commercially available RvD1. Their antioxidant capacities were investigated by several in vitro chemical assays including Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl Radical Scavenging, Ferric Ion Reducing Antioxidant Power, Hydroxyl Radical Scavenging, and HA Fragmentation Assay. All results proved that imidazolium RvD1 analogues showed excellent antioxidant performance compared to RvD1 due to their structural modifications. Interestingly, they scavenged the formed reactive oxygen species (ROS) and protected HA from degradation, as verified by agarose gel electrophoresis and gel permission chromatography. A computational study using Gaussian 09 with DFT calculations and B3LYP/6-31 G (d, p) basis set was also employed to study the relationship between the antioxidant properties and chemical structures as well as calculation of the molecular structures, frontier orbital energy, molecular electrostatic potential, and bond length. The results showed that the antioxidant activity of our analogues was higher than that of RvD1. In conclusion, the findings suggest that imidazolium RvD1 analogues can be good candidates as antioxidant molecules for the treatment of oxidative stress-related diseases like OA. Therefore, they can prolong the longevity of HA in the knee and thus may improve the mobility of the articulation.
The SGLT2 Inhibitors Empagliflozin Alleviate Renal Fibrosis by Inhibiting CTGF-Mediated Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Diabetic Sprague-Dawley (SD) Rats
Authors: Ji Kuirong , Zeng Xiaochun , Wei Jianbin , Zhang Lingyi , Hao Lanxiang , Fan Mingliang , Chen Xiaomin
Published: March 2024

Objective: Aims to investigate the effects of empagliflozin (EMPA), a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, on renal fibrosis in male diabetic Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat model. Methods: Streptozotocin(STZ) were injected to establish diabetes model, EMPA (10 mg/kg·d) or normal saline (NS) were administered for four weeks. The changes in renal fibrosis-related biomarkers, include vimentin (VIM), collagen types I(Col-I), collagen types III(Col-III), fibroblast-specific protein 1(FSP-1), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), fibronectin (FN) were evaluated. Renal pathology, serum glucose levels and urinary protein excretion were also assessed. Results: Biomarkers of renal fibrosis were significantly reduced in the EMPA group compared to those in the NS group after 4-week treatment, including VIM (519.84±83.37 vs. 663.27±91.84 ng/ml, P
Damage Accumulation in the Hybrid Composite Material Reinforced by Oil Shale Ash (OSA) Powder and 3D-Knitted Fabric Subjected to Mechanical Loading
Authors: Kononova Olga , Krasnikovs Andrejs , Vavaliya Umesh Haribhai , Macanovskis Arturs , Lasenko Inga , Kannathasan Karunamoorthy Rengasamy , Jafarli Ilgar , Novakova Iveta , Motlep Riho , Vaishnoras Mindaugas
Published: March 2024

Hybrid reinforcement in a composite material (CM), in many situations, allows better govern material mechanical properties. Polymer matrix CM plate is reinforced with small particles and macro-fibers. Particles are oil shale ash (OSA) powder, macro-fibers – basalt fiber threads im-pregnated by matrix material. With the goal to find out elastic properties of the matrix- polymer with OSA, samples with its different concentrations were experimentally fabricated and their elastic properties were experimentally measured. Obtained data were used in numerical model-ling. Was observed polymer matrix composite slab, reinforced with OSA and three-dimensional (3D) basalt fiber fabric. Fabric are forming threads impregnated by matrix (polymer resin mixed with OSA particles). Damage accumulation in the stretched slab was modelled. Impregnated thread, in the modelling, is observed as a macro-fiber (MF) with averaged elastic properties. With the load increase MF in the material began to break. At first, appeared isolated single breaks. A probabilistic sequential MF rupture accumulation model was accepted and numerical-ly realized. The geometry of the reinforcing knitted fabric was modeled using the Leaf and Glaskin approach. In the knitted fabric highly, stressed MF cross-sections are observed as po-tential location where thread breakage can occur. If one thread breaks, the cross-sections of the adjacent threads experience the overload caused by this rupture. More overloaded crossection in the adjacent overloaded thread breaks and we obtain two adjacent broken MF designated as a defect with the size j=2. The probabilities of obtaining defect consisting of at least 2, 3, … j adjacent broken MF in the plate were calculated. The calculations continued until the rupture process becomes unstable (j→∞). The overstresses on adjacent threads in the CM were calculat-ed using the FEM three-dimensional numerical approach. Analytical and stochastic methods were used for the load-carrying capacity determination and different size defects accumulation in the hybrid composite material (HCM) plate. Also, was calculated the probability of the plate rupture.
Advancements in Quantum Computing and AI May Impact PQC Migration Timelines
Authors: Campbell Dr. Robert , Diffie Dr. Whitfield , Robinson Charles
Published: March 2024

The rapid advancements and the merging of hybrid quantum-classical computing, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and deep learning (DL) pose a potentially unseen and significant threat to encryption that may impact Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) transition timelines. There is a direct hybrid quantum-classical computing threat on cryptography, and there is also a direct threat AI/ML on cryptography. However, the synergistic combination of these technologies presents known and unknown threats that need attention, focus action, and research. This paper reviews Grover's Adaptive Search (GAS), which combines Grover's Algorithm with adaptive techniques to optimize search further, potentially making it even more efficient for attacking encryption. This work also examines the quantum-accelerated Harrow-Hassidim-Lloyd (HHL) Algorithm, designed to solve systems of linear equations exponentially faster than classical algorithms in certain conditions. The HHL algorithm can solve some lattice-based problems, which have implications for lattice-based encryption. This technological confluence and its potential impact on cryptography and encryption necessitate a proactive and coordinated approach to developing and implementing quantum-resistant AI/ML cryptographic solutions. This paper reviews the technological confluence and its potential implications for classical cryptography and PQC transition timelines and calls for further research.
Emerging Approaches to Profile Accessible Chromatin from Ffpe Sections
Authors: Sunita Kumary Vishnu Udayakumar , Venters Bryan J , Raman Karthikeyan , Sen Sagnik , Estève Pierre-Olivier , Cowles Martis W , Keogh Michael-Christopher , Pradhan Sriharsa
Published: March 2024

Nucleosomes are non-uniformly distributed across eukarytic genomes, with stretches of ‘open’ chromatin strongly associated with transcriptionally active promoters and enhancers. Understanding chromatin accessibility patterns in normal tissue and how they are altered in pathologies can provide critical insights to development and disease. With the advent of high-throughput sequencing, a variety of strategies have been devised to identify open regions across the genome, including DNase-seq, MNase-seq, FAIRE-seq, ATAC-seq, and NicE-seq. However, the broad application of such methods to FFPE (formalin-fixed paraffin embedded) tissues has been curtailed by the major technical challenges imposed by highly fixed and damaged genomic material. Here we review the most common approaches for mapping open chromatin regions, recent optimizations to overcome the challenges of working with FFPE tissue, and a brief overview of a typical data pipeline with analysis considerations.
Final Validation of the Quality of Life after Brain Injury for Children and Adolescents after Traumatic Brain Injury (QOLIBRI-KID/ADO) Questionnaire
Authors: Steinbuechel Nicole von , Zeldovich Marina , Timmermann Dagmar , Krenz Ugne , Koerte Inga K. , Bonfert Michaela V. , Berweck Steffen , Kieslich Matthias , Henrich Marlene , Brockmann Knut , Buchheim Anna , Roediger Maike , Lendt Michael , Auer Christian , Neu Axel , Kaiser Alexander , Driemeyer Joenna , Greving Sven , Wartemann Ulrike , Pinggera Daniel , Thome Claudius , Suss Joachim , Muehlan Holger , Cunitz Katrin
Published: March 2024

Until recently, no disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instrument existed for pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI). In this revalidation study, the psychometric properties and the validity of the final German version of the 35-item QOLIBRI-KID/ADO questionnaire were examined in 300 children and adolescents. It is the first self-reported TBI-specific instrument for measuring pediatric HRQoL in individuals aged 8–17 years. The six-factor model fits the data adequately. Internal consistencies were excellent for the total score and satisfactory to excellent for the scale scores. Intraclass correlations indicated good test-retest reliability. Construct validity was supported by overlaps between the QOLBRI-KID/ADO and the PedsQL, which measures generic HRQoL. Discriminant validity indicated that HRQoL was significantly lower in older children and girls, and in those with anxiety, depression, and post-concussion symptoms than in comparison groups, replicating the results of the questionnaire’s first development study. Our results suggest that the QOLIBRI-KID/ADO is a valid and reliable multidimensional instrument for assessing disease-specific HRQoL after pediatric TBI in clinical and research settings, which can additionally be used across the lifespan in combination with the adult version. This may help to improve care, treatment, daily functioning and HRQoL after TBI.
Methods for Quantifying Expansion in Lithium-Ion Battery Cells Resulting from Cycling: A Review
Authors: Krause Tessa , Nusko Daniel , Pitta Bauermann Luciana , Vetter Matthias , Schäfer Marcel , Holly Carlo
Published: March 2024

Significant efforts are being made across academia and industry to better characterize lithium-ion battery cells as reliance on the technology for applications ranging from green energy storage to electric mobility increases. The measurement of short-term and long-term volume expansion in lithium-ion battery cells is relevant for several reasons. For instance, it provides information about the quality and homogeneity of battery cells during charge and discharge cycles, as well as aging over it’s lifetime. The expansion measurements are useful for the evaluation of new materials and the improvement of end-of-line quality tests during cell production. These measurements may also indicate the safety of battery cells by aiding in predicting state of charge and state of health over the lifetime of the cell. Expansion measurements can also assess inhomogeneities on the electrodes and defects such as gas accumulation and lithium plating. In this review, we first establish the known mechanisms through which short term and long term volume expansion in lithium-ion battery cells occurs. We then explore the current state-of-the-art for both contact and non-contact measurements of volume expansion. This review compiles existing literature to outline the various options available to researchers aiming to make ex situ volume expansion measurements by doing post mortem analyses on individual components and in operando measurements on entire battery cells. Finally, we discuss the different considerations when selecting an appropriate measurement technique. The selection of the optimal method for measuring battery cell expansion depends on the objective of the characterization, duration, required resolution, and repeatability of results. Costs and required space for the measurement equipment are also considered.
The Hermitian Solution to a New System of Commutative Quaternion Matrix Equations
Authors: Zhang Yue , Wang Qing-Wen , Xie Lv-Ming
Published: March 2024

This paper considers the Hermitian solutions of a new system of commutative quaternion matrix equations, we establish both necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of solutions. Furthermore, we derive an explicit general expression when it is solvable. To illustrate our main findings, we present two numerical algorithms and examples in this paper.
A Comprehensive Review on the Pharmacological Prospects of Terpinen-4-Ol: From Nature to Medicine and Beyond
Authors: Prerna Prerna , Chadha Jatin , Khullar Lavanya , Mudgil Umang , Harjai Kusum
Published: March 2024

Owing to their extensive biological potential, essential oils (EOs) and their bioactive phytochemicals have gained attention from the scientific community. Within this domain, Terpinen-4-ol (T-4-ol), a bioactive monoterpene alcohol and the major constituent of tea tree oil (TTO), has made its way into translational research. Recent literature on T-4-ol strongly indicates its diverse pharmacological properties, including but not limited to antimicrobial, antivirulent, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, and anti-cancer effects. Hence, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the multifaceted biological activities exhibited by T-4-ol, emphasizing its medicinal potential for widescale application. The antibacterial and antifungal effectiveness of T-4-ol has been discussed encompassing its role in combating a broad spectrum of bacterial and fungal pathogens, respectively. The review delves into the antivirulent prospects of T-4-ol, shedding light on its ability to attenuate virulence and mitigate bacterial pathogenesis. Scientific literature on the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of T-4-ol highlighting its role in neutralizing reactive oxygen species and modulating inflammatory pathways has also been collated. Furthermore, the review elaborates on the cardioprotective and anti-hypertensive properties of T-4-ol and augments literature on its anti-cancer mechanism against various cancer cell lines. Overall, this review consolidates the existing knowledge on T-4-ol, providing a holistic understanding of its pharmacological abilities. The exploration of these diverse attributes positions T-4-ol as a promising candidate for further research and therapeutic repurposing in various biomedical applications.
Universality and Complexity in Natural Languages: Mechanistic and Emergent
Authors: de les Coves Gemma , Corominas Murtra Bernat , Sole Ricard
Published: March 2024

Human language is a prime example of a complex system characterized by multiple scales of description. Understanding its origins and distinctiveness has sparked investigations with very different approaches, ranging from the Universal Grammar to statistical analyses of word usage, all of which highlight, from different angles, the potential existence of universal patterns shared by all languages. Yet, a cohesive perspective remains elusive. In this paper we address this challenge. First, we provide a basic structure of universality, and define recursion as a special case thereof. We cast generative grammars of formal languages, the Universal Grammar and the Greenberg Universals in our basic structure of universality, and compare their mathematical properties. We then define universality for writing systems and show that only those using the rebus principle are universal. Finally, we examine Zipf's law for the statistics of word usage, explain its role as a complexity attractor, and explore its relation to universal writing systems as well as its similarities with universal Turing machines. Overall, we find that there are two main kinds of universality, termed {\it mechanistic} and {\it emergent}, and unveil some connections between them.