bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Polycentric Structure on CO2 Emissions: Evidence from China
Authors: Wen Jing , Zhang Xin , Du Wenjie , Ouyang Xiaoying , Sun Zhongchang
Published: May 2023

Driven by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the importance of sustainable urbanization has taken center stage. In this study, we investigate the impact of polycentric structures on CO2 emissions using data from 279 Chinese cities and employing two-way fixed effects complemented by instrumental variables. Our findings indicate that polycentric structures effectively alleviate CO2 emissions. We identify two key pathways through which polycentric structures contribute to CO2 reduction: promoting green technology and curbing energy consumption. Additionally, we discover that these relationships are influenced by market integration levels and resource dependency. This research offers valuable insights into the future development of sustainable urban spatial structures, paving the way for more eco-friendly cities around the globe.
Effects of Near-Fault Ground Motions on Civil Infrastructure
Authors: Nuti Camillo , Briseghella Bruno , Lavorato Davide , Taciroglu Ertugrul , Bergami Alessandro Vittorio
Published: May 2023

Near-fault earthquakes (NFEs), characterized by high peak ground velocity (PGV) and long period pulses, show different properties from far-field ones [...]
Olive Leaf Extract of Olea europaea Reduces Blood Glucose Level through Inhibition of AS160 in Diabetic Rats
Authors: Al-Shudiefat Abd Al-Rahman , Alturk Hadeel , Al-Ameer Hamzeh J. , Zihlif Malek , Alenazy Maha
Published: May 2023

Introduction: It has been shown that olive leaf extract exerts (OLE) a positive effect on lipid and blood glucose levels; however, the mechanism remains poorly understood. This study aimed to examine the mechanism behind this effect by evaluating the proteins related to glucose metabolism, including glucose transporter 4 (Glut4), Akt Substrate of 160 kDa (AS160), and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK α2). Methods: Eighty-four male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into three major groups: group one (control); group two, which was treated with OLE or metformin (Met.) before streptozotocin (STZ) injection; and group three, which was treated with OLE or Met. after STZ injection. The body weights, fasting blood sugar, postprandial sugar levels, insulin levels, and lipid profile were assessed. Western blot was used to measure the Glut4, AS160, and AMPKα 2 levels. Results: Treatments with (1% and 3% OLE) significantly decreased the glucose level, AS160 expression level, and STZ toxicity; additionally, insulin levels were maintained within the normal range and similar to Met. treatment. Conclusions: These findings indicated that OLE exerted antihyperglycemic effects via AS160 inhibition and it could be used as an alternative to Met. treatment. Further studies on the long-term effects of OLE on diabetes are warranted.
Experimental Tests in Production of Ready-to-Drink Primitive Wine with Different Modes of Circulation of the Fermenting Must
Authors: Catalano Filippo , Romaniello Roberto , Orsino Michela , Perone Claudio , Bianchi Biagio , Giametta Ferruccio
Published: May 2023

Energy efficiency is an increasingly important issue in the wine industry worldwide. The focus on quality in wine production has led to increased attention being paid to the product at all stages of processing. The interaction with mechanical components is considered one of the possible critical points in the vinification process, and it becomes fundamental to optimize specific points in the wine production line using the best extraction technique. Therefore, in this work, experimental monitoring of two types of product circulation systems in fermentation was carried out in a winery in Puglia (Italy). In particular, the functional performance and energy consumption of two identical vinification lines were monitored, in which the only variables were two types of circulating systems for the fermenting must: pump-over and pneumatic cap breaking. During the trials, a homogeneous batch of Primitivo grapes was processed, hand-picked and taken to the winery within 1 h of harvesting, where a “ready-to-drink” wine production line was set up. A net quantity of 1000 hL of destemmed grapes was placed in two identical vertical steel tanks. Both wine tanks were monitored and equipped with an automated assembly system and a pneumatic marc breaker. Once both tanks were filled, a first break of the cap was carried out using a pneumatic system in one tank and an automatic pump-over in the other. For the grapes and type of wine studied, the pneumatic system showed better functional performance in terms of vinification speed and energy consumption; on the other hand, the pump-over system performed better in analytical terms. Finally, the results obtained highlight the need for further studies on equipment design to obtain significant benefits in terms of wine production costs while maintaining the quality standards required for “ready-to-drink” wines.
Special Issue on Functional Materials in Water and Wastewater Treatment/Soil Remediation
Authors: Lee Chang-Gu , Park Seong-Jik , Jho Eun Hea
Published: May 2023

Material science is an interdisciplinary research field that includes interrelationships between the composition, structure, process, and performance of various materials and is widely integrated with other disciplines to form many interdisciplinary subjects [...]
Gaze-Dependent Image Re-Ranking Technique for Enhancing Content-Based Image Retrieval
Authors: Feng Yuhu , Maeda Keisuke , Ogawa Takahiro , Haseyama Miki
Published: May 2023

Content-based image retrieval (CBIR) aims to find desired images similar to the image input by the user, and it is extensively used in the real world. Conventional CBIR methods do not consider user preferences since they only determine retrieval results by referring to the degree of resemblance or likeness between the query and potential candidate images. Because of the above reason, a “semantic gap” appears, as the model may not accurately understand the potential intention that a user has included in the query image. In this article, we propose a re-ranking method for CBIR that considers a user’s gaze trace as interactive information to help the model predict the user’s inherent attention. The proposed method uses the user’s gaze trace corresponding to the image obtained from the initial retrieval as the user’s preference information. We introduce image captioning to effectively express the relationship between images and gaze information by generating image captions based on the gaze trace. As a result, we can transform the coordinate data into a text format and explicitly express the semantic information of the images. Finally, image retrieval is performed again using the generated gaze-dependent image captions to obtain images that align more accurately with the user’s preferences or interests. The experimental results on an open image dataset with corresponding gaze traces and human-generated descriptions demonstrate the efficacy or efficiency of the proposed method. Our method considers visual information as the user’s feedback to achieve user-oriented image retrieval.
The Effect of Visual Acuity Corrections on the Determination of Unilateral Neglect when Conducting the Apple Cancellation Test
Authors: Noh Jae-Hyeon , Cho Hyun Gug , Moon Byeong-Yeon , Yu Dong-Sik , Kim Sang-Yeob
Published: May 2023

This study examined the effects of visual acuity corrections on the diagnosis of unilateral neglect (UN) in elderly subjects. Nineteen subjects between the ages of 61 and 86 participated in this study. For the assessment of UN, the frequency of subjects diagnosed as UN, the number of correct responses, and the time spent completing the test were examined under three conditions; naked eye state, with distance-correction glasses, and with near-correction glasses, in order to determine whether or not the subjects had UN using the apple cancellation sheet. The frequency of subjects diagnosed with UN decreased when wearing both distance- and near-correction glasses, and the number of correct responses showed a significant increase while wearing near-correction glasses (p < 0.05). In addition, the time spent completing the test was significantly reduced while wearing near-correction glasses (p < 0.05). For elderly subjects, near visual acuity correction can improve near visual perception, reading ability, and concentration, acting as a positive factor in the apple cancellation test, which is tested at near distance, and prevent the misdiagnosis of UV.
Numerical Model for Rectangular Pedestrian Underpass Excavations with Pipe-Roof Preconstruction Method: A Case Study
Authors: Chen Shong-Loong , Chang Show-Wen , Qiu Zhe-Yi , Tang Chao-Wei , Zhang Xiao-Ling , Chen Yen
Published: May 2023

Under weak geological conditions, soil deformation and surface settlement are the key factors affecting the success of shallow-buried rectangular excavation. To investigate this issue, an underpass of Zhongxiao East Road in Taipei City was used as a case study. The surface settlement and lateral deformation of an underground diaphragm wall caused by the excavation of a rectangular pedestrian underpass using the pipe-roof preconstruction method (PPM) were investigated by 3D finite element analysis. The numerical analysis results showed that the constructed numerical analysis model had considerable accuracy. The use of PPM combined with a box culvert structure to form a pedestrian underpass could effectively control the surface displacement above the box culvert. Under the condition of the same sectional area, the smaller the width of the pipe-roof structure, the more the impact on the ground surface was reduced. The maximum positive bending moment and maximum negative bending moment on the pipe roof produced by excavation at each stage were roughly inversely related to the height per the width of the cross-section of the pipe diaphragm structure. The results showed that the pipe-roof structure was suitable for underground excavation with shallow-buried depth in the soft soil of the Taipei Basin. Moreover, the shallow-buried box culvert was more sensitive to the subsidence caused by construction than the deep-buried box culvert.
Prevalence of Root Canal Treatments among Diabetic Patients: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: León-López María , Cabanillas-Balsera Daniel , Martín-González Jenifer , Díaz-Flores Víctor , Areal-Quecuty Victoria , Crespo-Gallardo Isabel , Montero-Miralles Paloma , Segura-Egea Juan J.
Published: May 2023

(1) Apical periodontitis (AP) is the inflammatory response of the periapical tissue to bacterial antigens and toxins arriving from inside the root canal after pulp necrosis. To control AP, it is necessary to interrupt the passage of antigens from the root canal to the periapex, which is achieved via a root canal treatment (RCT), which is the indicated endodontic therapy in cases of AP. The prevalence of root-filled teeth (RFT) is an indicator of the frequency of endodontic infections and the degree of dental care. Diabetes is associated with AP and has been identified as the main prognostic factor in RCT. The aim of this study was to carry out a systematic review with meta-analysis answering the following question: What is the prevalence of RFT among diabetic patients? (2) This study was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines 2020. A literature search was undertaken without limits on time or language until 12 January 2023 in PubMed-MEDLINE, Embase and Scielo. All studies reporting the prevalence of RFT among diabetic patients via radiographic examination; both panoramic and periapical radiographs were included. Meta-analyses were calculated with Open Meta Analyst software. The main outcome variable was the prevalence of RFT, calculated as the total number of RFT divided by the total number of teeth, which is expressed as a percentage. As a secondary outcome variable, the prevalence of diabetic patients with at least one RFT, expressed as a percentage, was also calculated. The quality of evidence of the included studies was analyzed according to the guidelines provided by the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine in Oxford. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale, which was adapted for cross-sectional studies. To estimate the variance and heterogeneity amongst the trials, the Higgings I2 test was employed. (3) Eight studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Four studies were classified as having a high risk of bias, and four were classified as having a moderate risk of bias. The prevalence of RFT was estimated for 37,922 teeth and 1532 diabetic patients. The overall calculated prevalence of RFT among diabetic patients was 5.5% (95% CI = 4.1–6.9%; p < 0.001). The percentage of diabetics who had at least one RFT was 42.7% (95% CI = 23.9–61.4%; p < 0.001). (4) This systematic review and meta-analysis concluded that the prevalence of RFT among diabetic patients is 5.5%. More than 40% of diabetics have at least one RFT. In daily clinics, dentists should suspect that patients are undiagnosed diabetics when multiple RCT failures are observed in the same patient.
Identification of Aerodynamic Tonal Noise Sources of a Centrifugal Compressor of a Turbocharger for Large Stationary Engines
Authors: Vacula Jiří , Novotný Pavel
Published: May 2023

The aerodynamics of centrifugal compressors is a topical issue, as the vibrations and noise reduce the comfort of people who are in proximity to the compressor. The current trend in rotating machinery research is therefore not only concerned with performance parameters but also increasingly with the effect on humans. An analysis of aerodynamic noise based on external acoustic field measurements may be a way to assess the nature of aerodynamic excitation. In this research, the experimental measurements at 20 operating points covered the entire characteristic operating range of the selected centrifugal compressor. The dominant noise arising at blade-passing frequency (BPF) was identified at all the operational points, and the dominant effect of the buzz-saw noise was identified at the maximum rotor speed. The determination of the total sound pressure level LPA showed a trend towards an increasingly higher rotor speed and compressor surge line. In the amplitude-frequency characteristics, the sound pressure was found to be dependent on the rotor speed for BPF. On the other hand, non-monotonicity was detected between the operational points at given speed lines, confirming the complexity of the aerodynamics of rotating machines. The metric chosen to identify prominent tones determined by the tonality of individual tones in the frequency spectrum showed a clear effect of integer multiples of the rotational frequency on the overall noise. Thus, the results presented here confirm the dominant influence of BPF in terms of the psychoacoustic impact on humans.
Traceability of the Micro Scale Pipe Viscometer for Traceable Calibration of Dynamic Viscosity
Authors: Neuhaus Stefanie , Bissig Hugo , Bircher Benjamin A. , de Huu Marc
Published: May 2023

Calibration of flow devices is important in several areas of pharmaceutical, flow chemistry and microfluidic applications where dosage of process liquids or accurate measurement of flow rate is important. The process-oriented liquid itself might influence the performance of a flow device and the simultaneous determination of dynamic viscosity under flow conditions might provide valuable information for process parameters. To offer simultaneous calibration of the dynamic viscosity of a process-oriented liquid at the corresponding flowrate, METAS built a pipe viscometer for the traceable inline measurement of dynamic viscosity in current flow facilities for low flowrates from 1 μL/min to 150 mL/min and pressure drops up to 10 bar. The traceability of all measuring quantities as well as geometrical dimensions of the microtube guarantee the traceability of the pipe viscometer to SI units. The most challenging part is the traceable determination of the inner diameter of the microtube. This can be achieved by measuring the pressure drop as a function of flowrate using a pipe viscometer and applying the Hagen–Poiseuille law with a traceable dynamic viscosity of a reference liquid (water) or performing measurements by utilizing the μ-CT facility at METAS, where the inner diameter is determined using X-ray diffraction. The validation of the stated measurement uncertainty of the pipe viscometer was performed by calibrating the dynamic viscosity of several reference liquids with traceable density and kinematic viscosity. The setup of the facility, traceability as well as uncertainty calculation of the pipe viscometer for inline measurement of dynamic viscosity are discussed in this paper.
Research on Optimal Voltage Control of Distribution Network with the Participation of EVs and PVs
Authors: Zhou Yu , Gao Fan , Zhang Zhen , Zhao Shuangshuang , Xu Xiao , Meng Haoge , Gao Hui
Published: May 2023

With the accelerating penetration of photovoltaics (PVs) and electric vehicles (EVs), distribution networks face the risks of voltage violations and fluctuations. On the one hand, conventional voltage regulation resources like OLTC transformers and capacitor banks feature slow response and limited lifetime duration, making them incapable of quickly responding to the temporary voltage issues created by PVs and EVs. On the other hand, EVs and PVs interact with the power grid via fully controllable power electronic converters capable of real-time adjusting their operating settings, making them ideal voltage support resources. To exploit the voltage support capability of PVs and EVs, this paper proposes a two-stage control scheme for the voltage regulation of distribution networks, consisting of the day-ahead and intraday control stages. The day-ahead control mitigates potential voltage violations via day-ahead scheduling of the operation settings for OLTC transformers and capacitor banks. The intraday control further alleviates voltage deviations and voltage fluctuations based on the reactive power support of PV systems and the rational EV charging/discharging scheduling. A rolling optimization-based control technique is proposed in the intraday control stage to achieve real-time control of EVs and PVs with the stochastic nature of EV charging behaviors inherently considered. The proposed two-stage voltage regulation scheme is validated via case studies performed on the IEEE 123-node test feeder integrated with PVs and EVs.
Machine-Learning Classification Models to Predict Liver Cancer with Explainable AI to Discover Associated Genes
Authors: Hasan Md Easin , Mostafa Fahad , Hossain Md S. , Loftin Jonathon
Published: May 2023

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the primary liver cancer that occurs the most frequently. The risk of developing HCC is highest in those with chronic liver diseases, such as cirrhosis brought on by hepatitis B or C infection and the most common type of liver cancer. Knowledge-based interpretations are essential for understanding the HCC microarray dataset due to its nature, which includes high dimensions and hidden biological information in genes. When analyzing gene expression data with many genes and few samples, the main problem is to separate disease-related information from a vast quantity of redundant gene expression data and their noise. Clinicians are interested in identifying the specific genes responsible for HCC in individual patients. These responsible genes may differ between patients, leading to variability in gene selection. Moreover, ML approaches, such as classification algorithms, are similar to black boxes, and it is important to interpret the ML model outcomes. In this paper, we use a reliable pipeline to determine important genes for discovering HCC from microarray analysis. We eliminate redundant and unnecessary genes through gene selection using principal component analysis (PCA). Moreover, we detect responsible genes with the random forest algorithm through variable importance ranking calculated from the Gini index. Classification algorithms, such as random forest (RF), naïve Bayes classifier (NBC), logistic regression, and k-nearest neighbor (kNN) are used to classify HCC from responsible genes. However, classification algorithms produce outcomes based on selected genes for a large group of patients rather than for specific patients. Thus, we apply the local interpretable model-agnostic explanations (LIME) method to uncover the AI-generated forecasts as well as recommendations for patient-specific responsible genes. Moreover, we show our pathway analysis and a dendrogram of the pathway through hierarchical clustering of the responsible genes. There are 16 responsible genes found using the Gini index, and CCT3 and KPNA2 show the highest mean decrease in Gini values. Among four classification algorithms, random forest showed 96.53% accuracy with a precision of 97.30%. Five-fold cross-validation was used in order to collect multiple estimates and assess the variability for the RF model with a mean ROC of 0.95±0.2. LIME outcomes were interpreted for two random patients with positive and negative effects. Therefore, we identified 16 responsible genes that can be used to improve HCC diagnosis or treatment. The proposed framework using machine-learning-classification algorithms with the LIME method can be applied to find responsible genes to diagnose and treat HCC patients.
Defining Art as Phenomenal Being
Authors: Kolev Ivan
Published: May 2023

At the beginning of the 20th century, the definition of art became one of the difficult topics of aesthetics and art theory. The emergence of the institutional approach and the debates surrounding it provoked many responses. This article proposes one possible response that uses Kant’s example of category deduction as a productive analogy that can serve as a “deduction of art categories”. Art is seen as a phenomenal entity constituted by multiple meaning perspectives, each of which has a figure representing it (author, spectator, patron, collector, curator, connoisseur, critic, historian, typologist, theorist, aesthetician, and metaphysician). The position of each of these figures legitimates a categorical definition that participates in the constitution of the “phenomenal being of art”.
Montage after Navigation
Authors: Broadey Andy
Published: May 2023

The concept of navigation, introduced by Harun Farocki in his lecture Computer Animation Rules, explains the digital/algorithmic choreography of consumer behaviour through media platforms. This article contends navigational connectivity is a cybernetic operating structure for capital, which mediates the techno-geographic milieu of the capitalocene and is a key factor in the present destabilization of earth systems. There is, therefore, an urgent need to formulate ways of disarticulating navigational processes to fragment global capitalism and re-establish a diversification of local cultures. We undertake this task in tandem with the critical project of cosmotechnics developed by Yuk Hui and examine how an ontological disagreement between Gilles Deleuze and Quentin Meillassoux shapes Hui’s analysis of cybernetics. Contra Meillassoux’s correlationist reading, we argue Deleuze foregrounds machinic becoming through a primal contact with the virtual and claim practices of montage are machines of analysis that dismantle navigational connections and establish alternate patterns of feedback estranged from the capitalist process. To this end, we examine models of montage developed by Jacques Rancière, Farocki and Deleuze, and consider the potential of such models to function as machines of navigational disarticulation and cultural pluralization. This approach reframes user engagement as modulative becoming in a manner that introduces new techno-cultural-geographic conjunctions appropriate to cosmotechnics.
Compositional Difference and Health Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons over the Coal Spontaneous Combustion Zone
Authors: Yu Feng , Yu Yang , Ai Ning , Gao Juanqin , Wang Chenghui , Huang Fan
Published: May 2023

In this study, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency prioritized polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), associated pollution level, and health risks were assessed in a typical coal spontaneous combustion zone in the Rujigou coal mine in Northwestern China. This study used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to detect the chemical composition, spatial variation, distribution profiles, impact of coal spontaneous combustion, and health risks of PAHs. The entire study area is divided into three zones according to different features: the spontaneous combustion zone (C-zone), the living zone (L-zone), and the non-spontaneous combustion zone (N-zone). The results showed that: (1) the highest concentrations were measured in the C-zone, and the average concentrations of PAHs in the C-zone, N-zone, and L-zone were 13.28 ng·m−3, 9.56 ng·m−3, and 7.67 ng·m−3, respectively. (2) The PAHs of the study area were mainly composed of three ring to five ring PAHs. (3) EPA positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis of qualitative source apportionment of PAHs showed that chemical production was the major source of atmospheric PAHs in all three zones, followed by coal combustion. (4) The inhalation of PAHs showed higher potential cancer risk for children than for adults, and the impact of coal combustion in the C-zone was much greater than the other zone. The adverse health impacts associated with PAH exposure indicates the need for mitigation measures of pollution control in this region.
Cooling Effect of Trees with Different Attributes and Layouts on the Surface Heat Island of Urban Street Canyons in Summer
Authors: Yan Shaojun , Zhang Tailong , Wu Yu , Lv Chu , Qi Feng , Chen Yangen , Wu Xiaohua , Shen Yamei
Published: May 2023

In recent years, the impact of surface heat islands in urban street canyons has become increasingly apparent. However, the research on the use of trees to mitigate surface heat islands remains limited. To address this gap, this study combines experiments and simulations to analyze the cooling effect of trees on surface temperatures under varying timeframes and layouts in an east–west street canyon. The results reveal that the temperature of the road decreases by 10–15 °C, which is 2–4 times greater than that on the south side. Moreover, at 5:00 p.m. in the afternoon, the cooling effect on the south side is 10.3 °C, which is twice that of the north side. In practical planning and design, the diameter of the tree canopy should be maximized, and trees with leaf-area densities greater than 1.5 m2/m3 should be selected. Additionally, the layout of trees should be optimized to maximize the tree canopy coverage. These findings have important implications for optimizing plant selection and placement in street canyons.
Intensive Silvopastoral Systems Mitigate Enteric Methane Emissions from Cattle
Authors: Flores-Coello Gustavo , Hernández-Medrano Juan H. , Ku-Vera Juan , Diaz Daniel , Solorio-Sánchez Francisco J. , Sarabia-Salgado Lucero , Galindo Francisco
Published: May 2023

Assessments of the efficiency of grazing systems, in terms of productivity and ecological sustainability, are necessary in view of the increased demand for animal protein. In this study, the methane (CH4) emissions (sniffer methodology), dry matter (DM) yield, paddock chemical composition (AOAC and Van Soest methods), nutrient intake (dry matter, DMI; crude protein, CPI; metabolizable energy, MEI), daily milk yield (DMY), body condition score (BCS), and body weight (BW) of cattle, in intensive silvopastoral systems (ISPSs) and monoculture systems (MSs), in the tropics of Mexico were evaluated. In the ISPS, CH4 emissions (18% less) and DMY were lower than in the MS. Cows from MSs tend to disperse across higher values of CH4 emissions per kg of DMI, as well as higher milk production, while cows from the ISPS were dispersed over a higher intake (DMI, CPI, and MEI) and lower CH4 emissions. There were no differences between systems in paddock DM yield, chemical composition, cows’ BCS, and BW, regardless of whether it was the dry (April to May) and rainy (September to October) season. Based on the results obtained in this study, ISPSs contribute to the mitigation of methane emissions in cattle; forage and animal production variables in both systems were similar, with a lower use of imported inputs in the ISPS.
A Hurricane Initialization Scheme with 4DEnVAR Satellite Ozone and Bogus Data Assimilation (SOBDA) and Its Application: Case Study
Authors: Liu Yin
Published: May 2023

The aim of this study is to joint assimilate the ozone product from the satellite Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and bogus data using the four-dimensional ensemble-variational (4DEnVar) method, and demonstrate the potential benefits of this initialization technique in improving hurricane forecasting through a case study. Firstly, the quality control scheme is employed to enhance the ozone product quality from the satellite AIRS; a bogus sea level pressure (SLP) at the hurricane center is constructed simultaneously based on Fujita’s mathematical model for subsequent assimilation. Secondly, a 4DEnVar satellite ozone and bogus data assimilation (SOBDA) model is established, incorporating an observation operator of satellite ozone that utilizes the relationship between satellite ozone and potential vorticity (PV) from the lower level of 400 hPa to the upper level of 50 hPa. Finally, several comparative experiments are performed to assess the influence of assimilating satellite ozone and/or bogus data, the 4DEnVAR method and four-dimensional variational (4D-Var) method, and ensemble size on hurricane prediction. It is found that assimilating satellite ozone and bogus data with the 4DEnVar method concurrently brings about significant alterations to the initial conditions (ICs) of the hurricane vortex, resulting in a more homogeneous and deeper vortex with a larger, warmer, and more humid core as opposed to assimilating only one type of data. As the duration of integration increases, the initial perturbations in the upper levels gradually propagate downwards, giving rise to significant disparities in the hurricane prediction when satellite ozone and/or bogus information is incorporated. The results demonstrate that utilizing the 4DEnVar approach to assimilate both satellite ozone and bogus data leads to the maximum enhancement in reducing track error and central SLP error of hurricane simulation throughout the entire 72 h forecasting period, compared to assimilating a single dataset. Furthermore, comparative experiments have indicated that the performance of 4DEnVar SOBDA in hurricane forecasting is influenced by the ensemble size. Generally, selecting an appropriate number of ensemble members can not only effectively improve the accuracy of hurricane prediction but can also significantly reduce the demand for computational resources relative to the 4D-Var method. This study can also serve as an advantageous technical reference for numerical applications of ozone products from other satellites and hurricane initialization.
Dependence of the Analytical Approximate Solution to the Van der Pol Equation on the Perturbation of a Moving Singular Point in the Complex Domain
Authors: Orlov Victor
Published: May 2023

This paper considers a theoretical substantiation of the influence of a perturbation of a moving singular point on the analytical approximate solution to the Van der Pol equation obtained earlier by the author. A priori estimates of the error of the analytical approximate solution are obtained, which allows the solving of the inverse problem of the theory of error: what should the structure of the analytical approximate solution be in order to obtain a result with a given accuracy? Thanks to a new approach for obtaining a priori evaluations of errors, based on elements of differential calculus, the domain, used to obtain an analytical approximate solution, was substantially expanded. A variant of optimizing a priori estimates using a posteriori estimates is illustrated. The results of a numerical experiment are also presented.
Radius of Uniformly Convex γ-Spirallikeness of Combination of Derivatives of Bessel Functions
Authors: Kanas Stanislawa , Gangania Kamaljeet
Published: May 2023

We find the sharp radius of uniformly convex γ-spirallikeness for Nν(z)=az2Jν″(z)+bzJν′(z)+cJν(z) (here Jν(z) is the Bessel function of the first kind of order ν) with three different kinds of normalizations of the function Nν(z). As an application, we derive sufficient conditions on the parameters for the functions to be uniformly convex γ-spirallikeness and, consequently, generate examples of uniform convex γ-spirallike via Nν(z). Results are well-supported by the relevant graphs and tables.
Multimodal Stereotactic Brain Tumor Segmentation Using 3D-Znet
Authors: Ottom Mohammad , Abdul Rahman Hanif , Alazzam Iyad , Dinov Ivo
Published: May 2023

Stereotactic brain tumor segmentation based on 3D neuroimaging data is a challenging task due to the complexity of the brain architecture, extreme heterogeneity of tumor malformations, and the extreme variability of intensity signal and noise distributions. Early tumor diagnosis can help medical professionals to select optimal medical treatment plans that can potentially save lives. Artificial intelligence (AI) has previously been used for automated tumor diagnostics and segmentation models. However, the model development, validation, and reproducibility processes are challenging. Often, cumulative efforts are required to produce a fully automated and reliable computer-aided diagnostic system for tumor segmentation. This study proposes an enhanced deep neural network approach, the 3D-Znet model, based on the variational autoencoder–autodecoder Znet method, for segmenting 3D MR (magnetic resonance) volumes. The 3D-Znet artificial neural network architecture relies on fully dense connections to enable the reuse of features on multiple levels to improve model performance. It consists of four encoders and four decoders along with the initial input and the final output blocks. Encoder–decoder blocks in the network include double convolutional 3D layers, 3D batch normalization, and an activation function. These are followed by size normalization between inputs and outputs and network concatenation across the encoding and decoding branches. The proposed deep convolutional neural network model was trained and validated using a multimodal stereotactic neuroimaging dataset (BraTS2020) that includes multimodal tumor masks. Evaluation of the pretrained model resulted in the following dice coefficient scores: Whole Tumor (WT) = 0.91, Tumor Core (TC) = 0.85, and Enhanced Tumor (ET) = 0.86. The performance of the proposed 3D-Znet method is comparable to other state-of-the-art methods. Our protocol demonstrates the importance of data augmentation to avoid overfitting and enhance model performance.
Cannabinoids Reduce Melanoma Cell Viability and Do Not Interfere with Commonly Used Targeted Therapy in Metastatic Melanoma In Vivo and In Vitro
Authors: Richtig Georg , Kienzl Melanie , Rittchen Sonja , Roula David , Eberle Jürgen , Sarif Zina , Pichler Martin , Hoefler Gerald , Heinemann Akos
Published: May 2023

Background: Cannabinoids are mainly used for recreational purposes, but also made their way into oncology, since these substances can be taken to increase appetite in tumour cachexia. Since there are some hints in the literature that cannabinoids might have some anti-cancerous effects, the aim of this study was to study if and how cannabinoids mediate pro-apoptotic effects in metastatic melanoma in vivo and in vitro and its value besides conventional targeted therapy in vivo. Methods: Several melanoma cell lines were treated with different concentrations of cannabinoids, and anti-cancerous efficacy was assessed by proliferation and apoptosis assays. Subsequent pathway analysis was performed using apoptosis, proliferation, flow cytometry and confocal microscopy data. The efficacy of cannabinoids in combination with trametinib was studied in NSG mice in vivo. Results: Cannabinoids reduced cell viability in multiple melanoma cell lines in a dose-dependent way. The effect was mediated by CB1, TRPV1 and PPARα receptors, whereby pharmacological blockade of all three receptors protected from cannabinoid-induced apoptosis. Cannabinoids initiated apoptosis by mitochondrial cytochrome c release with consecutive activation of different caspases. Essentially, cannabinoids significantly decreased tumour growth in vivo and were as potent as the MEK inhibitor trametinib. Conclusions: We could demonstrate that cannabinoids reduce cell viability in several melanoma cell lines, initiate apoptosis via the intrinsic apoptotic pathway by cytochrome c release and caspase activation and do not interfere with commonly used targeted therapy.
Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Signaling in Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Wang Na , Li Jing-Yi , Zeng Bo , Chen Gui-Lan
Published: May 2023

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is an important sphingolipid molecule involved in regulating cardiovascular functions in physiological and pathological conditions by binding and activating the three G protein-coupled receptors (S1PR1, S1PR2, and S1PR3) expressed in endothelial and smooth muscle cells, as well as cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts. It exerts its actions through various downstream signaling pathways mediating cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, and apoptosis. S1P is essential for the development of the cardiovascular system, and abnormal S1P content in the circulation is involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disorders. This article reviews the effects of S1P on cardiovascular function and signaling mechanisms in different cell types in the heart and blood vessels under diseased conditions. Finally, we look forward to more clinical findings with approved S1PR modulators and the development of S1P-based therapies for cardiovascular diseases.
Temperature- and Diet-Induced Plasticity of Growth and Digestive Enzymes Activity in Spongy Moth Larvae
Authors: Lazarević Jelica , Milanović Slobodan , Šešlija Jovanović Darka , Janković-Tomanić Milena
Published: May 2023

Temperature and food quality are the most important environmental factors determining the performance of herbivorous insects. The objective of our study was to evaluate the responses of the spongy moth (formerly known as the gypsy moth) [Lymantria dispar L. (Lepidoptera: Erebidae)] to simultaneous variation in these two factors. From hatching to the fourth instar, larvae were exposed to three temperatures (19 °C, 23 °C, and 28 °C) and fed four artificial diets that differed in protein (P) and carbohydrate (C) content. Within each temperature regime, the effects of the nutrient content (P+C) and ratio (P:C) on development duration, larval mass, growth rate, and activities of digestive proteases, carbohydrases, and lipase were examined. It was found that temperature and food quality had a significant effect on the fitness-related traits and digestive physiology of the larvae. The greatest mass and highest growth rate were obtained at 28 °C on a high-protein low-carbohydrate diet. A homeostatic increase in activity was observed for total protease, trypsin, and amylase in response to low substrate levels in the diet. A significant modulation of overall enzyme activities in response to 28 °C was detected only with a low diet quality. A decrease in the nutrient content and P:C ratio only affected the coordination of enzyme activities at 28 °C, as indicated by the significantly altered correlation matrices. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that variation in fitness traits in response to different rearing conditions could be explained by variation in digestion. Our results contribute to the understanding of the role of digestive enzymes in post-ingestive nutrient balancing.
Role of the MDR Efflux Pump AcrAB in Epithelial Cell Invasion by Shigella flexneri
Authors: Coluccia Marco , Béranger Aude , Trirocco Rita , Fanelli Giulia , Zanzi Francesco , Colonna Bianca , Grossi Milena , Prosseda Gianni , Pasqua Martina
Published: May 2023

The tripartite complex AcrAB-TolC is the major RND pump in Escherichia coli and other Enterobacteriaceae, including Shigella, the etiological agent of bacillary dysentery. In addition to conferring resistance to many classes of antibiotics, AcrAB plays a role in the pathogenesis and virulence of several bacterial pathogens. Here, we report data demonstrating that AcrAB specifically contributes to Shigella flexneri invasion of epithelial cells. We found that deletion of both acrA and acrB genes causes reduced survival of S. flexneri M90T strain within Caco-2 epithelial cells and prevents cell-to-cell spread of the bacteria. Infections with single deletion mutant strains indicate that both AcrA and AcrB favor the viability of the intracellular bacteria. Finally, we were able to further confirm the requirement of the AcrB transporter activity for intraepithelial survival by using a specific EP inhibitor. Overall, the data from the present study expand the role of the AcrAB pump to an important human pathogen, such as Shigella, and add insights into the mechanism governing the Shigella infection process.
9-O Acetylated Gangliosides in Health and Disease
Authors: Herrera-Marcos Luis Vicente , Sahali Dil , Ollero Mario
Published: May 2023

Glycosphingolipids comprise a lipid class characterized by the presence of sugar moieties attached to a ceramide backbone. The role of glycosphingolipids in pathophysiology has gained relevance in recent years in parallel with the development of analytical technologies. Within this vast family of molecules, gangliosides modified by acetylation represent a minority. Described for the first time in the 1980s, their relation to pathologies has resulted in increased interest in their function in normal and diseased cells. This review presents the state of the art on 9-O acetylated gangliosides and their link to cellular disorders.
Ultra-Early Screening of Cognitive Decline Due to Alzheimer’s Pathology
Authors: Wei Pengxu
Published: May 2023

Alzheimer’s pathology can be assessed and defined via Aβ and tau biomarkers. The preclinical period of Alzheimer’s disease is long and lasts several decades. Although effective therapies to block pathological processes of Alzheimer’s disease are still lacking, downward trends in the incidence and prevalence of dementia have occurred in developed countries. Accumulating findings support that education, cognitive training, physical exercise/activities, and a healthy lifestyle can protect cognitive function and promote healthy aging. Many studies focus on detecting mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and take a variety of interventions in this stage to protect cognitive function. However, when Alzheimer’s pathology advances to the stage of MCI, interventions may not be successful in blocking the development of the pathological process. MCI individuals reverting to normal cognitive function exhibited a high probability to progress to dementia. Therefore, it is necessary to take effective measures before the MCI stage. Compared with MCI, an earlier stage, transitional cognitive decline, may be a better time window in which effective interventions are adopted for at-risk individuals. Detecting this stage in large populations relies on rapid screening of cognitive function; given that many cognitive tests focus on MCI detection, new tools need to be developed.
Development of the Follow-Up Human 3D Oral Cancer Model in Cancer Treatment
Authors: Igawa Kazuyo , Izumi Kenji , Sakurai Yoshinori
Published: May 2023

As function preservation cancer therapy, targeted radiation therapies have been developed for the quality of life of cancer patients. However, preclinical animal studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of targeted radiation therapy is challenging from the viewpoints of animal welfare and animal protection, as well as the management of animal in radiation-controlled areas under the regulations. We fabricated the human 3D oral cancer model that considers the time axis of the follow up in cancer treatment. Therefore, in this study, the 3D model with human oral cancer cells and normal oral fibroblasts was treated based on clinical protocol. After cancer treatment, the histological findings of the 3D oral cancer model indicated the clinical correlation between tumor response and surrounding normal tissue. This 3D model has potential as a tool for preclinical studies alternative to animal studies.
More Evidence That Ensemble Music Training Influences Children’s Neurobehavioral Correlates of Auditory Executive Attention
Authors: Schibli Kylie , Hirsch Taylor , Byczynski Gabriel , D’Angiulli Amedeo
Published: May 2023

We assessed the neurocognitive correlates of auditory executive attention in low socioeconomic status 9–12-year-old children—with and without training in a social music program (OrKidstra). Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded during an auditory Go/NoGo task utilizing 1100 Hz and 2000 Hz pure tones. We examined Go trials, which required attention, tone discrimination and executive response control. We measured Reaction Times (RTs), accuracy and amplitude of relevant ERP signatures: N100-N200 complex, P300, and Late Potentials (LP). Children also completed a screening test for auditory sensory sensitivity and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT-IV) to assess verbal comprehension. OrKidstra children had faster RTs and larger ERP amplitudes to the Go tone. Specifically, compared to their comparison counterparts, they showed more negative-going polarities bilaterally for N1-N2 and LP signatures across the scalp and larger P300s in parietal and right temporal electrodes; some enhancements were lateralized (i.e., left frontal, and right central and parietal electrodes). Because auditory screening yielded no between-group differences, results suggest that music training did not enhance sensory processing but perceptual and attentional skills, possibly shifting from top-down to more bottom-up processes. Findings have implications for socially based music training interventions in school, specifically for socioeconomically disadvantaged children.