bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diversity, equity, and inclusion in the melanoma research community
Authors: Portuallo Marie E. , Lu David Y. , Alicea Gretchen M. , Bolling Joel , Lee Rebecca , McQuade Jennifer , Warner Allison Betof , Davies Michael , Weeraratna Ashani , Villanueva Jessie , Rebecca Vito W.
Published: April 2023

The inaugural Diversity and Inclusion in Science Session was held during the 2021 Society for Melanoma Research (SMR) congress. The goal of the session was to discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion in the melanoma research community and strategies to promote the advancement of underrepresented melanoma researchers. An international survey was conducted to assess the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) climate among researchers and clinicians within the Society for Melanoma Research (SMR). The findings suggest there are feelings and experiences of inequity, bias, and harassment within the melanoma community that correlate with one's gender, ethnic/racial group, and/or geographic location. Notably, significant reports of inequity in opportunity, discrimination, and sexual harassment demonstrate there is much work remaining to ensure all scientists in our community experience an academic workplace culture built on mutual respect, fair access, inclusion, and equitable opportunity.
Circadian variability of objective sleep measures predicts the relapse of a mood episode in bipolar disorder: findings from the APPLE cohort
Authors: Esaki Yuichi , Obayashi Kenji , Saeki Keigo , Fujita Kiyoshi , Iwata Nakao , Kitajima Tsuyoshi
Published: April 2023

Aim

Sleep disturbance, a core feature of bipolar disorder, is closely associated with mood symptoms. We examined the association between actigraphy sleep parameters and mood episode relapses in patients with bipolar disorder.

Methods

This prospective cohort study analyzed 193 outpatients with bipolar disorder who participated in the Association between the Pathology of Bipolar Disorder and Light Exposure in Daily Life (APPLE) cohort study. The participants' sleep was objectively evaluated via actigraphy over seven consecutive days for the baseline assessment and then at the 2‐year follow‐up appointment for mood episode relapses. The actigraphy sleep parameters were presented using the mean and variability (standard deviation) of each sleep parameter for 7 days.

Results

Of the 193 participants, 110 (57%) experienced mood episodes during follow‐up. The participants with higher variability in total sleep time had a significantly shorter mean estimated time to mood episode relapses than those with lower variability (12.5 vs. 16.8 months; P < 0.001). The Cox proportional hazards model, when adjusted for potential confounders, demonstrated that variability in total sleep time was significantly associated with an increase in the mood episode relapses (per hour; hazard ratio [HR], 1.407; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.057–1.873), mainly in the depressive episodes (per hour; HR, 1.477; 95% CI, 1.088–2.006).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that consistency in sleep time might be useful, as an adjunct therapy, in preventing the recurrence or relapse of mood episodes in bipolar disorder.
Integrated transcriptome and proteome analysis provides new insights into camptothecin biosynthesis and regulation in Camptotheca acuminata
Authors: Zhang Huibo , Shen Xiaofeng , Sun Sijie , Li Ying , Wang Shu , Wei Jianhe , Guo Baolin , Sun Chao
Published: April 2023

Camptotheca acuminata Decne., the main source of camptothecin (CPT), has received increasing attention for its remarkable antitumor activity. Many CPT derivatives are clinically used as effective anticancer agents worldwide. However, their biosynthesis mechanism remains unclear, and uncovering this pathway would greatly facilitate development of alternative CPT production methods to replace current inefficient plant‐derived ones. The expression of >30,000 genes was accurately quantified using unique molecular identifier RNA sequencing in 10 C. acuminata tissues, and 7854 proteins from five tissues were quantified with label‐free quantitative proteomics. Fifteen full‐length transcriptomes were sequenced with long‐read Oxford Nanopore Technologies, and 5692 alternative splicing events were discovered among 4746 genes. Integrated transcriptome and proteome analysis provided novel insights into CPT biosynthesis and its hierarchical regulation. Five cytochrome P450s and three O‐methyltransferases were considered as candidates involved in the biosynthesis of CPT and its derivatives, while 15 transcription factors potentially regulating CPT biosynthesis were screened. These findings provide important clues for elucidating the biosynthetic mechanisms of CPT and its derivatives and substantially contribute to the future production of these anticancer agents with synthetic biology. The generated large‐scale multiomics data also provide valuable resources for investigating the functional genomics of the most important CPT‐producing plant species–C. acuminata.
Does performance information receive political attention?
Authors: Hansen Jesper Asring
Published: April 2023

This study examines whether performance information affects the political agenda. I offer and test two hypotheses on performance information in politics—the attention‐allocation hypothesis, suggesting that politicians leverage performance data to devote attention to problems in service delivery, and the politicization hypothesis, stating that political concerns alter elected officials focus on performance information. I examine the hypotheses by gathering administrative data on pupils' standardized test scores combined with more than 6000 min of meetings in Danish municipal school committees, on which I leverage two‐way fixed effects models. The results show that performance shortfalls receive political attention, regardless of the politicization of the environment. In contrast to a vast literature stating how the political context alters attention to performance information, these results demonstrate that political entities leverage performance data to discover problems in need of attention in ways similar to those of other types of organizations.
The ambidextrous leadership‐innovative work behavior relationship in the public sector: The mediating role of psychological ownership
Authors: Kousina Elisavet , Voudouris Irini
Published: April 2023

Ambidextrous leadership reflects a style that combines opening and closing behaviors, which can stimulate employees to engage in both exploration and exploitation. Drawing from tenets of ambidextrous theorization of leadership for innovation, this study examines whether the exhibition of ambidextrous leadership by public sector managers fosters public servants' innovative behavior and whether psychological ownership feelings with the unit mediates such effect. Utilizing multisource and multilevel data from 317 public servants across 109 working units, we find that ambidextrous leadership, —that is, the interaction of opening and closing behaviors—affects employees' innovative performance such that innovative work behavior is highest when both opening and closing behaviors are high. We also find that promotive‐oriented feelings of psychological ownership mediate such a relationship. In light of our findings, important implications for policy makers, public managers, and public sector's promotion procedures are discussed.
Electrochemical applications in RAS: A review
Authors: Ben‐Asher Raz , Gendel Youri , Lahav Ori
Published: April 2023

Electrochemical water treatment for recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) is a promising approach for replacing the biological water treatment methods and establishing a new RAS generation with improved cost‐effectiveness, lower environmental footprint, and no start‐up periods. On top of ammonia oxidation directly into N2(g), electrochemical oxidation results in effective disinfection, and in the removal of organic matter, including specific organic constituents such as off‐flavour agents. The paper provides an overview of incentives for the implementation of electrochemical methods in RAS. It covers the electrochemical principles relevant to aquaculture applications, the effects of physical and chemical parameters, as well as design considerations. In addition, the research performed to date for integrating electrochemical methods in RAS operation is reviewed and the variety of designs and operational configurations described. The electrochemical water treatment is perceived beneficial over biological water treatment especially in cold saline‐seawater aquaculture (e.g., Atlantic salmon), where large nitrification reactors are required and the large water consumption for purging processes can be curtailed. It is also beneficial for the culturing of nitrate‐sensitive species (e.g., L. vannamei). The paper points out the gaps to be overcome for allowing commercial breakthroughs based on electrochemical water treatment, including the need for expanding the practice and improving engineering practices by operating pilot systems for growing fish at both small and large scales; adjusting of electrochemical cell designs for reducing both capital and operational costs; developing full‐proof malfunction‐free dechlorination strategies, and evaluating and optimizing the disinfection abilities for inactivating typical pathogens in aquaculture.
Achieving cross‐sectoral policy integration in multilevel structures—Loosely coupled coordination of “energy transition” in the German “Bundesrat”
Authors: Behnke Nathalie , Hegele Yvonne
Published: April 2023

The big policy challenges of our times are complex problems cutting across policy sectors and levels of government. To answer the question how cross‐sectoral policy coordination in multilevel structures can be achieved, we argue in line with policy integration and multilevel governance scholarship that “loosely coupled” institutions create the interdependency necessary to secure complex coordination. This argument is substantiated empirically by investigating coordination of energy transition in the German Bundesrat. Expectations are derived on how loosely coupled institutions promote coordination. They are tested using a mix of empirical data. It can be shown that loosely coupled institutions indeed enable coordination by linking powers across multiple dimensions, creating incentives for cross‐sectoral communication, using personal ties in negotiations to bridge different institutional backgrounds, and sequencing the decision process to allow strategic shifts between coordination dimensions. Those mechanisms may not guarantee the best possible result, but they provide a satisfactory solution at least.
Sustainable soil management in the United Kingdom: A survey of current practices and how they relate to the principles of regenerative agriculture
Authors: Jaworski Coline C. , Krzywoszynska Anna , Leake Jonathan R. , Dicks Lynn V.
Published: April 2023

Sustainable soil management is essential to prevent agricultural soil degradation and maintain food production and core soil‐based ecosystem services. Regenerative agriculture, one approach to sustainable soil management, is rapidly gaining traction in UK farming and policy. However, it is unclear what farmers themselves consider to be sustainable soil management practices, and how these relate to the principles of regenerative agriculture. Further, there is little insight into how sustainable soil management is currently promoted in agricultural knowledge and innovation services (AKIS). To address these knowledge gaps, we undertook the first national‐scale survey of sustainable soil management practices in the United Kingdom and complemented it with targeted interviews. We found high levels of awareness (>60%) and uptake (>30%) of most sustainable soil management practices among mixed and arable farmers. Importantly, 92% of respondents considered themselves to be practising sustainable soil management. However, our analysis shows that farmers combine practices in different ways. Not all these combinations correspond to the full set of regenerative agriculture principles of reduced soil disturbance, soil cover and crop diversity. To better understand the relationship between existing sustainable soil management practices in the United Kingdom and regenerative agriculture principles, we derive a “regenerative agriculture score” by allocating individual practices among the principles of regenerative agriculture. Farmers who self‐report that they are managing soil sustainably tend to score more highly across all five principles. We further find that sustainable soil management messaging is fragmented and that few AKIS networks have sustainable soil management as their primary concern. Overall, our study finds that there are multiple understandings of sustainable soil management among UK farmers and land managers and that they do not correspond to regenerative agriculture principles in a straightforward way. This diversity and variety in sustainable soil management needs to be taken into account in future policy and research.
Serum level of apoptosis inhibitor of macrophage in dogs with histiocytic sarcoma and its association with the disease
Authors: Uchida Mona , Matsumiya Yuki , Tsuboi Masaya , Uchida Kazuyuki , Nakagawa Takayuki , Fujii Wataru , Kobayashi Tetsuya , Tsujimoto Hajime , Ohmi Aki , Tomiyasu Hirotaka , Motegi Tomoki , Maeda Shingo , Momoi Yasuyuki , Yonezawa Tomohiro
Published: April 2023

Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is a rare neoplasm of macrophages or dendritic cells with a poor prognosis in dogs. As the apoptosis inhibitor of macrophage (AIM) is characteristically expressed in canine macrophages, we hypothesised that AIM is involved in the development or progression of HS in dogs. In this study, AIM expression in the tumour region and serum AIM levels in dogs with HS was assessed. Additionally, the effects of AIM overexpression on HS cell viability were investigated using a HS cell line that was selected from five validated HS cell lines. Immunohistochemistry showed that AIM expression was observed in the cytoplasm of the HS cells. CD36, a candidate AIM receptor, was also observed on the cell membrane of HS cells. When the serum AIM level was detected in 36 dogs with HS and 10 healthy dogs via western blot analysis, the AIM levels in the HS dogs were significantly higher than those in the controls. AIM mRNA expression in the 5 HS cell lines varied but was higher than that in the other tumour‐derived lines. Among the five HS cell lines, DH82 originally had lower AIM and the highest CD36 expression. When AIM was overexpressed in DH82, therein cell growth speed and invasion, apoptosis inhibition and phagocytic activity were strongly upregulated. These data suggest that elevated intra‐tumour expression of AIM could induce the progression of HS cells in dogs. Moreover, elevated serum AIM levels in dogs with HS could serve as a biomarker of HS.
Mitogenomic phylogeny of Muricidae (Gastropoda: Neogastropoda)
Authors: Yu Yi , Kong Lingfeng , Li Qi
Published: April 2023

Muricidae is one of the most species‐rich and morphologically diverse families in Gastropoda, with a worldwide distribution. The classification of Muricidae has traditionally been based on shell and radular characteristics; however, the phylogenetic relationships within the family are debated due to morphological convergence and plasticity. In this study, to explore the phylogenetic relationships of Muricidae, we sequenced 11 muricid mitochondrial (mt) genomes and compared them with 13 previously reported complete muricid mt genomes. All muricid mt genomes shared the same gene arrangement and exhibited conserved genome size and nucleotide composition. Three‐nucleotide deletions in atp8 and nad4, and three‐nucleotide insertions in nad2 were detected in Rapaninae. Both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses supported the monophyly of each subfamily studied (Ocenebrinae, Muricinae, Rapaninae and Ergalataxinae). Ergalataxinae was recovered as the sister taxon of Rapaninae, refuting the traditional morphology‐based placement of Ergalataxinae within Rapaninae. In Rapaninae, Indothais was confirmed to be monophyletic and determined to be a valid genus. Similarly, Drupina was determined to be an independent genus rather than a subgenus of Drupa. Purpura was recovered as a paraphyletic group, with Purpura panama being sister to Reishia + Rapana + Indothais and clustering with Purpura bufo.
Thompson's group F$F$ is almost 32$\frac{3}{2}$‐generated
Authors: Golan‐Polak Gili
Published: April 2023

Recall that a group is said to be ‐generated if every nontrivial element of belongs to a generating pair of . Thompson's group was proved to be ‐generated by Donoven and Harper in 2019. It was the first example of an infinite finitely presented noncyclic ‐generated group. Recently, Bleak, Harper, and Skipper proved that Thompson's group is also ‐generated. In this paper, we prove that Thompson's group is “almost” ‐generated in the sense that every element of whose image in the abelianization forms part of a generating pair of is part of a generating pair of . We also prove that for every nontrivial element , there is an element such that the subgroup contains the derived subgroup of . Moreover, if does not belong to the derived subgroup of , then there is an element such that has finite index in .
Climatological Features of the Vento Norte Phenomenon in the Extreme South of Brazil
Authors: Da Rosa Cinara Ewerling , Stefanello Michel , Facco Douglas Stefanello , Roberti Débora Regina , Rossi Fábio Diniz , Degrazia Gervásio Annes
Published: April 2023

Downslope windstorm known as Vento Norte (VNOR; Portuguese for “North Wind”) is a common phenomenon that occurs in southern Brazil during the winter season. Hence, this study attempted to investigate the climatological characteristics of VNOR using seventeen years (2004–2020) of hourly observations collected at seven meteorological stations distributed over the central region of Rio Grande do Sul State. The VNOR windstorm episodes are identified by intense wind gusts and warm air advection from the northern direction. They were selected from the data set obtained during the winter in the city of Santa Maria (SM). Statistical analysis showed that the detected VNOR events were characterized by mean wind gusts ≈15 m.s-1, mean wind direction of 350° and mean air temperature of 27 °C. Average duration of the events was about 9 h, with the longest event lasting 21 h. Characteristics and effects of this phenomenon were compared with those in other locations (meridional and zonal sections). Average values of wind gusts from the northern direction presented a significant increase of ≈200% for the winter period in SM. Nonetheless, a less significant increase in wind gusts was recorded in the meridional (28%) and zonal (41%) sections away from SM. The central location of SM has favorable topographic characteristics for this amplification, with a sharp altitude difference caused by the plateau- plain interface of ≈300 m. Our findings showed that the VNOR phenomenon mainly affects the climate of the southern region of Brazil, with a local amplification in the city of SM.
Classification of 2007 Winter Mist and Fog in São Paulo City, Brazil
Authors: Santos Brenda Almeida , Ynoue Rita Yuri
Published: April 2023

Mist and fog observed at the Meteorological Station of the Institute of Astronomy, Geophysics and Atmospheric Sciences of the University of São Paulo (EM/IAG) in the southeastern part of São Paulo city in the winter of 2007 were classified according to its formation processes: advection or radiation. Meteorological data from EM/IAG, Congonhas Airport and reanalysis from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecast, as well as radiosondes from Campo de Marte Airport were used. In the 1981-2015 climatology, it was observed that these phenomena are more frequent in the winter, with an average of 11 events per month. For the winter of 2007, 21 advection and 28 radiation events were detected, with radiation fog occurring more frequently in June (13) and advection fog, in August (12). The South Atlantic Subtropical High favored the formation of radiation events in 24 cases; 15 of which had the contribution of humidity advected by the sea breeze. Post-frontal anticyclone was associated with the remaining 25 cases, of which 15 were classified as advection. Four cases were chosen for a more detailed analysis. On July 2, 2007, radiation mist occurred, with the injection of moisture by the sea breeze; the next day, there was also radiation mist, however, with no sea breeze. On the 20th of July, fog was caused by advection of humidity with north/northeast winds coming from the Serra da Cantareira and on the 27th, advection mist developed due to the intensification of winds associated with the movement of a post-frontal anticyclone.
Impact of Behavior Modification on Female Campers’ Physical Activity in Summer Camp
Authors: Wahl-Alexander Zachary , Wozniak Huntleigh
Published: April 2023

In order to combat rampant health and wellness deterioration over the summer months, residential summer camps have been presented as a possible solution to thwart such declines in overall health and wellbeing. The purpose of this study was to determine the differential effects of prompting, and prompting combined with reinforcement on female campers’ step counts at a residential summer camp. The participants in this study were 104 female campers (Mage = 13.71), all attending the same residential summer camp. An alternating treatment design was implemented to evaluate campers’ daily physical activity across three conditions (baseline, prompting, and prompting combined with contingent reinforcement) throughout the duration of the 51 days camp experience. In accordance with standard Applied Behavior Analysis research, data were plotted graphically in order to employ visual analysis to determine functional relationships between the intervention (prompting only, prompting plus group contingency, and target behavior [step count]). Results of this study indicate that prompting with group contingencies (29%) and without (13%) successfully led to an increased amount of daily physical activity. Further, small variance within the group contingency group illustrates the breadth of success for this technique. This is the first comprehensive intervention focused primarily on influencing female campers’ physical activity levels in the residential camp context and demonstrates a cost-effective strategy for improving activity among female campers.
The Novel DNA Binding Mechanism of Ridinilazole, a Precision
Clostridiodes difficile
Antibiotic
Authors: Mason Clive S. , Avis Tim , Hu Chenlin , Nagalingam Nabeetha , Mudaliar Manikhandan , Coward Chris , Begum Khurshida , Gajewski Kathleen , Alam M. Jahangir , Bassères Eugenie , Moss Stephen , Reich Stefanie , Duperchy Esther , Fox Keith R. , Garey Kevin W. , Powell David J.
Published: April 2023

Clostridioides difficile
infection (CDI) causes substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide with limited antibiotic treatment options. Ridinilazole is a precision bisbenzimidazole antibiotic being developed to treat CDI and reduce unacceptably high rates of infection recurrence in patients.
Initiator AUGs Are Discriminated from Elongator AUGs Predominantly through mRNA Accessibility in C. crescentus
Authors: Ghosh Aishwarya , Bharmal Mohammed-Husain M. , Ghaleb Amar M. , Nandana Vidhyadhar , Schrader Jared M.
Published: April 2023

Start codon selection is an essential process that is thought to occur via the base pairing of the rRNA to the SD site in the mRNA. This model is based on studies in
E. coli
, yet whole-genome sequencing revealed that SD sites are absent at start codons in many species.
Repeat-Induced Point Mutation and Gene Conversion Coinciding with Heterochromatin Shape the Genome of a Plant-Pathogenic Fungus
Authors: Komluski Jovan , Habig Michael , Stukenbrock Eva H.
Published: April 2023

The impact of meiosis on the genome composition via gene conversion and mutations is mostly poorly understood, in particular, for non-model species. Here, we sequenced all four meiotic products for 23 individual meioses and determined the genetic changes caused by meiosis for the important fungal wheat pathogen
Zymoseptoria tritici
.
Whole-Genome Sequence of Multidrug-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae MNH_G2C5, Isolated from Bovine Clinical Mastitis Milk
Authors: Hoque M. Nazmul , Moyna Zannatara , Faisal Golam Mahbub , Das Ziban Chandra , Islam Tofazzal
Published: April 2023

Klebsiella pneumoniae
is one of the most common and important mastitis-causing bacteria, and strain MNH_G2C5 was isolated from the milk of a cow suffering from clinical mastitis in a dairy farm of the Gazipur district of Bangladesh. The MNH_G2C5 genome was estimated to be 4,589,728 bp, with 65.5% genome coverage.
Heterogeneity and Recombination of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus during Multi-Strain Coinfection of Cattle
Authors: Stenfeldt Carolina , Fish Ian , Meek Haillie C. , Arzt Jonathan
Published: April 2023

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a socioeconomically impactful livestock disease with a complex epidemiology and ecology. Although recombinant viruses have been identified in field samples, the mechanisms of emergence of those viruses have never been elucidated.
SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak Investigation Using Contact Tracing and Whole-Genome Sequencing in an Ontario Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: Tsang Kara K. , Ahmad Shehryar , Aljarbou Alanoud , Al Salem Mohammed , Baker Sheridan J. C. , Panousis Emily M. , Derakhshani Hooman , Rossi Laura , Nasir Jalees A. , Bulir David C. , Surette Michael G. , Lee Robyn S. , Smaill Fiona , Mertz Dominik , McArthur Andrew G. , Khan Sarah
Published: April 2023

Our manuscript describes a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak investigation in an Ontario tertiary care hospital. We use traditional contract tracing paired with whole-genome sequencing to facilitate an understanding of the evolutionary history and transmission dynamics of this SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in a clinical setting.
Capsulized Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Induces Remission in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis by Gut Microbial Colonization and Metabolite Regulation
Authors: Chen Qiongyun , Fan Yanyun , Zhang Bangzhou , Yan Changsheng , Zhang Qiang , Ke Yuhao , Chen Zhangran , Wang Lin , Shi Huaxiu , Hu Yiqun , Huang Qingwen , Su Jingling , Xie Chenxi , Zhang Xu , Zhou Lixiang , Ren Jianlin , Xu Hongzhi
Published: April 2023

Fecal microbiota transplantation has been successfully used in patients. Recently, capsulized FMT was reported to induce a response in patients with UC.
Secukinumab improves physical function and quality of life and inhibits structural damage in patients with PsA with sustained remission or low disease activity: results from the 2-year phase 3 FUTURE 5 study
Authors: Coates Laura C , Mease Philip J , Gladman Dafna D , Navarra Sandra , Bao Weibin , Gaillez Corine
Published: April 2023

Objective

To investigate the impact of sustained low disease activity (LDA)/remission (REM) on physical function, quality of life (QoL) and structural outcomes in secukinumab-treated psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients from the FUTURE 5 study.

Methods

FUTURE 5 was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, phase 3 study in patients with active PsA. Patients were categorised according to LDA (Minimal Disease Activity, MDA/Disease Activity index for Psoriatic Arthritis, DAPSA LDA+REM) or REM (very LDA/DAPSA REM): not achieving LDA/REM, achieving it once or sustained LDA/REM ≥3 times up to week 104. Key outcomes were improvements in Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index and Short Form-36 Physical Component Summary Score, proportion of non-radiographic progressors and predictors of sustained LDA response.

Results

Patients were randomised (N=996) into the following treatment groups: secukinumab 300 mg (N=222), secukinumab 150 mg loading (N=220)/non-loading (N=222) and placebo (N=332). Baseline characteristics were comparable between patients with sustained DAPSA and MDA responses. By week 104, 48%–81% and 19%–36% of the secukinumab-treated patients achieved sustained LDA and REM, respectively. Numerically greater improvements in physical function and QoL were observed with sustained LDA/REM versus LDA/REM achieved once or not at all, although patients reached the established minimal clinically important difference for all composite indices. A high proportion of secukinumab-treated patients were non-structural progressors at 2 years irrespective of achieving sustained LDA/REM. Younger age, lower body mass index at baseline, reduced tender joint count and PsA pain at week 16 were key predictors of sustained LDA in secukinumab-treated patients.

Conclusion

Sustained LDA/REM was associated with improvements in physical function, QoL and inhibition of structural damage progression.
Constraining primordial non-Gaussianity by combining next-generation galaxy and 21 cm intensity mapping surveys
Authors: Jolicoeur Sheean , Maartens Roy , Dlamini Simthembile
Published: April 2023

Surveys of the matter distribution contain ‘fossil’ information on possible non-Gaussianity that is generated in the primordial Universe. This primordial signal survives only on the largest scales where cosmic variance is strongest. By combining different surveys in a multi-tracer approach, we can suppress the cosmic variance and significantly improve the precision on the level of primordial non-Gaussianity. We consider a combination of an optical galaxy survey, like the recently initiated DESI survey, together with a new and very different type of survey, a 21 cm intensity mapping survey, like the upcoming SKAO survey. A Fisher forecast of the precision on the local primordial non-Gaussianity parameter $$f_{\textrm{NL}}$$

f
NL

, shows that this multi-tracer combination, together with non-overlap single-tracer information, can deliver precision comparable to that from the CMB. Taking account of the largest systematic, i.e. foreground contamination in intensity mapping, we find that $$\sigma (f_{\textrm{NL}}) \sim 4$$

σ
(

f
NL

)
∼
4

.
Quantum identity authentication based on the extension of quantum rotation
Authors: Chen Geng , Wang Yuqi , Jian Liya , Zhou Yi , Liu Shiming
Published: April 2023

In this work, we propose a bit-oriented QIA protocol based on special properties of quantum rotation and the public key cryptographic framework. The proposed protocol exhibited good resistance to both forward search and measure-resend attacks, whereby its security performance was directly related to the length of the authentication code. From our analysis, it was demonstrated that the protocol has good performance, in terms of quantum bit efficiency. In addition, the protocol is well-expandable. The developed protocol is resource-efficient and can be also applied in quantum computing networks.
Estimating additional resistivity by permeability in brine-saturated sandstones
Authors: Zhao Wenjun , Liu Tangyan , Tang Jizhou , Zhang Jie
Published: April 2023

Determining rock resistivity for saturation estimation in reservoirs is challenging due to the complex nature of pores in the rock. This paper aims to establish a computational relationship between formation factors (
F
) and permeability (
K
) by combining theoretical and experimental data. Firstly, the relationship between the permeability of the curved capillary model and formation factors, as well as the relationship between the permeability of the complex curved capillary model and formation factors, are deduced. Theoretical analysis proved that the formation factors (
F
) have a power relationship with permeability (
K
) and porosity (

φ

), and confirms the existence of additional resistivity (

R
x

). To validate the theoretical study, we conducted a model analysis using open experimental data from 35 sandstone cores with different porosities and permeabilities from the tight gas sandstone in the Western US basins, which measured resistivity data in saline at 20, 40 and 80 Kppm, respectively. We confirmed the existences of additional resistivity (

R
x

) by fitting the relationship between the rock resistivity of saturated formation water (
R
0
) and the formation water resistivity (
R
w
). We then fitted the formation resistivity change factor (
F
d
) with permeability (
K
), the formation resistivity change factor (
F
d
) with porosity (

φ

), the additional resistivity (

R
x

) with permeability (
K
), and the additional resistivity (

R
x

) with porosity (

φ

). Both the changeable formation resistivity change factor (
F
d
) and additional resistivity (

R
x

) showed a strong linear relationship with permeability (
K
) in logarithmic coordinates.

We also verified the existence of a suitable equation using available experimental data by changing the formation parameters and permeability. The study shows that the fitting equations may be utilized to determine the changeable formation resistivity change factor (
F
d
), additional resistivity (

R
x

) and the rock resistivity of saturated formation water (
R
0
) with varying permeability. The predicted rock resistivity of saturated formation water (
R
0
) strongly correlates with that measured in the laboratory, providing better precision for future reservoir evaluations using saturation estimations.
Detecting Dravidian Offensive Posts in MIoT: A Hybrid Deep Learning Framework
Authors: Kumar Abhinav , Saumya Sunil , Singh Ashish
Published: April 2023

Hate speech and Offensive Posts (OP) detection on Smart Multimedia Internet of Things (MIoT) have been an active issue for researchers. MIoT media texts in non-native English-speaking countries are often code-mixed or script mixed/switched. This paper proposes an ensemble-based Deep Learning (DL) framework comprised of a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and a Dense Neural Network (DNN) for identifying hate and OP in Malayalam Code-Mixed (MCM), Tamil Code-Mixed (TCM), and Malayalam Script-Mixed (MSM) MIoT media postings. Word-level and character-level features are utilized in the convolutional neural network. In contrast, the dense neural network uses character-level Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) features. The inclusion of character-level features in the proposed ensemble framework resulted in state-of-the-art performance for TCM and MCM datasets, with weighted
F
1
-score of 0.91 and 0.78, respectively, and comparable performance for MSM posts, with a weighted
F
1
-score of 0.95.
Droplet Evolution from a Single Hydrophobic Pore in the Diffusion Media of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells: A Conceptual Analysis
Authors: Zhang Yufan , Kadyk Thomas , Eikerling Michael H.
Published: April 2023

Maintaining a well-balanced water distribution is crucial for the operation of polymer electrolyte fuel cells. The water distribution depends to a large extent on the ease of liquid water transport in the diffusion media (DM) and in the flow field (FF) on the cathode side and, especially, on processes in boundary regions between these media. In this article, the droplet dynamics at the DM-FF interface are studied by a mechano-hydrodynamic pore model. The presented treatment allows droplet detachment to be rationalized, in dependence of pore radius and air flow velocity. Large pore radius and high air flow velocity favor droplet detachment during an earlier stage of growth, at which the contact line of the droplet remains pinned at the pore opening while the droplet volume expands during growth. We evaluate the trend of detachment time and detachment height of a droplet. Furthermore, we analyze the influence of the air flow velocity on the time-averaged liquid pressure at the pore exit. The physics governing the flooding behavior of the pore is discussed. The presented model-based analyses provide theoretical insights into material properties and operating conditions that improve water removal.
Immune-Mediated Necrotizing Myopathy Manifesting after Five Years of Statin Therapy
Authors: DeRon Nathan G. , Fischer Francis , Lopez Dylan , Brewer Elizabeth C.
Published: April 2023

Immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM) is an increasingly common and serious condition in which autoantibodies attack muscle fibers causing clinically significant muscle weakness, fatigue, and myalgias. Recognizing the clinical presentation of IMNM is difficult but necessary, as rapid intervention decreases morbidity. We present a case of a 53-year-old female with IMNM induced by statin therapy with confirmed anti-3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase antibodies present on serologic testing. The patient’s statin therapy was halted, and the patient was provided with one dose of methylprednisolone and ongoing therapy with mycophenolate. She showed subsequent slow improvements in her muscle weakness and myalgias. It is important for clinicians to be aware of the possible consequences of statin therapy, as these drugs are generally regarded as benign in the medical community. Clinicians should also be aware that statin-induced myopathy can occur at any time during statin therapy. The condition does not necessarily correlate with beginning a new statin medication, as demonstrated in this case in which the patient was on chronic statin therapy before developing symptoms. Continued clinician education and building the fund of medical knowledge regarding this disease are vital to enable clinicians to recognize this disease and act promptly to reduce patient morbidity and improve outcomes.
Correlation Filtering Algorithm of Infrared Spectral Data for Dim Target Tracking
Authors: Zheng Wenjian , Chang An , Wang Qi , Shang Jianing , Cui Mandi
Published: April 2023

The correlation filtering algorithm of infrared spectral data for dim and small target tracking is studied to improve the tracking accuracy of small and weak targets and to track small and weak targets in real time. After the image noise reduction processing by the mean shift filtering algorithm, the infrared small and weak target image data model is constructed by using the denoised infrared small and weak target image. And the brightness value and position of unknown small and weak targets are obtained. The tracking and measurement model of small and weak targets is built. The joint probabilistic data association algorithm is used to calculate the probability that each measurement is associated with its possible source targets, and the particle filter is used to update the tracking status of small and weak targets to achieve real-time tracking of small and weak targets. The experimental results show that the algorithm can enhance the edge contour information of small and weak images, so as to accurately track small and weak targets moving in any track, and has good real-time tracking and accuracy. There is a small deviation between the tracking track of weak and small targets tracked by the algorithm and the actual track, and the root mean square difference of tracking weak and small targets is within 2 pixels. In addition, the detection probability of detecting weak and small targets is less affected by SNR environmental factors.
Nimotuzumab Concurrent with Gemcitabine as First‐Line Treatment of Locally Advanced or Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Sánchez Yamirka , Concepción Martha L. , Amador Yohan , Piriz Angel , Rabassa René , Leyva Ariel , Arguelles Odalys , Leblanch Lisett , Moret Sheyla , Rivero Gilberto , Vasallo Ana L. , Martorell Beatriz , Guerra Pedro P. , Valls Ana R. , Sánchez Lisset , Saumell Yaimarelis
Published: April 2023

Background. Nimotuzumab exerts its antitumor effect (mainly antiproliferative, proapoptotic, and antiangiogenic) by blocking the epidermal growth factor receptor overexpressing between 30 and 95% in pancreatic tumors cells. Methods. A prospective, nonrandomized, uncontrolled, open‐label, and multicenter clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of nimotuzumab combined with gemcitabine as first‐line treatment in unresectable locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic tumors in a real‐world condition. Adverse events, their intensity, severity, and causality were determined using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE, version 4.0). Median overall survival, median progression‐free survival, and 1‐ and 2‐year survival rates were determined by using the Kaplan‐Meier. Results. 69 patients were included. The proportion of related serious adverse events was 1.2%. The most frequent adverse events were nausea (10%), anemia (8%), and abdominal pain (8%). Objective response was achieved in 18.5% of the patients and disease control in 43.1%. Patients with locally advanced disease achieved a median overall survival of 16.36 months (95% CI; 14.35‐18.38); 1‐ and 2‐year survival rates of 72.2 and 29.2 months, respectively; a median progression‐free survival of 9.6 months (95% CI; 4.91‐14.20); and a 1‐year progression‐free survival rate of 39%. Patients with metastatic disease achieved a median survival of 6.23 months (95% CI; 4.32‐8.13); 1‐ and 2‐year survival rates of 18.1 and 3.0 months, respectively; a median progression‐free survival of 7.6 months (95% CI; 6.08‐9.90); and 1‐ and 2‐year PFS rates of 20.5 and 5.1 months, respectively. Conclusions. Nimotuzumab combined with gemcitabine represents a safe and effective first‐line treatment option for patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma in real‐world conditions. Survival benefits were increased in those patients who received 8 or more doses of nimotuzumab. This trial is registered with RPCEC00000245 in the Cuban Registry of Clinical Trials, part of the World Health Organization’s International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP).
Preparation of Ti3Si0.8Al0.2C2 Bonded Diamond Composites and Their Friction Properties Coupled with Different Counterfaces
Authors: Yuqi Chen , Liang Li , Shibang Ma , Chao Li , Songhao Zheng , Wucheng Lv , Libo Wang , Aiguo Zhou , Xing Wang
Published: April 2023

Polycrystalline diamonds were sintered with the binder of Ti3Si0.8Al0.2C2 to solve the shortcomings of conventional metal binders and ceramic binders. Ti3Si0.8Al0.2C2 bonded polycrystalline diamond composites have been synthesized from a mixture of Ti3Si0.8Al0.2C2 powder (40 wt%) and diamond powder under 4.5–5.5 GPa at 1050–1300°C by high press and high-temperature technology. The characteristic peaks of TiC were observed at 4.5 GPa and above 1100°C. From the microstructure analysis, the diamond particles are equally dispersed throughout the Ti3Si0.8Al0.2C2 matrix and firmly bound to the matrix. The effects of the sintering conditions, test parameters, and counterparts on the friction properties of diamond composites were systematically analyzed. The friction coefficient between diamond composite and glass counterpart is between 0.18 and 0.33 and increases significantly at the speed of 400 rpm/min. SEM and EDS analysis show Ti3Si0.8Al0.2C2 has a strong holding force on the diamond particles. The wear mechanism is mainly abrasive, and there are obvious grooves on the surface of the glass ball. The friction coefficient of diamond composite sintered at 1050°C with POM decreases monotonically with increasing load and reaches the minimum value of 0.42 at 12 N. The higher sintering temperature (1150°C) resulted in lower friction coefficient for diamond/POM pairs. The friction coefficient of diamond/PP pairs decreases first and then increases with increasing load, reaching a minimum value of 0.431 at 10 N. The wear mechanism of PP and POM is a combination of abrasive wear and adhesive wear, while the abrasive chips of POM are small salt-like particles and the abrasive chips of PP are long flocs. The wear track of PP balls has a smoother surface than that of POM balls. For an Al pair, the friction coefficient of diamond composite sintered at 1150°C is higher than that of the composite sintered at 1050°C except for the 10 N load. The friction coefficient of the diamond composites with Cu pairs varies slightly with increasing load, with values ranging from 0.443 to 0.518 and decreases with increasing speed, reaching a minimum value of 0.396 at 600 rpm/min. The wear mechanism of Cu and Al is mainly based on adhesive wear. The presence of the diamond second phase improves the stability of Ti3Si0.8Al0.2C2 compared to the high-pressure treatment of single phase Ti3SiC2. The analysis of friction properties indicates that Ti3Si0.8Al0.2C2 bonded diamond composites are promising candidates for superhard tool materials.
Introducing Autonomous Shuttle Services Based on Travel Patterns for the Elderly
Authors: Kang Eunbi , Park Sunmin , Seo Younghoon , Kim Hyungjoo
Published: April 2023

The transportation-disadvantaged population is rapidly increasing through aging; moreover, the mobility of the elderly has increased due to life expectancy improvements and lifestyle changes. To respond to these changes, a customized mobility service specifically tailored to the travel patterns of the elderly was developed in this study. In particular, an autonomous shuttle service that can improve the operational efficiency and the accessibility of existing transportation methods was proposed by considering the travel characteristics of elderly people, who mainly travel short distances. To this end, a study was conducted in Seongnam City, Republic of Korea, where mobility support services for the elderly are insufficient. Using smart card data, the elderly were classified according to their travel patterns, with autonomous shuttle routes suggested for each travel purpose. We derived four clusters via the Gaussian mixture model clustering, with travel purposes classified according to the spatiotemporal travel patterns. Finally, the major routes for each travel purpose were selected, and feasible road paths for autonomous shuttle operation were suggested using the concept of ODD (operational design domain). This holistic methodology is expected to contribute to the development of autonomous mobility services for the elderly and for the establishment of welfare policies based on the smart card data.
The Effect of Mother Tongue Translation on Iranian Extroverted and Introverted EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Learning
Authors: Khoshnood Ali , Kafipour Reza
Published: April 2023

Vocabulary is an essential language component that will affect all four language skills. Therefore, any technique that can help promote vocabulary learning should be encouraged. The current study aimed to explore the effect of first-language translation on Iranian intermediate extroverted and introverted EFL learners’ vocabulary learning. The authors chose 80 Iranian EFL learners using convenience sampling and applied a quasiexperimental design for the research. First, they administered the Oxford Placement Test, the Eysenck personality questionnaire, and a vocabulary pretest and posttest. Then, the treatment started using the first language to teach vocabulary to introverted and extroverted learners. The findings showed that first-language translation had a statistically significant effect on developing Iranian intermediate extroverted EFL learners’ vocabulary learning. The results implied that the instructors could use L1 in teaching a language in general and vocabulary in specific as an effective strategy, just for extroverted learners, as it was found ineffective for introverted learners. Furthermore, the results showed that L1 translation as a learning strategy can be more effective for vocabulary learning by extrovert EFL learners than introverts. Therefore, it can be concluded that the learners’ personality traits should be considered in teaching and learning vocabulary, but as a supplementary teaching strategy since using the first language was just effective for parts of the learners, extroverts.