bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ankyloglossia as a Barrier to Breastfeeding: A Literature Review
Authors: Tomara Eirini , Dagla Maria , Antoniou Evangelia , Iatrakis Georgios
Published: December 2023

This is a literature review of ankyloglossia and its correlation with lactation problems. Ankyloglossia, commonly referred to as tongue-tie, brings about functional difficulties and, in some cases, may lead to early weaning. It is crucial to use breastfeeding as the exclusive food source for the first six months of an infant’s life, and the interference of the tongue contributes substantially to success in this regard. Even though there are many publications about ankyloglossia, there are still many controversies about its definition, diagnosis, classification, and treatment decision determined via frenotomy. Some researchers state that the identification of ankyloglossia should be based on morphological and anatomical evidence, while others claim that a short or tight frenulum should be examined in correlation with the impact on the mother–infant dyad during breastfeeding. By encouraging and supporting mothers in coping with feeding difficulties, their lactation experiences are improved, and they can continue breastfeeding.
Platelet Counts and Risk of Severe Retinopathy of Prematurity: A Bayesian Model-Averaged Meta-Analysis
Authors: Almutairi Mohamad F. , Gulden Silvia , Hundscheid Tamara M. , Bartoš František , Cavallaro Giacomo , Villamor Eduardo
Published: December 2023

Background: We aimed to conduct a systematic review and Bayesian model-averaged meta-analysis (BMA) on the association between platelet counts and severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Methods: We searched for studies reporting on platelet counts (continuous variable) or thrombocytopenia (categorical variable) and severe ROP or aggressive posterior ROP (APROP). The timing of platelet counts was divided into Phase 1 (<2 weeks) and Phase 2 (around ROP treatment). BMA was used to calculate Bayes factors (BFs). The BF10 is the ratio of the probability of the data under the alternative hypothesis (H1) over the probability of the data under the null hypothesis (H0). Results: We included 21 studies. BMA showed an association between low platelet counts and severe ROP. The evidence was strong (BF10 = 13.5, 7 studies) for phase 1 and very strong (BF10 = 51.0, 9 studies) for phase 2. Thrombocytopenia (<100 × 109/L) in phase 2 was associated with severe ROP (BF10 = 28.2, 4 studies). Following adjustment for publication bias, only the association of severe ROP with thrombocytopenia remained with moderate evidence in favor of H1 (BF10 = 4.30). Conclusions: Thrombocytopenia is associated with severe ROP. However, the evidence for this association was tempered when results were adjusted for publication bias.
A Combined Approach for Predicting the Distribution of Harmful Substances in the Atmosphere Based on Parameter Estimation and Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Madiyarov Muratkan , Temirbekov Nurlan , Alimbekova Nurlana , Malgazhdarov Yerzhan , Yergaliyev Yerlan
Published: December 2023

This paper proposes a new approach to predicting the distribution of harmful substances in the atmosphere based on the combined use of the parameter estimation technique and machine learning algorithms. The essence of the proposed approach is based on the assumption that the concentration values predicted by machine learning algorithms at observation points can be used to refine the pollutant concentration field when solving a differential equation of the convection-diffusion-reaction type. This approach reduces to minimizing an objective functional on some admissible set by choosing the atmospheric turbulence coefficient. We consider two atmospheric turbulence models and restore its unknown parameters by using the limited-memory Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno algorithm. Three ensemble machine learning algorithms are analyzed for the prediction of concentration values at observation points, and comparison of the predicted values with the measurement results is presented. The proposed approach has been tested on an example of two cities in the Republic of Kazakhstan. In addition, due to the lack of data on pollution sources and their intensities, an approach for identifying this information is presented.
Expression of Preferentially Expressed Antigen in Melanoma, a Cancer/Testis Antigen, in Carcinoma In Situ of the Urinary Tract
Authors: Fujii Shota , Ishida Mitsuaki , Komura Kazumasa , Nishimura Kazuki , Tsujino Takuya , Saito Tomohito , Taniguchi Yohei , Murakawa Tomohiro , Azuma Haruhito , Hirose Yoshinobu
Published: December 2023

Carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the urinary tract comprises 1–3% of all urothelial malignancies and is often a precursor to muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma (UC). This study aimed to examine the expression profiles of preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma (PRAME), a cancer/testis antigen, and assess its diagnostic and therapeutic applications in CIS, given that its expression in UC has been minimally studied and has not yet been analyzed in CIS. We selected consecutive patients with CIS who underwent biopsy and/or transurethral tumor resection at the Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital. Immunohistochemical staining for PRAME and p53 was performed. Overall, 53 patients with CIS (6 females and 47 males) were included. Notably, PRAME expression was observed in 23 of the 53 patients (43.4%), whereas it was absent in the non-neoplastic urothelial epithelium. Furthermore, no correlation was found between PRAME expression and aberrant p53 expression. Therefore, PRAME expression may serve as a useful marker for CIS of the urinary tract. Furthermore, PRAME may be a candidate for the novel therapeutic target for standard treatment-refractory CIS patients.
Nanotechnology Platform for Advancing Vaccine Development against the COVID-19 Virus
Authors: Chowdhury Nusrat , Kundu Anup
Published: December 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on societies, public health, healthcare systems, and the world economy. With over 771 million people infected worldwide and a staggering death toll exceeding 6,960,783 as of 4 October 2023 (according to the World Health Organization), the urgency for a solution was paramount. Since the outbreak, the demand for immediate treatment for COVID-19 viral infection, as well as for effective vaccination against this virus, was soaring, which led scientists, pharmaceutical/biotech companies, government health agencies, etc., to think about a treatment strategy that could control and minimize this outbreak as soon as possible. Vaccination emerged as the most effective strategy to combat this infectious disease. For vaccination strategies, any conventional vaccine approach using attenuated live or inactivated/engineered virus, as well as other approaches, typically requires years of research and assessment. However, the urgency of the situation promoted a faster and more effective approach to vaccine development against COVID-19. The role of nanotechnology in designing, manufacturing, boosting, and delivering vaccines to the host to counter this virus was unquestionably valued and assessed. Several nanoformulations are discussed here in terms of their composition, physical properties, credibility, and applications in past vaccine development (as well as the possibility of using those used in previous applications for the generation of the COVID-19 vaccine). Controlling and eliminating the spread of the virus and preventing future recurrence requires a safe, tolerable, and effective vaccine strategy. In this review, we discuss the potential of nanoformulations as the basis for an effective vaccine strategy against COVID-19.
Analysis of the Impact of Structural Parameter Changes on the Overall Aerodynamic Characteristics of Ducted UAVs
Authors: Xv Huarui , Zhao Lei , Wu Mingjian , Liu Kun , Zhang Hongyue , Wu Zhilin
Published: December 2023

Ducted UAVs have attracted much attention because the duct structure can reduce the propeller tip vortices and thus increase the effective lift area of the lower propeller. This paper investigates the effects of parameters on the aerodynamic characteristics of ducted UAVs, such as co-axial twin propeller configuration and duct structure. The aerodynamic characteristics of the UAV were analyzed using CFD methods, while the impact sensitivity analysis of the simulation data was sorted using the orthogonal test method. The results indicate that, while maintaining overall strength, increasing the propeller spacing by about 0.055 times the duct chord length can increase the lift of the upper propeller by approximately 1.3% faster. Reducing the distance between the propeller and the top surface of the duct by about 0.5 times the duct chord length can increase the lift of the lower propeller by approximately 7.7%. Increasing the chord length of the duct cross-section by about 35.3% can simultaneously make the structure of the duct and the total lift of the drone faster by approximately 150.6% and 15.7%, respectively. This research provides valuable guidance and reference for the subsequent overall design of ducted UAVs.
Technological Advancements and the Changing Face of Crop Yield Stability in Asia
Authors: Hollósy Zsolt , Ma’ruf Muhammad Imam , Bacsi Zsuzsanna
Published: December 2023

Recent technological advancements have revolutionized agriculture in Asia, leading to significant changes in crop yield stability. This study examines the changing face of crop yield stability in Asia resulting from the increasing adoption of innovative technologies in agriculture. Through a review of current research and case studies, the impact of technology-driven changes on yield levels, variability, and predictability is explored. The study applies a yield stability index (YSI) to evaluate the yield stability of six crops in seven Asian countries during two periods (1961–1994 and 1995–2020), comparing the countries, crops, and stability changes between the two segments. The novelty of the research is the application of YSI, which, contrary to usual stability metrics, can distinguish between rare large extreme yields and frequent minor fluctuations, and based on this feature, evaluates the suitability of the prevailing technologies to local environmental conditions. The YSI is used to evaluate the stability of technologies, indicating whether the technologies can respond well to the annual variations of environmental conditions. Positive YSI values indicate stable technologies that can respond well to the annual variations of environmental conditions, and the concept of a well-technologized crop is used for crops in countries with stable positive YSI values, indicating the suitability of the actual crop to the actual geographical environment. These results can guide production technology developments and the introduction or abandonment of certain crops in certain geographical zones, especially regarding the implications of climate change and global warming. This study highlights the transformative power of technology in improving crop yield stability and food security in Asia, while discussing the potential challenges associated with these changes and the need for continued research to address them.
The Early Allometric Growth and Osteological Ontogeny of Pot-Bellied Seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis, L. 1827) under Mass-Scale Captive Breeding Conditions in North China
Authors: Shi Xuehui , Tang Xinyi , Zhang Yichao , Wang Wenqi , Qin Siyong , Liu Qinghua , Mei Jie
Published: December 2023

Seahorses are valuable species for their use in traditional Chinese medicine, as well as for the aquarium trade as ornamentals and curiosities. To balance market demand and reduce pressure on wild populations, many countries have undertaken commercial seahorse cultivation. Skeletal development plays a crucial role in fish fry culture, affecting external morphology, feeding, and movement. This study investigated the ontogeny allometry, timing, and progression of skeletal development in H. abdominalis from DAB (day after birth) 1 to DAB 100 under mass-scale captive breeding conditions in north China. The results of this study revealed the growth rate was significantly increased between DAB 30 and DAB 54. Allometry analysis revealed that in the early stage, the head, trunk, and tail demonstrated almost isometric growth. However, in the later stage, the head and trunk exhibited negative isometric growth, whereas the tail displayed positive isometric growth. Skeletal staining results showed that newborn seahorses do not have ossified bones until DAB 11 (SL 28.14 ± 2.94 mm). Ossification was primarily observed in the jaw region and the tubular nasal structure of the cranium, which indicated the importance of the early development of feeding organs. The initial formation of ossified vertebral columns was observed at DAB 13 (SL 26.48 ± 0.63 mm), with the complete ossification of all vertebrae occurring by DAB 45 (SL 54.87 ± 4.70 mm). Furthermore, the cranium, rings, and plates were all fully ossified by DAB 30. Ossification of the fins began at DAB 23 (SL 31.27 ± 4.05 mm). However, neither of them were fully ossified by DAB 100. The pelvic fin and the complete structure of the caudal fin were not observed, possibly because of caudal fin ray structure degeneration within the pouch. In addition, no skeletal deformities were observed in all the tested samples. The results of this study provide valuable information on the developmental biology of H. abdominalis, enriching our understanding of their growth and offering insights for optimizing fish fry breeding technologies.
Load Distribution Analysis and Contact Stiffness Prediction of the Dual-Drive Ball Screw Pair Considering Guide Rail Geometric Error and Slide Position
Authors: Liu Zhifeng , Zuo Weiliang , Qi Baobao , Chen Chuanhai , Guo Jinyan , Li Dong , Gao Shan
Published: December 2023

The dual-drive ball screw pair serves as a crucial element within the fixed gantry machine tool with cross-rail movement. When in service, the dual-drive ball screw pair experiences variations in axial load, impacting the contact load distribution of the ball screw pair. A calculation model for determining the axial load offset of the dual-drive ball screw pair is proposed to investigate the variation in axial load. The impact of the geometric error associated with the guide rail and the position of the slide are considered. This paper presents the contact load distribution model for the dual-drive ball screw pair. This study investigates the contact load and contact angle distribution of the dual-drive ball screw pair during the machine tool in service. Additionally, based on fractal theory, the stiffness models of individual micro-convex body and contact surfaces have been established. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the contact stiffness of the ball screw pair, considering the influence of guide rail geometric error and slide position. In addition, the three-dimensional surface morphology of ball screw pair is obtained by experiments. This paper investigates the contact stiffness distribution of dual-drive ball screw pair during service.
Identification of the Best Predictive Model for Mortality in Outborn Neonates—Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Ognean Maria Livia , Coțovanu Bianca , Teacoe Dumitru Alin , Radu Ioana Andrada , Todor Samuel Bogdan , Ichim Cristian , Mureșan Iris Codruța , Boicean Adrian-Gheorghe , Galiș Radu , Cucerea Manuela
Published: December 2023

Background: Transportation of sick newborns is a major predictor of outcome. Prompt identification of the sickest newborns allows adequate intervention and outcome optimization. An optimal scoring system has not yet been identified. Aim: To identify a rapid, accurate, and easy-to-perform score predictive for neonatal mortality in outborn neonates. Material and methods: All neonates admitted by transfer in a level III regional neonatal unit between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2021 were included. Infants with congenital critical abnormalities were excluded (N = 15). Gestational age (GA), birth weight (BW), Apgar score, place of birth, time between delivery and admission (AT), early onset sepsis, and sick neonatal score (SNS) were collected from medical records and tested for their association with mortality, including in subgroups (preterm vs. term infants); GA, BW, and AT were used to develop MSNS-AT score, to improve mortality prediction. The main outcome was all-cause mortality prediction. Univariable and multivariable analysis, including Cox regression, were performed, and odds ratio and hazard ratios were calculated were appropriate. Results: 418 infants were included; 217/403 infants were born prematurely (53.8%), and 20 died (4.96%). Compared with the survivors, the non-survivors had lower GA, BW, and SNS scores (p < 0.05); only the SNS scores remained lower in the subgroup analysis. Time to admission was associated with an increased mortality rate in the whole group and preterm infants (p < 0.05). In multiple Cox regression models, a cut-off value of MSNS-AT score ≤ 10 was more precise in predicting mortality as compared with SNS (AUC 0.735 vs. 0.775) in the entire group and in the preterm infants group (AUC 0.885 vs. 0.810). Conclusions: The new MSNS-AT score significantly improved mortality prediction at admission in the whole study group and in preterm infants as compared with the SNS score, suggesting that, besides GA and BW, AT may be decisive for the outcome of outborn preterm infants.
The Role of Knowledge on Nursing Students’ Attitudes toward Organ Donation: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Alwesmi Mai B. , Alharbi Amirah Ibrahim , Alsaiari Amjad Abdullah , Abu Alreesh Asalah Emad , Alasmari Bashair Abdullah , Alanazi May Awad , Alanizi May Khalil , Alsaif Nouf Mohammed , Alanazi Razan Mohammed , Alshdayed Sheikhah Abdullah , Alabbasi Yasmine
Published: December 2023

Background: Nursing students constitute the future nursing workforce; their knowledge can readily influence potential donors’ decisions on organ donation. This study aimed to assess nursing students’ knowledge of organ donation, determine its impact on their attitude, and identify relevant factors. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study assessed the level of knowledge and attitude toward organ donation among nursing students using the following two questionnaires: (1) knowledge about organ donation and (2) attitudes toward posthumous organ donation. Non-probability convenience sampling was employed to collect data. Results: A total of 278 nursing students demonstrated a low level of knowledge on organ donation, with a score of 6.43 out of 15. This influenced their attitude toward organ donation (χ2 (3) = 33.91, p < 0.001). Nursing students who were willing to donate their organs showed higher knowledge (7.33 ± 3.23) compared to those who were not willing to donate their organs (5.21 ± 3.09), p < 0.001. Registered donors had higher knowledge (8.52 ± 2.99) than non-donors (5.80 ± 3.17), p < 0.001. Conclusions: Even though nursing students typically favor organ donation, findings have revealed a low knowledge score. Therefore, it is necessary to improve knowledge of organ donation through nursing curricula and research, which could potentially increase the number of donors among future nursing students and, by extension, the broader population.
Psychological Health in Late Effects of Poliomyelitis: Ten-Year Follow-Up
Authors: Shiri Shimon , Marmor Anat , Jalagil Morad , Levine Hagai , Schwartz Isabella , Meiner Zeev
Published: December 2023

Background: Individuals with late effects of poliomyelitis (LEoP) cope with various physical and psychological symptoms throughout their entire life which become more severe as they are ageing. Objectives: To perform a 10-year follow-up of the functional status and levels of psychological health of individuals with LEoP and to examine the associations of hope levels, work status, health perceptions, and life satisfaction with functional and psychological changes. Design: A within-subject 10-year follow-up study. Participants: Eighty-two individuals with LEoP who participated in a previous study 10 years ago. Methods: Outcome measures included the functional status of individuals with LEoP assessed by the activities of daily living (ADL) questionnaire, emotional distress based on the Global Health Questionnaire (GHQ), hope based on the Hope Scale, life satisfaction as measured by the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and subjective health perception. The McNemar test, paired t-test, Spearman’s correlation coefficient, and linear regression were used for statistical analysis. Results: The mean age was 66.9 ± 8.5 years with a male–female ratio of 0.52. A significant functional deterioration was noticed during the follow-up years. Yet, the functional deterioration was not associated with changes in psychological health. Psychological health was associated with elevated levels of hope and life satisfaction. Individuals with LEoP who continued to work demonstrated higher psychological health, higher levels of hope, and greater life satisfaction. Conclusions: Individuals with LEoP demonstrated significant psychological health, manifested in their ability to block emotional distress and maintain life satisfaction despite the deterioration in their functional status. Hope and psychological health were associated with increased life satisfaction. Work appeared to be a significant source of psychological health in this population.
Knowledge-Based Intelligent Text Simplification for Biological Relation Extraction
Authors: Gill Jaskaran , Chetty Madhu , Lim Suryani , Hallinan Jennifer
Published: December 2023

Relation extraction from biological publications plays a pivotal role in accelerating scientific discovery and advancing medical research. While vast amounts of this knowledge is stored within the published literature, extracting it manually from this continually growing volume of documents is becoming increasingly arduous. Recently, attention has been focused towards automatically extracting such knowledge using pre-trained Large Language Models (LLM) and deep-learning algorithms for automated relation extraction. However, the complex syntactic structure of biological sentences, with nested entities and domain-specific terminology, and insufficient annotated training corpora, poses major challenges in accurately capturing entity relationships from the unstructured data. To address these issues, in this paper, we propose a Knowledge-based Intelligent Text Simplification (KITS) approach focused on the accurate extraction of biological relations. KITS is able to precisely and accurately capture the relational context among various binary relations within the sentence, alongside preventing any potential changes in meaning for those sentences being simplified by KITS. The experiments show that the proposed technique, using well-known performance metrics, resulted in a 21% increase in precision, with only 25% of sentences simplified in the Learning Language in Logic (LLL) dataset. Combining the proposed method with BioBERT, the popular pre-trained LLM was able to outperform other state-of-the-art methods.
Influence of the Cooling Rate on Austenite Ordering and Martensite Transformation in a Non-Stoichiometric Alloy Based on Ni-Mn-In
Authors: Kuznetsov Dmitriy , Kuznetsova Elena , Mashirov Alexey , Danilov Denis , Shandryuk Georgiy , Musabirov Irek , Shchetinin Igor , Prokunin Alexey , von Gratowski Svetlana , Shavrov Vladimir
Published: December 2023

The effect of the melt cooling rate on the atomic ordering of austenite and, as a consequence, on the martensitic transformation of a nonstoichiometric alloy of the Ni-Mn-In system has been studied. In situ TEM observations revealed differences in the mechanism of phase transformations of the alloy subjected to different cooling conditions. It is shown that during quenching a high density of antiphase boundaries (APB) is formed and the alloy is in the austenite–martensitic (10M and 14M) state up to a temperature of 120 K. In a slowly cooled alloy, a lower APB density is observed, and a two-stage transformation, L21/B2 → 10M → 14M, occurs in the range of 150–120 K.
Event-Triggered Path Following Robust Control of Underactuated Unmanned Surface Vehicles with Unknown Model Nonlinearity and Disturbances
Authors: Zhou Weixiang , Ning Mengyan , Ren Jian , Xu Jiqiang
Published: December 2023

An effective path-following controller is a guarantee for stable sailing of underactuated unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). This paper proposes an event-triggered robust control approach considering an unknown model nonlinearity, external disturbance, and event-triggered mechanism. The proposed method consists of guidance and dynamic control subsystems. Based on the tracking error dynamics equations, the guidance subsystem is designed to achieve the guidance law. For the dynamic control subsystem, the radial basis function neural networks (RBFNNs) are designed to approximate the unknown model nonlinearity and external disturbances to improve the robustness of the proposed method. In addition, an event-triggered mechanism is constructed to reduce the triggering times. The closed-loop system is proven to be stable, and the effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated through simulation results.
Mec1-Rad53 Signaling Regulates DNA Damage-Induced Autophagy and Pathogenicity in Candida albicans
Authors: Du Jiawen , Dong Yixuan , Zuo Wenjie , Deng Ying , Zhu Hangqi , Yu Qilin , Li Mingchun
Published: December 2023

DNA damage activates the DNA damage response and autophagy in C. albicans; however, the relationship between the DNA damage response and DNA damage-induced autophagy in C. albicans remains unclear. Mec1-Rad53 signaling is a critical pathway in the DNA damage response, but its role in DNA damage-induced autophagy and pathogenicity in C. albicans remains to be further explored. In this study, we compared the function of autophagy-related (Atg) proteins in DNA damage-induced autophagy and traditional macroautophagy and explored the role of Mec1-Rad53 signaling in regulating DNA damage-induced autophagy and pathogenicity. We found that core Atg proteins are required for these two types of autophagy, while the function of Atg17 is slightly different. Our results showed that Mec1-Rad53 signaling specifically regulates DNA damage-induced autophagy but has no effect on macroautophagy. The recruitment of Atg1 and Atg13 to phagophore assembly sites (PAS) was significantly inhibited in the mec1Δ/Δ and rad53Δ/Δ strains. The formation of autophagic bodies was obviously affected in the mec1Δ/Δ and rad53Δ/Δ strains. We found that DNA damage does not induce mitophagy and ER autophagy. We also identified two regulators of DNA damage-induced autophagy, Psp2 and Dcp2, which regulate DNA damage-induced autophagy by affecting the protein levels of Atg1, Atg13, Mec1, and Rad53. The deletion of Mec1 or Rad53 significantly reduces the ability of C. albicans to systematically infect mice and colonize the kidneys, and it makes C. albicans more susceptible to being killed by macrophages.
Exploring the Molecular Underpinnings of Cancer-Causing Oncohistone Mutants Using Yeast as a Model
Authors: Zhang Xinran , Fawwal Dorelle V. , Spangle Jennifer M. , Corbett Anita H. , Jones Celina Y.
Published: December 2023

Understanding the molecular basis of cancer initiation and progression is critical in developing effective treatment strategies. Recently, mutations in genes encoding histone proteins that drive oncogenesis have been identified, converting these essential proteins into “oncohistones”. Understanding how oncohistone mutants, which are commonly single missense mutations, subvert the normal function of histones to drive oncogenesis requires defining the functional consequences of such changes. Histones genes are present in multiple copies in the human genome with 15 genes encoding histone H3 isoforms, the histone for which the majority of oncohistone variants have been analyzed thus far. With so many wildtype histone proteins being expressed simultaneously within the oncohistone, it can be difficult to decipher the precise mechanistic consequences of the mutant protein. In contrast to humans, budding and fission yeast contain only two or three histone H3 genes, respectively. Furthermore, yeast histones share ~90% sequence identity with human H3 protein. Its genetic simplicity and evolutionary conservation make yeast an excellent model for characterizing oncohistones. The power of genetic approaches can also be exploited in yeast models to define cellular signaling pathways that could serve as actionable therapeutic targets. In this review, we focus on the value of yeast models to serve as a discovery tool that can provide mechanistic insights and inform subsequent translational studies in humans.
Does the Cultural Dimension Influence the Relationship between Firm Value and Board Gender Diversity in Saudi Arabia, Mediated by ESG Scoring?
Authors: Aladwey Laila Mohamed Alshawadfy , Alsudays Raghad Abdulkarim
Published: December 2023

The scarcity of female directors on Saudi boards is linked to cultural and social barriers deeply rooted in traditional masculine norms. Our study investigates the mediating role of ESG scores in the relationship between board gender diversity and firm value within the Saudi context. The Structural Equation Model (SEM) was utilized based on a sample of 54 Saudi-listed financial companies on (Tadawul) during 2021–2022. The study unveiled a negative correlation between female director presence and Saudi firm value. This association is attributed to the prevailing male-dominated Saudi societal norms, where boards with more female members may hesitate to prioritize performance-driven actions due to concerns about their perceived legitimacy within traditional gender roles. Conversely, a positive correlation was observed between female director presence and ESG scores, aligning with existing research highlighting the role of board gender diversity in improving sustainability performance. The sustainability framework prevails over the influence of gender diversity, fully integrating it within the broader context of sustainability to enhance the value of Saudi companies. Our results are consistent when considering alternative measures of firm value. Our findings offer valuable insights for investors assessing board gender diversity’s impact on company value and emphasize the role of gender diversity in enhancing sustainability. They suggest that greater female representation on boards is vital for ESG score improvement, promoting sustainable initiatives and overall firm value. This calls for policymakers to promote sustainability disclosures and establish guidelines for increased female board participation, considering the absence of mandatory quotas.
Bioinspired Design of Material Architecture for Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Pleasant Dairon , Gavin Connor , Redden Garrett , Nagel Jacquelyn , Zhang Hao
Published: December 2023

This research explores the enhancement of mechanical properties in material architectures, such as strength-to-weight ratio and resilience, through the inspiration of natural systems. Historically, designs for additive manufacturing have relied on simple, repetitive structures like honeycombs, often leading to unnecessary material expenditure. This study aims to examine the compressive mechanical attributes of designs inspired by natural systems, including bird nests, cocoons, and the layered structure of skull bones. Through a comparative analysis, we assessed peak load capacity, strength-to-weight ratio, and resilience between these bioinspired architectures and a standard 3D infill pattern utilized in additive manufacturing. Findings indicate that structures inspired by sandwiched bone layers excel in resilience and peak load, whereas those based on bird nests are notably lighter and, in some cases, exhibit the highest strength-to-weight ratio. The insights provided here will help design engineers with empirically backed mechanical properties of bioinspired architectures, offering a novel methodology for the development of material systems influenced by biological paradigms.
Sampling Importance Resampling Algorithm with Nonignorable Missing Response Variable Based on Smoothed Quantile Regression
Authors: Guo Jingxuan , Liu Fuguo , Härdle Wolfgang Karl , Zhang Xueliang , Wang Kai , Zeng Ting , Yang Liping , Tian Maozai
Published: December 2023

The presence of nonignorable missing response variables often leads to complex conditional distribution patterns that cannot be effectively captured through mean regression. In contrast, quantile regression offers valuable insights into the conditional distribution. Consequently, this article places emphasis on the quantile regression approach to address nonrandom missing data. Taking inspiration from fractional imputation, this paper proposes a novel smoothed quantile regression estimation equation based on a sampling importance resampling (SIR) algorithm instead of nonparametric kernel regression methods. Additionally, we present an augmented inverse probability weighting (AIPW) smoothed quantile regression estimation equation to reduce the influence of potential misspecification in a working model. The consistency and asymptotic normality of the empirical likelihood estimators corresponding to the above estimating equations are proven under the assumption of a correctly specified parameter working model. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the AIPW estimation equation converges to an IPW estimation equation when a parameter working model is misspecified, thus illustrating the robustness of the AIPW estimation approach. Through numerical simulations, we examine the finite sample properties of the proposed method when the working models are both correctly specified and misspecified. Furthermore, we apply the proposed method to analyze HIV—CD4 data, thereby exploring variations in treatment effects and the influence of other covariates across different quantiles.
Emotional Health and Climate-Change-Related Stressor Extraction from Social Media: A Case Study Using Hurricane Harvey
Authors: Bui Thanh , Hannah Andrea , Madria Sanjay , Nabaweesi Rosemary , Levin Eugene , Wilson Michael , Nguyen Long
Published: December 2023

Climate change has led to a variety of disasters that have caused damage to infrastructure and the economy with societal impacts to human living. Understanding people’s emotions and stressors during disaster times will enable preparation strategies for mitigating further consequences. In this paper, we mine emotions and stressors encountered by people and shared on Twitter during Hurricane Harvey in 2017 as a showcase. In this work, we acquired a dataset of tweets from Twitter on Hurricane Harvey from 20 August 2017 to 30 August 2017. The dataset consists of around 400,000 tweets and is available on Kaggle. Next, a BERT-based model is employed to predict emotions associated with tweets posted by users. Then, natural language processing (NLP) techniques are utilized on negative-emotion tweets to explore the trends and prevalence of the topics discussed during the disaster event. Using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling, we identified themes, enabling us to manually extract stressors termed as climate-change-related stressors. Results show that 20 climate-change-related stressors were extracted and that emotions peaked during the deadliest phase of the disaster. This indicates that tracking emotions may be a useful approach for studying environmentally determined well-being outcomes in light of understanding climate change impacts.
Optimal Designs for Direct Effects: The Case of Two Treatments and Five Periods
Authors: Chalikias Miltiadis S.
Published: December 2023

Cross-Over Designs or Repeated Measurements Designs are experimental designs in which treatments (e.g., medicines, fertilizers, diets) are applied to experimental units (usually humans) in different time periods. A common problem is to find the distribution of n experimental units in order to find the optimal experimental design for the well-known criteria of optimality (A, D, E optimality, etc.). If there is only one parameter of interest, the criterion is the minimization of the variance of the parameter estimator. In this case, a Repeated Measurements Design with one parameter of interest (the direct effect of the treatment) is examined and the distribution of n which minimizes the variance of that parameter is found. The objective of the research is the estimation of the variance of the Ordinal Least-Squares estimators of the Repeated Measurements Design model for two treatments and five periods. Heydayat and Afsarinejad introduced the basic model which is used. The optimal Repeated Measurements Designs are derived for n experimental units. Optimality criterion is the minimization of the variance of the estimated direct effects.
Effects of 2-Phenylethanol on Controlling the Development of Fusarium graminearum in Wheat
Authors: Sun Shufang , Tang Nawen , Han Kun , Wang Qunqing , Xu Qian
Published: December 2023

Applying plant-derived fungicides is a safe and sustainable way to control wheat scab. In this study, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of wheat cultivars with and without the resistance gene Fhb1 were analyzed by GC-MS, and 2-phenylethanol was screened out. The biocontrol function of 2-phenylethanol on Fusarium graminearum was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Metabolomics analysis indicated that 2-phenylethanol altered the amino acid pathways of F. graminearum, affecting its normal life activities. Under SEM and TEM observation, the mycelial morphology changed, and the integrity of the cell membrane was destroyed. Furthermore, 2-phenylethanol could inhibit the production of mycotoxins (DON, 3-ADON, 15-ADON) by F. graminearum and reduce grain contamination. This research provides new ideas for green prevention and control of wheat FHB in the field.
Antimicrobial Activity of Stilbenes from Bletilla striata against Cutibacterium acnes and Its Effect on Cell Membrane
Authors: Yu Qian , Sun Luyao , Peng Fu , Sun Chen , Xiong Fang , Sun Meiji , Liu Juan , Peng Cheng , Zhou Qinmei
Published: December 2023

The abnormal proliferation of Cutibacterium acnes is the main cause of acne vulgaris. Natural antibacterial plant extracts have gained great interest due to the efficacy and safety of their use in skin care products. Bletilla striata is a common externally used traditional Chinese medicine, and several of its isolated stilbenes were reported to exhibit good antibacterial activity. In this study, the antimicrobial activity of stilbenes from B. striata (BSS) against C. acnes and its potential effect on cell membrane were elucidated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), bacterial growth curve, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels, membrane potential (MP), and the expression of genes related to fatty acid biosynthesis in the cell membrane. In addition, the morphological changes in C. acnes by BSS were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Experimentally, we verified that BSS possessed significant antibacterial activity against C. acnes, with an MIC and MBC of 15.62 μg/mL and 62.5 μg/mL, respectively. The growth curve indicated that BSS at 2 MIC, MIC, 1/2 MIC, and 1/4 MIC concentrations inhibited the growth of C. acnes. TEM images demonstrated that BSS at an MIC concentration disrupted the morphological structure and cell membrane in C. acnes. Furthermore, the BSS at the 2 MIC, MIC, and 1/2 MIC concentrations caused a decrease in the intracellular ATP levels and the depolarization of the cell membrane as well as BSS at an MIC concentration inhibited the expression of fatty acid biosynthesis-associated genes. In conclusion, BSS could exert good antimicrobial activity by interfering with cell membrane in C. acnes, which have the potential to be developed as a natural antiacne additive.
Long COVID or Post-COVID-19 Condition: Past, Present and Future Research Directions
Authors: Fernández-de-las-Peñas César , Raveendran Arkiath Veettil , Giordano Rocco , Arendt-Nielsen Lars
Published: December 2023

The presence of symptoms after an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection (long-COVID) has become a worldwide healthcare emergency but remains underestimated and undertreated due to a lack of recognition of the condition and knowledge of the underlying mechanisms. In fact, the prevalence of post-COVID symptoms ranges from 50% during the first months after the infection up to 20% two-years after. This perspective review aimed to map the existing literature on post-COVID symptoms and to identify gaps in the literature to guide the global effort toward an improved understanding of long-COVID and suggest future research directions. There is a plethora of symptomatology that can be due to COVID-19; however, today, there is no clear classification and definition of this condition, termed long-COVID or post-COVID-19 condition. The heterogeneity in the symptomatology has led to the presence of groups/clusters of patients, which could exhibit different risk factors and different mechanisms. Viral persistence, long-lasting inflammation, immune dysregulation, autoimmune reactions, reactivation of latent infections, endothelial dysfunction and alteration in gut microbiota have been proposed as potential mechanisms explaining the complexity of long-COVID. In such an equation, viral biology (e.g., re-infections, SARS-CoV-2 variants), host biology (e.g., genetics, epigenetics) and external factors (e.g., vaccination) should be also considered. These various factors will be discussed in the current perspective review and future directions suggested.
Regulation of Macrophage Polarization in Allergy by Noncoding RNAs
Authors: Ishibashi Osamu , Muljo Stefan A. , Islam Zohirul
Published: December 2023

Allergy is a type 2 immune reaction triggered by antigens known as allergens, including food and environmental substances such as peanuts, plant pollen, fungal spores, and the feces and debris of mites and insects. Macrophages are myeloid immune cells with phagocytic abilities that process exogenous and endogenous antigens. Upon activation, they can produce effector molecules such as cytokines as well as anti-inflammatory molecules. The dysregulation of macrophage function can lead to excessive type 1 inflammation as well as type 2 inflammation, which includes allergic reactions. Thus, it is important to better understand how macrophages are regulated in the pathogenesis of allergies. Emerging evidence highlights the role of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) in macrophage polarization, which in turn can modify the pathogenesis of various immune-mediated diseases, including allergies. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding this topic and considers three classes of ncRNAs: microRNAs, long ncRNAs, and circular ncRNAs. Understanding the roles of these ncRNAs in macrophage polarization will provide new insights into the pathogenesis of allergies and identify potential novel therapeutic targets.
Optical Phased Array-Based Laser Beam Array Subdivide Pixel Method for Improving Three-Dimensional Imaging Resolution
Authors: Wang Shuai , Yuan Gang , Wang Kun-Peng , Sun Guang-De , Liu Lei , Li Ling , Zhang Bing , Quan Lin
Published: December 2023

The small number of pixels in the current linear mode avalanche photodiode (LM-APD) array limits its three-dimensional (3D) imaging resolution. We use an optical phased array-based beam array subdivided pixel method to improve the 3D imaging resolution, using an optical phased array to generate a beam array with the same number of pixels as the LM-APD array and matching positions and controlling each sub-beam in the beam array to scan in the field of view of the corresponding pixel. The sub-beam divergence angle in the beam array is smaller than the instantaneous field of view angle of a single pixel in the LM-APD array. The sub-beam scanning in a single pixel’s field of view realizes the multiple acquisition of the target 3D information by the LM-APD array, thus improving the resolution of the LM-APD array. The distribution of the beam array in the far field is simulated, and the main performance parameters of 3D imaging are analyzed. Finally, a liquid crystal phase modulator is used as an optical phased array device to conduct experiments on a target 20 m away, and the results prove that our method can improve the resolution from 4 × 4 to 8 × 8, which can be improved at least four times.
Signal-to-Noise Ratio Improvement for Phase-Sensitive Optical Time-Domain Reflectometry Using a Genetic Least Mean Square Method
Authors: Liu Xin , Liu Zhihua , Zhou Xiaoxu , Wang Yu , Bai Qing , Jin Baoquan
Published: December 2023

In this paper, a genetic least mean square (GLMS) method is proposed to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of acoustic signal reconstruction in a phase-sensitive optical time-domain reflectometry system. The raw demodulated signal is processed via applying the least mean square criterion. The SNR of the processed signal was calculated and served as the objective function in the fitness evaluation procedure. The genetic operations of the population selection, crossover, and mutation are sequentially performed and repeated until the suspensive condition is reached. Through multiple iterations, the GLMS method continuously optimized the population to find the optimal solution. Experimental results demonstrate that the SNR is substantially improved by 14.37–23.60 dB in the monotonic scale audio signal test from 60 to 1000 Hz. Furthermore, the improvement of the phase reconstruction of a human voice audio signal is also validated by exploiting the proposed GLMS method.
Influence of Positive Guide Vane Geometric Parameters on the Head-Flow Curve of the Multistage Pump as Turbine
Authors: Wang Shicheng , Yang Junhu , Xu Guobin
Published: December 2023

In order to reduce the impact of production changes on the performances of pumps as turbines (PATs) in the process industry, it is imperative to lessen head variations at different mass flow rates. This study established a relationship equation between theoretical head and geometric parameters for multistage PATs. The influence of these parameters on the flatness of the head-flow (H-Q) curve was determined through derivation methods. The original PAT was a two-stage pump, and 12 PAT models were designed by modifying the geometric parameters of the positive guide vanes. Fluent software was employed for numerical simulations. The study found that numerical calculations aligned well with theoretical derivations for the flat H-Q curve. Considering the geometric variations in the positive guide vane, increasing the outlet placement angle, blade number, and throat area or decreasing the base circle diameter was able to flatten the H-Q curve effectively; at the best efficiency point, the throat area had the most significant impact on a slope, followed by the outlet placement angle, blade number, and base circle diameter, respectively. The individual contributions to reducing the slope were 0.53, 0.24, 0.1, and 0.09. In terms of the best efficiency point (BEP) of PATs, increasing the throat area appropriately was able to improve the BEP of the PAT by around 1.65% and shifted its BEP towards higher flow rates. However, in other cases, the BEPs all decreased. Increasing the outlet placement angle of the positive guide vane by 3° led to the BEP being reduced by 0.79%. When the number of positive guide vane blades was increased from 8 to 10, the BEP decreased by 1.24%. When the diameter of the base circle of the positive guide vane was decreased, the BEP of the turbine decreased by 0.06%. This study provides theoretical support and can serve as a reference for the design of multistage hydraulic turbines with flatter H-Q curves.