bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Propagation of sharp wave‐ripple activity in the mouse hippocampal CA3 subfield in vitro
Authors: Schieferstein Natalie , del Toro Ana , Evangelista Roberta , Imbrosci Barbara , Swaminathan Aarti , Schmitz Dietmar , Maier Nikolaus , Kempter Richard
Published: August 2024

Sharp wave‐ripple complexes (SPW‐Rs) are spontaneous oscillatory events that characterize hippocampal activity during resting periods and slow‐wave sleep. SPW‐Rs are related to memory consolidation – the process during which newly acquired memories are transformed into long‐lasting memory traces. To test the involvement of SPW‐Rs in this process, it is crucial to understand how SPW‐Rs originate and propagate throughout the hippocampus. SPW‐Rs can originate in CA3, and they typically spread from CA3 to CA1, but little is known about their formation within CA3. To investigate the generation and propagation of SPW‐Rs in CA3, we recorded from mouse hippocampal slices using multi‐electrode arrays and patch‐clamp electrodes. We characterized extracellular and intracellular correlates of SPW‐Rs and quantified their propagation along the pyramidal cell layer of CA3. We found that a hippocampal slice can be described by a speed and a direction of propagation of SPW‐Rs. The preferred propagation direction was from CA3c (the subfield closer to the dentate gyrus) toward CA3a (the subfield at the boundary to CA2). In patch‐clamp recordings from CA3 pyramidal neurons, propagation was estimated separately for excitatory and inhibitory currents associated with SPW‐Rs. We found that propagation speed and direction of excitatory and inhibitory currents were correlated. The magnitude of the speed of propagation of SPW‐Rs within CA3 was consistent with the speed of propagation of action potentials in axons of CA3 principal cells.

image

Key points

Hippocampal sharp waves are considered important for memory consolidation; therefore, it is of interest to understand the mechanisms of their generation and propagation.

Here, we used two different approaches to study the propagation of sharp waves in mouse CA3 in vitro: multi‐electrode arrays and multiple single‐cell recordings.

We find a preferred direction of propagation of sharp waves from CA3c toward CA3a – both in the local field potential and in sharp wave‐associated excitatory and inhibitory synaptic activity.

The speed of sharp wave propagation is consistent with the speed of action potential propagation along the axons of CA3 pyramidal neurons.

These new insights into the dynamics of sharp waves in the CA3 network will inform future experiments and theoretical models of sharp‐wave generation mechanisms.
DNA BARCODING OF HIPPOPHAE RHAMNOIDES L. COLLECTED FROM NATURAL AND INTRODUCED POPULATIONS IN KAZAKHSTAN
Authors: Almerekova S. , Yermagambetova M. , Sumbembayev A. , Imanbayeva A. , Turuspekov Y.
Published: August 2024

In this study, we analyzed eight samples of Hippophae rhamnoides L. collected in Kazakhstan, along with twenty-five samples of Hippophae species and three outgroup species from NCBI GenBank, using ITS sequences. The alignment of the ITS sequences, which was 639 bp in length with outgroup samples and 642 bp without them, revealed polymorphism, with 31 positions (4.85%) being polymorphic among the ingroup samples. The highest number of polymorphic sites was found in ITS1 (13 sites), followed by ITS2 (10 sites) and the 5.8S rRNA region (8 sites). The maximum likelihood (ML) phylogenetic tree delineated four distinct clades within the Hippophae species. The H. rhamnoides samples from northeastern Kazakhstan clustered with H. rhamnoides ssp. mongolica from GenBank suggests a close genetic relationship. Introduced samples formed separate subclades and clustered with various subspecies from GenBank. Notably, hybrid peaks were observed in the ITS sequences of introduced plants, which were not present in samples from natural populations. This study underscores the utility of ITS sequences in identifying plants from natural and introduced populations of H. rhamnoides and highlights the marker's importance in plant genetic research and biodiversity conservation.
SSR-BASED ASSESSMENT OF GENETIC DIVERSITY IN BARLEY COLLECTION FROM THE STATE COMMISSION FOR VARIETY TESTING OF AGRICULTURAL CROPS OF KAZAKHSTAN
Authors: Genievskaya Yu. , Azhgaliev T. , Abugalieva S. , Turuspekov Y.
Published: August 2024

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a globally significant cereal crop with a substantial production footprint. As a versatile commodity, it serves as a primary resource for animal feed, malting, and human consumption. Genetic diversity among 49 barley accessions procured from the State Commission for Variety Testing of Agricultural Crops in Kazakhstan was assessed using a set of 21 SSR markers associated with various agronomic traits. The collection exhibited moderate genetic diversity, as indicated by a mean polymorphic information content (PIC) of 0.548 ± 0.153 and a mean Shannon's information index (I) of 0.980 ± 0.317, aligning with previously reported estimates of barley genetic variation in the World. STRUCTURE analysis identified three distinct population clusters (K = 3) using Bayesian clustering and DeltaK, which was confirmed by PCoA results. However, neighbor-joining tree analysis revealed a more detailed population structure with six distinct clusters, indicating substantial genetic diversity within the barley collection. Distinct phenotypic variations were observed among identified genetic clusters, implying a strong association between genetic diversity and agronomic traits, including plant height, kernel number per spike, and grain yield. Seven barley accessions (GSI_B_60, GSI_B_82, GSI_B_216, GSI_B_85, GSI_B_96, GSI_B_141, and GSI_B_208) forming a cluster NJ_tree_2 demonstrated the highest mean grain yield of 50.99 ± 2.95 g/ m2. This specific cluster and its constituent accessions exhibit promising potential for development into high-yielding cultivars or as a valuable source of beneficial alleles for barley breeding initiatives.
Schizophrenia and papillary thyroid carcinoma in an adolescent female with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome
Authors: Feng-Gu Emily , McQuillan Lara , Assan Ben , Coffey Catherine
Published: August 2024

22q11.2 deletion syndrome is a condition with complex multisystem involvement, and many clinicians will encounter patients living with the condition. 22q11.2 deletion syndrome is known to significantly increase the risk of psychosis, and there is some emerging evidence that 22q11.2 deletion syndrome may be associated with an increased risk of malignancy. We report on a case of an adolescent female who had a delayed diagnosis of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome after she developed severe psychosis at an early age. She was subsequently diagnosed in late adolescence with papillary thyroid carcinoma. This case contributes to the limited body of evidence regarding the treatment of psychosis secondary to 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and the potential increased risk of malignancy associated with the genetic condition.
Achieving universal health coverage; implementation of the ‘supporting physician retention in deprived areas’ programme in Iran
Authors: Pouraghasi Leila , Manavi Saeed , Foruzanfar Faeze , Olyaeemanesh Alireza
Published: August 2024

From the WHO’s perspective, trained and motivated healthcare workers can promote community access to essential health services in deprived areas; this could also help achieve the millennium development goals. The concentration of healthcare workers in the capital has caused a lack of them in deprived areas and made delivering services difficult in almost all rural and underdeveloped areas. So, one of the main concerns of all health systems is planning to attract and keep physicians in underprivileged areas.

The number of retained physicians has tripled.

24/7 coverage of specialised medical services in the hospital has been provided.

People’s access to health care has improved.

Dispatching of patients to other cities’ hospitals for essential medical services has been minimised by providing it locally.

Illegal payments have been eliminated.

This practice study aims to present Iran’s Universal Health Coverage approach to addressing the lack of access to physicians in deprived areas through the ‘supporting physician retention in deprived areas’ programme and demonstrate its outcomes from 2014 to 2016. This national programme is designed to improve people’s access to high-quality health services and reduce out-of-pocket payments at hospitals in underdeveloped areas.

The number of retained physicians has tripled.

24/7 coverage of specialised medical services in the hospital has been provided.

People’s access to health care has improved.

Dispatching of patients to other cities’ hospitals for essential medical services has been minimised by providing it locally.

Illegal payments have been eliminated.

The programme began by ranking all the cities in the country based on socioeconomic indicators. Then, 302 regions in 30 provinces of Iran were selected and classified into four groups. Finally, each group’s incentive package was defined, consisting of a combination of fixed and performance-oriented payments. This programme has obtained the following achievements in the deprived areas:

The number of retained physicians has tripled.

24/7 coverage of specialised medical services in the hospital has been provided.

People’s access to health care has improved.

Dispatching of patients to other cities’ hospitals for essential medical services has been minimised by providing it locally.

Illegal payments have been eliminated.
Predicting poor mental health among older Syrian refugees in Lebanon during the COVID-19 pandemic: a nested cross-sectional study
Authors: Abi Zeid Berthe , Farouki Leen , El Khoury Tanya , Sibai Abla M. , Mendes de Leon Carlos F , Alawieh Marwan F , Ramadan Zeinab , Abdulrahim Sawsan , Ghattas Hala , McCall Stephen J
Published: August 2024

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened pre-existing vulnerabilities among older Syrian refugees in Lebanon, potentially impacting their mental health. The study aims to describe the evolution of poor mental health over time and to develop and internally validate a prediction model for poor mental health among older Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

Methods

This prognostic study used cross-sectional data from a multiwave telephone survey in Lebanon. It was conducted among all Syrian refugees aged 50 years or older from households that received assistance from a humanitarian organisation. Data were collected between 22 September 2020 and 20 January 2021. Poor mental health was defined as a Mental Health Inventory-5 score of 60 or less. The predictors were identified using backwards stepwise logistic regression. The model was internally validated using bootstrapping. The calibration of the model was presented using the calibration slope (C-slope), and the discrimination was presented using the optimised adjusted C-statistic.

Results

There were 3229 participants (median age=56 years (IQR=53–62)) and 47.5% were female. The prevalence of poor mental health was 76.7%. Predictors for poor mental health were younger age, food insecurity, water insecurity, lack of legal residency documentation, irregular employment, higher intensity of bodily pain, having debt and having chronic illnesses. The final model demonstrated good discriminative ability (C-statistic: 0.69 (95% CI 0.67 to 0.72)) and calibration (C-slope 0.93 (95%CI 0.82 to 1.07)).

Conclusion

Mental health predictors were related to basic needs, rights and financial barriers. These allow humanitarian organisations to identify high-risk individuals, organise interventions and address root causes to boost resilience and well-being among older Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
Monoclonal gammopathy in systemic lupus erythematosus is associated with distinctive clinical course, malignancy and mortality rate: a single-centre retrospective cohort study
Authors: Siwiec-Kozlik Andzelika , Kozlik-Siwiec Pawel , Spalkowska Magdalena , Korkosz Mariusz , Kosalka-Wegiel Joanna
Published: August 2024

Objectives

Rheumatic diseases were previously associated with increased incidence of monoclonal gammopathy (MG) and its malignant transformation. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence, malignant transformation risk, clinical correlates and prognostic impact of MG in SLE.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study based on the medical records of n=1039 patients with SLE fulfilling the 1997 American College of Rheumatology (ACR), the 2019 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR)/ACR and/or the 2012 Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) criteria managed at two tertiary care departments of the University Hospital (Krakow, Poland) from January 2012 until November 2019.

Results

SLE+MG cases were older at SLE diagnosis compared with non-MG SLE controls (53±15 years vs 37±15 years, respectively, p<0.01), had higher rates of lymphopenia, anaemia, haemolysis, serous effusions and interstitial lung disease (all p<0.05), and were more frequently treated with cyclophosphamide (57% vs 28%, p<0.01) or rituximab (13% vs 3%, p<0.01). Most MG cases were detected within a year after SLE diagnosis (Q25, Q75: 0, 12 years). With the median follow-up of 11 years (Q25, Q75: 6, 19 years), 34.8% (8 cases) of the SLE+MG cohort were diagnosed with malignancy, compared with 8.1% (82 cases) among the SLE controls (p<0.001). MG was associated with the relative hazard of death of HR 2.99 (95% CI 1.26 to 7.06, p<0.05) and a median survival time from SLE diagnosis to death of 5 years (Q25, Q75: 1, 14; range 0–41) for SLE+MG cases, as compared with 12 years (Q25, Q75: 6, 19; range 0–62) for the controls. The effect was non-independent on antimalarial medication use.

Conclusions

Our study emphasises heightened malignancy and mortality rates in SLE+MG cases. The association between immunosuppression, MG incidence and progression warrants further research.
On interpretation of fluctuations of conserved charges at high T
Authors: Cohen T. D. , Glozman L. Ya.
Published: August 2024

Fluctuations of conserved charges calculated on the lattice which can be measured experimentally, are well reproduced by a hadron resonanse gas model at temperatures below $$T_{ch} \sim 155$$

T

ch

∼
155

MeV and radically deviate from the hadron resonance gas predictions above the chiral restoration crossover. This behaviour is typically interpreted as an indication of deconfinement in the quark-gluon plasma regime. We present an argument that this interpretation may be too simple. The argument is based on the scaling of quantities with the number of colors: demonstration of deconfinement and QGP requires observable that is sensitive to $$\sim N_c^2$$

∼

N
c
2

gluons while the conserved charges are sensitive only to quarks and above $$T_{ch}$$

T

ch

scale as $$N_c^1$$

N
c
1

. The latter scaling is consistent with the existence of an intermediate regime characterized by restored chiral symmetry and by approximate chiral spin symmetry which is a symmetry of confining interaction. In this regime the energy density, pressure and entropy density scale as $$N_c^1$$

N
c
1

. In the large $$N_c$$

N
c

limit this regime might become a distinct phase separated from the hadron gas and from QGP by phase transitions. A natural observable that associates with deconfinement and is directly sensitive to deconfined $$N_c^2-1$$

N
c
2

-
1

gluons is the Polyakov loop; in the $$N_c=3$$

N
c

=
3

world it remains very close to 0 at temperatures well above chiral crossover, reaches the value $$\sim 0.5$$

∼
0.5

around $$\sim 3T_{ch}$$

∼
3

T

ch

and the value close to 1 at temperatures $$\sim 1$$

∼
1

GeV.
Analytical solutions to Einstein field equations for spherically symmetric anisotropic matter: a comparative study using Tolman VII metric potential
Authors: Gedela Satyanarayan , Bisht Ravindra K.
Published: August 2024

In this paper, we present analytical solutions to the Einstein field equations for spherically symmetric anisotropic matter distributions using the well-established Tolman VII metric potential, chosen for its strong physical and mathematical foundations. Our solutions are derived using three distinct approaches: the vanishing complexity factor condition (VCC), the embedding class I condition (ECC), and the conformally flat condition (CFC). We conduct a comprehensive comparative analysis of these three approaches. By ensuring a smooth match between the interior spacetime metric and the exterior Schwarzschild metric, and applying the condition of vanishing radial pressure at the boundary, we determine the model parameters. We graphically assess the model’s stability by examining conditions such as causality, the adiabatic index, equations of state, and the generalized Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkov (TOV) equation, considering the forces acting within the system. Additionally, the effects of anisotropy on the stars’ physical characteristics are investigated through graphical representations.
Green synthesis of Cu/CuO nanoparticles usingCuscuta reflexaplant as an innovative organic insecticide
Authors: Chaudhari Sushilkumar , Shinde Bapusaheb , Abdullah Mahmood , Inamdar Akbar , Shinde Poonam , Inamdar Shaukatali
Published: August 2024

Cu/CuO nanoparticles (NPs) have received extensive attention owing to their tremendous antifungal and antibacterial properties. Cu/CuO NPs are used in diverse fields, viz. electronics, catalysis, photonics, biosensing, optoelectronics and many more. Herein, we described the green synthesis of Cu/CuO NPs using Cuscuta reflexa (Amarvel) plant material at room temperature. The prepared NPs were characterized by routine technique, viz. XRD, UV-Vis, SEM and TEM. The typical size found was merely 7–10[Formula: see text]nm using the TEM technique. The as-prepared solution of NPs was tested against the Diptera larval nymph of mosquitoes. These mosquitoes breed in monsoon (rainy season) in stagnant water. It is observed that NPs were very effective against these larvae, which were killed overnight when just four drops of the as-prepared NPs solution were directly added to a 10[Formula: see text]ml water sample containing mosquito larvae. Overall, the biosynthesized Cu/CuO NPs showed good insecticidal activity against the parasitic disease malaria-causing Anopheles mosquitoes in the larval stage itself. We believe the outcome will lead to a new era in the preparation of innovative organic insecticides.
Flexible Dual Multi-Modal Hashing for Incomplete Multi-Modal Retrieval
Authors: Wei Yuhong , An Junfeng
Published: August 2024

Multimodal hashing aims to efficiently integrate multi-source data into a unified discrete Hamming space, facilitating fast similarity searches with minimal query and storage overhead. Traditional multimodal hashing assumes that data from different sources are fully observed, an assumption that fails in real-world scenarios involving large-scale multimodal data, thereby compromising conventional methods. To address these limitations during both training and retrieval, our approach manages dual-stage data missing, occurring in both phases. In this paper, we introduce a novel framework called Flexible Dual Multimodal Hashing (FDMH), which recovers missing data at both stages by jointly leveraging low-dimensional data relations and semantic graph structural relationships in multi-source data, achieving promising performance in incomplete multimodal retrieval. We transform the original features into anchor graphs and use existing modalities to reconstruct the anchor graphs of missing modalities. Based on these anchor graphs, we perform weight-adaptive fusion in the semantic space, supervised by original semantic labels, and apply a tensor nuclear norm to enforce consistency constraints on the projection matrices across different modalities. Furthermore, our method flexibly fuses existing and recovered modalities during retrieval. We validate the effectiveness of our approach through extensive experiments on four large-scale multimodal datasets, demonstrating its robust performance in real-world dual-missing retrieval scenarios.
Dicationic salt of β-alkyl substituted sapphyrin-type porphyrinoid: Acid-basic properties, thermal stability and quantum-chemical calculations
Authors: Likhonina Anastasia E. , Krest’yaninov Mikhail A. , Petrova Dar’ya V. , Semeikin Alexander S. , Berezin Dmitry B.
Published: August 2024

The UV-Vis spectra of the dicationic salt of 2,3,7,13,17,18,18,22,23-octamethyl-8,12-diethylsapphyrin {H5β-Me8Et2Sap2+(Cl−)2} in solutions with different polarity and acid-basic properties have been investigated. The tautomeric and acid-base equilibria of H5β-Me8Et2Sap2+(Cl−)2 in the presence of organic bases have been examined by spectrophotometric titration. It was demonstrated that an addition of small amounts of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undecene (DBU) and tetramethylammonium hydroxide (Me4NOH) dissolved in methylene chloride (DCM) and MeOH, respectively results in a stepwise detachment of two protons from the basic nitrogen atoms of the macrocycle, with no anionic forms of sapphyrin being registered. The results obtained were supported using quantum-chemical calculations (DFT, B3LYP, cc-pVDZ including NBO analysis). The interactions of 2,3,7,13,17,18,18,22,23-octamethyl-8,12-diethylsapphyrin (H3β-Me8Et2Sap) with a series of compounds of different acidity and basicity were studied and the formation of very weak hydrogen bond of H3β-Me8Et2Sap as NH-acid with N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) molecule with the value of the interaction energy (Eint equal -16.40 kJ/mol was revealed. The low acidity of bonds NH in the sapphyrin molecule was confirmed on the base of thermogravimetric data obtained for the solid samples of H5β-Me8Et2Sap2+(Cl−)2 evaporated from DMF and DCM concentrated solutions.
Transition metal azahemiporphycenes as singlet oxygen sensitizers
Authors: Alemayehu Abraham B. , Gagnon Kevin J. , Rousselin Yoann , Schmallegger Max , Borisov Sergey M. , Ghosh Abhik
Published: August 2024

Using free-base tris([Formula: see text]-X-phenyl)corrole (X = H, Me, OMe) as starting materials and 4-aminotriazole as the nitrogen source, we used a DDQ-mediated, room-temperature strategy for generating isocorroles to obtain the corresponding 6-azahemiporphycenes, H2[X-AHP], one of which was structurally characterized with single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The free-base ligands were readily derivatized to their Pd(II), Pt(II), and Mn(II) complexes; of these, one Pd(II) complex was structurally characterized. Three of the complexes, M[Me-AHP] (M = Pd, Pt, Mn), were singled out for photophysical and singlet oxygen sensitization studies. Although none of the new complexes proved luminescent, Pd[Me-AHP] was found to be an excellent singlet oxygen sensitizer, with a singlet oxygen quantum yield of 84% in 9:1 v/v ethanol:tetrahydrofuran at room temperature. The corresponding value for Pt[Me-AHP] was found to be only 11% and that for Mn[Me-AHP] was essentially 0%. These singlet oxygen quantum yields were consonant with triplet lifetimes accessed via transition absorption spectroscopy. Combined with their strong absorption in the red, these findings suggest that palladium 6-azahemiporphycenes are worthy of exploration as a new class of triplet photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy of cancer and other diseases.
X, Y, and Z Subgroups of the Unitary Group
Authors: De Vos Alexis
Published: August 2024

The subgroups XU(2), YU(2), and ZU(2) of the unitary group U(2) allow to find twenty-four different decompositions of an arbitrary [Formula: see text] unitary matrix. Because the group YU(2) has not been considered before, 20 out of the 24 decompositions are new. Introducing this YU(2) group allows to highlight, within quantum circuit design, a symmetry similar to the threefold symmetry of the Pauli matrices of spin systems. Similar subgroups of the unitary group U([Formula: see text]) lead to various new decompositions of an arbitrary [Formula: see text] unitary matrix. Whereas for [Formula: see text] equal 2, this leads to the synthesis of single-qubit quantum gates, for [Formula: see text] equal a power of 2, this leads to new design methods for multiple-qubit circuits.
Assessing the Impact of Alerts on the Human Supervisor’s Decision-Making Performance in Multi-Robot Missions
Authors: Al-Hussaini Sarah , Guan Yuxiang , Gregory Jason M. , Pollard Kimberly , Khooshabeh Peter , Gupta Satyandra K.
Published: August 2024

Multi-robot teams can be very useful in a wide variety of search and rescue missions in challenging environments. In a mission with considerable uncertainty due to intermittent communications, degraded information flow, and failures, humans need to assess both the current and expected future states and update task assignments in human-robot teams as quickly as possible. We have developed an alert generation framework that can perform risk assessment and robot tasking suggestions to assist human supervisors. Our approach for task assignment suggestion generation combines heuristics-based task selection with forward simulation-based probabilistic assessment. As the characteristics of decision aids can largely vary human performance, an alert system may or may not improve decision-making. We aim to configure our framework with a goal to improve human decision-making performance. Towards that, we present some preliminary user studies and design reasoning, which informed our final comprehensive human subject study. We demonstrate in the study that supervisors can improve their decision-making abilities, make faster decisions, and increase mission performance by using our alert generation framework. Our empirical findings also show that our framework does not require significant training and that people with a higher level of trust in automation perform better when provided with alerts. We also find that people with certain personality traits such as high agreeableness and conscientiousness are the most benefited by alerts.
Adapting to My User, Engaging with My Robot: An Adaptive Affective Architecture for a Social Assistive Robot
Authors: Maroto-Gómez Marcos , Lewis Matthew , Castro-González Álvaro , Malfaz María , Salichs Miguel Ángel , Cañamero Lola
Published: August 2024

Affective feedback from social robots is a useful technique for communicating to people whether they are interacting “well” with the robot or not. However, some users, such as people with physical or cognitive difficulties, may not be able to interact in all the desired ways. In these cases, affective feedback from the robot could be excessively negative—an “unhappy” robot, leading to an unrewarding experience for the user. This article presents a motivation-based architecture for an autonomous multimodal social robot, that incorporates an affective feedback mechanism which generates an affective state by combining the internal needs of the robot and the social interaction quality. The balance between these two factors can dynamically change, allowing the robot to adapt its affective feedback to the user's interaction style and capabilities. We have implemented this architecture in a simulation and in a MiRo social robot, and report experiments examining the behavior of the system in interactions with different experimental user profiles. The results show that the adaptive mechanism allows the robot to change its affective feedback to give more positive encouragement to users than in non-adaptive cases.
Quantum Informative Analysis in Smart Power Distribution
Authors: Ahanger Tariq Ahamed , Bhatia Munish , Aldaej Abdulaziz
Published: August 2024

Advancements in the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm have greatly improved the quality of services in the electricity industry through the integration of smart energy distribution and dependable electric devices. Conspicuously, the current research introduces a method for managing electricity consumption in smart residences using IoT-Fog technology, focusing on efficient energy allocation and real-time energy needs. The study specifically examines the effectiveness of electricity grid sub-stations in distributing energy using fog computing technology. By utilizing a quantum computing-assisted approach, optimal energy distribution is achieved by calculating a novel Electricity Usage Measure (EUM) based on actual energy usage patterns of smart homes. Furthermore, the Quantumized Neural Network (QiM-NN) technique is developed to forecast the electricity distribution over grid substations. For performance assessment, 4-month data are collected using four smart houses. Comparative analysis with existing data assessment techniques illustrates the effectiveness in terms of Temporal Delay (6.33 ms), Optimization Performance (Specificity (93.00%), Sensitivity (90.86%), Precision (96.66%), Coverage (96.66 %), Reliability (93.76%), and Stability (71%).
Adversarial Attacks and Countermeasures on Image Classification-based Deep Learning Models in Autonomous Driving Systems: A Systematic Review
Authors: Badjie Bakary , Cecílio José , Casimiro Antonio
Published: August 2024

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and breakthroughs in Internet of Things (IoT) technologies have driven the innovation of advanced autonomous driving systems (ADSs). Image classification deep learning (DL) algorithms immensely contribute to the decision-making process in ADSs, showcasing their capabilities in handling complex real-world driving scenarios, surpassing human driving intelligence. However, these algorithms are vulnerable to adversarial attacks, which aim to fool them in real-time decision-making and compromise the reliability of the autonomous driving functions. This systematic review offers a comprehensive overview of the most recent literature on adversarial attacks and countermeasures on image classification DL models in ADSs. The review highlights the current challenges in applying successful countermeasures to mitigating these vulnerabilities. We also introduce taxonomies for categorizing adversarial attacks and countermeasures and provide recommendations and guidelines to help researchers design and evaluate countermeasures. We suggest interesting future research directions to improve the robustness of image classification DL models against adversarial attacks in autonomous driving scenarios.
Determining an Indicator of Physical Fitness Age for Middle‐Aged and Older Adults Based on a Nationwide Population‐Based Study in China
Authors: Zhao Xiaoguang , Tang Huan , Pan Yihan , Wang Jin , Shen Shaoshuai
Published: August 2024

To better determine the rate of aging and offer tailored intervention or medical care, it is essential to create a comprehensive indicator that can evaluate physical fitness in middle‐aged and older people. This study aimed to create an indicator of physical fitness age (PFA) that can be used to comprehensively evaluate physical performance and to confirm its validity. There were 5,368 participants in the constructing PFA group and 1,846 participants in the validating PFA group (aged ≥40 for all). We measure five physical fitness items to develop PFA by using principal component analysis. To assess the validity of PFA, we compared chronological age (CA) and PFA in participants with and without possible sarcopenia and used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to assess the discriminating power of the CA and PFA in identifying possible sarcopenia. We established an indicator of PFA which was expressed as PFA = 24.857 − 0.034 × peak expiratory flow − 0.609 × handgrip strength + 9.238 × walking speed + 1.238 × 5‐time chair stand test + 0.742 × CA for men, and PFA = 22.171 − 0.051 × peak expiratory flow − 0.735 × handgrip strength + 7.603 × walking speed + 1.108 × 5‐time chair stand test + 0.753 × CA for women. The validation test demonstrated that PFA was statistically lower than CA in participants without possible sarcopenia, while the PFA was significantly greater than CA in those with possible sarcopenia. ROC analysis showed that PFA had a larger area under the curve than CA. The findings suggest that PFA is a valid predictor of physical performance in Chinese middle‐aged and older adults, which can discriminate persons of the same CA but different levels of physical performance.
Congenital Lipoid Adrenal Hyperplasia, as a Poorly Understood Cause of 46 XY Sexual Differentiation Disorder
Authors: Villanueva Rodríguez Raúl , Vielma Valdez Alberto , Cassou Martinez Maricruz , Pérez Corrales Laura Leticia , de los Santos Aguilar Ramón G. , Sol Oliva Luis David
Published: August 2024

Summary. Disorders of sexual differentiation are defined as congenital alterations between chromosomal, gonadal, and phenotypic sex. The principal cause of these disorders is an adrenal origin; however, there are infrequent causes, such as congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia. Case. We present the case of a woman who, during the neonatal period, presented salt‐losing adrenal insufficiency associated with 46 XY gonadal dysgenesis. The genetic study found a steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) mutation. Conclusion. Mutations in StAR result in a nonfunctional protein, which clinically translates into congenital adrenal hyperplasia and, in the case of patients with 46 XY karyotype, is accompanied by gonadal dysgenesis characterized by androgen deficiency, without alterations in anti‐Müllerian hormone.
Partial‐Model‐Based Damage Identification of Long‐Span Steel Truss Bridge Based on Stiffness Separation Method
Authors: Xiao Feng , Mao Yuxue , Tian Geng , Chen Gang S.
Published: August 2024

Damage detection in bridge structures has always been challenging, particularly for long‐span bridges with complex structural forms. In this study, a partial‐model‐based damage detection method was proposed for the damage identification of long‐span steel truss bridges. The proposed method employs partial models to estimate the parameters using the stiffness separation method. This approach obviates the need to construct complete stiffness information for the structure. In contrast, it depends solely on the arrangement of the structural members and material information in the recognized area. This technique can effectively circumvent the construction of an overall structural model and reduce the complexity of damage identification in large structures. A full‐scale long‐span steel truss bridge in service was used to illustrate the feasibility of the proposed method. The locations of the three partial models were considered in the model analysis, and the parameter estimation efficiency of the Nelder–Mead simplex and quasi‐Newton algorithms were compared.
Important Issues about Chinese Rural Older Adults’ Pandemic Crisis Coping: A Qualitative Study by Grounded Theory
Authors: Ruan Yuhui , Li Dianjiang
Published: August 2024

Background. Rural older adults are an important vulnerable group facing the pandemic crisis. They are at a greater risk and have suffered more. They need more support and have challenged the society more. Thus, their pandemic crisis coping is essential for national emergency management. Objectives. This study was designed to address issues of rural older adults’ pandemic crisis coping, with the aim of better protecting rural older adults’ health and supporting national emergency management. Methods. Grounded theory was employed in this study. Open questions were designed by theoretical sampling and theoretical coding processes until theoretical saturation. In total, 56 participants were recruited via a snowballing process, from ZX city, Hubei Province, China. Results. Rural older adults’ pandemic crisis coping was impacted by many limitations, including less coping awareness, lower coping capacity, and insufficient coping support. Pandemic crisis coping awareness was difficult to initiate and lagged. The older adults’ pandemic crisis coping capacity was impacted by limited knowledge, weak personal finances, and a deficient ability to obtain and stockpile materials. Social support for coping with the pandemic crisis was limited to life support, official support, and health support. Conclusion. Much attention needs to be paid in strengthening the pandemic crisis coping of rural older adults. Thus, future works should focus on raising rural older adults’ pandemic crisis coping awareness, improving their pandemic crisis coping capacity, and providing them with appropriate pandemic crisis coping support.
Isolation and Characterization Identification of Edophytic Nitrogen‐Fixing Bacteria from Peanut Nodules
Authors: Van Chuong Nguyen , Le Kim Tri Tran
Published: August 2024

This work was carried out to isolate and perform molecular identification and selection of endophytic nitrogen‐fixing bacteria (ENFB) to be utilized as biofertilizer. In this research, nodulous samples of peanuts were collected from inside dyke areas, namely, Phuoc Hung of An Phu, An Giang, Vietnam. Ten colonies were isolated from nutrient agar plates containing YMA’s medium. All isolates were rod shaped, Gram negative, and no spore creation. Biochemical tests indicated that they were obligate aerobes, catalase, oxidase, urea hydrolysis, well motile ability, and no nitrate reduction. The salt tolerance observed that most survived at 0.5% and 2% salinity (except Enterobacter cloacae subsp. dissolvens strain LMG 2683), while at 4%, only 3 isolates (Bacillus aryabhattai strain CM44, Enterobacter asburiae strain IIWM‐JS‐07L, and Bacillus songklensis strain KCa6) and at 5% only, 2 isolates survived, namely, Enterobacter asburiae strain IIWM‐JS‐07L and Bacillus songklensis strain KCa6. The result showed that most of ten ENFB strains could adapt to the range of 25°C and 45°C (except Enterobacter cloacae subsp. dissolvens strain LMG 2683 and Enterobacter mori strain cjy13 at 25°C). Out of ten isolates, three were finally selected for the next studies, which potentially have N‐fixing ability and are utilized as biofertilizer in agricultural cultivation.
Evaluation of Neutralizing Capacity of Tixagevimab plus Cilgavimab (AZD7442) against Different SARS‐CoV‐2 Variants: A Case Report Study with Comparison to a Vaccinated Population
Authors: Gillot Constant , Bayart Jean-Louis , Maloteau Vincent , Dogné Jean-Michel , Douxfils Jonathan , Favresse Julien
Published: August 2024

AZD7442 (150 mg of tixagevimab plus 150 mg of cilgavimab) has been approved for the preexposure prophylaxis of COVID‐19 and for the treatment of adults and adolescents with COVID‐19 who do not require supplemental oxygen and who are at increased risk of severe COVID‐19. Thus, the aim of the present study is to evaluate the neutralizing capacity of tixagevimab and cilgavimab across different SARS‐CoV‐2 variants in two patients who received AZD7442 for immunoprophylaxis. A cohort of subjects (n = 45) who had received the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID‐19 vaccine has been included to compare these two preventive strategies. Neutralizing antibody (NAb) titers against several variants were assessed against the wild‐type, alpha, beta, gamma, delta, omicron BA.5, and XBB.1.5 variants. Binding antibodies have also been measured. NAbs T1/2 for AZD7442 was 8.1 days (95% CI: 5.1–19.5 days) and was 11.8 days (95% CI: 7.9–23.7 days) for the primo‐vaccination cohort. The time to reach neutralization negativity was 108.3 days (95% CI: 66.9–130.7) for AZD7442 compared to 95.4 days (95% CI: 31.0–119.7 days) for the primo‐vaccination cohort. The time to reach NAbs’ negativity differs between variants with the maximum value obtained for alpha (i.e., 101.1 days (95% CI: 30.0–135.4 days)) and the minimum obtained for beta (i.e., 61.2 days (95% CI: 37.8–77.1 days)). Our results reinforce the need of reviewing the use of AZD7442 in relation to variants of concern and potentially adapting its administration schedule. AZD7442 could be indicated for short‐term prophylaxis in frail patients who may be acutely exposed to SARS‐CoV‐2.
Supplementary Figure 8 from PTP4A2 Promotes Glioblastoma Progression and Macrophage Polarization under Microenvironmental Pressure
Authors: Chouleur Tiffanie , Emanuelli Andrea , Souleyreau Wilfried , Derieppe Marie-Alix , Leboucq Téo , Hardy Serge , Mathivet Thomas , Tremblay Michel L. , Bikfalvi Andreas
Published: August 2024

Proportion of neutrophils in CD45+ cells in P3 xenografts
The Enigma of Deuteronomy 20:19–20
Authors: Chopra-McGowan Cathleen K.
Published: August 2024

Existing interpretations of Deut 20:19–20 concerning the clause kī hāʾādām ʿēṣ haśśādeh have failed to sufficiently explain the meaning of the law against felling food-bearing trees in times of war. I argue that ʾādām is not the generic Hebrew word “human,” but a rare masculine singular bi-form of the more common ʾădāmāh, “land.” Drawing on both comparative philology and Mesopotamian material about warfare practices, the paper also shows that understanding the equation as one between “land” (rather than humans) and trees better accounts for the law and its placement in its literary context. D distinguishes between far lands and near lands that will be part of the Israelites’ inheritance. If land is soon-to-be conquered, then food-bearing trees are valuable, not only for any immediate fruit, but also for the wealth that they promise in the future.
The Supposedly Irrevocable Laws in Esther and Dan 6 in Light of the Motif of the King’s Inability to Undo an Execution
Authors: Thambyrajah Jonathan Arulnathan
Published: August 2024

Interpreting the book of Esther and Dan 6 has often begun with the belief that these texts claim that the Persian law was irrevocable. This has been seen as a problem, because the historical Persian empire does not seem to have operated in this way (and it is hard to imagine how it could have). However, taking that claim seriously creates even bigger exegetical problems within these two texts. To solve the exegetical problems, it is necessary to revisit the concept of irrevocability. Upon closer inspection, the idea is not that the king cannot revoke his own laws, but that lesser authorities may not. The occasions when the king appears trapped by the law have nothing to do with the idea of irrevocability, but rather with the trope of the king’s inability to undo an execution—one that is common in literature and histories about the Persian empire.
A Third Way?
Authors: O’Mahony Jerome
Published: August 2024

This article seeks to engage with the particular historical moment when, despite the cold war dichotomy of communism and capitalism, the short-lived (Southern) Republic of Vietnam under its first president, the Catholic, Ngô Đình Diệm (1901–1963) attempted to tread a third way. Diệm sought to introduce a Vietnamised form of French Catholic Emmanuel Mounier’s (1905–1950) political philosophy, Personalism, into the ideological framework of the new Republic, building upon an earlier exchange between Vietnamese and French Catholics. Ultimately this was unsuccessful and Personalism was unable to unify South Vietnam’s diverse society in opposition to the communist North, culminating in the ousting and assassination of Diệm in 1963. This moment offers a glimpse of a different path, suggesting that global capitalist liberal order might not be the only future. This article brings together various sources on Personalism and Vietnam to depict this historical moment.
Forging Identities Between Two Cultures
Authors: Pachuau Lalsangkima
Published: August 2024

Locating the people’s intense identity consciousness in the region within the larger Indian national identity crisis, this article deals with how the distinct religious identities and practices of the Hindus and Christians are forged in Northeast India. As a betwixt and between people (neither fully Indic nor Sino, but a combination), the people’s new identities are shaped between South Asian Indic culture and East Asian Confucian values. While conversion has been attributed to Christianity mostly, the article shows how the people in the region converted from their Sino-Tibetan primal religion to Hinduism, forming distinct Hindu traditions. Similarly, the indigenized Christian communities have also made their faith their own producing distinct Christian traditions.
Multifunctional Role of Tamil Material Catholicism
Authors: Ponniah James , Perry Melissa Shamini
Published: August 2024

This comparative study explores the significance of Catholic material religion of the Tamils in India and Malaysia in the celebration of Our Lady of Vēlānkaṉṉi feast which involves a complex interplay of materiality, religious beliefs, and embodied practices. Employing Plate and Bruland’s understandings of material religion, and based on ethnographic study, this essay seeks to unravel the power of material objects and embodied practices to replicate sacred spaces in new locales and to deliver the pilgrims new experiences of religious sensibilities and personal fulfilment in the sphere of divine and human relations. The findings reveal that material religion functions as a tangible, religious and nostalgic link to the original shrine of Vēlānkaṉṉi and as a symbol of filial piety to the motherhood of Mary for the Tamil community in both sites. This paper highlights the role of material Catholicism in fostering Marian devotion and in shaping and displaying people’s personal, religious and cultural identity.
تقييم دورات القيمة وتحولات الجغرافيا الثقافية بتأثير المدخلات الرقمية المكانية في المدن التاريخية: دراسة حالة – دمشق القديمة (نموذجاً)
Authors: شرف الدين أروى
Published: August 2024

الملخص

‫تُعَدُّ المدنُ التاريخيةُ مساحاتٍ ثقافيةٍ، ذاتِ مرجعيةٍ قيميَّةٍ مزدوجةٍ، اجتماعية واقتصادية، لذلك تتأثر بتحولات النظم الاجتماعية – التقنية الحضرية، ولا سيما في سياق الاستخدام المتزايد للنظم والفواعل التقنية غير البشرية التي قد تؤدي للازدهار الاقتصادي أحياناً، أو إلى تدهور المساحات الحضرية، وعزلها عن سياقها لصالح التحديث في أحيان أخرى. وهذا هو ما سيتم تقييمه من خلال القيمة الإنتاجية الحضرية.‬

‫لذلك، وانطلاقاً من المرجعية القيمية الاجتماعية للثقافة، يستعير البحث عدسة الجغرافيا الثقافية لتأويل المدينة كنصٍّ اجتماعي، وفكِّ رموزه، من خلال نموذج ثلاثي يضم معايير قيميَّة مزدوجة، اجتماعية وأيديولوجية، ذات أداء اقتصادي، ويناقش التركز المكاني لهذه القيم، وفق أنساق وتكتلات منهجية على الأرض، تتفاوت في كثافتها وحجمها وامتدادها، بالاعتماد على الاستبانات الاجتماعية الوصفية.‬

‫تتوصل الدراسة التحليلية، اعتماداً على الإطار القِيَمَيِّ الثقافي، إلى حدود المناطق الثقافية، والاتجاهات المكانية للتفاعل بين البنى التحتية الثقافية، وتراكباتها التي تدمج جميع المقاييس الجغرافية في إطار العولمة، أو تأخذ التنوع الاجتماعي في الحسبان. فعكست الهياكل الأساسية (البنى التحتية) الحضرية جزءاً من الآلية السياسية الحيوية لمدينة دمشق، المعتمدة على ركائز الإنتاجية الحضرية، المرتبطة بأنماط الإنتاج، وروابط الإنتاج.‬

‫ناقش البحثُ علاقة إنتاج المكان، وإنتاج التشكيلات الاجتماعية، ضمن مدينة دمشق التاريخية، من خلال ركائز الإنتاجية الحضرية الاقتصادية، التي تضمنت البنى التحتية للمناطق الثقافية، على اعتبار أن المدن هي مُنتَج وليس قطعةً أثريةً، حيث يكون لكل منتج قيمة قابلة للتبادل، مادياً أو معنوياً. وأظهرت دراسة التحول من خلال عامل التقدم التقني، في مناطق المداخلات على البنى التحتية، المرتبطة بالقيم الثقافية، أن التحولات على عوامل الإنتاجية الحضرية، من رأسمال بشري، سواءً من المالكين أو المستخدمين أو العاملين، قد تتبلور بعلاقات سلبية، مثل اللاتجانس والنزاع الحضري، من خلال بنى تحتية رقمية، كمواقع إلكترونية تسبب ممارسات كالتعصب الرقمي، أو السرقة الرقمية، أو العنف الرقمي؛ أو تتبلور كعلاقات إنتاجية إيجابية، مثل التشارك والتفاعل الاجتماعي الاقتصادي، من خلال بنى تحتية رقمية، كالمساحات الافتراضية للمتاحف الرقمية (hypermediated)، أو مساحات النقاش العامة الافتراضية التي ينشأ عنها مواطنون رقميون Digital (Natives)، والتسويق الالكتروني، وهو ما يضمن استدامة المدينة وازدهارها الاقتصادي.‬