bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of the Effect of Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNC) and Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) As Additives in Ultrafiltration Mem-Branes (PES-UF): Characterization and Performance
Authors: Adeniyi Amos , Odo Gerald Okey , Gonzalez Ortiz Danae , Pochat-Bohatier Celine , Mbakop Sandrine , Onyango Maurice S.
Published: May 2023

This work demonstrated the potential of CNC as a substitute for PEG as an additive in ultrafiltration membrane fabrication. Two sets of modified membranes were fabricated using the phase inversion technique with polyethersulfone (PES) as the base polymer, and 1-N-methyl-2 pyrrolidone (NMP) as the solvent. The first set was fabricated with 0.075 wt% CNC, while the second set was fabricated with 2 wt% PEG. All membranes were characterized using SEM, EDX, FTIR, and contact angle measurements. The SEM images were analyzed for surface characteristics using WSxM 5.0 Develop 9.1 software. The membranes were tested, characterized, and compared for their performance in treating both synthetic turbid water and real restaurant Both membranes exhibited improved hydrophilicity, morphology, pore structure, and roughness. Both membranes also exhibited similar water flux for real and synthetic polluted water. However, the membrane prepared with CNC gave the higher turbidity removal and COD removal when raw restaurant water was treated. The membrane compared well with the UF membrane containing 2 wt% PEG in terms of morphology and performance when synthetic turbid water and raw restaurant water were treated.
Henneaux-Teitelboim Gauge Symmetry and its Applications to Higher Gauge Theories
Authors: Đorđević Mihailo , Radenković Tijana , Stipsić Pavle , Vojinović Marko
Published: May 2023

When discussing the gauge symmetries of any theory, the Henneaux-Teitelboim transformations are often underappreciated or even completely ignored, due to their on-shell triviality. Nevertheless, these gauge transformations play an important role in understanding the structure of the full gauge symmetry group of any theory, especially regarding the subgroup of diffeomorphisms. We give a review of the Henneaux-Teitelboim transformations and the resulting gauge group in the general case, and then discuss its role in the applications to the class of topological theories called nBF models, relevant for the constructions of higher gauge theories and quantum gravity.
Radiotherapy in Uveal Melanoma: A Review of Ocular Complications
Authors: Banou Lamprini , Tsani Zoi , Arvanitogiannis Konstantinos , Pavlaki Maria , Dastiridou Anna , Androudi Sofia
Published: May 2023

Uveal melanoma represents the most prevalent form of primary malignant intraocular tumor in adults. Historically, enucleation was considered the gold-standard approach in the treatment of uveal melanoma. Nowadays, radiotherapy is the most commonly used therapy, aiming at a better quality of life. However, radiotherapy can result in several ocular complications, some of which may be vision-threatening. Radiation-induced dry eye, scleral necrosis, cataract, rubeosis iridis, neovascular glaucoma, radiation retinopathy and maculopathy and optic neuropathy are the most common. This article aims to summarize the current literature on the ocular complications after radiotherapy, their clinical features, risk factors and management strategies. A thorough understanding is crucial for ophthalmologists and oncologists to provide optimal patient care, improve visual outcomes, and minimize long-term complications.
P2x7 Receptor and Extracellular Vesicle Release
Authors: Golia Maria Teresa , Gabrielli Martina , Verderio Claudia
Published: May 2023

Extensive evidence indicates that activation of P2X7 receptor (P2X7R), an ATP-gated ion channel highly expressed in immune and brain cells, is strictly associated with the release of extracellular vesicles. Through this process, P2X7R-expressing cells regulate non-classical protein secretion and transfer bioactive components to other cells, including misfolded proteins, participating in inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we summarize and discuss the studies addressing the impact of P2X7R activation on extracellular vesicle release and their activities.
Implementation and Realisation of Quantum and Quantum-Inspired Stereographic K Nearest-Neighbour Clustering
Authors: Viladomat Jasso Alonso , Modi Ark Kumar , Ferrara Roberto , Noetzel Janis , Deppe Christian , Schädler Maximilian , Fung Fred
Published: May 2023

Nearest-neighbour clustering is a simple yet powerful machine learning algorithm that finds natural application in the decoding of signals in classical optical fibre communication systems. Quantum nearest-neighbour clustering promises a speed-up over the classical algorithms, but the current embedding of classical data introduces inaccuracies, insurmountable slowdowns, or undesired effects. This work proposes the generalised inverse stereographic projection into the Bloch sphere as an encoding for quantum distance estimation in k nearest-neighbour clustering, develops an analogous classical counterpart, and benchmarks its accuracy, runtime and convergence. Our proposed algorithm provides an improvement in both the accuracy and the convergence rate of the algorithm. We detail an experimental optic fibre setup as well, from which we collect 64-Quadrature Amplitude Modulation data. This is the dataset upon which the algorithms are benchmarked. Through experiments, we demonstrate the numerous benefits and practicality of using the stereographic quantum analogue k nearest-neighbour for clustering real-world optical-fibre data. This work also proves that one can achieve a greater advantage by optimising the radius of inverse stereographic projection.
Raman Spectrocopic and Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectrocopic Analyses of Normal Blood and Abnormal Blood
Authors: Huang Song-Jeng , Lan Jun-Han , Chiang Chao-Ching , Lo Fang-Yuh , Young Kung-Chia
Published: May 2023

Blood testing is a crucial medical application. In this study, we applied Raman spectroscopy to test blood samples and obtained complete biological information, including the main components and compositions in these samples. Short-wavelength (532-nm green light) Raman scattering spectroscopy was conducted on samples of normal blood, abnormal blood in 3 types of preparation including whole blood, plasma, and serum, and the underlying information reflected by the biological characteristics detected in each sample type were analyzed. Raman spectroscopy results indicated that normal blood had high hemoglobin content, which suggests that hemoglobin is a major component of blood. Hemoglobin affects blood oxygen level. The characteristic peaks of hemoglobin were observed at 690, 989, 1015, 1182, 1233, 1315, and 1562–1649 cm−1. Analysis of plasma and serum samples indicated the presence of β-carotene, which exhibited characteristic peaks at 1013, 1172, and 1526 cm−1. In addition, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy was used to collect biological signals that are difficult to obtain in conventional Raman spectroscopy, including those of small molecules such as hormones, antibodies, and enzymes. Changes in biological information collected in this manner can be used as a basis for potentially diagnosing clinical diseases.
Comprehensive Review of Clustering and Multi-Target Tracking Techniques for LiDAR Point Clouds in Autonomous Driving Applications
Authors: Adnan Muhammad , Slavic Giulia , Martín Gómez David , Marcenaro Lucio , Regazzoni Carlo
Published: May 2023

The safe and reliable operation of autonomous vehicles in complex and dynamic environments is heavily dependent upon exteroceptive and proprioceptive sensors. A LiDAR system generates accurate 3D point clouds, which are crucial for the detection, classification, and tracking of multiple targets. LiDAR data, however, presents significant challenges due to its density, noise, and varying sampling rates. In this study, various clustering and MTT techniques for LiDAR point clouds will be identified and classified within the context of autonomous driving to assess the state-of-the-art methods’ key challenges and their performances. We have categorized clustering and MTT methods used in AV applications, identified research gaps and challenges and analyzed existing algorithms and their challenges in detail. Researchers and practitioners in the field of autonomous driving will find this review to be a valuable resource.
Biocontrol and Probiotic Function of Non-saccharomyces Yeasts: New Insights in Agri-Food Industry
Authors: Comitini Francesca , Canonico Laura , Agarbati Alice , Ciani Maurizio
Published: May 2023

Fermented food matrices, including beverages, can be defined as the result of the activity of complex microbial ecosystems where different microorganisms interact according to different biotic and abiotic factors. Certainly, in industrial production the technological processes aim to control the fermentation to place safe foods on the market. Therefore, if food safety is the essential prerogative, consumers are increasingly oriented towards a healthy and conscious diet driving the production and consequently the applied research towards natural processes. In this regard, the aim to guarantee safety, quality and diversify of products should be reached limiting or avoiding the addition of antimicrobials or synthetic additives using the biological approach. In this paper, following the recent re-evaluation of non-Saccharomyces yeasts (NSYs) has been re-viewed the bio-protectant and biocontrol activity with a particular focus on their antimicrobial power, probiotic features and promoting functional aspects. In this review, the authors would underline the contribution of NSYs in all food production chain and its role in the technological and fermentative features for their practical and useful use as biocontrol agent in food preparations.
Piezoresistive Behavior of a Conductive Polyurethane Based Foam for Real Time Structural Monitoring
Authors: Poirot Antoine , Bedrici Nacera , Walrick Jean-Christophe , Arrigoni Michel
Published: May 2023

Smart flexible materials with piezoresistive property are increasingly used in sensors field. When embedded in structures, they would allow an in-situ structural health monitoring and damage assessment of impact loading such as crash, bird strikes and ballistic impacts. However, this could not be achieved without a deep characterization of the relation between piezoresistivity and mechanical behavior. The aim of this paper is to study the potential use of the piezoresistivity effect of a conductive foam made of a flexible polyurethane matrix filled with active carbon for integrated Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) and damage assessment applications. To do so, PolyUrethane Foam filled with Active Carbon, namely PUF-AC, are manufactured and tested under quasi-static compression tests and under Dynamic Mechanical Analyser (DMA) with in-situ measurement of its resistivity during tests. A relation is proposed for describing the evolution of the resistivity versus strain and stress. In addition, a demonstrative experiment of a PUF-AC sample subjected to low velocity impact assesses the interest of this type of materials for damage assessments.
Machine Learning for Precision Agriculture Using Imagery From Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV): A Survey
Authors: Zualkernan Imran , Abuhani Diaa Addeen , Hussain Maya Hajj , Khan Jowaria , ElMohandes Mohamed
Published: May 2023

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are increasingly being used in a variety of domains and precision agriculture is no exception. Precision agriculture is the future of agriculture and will play a key role in long-term sustainability of agricultural practices. This paper presents a survey of how image data collected using UAVs has been used in conjunction with ma-chine learning techniques to support precision agriculture. Numerous agricultural applications including classification of crop types and trees, crops detection, weed detection, cropland cover, and segmentation of farming fields are discussed. A variety of supervised, semi-supervised and unsupervised machine learning techniques for image-based preci-sion agriculture are compared. The survey showed that for traditional machine learning approaches, Random Forests performed better than Support Vector Machines (SVM) and K-Nearest Neighbor Algorithm (KNN) for crop/weed classification. And, while Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) have been used extensively, the U-Net-based models out-performed conventional CNN models for classification and segmentation tasks. Among the Single Stage Detectors (SSD), YOLO series performed relatively well. Two-Stage Detectors like R-CNN, FPN, and Mask R-CNN generally tended to outperform SSDs. Vision Trans-formers (ViT) showed promising results amongst transformer-based models which did not generally perform better than CNNs. Finally, Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) have been used to address the problem of smaller datasets and unbalanced data
Antimicrobial Activity and Biodiversity Study of a Homemade Vegetable Puree Treated with Antimicrobials from Paenibacillus dentritiformis
Authors: Mena Laura , Grande María José , Gálvez Antonio
Published: May 2023

Paenibacillus dendritiformis UJA2219 isolated from carrot produces broad-spectrum antibacterial activity. The aim of the present study was to determine the impact of partially-purified cell-culture extracts of strain UJA2219 on the microbial load and bacterial diversity of a home-made vegetable puree. The puree was challenged with an overnight culture of strain UJA2219 or with cultured broth extracts partially purified by cation exchange (CE) chromatog-raphy or reversed-phase (RP) chromatography and incubated for 7 days at temperatures of 4 °C or 25 °C. Best results were obtained at 25 °C with the RP extract, decreasing counts of presump-tive Enterobacteriaceae below detectable levels. The bacterial diversity of control and treated puree was studied by Illumina paired-end sequencing using DNA extracted from the puree samples incubated at 25 °C for 24 h. The controls and the puree inoculated with the UJA2219 strain showed an almost-identical bacterial diversity profile, with Proteobacteria (mainly Fam. Pseudo-monadaceae -gen. Pseudomonas- and Enterobacteriace as most abundant groups). Greatest differences in bacterial diversity were obtained in the puree treated with RP extract, showing a decrease in the relative abundance of Proteobacteria (especially gen. Pseudomonas) and an increase of Firmicutes (mainly of the genera Bacillus, Enterococcus and Lactococcus). Results from the study suggest that the antimicrobial preparations from strain UJA2219 have a potential for application in food bio-preservation.
PFFNET: A Fast Progressive Feature Fusion Network for Detecting Drones in Infrared Images
Authors: Han Qiang Zi , Zhang Cong , Feng Zhen Heng , Yue Kai Ming , Quan Nan Kang
Published: May 2023

The rampant misuse of drones poses a serious threat to national security and human life. Currently, the CNN method has been widely used in drone detection. However, there is a challenge that traditional CNN cannot cope with, which is small drone targets often have reduced amplitude or even lost features in infrared images. This paper proposes a Progressive Feature Fusion Network (PFFNet) that gradually increases the response amplitude of the target in the deep network. The Feature Selection Model (FSM) is designed to improve the utilisation of the output coding graph and enhance the feature representation of the target in the network. A lightweight segmentation head is also designed to achieve progressive feature fusion with multi-layer outputs. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve low duration and high accuracy in drone target detection. On the public dataset, the IoU is improved by 2.53% and the detection time is reduced by 81.03%.
The Paramagnetic Meissner Effect (PME) in Metallic Superconductors
Authors: Koblischka Michael Rudolf , Pust Ladislav , Chang Crosby Soon , Hauet Thomas , Koblischka-Veneva Anjela
Published: May 2023

The experimental data in the literature concerning the Paramagnetic Meissner Effect (PME) or also called Wohlleben effect are reviewed with the emphasis on the PME exhibited by metallic, s-wave superconductors. The PME was observed in field-cool cooling (FC-C) and field-cool warming (FC-W) m(T)-measurements on Al, Nb, Pb, Ta, in compounds like e.g., NbSe2, In-Sn, ZrB12 and others and also in MgB2, the metallic superconductor with the highest transition temperature. Furthermore, samples with different shapes like crystals, polycrystals, thin films, bi- and multilayers, nanocomposites, nanowires, mesoscopic objects and porous materials exhibited the PME. The characteristic features of the PME, found mainly in Nb disks, like the characteristic temperatures T1 and Tp and the apparative details of the various magnetic measurement techniques applied to obbserve the PME are discussed. We also show that PME can be observed with the magnetic field applied parallel and perpendicular to the sample surface, that PME can be removed by abrading the sample surface and that PME can be introduced or enhanced by irradiation processes. The PME can be observed as well in magnetization loops (MHLs, m(H)) in a narrow temperature window Tp<Tc, which enables the construction of a phase diagram for a superconducting sample exhibiting the PME. We found that the Nb disks still exhibit the PME after more than 20 years, and we present the efforts of magnetic imaging techniques (scanning SQUID microscopy, magneto-optics, diamond nitrogen-vacancy (NV)-center magnetometry, and low-energy muon spin spectroscopy, (LE-μSR)). Various attempts to explain PME behavior are discussed in detail. Especially, magnetic measurements of mesoscopic Al disks brought out important details employing the models of a giant vortex state and flux compression. Thus, we consider these approaches and demagnetization effects as the base to understand the formation of the paramagnetic signals. New directions for further experimental and theoretical analysis are also outlined.
Global and Local Knowledge Distillation Method for Few-Shot Classification of Electrical Equipment
Authors: Zhou Bojun , Zhao Jiahao , Yan Chunkai , Zhang Xinsong , Gu Juping
Published: May 2023

With the increasing use of intelligent mobile devices for online inspection of electrical equipment in smart grids, the limited computing power and storage of these devices pose challenges for carrying large algorithm models and it’s hard to obtain a large number of images of electrical equipment in public. In this paper, we propose a novel distillation method that compresses the knowledge of teacher networks into a small few-shot classification network using a global and local knowledge distillation strategy. Central to our method is exploiting the global and local relationship between the features exacted by the backbone of the teacher network and student network. We compare our method with recent state-of-the-art methods in three public datasets and achieve the best performance. We also contribute a new dataset, EEI-100, specifically designed for classification of electrical equipment, and demonstrate that our method achieves a prediction accuracy of 94.12% with only 5-shot images.
Coating Condition Detection and Assessment on the Steel Girder of a Bridge through Hyperspectral Imaging
Authors: Ma Pengfei , Li Jiaoli , Zhuo Ying , Jiao Pu , Chen Genda
Published: May 2023

The organic coating of bridge steel girders is subjected to physical scratches, corrosion, and aging in natural weathering. The breakdown of the coating may cause serviceability and safety problems if left unnoticed. A hyperspectral imaging method is proposed to detect the condition of steel coatings based on coating-responsive features in reflectance spectra. A field test was conducted on the real-world bridge which shows obvious signs of degradation. The hyperspectral signature enables an assessment of the coating health and defect severity. The results indicated that the coating scratch can be effectively located in the domain of a hyperspectral image and the scratch depth can be determined by mapping a scratch depth indicator (SDI=R532nm / R641nm). Rust sources and products in steel girders can be identified by the unique spectral signatures and the rust stains (and thus stain areas) scattered on the coating can be pinpointed at pixel level by the corrosion rust indicators. The chemical integrity of a topcoat is demonstrated by the short-wave infrared spectroscopy and the topcoat degradation can be evaluated by the absorption at 8000 cm-1 and 5850 cm-1.
Spontaneous Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Tuna Bone-Derived Hydroxyapatite Composites with Green Tea Polyphenol-Reduced Graphene Oxide
Authors: Kang Moon Sung , Park Rowoon , Jo Hyo Jung , Shin Yong Cheol , Kim Chang-Seok , Hyon Suong-Hyu , Hong Suck Won , Oh Junghwan , Han Dong-Wook
Published: May 2023

In recent years, bone tissue engineering (BTE) has made significant progress in promoting the direct and functional connection between bone and graft, including osseointegration and osteoconduction, to facilitate the healing of damaged bone tissues. Herein, we introduce a new, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective method for synthesizing reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and hydroxyapatite (HAp). The method uses epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) as a reducing agent to synthesize rGO (E-rGO), and HAp powder is obtained from Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus). The physicochemical analysis indicated that the E-rGO/HAp composites had exceptional properties for use as BTE scaffolds, as well as high purity. Moreover, we discovered that E-rGO/HAp composites facilitated not only proliferation, but also early and late osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Our work suggests that E-rGO/HAp composites may play a significant role in promoting the spontaneous osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs, and we envision that the E-rGO/HAp composites could serve as promising candidates for BTE scaffolds, stem cell differentiation stimulators, and implantable device components due to their biocompatible and bioactive properties. Overall, we suggest a new approach for developing cost-effective and environmentally friendly E-rGO/HAp composite materials for BTE application.
Acute Liver Failure Attributable to Viral Infections in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Narrative Review
Authors: Tangie Larry N , Njobe Brice , Essouma Mickael
Published: May 2023

Though there has been a decline in the number of new cases of viral hepatitis-induced acute liver failure in Europe and the United States of America, viral hepatitis still remains the leading cause of acute liver failure in Asia-Pacific and South America. However, the epidemiology of viral-hepatitis-induced acute liver failure in sub-Saharan Africa-the world epicenter of viral hepatitis-is unclear. The aim of this review was to collate data on the incidence, prevalence, specific etiologic agents, features/diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of viral-induced acute liver failure in sub-Saharan Africa. One hundred and forty-seven cases of viral-induced acute liver failure were recorded in 11 studies conducted in six countries between 1981-2020. Etiological agents were: Hepatitis viruses A, B, C, and E, as well as Adenovirus, Enterovirus, Parvovirus, Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) and EBV. HAV was the most frequent in paediatric subjects: (11/16) 69% and (19/30) 63%. HBV was the only etiological agent in the study that only included adults. HEV (genotype 2 in one study) contracted amidst hepatitis E outbreaks was the most commonly reported cause of ALF in pregnant women. Treatment was mainly supportive, and liver transplantation reported only in South Africa. Where reported, case fatality rates were high. In conclusion, viral-hepatitis induced acute liver failure is largely understudied in sub-Saharan Africa. The few available data are consistent with literature from the other parts of the world regarding aetiologic agents. Liver transplantation is not available in most sub-Saharan African countries, and short-term case fatality rates of individuals with acute liver failure could outstrip current rates from the other world regions.
Optimization of Drag Using Computational Fluid Dynamics for Hydrofoil Sailing Catamaran Hulls
Authors: Luco Richard , Ahumada José M. , Raposeiras Aitor C. , Movilla-Quesada D. , Castro B.
Published: May 2023

Catamaran hulls have always been associated with smaller vessels in naval engineering and construction. However, recent research results have shown that by considering specific criteria based on materiality, structure and functionality, they can be designed for a more complex industry, such as hydrofoil design. Among the challenges in this type of vessel, one of the most difficult variables is estimating the resistance to the advance in the function of the degree of uncertainty generated. This research focuses on optimising the drag of a sport sailing catamaran by implementing hydrofoils, through the application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), at different speeds to demonstrate that it is possible to modify and improve the current appendages of this vessel.
Estimation of Changes in Nutrient Release Rate From Sediments After Tsunami by Incubation Experiment
Authors: Hayashi Mitsuru , Inoue Tetsunori , Hirokawa Soichi
Published: May 2023

Nutrient release from marine sediments in Osaka Bay has a significant impact on nutrient concentrations in seawater. A tsunami induced by the Nankai Trough earthquake may disturb marine sediments in the inner part of Osaka Bay. An incubation experiment to estimate the release rates of NH4-N and PO4-P was conducted to understand the present conditions and to quantify the changes caused by tsunamis. Two types of cores were created: a "control core" representing the current sediment, and a "redeposition core" representing the redeposition after the tsunami. The release rates have been decreasing since the year 2000 and have remained low. The experimental results suggest that the release rate after exposure to an aerobic environment by a tsunami may decrease to approximately 70% for NH4-N and 60% for PO4-P of the current level. In the past, the release rates were values experienced in the inner part of Osaka Bay. However, the reduction in the release rate by tsunamis may be more limiting for primary production under the current situation where the contribution of release for nutrients in seawater is significant.
Ionosphere Over Eastern North Atlantic Midlatitudinal Zone During Geomagnetic Storms
Authors: Barata Teresa , Pereira Joana , Pajares Manuel , Barlayeva Tatiana , Morozova Anna
Published: May 2023

An ionospheric response at middle latitudes to geomagnetic storms is not yet very well understood. Total electron content (TEC) variations associated with eight strong geomagnetic storms between 2015 and 2022 obtained from GNSS receivers in the western area of the North Atlantic (Portuguese continental and insular territory) are studied in an attempt to fill this gap. It was found that for most of the studied geomagnetic storms TEC variations are synchronous for the longitudinal ranges from 27ºW and 9ºW. In the southern part of the studied region (around 32ºN) the amplitude of TEC variations is, in general, significantly higher than in the northern part (around 39ºN). Some of the studied geomagnetic storms were associated with TEC variations that we interpret as effects of post-sunset equatorial plasma bubbles that travelled well north from their habitual region. Also, while most of the studied storms were accompanied by reports on different kind of malfunction of GNSS systems (GPS; GALILEO and other), there is no clear pattern in their appearance in dependence on the geomagnetic/ionospheric storms’ strength, commencement time, and its characteristics, in general.
Challenges of Regulating Online Content in Tanzania: An Analysis of Legal Frameworks and Hindrances to Justice
Authors: Mfungo Dani , Noel Martin
Published: May 2023

This paper examines the challenges to justice in Tanzania posed by the proliferation of anonymous social media accounts and the dissemination of offensive and harassing content. The study analyzes the legal frameworks governing online content in Tanzania, including the Electronic and Postal Communications Act and the Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content) Regulation of 2018, and highlights their shortcomings in identifying the publishers of such content. The paper also discusses the Legal and Human Rights Center's challenge to the EPOCA regulation and the authorities and responsible organs identified to deter, adjudicate, and open court processes in dealing with alleged offenses arising from online published content. Ultimately, the paper argues that a better understanding of the hindrances to justice in Tanzania must consider the paucity of legal frameworks governing published and online social media content. The findings of this study have significant implications for policymakers, legal practitioners, and civil society organizations seeking to promote accountability and protect human rights in Tanzania.
Photovoltaic Energy Forecast Using Weather Data Through a Hybrid Model of Recurrent and Shallow Neural Networks
Authors: Castillo-Rojas Wilson , Medina Quispe Fernando , Hernández César
Published: May 2023

This article presents a forecast model that uses a hybrid architecture of recurrent neural networks (RNN) with surface neural networks (ANN), based on historical records of exported active energy (EAE) and weather data. Two types of models were developed: the first type includes six models that use EAE records and weather variables as inputs, while the second type includes eight models that use only weather variables. Different metrics were applied to assess the performance of these models, and the best model of each type was selected. Finally, a comparison of the performance between the selected models of both types is presented, and they are validated with real data provided by a solar plant, achieving acceptable levels of accuracy. The selected model of the first type has an RMSE of 0.19, MSE of 0.03, MAE of 0.09, a correlation coefficient of 0.96, and a determination coefficient of 0.93. The other selected model of the second type showed lower precision in the metrics (RMSE = 0.24, MSE = 0.06, MAE = 0.10, Corr. Coef. = 0.95, and Det. Coef. = 0.90). Both models demonstrated good performance and acceptable accuracy in forecasting the weekly photovoltaic energy production of the solar plant.
Ubiquitin Degradation of the AICAR Transformylase/IMP Cy-Clohydrolase Ade16 Regulates the Sexual Reproduction of Cryptococcus neoformans
Authors: Han Lian-Tao , Wu Yu-Juan , Xiong Si-Chu , Liu Tong-Bao
Published: May 2023

F-box protein is a key protein of the SCF E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, responsible for substrate recognition and degradation through specific interactions. Previous studies have shown that F-box proteins play crucial roles in Cryptococcus sexual reproduction. However, the molecular mechanism by which F-box proteins regulate sexual reproduction in C. neoformans is unclear. In the study, we discovered the AICAR transformylase/IMP cyclohydrolase Ade16 as a substrate of Fbp1. Through protein interaction, protein stability, and in vivo ubiquitination experiments, we demonstrated that Ade16 is a substrate for Fbp1. To examine the role of ADE16 in C. neoformans, we constructed the iADE16 strains and ADE16OE strains to analyze the function of Ade16. Our results revealed that the iADE16 strains had a smaller capsule and showed growth defects under NaCl, while the ADE16OE strains were sensitive to SDS but not to Congo red, which is consistent with the stress phenotype of the fbp1Δ strains, indicating that the intracellular protein expression level after ADE16 overexpression was similar to that after FBP1 deletion. Interestingly, although iADE16 strains can produce basidiospores normally, ADE16OE strains can produce mating mycelia but not basidiospores after mating, which is consistent with the fbp1Δmutant strains, suggesting that Fbp1 is likely to regulate the sexual reproduction of C. neoformans through the modulation of Ade16. Fungal nuclei development assay showed that the nuclei of the ADE16OE strains failed to fuse in the bilateral mating, indicating that Ade16 plays a crucial role in the regulation of meiosis during mating. In summary, our findings have revealed a new determinant factor involved in fungal development related to the post-translational regulation of AICAR transformylase/IMP cyclohydrolase.
Assessing the Traveling Risks Perceived by South African Travelers during Pandemic Outbreaks: The Case of COVID-19
Authors: Plank Pia , Gomes Luís , Caldas Paulo , Varela Miguel , Ferreira Diogo Filipe da Cunha
Published: May 2023

Following the unprecedented and global health crisis of COVID-19, without a doubt, there has been a tremendous impact on international tourism for two reasons: the imposed travel restrictions discourage people from traveling, while travelers watch increased anxiety when responding to the new travel landscape. We address the problem of travelers’ changing travel risk perceptions in the COVID-19 pandemic aftermath. Our main goal is to identify and weigh critical emerging travel risks and create a risk evaluation index in which one can measure the destinations and strategic interventions’ performance for South African travelers. We found that tourist perceived risks are multidimensional, including categories like additional expenses, exchange rates, and refund-related factors. These three criteria are the most important to overall travel risk perception. We applied the developed risk evaluation index to five tourist destinations to evaluate their performance regarding the identified risks, being the UK the country with the best performance.
Evolution of MALDI-TOF MS Profiles From Lice and Fleas Preserved in Alcohol Over Time
Authors: Benyahia Hanene , Parola Philippe , ALMERAS Lionel
Published: May 2023

MALDI-TOF is now considered as a relevant tool for the identification of arthropods, including lice and fleas. However, the duration and conditions of storage, such as in ethanol, which is frequently used to preserve these both ectoparasites, could impede their classification. The purpose of the present study was to assess the stability of MS profiles from Pediculus humanus corporis lice and Ctenocephalides felis fleas preserved in alcohol from one to four years and kinetically submitted to MALDI-TOF MS. A total of 469 cephalothoraxes from lice (n=170) and fleas (n=299) were tested. The reproducibility of the MS profiles was estimated based on the log score values (LSVs) obtained for query profiles compared to the reference profiles included in the MS database. Only MS spectra from P. humanus corporis and Ct. felis stored in alcohol for less than one year were included in the reference MS database. Approximately 75% of MS spectra from lice (75.2%, 94/125) and fleas (74.4%, 122/164) specimens stored in alcohol during 12 to 48 months, queried against the reference MS database, obtained a relevant identification. An accurate analysis revealed a significant decrease in the proportion of identification for both species stored for more than 22 months in alcohol. It was hypothesized that incomplete drying was responsible of MS spectra variations. Then, 45 lice and 60 fleas were subjected to longer drying periods from 12 to 24 hours. The increase in the drying period improved the proportion of relevant identification for lice (95%) and fleas (80%). This study highlighted that a correct rate of identification by MS could be obtained for lice and fleas preserved in alcohol for up to four years, on the condition that the drying period was sufficiently long for accurate identification.
Low-Field Magnetic Stimulation Alleviates MPTP Intoxicated Alterations on Motor Function and Dopaminergic Neurons in Male Mice
Authors: Sekar Sathiya , Zhang Yanbo , Miranzadeh Mahabadi Hajar , Buettner Benson , Taghibiglou Changiz
Published: May 2023

Recent studies show that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) improves cognitive and motor functions in patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Gamma rhythm low-field magnetic stimulation (LFMS) is a new non-invasive rTMS technique that generates diffused and low-intensity magnetic stimulation to deep cortical and subcortical areas. To investigate potential therapeutic effects of LFMS in PD, we subjected an experimental mouse model to LFMS (as early treatment). We examined the LFMS effect on motor functions as well as neuronal and glial activities in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) induced male C57BL/6J mice. Mice received MPTP injection (30 mg/kg, i.p., once daily for 5 days) followed by LFMS treatment, 20 minutes each day for 7 days. LFMS treatment improved motor functions compared to the sham-treated MPTP mice. Further, LFMS significantly improved tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and decreased glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels, in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and non- significantly in striatal (ST) regions. LFMS treatment improved neuronal nuclei (NeuN) level in SNpc. Our findings suggest that early LFMS treatment improved the neuron survival and in turn, motor functions in MPTP intoxicated mice brain. Further investigation is required to clearly define the molecular mechanisms by which LFMS improves motor and cognitive function in PD patients.
Radiation and Chemical Pollution of a Freshwater Ecosystem. Sources of Radionuclides and Interaction Processes With the Ecosystem Components (at an Example of the Yenisei River)
Authors: Bondareva Lidiia
Published: May 2023

Man-made chemicals have played an important role in the development of our modern society. They have revolutionized such areas as healthcare and farming and they are essential in the manufacture of a wide range of consumer products. In studying the behavior of radionuclides and metals in the bottom sediment-water system, special attention is paid to identifying the forms of existence of pollutants in terms of substantiating their migration ability and, as a result, the po-tential for their subsequent spread, i.e. secondary pollution. On the example of bottom sediments of the Yenisei River, such radionuclides as K-40, Cs-137 are shown to be present mostly in the undecomposed residue. Eu-252 and Am-241 are associated with the organic component of bottom sediments, consisting of plant and animal remains, as well as soil washed away from the floodplain part of the river bed. The radionuclide Co-60, depending on the mineralogical composition of bottom sediments, can either be almost evenly distributed between the undecomposed residue and organic matter, or dominate in the undecomposed residue. Thus, it is shown that man-made ra-dionuclides can have a high tendency to migrate, both in the thickness of bottom sediments and between such phases as bottom sediments and water.
Technological Civilization and Health Impact Assessment of Non-Ionizing Radiation in Nigeria: Review
Authors: Ndoma Emmanuel , George Nyakno , Orosun Muyiwa , Nathaniel Ekong , Agbo Emmanuel , Offorson Golden
Published: May 2023

The emergence of Non-Ionizing Radiation (NIR) has stimulated the growth and advancement of technological civilization. NIR is ubiquitous; it has helped improve all fields and even deepened democratic processes through the transfer of data and electronic transmission of results etc. A breathtaking part of NIR is its recent application in the treatment of adverse health effects through radiofrequency ablation, phototherapy, etc. as summarized in Table 1. The benefits of NIR are enormous, however, technological civilization has not come without a cost; some of the adverse health effects associated with NIR include skin cancers, sleep disorders, photo-aging, etc. as summarized in Table 2. Therefore, with the rapid and sporadic increase in the sources of NIR from Natural and Artificial sources including fossil fuel burning, Starlink technology, mobile phones, mobile base antennas, etc., background radiation is expected to rise beyond the exposure limit leading to health illnesses. Intrinsically, there is a dare need to marry concerns that evolve with this growth. Hence, this review article aims to congregate the health hazards associated with NIR and the state-of-the-art applications of NIR in medicine and the health sector in Nigeria being a developing country. Part of our recommendations is that the government at all levels should set up enforcement agencies and policies to drive strict adherence to NIR as provided by ICNIRP; frequent-periodic assessments of background radiation in public places should be carried out due to the increasing sources. In addition, further research is needed to ascertain the health hazard from emerging sources of NIR like Starlink technology and to substantiate findings of non-thermal effects.
Damage Cascade Simulation in Zirconium Nitride: A Molecular Dynamics Study
Authors: Azeem M. Mustafa
Published: May 2023

Zirconium nitride (Zr-N) is a candidate material for inert matric fuel elements in breeder reactors. They have shown exceptional resistance to radiative corrosive environments. They have shown excellent resistance to radiation stability at operational conditions in current generation reactors. But being a candidate nuclear fuel material in generation reactors, their radiation stability at higher temperature conditions observed has not been reported. We have employed molecular dynamics simulations to study the damage cascades and radiation stability of ZrN at 600K. The process of primary damage evolution by considering varying overlapping cascades with 10, 20 keV incident PKA’s reported here. The defects interface interaction and diffusion mechanism at the interface are reported.
Protagonists’ Predicament in Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants”
Authors: Shang Shiqi
Published: May 2023

Hills Like White Elephants is one of the short stories written by American writer Ernest Hemingway, which is mainly about conversations between an American man and a girl who are arguing about whether she should receive an abortion procedure when waiting for an express train from Barcelona to Madrid. This paper aims to analyse the protagonists’ predicament through stylistics of fiction as a research perspective and comes to a conclusion that facing the disillusion of traditional values and the dysfunction of original morality under the attack of wars, the protagonists are the representatives of “the lost generation” who suffers the trauma and wanders around the world, only to find out there’s no corner for them to rest and elude away the loneliness.
Outcomes and Patient Satisfaction of Delayed Distal Biceps Repairs without Graft Augmentation
Authors: Tzeuton Serge , Johns William , Campbell Benjamin , Hammoud Sommer , Ciccotti Michael G. , Namdari Surena
Published: May 2023

Background:

Distal biceps tendon tears are responsible for 3% to 10% of all biceps ruptures. Treated nonoperatively, these injuries result in poor endurance, loss of supination strength, and loss of flexion strength compared with those treated operatively with repair or reconstruction. When presenting in a chronic fashion, operative management can involve graft reconstruction or primary repair. When there is adequate tendon excursion and quality, primary repair is preferred. The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the literature regarding outcomes of direct surgical repair of chronic distal biceps tendon ruptures.

Methods:

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed to perform this systematic review and for the presentation of results. A search of the literature was performed on the electronic database Medline, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library. Included studies evaluated subjective and objective outcomes after delayed treatment (≥4 weeks postinjury) for chronic distal biceps tendon ruptures, without use of graft augmentation. Subjective and objective outcome metrics such as functional scores, range of motion, strength, pain level, and return to employment were collected.

Results:

Eight studies were reviewed. The studies included 124 patients with chronic distal biceps tendon tears, treated surgically after a mean delay to surgery of 121.8 days. Four studies included comparison of patients with acute and chronic tears, whereas the other 4 studies assessed chronic tears only. The findings of these 4 studies suggest that direct repair of chronic tears is correlated with a mildly higher rate of lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve (LABCN) injury palsy (10/82 [12.1%] chronic vs. 3/38 [7.9%] acute, p = 0.753); however, this complication was overwhelmingly transient. There were only 3 reported reruptures (3.19%) across 5 studies reporting this complication. Overall, patients who had undergone direct repair of chronic distal biceps tears had good patient satisfaction, outcomes, and range of motion.

Conclusion:

Direct repair of chronic distal biceps tendon tears without the use of graft reconstruction is associated with acceptable patient satisfaction, range of motion, and functional outcome scores, although transient LABCN palsy rates may be slightly higher. When sufficient residual tendon is present in the setting of chronic distal biceps rupture, direct repair is a viable treatment option. However, the existing literature regarding direct repair of chronic distal biceps repair is limited, and further prospective assessment directly comparing primary repair vs. reconstruction of chronic distal biceps ruptures is warranted.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Temporal variation of floral reward can improve the pollination success of a rare flowering plant
Authors: Benadi Gita , Kögel Raphael , Lämsä Juho , Gegear Robert J.
Published: May 2023

Many pollinating animals visit a variety of flowering plant species. Rare plant species pollinated by such generalists may experience a low quality or quantity of pollination, depending on the pollinators' foraging behaviour. How plants cope with this rarity disadvantage is not well understood. One possibility would be to offer a higher floral reward, for example a higher nectar sugar concentration. However, since nectar production is costly, rare plants may only be able to increase their nectar concentration for a limited time and offer little reward afterwards. In this study we performed a laboratory experiment with bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) foraging on artificial flowers of two colours to investigate whether the bees' foraging behaviour produces a rarity disadvantage and if so, whether the rare flower type could improve its pollination success through temporal variation of its nectar sugar concentration, i.e. a temporary increase of nectar sugar followed by a period with low concentration. We found that when both flower colours offered equal rewards, the rare colour received only slightly fewer visits per flower, but had a considerably lower expected pollination success based on the bumblebees' visitation sequences. Temporal variation of the rare colour's sugar concentration increased both the quantity and quality of visits it received. This positive effect was reduced when there were fewer rare flowers or when two bumblebees foraged simultaneously. Our results suggest that temporal variation of floral rewards can alleviate, but not completely eliminate the rarity disadvantage.