bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Inert Species on the Static and Dynamic Stability of a Piloted, Swirl-Stabilized Flame
Authors: Rodriguez Camacho Javier , Akiki Michel , Blust James , O'Connor Jacqueline
Published: November 2023

Carbon sequestration and utilization has been proposed as a method for decarbonizing high-efficiency industrial gas turbines operating on natural gas fuels for power generation and industrial markets. To increase the efficiency of the carbon removal process from the exhaust stream of the turbine, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) can be used. EGR recycles a portion of the engine exhaust into the inlet, increasing the concentration of inert species in the exhaust stream to improve the performance and cost-effectiveness of CO2 separation systems. This strategy can, however, reduce the oxygen concentration in the air, leading to changes in flame stabilization in the combustor. In this study, we investigate the effect of air diluted with inert gases of different compositions and the impact that these mixtures have on flame static and dynamic stability. A swirl-stabilized flame in a single-nozzle, variable-length combustor is used to measure the flame behavior for oxygen concentrations of 15–21% by volume. A constant adiabatic flame temperature test matrix is conducted to mimic operation in an industrial gas turbine. High-speed chemiluminescence imaging is used to determine the change in flame shape and dynamics for each gas composition. As the oxygen concentration decreases, the flame lifts from the centerbody, resulting in an aerodynamically stabilized flame at the lowest O2 concentrations. Different compositions of gases result in different flame shapes, where higher levels of N2 in the diluents result in more flame stabilization in the outer recirculation zone as compared to those with higher levels of CO2. The flame oscillation mechanisms also change with oxygen concentration, where the lifted flames at low O2 levels exhibit an ignition/extinction oscillation mode as compared to a vortex-shedding-coupled oscillation mode at high O2 levels where the flame is stabilized on the centerbody. Companion chemical kinetics simulations are used to explain changes in the flame's shape and behavior.
Sex-specific modulation of the medial prefrontal cortex by glutamatergic median raphe neurons
Authors: Collins Stuart A. , Stinson Hannah E. , Himes Amanda , Nestor-Kalinoski Andrea , Ninan Ipe
Published: November 2023

A substantial proportion of raphe neurons are glutamatergic. However, little is known about how these glutamatergic neurons modulate the forebrain. We investigated how glutamatergic median raphe nucleus (MRN) input modulates the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a critical component of fear circuitry. We show that vesicular glutamate transporter 3 (VGLUT3)–expressing MRN neurons activate VGLUT3- and somatostatin-expressing neurons in the mPFC. Consistent with this modulation of mPFC GABAergic neurons, activation of MRN (VGLUT3) neurons enhances GABAergic transmission in mPFC pyramidal neurons and attenuates fear memory in female but not male mice. Serotonin plays a key role in MRN (VGLUT3) neuron–mediated GABAergic plasticity in the mPFC. In agreement with these female-specific effects, we observed sex differences in glutamatergic transmission onto MRN (VGLUT3) neurons and in mPFC (VGLUT3) neuron–mediated dual release of glutamate and GABA. Our results demonstrate a cell type–specific modulation of the mPFC by MRN (VGLUT3) neurons and reveal a sex-specific role of this neuromodulation in mPFC synaptic plasticity.
Context-dependent regulation of Notch signaling in glial development and tumorigenesis
Authors: Guo Rongliang , Han Danyu , Song Xingrui , Gao Yanjing , Li Zhenmeiyu , Li Xiaosu , Yang Zhengang , Xu Zhejun
Published: November 2023

In the mammalian brain, Notch signaling maintains the cortical stem cell pool and regulates the glial cell fate choice and differentiation. However, the function of Notch in regulating glial development and its involvement in tumorigenesis have not been well understood. Here, we show that Notch inactivation by genetic deletion of
Rbpj
in stem cells decreases astrocytes but increases oligodendrocytes with altered internal states. Inhibiting Notch in glial progenitors does not affect cell generation but instead accelerates the growth of Notch-deprived oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) and OPC-related glioma. We also identified a cross-talk between oligodendrocytes and astrocytes, with premyelinating oligodendrocytes secreting BMP4, which is repressed by Notch, to up-regulate GFAP expression in adjacent astrocytes. Moreover, Notch inactivation in stem cells causes a glioma subtype shift from astroglia-associated to OPC-correlated patterns and vice versa. Our study reveals Notch’s context-dependent function, promoting astrocytes and astroglia-associated glioma in stem cells and repressing OPCs and related glioma in glial progenitors.
Low-intensity fires mitigate the risk of high-intensity wildfires in California’s forests
Authors: Wu Xiao , Sverdrup Erik , Mastrandrea Michael D. , Wara Michael W. , Wager Stefan
Published: November 2023

The increasing frequency of severe wildfires demands a shift in landscape management to mitigate their consequences. The role of managed, low-intensity fire as a driver of beneficial fuel treatment in fire-adapted ecosystems has drawn interest in both scientific and policy venues. Using a synthetic control approach to analyze 20 years of satellite-based fire activity data across 124,186 square kilometers of forests in California, we provide evidence that low-intensity fires substantially reduce the risk of future high-intensity fires. In conifer forests, the risk of high-intensity fire is reduced by 64.0% [95% confidence interval (CI): 41.2 to 77.9%] in areas recently burned at low intensity relative to comparable unburned areas, and protective effects last for at least 6 years (lower bound of one-sided 95% CI: 6 years). These findings support a policy transition from fire suppression to restoration, through increased use of prescribed fire, cultural burning, and managed wildfire, of a presuppression and precolonial fire regime in California.
P
- and
N
-type InAs nanocrystals with innately controlled semiconductor polarity
Authors: Yoon Jong Il , Kim Hyoin , Kim Meeree , Cho Hwichan , Kwon Yonghyun Albert , Choi Mahnmin , Park Seongmin , Kim Taewan , Lee Seunghan , Jo Hyunwoo , Kim BongSoo , Cho Jeong Ho , Park Ji-Sang , Jeong Sohee , Kang Moon Sung
Published: November 2023

InAs semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) exhibit intriguing electrical/optoelectronic properties suitable for next-generation electronic devices. Although there is a need for both
n
- and
p
-type semiconductors in such devices, InAs NCs typically exhibit only
n
-type characteristics. Here, we report InAs NCs with controlled semiconductor polarity. Both
p
- and
n
-type InAs NCs can be achieved from the same indium chloride and aminoarsine precursors but by using two different reducing agents, diethylzinc for
p
-type and diisobutylaluminum hydride for
n
-type NCs, respectively. This is the first instance of semiconductor polarity control achieved at the synthesis level for InAs NCs and the entire semiconductor nanocrystal systems. Comparable field-effective mobilities for holes (3.3 × 10
−3
cm
2
/V·s) and electrons (3.9 × 10
−3
cm
2
/V·s) are achieved from the respective NC films. The mobility values allow the successful fabrication of complementary logic circuits, including NOT, NOR, and NAND comprising photopatterned
p
- and
n
-channels based on InAs NCs.
Zfp281 and Zfp148 control CD4
+
T cell thymic development and T
H
2 functions
Authors: Chopp Laura B. , Zhu Xiaoliang , Gao Yayi , Nie Jia , Singh Jatinder , Kumar Parimal , Young Kelly Z. , Patel Shil , Li Caiyi , Balmaceno-Criss Mariah , Vacchio Melanie S. , Wang Michael M. , Livak Ferenc , Merchant Juanita L. , Wang Lie , Kelly Michael C. , Zhu Jinfang , Bosselut Rémy
Published: November 2023

How CD4
+
lineage gene expression is initiated in differentiating thymocytes remains poorly understood. Here, we show that the paralog transcription factors Zfp281 and Zfp148 control both this process and cytokine expression by T helper cell type 2 (T
H
2) effector cells. Genetic, single-cell, and spatial transcriptomic analyses showed that these factors promote the intrathymic CD4
+
T cell differentiation of class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC II)–restricted thymocytes, including expression of the CD4
+
lineage–committing factor Thpok. In peripheral T cells, Zfp281 and Zfp148 promoted chromatin opening at and expression of T
H
2 cytokine genes but not of the T
H
2 lineage–determining transcription factor Gata3. We found that Zfp281 interacts with Gata3 and is recruited to Gata3 genomic binding sites at loci encoding Thpok and T
H
2 cytokines. Thus, Zfp148 and Zfp281 collaborate with Gata3 to promote CD4
+
T cell development and T
H
2 cell responses.
Association of lineage 4.2.2 of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
with the 63-bp deletion variant of the
mpt64
gene
Authors: Song Zexuan , He Wencong , Pei Shaojun , Zhao Bing , Cao Xiaolong , Wang Yiting , He Ping , Liu Dongxin , Ma Aijing , Ou Xichao , Xia Hui , Wang Shengfen , Liu Chunfa , Zhao Yanlin
Published: November 2023

Tuberculosis (TB) remains the primary cause of death from an infectious disease worldwide. The MPT64 antigen assay is an expedited diagnostic method that is increasingly adopted in many TB diagnostic laboratories and clinical settings worldwide. However, the diagnostic accuracy of the MPT64 antigen assay is influenced by the presence of 63bp deletion variants within the
mpt64
gene, and the potential association of this variant with the lineage or sub-lineage of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
complex (MTBC) remains unverified. In this study, we analyzed the MPT64 antigen assay using isolates from the major lineage and sub-lineage of MTBC combined with whole-genome sequencing. Notably, we found a significant association between the 63bp deletion variant in the
mpt64
gene and
M. tuberculosis
Lineage 4.2.2 (L4.2.2) globally. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that L4.2.2 isolates were divided into two clusters (Clades A and B). Importantly, all isolates within Clade A exhibited the 63bp deletion variant in the
mpt64
gene. Furthermore, using the Bayesian Skyline population model, we observed that the effective population size of Clade A has remained relatively constant. These findings highlight that MPT64-based testing should be cautiously used, and MPT64 negative results should be validated using an alternative assay in regions where L4.2.2 isolates are prevalent, such as China and Vietnam. These L4.2.2 isolates with the 63bp deletion variant in
mpt64
warrant greater consideration during the development of diagnostic tests and study of their immunomodulatory role. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into a better understanding of the virulence and diagnosis of MTBC isolates based on the MPT64 protein.

IMPORTANCE

To date, rapid diagnostic methods based on the MPT64 antigen assay are increasingly utilized to differentiate between non-tuberculous mycobacteria and TB disease in clinical settings. Furthermore, numerous novel techniques based on the MPT64 release assay are continuously being developed and applied for the identification of both pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB. However, the diagnostic accuracy of the MPT64 antigen assay is influenced by the presence of 63 bp deletion variants within the
mpt64
gene. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the association between the 63 bp deletion variant in
mpt64
and
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
L4.2.2 globally, which highlights the need for the cautious utilization of MPT64-based testing in regions where L4.2.2 isolates are prevalent, such as China and Vietnam, and MPT64 negative results should be confirmed with another assay. In addition, further studies on vaccine development and immunology based on MPT64 should consider these isolates with 63 bp deletion variant.
Trends in diagnostic tests ordered for children: a retrospective analysis of 1.7 million laboratory test requests in Oxfordshire, UK from 2005 to 2019
Authors: Thomas Elizabeth T , Withrow Diana R , Shine Brian , Gill Peter , Perera Rafael , Heneghan Carl
Published: November 2023

Objective

To better understand testing patterns in children, we measured temporal trends in paediatric testing from 2005 to 2019 in Oxfordshire, UK.

Design

Descriptive study of population-based secondary data.

Setting

Oxfordshire University Hospitals National Health Service Trust laboratories.

Participants

Children aged 0–15 years in Oxfordshire who received at least one blood test.

Main outcome measures

We estimated average annual percentage changes (AAPCs) in test use using joinpoint regression models. Temporal changes in age-adjusted rates in test use were calculated overall and stratified by healthcare setting, sex, and age.

Results

Between 2005 and 2019, 1 749 425 tests were performed among 113 607 children. Overall test use declined until 2012, when test rates appeared to increase (AAPC 1.5%, 95% CI −0.8% to 3.9%). Most tests were performed in inpatient settings, where testing rates stayed steady (AAPC −0.6%, 95% CI −2.1% to 0.9%). Increases were highest in females, those aged 6–15 years and in the outpatient setting. The greatest increase in testing was for vitamin D (AAPC 26.5%), followed by parathyroid hormone (9.8%), iron studies (9.3%), folate (8.4%), vitamin B12(8.4%), HbA1c (8.0%), IgA (7.9%) and coeliac (7.7%).

Conclusions

After an initial decline, laboratory test use by children in Oxfordshire demonstrated an apparent increase since 2012. Test use increased in outpatient and general practice settings, however remained steady in inpatient settings. Further research should examine the root causes and implications for test increases, and whether these increases are warranted. We encourage clinicians to consider the individual and systemic implications of performing blood tests in children.
Impact and cost-effectiveness of measles vaccination through microarray patches in 70 low-income and middle-income countries: mathematical modelling and early-stage economic evaluation
Authors: Fu Han , Abbas Kaja , Malvolti Stefano , Gregory Christopher , Ko Melissa , Amorij Jean-Pierre , Jit Mark
Published: November 2023

Background

Microarray patches (MAPs) are a promising technology being developed to reduce barriers to vaccine delivery based on needles and syringes (N&S). To address the evidence gap on the public health value of applying this potential technology to immunisation programmes, we evaluated the health impact on measles burden and cost-effectiveness of introducing measles-rubella MAPs (MR-MAPs) in 70 low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Methods

We used an age-structured dynamic model of measles transmission and vaccination to project measles cases, deaths and disability-adjusted life-years during 2030–2040. Compared with the baseline scenarios with continuing current N&S-based practice, we evaluated the introduction of MR-MAPs under different measles vaccine coverage projections and MR-MAP introduction strategies. Costs were calculated based on the ingredients approach, including direct cost of measles treatment, vaccine procurement and vaccine delivery. Model-based burden and cost estimates were derived for individual countries and country income groups. We compared the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of introducing MR-MAPs to health opportunity costs.

Results

MR-MAP introduction could prevent 27%–37% of measles burden between 2030 and 2040 in 70 LMICs, compared with the N&S-only immunisation strategy. The largest health impact could be achieved under lower coverage projection and accelerated introduction strategy, with 39 million measles cases averted. Measles treatment cost is a key driver of the net cost of introduction. In countries with a relatively higher income, introducing MR-MAPs could be a cost-saving intervention due to reduced treatment costs. Compared with country-specific health opportunity costs, introducing MR-MAPs would be cost-effective in 16%–81% of LMICs, depending on the MR-MAPs procurement prices and vaccine coverage projections.

Conclusions

Introducing MR-MAPs in LMICs can be a cost-effective strategy to revitalise measles immunisation programmes with stagnant uptake and reach undervaccinated children. Sustainable introduction and uptake of MR-MAPs has the potential to improve vaccine equity within and between countries and accelerate progress towards measles elimination.
Scaling malaria interventions: bottlenecks to malaria elimination
Authors: Mao Wenhui , Cooke Rianna , Silimperi Diana , Urli Hodges Elina , Ortiz Ernesto , Udayakumar Krishna
Published: November 2023

The slow progress in malaria control efforts and increasing challenges have prompted a need to accelerate the research and development (R&D), launch and scaling of effective interventions for malaria elimination. This research, including desk research and key informant interviews, identified the following challenges along the end-to-end scale-up pathway of malaria interventions. Underinvestment in malaria R&D persists, and developers from low-resource settings are not commonly included in the R&D process. Unpredictable or unclear regulatory and policy pathways have been a hurdle. The private sector has not been fully engaged, which results in a less competitive market with few manufacturers, and consequently, a low supply of products. Persistent challenges also exist in the scaling of malaria interventions, such as the fragmentation of malaria programmes. Further efforts are needed to: (1) Strengthen coordination among stakeholders and especially the private sector to inform decisions and mobilise resources. (2) Increase engagement of national stakeholders, particularly those in low-income and middle-income countries, in planning for and implementing R&D, launching and scaling proven malaria interventions. (3) Use financial incentives and other market-shaping strategies to encourage R&D for innovative malaria products and improve existing interventions. (4) Streamline and improve transparency of WHO’s prequalification and guidelines processes to provide timely technical advice and strategies for different settings. (5) Increase effort to integrate malaria services into the broader primary healthcare system. (6) Generate evidence to inform policies on improving access to malaria interventions.
Impact of the MEESSI-AHF tool to guide disposition decision-making in patients with acute heart failure in the emergency department: a before-and-after study
Authors: Mirò Òscar , Llorens Pere , Rosselló Xavier , Gil Víctor , Sánchez Carolina , Jacob Javier , Herrero-Puente Pablo , López-Diez María Pilar , Llauger Lluis , Romero Rodolfo , Fuentes Marta , Tost Josep , Bibiano Carlos , Alquézar-Arbé Aitor , Martín-Mojarro Enrique , Bueno Héctor , Peacock Frank , Martin-Sanchez Francisco Javier , Pocock Stuart
Published: November 2023

Objectives

To determine the impact of risk stratification using the MEESSI-AHF (Multiple Estimation of risk based on the Emergency department Spanish Score In patients with acute heart failure) scale to guide disposition decision-making on the outcomes of ED patients with acute heart failure (AHF), and assess the adherence of emergency physicians to risk stratification recommendations.

Methods

This was a prospective quasi-experimental study (before/after design) conducted in eight Spanish EDs which consecutively enrolled adult patients with AHF. In the pre-implementation stage, the admit/discharge decision was performed entirely based on emergency physician judgement. During the post-implementation phase, emergency physicians were advised to ‘discharge’ patients classified by the MEESSI-AHF scale as low risk and ‘admit’ patients classified as increased risk. Nonetheless, the final decision was left to treating emergency physicians. The primary outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were days alive and out of hospital, in-hospital mortality and 30-day post-discharge combined adverse event (ED revisit, hospitalisation or death).

Results

The pre-implementation and post-implementation cohorts included 1589 and 1575 patients, respectively (median age 85 years, 56% females) with similar characteristics, and 30-day all-cause mortality was 9.4% and 9.7%, respectively (post-implementation HR=1.03, 95% CI=0.82 to 1.29). There were no differences in secondary outcomes or in the percentage of patients entirely managed in the ED without hospitalisation (direct discharge from the ED, 23.5% vs 24.4%, OR=1.05, 95% CI=0.89 to 1.24). Adjusted models did not change these results. Emergency physicians followed the MEESSI-AHF-based recommendation on patient disposition in 70.9% of cases (recommendation over-ruling: 29.1%). Physicians were more likely to over-rule the recommendation when ‘discharge’ was recommended (56.4%; main reason: need for hospitalisation for a second diagnosis) than when ‘admit’ was recommended (12.8%; main reason: no appreciation of severity of AHF decompensation by emergency physician), with an OR for over-ruling the ‘discharge’ compared with the ‘admit’ recommendation of 8.78 (95% CI=6.84 to 11.3).

Conclusions

Implementing the MEESSI-AHF risk stratification tool in the ED to guide disposition decision-making did not improve patient outcomes.
Gut virome in inflammatory bowel disease and beyond
Authors: Tun Hein Min , Peng Ye , Massimino Luca , Sin Zhen Ye , Parigi Tommaso Lorenzo , Facoetti Amanda , Rahman Shaila , Danese Silvio , Ungaro Federica
Published: November 2023

Objective

The gut virome is a dense community of viruses inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract and an integral part of the microbiota. The virome coexists with the other components of the microbiota and with the host in a dynamic equilibrium, serving as a key contributor to the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis and functions. However, this equilibrium can be interrupted in certain pathological states, including inflammatory bowel disease, causing dysbiosis that may participate in disease pathogenesis. Nevertheless, whether virome dysbiosis is a causal or bystander event requires further clarification.

Design

This review seeks to summarise the latest advancements in the study of the gut virome, highlighting its cross-talk with the mucosal microenvironment. It explores how cutting-edge technologies may build upon current knowledge to advance research in this field. An overview of virome transplantation in diseased gastrointestinal tracts is provided along with insights into the development of innovative virome-based therapeutics to improve clinical management.

Results

Gut virome dysbiosis, primarily driven by the expansion ofCaudovirales, has been shown to impact intestinal immunity and barrier functions, influencing overall intestinal homeostasis. Although emerging innovative technologies still need further implementation, they display the unprecedented potential to better characterise virome composition and delineate its role in intestinal diseases.

Conclusions

The field of gut virome is progressively expanding, thanks to the advancements of sequencing technologies and bioinformatic pipelines. These have contributed to a better understanding of how virome dysbiosis is linked to intestinal disease pathogenesis and how the modulation of virome composition may help the clinical intervention to ameliorate gut disease management.
Hot brain: practical climate change advice for neurologists
Authors: Sisodiya Sanjay M
Published: November 2023

‘We are called to be architects of the future, not its victims’—Buckminster Fuller

People with chronic neurological conditions may be vulnerable to change and less able to manage its demands: neurological diseases are among the most burdensome. Whether climate change has particular effects on specific neurological diseases or not, the known impaired resilience to change affecting people with neurological diseases requires neurologists to have awareness of potential climate impacts and their management. Preparedness should include understanding of general national and local alerts and action systems, and the ability to advise patients about managing extreme weather events, particularly heatwaves, but also floods and cold snaps. At the same time, we need more research into the particular consequences of climate change on specific neurological diseases. Climate change is a serious healthcare issue, requiring the neurological community to respond as it would, or did, to other serious challenges, such as COVID-19. As disease experts, we all have a role to play.
Dural arteriovenous fistula of the craniocervical junction
Authors: Koutsioumpa Charalampia , Ho Dave , Siegel Cory , Patel Nirav , Smirnakis Stelios , Babikian Viken
Published: November 2023

Dural arteriovenous (AV) fistulas of the craniocervical junction can be challenging to diagnose. We describe a 70-year-old man with subacute progressive myelopathy whose MR scan of cervical spine showed serpiginous dorsal vessels, suggesting a dural AV fistula. However, a detailed diagnostic angiogram was normal, prompting additional work-up and a wider differential, which was non-revealing. His symptoms progressed over months, but the evolution of the lesion characteristics on repeat spinal imaging still suggested a dural AV fistula. Repeat angiogram identified an infratentorial dural AV fistula arising from the meningohypophyseal artery. He improved following retrosigmoid craniotomy and clipping. Initial angiography does not always demonstrate a dural AV fistula; if there is clinical and radiographic evolution, repeat angiography might identify a fistula with a rare arterial feeder.
Surgical timing and long-term outcomes in patients with severe haemorrhagic spinal cord cavernous malformations
Authors: Tian An , Cui Ziwei , Ren Jian , Ren Yeqing , Ye Ming , Li Guilin , He Chuan , Li Xiaoyu , Zeng Gao , Hu Peng , Ma Yongjie , Yu Jiaxing , Li Jingwei , Bian Lisong , Yang Fan , Li Qianwen , Ling Feng , Hong Tao , Sun Liyong , Zhang Hongqi
Published: November 2023

Background

Surgical resection of the lesions remains the main treatment method for most symptomatic spinal cord cavernous malformations (SCCMs) to eliminate the occupation and associated subsequent lifelong haemorrhagic risk. However, the timing of surgical intervention remains controversial, especially for patients in the acute stage after severe haemorrhage.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with SCCMs who were surgically treated between January 2002 and December 2021 were selected and retrospectively reviewed. The Modified McCormick Scale (MMS) was used to evaluate neurological and disability status. All medical information was reviewed, and all patients were followed up for at least 6 months.

Results

A total of 279 patients were ultimately included. With regard to long-term outcomes, 110 (39.4%) patients improved, 159 (57.0%) remained unchanged and 10 (3.6%) worsened. For patients with an MMS score of 2–5 on admission, in univariate and multivariate analyses, a ≤6 weeks period between onset and surgery (adjusted OR 3.211, 95% CI 1.504 to 6.856, p=0.003) was a significant predictor of improved MMS. Among 69 patients who first presented with severe haemorrhage, undergoing surgery within 6 weeks of the onset of severe haemorrhage (adjusted OR 4.901, 95% CI 1.126 to 21.325, p=0.034) was significantly associated with improvement of MMS score.

Conclusion

Surgical timing can influence the long-term outcome of SCCMs. For patients with symptomatic SCCMs, especially those with severe haemorrhage, early surgical intervention within 6 weeks can provide more benefit.
Bimodal Feature Analysis with Deep Learning for Autism Spectrum Disorder Detection
Authors: Colonnese Federica , Di Luzio Francesco , Rosato Antonello , Panella Massimo
Published: November 2023

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex and heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder which affects a significant proportion of the population, with estimates suggesting that about 1 in 100 children worldwide are affected by ASD. This study introduces a new Deep Neural Network for identifying ASD in children through gait analysis, using features extracted from frames composing video recordings of their walking patterns. The innovative method presented herein is based on imagery and combines gait analysis and deep learning, offering a noninvasive and objective assessment of neurodevelopmental disorders while delivering high accuracy in ASD detection. Our model proposes a bimodal approach based on the concatenation of two distinct Convolutional Neural Networks processing two feature sets extracted from the same videos. The features obtained from the convolutions of both networks are subsequently flattened and merged into a single vector, serving as input for the fully connected layers in the binary classification process. This approach demonstrates the potential for effective ASD detection in children through the combination of gait analysis and deep learning techniques.
Balanced Fuzzy Petri Nets
Authors: Fryc Barbara , Matusiewicz Zofia
Published: November 2023

The paper presents a new Petri Net model: BFPN. Balanced Fuzzy Petri Nets make it possible to model processes that consider gain and loss calculations at the same time. Many business processes need to consider the ability to model a scarcity or loss situation. Balanced fuzzy sets and relations allow a complete visualization and interpretation of the processes.
Computing of temperature-dependent thermal conductivity and viscosity correlation for solar energy and turbulence appliances via artificial neuro network algorithm
Authors: Qureshi M. Zubair Akbar , Faisal M. , Malik Kaleem Razzaq , Shah Nehad Ali
Published: November 2023

The growing popularity of artificial intelligence approaches has led to their application in a wide range of engineering fields. The most widely used artificial intelligence tool, artificial neural networks, can be used to predict data with high accuracy. An artificial neural network approach is being used to predict effective and accurate thermal conductivity and viscosity models for hybrid nanofluid systems. Here, new types of correlations relating to the thermophysical properties of Fly Ash–Cu nanoparticles with diameter sized 15.2[Formula: see text]nm and which are temperature-dependent are developed. The highest thermal conductivity and viscosity values were obtained for hybrid nanofluids with a mixture ratio of 20:80, with maximum amplification exceeding 83.2% and 65%, respectively, over the base fluid. The Fly Ash–Cu/water hybrid nanofluid’s viscosity and thermal conductivity are evaluated for a concentration range of 0–4%. The evaluation of the Fly Ash–Cu/water hybrid nanofluids system at concentrations ranging from 0 to 4% most likely entails a scientific or engineering study aimed at understanding the behavior and properties of this nanofluid mixture. Nanoparticles can agglomerate or settle in the base fluid over time, compromising the stability of the nanofluids. Researchers may be interested in determining how varied quantities of Fly Ash and Cu nanoparticles affect the nanofluid’s stability and sedimentation behavior. The heat transfer potential is examined within the optimistic range of temperatures of 30–80∘C. Many fruitful results for turbulence and solar energy have been drawn. The Mouromtseff number achieved an optimal value for all concentration levels. The heat transfers of turbulent flow and thermal conductivity of hybrid nanofluids increase with the augmented values of concentrations and temperature. Researchers found an increase in thermal conductivity of hybrid nanofluids at 0–4% concentrations, potentially impacting heat transfer applications. The conclusion explores the potential integration of the developed correlations and neural network model into practical engineering or industrial applications involving solar energy and turbulence appliances. In this work, we extend the work of Kanti et al. [Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 234 (2022) 111423] which is on the properties of water-based fly ash-copper hybrid nanofluid for solar energy applications.
First-principles study of ZnSn1−xTaxO3 (x=2.5% and x=5%) for opto-electronics and electronic structure properties
Authors: Shahzad Muhammad , Ali Rawaid , Abdullah M. , Malik Naqash H. , Hou Hongying , Azam Sikander , Sohail M. , Rahman Amin Ur , Jawad M.
Published: November 2023

This study employs density functional theory (DFT) calculations to investigate the impact of tantalum (Ta) doping in ZnSnO3 to investigate the electronic and optoelectronic properties. ZnSnO3 is a promising semiconductor material with a wide bandgap and visible light transparency, making it suitable for optoelectronic applications. However, its low electrical conductivity limits its performance in these applications. The results revealed that our structural parameters are in good agreement with the experimental values. The electronic structures revealed that the top of the valence band and the bottom of the conduction band are decided by O 2p and Sn 5s states, respectively, and that ZnSn[Formula: see text]TaxO3 presented a direct band gap (1.0[Formula: see text]eV) located at [Formula: see text]-point. Finally, the complex dielectric function and optical constants (such as absorption spectrum, refractive index, extinction coefficient, reflectivity, and energy-loss spectrum) were obtained and discussed in detail. Our findings also suggested that ZnSn[Formula: see text]TaxO3 is a promising transparent semiconductor and photocatalyst. These insights provide opportunities for high-performance optoelectronic device design such as biomedical and LED.
Variable-coefficient polynomial function method for finding the lump-type solutions of integrable system with variable coefficients
Authors: Guan Hong-Yang , Liu Jian-Guo
Published: November 2023

In this work, we study a ([Formula: see text])-dimensional variable-coefficient Caudrey–Dodd–Gibbon–Kotera–Sawada equation in fluid mechanics. The new lump and lump-soliton solutions are obtained by the variable-coefficient polynomial function method. We used 3D graphs, contour plots and density graphs to show that the amplitude and velocity of solitons are affected by some variable coefficients. It is proved that the polynomial function method with variable coefficients is very direct and effective for solving lump-type solutions in variable coefficient integrable systems, and more new conclusions can be obtained.
Antecedents of Intention to Use Social Media for Virtual Events
Authors: Kwek Choon Ling , Lee Mary Siew Cheng , Lee Shee Ping , Siek Hwee Ling , Keoy Kay Hooi , Cherukuri Aswani Kumar
Published: November 2023

Imposing the movement control order and social distancing measures during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic increased the adoption of information and communication technology. The practices of remote work, virtual classes, and even entertainment were forced to be conducted remotely from home. Despite the current relaxation of restricted measurements on the COVID-19 pandemic in different nations, people still prefer online meetings via social media because of the potential threats of new recurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the significant saving of time, money, and effort. Therefore, the objectives of this research intend to investigate the direct and indirect relationships between attitude, perceived direct benefit, trust, and intention to use social media for virtual events. Moreover, this research will also assess the role of top management support in moderating the relationship between attitude and intention to use social media for virtual events. To accomplish the research objectives, 400 samples were collected through an online self-administered questionnaire survey. The data were analysed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Partial Least Square–Structural Equation Modelling (PLS–SEM). Based on the generated statistical outcomes, all the direct relationships between attitude, perceived direct benefit, trust, and intention to use social media for virtual events are significantly supported. For the indirect relationships, all the mediation relationships are significantly supported. However, the findings indicated that the moderation variable of top management support does not have any moderating effect on the relationship between the attitude and intention to use in this research study.
A Generic Model of Consciousness
Authors: Hadley M. J.
Published: November 2023

This is a model of consciousness. The hard problem of consciousness, what it feels like, is answered. The work builds on medical research analyzing the source and mechanisms associated with our feelings. It goes further by describing a generic model with wide applicability. The model is fully consistent with medical pathways in humans, but easily extends to animals and artificial intelligence (AI). The essence of the model is the interplay between associative memory and physiology. The model is a clear and concrete counterexample to the famous philosophical objections to a scientific explanation.
Enhancing Asian Indigenous Language Processing through Deep Learning-based Handwriting Recognition and Optimization Techniques
Authors: Manimaran A. , Syed Mohammad Haider , Kumar M. Siva , Selvanayaki S. , Sunitha Gurram , Manna Asmita
Published: November 2023

Asian indigenous language or autochthonous language is a language which is native to a region and spoken by indigenous people in Asia. This language is a linguistically different community created in the region. Recently, researchers in handwriting detection studies comparing with indigenous languages have attained important internet amongst the research community. A new development of artificial intelligence (AI), natural language processing (NLP), cognitive analytics, and computational linguistics (CL) find it helpful in the analysis of regional low-resource languages. It can be obvious in the obtainability of effectual machine detection methods and open access handwritten databases. Tamil is the most ancient Indian language that is mostly exploited in the Southern part of India, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia. Tamil handwritten Character Recognition (HCR) is a critical procedure in optical character detection. Therefore, this study designs a Henry Gas Solubility Optimization with Deep Learning-based Handwriting Recognition Model (HGSODL-HRM) for Asian Indigenous Language Processing. The proposed HGSODL-HRM technique relies on computer vision and DL concepts for automated handwriting recognition in the Tamil language, which is one of the popular indigenous languages in Asia. To accomplish this, the HGSODL-HRM technique employs a capsule network (CapsNet) model for feature vector generation with the HGSO algorithm as a hyperparameter optimizer. For the recognition of handwritten characters, wavelet neural network (WNN) model is exploited. Finally, the WNN parameters can be optimally chosen by sail fish optimizer (SFO) algorithm. To demonstrate the promising results of the HGSODL-HRM system, an extensive range of simulations can be implemented. The simulation outcomes stated the betterment of the HGSODL-HRM system compared to recent DL models.
Collaborative Multi-task Learning for Multi-Object Tracking and Segmentation
Authors: Cui Yiming , Han Cheng , Liu Dongfang
Published: November 2023

The advancement of computer vision has pushed visual analysis tasks from still images to the video domain. In recent years, video instance segmentation, which aims at tracking and segment multiple objects in video frames, has drawn much attention for its potential applications in various emerging areas such as autonomous driving, intelligent transportation, and smart retail. In this article, we propose an effective framework for instance-level visual analysis on video frames, which can simultaneously conduct object detection, instance segmentation, and multi-object tracking. The core idea of our method is collaborative multi-task learning which is achieved by a novel structure, named associative connections among detection, segmentation, and tracking task heads in an end-to-end learnable CNN. These additional connections allow information propagation across multiple related tasks, so as to benefit these tasks simultaneously. We evaluate the proposed method extensively on KITTI MOTS and MOTS Challenge datasets and obtain quite encouraging results.
Their Fight Is Our Fight: Why Computing Education Advocates Must Be in Solidarity with Public Schools
Authors: Santo Rafi , Yadav Aman , Phelps David
Published: November 2023

Those working toward equitable K-12 computing education in the United States have always had their work cut out for them: understanding how best to teach, developing robust curricula, designing novel tools, building teacher capacity, and supporting systemic change in schools to bring equitable computing education to young people. Collectively, these areas represent an ambitious and complex set of problems to solve. But current changes to the educational landscape in the United States—where teaching basic ideas about how to critically engage with the world has become deeply politicized, and where forces working toward privatization of education are on the rise—require us to broaden the scope of our work. Our efforts must shift to not just include the aforementioned problems but also include ones that are more explicitly political: engaging in solidarity with the larger project of public education and supporting teachers to have the freedom to teach what students will need to contribute to our society.
Wearable Electrochemical Biosensors for In Situ Pesticide Analysis from Crops
Authors: Chen Changhua , Zhou Jianping , Li Zhilei , Xu Yan , Ran Tongtong , Gen Junhao
Published: November 2023

On-site monitoring of pesticide presence on the surface of crops is a growing trend in precision and intelligent agriculture. In this study, the researchers prepared a wearable biosensor for the in situ detection of pesticides on the surfaces of crops. Here, a flexible fiber membrane substrate was prepared via the electrospinning technology. After the three-electrode system was transferred onto the membrane substrate used for screen printing, this resulted in a screen printing electrode(SPE) that can effectively adapt to the irregular surface of crops or fruits. By modifying the SPE with acetylcholinesterase(AchE), the biosensor showed excellent selectivity and recognition for the methyl parathion. To further enhance the electrochemical performance, the surface of the work electrode was modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and reduced graphene oxide (rGo). The developed wearable sensor successfully detected methyl parathion, showing a good linear relationship within the range of 1 ppb to 2 ppm. The detection limit was measured to be 0.48 ppb, enabling on-site monitoring of pesticide levels in plants. This work presents straightforward, sensitive, and efficient biosensors to analyze pesticides, which hold potential for application in detecting other agrochemicals. Moreover, this advancement could significantly contribute to the progress of precision agriculture in the future.
Electrochemical Studies of Nanoflakes like ZnMnO3 Perovskites for the Determination of Priority Organic Pollutant N-hydroxysuccinimide
Authors: Venkatesh Krishnan , Srinithi Subburaj , Chen Shen-Ming , Janagaraj Gandhiraj , Arumugam Balamurugan , Sivaganesh Dhanushkodi , Subramanian Chidambaravinayagam , Alshalwi Matar , Ramaraj Sayee Kannan
Published: November 2023

Surfactant assisted co-precipitation method active for preparing ZnMnO3 perovskites. The as- synthesized nanoflakes are well characterized by using numerous microscopic and spectroscopic methods which confirmed that ZnMnO3 has high crystalline nature, desired functional groups with nanoflakes like morphology. The synthesized ZnMnO3 were fabricated as the electrode material to determine biologically important as well as priority organic pollutant N- hydroxysuccinimide (NHS). The improved sensing performance of ZnMnO3 towards NHS with outstanding sensitivity, and selectivity in the presence of a 50-fold excess concentration of metal ions and amino acids. The NHS sensor at ZnMnO3/GCE exhibits wide dynamics ranging from 0.01 μM to 530.6 μM with a superior detection limit of 0.04 μM. Furthermore, the proposed sensor has utilized by practical applicability of NHS detection in the spiked urine samples that achieved better recoveries.
Improved Elevated Temperature Performance of LiFePO4/Graphite Cell by Blending NMC640 in Cathode
Authors: Yue Meng , Aiken Connor , Deshmukh Jay , Garayt Matthew D. L. , Johnson Michel , Dahn J. R. , Yang Chongyin
Published: November 2023

Physical mixtures of LiMn2O4 (LMO) and NMC active cathode materials is a well-known strategy in commercial batteries to achieve better cycling and storage performance than cells with a pure LMO cathode. In this work, we demonstrated a similar synergic effect in LiFePO4(LFP)/NMC640 cathode material blends. Blending LFP with NMC640 in the weight ratio of 90% to 10% lead to improvements in cycling and storage compared to cells with LFP alone. A clear linear coordination between capacity loss and iron deposition on the graphite anode was observed in these blended cells. This work shows that blending NMC in LFP cathode is a promising strategy to improve the high-temperature stability of LFP/graphite cells for long-term operation.
Investigating the Impact of Deposition Parameters on the Biosensing Performance of Zinc Oxide Nanostructured Thin Films Fabricated via Vapor Phase Transport
Authors: Batra Neha , Tomar Monika
Published: November 2023

Despite huge advancements in biosensing technologies in the last few years, there remains a gap in comprehending the intricate relationship between growth parameters and the corresponding biosensing response characteristics. The present work investigates the correlation between the physical properties of ZnO thin films and their biosensing response to address this gap and further fabricate a urea sensor based on the optimized conditions. The Vapor Phase Transport (VPT) method was used to grow ZnO thin films, with biosensing performance observed to be highly dependent on growth conditions. Under optimal conditions, ZnO films demonstrated biosensing-friendly properties such as low stress, strong carrier mobility for electron transfer, and a large surface area for effective biomolecule loading. The prepared bioelectrode (Urs-GLDH/ZnO/Pt/Si) showed excellent performance in detecting urea with a high sensitivity of 41 μAmM−1cm−2 over a wide range of urea concentrations (5–200 mg dl−1 or 0.83–33.33 mM). The urea sensor also exhibited a low limit of detection (LOD) of 1.82 mg dl−1, a high shelf life lasting for 12 weeks, and superior selectivity. Thus, the present study not only aims at enhancing our understanding of the fundamental properties of ZnO thin films and their relation to processing conditions, but also emphasises their potential for enhanced biosensing applications.