bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent Advances in the Functionalization of Perovskite Solar Cells/Photodetectors
Authors: Wang Diandian , Cheng Wenjie , Wang Chao , Zhou Min , Tian Wei , Li Liang
Published: December 2022

Metal halide perovskite materials have excellent photoelectric properties, including high absorption coefficient, long charge carrier diffusion length, and low exciton binding energy, making them excellent candidates for photoconversion devices. In the past decade, great progress has been made in improving the performance of perovskite‐based solar cells and photodetectors. However, perovskite devices need to be endowed with more functionality to meet practical application requirements. In this regard, the three major trends in perovskite device development involving flexibility, transparency, and self‐healing have attracted wide interests. This review first summarizes the fundamental design principles of endowing perovskite devices with more functionality. Specifically, the functionalization is realized through elaborate substrate and electrode selection, perovskite layer modification, and device layout. This review presents the recent advances and specific requirements for functionalization of perovskite devices according to the three basic components: substrate, electrode, and perovskite layer. Finally, potential challenges and future research directions in this field are outlined. The aim of this review is not only to shed light on the basic design principles of functionalized perovskite devices, but also to serve as the roadmap for future exploration in perovskite devices.
On the properties of multidimensional electrostatic oscillations of an electron plasma
Authors: Rozanova Olga S.
Published: December 2022

We consider the classical Cauchy problem for a system of equations describing 3D arbitrary electrostatic oscillations of the cold plasma and introduce an iteration procedure that allows estimating the blow‐up time from below. This procedure is constructive provided one succeeds in obtaining a two‐sided estimate of an additional quantity depending on the solution. We show that this is possible in the case of one and two dimensions, as well as for solutions with zero vorticity. For the particular case of two‐dimensional initial data with radial symmetry, refined sufficient conditions for destruction and preservation of smoothness in the first period of oscillations are obtained. Moreover, we give the example of estimating the blow‐up time for the data for which results of numerics exist and discuss the roughness of our estimate.
Dual‐wideband dipole antenna with symmetrical strips for WiMAX and WLAN application
Authors: Ye Liang Hua , He An Tang , Li Jian Feng , Zeng Jing Tao , Huang Kun
Published: December 2022

A dual‐wideband planar dipole antenna for WLAN and WiMAX applications is proposed. The antenna is mainly composed of a U‐shaped dipole which is fed by a parallel double transmission line. The U‐shaped dipole is employed to generate a wide lower band and a narrow higher band. To expand the higher band, two pairs of strips are used to symmetrically embed in the U‐shaped arms of the dipole. The tested results demonstrate that this antenna achieves two wide bandwidths about 53.6% (2.33–4.02 GHz) and 23.7% (5.04–6.45 GHz) at the higher and lower frequency band, which can satisfy the requirement of the whole 2.4/5.2/5.8‐GHz WLAN and 2.5/3.5/5.5‐GHz WiMAX bands.
Bariatric surgeons' experiences of working in the first year of the pandemic
Authors: Graham Yitka N. H. , Mahawar Kamal , Singhal Rishi , Madhok Brij , Yang Wah , Riera Manel , Martinez‐Duartez Pedro , Pouwels Sjaak , Sharma Mitesh , Hayes Catherine
Published: December 2022

Background

The first year of the Covid‐19 pandemic saw drastic changes to bariatric surgical practice, including postponement of procedures, altered patient care and impacting on the role of bariatric surgeons. The consequences of this both personally and professionally amongst bariatric surgeons has not as yet been explored.

Aims

The aim of this research was to understand bariatric surgeons' perspectives of working during the first year of the pandemic to explore the self‐reported personal and professional impact.

Methods

Using a retrospective, two phased, study design with global participants recruited from closed, bariatric surgical units. The first phase used a qualitative thematic analytic framework to identify salient areas of importance to surgeons. Themes informed the construction of an on‐line, confidential survey to test the potential generalizability of the interview findings with a larger representative population from the global bariatric surgical community.

Findings

Findings of the study revealed that the first year of the pandemic had a detrimental effect on bariatric surgeons both personally and professionally globally.

Conclusion

This study has identified the need to build resilience of bariatric surgeons so that the practice of self‐care and the encouragement of help‐seeking behaviors can potentially be normalized, which will in turn increase levels of mental health and wellbeing.
Advanced surgical tool: Progress in clinical application of intelligent surgical robot
Authors: Li Chao , Zhang Tongtong , Wang Haoran , Hou Zhiyong , Zhang Yingze , Chen Wei
Published: December 2022

Surgical robot is a revolutionary tool conceived in the progress of clinical medicine, computer science, microelectronics and biomechanics. It provides the surgeon with clearer views and more comfortable surgical postures. With the assistance of computer navigation during delicate operations, it can further shorten the patient recovery time via reducing intraoperative bleeding, the risk of infection and the amount of anesthesia needed. As a comprehensive surgical revolution, surgical robot technique has a wide range of applications in related fields. This paper reviews the development status and operation principles of these surgical robots. At the same time, we also describe their up‐to‐date applications in different specialties and discusses the prospects and challenges of surgical robots in the medical area.
Influence of amount of shear reinforcement and its post‐yield response on the shear resistance of reinforced concrete members
Authors: Monney Frédéric , Fernández Ruiz Miguel , Muttoni Aurelio
Published: December 2022

The minimum amount of shear reinforcement to be provided in reinforced concrete members has been a topic of debate and research for decades without reaching a consensus. Defining such values is however instrumental to build in an economic manner and to safely ensure the applicability of the models used for design or assessment. This paper presents the results of an investigation addressed at the activation and contribution of shear reinforcement to the resistance, particularly when low amounts are arranged. The research comprises an experimental part, where 10 tests are performed on full‐scale beams with varying amounts of shear reinforcement and different mechanical properties of the reinforcement. The tests were instrumented with refined measurement techniques such as digital image correlation and fiber‐optic measurements, allowing for a detailed tracking of the strains in the concrete and the reinforcement. The results of the program clearly show that the transition from strain localization with a single shear crack to distributed cracking is influenced by both the ratio of shear reinforcement and its post‐yield response. The results are confirmed by the analysis of a comprehensive database of 236 specimens collected from the literature, where the influence of the different parameters is analyzed. Finally, it is discussed how such findings can be implemented into codes of practice, explaining the recent changes introduced in prEN 1992‐1‐1:2021 (draft for the 2nd generation of Eurocode 2) and fib MC2020.
Age and growth estimation of Southern Ocean squid Moroteuthopsis longimana: can we use beaks collected from predators’ stomachs?
Authors: Queirós José P. , Bartolomé Aurora , Piatkowski Uwe , Xavier José C. , Perales-Raya Catalina
Published: December 2022

Squid play a major role in the Southern Ocean food web. However, their age and growth remain poorly studied. Here, using upper and lower beaks of Moroteuthopsis longimana collected from the diet of Dissostichus mawsoni from Pacific and Atlantic sectors of the Southern Ocean, we studied: (1) Feasibility of using beaks collected from predators’ stomachs to study the age of Southern Ocean oceanic squid; and (2) Age estimation and growth patterns of M. longimana. The rostrum sagittal section (RSS) of both beaks had micro-increments, with the lower beak being the best to observe and count a readable sequence of increments to estimate the age. Assuming a daily deposition of increments, our results suggest that M. longimana can live up to 820 days and may hatch throughout the year. Studied individuals presented a consistent growth rate from hatching to death but with, at least, one period of faster growth. A novel pattern of regular cycles, composed of 7–10 lighter increments followed by a darker one, was found in the medium-anterior region of the RSS. Differences were found in the growth rate and size reached at the same age between individuals from the Pacific and Atlantic sectors, which might be related with different environmental conditions between both capture sites. This study shows that lower beaks from predators’ stomachs can be used to study the age of Southern Ocean squids and that M. longimana hatches in all seasons, being available year round to predators that feed of this species.
Robustifying Vision Transformer Without Retraining from Scratch Using Attention-Based Test-Time Adaptation
Authors: Kojima Takeshi , Iwasawa Yusuke , Matsuo Yutaka
Published: December 2022

Vision Transformer (ViT) is becoming more and more popular in the field of image processing. This study aims to improve the robustness against the unknown perturbations without retraining the ViT model from scratch. Since our approach does not alter the training phase, it does not need to repeat computationally heavy pretraining of ViT. Specifically, we use test-time adaptation (TTA) for this purpose, which corrects its prediction during test-time by itself. The representative test-time adaptation method, Tent, is recently found to be applicable to ViT by modulating parameters and gradient clipping. However, we observed that Tent sometimes catastrophically fails, especially under severe perturbations. To stabilize the adaptation, we propose a new loss function called Attent, which minimizes the distributional differences of the attention entropy between the source and target. Experiments of image classification task on CIFAR-10-C, CIFAR-100-C, and ImageNet-C show that both Tent and Attent are effective on a wide variety of corruptions. The results also show that by combining Attent and Tent, the classification accuracy on corrupted data is further improved.
Enhancing motor imagery practice using synchronous action observation
Authors: Eaves Daniel L. , Hodges Nicola J. , Buckingham Gavin , Buccino Giovanni , Vogt Stefan
Published: December 2022

In this paper, we discuss a variety of ways in which practising motor actions by means of motor imagery (MI) can be enhanced via synchronous action observation (AO), that is, by AO + MI. We review the available research on the (mostly facilitatory) behavioural effects of AO + MI practice in the early stages of skill acquisition, discuss possible theoretical explanations, and consider several issues related to the choice and presentation schedules of suitable models. We then discuss considerations related to AO + MI practice at advanced skill levels, including expertise effects, practical recommendations such as focussing attention on specific aspects of the observed action, using just-ahead models, and possible effects of the perspective in which the observed action is presented. In section “Coordinative AO + MI”, we consider scenarios where the observer imagines performing an action that complements or responds to the observed action, as a promising and yet under-researched application of AO + MI training. In section “The dual action simulation hypothesis of AO + MI”, we review the neurocognitive hypothesis that AO + MI practice involves two parallel action simulations, and we consider opportunities for future research based on recent neuroimaging work on parallel motor representations. In section “AO + MI training in motor rehabilitation”, we review applications of AO, MI, and AO + MI training in the field of neurorehabilitation. Taken together, this evidence-based, exploratory review opens a variety of avenues for future research and applications of AO + MI practice, highlighting several clear advantages over the approaches of purely AO- or MI-based practice.
Is musical engagement enough to keep the brain young?
Authors: Matziorinis Anna Maria , Gaser Christian , Koelsch Stefan
Published: December 2022

Music-making and engagement in music-related activities have shown procognitive benefits for healthy and pathological populations, suggesting reductions in brain aging. A previous brain aging study, using Brain Age Gap Estimation (BrainAGE), showed that professional and amateur-musicians had younger appearing brains than non-musicians. Our study sought to replicate those findings and analyze if musical training or active musical engagement was necessary to produce an age-decelerating effect in a cohort of healthy individuals. We scanned 125 healthy controls and investigated if musician status, and if musical behaviors, namely active engagement (AE) and musical training (MT) [as measured using the Goldsmiths Musical Sophistication Index (Gold-MSI)], had effects on brain aging. Our findings suggest that musician status is not related to BrainAGE score, although involvement in current physical activity is. Although neither MT nor AE subscales of the Gold-MSI are predictive for BrainAGE scores, dispositional resilience, namely the ability to deal with challenge, is related to both musical behaviors and sensitivity to musical pleasure. While the study failed to replicate the findings in a previous brain aging study, musical training and active musical engagement are related to the resilience factor of challenge. This finding may reveal how such musical behaviors can potentially strengthen the brain’s resilience to age, which may tap into a type of neurocognitive reserve.
Phytotoxicity evaluation of nutrient-fortified pomegranate peel powders prepared from food waste and their feasibility as biofertilizers
Authors: Bodor Attila , Bellahsen Naoufal , Perei Katalin , Hodúr Cecília , Feigl Gábor
Published: December 2022

Pomegranate peel powder (PPP) is increasingly used as a bioadsorbent to decontaminate wastewaters due to its adsorptive characteristics. The application of nutrient-fortified bioadsorbents as alternatives to chemical fertilizers can provide an innovative and eco-friendly approach for sustainable waste management. Nevertheless, there is extremely limited information regarding their effects on the growth of agricultural crops. We investigated the effects of raw and nutrient-fortified PPPs on oilseed rape (Brassica napus). Our results showed that the concentration-dependent in vitro phytotoxicity of high PPP doses (germination indices were 109.6%, 63.9%, and 8.9% at the applied concentrations of 0.05%, 0.5%, and 5%) was diminished by the application of nutrient-fortified PPPs (germination indices were 66.0–83.4% even at the highest doses). In pot experiments, most PPP treatments (especially Raw-PPP and the mixture of N- and P-fortified PPPs) promoted the development of aboveground plant parts. Reorganization of the pattern of protein tyrosine nitration in the root tissues indicated that the plants were acclimated to the presence of PPPs, and thus, PPP treatment induced no or low-level stress. Our findings confirmed that several doses of PPP supplementation were beneficial for the model crop plant when applied in soil. We anticipate that our study will be a foundation for future investigations involving more plant species and soil types, which can contribute to the introduction of nutrient-fortified PPPs as sustainable biofertilizers.
Reading What is Not There: Ethnomethodological Analysis of the Membership Category, Action, and Reason in Novels and Short Stories
Authors: Kawamura Ken , Okazawa Ryo
Published: December 2022

This paper investigates how the reader of prose fiction fills in the blanks regarding a fictional character’s membership category, action, and reason for the action. Aligning with an ethnomethodological approach to texts and appropriating membership categorization analysis (MCA), we analyze how the readers of J. D. Salinger, an author whose works are well known for their ambiguity and ambivalence, would grasp the unwritten identities of characters and the meanings of their actions. Our analysis specifies two types of methods deployed for the reader to understand the fictional texts. First, in an at-a-glance way, the reader can supply the missing categories and sequence of actions by turning to the commonsense knowledge and social norms regarding the association between the category and the activity. Second, the reader can construct various interpretations regarding the recognizably ambiguous scenes of the text by turning to the conceptual knowledge of the relevant social phenomena, the maxims specific to the act of storytelling, and the writer’s techniques peculiar to the fictional texts. The findings demonstrate the vast applicability of an MCA approach to the analysis of the work of reading prose fiction and shed light on the detailed operations of the author’s maxims and techniques in the textual configuration of prose fiction, thereby indicating the possibility of ethnomethodological analysis including the interwoven consideration of the reader’s activity and the textual organization.
Strong Maximum Principle and Boundary Estimates for Nonhomogeneous Elliptic Equations
Authors: Lundström Niklas L.P. , Olofsson Marcus , Toivanen Olli
Published: December 2022

We give a simple proof of the strong maximum principle for viscosity subsolutions of fully nonlinear nonhomogeneous degenerate elliptic equations on the form
$$ F(x,u,Du,D^{2}u) = 0 $$

F
(
x
,
u
,
D
u
,

D

2

u
)
=
0

under suitable assumptions allowing for non-Lipschitz growth in the gradient term. In case of smooth boundaries, we also prove a Hopf lemma, a boundary Harnack inequality, and that positive viscosity solutions vanishing on a portion of the boundary are comparable with the distance function near the boundary. Our results apply, e.g., to weak solutions of an eigenvalue problem for the variable exponent p-Laplacian.
Sex-Specific Differences in the Placental Unfolded Protein Response in a Rodent Model of Gestational Hypoxia
Authors: Tong Wen , Ganguly Esha , Villalobos-Labra Roberto , Quon Anita , Spaans Floor , Giussani Dino A. , Davidge Sandra T.
Published: December 2022

Gestational hypoxia is a major contributor to fetal growth restriction (FGR) and perinatal morbidity and mortality and has been closely linked to the activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) in the placenta. Recent studies on adverse pregnancy conditions show differential adaptive responses in pregnancies carrying male or female fetuses. Here, we use an established rat model of hypoxic pregnancy and FGR to test the hypothesis that chronic hypoxia promotes sexually dimorphic activation of the placental UPR. Our data showed that gestational hypoxia increased glucose regulatory protein 78 (GRP78) expression in male placentae, increased activating transcription factor 6 activation (ATF6) in female placentae, and did not induce changes in other UPR markers. In addition, gestational hypoxia reduced fetal weight only in males and ATF6 activation correlated with an increase in the fetal crown-rump-length/body weight ratio only in females. These results suggest sex-specific divergence in the placental adaptive response to gestational hypoxia, which may account for the sexual dimorphism observed in placental function and pregnancy outcomes in complicated pregnancies.

Graphical Abstract
Cognitive, emotional and inferential paths from price perception to buying intention in an integrated brand price image model
Authors: Zielke Stephan , De Toni Deonir , Mazzon José Afonso
Published: December 2022

A brand price image consists of associations related to the price positioning of a brand’s product portfolio and has a filter function for price search and brand consideration. The branding literature usually analyzes brand images in general and a few studies have discussed variables related to dimensions of a brand price image. This paper aims to extend this fragmented literature by proposing an integrated framework that links cognitive, emotional and inferential dimensions of a brand price image with each other and with the buying intention. With this framework, we analyze how brand price-level perception influences the buying intention through different positive and negative paths and whether the strength of these paths differs between price tiers. We test our framework based on data from 581 young middle-class Brazilian respondents using structural equation modeling. Results reveal a negative net effect of a perceived low price level on the buying intention. Regarding intra-tier positioning, a more expensive price-level perception increases the buying intention in low price tiers, while a less expensive price-level perception has a positive effect in high-price tiers. We explain these effects by stronger price–quality inferences in low-price tiers and discuss implications for theory and practice.
How I Manage Transplant Ineligible Patients with Myelodysplastic Neoplasms
Authors: Gurnari Carmelo , Xie Zhuoer , Zeidan Amer M.
Published: December 2022

Myelodysplastic neoplasms, formerly known as myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), represent a group of clonal disorders characterized by a high degree of clinical and molecular heterogeneity, and an invariable tendency to progress to acute myeloid leukemia. MDS typically present in the elderly with cytopenias of different degrees and bone marrow dysplasia, the hallmarks of the disease. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant is the sole curative approach to date. Nonetheless, given the disease’s demographics, only a minority of patients can benefit from this procedure. Currently used prognostic schemes such as the Revised International Prognostic Scoring System (R-IPSS), and most recently the molecular IPSS (IPSS-M), guide clinical management by dividing MDS into two big categories: lower- and higher-risk cases, based on a cut-off score of 3.5. The main clinical problem of the lower-risk group is represented by the management of cytopenias, whereas the prevention of secondary leukemia progression is the goal for the latter. Herein, we discuss the non-transplant treatment of MDS, focusing on current practice and available therapeutic options, while also presenting new investigational agents potentially entering the MDS therapeutic arsenal in the near future.
Documents on Russia's Exclusion from Council Eur. & U.N.H.R.C.
Authors: Bischoff James L.
Published: December 2022

In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, states have deployed an array of tools aimed at isolating and weakening Russia, and supporting Ukraine, while avoiding direct involvement in the hostilities. These measures have included sanctions, export and import restrictions, visa bans, exclusion of Russian aircraft from states' airspace, seizure of oligarchs' property, and the provision of weapons and aid to Ukraine. Many states have also worked to terminate or suspend Russia's membership or participation in international organizations. In light of Russia's aggression and widely publicized reports of human rights atrocities, its early exclusions from two key human rights institutions—the Council of Europe (CoE) and the UN Human Rights Council (HRC)—were seen as important symbolic reaffirmations of the rules-based international order.
RADIOCARBON DATING OF MORTAR CHARCOALS FROM MEDIEVAL RÝZMBURK CASTLE, NORTHWESTERN BOHEMIA
Authors: Pachnerová Brabcová Kateřina , Kundrát Pavel , Krofta Tomáš , Suchý Václav , Petrová Markéta , Pravdíková Nikola , John David , Kozlovcec Petr , Kotková Kristýna , Fialová Anna , Válek Jan , Svetlik Ivo , Povinec Pavel P
Published: December 2022

Rýzmburk Castle is one of the largest and most important medieval castles in Bohemia, documented since 1250 AD. Its North tower is assumed to be built in 1260–1300 AD. To test this assumption, the surface layers of mortar were inspected for the presence of charcoals suitable for radiocarbon dating, and 10 charcoals were found. The charcoals probably originated from wood used for lime burning. The results of radiocarbon dating using accelerator mass spectrometry agree with the historical estimation. Single post-1287 sample indicates that the building date might be refined to 1287–1300 AD.
Racial Resentment and the Death Penalty
Authors: Baumgartner Frank R. , Caron Christian , Duxbury Scott
Published: December 2022

We explore the annual number of death sentences imposed on black and white offenders within each US state from 1989 through 2017, with particular attention to the impact of aggregate levels of racial resentment. Controlling for general ideological conservatism, homicides, population size, violent crime, institutional and partisan factors, and the inertial nature of death sentencing behavior, we find that racial hostility translates directly into more death sentences, particularly for black offenders. Racial resentment itself reflects each state’s history of racial strife; we show powerful indirect effects of a history of lynching and of racial population shares. These effects are mediated through contemporaneous levels of racial resentment. Our findings raise serious questions about the appropriateness of the ultimate punishment, as they show its deep historical and contemporary connection to white racial hostility toward blacks.
Association between dietary patterns and subjective and objective measures of physical activity among Japanese adults aged 85 years and older: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Yu Tao , Oguma Yuko , Asakura Keiko , Abe Yukiko , Arai Yasumichi
Published: December 2022

A healthy diet and regular physical activity (PA) are delineated as healthy behaviours. Their implementation is associated with better health outcomes and improved quality of life. There is less evidence of a relationship between dietary patterns (DP) and PA, especially in adults aged ≥ 85. Hence, this cross-sectional study investigates the association between DP and PA in people of this age group, using the data from The Kawasaki Aging and Well-Being Project. Brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire was used to estimate the intake of fifty-eight types of food. After energy adjustment, principal component analysis was performed to identify DP. PA was measured objectively using an accelerometer and subjectively using a questionnaire validated for this age group. Thousand participants (median age: 86·9 years, men: 49·9 %) were included in the analysis. Three major DP (DP1 ‘various foods’, DP2 ‘red meats and coffee’, DP3 ‘bread and processed meats’) were identified. DP1 ‘various foods’ was similar to DP previously named ‘healthy’ or ‘prudent’ and showed a positive association with PA time (PAT) as measured by accelerometer (B, 6·25; 95 % CI 0·13, 12·37) and relatively shorter sedentary behaviour (SB) time. DP2 ‘red meats and coffee’ and DP3 ‘bread and processed meats’ were negatively associated with PAT and positively associated with SB time. This study observed the relationship between diet and PA behaviours in adults aged ≥ 85, with healthier and more food-diverse DP associated with longer PAT and relatively unhealthy DP with shorter PAT.
Asymptotics of a time bounded cylinder model
Authors: Aschenbruck Nils , Bussmann Stephan , Döring Hanna
Published: December 2022

One way to model telecommunication networks are static Boolean models. However, dynamics such as node mobility have a significant impact on the performance evaluation of such networks. Consider a Boolean model in $\mathbb {R}^d$ and a random direction movement scheme. Given a fixed time horizon $T>0$, we model these movements via cylinders in $\mathbb {R}^d \times [0,T]$. In this work, we derive central limit theorems for functionals of the union of these cylinders. The volume and the number of isolated cylinders and the Euler characteristic of the random set are considered and give an answer to the achievable throughput, the availability of nodes, and the topological structure of the network.
Valuation of vulnerable European options with market liquidity risk
Authors: Pan Yihao , Tang Dan , Wang Xingchun
Published: December 2022

In this paper, we investigate the pricing of vulnerable European options in a market where the underlying stocks are not perfectly liquid. A liquidity discount factor is used to model the effect of liquidity risk in the market, and the default risk of the option issuer is incorporated into the model using a reduced-form model, where the default intensity process is correlated with the liquidity risk. We obtain a semiclosed-form pricing formula of vulnerable options through the inverse Fourier transform. Finally, we illustrate the effects of default risk and liquidity risk on option prices numerically.
BANACH SPACES IN WHICH LARGE SUBSETS OF SPHERES CONCENTRATE
Authors: Koszmider Piotr
Published: December 2022

We construct a nonseparable Banach space
$\mathcal {X}$
(actually, of density continuum) such that any uncountable subset
$\mathcal {Y}$
of the unit sphere of
$\mathcal {X}$
contains uncountably many points distant by less than
$1$
(in fact, by less then
$1-\varepsilon $
for some
$\varepsilon>0$
). This solves in the negative the central problem of the search for a nonseparable version of Kottman’s theorem which so far has produced many deep positive results for special classes of Banach spaces and has related the global properties of the spaces to the distances between points of uncountable subsets of the unit sphere. The property of our space is strong enough to imply that it contains neither an uncountable Auerbach system nor an uncountable equilateral set. The space is a strictly convex renorming of the Johnson–Lindenstrauss space induced by an
$\mathbb {R}$
-embeddable almost disjoint family of subsets of
$\mathbb {N}$
. We also show that this special feature of the almost disjoint family is essential to obtain the above properties.
DeepLandforms: A Deep Learning Computer Vision Toolset Applied to a Prime Use Case for Mapping Planetary Skylights
Authors: Nodjoumi Giacomo , Pozzobon Riccardo , Sauro Francesco , Rossi Angelo Pio
Published: December 2022

Thematic map creation is a meticulous process that requires several steps to be accomplished regardless of the type of map to be produced, from data collection, through data exploitation and map publication in print, image, and GIS format. Examples are geolithological, and geomorphological maps in which most of the highest time‐consuming tasks are those related to the discretization of single objects. Introducing also interpretative biases because of the different experience of the mappers in identifying a set of unique characteristics that describe those objects. In this setting, Deep Learning Computer Vision techniques could play a key role but lack the availability of a complete set of tools specific for planetary mapping. The aim of this work is to develop a comprehensive set of ready‐to‐use tools for landforms mapping based on validated Deep Learning methodologies and open‐source libraries. We present DeepLandforms, the first pre‐release of a toolset for landform mapping using Deep Learning that includes all the components for data set preparation, model training, monitoring, and inference. In DeepLandforms, users have full access to the workflow and control over all the processes involved, granting complete control and customization capabilities. In order to validate the applicability of our tool, in this work we present the results achieved using DeepLandforms in the science case of mapping sinkhole‐like landforms on Mars, as a first example that can lead us into multiple and diverse future applications.
A critical role of brain network architecture in a continuum model of autism spectrum disorders spanning from healthy individuals with genetic liability to individuals with ASD
Authors: Khundrakpam Budhachandra , Bhutani Neha , Vainik Uku , Gong Jinnan , Al-Sharif Noor , Dagher Alain , White Tonya , Evans Alan C.
Published: December 2022

Studies have shown cortical alterations in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) as well as in individuals with high polygenic risk for ASD. An important addition to the study of altered cortical anatomy is the investigation of the underlying brain network architecture that may reveal brain-wide mechanisms in ASD and in polygenic risk for ASD. Such an approach has been proven useful in other psychiatric disorders by revealing that brain network architecture shapes (to an extent) the disorder-related cortical alterations. This study uses data from a clinical dataset—560 male subjects (266 individuals with ASD and 294 healthy individuals, CTL, mean age at 17.2 years) from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange database, and data of 391 healthy individuals (207 males, mean age at 12.1 years) from the Pediatric Imaging, Neurocognition and Genetics database. ASD-related cortical alterations (group difference, ASD-CTL, in cortical thickness) and cortical correlates of polygenic risk for ASD were assessed, and then statistically compared with structural connectome-based network measures (such as hubs) using spin permutation tests. Next, we investigated whether polygenic risk for ASD could be predicted by network architecture by building machine-learning based prediction models, and whether the top predictors of the model were identified as disease epicenters of ASD. We observed that ASD-related cortical alterations as well as cortical correlates of polygenic risk for ASD implicated cortical hubs more strongly than non-hub regions. We also observed that age progression of ASD-related cortical alterations and cortical correlates of polygenic risk for ASD implicated cortical hubs more strongly than non-hub regions. Further investigation revealed that structural connectomes predicted polygenic risk for ASD (r = 0.30,p < 0.0001), and two brain regions (the left inferior parietal and left suparmarginal) with top predictive connections were identified as disease epicenters of ASD. Our study highlights a critical role of network architecture in a continuum model of ASD spanning from healthy individuals with genetic risk to individuals with ASD. Our study also highlights the strength of investigating polygenic risk scores in addition to multi-modal neuroimaging measures to better understand the interplay between genetic risk and brain alterations associated with ASD.
Integrated approach for studying bioactive compounds from Cladosporium spp. against estrogen receptor alpha as breast cancer drug target
Authors: Anandan Satish , Gowtham Hittanahallikoppal Gajendramurthy , Shivakumara C. S. , Thampy Anjana , Singh Sudarshana Brijesh , Murali Mahadevamurthy , Shivamallu Chandan , Pradeep Sushma , Shilpa Natarajamurthy , Shati Ali A. , Alfaifi Mohammad Y. , Elbehairi Serag Eldin I. , Ortega-Castro Joaquín , Frau Juan , Flores-Holguín Norma , Kollur Shiva Prasad , Glossman-Mitnik Daniel
Published: December 2022

Cladosporium spp. have been reported for their great diversity of secondary metabolites which represent as a prominent base material for verifying the biological activities. Several bioactive compounds which have antimicrobial, cytotoxic, quorum sensing inhibitory and phytotoxic activities have been isolated from Cladosporium species. Most of them are still needed to be explored for their anticancer properties. Therefore, the present study is focused on screening and identifying the bioactive compounds of Cladosporium spp. for their anticancer activity via the integrated approaches of Molecular Docking (MD), Molecular Dynamics Simulation (MDS) and Density Functional Theory (DFT) studies. A total of 123 bioactive compounds of Cladosporium spp. were explored for their binding affinity with the selected breast cancer drug target receptor such as estrogen receptor alpha (PDB:6CBZ). The Molecular Docking studies revealed that amongst the bioactive compounds screened, Altertoxin X and Cladosporol H showed a good binding affinity of − 10.5 kcal/mol and − 10.3 kcal/mol, respectively, with the estrogen receptor alpha when compared to the reference compound (17$$\upbeta$$
β
-Estradiol: − 10.2 kcal/mol). The MDS study indicated the stable binding patterns and conformation of the estrogen receptor alpha-Altertoxin X complex in a stimulating environment. In addition, in silico absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADMET) study suggested that Altertoxin X has a good oral bioavailability with a high LD$$_{50}$$

50

value of 2.375 mol/kg and did not cause any hepatotoxicity and skin sensitization. In summary, the integrated approaches revealed that Altertoxin X possesses a promising anticancer activity and could serve as a new therapeutic drug for breast cancer treatment.
Comprehensive analysis of the metabolic and genomic features of tannin-transforming Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains
Authors: Pulido-Mateos Elena C. , Lessard-Lord Jacob , Guyonnet Denis , Desjardins Yves , Roy Denis
Published: December 2022

Extracellular tannase Lactiplantibacillus plantarum-producing strains (TanA+) release bioactive metabolites from dietary tannins. However, there is a paucity of knowledge of TanA+ strains and their hydrolyzing capacities. This study aimed to shed light on the metabolic and genomic features of TanA+ L. plantarum strains and to develop a screening technique. The established spectrophotometric was validated by UPLC-UV-QToF. Eight of 115 screened strains harbored the tanA gene, and six presented TanA activity (PROBI S126, PROBI S204, RKG 1-473, RKG 1-500, RKG 2-219, and RKG 2-690). When cultured with tannic acid (a gallotannin), TanA+ strains released 3.2−11 times more gallic acid than a lacking strain (WCFS1) (p < 0.05). TanA+ strains with gallate decarboxylase (n = 5) transformed this latter metabolite, producing 2.2–4.8 times more pyrogallol than the TanA lacking strain (p < 0.05). However, TanA+ strains could not transform punicalagin (an ellagitannin). Genomic analysis revealed high similarity between TanA+ strains, as only two variable regions of phage and polysaccharide synthesis were distinguished. A phylogenetic analysis of 149 additional genome sequences showed that tanA harboring strains form a cluster and present two bacteriocin coding sequences profile. In conclusion, TanA+ L. plantarum strains are closely related and possess the ability to resist and transform gallotannins. TanA can be screened by the method proposed herein.
FLIP-based autophagy-detecting technique reveals closed autophagic compartments
Authors: Sakurai Hajime Tajima , Arakawa Satoko , Noguchi Saori , Shimizu Shigeomi
Published: December 2022

Autophagy results in the degradation of cytosolic components via two major membrane deformations. First, the isolation membrane sequesters components from the cytosol and forms autophagosomes, by which open structures become closed compartments. Second, the outer membrane of the autophagosomes fuses with lysosomes to degrade the inner membrane and its contents. The efficiency of the latter degradation process, namely autophagic flux, can be easily evaluated using lysosomal inhibitors, whereas the dynamics of the former process is difficult to analyze because of the challenges in identifying closed compartments of autophagy (autophagosomes and autolysosomes). To resolve this problem, we here developed a method to detect closed autophagic compartments by applying the FLIP technique, and named it FLIP-based Autophagy Detection (FLAD). This technique visualizes closed autophagic compartments and enables differentiation of open autophagic structures and closed autophagic compartments in live cells. In addition, FLAD analysis detects not only starvation-induced canonical autophagy but also genotoxic stress-induced alternative autophagy. By the combinational use of FLAD and LC3, we were able to distinguish the structures of canonical autophagy from those of alternative autophagy in a single cell.
Similar programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression profile in patients with mild COPD and lung cancer
Authors: Polverino F. , Mirra D. , Yang C. X. , Esposito R. , Spaziano G. , Rojas-Quintero J. , Sgambato M. , Piegari E. , Cozzolino A. , Cione E. , Gallelli L. , Capuozzo A. , Santoriello C. , Berrino L. , de- Torres J. P. , Hackett T. L. , Polverino M. , D’Agostino B.
Published: December 2022

Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) is crucial in regulating the immunological tolerance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Alveolar macrophage (AM)-derived PD-L1 binds to its receptor, PD-1, on surveilling lymphocytes, leading to lymphocyte exhaustion. Increased PD-L1 expression is associated with cigarette smoke (CS)-exposure. However, the PD-L1 role in CS-associated lung diseases associated with NSCLC, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is still unclear. In two different cohorts of ever smokers with COPD or NSCLC, and ever and never smoker controls, we evaluated PD-L1 expression: (1) via cutting-edge digital spatial proteomic and transcriptomic profiling (Geomx) of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) lung tissue sections (n = 19); and (2) via triple immunofluorescence staining of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) AMs (n = 83). PD-L1 mRNA expression was also quantified in BAL AMs exposed to CS extract. PD-L1 expression was increased in the bronchiolar wall, parenchyma, and vascular wall from mild-moderate (GOLD 1–2) COPD patients compared to severe-very severe (GOLD 3–4) COPD patients and controls. Within all the COPD patients, PD-L1 protein expression was associated with upregulation of genes involved in tumor progression and downregulation of oncosuppressive genes, and strongly directly correlated with the FEV1% predicted, indicating higher PD-L1 expression in the milder vs. more severe COPD stages. In bronchioles, PD-L1 levels were strongly directly correlated with the number of functionally active AMs. In BAL, we confirmed that AMs from patients with both GOLD 1–2 COPD and NSCLC had the highest and similar, PD-L1 expression levels versus all the other groups, independently from active cigarette smoking. Intriguingly, AMs from patients with more severe COPD had reduced AM PD-L1 expression compared to patients with mild COPD. Acute CS extract stimulation increased PD-L1 mRNA expression only in never-and not in ever-smoker AMs. Lungs from patients with mild COPD and NSCLC are characterized by a similar strong PD-L1 expression signature in bronchioles and functionally active AMs compared to patients with severe COPD and controls. Active smoking does not affect PD-L1 levels. These observations represent a new resource in understanding the innate immune mechanisms underlying the link between COPD and lung cancer onset and progression and pave the way to future studies focused on the mechanisms by which CS promotes tumorigenesis and COPD.
Evaluation of product conceptual design based on Pythagorean fuzzy set under big data environment
Authors: Ma Lian-Dan , Wang Wei-Xing , Xie Jing-Wen , Zhang Ning , Hu Ning-Feng , Wang Zi-Ao
Published: December 2022

The concept design evaluation phase of the new product launch is extremely important. However, current evaluation information relies mainly on the a priori knowledge of decision makers and is subjective and ambiguous. For this reason, a conceptual design solution decision model based on Pythagorean fuzzy sets in a big data environment is proposed. Firstly, we use the ability of big data to mine and analyze information to construct a new standard for product concept design evaluation in the big data environment. Secondly, the Pythagorean fuzzy set (PFS), Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) are integrated into a decision model. AHP, extended by the Pythagorean fuzzy set, is used to determine the weights of new conceptual design criteria in a big data environment. The Pythagorean fuzzy TOPSIS is used to prioritize alternative conceptual design solutions. The feasibility of the approach is proven with a practical case, the generalizability of the method is confirmed with two descriptive digital cases, and the reliability, validity, and superiority of the process are demonstrated with sensitivity analysis, comparative analysis, and computational complexity analysis.
Phosphorylation of S122 in ERα is important for the skeletal response to estrogen treatment in male mice
Authors: Horkeby Karin , Farman Helen H. , Movérare-Skrtic Sofia , Lionikaite Vikte , Wu Jianyao , Henning Petra , Windahl Sara , Sjögren Klara , Ohlsson Claes , Lagerquist Marie K.
Published: December 2022

Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) signaling has beneficial skeletal effects in males. ERα signaling also affects other tissues, and to find bone-specific treatments, more knowledge regarding tissue-specific ERα signaling is needed. ERα is subjected to posttranslational modifications, including phosphorylation, which can influence ERα function in a tissue-specific manner. To determine the importance of phosphorylation site S122 (corresponding to human ERα site S118) for the skeleton and other tissues, male mice with a S122A mutation were used. Total areal bone mineral density was similar between gonadal intact S122A and WT littermates followed up to 12 months of age, and weights of estrogen-responsive organs normalized for body weight were unchanged between S122A and WT males at both 3 and 12 months of age. Interestingly, 12-month-old S122A males had decreased body weight compared to WT. To investigate if site S122 affects the estrogen response in bone and other tissues, 12-week-old S122A and WT males were orchidectomized (orx) and treated with estradiol (E2) or placebo pellets for four weeks. E2 increased cortical thickness in tibia in both orx WT (+ 60%, p < 0.001) and S122A (+ 45%, p < 0.001) males. However, the E2 effect on cortical thickness was significantly decreased in orx S122A compared to WT mice (− 24%, p < 0.05). In contrast, E2 affected trabecular bone and organ weights similarly in orx S122A and WT males. Thus, ERα phosphorylation site S122 is required for a normal E2 response specifically in cortical bone in male mice, a finding that may have implications for development of future treatments against male osteoporosis.