bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling the transmission dynamics of a time-delayed epidemic model with saturated treatment rate
Authors: Upadhyay Ranjit Kumar , Acharya Sattwika
Published: October 2022

In this paper, an attempt has been made to explore a new delayed epidemiological model assuming that the disease is transmitted among the susceptible population and possessing nonlinear incidence function along with a saturated treatment rate. Due attention is paid to the positivity and boundedness of the solutions and the bifurcation of the dynamical system as well. Basic reproduction number is being calculated, and considering the latent period as a bifurcation parameter, it has been examined that a Hopf-bifurcation occurs near the endemic equilibrium point while the parameter attains critical values. We have also discussed the stability and direction of Hopf-bifurcation near the endemic equilibrium point, the global stability analysis and the optimal control theory. We conclude that the system reveals chaotic dynamics through a specific time-delay value. Numerical simulations are being performed in order to explain the accuracy and effectiveness of the acquired theoretical results.
Independence number and the normalized Laplacian eigenvalue one
Authors: Das Arpita , Panigrahi Pratima
Published: October 2022

In this paper, we prove that every simple connected graph with [Formula: see text] has [Formula: see text] as a normalized Laplacian eigenvalue with multiplicity at least [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are the order and the independence number of the graph, respectively. Then we investigate graphs with [Formula: see text] and having or not having [Formula: see text] as a normalized Laplacian eigenvalue.
The impact of virtual meetings
Authors: Kugler Logan
Published: October 2022

Virtual meetings have mixed effects on employee productivity, creativity, and relationships.
An emergent legal right to repair electronic devices
Authors: Samuelson Pamela
Published: October 2022

Parsing the fine print on repair tolerances.
WordMelodies: Supporting the Acquisition of Literacy Skills by Children with Visual Impairment through a Mobile App
Authors: Ahmetovic Dragan , Bernareggi Cristian , Leporini Barbara , Mascetti Sergio
Published: October 2022

WordMelodies is a mobile app that aims to support inclusive teaching of literacy skills for primary school students. Thus it was designed to be accessible both visually and through screen reader, and it includes over 80 different types of exercises for practicing literacy skills, each with adjustable difficulty levels, in Italian and in English. WordMelodies is freely available for iOS and Android devices. However, it has not been previously evaluated with children having visual impairments. Thus, in this article, we evaluate the app usability, its perceived ease of use, appreciation and children’s autonomy while using it, as well as the characteristics of the end users. To achieve this, we conducted a user study with 11 primary school students with visual impairments, and we analyzed app usage logs collected from 408 users in over 1 year from the app publication. We show that app usability is high, and most exercises can be completed autonomously. The exercises are also perceived to be easy to perform, and they are appreciated by the participants. Finally, we provide insights on how to address the identified app limitations and propose future research directions.
fSEAD: A Composable FPGA-based Streaming Ensemble Anomaly Detection Library
Authors: Lou Binglei , Boland David , Leong Philip
Published: October 2022

Machine learning ensembles combine multiple base models to produce a more accurate output. They can be applied to a range of machine learning problems, including anomaly detection. In this article, we investigate how to maximize the composability and scalability of an FPGA-based streaming ensemble anomaly detector (fSEAD). To achieve this, we propose a flexible computing architecture consisting of multiple partially reconfigurable regions, pblocks, which each implement anomaly detectors. Our proof-of-concept design supports three state-of-the-art anomaly detection algorithms: Loda, RS-Hash, and xStream. Each algorithm is scalable, meaning multiple instances can be placed within a pblock to improve performance. Moreover, fSEAD is implemented using High-level synthesis (HLS), meaning further custom anomaly detectors can be supported. Pblocks are interconnected via an AXI-switch, enabling them to be composed in an arbitrary fashion before combining and merging results at runtime to create an ensemble that maximizes the use of FPGA resources and accuracy. Through utilizing reconfigurable Dynamic Function eXchange (DFX), the detector can be modified at runtime to adapt to changing environmental conditions. We compare fSEAD to an equivalent central processing unit (CPU) implementation using four standard datasets, with speedups ranging from 3× to 8×.
Non-Equilibrium Growth of Surface Wrinkles Emerging in an SiO2/Si Stack during Si Melting Induced by UV Nanosecond Pulsed Laser Annealing
Authors: Karmous Imen , Rozé Fabien , Raynal Pierre-Edouard , Huet Karim , Alba Pablo Acosta , Tabata Toshiyuki , Kerdilès Sébastien
Published: October 2022

UV nanosecond pulsed laser annealing (UV-NLA) is demonstrating clear benefits in the emerging 3D-integrated electronic devices, where the allowed thermal budget is strictly limited to preserve underlying device performance. A possible drawback of UV-NLA is that melting a solid substrate covered by a dielectric layer, which can be found in typical CMOS device structures, induces wrinkles on the surface and may be an issue for subsequent processes. In this study, UV-NLA is performed in thermally-grown SiO2/Si structures to systematically investigate the formation of wrinkles. A classical analytical model adopted from literature shows a good agreement with our experimental results if a fitting coefficient is involved. Interestingly, its value is rapidly increasing for a thinner (roughly less than 50 nm) SiO2 film, whereas it becomes closer to unity for a thicker (roughly greater than 50 nm) SiO2 film. This might infer a possible discrepancy of the material properties taken from literature and those of real industrial thin SiO2 films. The impact of the as-grown SiO2 film stress on the growth of wrinkles is also investigated, improving the statistics of the measurements. The results do not show any significant impact possibly because of the degree of the as-grown SiO2 film stress being negligible compared to the SiO2 shear modulus.
Effect of Chitosan Oligosaccharide as a Complexing Agent on Chemical Mechanical Polishing Performance of C-, A-, and R-Plane Sapphire Substrate
Authors: Qu Minghui , Niu Xinhuan , Hou Ziyang , Yan Han , Luo Fu , Zhang Yinchan , Zhu Yebo
Published: October 2022

Sapphire is widely used in high-tech fields such as microelectronics and optoelectronics because of its excellent optical, chemical and mechanical properties. Higher requirements of surface quality and processing efficiency bring more challenges to achieve global planarization of the C-, A- and R-plane sapphire substrate. Enhancing chemical action is one of the effective methods to improve the effect of sapphire chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). In this paper, in order to improve the removal rate, chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) was used as a complexing agent in sapphire slurry. From the results, it was found that higher material removal rate (MRR) and lower surface roughness (Sq) were obtained for C-, A- and R-plane sapphire, when the concentration of COS in the slurry was 0.10 wt%, 0.05 wt%, and 0.05 wt%, respectively. Meanwhile, the reaction mechanism and process between COS and sapphire were revealed. From the Ultraviolet-visible (UV–Vis) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, it can be concluded that there was a complexation reaction between sapphire wafers and COS, and the reaction product was soluble complex Al(OH)4
–/COS, which resulted in an increase in removal rate and a decrease in surface roughness. Such study has certain guiding significance for practical production.
Fisetin Attenuates Arsenic-Induced Hepatic Damage by Improving Biochemical, Inflammatory, Apoptotic, and Histological Profile: In Vivo and In Silico Approach
Authors: Umar Muhammad , Muzammil Saima , Zahoor Muhammad Asif , Mustafa Shama , Ashraf Asma , Hayat Sumreen , Ijaz Muhammad Umar
Published: October 2022

Arsenic (As) is a toxic metalloid and human carcinogen that may cause hepatotoxicity. Fisetin (3, 3′, 4′, 7-tetrahydroxyflavone) is a phytoflavonoid, which shows diverse therapeutic activities. This study aimed to examine the remedial potential of fisetin against As-instigated hepatotoxicity in adult male rats. To accomplish this aim, albino rats (N = 48) were evenly classified into 4 groups: control group, As (10 mg/kg) group, fisetin (2.5 mg/kg) + As (10 mg/kg) group, and fisetin (2.5 mg/kg) group. After one month of treatment, biochemical assay, total protein content (TPC), hepatic serum enzymes, inflammatory as well as pro- or anti-apoptotic markers, and histopathological profile of hepatic tissues were estimated. As administration disordered the biochemical profile by decreasing activities of antioxidant enzymes i.e., catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GSR), and glutathione (GSH) content while escalating the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). TPC was also considerably reduced after exposure to As. Furthermore, As markedly raised the levels of liver serum enzymes such as aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and alanine transaminase (ALT) as well as the levels of inflammatory markers, i.e., nuclear factor- κB (NF-κB), tumor necrosis- α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity. Besides, it lowered the level of antiapoptotic markers (Bcl-2) and upregulated the levels of proapoptotic markers (Bax, Caspase-3, and Caspase-9). Additionally, As exposure led to histopathological damage in hepatic tissues. However, fisetin administration remarkably alleviated all the depicted hepatic damages. For further verification, the screening of several dock complexes was performed by using the GOLD 5.3.0 version. Based on docking fitness and GOLD score, the ranking order of receptor proteins with fisetin compound is superoxide dismutase, interleukin, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, TNF-alpha, alanine transaminase, cyclo-oxygenase 2, antiapoptotic, and glutathione reductase. Out of these three receptor proteins superoxide dismutase, interleukin, and aspartate aminotransferase showed the best interaction with the fisetin compound. In vivo and in silico outcomes of the current study demonstrated that fisetin could potentially ameliorate As-instigated hepatotoxicity.
Generalized Auto‐Convolution Volterra Integral Equations: Numerical Treatments
Authors: Nezamabadi Mahdi Namazi , Pishbin Saeed
Published: October 2022

In this paper, we use the operational Tau method based on orthogonal polynomials to achieve a numerical solution of generalized autoconvolution Volterra integral equations. Displaying a lower triangular matrix for basis functions, the corresponding solution is represented in matrix form, and an infinite upper triangular Toeplitz matrix is used to show the matrix representation of the integral part of the autoconvolution integral equation. We also investigate solvability of the obtained nonlinear system with infinite dimensional space and examine the convergence analysis of this method under the L2− norm. Finally, the efficiency of the operational Tau method is studied by numerical examples.
Computational Theories of Alcohol Use Disorder: Mapping Learning and Choice Mechanisms on Symptoms
Authors: Sebold Miriam , Kiebel Stefan J. , Smolka Michael N. , Heinz Andreas , Deserno Lorenz
Published: October 2022

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is characterized by a combination of symptoms including excessive craving, loss of control, and progressive neglect of alternative pleasures. A mechanistic understanding of what drives these symptoms is needed to improve diagnostic stratification and to develop new treatment and prevention strategies for AUD. To date, there is no consensus regarding a unifying mechanistic framework that accounts for the different symptoms of AUD. Reinforcement learning (RL) and economic choice theories may be key to elucidating the underlying processes of symptom development and maintenance in AUD. These algorithms may account for the different behavioral and physiological phenomena and are suited to dissect mechanisms linked to different symptoms of AUD. We here review different RL and economic choice models and how they map onto three symptoms of AUD: (1) cue-induced craving, (2) neglect of alternative rewards, and (3) consumption despite adverse consequences. For each symptom and theory, we describe findings from animal and human studies. In humans, we focus on empirical studies that investigated RL models in the context of treatment outcome in AUD. The review indicates important gaps to be addressed in the future by highlighting the challenges in transferring findings from RL and economic choice studies to clinical application. We also critically evaluate the potential and pitfalls of a symptom-oriented approach and highlight the importance of elucidating the role of learning and decision-making processes across diagnostic boundaries.
An Unusual Presentation of Rhabdomyolysis and Acute Kidney Injury after Physical Activity: A Case Report
Authors: Miranda Luiz Henrique Lélis , Lima Débora Nóbrega de , Dourado Marclébio Manuel Coêlho
Published: October 2022

Exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis refers to the breakdown of striated muscle, which releases intracellular elements into the bloodstream due to heavy physical activity. In rare instances, this condition may be the first clinical manifestation of sickle cell trait (SCT). We report on a 31-year-old woman with post-infectious fatigue who, after suffering mild COVID-19 symptoms 3 weeks prior, presented with intense muscle pain in the ankles, dyspnea, and choluria hours after strenuous physical exercise during a practical test. She sought emergent care the next day, where serum creatinine was measured at 2.4 mg/dL (baseline 1.0 mg/dL) and creatine phosphokinase at 118,000 U/L. She was previously healthy, without regular use of any medication, and habitually sedentary except in training, with no personal or family history of blood or muscle diseases. She was admitted without hemodialysis and discharged after 2 weeks. At 3 months, she had normalization of creatine phosphokinase and creatinine. As an outpatient, other tests were requested. Hemoglobin (Hb) electrophoresis revealed HbA1 of 57.8%, HbA2 of 3.1%, HbF of 0.3%, and HbS of 38.8%, which were compatible with SCT. Evaluation for SCT should be considered in cases of exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis, especially in young, healthy patients.
Os alunos latino-americanos não mexicanos da Escuela Superior de Pintura y Grabado La Esmeralda nas décadas de 30, 40 e 50
Authors: Rezende Daniela Gomes
Published: October 2022

Este artigo é um estudo de História da Arte e apresenta uma investigação sobre os alunos latino-americanos não mexicanos que estudaram na Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado La Esmeralda (México) e que se tornaram muralistas nas décadas de 1930, 1940 e 1950.  O artigo é um recorte da pesquisa de mestrado Muralismo, Muralismos – o Muralismo Mexicano e seu impacto sobre a Arte Latino-Americana, um levantamento iconográfico e bibliográfico da arte mural na América Latina, que permite analisar o impacto que o Muralismo Mexicano exerceu sobre a Arte e os artistas latino-americanos. Alguns artistas que estudaram em La Esmeralda se tornaram muralistas pioneiros no retorno a seus países de origem. A partir da pesquisa de mestrado, foram levantados todos os artistas latino-americanos que estudaram em La Esmeralda, e analisamos os textos mais importantes sobre a obra dos seguintes muralistas: a salvadorenha Violeta Bonilla; o costa-riquenho Francisco Amighetti; o venezuelano Pedro León Zapata; a guatemalteca Rina Lazo e o canadense naturalizado mexicano Arnold Belkin, que viveu e trabalhou a maior parte de sua vida no México.
Prevalence and Disease Expression of Pathogenic and Likely Pathogenic Variants Associated With Inherited Cardiomyopathies in the General Population
Authors: Bourfiss Mimount , van Vugt Marion , Alasiri Abdulrahman I. , Ruijsink Bram , van Setten Jessica , Schmidt A. Floriaan , Dooijes Dennis , Puyol-Antón Esther , Velthuis Birgitta K. , van Tintelen J. Peter , te Riele Anneline S.J.M. , Baas Annette F. , Asselbergs Folkert W.
Published: October 2022

Background:

Pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants associated with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are recommended to be reported as secondary findings in genome sequencing studies. This provides opportunities for early diagnosis, but also fuels uncertainty in variant carriers (G+), since disease penetrance is incomplete. We assessed the prevalence and disease expression of G+ in the general population.

Methods:

We identified pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants associated with ARVC, DCM and/or HCM in 200 643 UK Biobank individuals, who underwent whole exome sequencing. We calculated the prevalence of G+ and analyzed the frequency of cardiomyopathy/heart failure diagnosis. In undiagnosed individuals, we analyzed early signs of disease expression using available electrocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging data.

Results:

We found a prevalence of 1:578, 1:251, and 1:149 for pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants associated with ARVC, DCM and HCM respectively. Compared with controls, cardiovascular mortality was higher in DCM G+ (odds ratio 1.67 [95% CI 1.04; 2.59],
P
=0.030), but similar in ARVC and HCM G+ (
P
≥0.100). Cardiomyopathy or heart failure diagnosis were more frequent in DCM G+ (odds ratio 3.66 [95% CI 2.24; 5.81],
P
=4.9×10
−7
) and HCM G+ (odds ratio 3.03 [95% CI 1.98; 4.56],
P
=5.8×10
−7
), but comparable in ARVC G+ (
P
=0.172). In contrast, ARVC G+ had more ventricular arrhythmias (
P
=3.3×10
−4
). In undiagnosed individuals, left ventricular ejection fraction was reduced in DCM G+ (
P
=0.009).

Conclusions:

In the general population, pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants associated with ARVC, DCM, or HCM are not uncommon. Although G+ have increased mortality and morbidity, disease penetrance in these carriers from the general population remains low (1.2–3.1%). Follow-up decisions in case of incidental findings should not be based solely on a variant, but on multiple factors, including family history and disease expression.
A Quantifiable Framework for Describing Immersion
Authors: Norton Wil J. , Sauer Jacob , Gerhard David
Published: October 2022

Current definitions of immersion describe its relationship to presence and allow for relative comparisons between the immersive qualities of Virtual Reality (VR) systems, but lack the ability to describe the immersion supported by a system as an absolute quantity. In this article, we present an abstract model of perception, defining sensory units as the smallest biological registers of sensation within the body. Two metrics of immersion are introduced: the immersed sensory range, and the immersed sensory field, which can be defined for both individual sensory units and entire sensory categories. We define an isolated sensory unit as one that is shielded from non-VR stimuli, and derive the terms isolated field and isolated range from this definition. These metrics are further described as ratios, resulting in a set of theoretical and practical attributes which can be used to quantify the immersive potential of a VR experience.
Causal Inference in Natural Language Processing: Estimation, Prediction, Interpretation and Beyond
Authors: Feder Amir , Keith Katherine A. , Manzoor Emaad , Pryzant Reid , Sridhar Dhanya , Wood-Doughty Zach , Eisenstein Jacob , Grimmer Justin , Reichart Roi , Roberts Margaret E. , Stewart Brandon M. , Veitch Victor , Yang Diyi
Published: October 2022

A fundamental goal of scientific research is to learn about causal relationships. However, despite its critical role in the life and social sciences, causality has not had the same importance in Natural Language Processing (NLP), which has traditionally placed more emphasis on predictive tasks. This distinction is beginning to fade, with an emerging area of interdisciplinary research at the convergence of causal inference and language processing. Still, research on causality in NLP remains scattered across domains without unified definitions, benchmark datasets and clear articulations of the challenges and opportunities in the application of causal inference to the textual domain, with its unique properties. In this survey, we consolidate research across academic areas and situate it in the broader NLP landscape. We introduce the statistical challenge of estimating causal effects with text, encompassing settings where text is used as an outcome, treatment, or to address confounding. In addition, we explore potential uses of causal inference to improve the robustness, fairness, and interpretability of NLP models. We thus provide a unified overview of causal inference for the NLP community.1
A new species of the genus Oligodon Fitzinger, 1826 (Squamata: Colubridae) from Langbian Plateau, Vietnam
Authors: NGUYEN SANG NGOC , LE MANH VAN , VO THI-DIEU-HIEN , MURPHY ROBERT W.
Published: October 2022

We describe a new species of kukri snake from Da Lat City and its vicinity in Lam Dong Province, southern Vietnam on the basis of morphological characters of four specimens, including two males and two females. Oligodon tuani sp. nov. differs from other congeners by a combination of the following characters: large size in adults (TL ≤ 888 mm); 19 dorsal scale rows at midbody; ventrals 173–179 in males and 187–193 in females; subcaudals 58 or 59 in males and 44 or 45 in females; presubocular present; 8 supralabials, fourth and fifth entering orbit; cloacal plate undivided; 10 maxillary teeth, posterior three enlarged; vertebral stripe present; temporal streak present but faint and interrupted; long and deeply forked hemipenes, extending to 25th subcaudal, without spines and papillae; and 13–15+3–4 dorsal blotches.
The Interaction Between Cholesterol-Modified Amino-Pullulan Nanoparticles and Human Serum Albumin: Importance of Nanoparticle Positive Surface Charge
Authors: Tao Xiao-Jun , Yi Yang-Fei , Wang Hong-Yi , Shen Zhe-Hao , Peng Li-Ping , Liu En-Ze , Wang Jing , Wang Rong , Ling Xiao , Zhang Qiu-Fang , Lv Yuan , Yi Shang-Hui
Published: October 2022

To study the interaction of nanoparticles (NPs) and human serum albumin (HSA), we designed three different aminosubstituted hydrophobically cholesterol-modified pullulan NPs (CHPN NPs). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) revealed sizes of 145, 156, and 254 nm and zeta potentials of 0.835,
7.22, and 11.7 mV for CHPN1, CHPN2, and CHPN3 NPs, respectively. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) revealed that the binding constants were (1.59±0.45)×105 M−1, (2.08±0.26)×104 M−1, and (2.71±0.92)×104
M−1, respectively, and HSA coverage was (1.52±0.12), (0.518±0.316), and (0.092±0.015). Fluorescence spectroscopy of HSA revealed that the fluorescence intensity was quenched by CHPN NPs, which was maintained with a long final complexation period. Circular
dichroism (CD) revealed a quick decrease in the α-helix content of HSA to 39.1% after the final complexation. NPs with a more positive charge led to a greater decrease in α-helix content than occurred in other NPs, so the NP surface charge played a role in the HSA–NP
interaction. After HSA binding, the surface charge was −3.66±0.12 for CHPN1, −2.65±0.06 for CHPN2 and −1.12±0.28 mV for CHPN3 NPs. The NP surface property changed because of HSA binding, which is important for NP applications.
The Mechanism of Interaction Between Gold Nanoparticles and Human Dermal Fibroblasts Based on Integrative Analysis of Transcriptomics and Metabolomics Data
Authors: Huang Yan , Chen Rong , Yang Shuci , Chen Ye , Lü Xiaoying
Published: October 2022

The aim of this paper was to combine transcriptomics and metabolomics to analyze the mechanism of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). First, 20-nm GNPs were prepared, and the differentially expressed genes in HDFs were subsequently screened by transcriptome
sequencing technology after 4, 8, and 24 h of treatment with GNPs. By comparing the metabolic pathways in which the metabolites obtained in a previous study were involved, the pathways involving both genes and metabolites were filtered, and the differentially expressed genes and metabolites
with upstream and downstream relationships were screened out. The gene–metabolite–metabolic pathway network was further constructed, and the functions of metabolic pathways, genes and metabolites in the important network were analyzed and experimentally verified. The results of
transcriptome sequencing experiments showed that 1904, 1216 and 489 genes were differentially expressed in HDFs after 4, 8 and 24 h of treatment with GNPs, and these genes were involved in 270, 235 and 163 biological pathways, respectively. Through the comparison and analysis of the metabolic
pathways affected by the metabolites, 7, 3 and 2 metabolic pathways with genes and metabolites exhibiting upstream and downstream relationships were identified. Through analysis of the gene–metabolite–metabolic pathway network, 4 important metabolic pathways, 9 genes and 7 metabolites
were identified. Combined with the results of verification experiments on oxidative stress, apoptosis, the cell cycle, the cytoskeleton and cell adhesion, it was found that GNPs regulated the synthesis of downstream metabolites through upstream genes in important metabolic pathways. GNPs inhibited
oxidative stress and thus did not induce significant apoptosis, but they exerted effects on several cellular functions, including arresting the cell cycle and affecting the cytoskeleton and cell adhesion.
Anti-Cancer Activity of Water Soluble Reduced Graphene Oxide-Aryl Aziridino-Manganese (II) Complex
Authors: Thakur Sujeet Kumar , Ghosh Riya , Gaur Kishan Kumar , Guchhait Prasenjit , Eswaran Sambasivan Venkat
Published: October 2022

The Graphene-based functional structures with large surface areas, ease of functionalization/modification, and photothermal features are currently very attractive for cancer nanotherapy applications. The reduced Graphene Oxide (rGO) structures having moderate cytotoxicity have been
used against human cancerous cells. We developed a water soluble rGO by heating with an aryl azide (a “green” reagent) followed by mild oxidation with aqueous alkaline KMnO4 yielding the c0lorless, water soluble rGO-arylaziridino-Mn (II) complex. The anti-cancer property
of the compound was tested in human monocytic U937 cell line, CT26 murine colon carcinoma cell line and 4T1 murine breast cancer cell lines. rGOarylaziridino-Mn (II) complex significantly induced apoptosis in the above cells in a concentration dependent manner in vitro, similar to an
effect of known anti-cancer drug Doxorubicin.
The Analgesic Effect of Dexmedetomidine Loaded with Nano-Hydrogel as a Novel Nano-Drug Delivery System for Thoracic Paravertebral Block After Thoracic Surgery
Authors: Chen Yuanli , Lai Jingyi , Zhou Runfang , Ouyang Yufang , Fu Hong
Published: October 2022

Objective: To understand the effect of dexmedetomidine (Dex) thoracic paravertebral block combined with an injectable nano-drug delivery system in postoperative analgesia after thoracic surgery, an injectable nano-drug delivery system. Methods: Dex-loaded nano-hydrogel
was first prepared in this study and its characteristics and drug release performance in vitro was investigated. Then, it was applied to the postoperative analgesia of 140 patients undergoing thoracic surgery. Results: It was found that the loading efficiency reached the highest
when the ratio of Dex to injectable nano-hydrogel was 1:1; and at pH = 7.5, the cumulative release of 95.4%. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score and cumulative effective pressure times of analgesia pump in the observation group were lower than those of the control group. The sleep time per
day and satisfaction of analgesia within 48 h in patients from the observation group were higher than those of the control group. The proportion of patients with remedial analgesia within 48 hours, and the proportion of patients with nausea and vomiting were significantly lower in patients
treated with Dex-loaded with nano-hydrogel. Conclusion: Injectable nano-drug delivery system had good drug release and combination of Dex thoracic paravertebral block and nano-drug delivery system could significantly relieve pain after thoracic surgery and improve patients’ sleep
quality.
Governance and public policies: Support for women entrepreneurs in France and England?
Authors: Johnston Karen , Danho Ekoua J , Yarrow Emily , Cameron Robert , Dann Zoe , Ekinsmyth Carol , Busoi Georgiana , Doyle Amy
Published: October 2022

We extend the current literature on barriers to women’s entrepreneurship by providing the perspectives of women entrepreneurs’ lived experience of governance and public policies designed to support entrepreneurship, in France and England. The research draws on primary data comprising interviews with 75 French and English women entrepreneurs as well as secondary data. The research suggests that in France the system of governance is relatively more supportive, whereas in England there are less favourable views of bureaucracy and the conditionality of financial policy instruments, which in turn create unintended outcomes. We extend current understandings of gendered public policies and governance.

Points for practitioners

The public policy and governance context in France offers relatively more support for women entrepreneurs than in England. There is a potential for policy learning in how to support women entrepreneurs. Financial policy instruments such as social welfare payments may affect women entrepreneurship. Bureaucracy creates time and opportunity costs for women entrepreneurs, which have a gendered impact if they are single parents and have dependents.
Current development and future challenges in microplastic detection techniques: A bibliometrics-based analysis and review
Authors: Jin Meiqing , Liu Jinsong , Yu Jie , Zhou Qingwei , Wu Weihong , Fu Li , Yin Chengliang , Fernandez Carlos , Karimi-Maleh Hassan
Published: October 2022

Microplastics have been considered a new type of pollutant in the marine environment and have attracted widespread attention worldwide in recent years. Plastic particles with particle size less than 5 mm are usually defined as microplastics. Because of their similar size to plankton, marine organisms easily ingest microplastics and can threaten higher organisms and even human health through the food chain. Most of the current studies have focused on the investigation of the abundance of microplastics in the environment. However, due to the limitations of analytical methods and instruments, the number of microplastics in the environment can easily lead to overestimation or underestimation. Microplastics in each environment have different detection techniques. To investigate the current status, hot spots, and research trends of microplastics detection techniques, this review analyzed the papers related to microplastics detection using bibliometric software CiteSpace and COOC. A total of 696 articles were analyzed, spanning 2012 to 2021. The contributions and cooperation of different countries and institutions in this field have been analyzed in detail. This topic has formed two main important networks of cooperation. International cooperation has been a common pattern in this topic. The various analytical methods of this topic were discussed through keyword and clustering analysis. Among them, fluorescent, FTIR and micro-Raman spectroscopy are commonly used optical techniques for the detection of microplastics. The identification of microplastics can also be achieved by the combination of other techniques such as mass spectrometry/thermal cracking gas chromatography. However, these techniques still have limitations and cannot be applied to all environmental samples. We provide a detailed analysis of the detection of microplastics in different environmental samples and list the challenges that need to be addressed in the future.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Preschool Children: A Cross-Sectional Study of Clinical Profile and Co-morbidity
Authors: Addanki Sai Sandhya , Chandrasekaran Venkatesh , Kandasamy Preeti
Published: October 2022

Background:

Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in preschool children is challenging and complicated owing to the presence of developmentally appropriate overactivity and a dynamic developmental/learning phase shaping their behaviour. We aimed to study the clinical profile and co-morbidity of ADHD in preschool children.

Methods:

Fifty consecutively presenting preschool children with ADHD were enrolled from our child guidance clinic (CGC) between January 2017 and December 2018. The diagnosis and assessment of comorbidities were based on the DSM-5 criteria and Vanderbilt teacher and parent rating scales. Relevant clinical and sociodemographic profiles were assessed and analyzed for association with ADHD subtypes and comorbidity.

Results:

Preschool children with ADHD constituted 8% of all patients visiting the CGC and one-fifth of all children with ADHD. Male:female ratio was 11.5:1. Hyperactive-impulsive was the commonest type, and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) was the commonest comorbidity. Most children belonged to the lower-middle socioeconomic group. Language delay was observed in 20%. Median social quotient measured using the Vineland Social Maturity Scale was 83.

Conclusions:

Preschool children predominantly have the hyperactive impulsive type of ADHD. Isolated language delay was the predominant comorbid developmental disorder, and ODD was the predominant comorbid behavioural disorder. Addressing these issues would help in the appropriate management of these children.
Local ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma by interstitial brachytherapy: prediction of outcome by diffusion-weighted imaging
Authors: Thormann Maximilian , Surov Alexey , Pech Maciej , March Christine , Hass Peter , Damm Robert , Omari Jazan
Published: October 2022

Background

Interstitial brachytherapy (iBT) has become a viable treatment option in the therapy of early and intermediate stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Prognostic imaging tools to predict patient outcome are missing.

Purpose

To assess the predictive value of baseline diffusion-weighted imaging in HCC before iBT with regard to local tumor control and overall survival (OS).

Material and Methods

We retrospectively identified 107 patients who underwent iBT for HCC from 2011 to 2018 from our database. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values for each treated lesion were analyzed in region of interest measurements. Additionally, explorative combined ratios adjusting total measured lesion area and mean measured lesion area per patient by ADC values were calculated. Measurements underwent a univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. The log rank test was then used to verify prognostic cutoff levels for median survival time.

Results

A total of 189 lesions in 81 patients were measured. Median survival of patients was 46.0 months. Neither ADC parameter was indicative of local tumor control. Lesion size >5 cm was associated with lower local tumor control (hazard ratio [HR]=4.292, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.285–14.331; P = 0.018). Average measured lesion area divided by ADCmin (ADCarea mean, min) was identified to independently predict OS (HR=1.994, 95% CI=1.172–3.392; P = 0.011). A cutoff based on the variable's median (0.29 × 10–4 AU) identified patients with poor outcome (OS 36 vs. 61 months) for lower ADCarea mean, min values as verified by the log-rank test ( P = 0.040).

Conclusion

Pre-treatment ADCarea mean, min may serve as an independent predictor of OS in patients with HCC undergoing iBT.
Excessively High Repair Tension Decreases Microvascular Blood Flow Within the Rotator Cuff
Authors: Miyake Satoshi , Izaki Teruaki , Arashiro Yasuhara , Kobayashi Shunsuke , Shibata Yozo , Shibata Terufumi , Yamamoto Takuaki
Published: October 2022

Background:

Repair tension and microvascular blood flow within the rotator cuff has a critical impact on tendon healing after rotator cuff repair. However, the relationship between repair tension and microvascular blood flow within the rotator cuff remains unclear.

Purpose/Hypothesis:

The purpose of this study was to determine how much tension adversely affects microvascular blood flow within the rotator cuff. The hypothesis was that as the repair tension increases, the microvascular blood flow within the rotator cuff decreases.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study.

Methods:

Repair tension and microvascular blood flow within the rotator cuff of 30 patients with full-thickness rotator cuff tears were simultaneously measured using a digital tension meter and a contact-type laser Doppler flowmeter, respectively. Microvascular blood flow was measured under 4 levels of tension (0, 10, 20, and 30 N) at 5 points on the rotator cuff. The obtained values were statistically analyzed by a linear mixed-effects model to clarify the effect of tension on microvascular blood flow within the rotator cuff.

Results:

There was no statistically significant difference in microvascular blood flow (mL/min/100 g) within the rotator cuff between 0 N (mean, 3.51; 95% CI, 3.0-4.0) and 10 N (mean, 3.74; 95% CI, 3.2-4.3) of tension ( P = .716). However, there were statistically significant differences in microvascular blood flow within the rotator cuff between 0 and 20 N of tension (mean, 2.84; 95% CI, 2.3-3.4) ( P = .002) and between 0 and 30 N of tension (mean, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.9-3.0) ( P < .001).

Conclusion/Clinical Relevance:

Our findings indicate that tension of ≥10 N during rotator cuff repair significantly decreases the microvascular blood flow within the rotator cuff. These data will contribute to determining the optimal repair tension during rotator cuff repair.
Choosing Jobs in the Public, Non-Profit, and For-Profit Sectors: Personal Career Anchors Moderating the Impact of Sector Image and Reputation
Authors: Pepermans Roland , Peiffer Mathieu
Published: October 2022

We expand on Cable and Turban’s employer knowledge model to investigate how sector attractiveness, that is, image and reputation, predicts management graduates’ sector-specific pursuit intentions, moderated by career anchors. The non-profit sector has the warmest image, followed by the public sector, while the latter is perceived as the least competent and shows the weakest reputation. Each sector’s competence image (but not its warmth image) and reputation significantly predict sector-specific pursuit intentions. The security, service, and challenge anchors confirmed their unique positive moderating impact, respectively for the public, non-profit, and for-profit sectors, although the challenge anchor reduced the public sector’s attractiveness. This study accentuates the importance of matching sector features with personal characteristics for understanding sector attractiveness to job seekers. Consequently, we offer new insights concerning sector-related recruitment practices and sector branding.
Views on empathy and leadership in business schools: An empirical study of undergraduate students
Authors: Bontrager Marvin , Marinan John , Brown Steven
Published: October 2022

The authors examine the perceptions of undergraduate students with business majors to determine the leadership competencies they most value. Prior research examined business major rankings in a smaller private school. This research examined the generalizability of those findings by surveying 667 students from a regional public college in the Southeast of the USA. The study also examined student empathy and age, as a representation of life experience, as indicators of preferred leadership trait rankings. Students ranked 10 leadership competencies and both student empathy and age were examined in relation to those 10 competencies through ordinal regression. The results indicate that both empathy and age influence leadership competency preference. The specifics of those findings as well as the theoretical and practical implications are discussed, as are potential directions for future research.
The professions in a comprehensive context: A two-tier framework
Authors: Muhtaseb Majed R
Published: October 2022

This article proposes the expansion of the definition and scope of a “profession” to explicitly incorporate issues of ethics, equity, environment and philanthropy to meet the demands of the 21st century. Governing bodies (professional designations, certificates and licensures) that develop and advance fields of study are tasked with updating the profession’s institutional knowledge, professional standards and best practices. The proposed two-tier framework elevates the significance of learning about the best practices for effectively applying ethical standards, achieving equity, protecting the environment and embracing philanthropy (tier 2) to the level of required technical knowledge (tier 1) in the field. Institutions of higher education have a critical role in nurturing and disseminating this broader two-tier framework early in the education of professionals of the future. Government agencies can directly and indirectly contribute to these efforts by providing resources and incentives. More importantly going forward, expanding the definition of a profession can only produce better-rounded leaders who will be more comprehensively prepared to take on global complex challenges. Adopting the framework will benefit professionals, the professions, employers, the community and the environment.
Time-optimal moving target interception with impact angle constraint
Authors: Singh Nikhil Kumar , Hota Sikha
Published: October 2022

The time-optimal guidance law with impact angle constraint to intercept a nonstationary nonmaneuvering target in three-dimensional (3D) space by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is discussed in this paper. To achieve less computational complexity, the guidance law proposed here is based on the proportional navigation (PN) law existing in the literature. Three stages are used with different values of the Navigation gains of PN law to intercept the target moving in any given direction. To calculate the final position of each phase, a geometric based optimal path calculation technique has been adopted. Another important factor of this guidance law is that the lateral acceleration bound has also been taken into account in designing the guidance law. The simulation results show that the presented scheme performs better than the existing work in literature based on the Sliding Mode Control (SMC).
Numerical investigation into characteristics of far-field aerodynamic noise radiated by inter-coach space of high-speed maglev trains
Authors: Wang Rusi , Huang Jingyu
Published: October 2022

Self-sustain oscillation leads to aerodynamic noise at inter-coach space. It can be seen from existing literature that the aerodynamic noise at inter-coach space has already become an important branch in the domain of vibration and noise reduction of high-speed wheel-rail trains. However, to the best of our knowledge, approaches focusing on the identical problem that does exist in the windshield area of high-speed maglev train have not yet been published. In this paper, a computational model is established for the inter-coach space of high-speed maglev train running at the speed of 600 km·h−1. The model includes two half-mid-train with one outer full windshield connected. On the basis of Realizable k-ε model and Spalart-Allmaras DDES model, respectively, the steady and unsteady flow field are initially solved, and the pressure fluctuation on rigid surfaces, the vortex shedding process and the distribution of sound source power are then visualized to make clear the genesis mechanism of aerodynamic noise in the windshield area. With penetrable integration surfaces constructed, the far-field sound radiation is obtained from the Ffowc Williams-Hawkings (FW-H) equation, and the contribution rate of the quadrupole noise sources to the total aerodynamic noise is then calculated as a comparison to the previous conclusions that aerodynamic noise at inter-coach space of high-speed trains was mainly dipole. Of great significance, it is concluded in this paper that at the speed of 600 km·h−1, the quadrupole sound source contributes about 35.6% to the total sound energy in the far field, which is lower than the percentage using the entire train model at the same speed level but still cannot be ignored. The results in this paper are able to provide guidance for future researches on vibration and noise reduction of high-speed maglev train.
Student-Principal Racial/Ethnic Match, Geographic Locale, and Student Disciplinary Outcomes
Authors: Edwards Wesley , Boggs Rachel , Reyes Pedro
Published: October 2022

In-school suspensions represent one of the most frequently employed components of school exclusionary discipline systems, and they are also largely left up to the discretion of principals. The purpose of this study is to investigate in-school suspension disparities across student racial/ethnic groups, with a focus on differences between school geographic locales. We also examine the extent to which student to leader racial/ethnic matching is associated with the attenuation of in-school suspension outcomes for students of color. Drawing on state wide administrative data from Texas, representing over 24 million unique student-year observations, we use descriptive statistics and regression modeling to understand the relationship between student race/ethnicity and in-school suspension outcomes. The findings represent evidence of persistent in-school suspension disparities, specifically for Black students in non-urban school locales. Our findings also demonstrate a small but meaningful reduction in the likelihood of in-school suspension for a Black student in an urban school with a Black leader. We conclude with implications for educational leadership and policy, including a discussion of school leader hiring practices, culturally relevant school leadership, and the structuring of school disciplinary policies towards more equitable student outcomes.
What Do Child Abuse and Neglect Medical Evaluation Consultation Notes Tell Researchers and Clinicians?
Authors: Golonka Megan , Liu Yuerong , Rohrs Rosie , Copeland Jennifer , Byrd Jessalyn , Stilwell Laura , Crew Carter , Kuehn Molly , Snyder-Fickler Elizabeth , Hurst Jillian H. , Evans Kelly E. , Terrell Lindsay , Gifford Elizabeth J.
Published: October 2022

Child abuse and neglect (CAN) medical experts provide specialized multidisciplinary care to children when there is concern for maltreatment. Their clinical notes contain valuable information on child- and family-level factors, clinical concerns, and service placements that may inform the needed supports for the family. We created and implemented a coding system for data abstraction from these notes. Participants were 1,397 children ages 0–17 years referred for a consultation with a CAN medical provider at an urban teaching and research hospital between March 2013 and December 2017. Coding themes were developed using an interdisciplinary team-based approach to qualitative analysis, and descriptive results are presented using a developmental-contextual framework. This study demonstrates the potential value of developing a coding system to assess characteristics and patterns from CAN medical provider notes, which could be helpful in improving quality of care and prevention and detection of child abuse.