bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Olfactory schwannoma: a case report
Authors: Wu Weidong , Zhan Xiaozhen , Wang Kezhen , Cui Chengzhi , Xu Kai , Cong Peiyu
Published: June 2023

Objective

Intracranial schwannomas are frequently located in the VIII cranial nerve, followed by the V and VII cranial nerves, but are quite rare in the olfactory cranial nerves. Here, we report a case of an olfactory schwannoma and review the literature to improve the diagnosis and treatment of olfactory schwannoma.

Methods

We report a case of olfactory schwannoma in a 51-year-old Chinese man who experienced dizziness and no other symptoms.

Results

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a neoplastic mass located on the anterior cranial base to the right of the midline and near the cribriform plate and sphenoidal plane. The lesion travelled through the cribriform plate into the nasal cavity. This mass was initially thought to be an olfactory groove meningioma. We performed a craniotomy for surgical excision, and the tumor was completely resected, and the skull base was reconstructed at the same time. There were no complications during surgery, and the patient recovered well. The histopathological diagnosis was a schwannoma.

Conclusion

Olfactory schwannomas are extremely rare and similar to olfactory ensheating cell tumors, and the immunohistochemical staining of leukocyte antigen 7 (Leu7/CD57) can be used to identify them. Although the standard treatment of olfactory schwannoma remains unclear, in all reports, most patients can have excellent prognosis after an effective surgical resection.
Progress in the diagnosis and treatment of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer
Authors: Xu Fei , Ren Xiaoli , Chen Yuan , Li Qianxia , Li Ruichao , Chen Yu , Xia Shu
Published: June 2023

Lung cancer, being the most common cancer type, accounts for 13% of all newly diagnosed malignant tumors globally each year. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for approximately 15% of newly diagnosed lung cancers each year, but its annual death toll accounts for 25% of that of lung cancer. We summarized relevant clinical studies to elaborate the epidemiology, pathological and clinical characteristics and the treatment status of small cell lung cancer. This paper first described the epidemiology and the pathological and clinical characteristics of SCLC and the systematic treatment of extensive-stage SCLC and then introduced the current targeted therapy and immunotherapy for SCLC to provide clinicians and patients with a more systematic, comprehensive, and beneficial treatment regimen. We expect that these studies can provide clinicians with a clear direction in molecularly targeted therapy or immunotherapy, so that a treatment approach with better antitumor effects and longer-lasting clinical benefits can be provided to the patients.
Efficacy and safety of combined decitabine and ruxolitinib in the treatment of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia*
Authors: Li Jiaming , Zhang Sujiang , Chen Yubao , Yan Zeying , Wang Ying , Liu Zhiyin , Sun Haimin , Chen Yu
Published: June 2023

Objective

The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of decitabine (DEC) combined with ruxolitinib (RUX) in the treatment of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML).

Methods

The clinical characteristics of 12 patients with CMML were analyzed retrospectively and subsequent target sequencing was performed to investigate the efficacy of the combined treatment with DEC and RUX and the molecular signatures therein.

Results

Among the 12 cases, clinical improvement was observed in all patients (100%), spleen reduction was observed in six patients (67%), and hematologic improvement was observed in four patients (33%). In the CMML-1 group, the overall response was 50% (3/6), one case achieved complete response, one achieved bone marrow remission, and one achieved hematological improvement. In the CMML-2 group, the overall response was 17% (1/6), one case achieved complete response, four showed disease progression (PD), and one exhibited no response. As expected, ASXL1 mutation was predictive for the outcome of CMML (hazard ratio of 2.97, 95% confidence interval of 1.21-7.06; P = 0.02).

Conclusion

The use of DEC combined with RUX in the treatment of CMML effectively improved the clinical response and quality of life, especially for CMML-1 patients. Ongoing clinical trials will further evaluate the safety and efficacy of this novel therapeutic approach.
Treatment results of childhood extracranial malignant germ cell tumors and the salvage approach for recurrent and refractory cases: a single-center report
Authors: He Kejun , Yuan Xiaojun , Tan Zhen
Published: June 2023

Objective

The aim of this study is to report the treatment result of childhood excranial malignant germ cell tumors and discuss the experience for recurrent and refractory cases treatment from our center.

Methods

We have retrospectively analyzed 58 extracranial malignant germ cell tumor patients treated with surgery and chemotherapy from our center over a 9-year period. Another 14 recurrent and refractory cases referred from other centers were added to the study for salvage approach. We evaluated the treatment results for primary cases and relapsed cases with a median follow-up of 61.5 months. Several factors were analysed to evaluate their power to the outcome of these cases.

Results

The 5-year event-free and overall survival for primary cases were 74.1±5.7% and 86.2±4.5%, respectively. 25 recurrent or refractory cases entered the salvage approach study, and 17 patients were alive till the end of follow-up. We demonstrated superior survival outcome for those with successful local control through pre-operative and post-operative radiotherapy, second-look surgery and multi-drug second-line chemotherapies.

Conclusion

The outcome for childhood extracranial malignant germ cell tumors is generally favorable. For recurrent and refractory cases, multi-modality treatment approaches including radiotherapy, salvage chemotherapy and secondlook surgery are important for better local control.
Prognostic risk model construction and prognostic biomarkers identification in esophageal adenocarcinoma based on immune-related long noncoding RNA*
Authors: Qin Kai , Cheng Yi , Zhang Jing , Yuan Xianglin , Wang Jianhua , Bai Jian
Published: June 2023

Objective

The aim of this study was to construct a prognostic model of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) based on immune-related long noncoding RNAs (immune-related lncRNAs) and identify prognostic biomarkers using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

Methods

Whole genomic mRNA expression and clinical data of esophageal adenocarcinoma were obtained from the TCGA database. The software Strawberry Perl, R and R packets were used to identify the immune-related genes and lncRNAs of esophageal adenocarcinoma, and for data processing and analysis. The differentially expressed lncRNAs were detected while comparing esophageal adenocarcinoma and normal tissue samples. The key immune-related lncRNAs were screened using lasso regression analysis and univariate cox regression analysis, and used to construct the prognostic model using multivariate cox regression analysis.

To evaluate the accuracy of the risk prognostic model, all esophageal adenocarcinomas were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups according to the median risk score, after which Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival curves, operating characteristic (ROC) curve and independent prognostic analysis of clinical traits were created. In addition, statistically significant immune-related lncRNAs and potential prognostic biomarkers were identified using the prognostic model and multifactor cox regression analysis for k-m survival analysis.

Results

A total of 1322 differentially expressed immune-related lncRNAs were identified, 28 of which were associated with prognosis via univariate cox regression analysis. In addition, K-M survival analysis showed that the total survival time of the higher risk group was significantly shorter than that of the lower risk group (P = 1.063e-10). The area under the ROC curve of 5-year total survival rate was 0.90. The risk score showed independent prognostic risk for esophageal adenocarcinoma via single factor and multifactorial independent prognostic analyses. In addition, the HR and 95% CI of each key immune-related lncRNA were calculated using multivariate Cox regression. Using k-m survival analysis, we found that 5 out of 12 key significant immune-related lncRNAs had independent prognostic value [AL136115.1 (P = 0.006), AC079684.1 (P = 0.008), AC07916394.1 (P = 0.0386), AC087620.1 (P = 0.041) and MIRLET7BHG (P = 0.044)].

Conclusion

The present study successfully constructed a prognostic model of esophageal adenocarcinoma based on the TCGA database, with moderate predictive accuracy. The model consisted of the expression level of 12 immune-related lncRNAs. Furthermore, the study identified one favorable prognostic biomarker, MIRLET7BHG, and four poor prognostic biomarkers (AL136115.1, AC079684.1, AC016394.1, and AC087620.1).
Elevated pretreatment plasma fibrinogen level is associated with metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
Authors: Shi Bowen , Bu Jianlong , Wang Yanbo , Chen Lantao , Xu Shidong
Published: June 2023

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between pretreatment fibrinogen levels and metastasis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

The study included 503 NSCLC patients with a clear pathological diagnosis and 168 patients diagnosed with benign lung diseases by histological examination. Pretreatment plasma fibrinogen values were quantified, and the relationship between plasma fibrinogen level and clinical variables comprising tumor size, metastasis, and clinical stage was examined using Kruskal-Wallis test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, and Chi-square test.

Results

The median plasma fibrinogen values were statistically higher in NSCLC patients with metastasis than patients with benign lung diseases and NSCLC patients without metastasis (Kruskal-Wallis test; P < 0.001). Plasma fibrinogen values were also significantly higher in advanced clinical stages (Wilcoxon rank sum test; P < 0.001). A significant relationship was observed between elevated fibrinogen (> 2.974 g/L) and metastasis, clinical stage, and tumor size (Chi-square test; P < 0.001).

Conclusion

This correlation suggests that elevated pretreatment plasma fibrinogen levels can predict metastasis and advanced tumor stage in NSCLC patients.
Antitumor and vascular effects of apatinib combined with chemotherapy in mice with non-small-cell lung cancer
Authors: Cao Hui , Wang Shili , Liu Yaohui
Published: June 2023

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the antitumor and vascular effects of apatinib use combined with chemotherapy on mice with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

First, 60 tumor-bearing nude mice were randomly divided into control, low-dose, and high-dose groups. Four nude mice per group were sacrificed before administration and on days 1, 3, 7, and 10 after administration. HIF-1α expression in tumor tissues was detected. Second, 32 nude mice were randomly divided into control, premetrexed, synchronous, and sequential groups. The weights and tumor volumes of mice were recorded.

Results

(1) HIF-1α expression decreased significantly on days 3 and 7 after low-dose apatinib treatment. There was no significant difference in HIF-1α expression in the high-dose apatinib group (P > 0.05). MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression levels in the low-dose apatinib group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). (2) In the low-dose apatinib group, the microvessel density increased gradually from days 3 to 7 post-treatment, while that in the high-dose apatinib group decreased significantly. (3) The inhibitory effect of sequential therapy using low-dose apatinib and pemetrexed was optimal, while that of synchronous treatment was not better than that of pemetrexed usage alone. Sequential treatment using low-dose apatinib and pemetrexed exerted the best antitumor effect. (4) The expression levels of p-AKT, p-mTOR, p-MEK, and p-ERK in the sequential group were significantly lower than those in the other three groups (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Apatinib usage involves certain considerations, such as dose requirements and time window for vascular normalization during lung cancer treatment in nude mice, suggesting that dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and other tests can be conducted to determine the vascular normalization window in patients with lung cancer and to achieve the optimal anti-vascular effect.
Nonlinear changes in pupillary attentional orienting responses across the lifespan
Authors: Riley Elizabeth , Turker Hamid , Wang Dongliang , Swallow Khena M , Anderson Adam K , De Rosa Eve
Published: June 2023

The cognitive aging process is not necessarily linear. Central task-evoked pupillary responses, representing a brainstem-pupil relationship, may vary across the lifespan. Thus we examined, in 75 adults ranging in age from 19 to 86, whether task-evoked pupillary responses to an attention task may serve in as an index of cognitive aging. This is because the locus coeruleus (LC), located in the brainstem, is not only among the earliest sites of degeneration in pathological aging, but also supports both attentional and pupillary behaviors. We assessed brief, task-evoked phasic attentional orienting to behaviorally relevant and irrelevant auditory tones, stimuli known specifically to recruit the LC in the brainstem and evoke pupillary responses. Due to potential nonlinear changes across the lifespan, we used a novel data-driven analysis on 6 dynamic pupillary behaviors on 10% of the data to reveal cut off points that best characterized the three age bands: young (19–41 years old), middle aged (42–68 years old), and older adults (69 + years old). Follow-up analyses on independent data, the remaining 90%, revealed age-related changes such as monotonic decreases in tonic pupillary diameter and dynamic range, along with curvilinear phasic pupillary responses to the behaviorally relevant target events, increasing in the middle-aged group and then decreasing in the older group. Additionally, the older group showed decreased differentiation of pupillary responses between target and distractor events. This pattern is consistent with potential compensatory LC activity in midlife that is diminished in old age, resulting in decreased adaptive gain. Beyond regulating responses to light, pupillary dynamics reveal a nonlinear capacity for neurally mediated gain across the lifespan, thus providing evidence in support of the LC adaptive gain hypothesis.
Preliminary Study on Low-Pressure Cold Spray Process Parameters: Effect on Mechanical and Photocatalytic Properties of TiO2 Coatings
Authors: Seremak W. , Jasiorski M. , Baszczuk A. , Winnicki M.
Published: June 2023

The TiO2 photocatalytic coatings’ most important properties are durability and photocatalytic activity. Those features form a basis to determine its degree of usefulness. In this study, the self-synthesized amorphous TiO2 powder was used for low-pressure cold spray photocatalytic coatings. Two strategies were adopted to change the surface properties, which can influence the mechanical properties of the coatings: (I) reduction of the scanning step and (II) filling the depressions in the already sprayed coating with the second layer. The coatings surface topography (measured by roughness and waviness) results showed that the first strategy makes coatings thicker, with a more uniform surface. The second strategy leads to obtaining more rough surfaces with no significant change in the thickness. The preliminary study results indicate that the first strategy was superior to the other one, in terms of both mechanical (described by cohesion and adhesion) and photocatalytic (measured by the decomposition of methylene blue under UV) properties of the coatings.

Graphical Abstract
An immune related signature inhibits the occurrence and development of serous ovarian cancer by affecting the abundance of dendritic cells
Authors: Teng Fei , Wei Hong , Dong Xiaoqiu
Published: June 2023

Serous ovarian cancer is one of the major causes of cancer related death among women worldwide. The advanced diagnosis worsens the prognosis of patients with serous ovarian cancer. The immune system has an important impact on the progression of ovarian cancer. Herein, we aimed to establish an immune related prognostic signature to assist in the early diagnosis, treatment, and prognostic evaluation of patients with serous ovarian cancer. Multiple public data sets and immune related genes were obtained from various online public databases, and immune related prognostic signatures were developed through differential expression analysis, univariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, and the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) Cox regression model. The nomogram model, Kaplan–Meier survival curve analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, and decision curve analysis showed that this signature had a good prediction potential. In conclusion, an immune related signature with good prediction efficiency was established through systematic bioinformatics analysis, which may play a tumor inhibition role by affecting the abundance of activated dendritic cells.
Optimization of surfactant-polymer flooding for enhanced oil recovery
Authors: Ahmed M. Elmuzafar , Sultan Abdullah S. , Al-Sofi Abdulkarim , Al-Hashim Hasan S.
Published: June 2023

Chemical enhanced oil recovery applications continue to face a variety of obstacles, particularly in high saline and high-temperature reservoirs, in addition to high chemical prices. This issue creates difficulty in developing optimal recipes that can withstand these extreme circumstances and so achieve maximal hydrocarbon recovery at the lowest feasible cost. The usefulness of surfactant polymer (SP) in mobilizing oil and increasing sweep efficiency in carbonate rocks is assessed in this article. A thermo-viscosifying polymer and an acrylamido tertiary butyl sulfonate (ATBS)/acrylamide (AM) copolymer were employed. Surfactants of various grades of amphoteric carboxybetain are used. These potential chemicals were chosen after a thorough study of previous research, which included long-term thermal stability, fluid rheology, interfacial tension, adsorption, and microfluidic tests. The contact angles were measured using a captive drop analyzer at high pressure and high temperature. The core-flooding experiments for slug size and injection sequence optimization were carried out using 12-inch long and 1.5-inch diameter limestone cores. For two weeks, the samples were aged. The trials were carried out at 90 °C. The seawater (SW) salinity utilized in the injection was 57,000 ppm. The findings highlighted the importance of surfactant-polymer interactions in wettability and fluid rheology. The best chemical combination was carboxybetaine (0.05 wt%) and ATBS/AM (0.25 wt%) which recovered 31.29% of the residual oil saturation (ROS), or 11.63% of the original oil in place (OIIP). The optimal slug size was 3.5 PV, which recovered 34.21% of the ROS and 17.05% of the OIIP. The optimum injection sequence was the co-injection of surfactant and polymer SW-S1P1-SW, which extracted 31.29% of the ROS and 11.63% of the OIIP. The recoveries were discovered to be related to the slug’s size. The chemical injection sequence was critical to the eventual oil recovery. Among the other sequences, SW-SP-SW had the highest recovery (SW-P-S-SW, SW-S-SW-P-SW, and SW-P-SW-S-SW). This is thought to be owing to the compounds' synergistic impact. We found that there is no systematic optimization process that combines the effect of chemicals, slug size, and sequence in one study, which gave us the motivation to cover the research gap.
Common stationary point of multivalued asymptotically regular mappings
Authors: Khan Abdul Rahim , Oyetunbi Dolapo Muhammed , Izuchukwu Chinedu
Published: June 2023

We establish a relationship between asymptotic regularity and common stationary points of multivalued mappings on a metric space. As a consequence of our results, we obtain a new common fixed point result for two asymptotically regular single-valued mappings. Our work significantly improves and complements comparable results in the literature.
Coxiella burnetii Infection in Livestock, Pets, Wildlife, and Ticks in Latin America and the Caribbean: a Comprehensive Review of the Literature
Authors: Epelboin Loïc , De Souza Ribeiro Mioni Mateus , Couesnon Aurelie , Saout Mona , Guilloton Edith , Omar Salma , De Santi Vincent Pommier , Davoust Bernard , Marié Jean Lou , Lavergne Anne , Donato Damien , Guterres Alexandro , Rabier Sebastien , Destoop Justin , Djossou Felix , Baudrimont Xavier , Roch Antoine , Cicuttin Gabriel Leonardo , Rozental Tatiana , Nacher Mathieu , Millán Javier , De Lemos Elba R. Sampaio , Fernandes Jorlan , Duron Olivier , De Thoisy Benoit , Rousset Elodie
Published: June 2023

Purpose of the Review

Q fever
, a bacterial zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii, is reported very heterogeneously in humans in Latin America. The objective of this study was to review the data on Coxiella burnetii Infection in animals in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Recent Findings

A comprehensive literature review was carried out in the 47 countries and territories of Latin America on various search engines and grouped into four groups: livestock, pets, wildlife, and ticks.

Thus, 113 studies were selected between 1950 and 2022. Among the 47 countries, only 25 (53%) had at least one publication related to C. burnetii infection in animals. The most productive country was Brazil (N = 51), followed by French Guiana (N = 21), and Colombia (N = 16). Studies in livestock from 20 countries have shown widely varying country-to-country rates of seroprevalence, ranging from 0 to 67%. Some studies from seven countries, especially French Guiana and Brazil, found antibodies and sometimes positive PCR in dogs and cats, generally in the context of investigations around human clustered cases. Knowledge remained fragmented about infection in wildlife from only five countries (Chile, Colombia, Brazil, French Guiana, and Uruguay). C. burnetii infection was identified by PCR in Chiroptera (7 species), Rodentia (6 species), Suina (2 species), Xenartha (1 species), Cingulata (1 species), and Perissodactyla (1 species). Studies on Coxiella sp. in ticks have been performed in 11 countries, mostly in Brazil, and mainly found Coxiella-like endosymbionts. Thus, data on C. burnetii infection in animals are sparse and incomplete in Latin America and the Caribbean, and more research is warranted.
Peer-Led Versus Conventional Teacher-Led Methodological Research Education Sessions: An Initiative to Improve Medical Education Research Teaching
Authors: Bantounou Maria Anna , Kumar Niraj
Published: June 2023

Introduction

To enhance doctors’ engagement with research, the National Medical Research Association (NMRA) developed a research teaching series, delivering peer-led (PL) sessions by medical students and conventional teacher-led (CL) sessions by licenced physicians/lecturers. We assessed the effectiveness of the series and compared the PL and CL approaches.

Methods

The teaching sessions were delivered virtually via Zoom weekly either PL or CL. Feedback was provided by participants on completion of every session using a 10-point Likert scale assessing their knowledge pre- and post-training.

Results

A total of 87 participants were included generating 782 feedback forms, 367 (47.1%) for PL and 412 for CL sessions. The median knowledge scores significantly increased following each session (p-value < 0.05) independent of teaching approach. An overall improvement in the median knowledge score from all sessions from 5/10 to 8/10 was reported. There was no significant difference between knowledge gained from the CL or PL teaching.

Conclusion

Didactic PL research training sessions are equally effective as CL sessions.
Temperature Bias Drift Phase-Based Compensation for a MEMS Accelerometer with Stiffness-Tuning Double-Sided Parallel Plate Capacitors
Authors: Li Mingkang , Ma Zhipeng , Zhang Tengfei , Jin Yiming , Ye Ziyi , Zheng Xudong , Jin Zhonghe
Published: June 2023

This paper reports an approach of in-operation temperature bias drift compensation based on phase-based calibration for a stiffness-tunable MEMS accelerometer with double-sided parallel plate (DSPP) capacitors. The temperature drifts of the components of the accelerometer are characterized, and analytical models are built on the basis of the measured drift results. Results reveal that the temperature drift of the acceleration output bias is dominated by the sensitive mechanical stiffness. An out-of-bandwidth AC stimulus signal is introduced to excite the accelerometer, and the interference with the acceleration measurement is minimized. The demodulated phase of the excited response exhibits a monotonic relationship with the effective stiffness of the accelerometer. Through the proposed online compensation approach, the temperature drift of the effective stiffness can be detected by the demodulated phase and compensated in real time by adjusting the stiffness-tuning voltage of DSPP capacitors. The temperature drift coefficient (TDC) of the accelerometer is reduced from 0.54 to 0.29 mg/°C, and the Allan variance bias instability of about 2.8 μg is not adversely affected. Meanwhile, the pull-in resulting from the temperature drift of the effective stiffness can be prevented. TDC can be further reduced to 0.04 mg/°C through an additional offline calibration based on the demodulated carrier phase representing the temperature drift of the readout circuit.
Case Report: Subfertility and Pregnancy Loss due to Genital Tuberculosis
Authors: Stroeken Y. , Broekhuijsen K. , Leyten E. , Hermes W.
Published: June 2023

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease that primarily affects low and middle income countries (LMICs) but is becoming more relevant in Western countries due to increasing migration from high TB burden countries. It is especially difficult to detect in women with fertility issues as it mimics other more common causes. Delayed diagnosis of TB can result in fallopian tube and endometrial pathology leading to subfertility and pregnancy loss. This case report describes a 34-year-old woman from Ivory Coast who was diagnosed with intrauterine tuberculosis after hysteroscopic evacuation of suspected retained placental tissue following an immature delivery. The patient had a complicated fertility history, including pelvic inflammatory disease and IVF/ICSI procedures, before becoming pregnant at the age of 38. She delivered prematurely at 22 weeks with a retained placenta. A diagnosis of TB was confirmed after pathology revealed granulomatous inflammation, without signs of placental tissue, and further testing confirmed rifampicin-resistant TB. The patient underwent a 15-month course of multi-drug-resistant TB treatment, which postponed her pregnancy wish. The case highlights the challenge of diagnosing genital TB in the female genital tract during subfertility investigations and after a complicated pregnancy in a woman without a history of or symptoms of TB. It underscores the importance of considering TB in the differential diagnosis of subfertility. Screening should be considered in women originating from high endemic countries with unexplained fertility loss and during first trimester screening.
Study on Parameters of Modified Mohr–Coulomb Model for Water-rich Soft Soil in Tianjin, China
Authors: Ma Huanfa , Hao Xin , Yang Yongpeng , Li Hui , Yi Lixin
Published: June 2023

Foundation pit excavation through the soft layer has great technical challenges and potential safety risks, especially in soft soil area. In this study, we use a 3D numerical model of Foundation pit to simulate the excavation process. Based on the simulation, the sensitivity analysis of the three stiffness parameters ($${\mathrm{E}}_{\mathrm{ur}}^{\mathrm{ref}}$$

E

ur

ref

,$${\mathrm{E}}_{50}^{\mathrm{ref}}$$

E

50

ref

and $${\mathrm{E}}_{\mathrm{oed}}^{\mathrm{ref}}$$

E

oed

ref

) of the Modified Mohr–Coulomb model was carried out by using the Latin hypercube-one factor at a time method. During the simulation, the three stiffness parameters are changed with the perturbation amplitude of (± 20%) and (± 40%). In addition, the sensitivity of three stiffness parameters was calculated by taking the horizontal displacement of diaphragm wall as the observation index. Furthermore, by comparing the results of simulation with the measured data, the stiffness ratio relationship suitable for foundation pit simulation in Tianjin water-rich soft soil area are obtained. Our findings present that $${\mathrm{E}}_{\mathrm{ur}}^{\mathrm{ref}}$$

E

ur

ref

is the parameter that has the largest influence on the uncertainty in the MMC model, while $${\mathrm{E}}_{\mathrm{oed}}^{\mathrm{ref}}$$

E

oed

ref

is the least sensitive to horizontal displacement of diaphragm wall. The proportion rates of $${\mathrm{E}}_{\mathrm{oed}}^{\mathrm{ref}}$$

E

oed

ref

/$${\mathrm{E}}_{50}^{\mathrm{ref}}$$

E

50

ref

and $${\mathrm{E}}_{\mathrm{ur}}^{\mathrm{ref}}{/\mathrm{E}}_{50}^{\mathrm{ref}}$$

E

ur

ref

/
E

50

ref

provide a promising reference for simulating the foundation pit excavation in Tianjin water-rich soft soil area.
Magnetic bulk photovoltaic effect as a probe of magnetic structures of $\mathrm{{EuSn_{2}As_{2}}}$
Authors: Pi Hanqi , Zhang Shuai , Weng Hongming
Published: June 2023

The bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE) is a second-order optical process in noncentrosymmetric materials that converts the light into DC currents. BPVE is classified into shift current and injection current according to the generation mechanisms and their dependence on the polarization of light is sensitive to the spatial and time-reversal symmetry of materials. In this work, we present a comprehensive study on the BPVE response of $\mathrm{EuSn_{2}As_{2}}$

E
u
S

n
2

A

s
2

with different magnetic structures through symmetry analysis and first-principles calculation. We demonstrate that the interlayer antiferromagnetic (AFM) $\mathrm{EuSn_{2}As_{2}}$

E
u
S

n
2

A

s
2

of even-layer breaks the inversion symmetry and has the second-order optical responses. Moreover, the bilayer AFM $\mathrm{EuSn_{2}As_{2}}$

E
u
S

n
2

A

s
2

not only displays distinct BPVE responses when magnetic moments align in different directions, but also shows symmetry-related responses in two phases which have mutually perpendicular in-plane magnetic moments. Due to the dependence of BPVE responses on the polarization of light and magnetic symmetry, these magnetic structures can be distinguished by the circular polarized light with well-designed experiments. Our work demonstrates the feasibility of the BPVE response as a tool to probe the magnetic structure.
Byron's Don Juan
Authors: Cronin Richard
Published: June 2023

In this first full-length study of Byron's masterpiece in over thirty years, Richard Cronin boldly presents Don Juan as the epic poem of its age. Impressively illuminating the whole literary nineteenth century through a single work, he asks what kind of epic can be said to represent an era more readily defined by newspapers and magazines than by competitors such as Wordsworth's Excursion or Southey's Joan of Arc arose. Delving into questions of form and choice of hero, he also explores the controversies that informed the poem's reception, its contemporary interactions, and its influence on later nineteenth-century literature. Don Juan, he argues, is the epic poem demanded by an age of cant and dissembling, when people's feelings and the world they lived in had become disconnected. In it, he finds a powerful defence of liberal thinking at a time when that kind of thinking was under threat.
The Age of Augustus
Authors: Wilson B. W. G. J.
Published: June 2023

This volume in the LACTOR Sourcebooks in Ancient History series features primary texts on the Age of Augustus (31 BC-AD 14), with accompanying maps, illustrations, glossary and introductory notes. It provides for the needs of students at schools and universities who are studying ancient history in English translation and has been written and reviewed by experienced teachers. The texts selected include extracts from the important literary sources but also numerous inscriptions, coin legends and extracts from legal texts, some of which were previously difficult for students to access.
Separated and vortical flow in aircraft aerodynamics: a CFD perspective
Authors: Rizzi A.
Published: June 2023

In the early era of aviation, Frederick Lanchester was both an inventor and a theoretician driven by the need for a theory of flight that would reduce the guesswork in designing new aircraft. His book Aerodynamics in 1907 laid down the early foundations of such a theory. The theory with contributions from others, notably Ludwig Prandtl, was refined to become the basis for the sleek designs of WWII aircraft brought about with little guesswork. New technology changed aircraft design radically with the increased speed of jet propulsion reaching into the transonic range with nonlinear aerodynamics. In the late 1940s and early 1950s substantial guesswork returned to aircraft design. The legacy of Lanchester et al., however, lived on with the development of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) that could guide designers through nonlinear transonic effects. This article presents a historical sketch of how CFD developed, illustrated with examples explaining some of the difficulties overcome in the design of the first-generation swept-wing transonic fighters. The historical study is forensic CFD in search for the likely explanation of the designer’s choice for the wing shape that went into production a long time ago. The capability of current CFD applied to the aerodynamics of aircraft with slender wings is surveyed. The cases discussed involve flow patterns with coherent vortices over hybrid wings and wings of moderate sweep. Vortex-flow aerodynamics pertains to understanding the interaction of concentrated vortices with aircraft components. Modern Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) technology is useful to predict attached flow. But vortex interaction with other vortices and breakdown lead to unsteady, largely separated flow which has been found out of scope for RANS. Direct simulation of the Navier-Stokes equations is out of computational reach in the foreseeable future, and the need for better physical modeling is evident. Both cruise performance and stalling characteristics are influenced by strong interactions. Two important aspects of wing-flow physics are discussed: separation from a smooth surface that creates a vortex, and vortex bursting, the abrupt breakdown of a vortex with a subsequent loss of lift. Vortex aerodynamics of not-so-slender wings encounter particularly challenging problems, and it is shown how the design of early-generation operational aircraft surmounted these difficulties. Through use of forensic CFD, the article concludes with two case studies of aerodynamic design: how the Saab J29A wing maintains control authority near stall, and how the Saab J32 mitigates pitch-up instability at high incidence.
Assessing Firefighters’ Tourniquet Skill Attainment and Retention: A Controlled Simulation-Based Experiment
Authors: Dragset Erik , Blix Sigurd , Melau Jørgen , Wilson Thomas , Lund-Kordahl Inger
Published: June 2023

Background:

The aim of this study was to train and assess firefighters’ skill attainment in the use of tourniquets, and to assess their skill retention after 3 mo. The purpose is to show if firefighters can successfully apply a tourniquet after a short course based on the Norwegian national recommendation for civil prehospital tourniquet use.

Methods:

This is a prospective experimental study. The study population were firefighters, and the inclusion criterion was any on-duty firefighter. The first phase consisted of baseline precourse testing (T1), a 45-min course, followed by immediate retesting (T2). The second phase consisted of retesting of skill retention after 3 mo (T3).

Results:

A total of 109 participants at T1, 105 at T2, and 62 participants at T3. The firefighters achieved a higher proportion of successful tourniquet applications at T2 (91.4%; 96 of 105) as well as T3 (87.1%; 54 of 62) compared with 50.5% at T1 (55 of 109) (P = 0.009). Mean application time was 59.6 s (55.1-64.2) in T1, 34.9 s (33.3-36.6) in T2 and 37.7 s (33.9-41.4) in T3.

Conclusion:

A sample of firefighters can successfully apply a tourniquet after a 45-min course based on the 2019 Norwegian recommendation for civil prehospital tourniquet use. Skill retention after 3 mo was satisfactory for both successful application and application time.
Generalized-Newtonian fluid transport by an instability-driven filament
Authors: Wang Chenglei , Gsell Simon , D'Ortona Umberto , Favier Julien
Published: June 2023

Cilia are micro-scale hair-like organelles. They can exhibit self-sustained oscillations which play crucial roles in flow transport or locomotion. Recent studies have shown that these oscillations can spontaneously emerge from dynamic instability triggered by internal stresses via a Hopf bifurcation. However, the flow transport induced by an instability-driven cilium still remains unclear, especially when the fluid is non-Newtonian. This study aims at bridging these gaps. Specifically, the cilium is modelled as an elastic filament, and its internal actuation is represented by a constant follower force imposed at its tip. Three generalized Newtonian behaviours are considered, i.e. the shear-thinning, Newtonian and shear-thickening behaviours. Effects of four key factors, including the filament zero-stress shape, Reynolds number (

$Re$

), follower-force magnitude and fluid rheology, on the filament dynamics, fluid dynamics and flow transport are explored through direct numerical simulation at

$Re$

of 0.04 to 5 and through a scaling analysis at

$Re \approx 0$

. The results reveal that even though it is expected that inertia vanishes at

$Re \ll 1$

, inertial forces do alter the filament dynamics and deteriorate the flow transport at

$Re\ge 0.04$

. Regardless of

$Re$

, the flow transport can be improved when the flow is shear thinning or when the follower force increases. Furthermore, a linear stability analysis is performed, and the variation of the filament beating frequency, which is closely correlated with the filament dynamics and flow transport, can be predicted.
LUCRETIAN DIDO: A STICHOMETRIC ALLUSION
Authors: Casali Sergio
Published: June 2023

In the fourth line of her first speech in Book 1, to Ilioneus and the Trojan castaways, Dido quotes the first word of the first line of Lucretius’ De rerum natura, and in the fourth line of her second speech, to Aeneas, she quotes the first words of the second line of the De rerum natura. This is not a coincidence but a signal of the importance of Lucretius and Epicureanism for the characterization of Dido in the Aeneid.
APPRENTICESHIP CONTRACTS IN CLASSICAL ATHENS
Authors: McArthur Mills
Published: June 2023

Numerous apprenticeship contracts survive among the papyri of Graeco-Roman Egypt, but scholars have been left guessing whether this documentation offers a sound comparison to job training in Classical Greece. This paper points out that such apprenticeship contracts are firmly attested in a work of Xenophon, revealing that, by the mid fourth century b.c., Athens was already home to the practice of formal apprenticeship.
An analysis and review of robot magic shows
Authors: Yang Jeehyun , Jeong Jaesik , Baltes Jacky
Published: June 2023

The field of humanoid robotics is constantly evolving, with new advances creating exciting opportunities for research and development. Especially in the entertainment area, robotics applications show significant growth potential. To guide and track the progress of robotics research, good benchmark problems are crucial, but especially investigating human–robot interaction capabilities is difficult. This paper examines robot magic shows as a benchmark and research direction for entertainer robots and discusses flexible and versatile system architectures for robot magicians in the humanoid robot application challenge competition since 2017. The goal is a detailed analysis of magic tricks and magician robots presented in front of audiences. This paper reviews the hardware components and examines the robot platforms of participating teams in the robot magic show, the types of magic performances, the magic tricks and tools, the algorithms for the magic tricks, and the framework for humanoid robots. By providing a comprehensive analysis of these elements, we can gain insight into the capabilities of advanced humanoid robots for high-performance magic tricks. In conclusion, this paper highlights the exciting potential of humanoid robotics and entertainment fusion. In addition, we analyze the use of humanoid robots in magic shows, presenting the industrial potential of entertainer robots.
Modeling the potential distribution of the threatened Grey-necked Picathartes Picathartes oreas across its entire range
Authors: Tsetagho Guilain , Bradfer-Lawrence Tom , Taku Awa II , Abernethy Katharine A. , Abwe Ekwoge E. , Tsi Angwafo E. , Atuo Fidelis , Fichtler Martin , Fotso Roger , Shirley Matthew H. , Morgan Bethan J. , Languy Marc , Maisels Fiona , Oslisly Richard , Powell Luke , Smith Thomas , Thomassen Henri A. , Waltert Matthias , Wolfe Jared , Whytock Robin C.
Published: June 2023

Understanding the distribution and extent of suitable habitats is critical for the conservation of endangered and endemic taxa. Such knowledge is limited for many Central African species, including the rare and globally threatened Grey-necked Picathartes Picathartes oreas, one of only two species in the family Picathartidae endemic to the forests of Central Africa. Despite growing concerns about land-use change resulting in fragmentation and loss of forest cover in the region, neither the extent of suitable habitat nor the potential species’ distribution is well known. We combine 339 (new and historical) occurrence records of Grey-necked Picathartes with environmental variables to model the potential global distribution. We used a Maximum Entropy modelling approach that accounted for sampling bias. Our model suggests that Grey-necked Picathartes distribution is strongly associated with steeper slopes and high levels of forest cover, while bioclimatic, vegetation health, and habitat condition variables were all excluded from the final model. We predicted 17,327 km2 of suitable habitat for the species, of which only 2,490 km2 (14.4%) are within protected areas where conservation designations are strictly enforced. These findings show a smaller global distribution of predicted suitable habitat forthe Grey-necked Picathartes than previously thought. This work provides evidence to inform a revision of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status, and may warrant upgrading the status of the species from “Near Threatened” to “Vulnerable”.
Future Winter Precipitation Decreases Associated With the North Atlantic Warming Hole and Reduced Convection
Authors: Iversen Emilie C. , Hodnebrog Øivind , Seland Graff Lise , Nygaard Bjørn Egil , Iversen Trond
Published: June 2023

Climate projections in the North Atlantic region suffer from great uncertainties, and projections of precipitation are given with a large spread. Some of this uncertainty is related to projections of the North Atlantic warming hole (NAWH). The Community Earth System Model version 2 (CESM2) projects a relatively strong and extensive NAWH, with future sea surface cooling extending to Northern Scandinavia. This study investigates the relatively large winter precipitation decrease projected by CESM2 in the northeastern North Atlantic region, reinforced in a regional model. Three future scenarios from CESM2 are dynamically downscaled with the Weather Research and Forecast model. A methodology to separate convective and orographic from stratiform precipitation is applied to explore the physical mechanisms. Changes in stratiform precipitation closely relate to storm‐track changes, which varies between the scenarios. Convective precipitation decreases by up to 50% over the Norwegian Sea at the end of the century, which is robust across the scenarios. This is explained by the underlying reduced sea surface temperatures of the NAWH, leading to reduced evaporation and reduced convective activity and intensity. The orographic precipitation maximum over the Scandinavian mountains is shifted upstream, likely affected by increased static stability and flow blocking, which also relates to the NAWH. This shift is possibly also explained by more frequent rain versus snow, as well as reduced cross‐barrier wind speeds. This study contributes to highlight the importance of focusing future research efforts on the NAWH, in order to constrain future climate projections in this region.
Response of Extreme Rainfall to Atmospheric Warming and Wetting: Implications for Hydrologic Designs Under a Changing Climate
Authors: Zhang Jinghan , Yang Long , Yu Miao , Chen Xiaodong
Published: June 2023

Understanding the processes of rainfall extremes and their response to anthropogenic climate change is pivotal for improved adaptation of unprecedented flood hazards around the world. Here we take the record‐breaking 20 July 2021 storm over central China as an example. We investigate the response of this particular storm to atmospheric warming (i.e., increase in air temperature) and wetting (i.e., increase in atmospheric moisture content) based on a series of convection‐permitting model simulations. Our results show non‐monotonic changes of the space‐time rainfall variability to either increased temperature or atmospheric moisture content. The most extreme rain rate is produced when relative humidity is increased by 20%–40% or temperature is increased by less than 2°C. The non‐monotonic rainfall response is more clearly revealed at fine spatial (100–1,000 km2) and temporal scales (less than 6 hr) rather than over the entire domain (∼104 km2) and aggregated over the storm duration (around 2 days). This is mainly attributable to the distinct feedbacks from atmospheric dynamics (i.e., moisture convergence and interaction with regional topography) rather than regulated by thermodynamic changes alone. Atmospheric warming poses notable changes in the vertical structure of storm cells, contributing to reduced areal reduction factors at small spatial scales and short durations, while atmospheric wetting additionally modifies storm evolution properties. Our modeling analyses challenge the existing practices for hydrologic designs under a changing climate, highlighting particular vulnerability for cities or small basins to short‐duration rainfall extremes and the resultant flash flood hazards.