bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Trusted Paradigm of Data Management for Blockchain-Enabled Internet of Vehicles in Smart Cities
Authors: Wu Yun , Wu Liangshun , Cai Hengjin
Published: November 2022

Internet of Vehicles(IoV) enables vehicles to generate and share messages to improve transportation safety and efficiency, especially in a smart city scenario where modern communication technology is utilized. The current IoV, however, faces three main issues: (1) existing frameworks fail to build a complete data management system, (2) received messages in an untrusted environment are challenging to assess for credibility, and (3) the centralized ways to store data are causing severe security and efficiency problems. Blockchain-enabled IoV (BIoV) provides an opportunity for addressing these issues. This paper proposes a trusted paradigm of data management based on a vehicle–road–cloud architecture. A few-shot learning model, Wasserstein Generative Adversarial Network (WGAN) with Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) sampling is designed to evaluate whether the uploading message is malicious. This paper also proposes the novel group-weighted-decay Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT) consensus algorithm, an improved version of PBFT to store data, and provides a comprehensive review of its viability and data management procedures. By employing the joint gwd-PBFT and Proof of Trust (PoT) consensus, the method mitigates the issue of excessive incentives. According to simulation results, the system's overall efficiency can be increased while retaining security and availability.
Fake and Dishonest Participant Immune Secret Image Sharing
Authors: Yan Xuehu , Li Longlong , Sun Lei , Chen Jia , Wang Shudong
Published: November 2022

Secret image sharing (SIS)
has received increased attention from the research community because of its usefulness in multiparty secure computing, access control, blockchain distributive storage and other security-oriented applications. Prevention of fake and dishonest participants is a key issue that has spurred interest in practical applications of SIS. Unfortunately, most previous SIS schemes failed to detect and locate fake or dishonest participants. In this article, an SIS for a  (
k,n
)-threshold without pixel expansion is presented, which can detect and locate both fake and dishonest participants. Using a screening operation, the proposed approach fuses the benefits of polynomial-based SIS,
visual cryptographic scheme (VCS)
, and hash functions to authenticate separate participants both with and without a dealer. In addition, the proposed approach achieves lossless rebuilding of the secret image. Analyses and experiments are conducted in this study to establish the effectiveness of the presented approach.
The Role of Oral Fusobacterium nucleatum in Female Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Gaba Fariah I. , González Raquel Carcelén , Martïnez Raquel González
Published: November 2022

Introduction. Breast cancer is the world’s most prevalent malignancy, with an increasing incidence and a predisposition for postpubertal females from all cultural and ethnic backgrounds. More recently, oral Fusobacterium nucleatum species have been observed in cancerous human breast tissue, drawing attention to the role of microbes in cancer pathogenesis. Objectives. Investigating oral Fusobacterium nucleatum species as potential biomarkers for female-specific breast cancer. Methods. A systematic search in The Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, EBSCO, NCBI, and MEDLINE databases was undertaken from the 1st January, 1983–31st March, 2022. Articles included were in English and based on women between the ages of 18–96 years with confirmed gingivitis/periodontal disease and breast cancer diagnoses from registered specialists. Authors extracted data independently, and a meta-analysis of risk estimations measuring associations between oral Fusobacterium nucleatum species and female-specific breast cancer was elucidated via calculated relative risks and 95% confidence intervals. Results. AXIS tool analysis revealed 78.70% of articles with a positive correlation between oral Fusobacterium nucleatum and female-specific breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer development increased with significant levels of oral Fusobacterium nucleatum due to gingivitis/periodontitis (relative risk = 1.78, 95% confidence interval = 1.63–1.91). Low-moderate statistical heterogeneity was found (I2 = 41.39%; P = 0.02), and the importance of periodontal status on breast cancer pathogenesis was determined (relative risk = 1.24, 95% confidence interval = 1.01–1.30). Conclusions. Oral Fusobacterium nucleatum species are a risk factor for breast cancer development, thus elevating their biomarker potentiality.
Characterization of Refractory Alloys Produced by Laser Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Kustas Andrew B. , Pegues Jonathan , Melia Michael A. , Whetten Shaun R. , Jones Morgan , Argibay Nicolas
Published: November 2022

Refractory alloys often possess superior thermomechanical properties compared to conventional materials, such as steels, Ni-based superalloys, and Ti alloys, especially in high-temperature environments. While these materials promise to revolutionize numerous industries, significant hurdles remain for insertion into applications due to an incomplete understanding of structure-property relationships and conventional processing challenges. We explore laser-based additive manufacturing (AM) to construct refractory alloys consisting of combinations of Mo, Nb, Ta, and Ti with systematically increasing compositional complexity. Microstructure, composition, and hardness of the AM-processed alloys were characterized. Results are discussed in the context of pairing additive manufacturing with refractory metals to enable next-generation alloys.
To Explore the Key Active Compounds and Therapeutic Mechanism of Guizhi Gancao Decoction in Coronary Heart Disease by Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking
Authors: Yuan Hua-jing , Xue Yi-tao
Published: November 2022

Objective. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death from cardiovascular disease and has become an important public health problem worldwide. Guizhi Gancao Decoction (GGD) has been shown to be used in the treatment of CHD with good efficacy, but its specific therapeutic mechanism and active ingredients have not been fully clarified. This study aims to identify the active compounds and key targets of GGD in the treatment of CHD, explore the therapeutic mechanism of GGD, and provide candidate compounds for anti-CHD drug development. Methods. The main compounds of GGD were determined by UPLC-MS/MS analysis and screened by SwissADME. The corresponding targets of GGD compounds were obtained from SwissTargetPrediction, and the targets of CHD were obtained from the HERB and GeneCards databases. The STRING 11.5 database was used to analyze the PPI (Protein-Protein Interactions) network of potential therapeutic targets of GGD compounds. Cytoscape 3.7.2 was used to construct target-related networks and find core targets. The GEO database was used to validate the differential expression of core targets. The PANTHER Classification System was used to functionally classify potential therapeutic targets for GGD. The GO biological process analysis and KEGG pathway analysis of targets were completed by DAVID 6.8 database. AutoDockTools 1.5.6 and PyMol 2.5.2 were used to perform molecular docking of core targets with the active GGD compounds. Results. 7 active GGD compounds were obtained based on UPLC-MS/MS and pharmacological parameter evaluation, which corresponded to 131 CHD-related targets. Among them, EGFR, MAPK3, RELA, CCND1, ESR1, PTGS2, NR3C1, CYP3A4, MMP9, and PTPN11 were considered core targets. According to the targets related to CHD, glycyrrhetinic acid, liquiritigenin, and schisandrin are considered key active ingredients. GO biological process and KEGG analysis indicated that the potential targets of GGD in the treatment of CHD involve a variety of biological processes and therapeutic mechanisms. Molecular docking results showed that both the core targets and the corresponding compounds had the good binding ability. Conclusions. This study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the therapeutic mechanism and active ingredients of GGD for CHD and provides candidate compounds for drug development of CHD.
Improvement of Glutinous Corn and Watermelon Yield by Lime and Microbial Organic Fertilizers
Authors: Thuc Le Vinh , Minh Vo Quang
Published: November 2022

Background. The characteristics of acid soil, often low pH and high toxicity, affect the growth and yield of plants. Aims. This study evaluates the effects of supplemented lime and microbial organic fertilizer on glutinous corn (Zea mays) and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) yield, yield components, and economic efficiency on acid-sulfate soils. Materials and Methods. Two experiments were carried out in Phung Hiep District, Hau Giang Province, as a typical acid-sulfate soil area. The randomized complete block with four treatments and three replicates was designed for the experiment, in which supplemented fertilizers were 800 kg of lime/ha; 2,000 kg of microbial organic fertilizer/ha; and 800 kg of lime in combination with 2,000 kg of microbial organic fertilizer/ha, and treatment as farmer dose (FFT), without lime and microbial organic fertilizer. Results. As a result, using lime combined with microbial organic fertilizer increased the yield compared to using only lime or microbial organic fertilizer. Besides, the incomes increased to 12.0% and 13.8%, respectively, compared to farmer recommendations. Conclusion. To improve the yield of glutinous corn or watermelon and income on acid-sulfate soils, lime should be applied at 800 kg combined with 2,000 kg of microbial organic fertilizer/ha.
Combined Minimally Invasive Treatment of Teeth Discoloration Caused by Occupational Exposure to Bronze Alloy
Authors: Amirifar Shahram , Ahmadi Elham , Najafrad Elmira , Rafeie Niyousha
Published: November 2022

Recently, dental bleaching has been frequently sought by patients to improve the appearance and color of the teeth. Among various treatment options, in-office bleaching is commonly preferred by patients with severely discolored teeth due to its fast aesthetic results. In addition, other pretreatment methods, such as air-powder polishing, have been reported to increase the efficacy of bleaching treatment. Compared to other causes of tooth discoloration, occupational tooth discoloration caused by bronze alloy and further treatment have not been sufficiently documented in the literature. In the present case report, we explain a case of tooth discoloration following exposure to a bronze alloy and a conservative clinical approach used for the management of tooth discoloration. A 15-year-old male patient who worked in a foundry was presented with tooth discoloration. At the first session, a rubber-cap prophylaxis was performed. After one week, air-powder polishing was used to remove the remaining stains. Finally, at the third session, two cycles of bleaching were performed using hydrogen peroxide gel 35%, each for 20 minutes. Photographs were taken at the end of each session and used for visual evaluation. The final result was aesthetically satisfactory.
Effect of Extraction Solvents on Total Polyphenolic Content and Antioxidant Capacity of Syzygium Aromaticum L. Flower Bud from Ethiopia
Authors: Temesgen Shibiru , Sasikumar J. M. , Egigu Meseret C.
Published: November 2022

In this study, the antioxidative activity and polyphenolic content of Syzygium aromaticum’s flower bud were compared under different extraction solvents including chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol, and aqueous. The antioxidant activity was assessed via established in vitro assay models such as 2, 2‐diphenyl‐1‐Picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, NO- radical scavenging assay, H2O2 scavenging assay and Fe3+ reducing capacity. Total phenolic content was measured according to Folin–Ciocalteu’s method, and total flavonoid content was estimated by using the aluminum chloride colorimetric method. The results showed that aqueous extract possessed the highest TPC (19.11 ± 2.76 mg GAE/g DW) and TFC (15.32 ± 1.53 mg CtE/g DW). Among the extracts, methanol extract exerted the strongest radical DPPH quenching activity with an IC50 value of 303.56 ± 13.14 μg/mL. The highest NO- radical scavenging activity was shown by methanol extract (IC50192.94 ± 1.9 μg/mL) which is stronger than BHT (IC50247.64 ± 12.89 μg/mL). Methanol extract showed a strong H2O2 scavenging activity (IC50233.71 ± 3.72 μg/mL). The highest Fe3+ reducing capacity was shown by methanol extract (Absorbance = 0.36 ± 0.05). Strong and positive correlations were observed between total phenolic and flavonoid contents and the antioxidant assays. The results of the present work revealed that the tested spice demonstrated high antioxidant activity, total phenolics, and flavonoids. Thus, this spice is worth considering as important source of natural antioxidant agents.
Clostridioides difficile in Foods with Animal Origins; Prevalence, Toxigenic Genes, Ribotyping Profile, and Antimicrobial Resistance
Authors: Bacheno Hadi , Ahmadi Mohammad , Fazeli Fatemeh , Ariaii Peiman
Published: November 2022

Clostridioides difficile is an important nosocomial pathogen and is considered as a reason of diarrhea and gastrointestinal infections. As a majority of community-originated C. difficile cases are not related to antibiotic prescription and hospitalization, the food portion as a vector of infection transmission has been raised. An existing survey was aimed evaluating the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance, profile of toxigenic genes, and ribotypes of C. difficile isolated from raw meat and carcass surface swab samples. In total, 485 raw meat and carcass surface swab samples were collected. C. difficile was isolated via culture and a diverse biochemical examination. The assessment of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was addressed to evaluate the antibiotic resistance of isolates. Toxin genes detection and ribotyping were used for isolates characterization. The prevalence of C. difficile contamination in all examined samples was 3.71%. The bacterium was detected in 2.91% of raw meat and 4.48% of carcass surface swab samples. Raw sheep meat (5%) and sheep carcass swab (7.50%) samples harbored the highest C. difficile prevalence. The highest rate of antibiotic resistance was observed toward clindamycin (38.88%), ciprofloxacin (38.88%), metronidazole (44.44%), erythromycin (72.22%), and tetracycline (77.77%). C. difficile bacteria showed the minimum rate of resistance meropenem (16.66%) and chloramphenicol (16.66%). TcdA, tcdB, cdtA, and cdtB toxigenic genes were detected in 22.22%, 44.44%, and 16.66% of isolates, respectively. TcdB + tcdA (27.77%) were the most prevalent combined toxigenic gene profile. Both 027 and 078 ribotypes were identified in C. difficile isolates. The role of raw meat and carcass surface swab samples as toxigenic and antibiotic-resistant C. difficile strains vectors was signified. This study authorizes that food animals, particularly sheep and cattle, are C. difficile carriers at slaughter stages and ribotypes are equal in human cases. Subsequently, contamination of carcasses occurs inside the slaughterhouse.
Isoschaftoside Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation in Microglia through Regulation of HIF-1α-Mediated Metabolic Reprogramming
Authors: Guan Shuyuan , Sun Lingbin , Wang Xihua , Huang Xirui , Luo Tao
Published: November 2022

Isoschaftoside is a C-glycosyl flavonoid extracted from the root exudates of Desmodium uncinatum and Abrus cantoniensis. Previous studies suggested that C-glycosyl flavonoid has neuroprotective effects with the property of reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory markers. Microglia are key cellular mediators of neuroinflammation in the central nervous system. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of isoschaftoside on lipopolysaccharide-induced activation of BV-2 microglial cells. The BV-2 cells were exposed to 10 ng/ml lipopolysaccharide and isoschaftoside (0–1000 μM). Isoschaftoside effectively inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production and proinflammatory cytokines including iNOS, TNF-α, IL-1β, and COX2 expression. Isoschaftoside also significantly reduced lipopolysaccharide-induced HIF-1α, HK2, and PFKFB3 protein expression. Induction of HIF-1α accumulation by CoCl2 was inhibited by isoschaftoside, while the HIF-1α specific inhibitor Kc7f2 mitigated the metabolic reprogramming and anti-inflammatory effect of isoschaftoside. Furthermore, isoschaftoside attenuated lipopolysaccharide-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and mTOR. These results suggest that isoschaftoside can suppress inflammatory responses in lipopolysaccharide-activated microglia, and the mechanism was partly due to inhibition of the HIF-1α-mediated metabolic reprogramming pathway.
Deep Realistic Facial Editing via Label-restricted Mask Disentanglement
Authors: Song Jiaming , Tong Fenghua , Chen Zixun
Published: November 2022

With the rapid development of GAN (generative adversarial network), recent years have witnessed an increasing number of tasks on reference-guided facial attributes transfer. Most state-of-the-art methods consist of facial information extraction, latent space disentanglement, and target attribute manipulation. However, they either adopt reference-guided translation methods for manipulation or monolithic modules for diverse attribute exchange, which cannot accurately disentangle the exact facial attributes with specific styles from the reference image. In this paper, we propose a deep realistic facial editing method (termed LMGAN) based on target region focusing and dual label constraint. The proposed method, manipulating target attributes by latent space exchange, consists of subnetworks for every individual attribute. Each subnetwork exerts label-restrictions on both the target attributes exchanging stage and the training process aimed at optimizing generative quality and reference-style correlation. Our method performs greatly on disentangled representation and transferring the target attribute’s style accurately. A global discriminator is introduced to combine the generated editing regional image with other nonediting areas of the source image. Both qualitative and quantitative results on the CelebA dataset verify the ability of the proposed LMGAN.
The Numerical Simulation Method of the Slot Crack Groups’ Effect Analysis for Solid Rocket Motor Grain
Authors: Li Tianpeng , Li Xiaonan , Xuan Zhaolong , Guo Yu
Published: November 2022

This study is aimed at the stability and effect of the crack groups in the solid rocket motor (SRM) grain when it was launched at normal temperature. Based on the nearly incompressible viscoelastic finite element method, several cracks were preset in a critical location along with the dangerous point of the back slot. The singular crack elements at the tips of crack groups were established to calculate the

J

-integral. With the position of the cracks, the

J

-integral of the various crack tips was, respectively, calculated to prejudge its stability and the group effect. Finally, the experimental measured critical

J

-integral

J

IC

was compared with the numerical simulation result. The results showed that in the collinear crack groups, the enhancement effect of the main crack was caused by the nearest second crack, and the significant shielding effect of the main crack was occurred in the noncollinear crack groups. Moreover, the experimental result showed that the numerical method had high accuracy.
Application of Improved Deep Learning Method in Intelligent Power System
Authors: Liu HuiJie , Liu Yang , Xu ChengWen
Published: November 2022

In view of the inaccurate short-term power load prediction in the power system, where the smart grid cannot effectively coordinate the production, transportation, and distribution of electric energy, the authors propose the application of improved deep learning methods in intelligent power systems. The method uses the convolutional neural network to establish the energy prediction calculation model, uses CNN adaptive data features to mine characteristics, quantifies power uncertainty, uses drop regularization to optimize the deep network structure, uses the deep forest to learn the extracted data features, and builds a prediction model, in order to achieve accurate prediction of power load and solve the problem that the accuracy of existing forecasting methods decreases due to random fluctuations of power. The results showed the following: in the power load forecast results over the weekend, the random forest and the LSTM algorithm forecast results were relatively close and the RMSEs were 17.3 and 17.1, respectively, while the SVM predicted a larger RMSE error of 27.5. The authors’ method predicts the best with 14.8. Conclusion. After verification based on actual load data, in the case of uncertain fluctuations in power load, this method can accurately predict the power load, and the accuracy is higher than that of the more popular methods at present, and it is expected to become an important technical support for solving the core problems of smart grid.
The Application of Scientific Games by Artificial Intelligence in Preschool Education under the Smart City
Authors: Tian Xingjiang , Cui Shujing
Published: November 2022

The purpose is to explore the application and effect of scientific games based on artificial intelligence (AI) in preschool education under the smart city. An interactive scientific games model for children by virtual reality (VR) is constructed using the augmented reality (AR) technology in AI. This enables the product to continuously enrich its interactive functions in addition to realizing its own functional requirements, pay attention to user experience, and allow users to feel the pleasure and comfortable emotional communication brought by the product in the process of using it. The model mainly completes the interaction through gesture interaction and voice interaction, and it is further empirically analyzed by means of questionnaires and interviews. The results manifested that after the use of the intelligent interaction model of scientific games, 93.33% of the students in the experimental group were interested in scientific games, and 83.33% of the students in the experimental group had a clear understanding of scientific knowledge. Moreover, more students in the experimental group believed that they had received support from explanations, demonstrations, and guided conjectures, which was significantly different from the control group (P < 0.05). In the analysis of teacher interviews, it testified that the scientific values of preschool teachers and the reserve of basic scientific knowledge were still relatively weak, and their knowledge reserve could be improved in the future. Therefore, the research shows that the constructed model can improve the interest of scientific games and the ability of knowledge acquisition in preschool education, and provide an experimental reference for the development of intelligence and the improvement of teaching skills in the field of preschool education.
The Adaptive Characteristics of Cholesterol and Bile Acid Metabolism in Nile Tilapia Fed a High-Fat Diet
Authors: Li Rui-Xin , Qian Yi-Fan , Zhou Wen-Hao , Wang Jun-Xian , Zhang Yan-Yu , Luo Yuan , Qiao Fang , Chen Li-Qiao , Zhang Mei-Ling , Du Zhen-Yu
Published: November 2022

Since high-fat diet (HFD) intake elevates liver cholesterol and enhanced cholesterol-bile acid flux alleviates its lipid deposition, we assumed that the promoted cholesterol-bile acid flux is an adaptive metabolism in fish when fed an HFD. The present study investigated the characteristic of cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) after feeding an HFD (13% lipid level) for four and eight weeks. Visually healthy Nile tilapia fingerlings (average weight

3.50
±
0.05
 
g

) were randomly distributed into four treatments (4-week control diet or HFD and 8-week control diet or HFD). The liver lipid deposition and health statue, cholesterol/bile acid, and fatty acid metabolism were analyzed in fish after short-term and long-term HFD intake. The results showed that 4-week HFD feeding did not change serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transferase (AST) enzyme activities, along with comparable liver malondialdehyde (MDA) content. But higher serum ALT and AST enzyme activities and liver MDA content were observed in fish fed 8-week HFD. Intriguingly, remarkably accumulated total cholesterol (mainly cholesterol ester, CE) was observed in the liver of fish fed 4-week HFD, along with slightly elevated free fatty acids (FFAs) and comparable TG contents. Further molecular analysis in the liver showed that obvious accumulation of CE and total bile acids (TBAs) in fish fed 4-week HFD was mainly attributed to the enhancement of cholesterol synthesis, esterification, and bile acid synthesis. Furthermore, the increased protein expressions of acyl-CoA oxidase 1/2 (Acox1 and Acox2), which serve as peroxisomal fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) rate-limiting enzymes and play key roles in the transformation of cholesterol into bile acids, were found in fish after 4-week HFD intake. Notably, 8-week HFD intake remarkably elevated FFA content (about 1.7-fold increase), and unaltered TBAs were found in fish liver, accompanied by suppressed Acox2 protein level and cholesterol/bile acid synthesis. Therefore, the robust cholesterol-bile acid flux serves as an adaptive metabolism in Nile tilapia when fed a short-term HFD and is possibly via stimulating peroxisomal FAO. This finding enlightens our understanding on the adaptive characteristics of cholesterol metabolism in fish fed an HFD and provides a new possible treatment strategy against metabolic disease induced by HFD in aquatic animals.
The Effects of Mindfulness and Buddhist Meditation Coaching on Mental Health Outcomes in College Students
Authors: Kim Yuri , Khil Jaewon , Wangmo-Seo  , Keum NaNa
Published: November 2022

College students are vulnerable to diverse mental health disorders. We aimed to investigate whether a meditation class would be an effective means to address students’ mental health challenges. Among the college students who registered for the meditation course, 256 participants were enrolled. The meditation course was a 15-week program incorporating mindfulness meditation and Ganhwa Seon (a traditional Buddhist meditation). A questionnaire was administered twice, on the first and last class of the course, collecting information on personal characteristics and six mental health indicators. A paired t-test was used to examine whether the meditation course conferred benefit on the mental health indicators, and logistic regression analyses were run to identify factors associated with mental health outcomes. After completing the meditation course, there were significant improvements for the adult ADHD scorep<0.01and ego identity (p = 0.02) but not for the other outcomes. Among college students, meditation practice may have positive effects on the adult ADHD score and ego identity.
Harmonic Analysis of Large Grid-Connected PV Systems in Distribution Networks: A Saudi Case Study
Authors: Al-Sharif Yahya M. , Sowilam Gamal M. , Kawady Tamer A.
Published: November 2022

The increasing penetration of grid-connected PV rooftops at the distribution level still entails significant technical challenges affecting seriously the power quality indices such as harmonics and voltage fluctuations. Owing to the intermittent nature of renewable resources, the changing incident energy from renewables can generate considerable amounts of harmonics. Moreover, power electronic devices and nonlinear loads that are used frequently in the industry may exaggerate the harmonic distortions as well. Accordingly, utilizing suitable filtration techniques for harmonic reduction is crucial. In order to evaluate the impacts of grid-connected PVs in modern grids, a case study on power quality and voltage profile is conducted with a large grid-connected PV microgrid of 9570 kW, feeding a large hospital project in Saudi Arabia as an initial phase of implementing this project in the future. For eliminating the possible increase in harmonic distortion, a single-tuned filter is used to cope with the permissible limits according to the known IEEE standards. This filtering technique is chosen due to its advantages including the simplicity, suitability for significant integer harmonic orders, and low cost. For evaluation tests, a detailed simulation is developed by the ETAP program for the overall selected project as well as the aimed PV subsystem. Several simulation tests are conducted to investigate the harmonic distortion problem. The results show a significant reduction in the individual harmonic distortion (IHD) and the total harmonic distortion (THD) below 8% according to considered IEEE standards for LV networks. Both 6 and 12 pule inverters are considered. This is considered an important step in the realization of such large PV projects in the field.
Curcumin Regulates Gut Microbiota and Exerts a Neuroprotective Effect in the MPTP Model of Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Zhu Hong , Zhang Houwen , Hou Bonan , Xu Bin , Ji Liting , Wu You
Published: November 2022

Objectives. The experiment aimed to explore the effects of curcumin on motor impairment, dopamine neurons, and gut microbiota in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) mice model. Methods. Mice were randomly assigned to six groups: normal control group, solvent control group, MPTP group, curcumin-low-dose group (40 mg/kg), curcumin-medium-dose group (80 mg/kg), and curcumin-high-dose group (160 mg/kg). After 14 days, each group of mice was subjected to the pole text, the hanging test, and the open-field test. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunohistochemistry was used to observe the survival of nigrostriatal dopamine neurons. Moreover, ultrastructural changes were observed with a transmission electron microscope in mice striatal tissue cells. Then, 16S rRNA was used to assess changes in the gut microbiota. Results. (1) Each dose of curcumin reduced pole climbing time and increased suspension score and total distance moved dose-dependently. (2) All curcumin groups improved cell wrinkling and vacuolar degeneration, increased the number of TH positives, improved cell survival, and the higher the dose of curcumin, the better the effect. (3) There were differences in microbiota composition and a relative abundance among the groups. The relative abundance of Patescibacteria, Proteobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia was higher in the MPTP group. The relative abundance of Patescibacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcaceae all decreased in all curcumin groups. In addition, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways showed a reduction in the superpathway of N-acetylneuraminate degradation after medium- and high-dose curcumin administration. Conclusions. Curcumin regulates gut microbiota and exerts a neuroprotective effect in the MPTP mice model. This preliminary study demonstrates the therapeutic potential of curcumin for Parkinson’s disease, providing clues for microbially targeted therapies for Parkinson’s disease.
Clinical Outcomes of Patients with C3G or IC-MPGN Treated with the Factor D Inhibitor Danicopan: Final Results from Two Phase 2 Studies
Authors: Nester Carla , Appel Gerald B. , Bomback Andrew S. , Bouman Koenraad Peter , Cook H. Terence , Daina Erica , Dixon Bradley P. , Rice Kara , Najafian Nader , Hui James , Podos Steven D. , Langman Craig B. , Lightstone Liz , Parikh Samir V. , Pickering Matthew C. , Sperati C. John , Trachtman Howard , Tumlin James , de Vries Aiko PJ , Wetzels Jack F.M. , Remuzzi Giuseppe
Published: November 2022

Introduction: C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) is an ultrarare, chronic and progressive nephropathy mediated by dysregulation of the alternative pathway of complement (AP), with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Targeted inhibition of proximal AP through factor D (FD) blockade represents a rational treatment approach. We present two phase 2 proof-of-concept clinical studies of the orally active FD inhibitor danicopan in patients with C3G and immune complex-mediated membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN) (NCT03369236 and NCT03459443). Methods: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study in patients with C3G and a single-arm, open-label study in patients with C3G or IC-MPGN treated with danicopan are reported. The studies evaluated pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD), efficacy, and safety outcomes. The co-primary endpoints were change from baseline in composite biopsy score and the proportion of patients with a 30% reduction in proteinuria relative to baseline at 6 or 12 months. Results: Optimal systemic concentrations of danicopan were not achieved for complete and sustained inhibition of AP, although there was evidence that blockade of FD reduced AP activity shortly after drug administration. Consequently, limited clinical response was observed in key efficacy endpoints. While stable disease or improvement from baseline was seen in some patients, response was not consistent. The data confirmed the favorable safety profile of danicopan. Conclusion: While demonstrating a favorable safety profile, danicopan resulted in incomplete and inadequately sustained inhibition of AP, probably due to limitations in its PK/PD profile in C3G, leading to lack of efficacy. Complete and sustained AP inhibition is required for a clinical response in patients with C3G.
Prognostic Factors across Poorly Differentiated Neuroendocrine Neoplasms: A Pooled Analysis
Authors: Centonze Giovanni , Maisonneuve Patrick , Prinzi Natalie , Pusceddu Sara , Albarello Luca , Pisa Eleonora , Barberis Massimo , Vanoli Alessandro , Spaggiari Paola , Bossi Paola , Cattaneo Laura , Sabella Giovanna , Solcia Enrico , La Rosa Stefano , Grillo Federica , Tagliabue Giovanna , Scarpa Aldo , Papotti Mauro , Volante Marco , Mangogna Alessandro , Del Gobbo Alessandro , Ferrero Stefano , Rolli Luigi , Roca Elisa , Bercich Luisa , Benvenuti Mauro , Messerini Luca , Inzani Frediano , Pruneri Giancarlo , Busico Adele , Perrone Federica , Tamborini Elena , Pellegrinelli Alessio , Kankava Ketevani , Berruti Alfredo , Pastorino Ugo , Fazio Nicola , Sessa Fausto , Capella Carlo , Rindi Guido , Milione Massimo
Published: November 2022

Introduction: Poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) are characterized by aggressive clinical course and poor prognosis. No reliable prognostic markers have been validated to date; thus, the definition of a specific NEC prognostic algorithm represents a clinical need. This study aimed to analyze a large NEC case series to validate the specific prognostic factors identified in previous studies on gastro-entero-pancreatic and lung NECs and to assess if further prognostic parameters can be isolated. Methods: A pooled analysis of four NEC retrospective studies was performed to evaluate the prognostic role of Ki-67 cut-off, the overall survival (OS) according to primary cancer site, and further prognostic parameters using multivariable Cox proportional hazards model and machine learning random survival forest (RSF). Results: 422 NECs were analyzed. The most represented tumor site was the colorectum (n = 156, 37%), followed by the lungs (n = 111, 26%), gastroesophageal site (n = 83, 20%; 66 gastric, 79%) and pancreas (n = 42, 10%). The Ki-67 index was the most relevant predictor, followed by morphology (pure or mixed/combined NECs), stage, and site. The predicted RSF response for survival at 1, 2, or 3 years showed decreasing survival with increasing Ki-67, pure NEC morphology, stage III–IV, and colorectal NEC disease. Patients with Ki-67 <55% and mixed/combined morphology had better survival than those with pure morphology. Morphology pure or mixed/combined became irrelevant in NEC survival when Ki-67 was ≥55%. The prognosis of metastatic patients who did not receive any treatment tended to be worse compared to that of the treated group. The prognostic impact of Rb1 immunolabeling appears to be limited when multiple risk factors are simultaneously assessed. Conclusion: The most effective parameters to predict OS for NEC patients could be Ki-67, pure or mixed/combined morphology, stage, and site.
Skin Wound Healing: Of Players, Patterns, and Processes
Authors: Sorg Heiko , Sorg Christian G.G.
Published: November 2022

Background: Wound healing of the skin is a very complex biological activity. For a better understanding, an attempt is made to describe and subdivide the different players (cell types and signaling molecules), patterns (different regeneration or repair mechanisms), and processes (division of the overall process into categories, phases, and steps). However, this is always based on different points of view. On the one hand, the temporality of the phases and on the other hand, the dominant activity in each step can play a role. In addition, classifications according to wound theory and wound treatment are possible. Summary: To gain an initial overview of (human) skin wound healing, simple classifications are advantageous for understanding and thus deserve to exist. The complexity of the underlying biology of skin wound healing takes on a multidimensional configuration upon closer examination, in which new actors are constantly being identified, making the events more precise and comprehensible but also significantly confusing when viewed as a whole. From this point of view, the healing process must be categorized so that the observer does not get lost in the multitude of interacting processes. In view of the steadily increasing knowledge, which includes in parallel the physiological as well as the pathophysiological processes of wound healing, the classification according to function in the sense of consecutive and overlapping phases seems the most convenient and considers the corresponding processes more precisely. Despite that many mechanisms and specific cellular functions in wound healing have been identified, many underlying (patho-)physiological processes still remain unknown. Key Messages: Currently, a substantial part of research activities in medicine is limited to molecular levels, while evidence for therapies currently in use is lacking or newly gained knowledge is quite far from clinical applicability and reality. This article aimed to shed more light on the various classifications of skin wound healing and presents the underlying paradigms starting from simple approaches and ending with more detailed concepts.
Abriendo paso a la interpretación en lenguas indígenas: participación de una intérprete en un juicio emblemático en Perú
Authors: Sernaqué Espinoza Grecia Alexandra , Edery Ortiz Carmen Shulamit
Published: November 2022

Las comunidades indígenas en Latinoamérica se enfrentan a situaciones de vulnerabilidad pese a que existen derechos constitucionales que los protegen y reconocen. En Perú, el proceso judicial Curva del diablo demostró los vacíos normativos del sistema judicial peruano y los diferentes desafíos que enfrenta el intérprete de lenguas indígenas en contextos judiciales. Esta investigación se enfoca en el proceso de  construcción identitaria de una intérprete de lenguas indígenas para analizar las características de su participación en un juicio oral. Por ello, se estudia la trayectoria personal y profesional de la intérprete wampis Dina Ananco durante su participación en el juicio oral Curva del Diablo que procesó a ciudadanos awajún y wampis por las muertes producto del conflicto social del Baguazo. Mediante esta investigación se busca analizar el rol de Ananco como intérprete y cómo los contextos propios de su comunidad indígena y del juicio influyeron en su desarrollo personal y profesional durante y después de su participación en el juicio.
Metabolic Changes Associated With Cardiomyocyte Dedifferentiation Enable Adult Mammalian Cardiac Regeneration
Authors: Cheng Yuan-Yuan , Gregorich Zachery , Prajnamitra Ray P. , Lundy David J. , Ma Ting-Yun , Huang Yu-Hsuan , Lee Yi-Chan , Ruan Shu-Chian , Lin Jen-Hao , Lin Po-Ju , Kuo Chiung-Wen , Chen Peilin , Yan Yu-Ting , Tian Rong , Kamp Timothy J. , Hsieh Patrick C.H.
Published: November 2022

Background:

Cardiac regeneration after injury is limited by the low proliferative capacity of adult mammalian cardiomyocytes (CMs). However, certain animals readily regenerate lost myocardium through a process involving dedifferentiation, which unlocks their proliferative capacities.

Methods:

We bred mice with inducible, CM-specific expression of the Yamanaka factors, enabling adult CM reprogramming and dedifferentiation in vivo.

Results:

Two days after induction, adult CMs presented a dedifferentiated phenotype and increased proliferation in vivo. Microarray analysis revealed that upregulation of ketogenesis was central to this process. Adeno-associated virus-driven HMGCS2 overexpression induced ketogenesis in adult CMs and recapitulated CM dedifferentiation and proliferation observed during partial reprogramming. This same phenomenon was found to occur after myocardial infarction, specifically in the border zone tissue, and HMGCS2 knockout mice showed impaired cardiac function and response to injury. Finally, we showed that exogenous HMGCS2 rescues cardiac function after ischemic injury.

Conclusions:

Our data demonstrate the importance of HMGCS2-induced ketogenesis as a means to regulate metabolic response to CM injury, thus allowing cell dedifferentiation and proliferation as a regenerative response.
Earthworm biodiversity in Morocco: First survey of earthworm richness, diversity and distribution in the Souss-Massa region
Authors: HALLAM JAMAL , ABAIL ZHOR , BENMRICH AHMED MANSOUR , BOUAMAIR AHMED , LAHLALI MARYAM
Published: November 2022

Although earthworms are the key drivers of most valuable ecosystem services and the main indicators of soil health, the existing ecotypes in Moroccan soils are largely unknown. The lack of records for many regions and limited data for others is a major obstacle to making the most of earthworms in sustaining the key ecosystem services they provide. This study investigates, for the first time, the earthworm biodiversity in cultivated soils in 4 irrigated perimeters of the arid region of Souss-Massa. Soil pits (25 x 25 x 30cm, n = 5) at 40 sampling sites were examined by digging, hand-sorting, and using a chemical expellant solution. From the 200 pits dug, 418 adult earthworms and 1182 juveniles were collected. Five new regional records of earthworms, namely Aporrectodea caliginosa, Aporrectodea longa, Aporrectodea rosea, Eiseniella tetraedra, and Microscolex dubius, were identified. A. longa was identified as a new species record for the earthworm fauna of Morocco raising the numbers from 13 declared species to 14. Most earthworms (60 %) were endogeic species in the majority of sampled sites. The occurrence of A. rosea (50% of sampled sites) and A. caliginosa (48% of sampled sites) reflects their frequent detection in the study area. Our results indicate that earthworms do exist in arid and semi-arid climates at significant densities, particularly along the crop rows where the drip irrigation laterals lie.
The millipede family Striariidae Bollman, 1893. VII. Petra sierwaldae, n. gen., n. sp., a minute millipede from Idaho, USA (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida, Striariidae)
Authors: SHEAR WILLIAM A. , MAREK PAUL E. , BOND JASON E. , WESENER THOMAS
Published: November 2022

Petra sierwaldae, n. gen., n. sp. is described from males and females collected at four localities in Kootenai County, Idaho, USA. The new genus is defined by its unique gonopod and ninth leg anatomy, a notched collum and single ommatidium on each side of the head, and lacking third coxal flasks as well as having modified fifth coxae.
Relations in Aesthetic Space: How Color Enables Market Positioning
Authors: Sgourev Stoyan V. , Aadland Erik , Formilan Giovanni
Published: November 2022

Color is omnipresent, but organizational research features no systematic theory or established method for analyzing it. We develop a relational approach to color, conceptualizing it as a means of positioning relative to a reference group or style and validating it through a computational method for processing digital images. The research context is Norwegian black metal—a genre of extreme metal music that achieved notoriety in the early 1990s through band members’ criminal activity. Our analysis of 5,125 album covers between 1989 and 2019 confirms the alignment of aesthetic and music features and articulates the role of color in the construction of a relational identity based on forces of association and disassociation. Black metal bands associated with past color choices of non-black metal bands up to a point, after which they started to disassociate from them. The positioning is dynamic, pursuing adaptation to external events. Black metal bands reacted to their stigmatization in Norwegian society by increasing colorfulness and later returning to a darker aesthetic in defiance of the genre’s commercialization. Our analysis attests to color’s ability to organize producers’ exchange of information and attention, illustrating the interweaving of aesthetic features and relational processes in markets.
The Political Resource Blessing or Curse? Patronage Networks, Infrastructure Investment, and Economic Development in China
Authors: Lei Zhenhuan
Published: November 2022

Does the patron-client connection between local governments and their superiors improve or hurt the local economic development? Although recent research suggests that patron-client connections boost local economic performance, this paper investigates the potential costs and risks of connection-driven economic development. With a difference-in-differences design applied to Chinese prefecture-level cities, I find that politically connected cities were more likely to win their superior’s support to obtain the projects approved by the four-trillion-Yuan stimulus enacted in 2008 and increased the city’s public investment in infrastructure. Meanwhile, these politically connected cities accumulated more public debts than other unconnected cities. Furthermore, those cities that lacked such political connections were more likely to promote private investment by introducing business-friendly policies. These results show that patron-client connections make an economic development model that features government investment and public debts more possible than the one that depends on vibrant entrepreneurship and private investment.
Examining the Sentencing of American Indian Women in U.S. Federal District Courts
Authors: Kramer Kelsey L. , Kelley Shamika M.
Published: November 2022

Prior sentencing research has examined the treatment of White, Black, and Hispanic defendants; however, little attention has been paid towards other racial/ethnic groups, like American Indian defendants. Moreover, a majority of sentencing research has focused men’s outcomes, disregarding the treatment and outcomes of women. Therefore, this paper examines the outcomes of American Indian women in federal district courts using United States Sentencing Commission (USSC) data from FY2015 to FY2019. We situate our research within an intersectional framework and use the chivalry, evil women, and focal concerns perspectives to understand the sentencing outcomes of American Indian women. Our results indicate that American Indian women are similarly disadvantaged at the incarceration, and sentence length decisions as other racial/ethnic groups.
Book review: Ebba Koch, ed., in collaboration with Ali Anooshahr, The Mughal Empire from Jahangir to Shah Jahan: Art, Architecture, Politics, Law and Literature
Authors: Dayal Subah
Published: November 2022

Ebba Koch, ed., in collaboration with Ali Anooshahr, The Mughal Empire from Jahangir to Shah Jahan: Art, Architecture, Politics, Law and Literature. Mumbai: The Marg Foundation, 2019, 320 pp.