bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Lightweight Intrusion Detection for Internet of Things Using Incremental Ensemble Learning
Authors: Agbedanu Promise Ricardo , Musabe Richard , Rwigema James , Gatare Ignace
Published: September 2022

Computers have evolved over the years and as the evolution continues, we have been ushered into an era where high-speed internet has made it possible for devices in our homes, hospital, energy and industry to communicate with each other. This era is what is known as the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT has several benefits in the health, energy, transportation and agriculture sectors of a country’s economy. These enormous benefits coupled with the computational constraint of IoT devices which makes it difficult to deploy enhanced security protocols on them make IoT devices a target of cyber-attacks. One approach that has been used in traditional computing over the years to fight cyber-attacks is Intrusion Detection System (IDS). However, it is practically impossible to deploy IDS meant for traditional computers in IoT environments because of the computational constraint of these devices. In this regard, this study proposes a lightweight IDS for IoT devices using an incremental ensemble learning technique. We used Gaussian Naive Bayes and Hoeffding tree to build our incremental ensemble model. The model was then evaluated on the TON IoT dataset. Our proposed model was compared with other state-of-the-art methods proposed and evaluated using the same dataset. The experimental results show that the proposed model achieved an average accuracy of 99.98%. We also evaluated the memory consumption of our model which showed that our model achieved a lightweight model status of 650.11KB as the highest memory consumption and 122.38KB as the lowest memory consumption.
WCNN3D: Wavelet Convolutional Neural Network Based 3D Object Detection for Autonomous Driving
Authors: Alaba Simegnew , Ball John
Published: September 2022

3D object detection is crucial for autonomous driving to understand the driving environment. Since the pooling operation causes information loss in the standard CNN, we have designed a wavelet multiresolution analysis-based 3D object detection network without a pooling operation. Additionally, instead of using a single filter like the standard convolution, we use the lower-frequency and higher-frequency coefficients as a filter. These filters capture more relevant parts than a single filter, enlarging the receptive field. The model comprises a discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and an inverse wavelet transform (IWT) with skip connections to encourage feature reuse for contrasting and expanding layers. The IWT enriches the feature representation by fully recovering the lost details during the downsampling operation. Element-wise summation is used for the skip connections to decrease the computational burden. We train the model for the Haar and Daubechies (Db4) wavelets. The two-level wavelet decomposition result shows that we can build a lightweight model without losing significant performance. The experimental results on the KITTI’s BEV and 3D evaluation benchmark show our model outperforms the Pointpillars base model by up to 14 \% while reducing the number of trainable parameters. Code will be released.
Avoiding the Great Filter: A Simulation of Important Factors for Human Survival
Authors: Jiang Jonathan H. , Huang Ruoxin , Das Prithwis , Feng Fuyang , Rosen Philip E. , Zuo Chenyu , Gao Rocky , Fahy Kristen A. , Ijzendoorn Leopold Van
Published: September 2022

Humanity’s path to avoiding extinction is a daunting and inevitable challenge which proves difficult to solve, partially due to the lack of data and evidence surrounding the concept. We aim to address this confusion by addressing the most dangerous threats to humanity, in hopes of providing a direction to approach this problem. Using a probabilistic mode, we observed the effects of nuclear war, climate change, asteroid impacts, artificial intelligence and pandemics, which are the most harmful disasters in terms of their extent of destruction on the length of human survival. We consider the starting point of the predicted average number of survival years as the present calendar year. Nuclear war, when sampling from an artificial normal distribution, results in an average human survival time of 60 years into the future starting from the present, before a civilization-ending disaster. While climate change results in an average human survival time of 193 years, the simulation based on impact from asteroids results in an average of 1754 years. Since the risks from asteroid impacts could be considered in the far future, it can be concluded that nuclear war, climate change, and pandemics are presently the most prominent threats to humanity. Additionally, the danger from superiority of artificial intelligence over humans, although abstract in its sense, is a factor of careful study and could also have wide ranging implications, impeding man’s advancements towards becoming a more advanced civilization.
Metallothionein Expression as Physiological Response Against Metal Toxicity in the Striped Rockcod Trematomus hansoni
Authors: Bakiu Rigers , Piva Elisabetta , Schumann Sophia , Irato Paola , Santovito Gianfranco
Published: September 2022

Metal bioaccumulation and metallothionein (MT) expression were investigated in gills and liver of the red-blooded Antarctic teleost Trematomus hansoni with the aim to evaluate the possibility for this species to face, with adequate physiological responses, an increase of copper or cadmium concentrations in the environment. Specimens of this Antarctic fish were collected from Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea) and used for a metal exposure experiment in controlled laboratory conditions. The two treatments lead to a significant accumulation of both metals and an increase of gene transcription only for the MT-1. The biosynthesis of MTs was verified especially in specimens exposed to Cd, but the majority of these proteins were soon oxidized, probably because they were involved in cell protection against the risk of oxidative stress, by reactive oxygen species scavenging. The obtained data highlighted the phenotypic plasticity of T. hansoni, a species evolved in an environment characterized by natural high concentrations of Cu and Cd, and maybe the possibility for the Antarctic fish to face the challenges of a world that is becoming every day more toxic.
Silicon-Rich Materials Detoxify Multiple Heavy Metals in Wheat by Regulating Oxidative Stress and Heavy Metal Subcellular Distribution
Authors: Li Zheyong , Yuan Yajun , Xiang Luojing , Su Qu , Liu Zhenyan , Wu Wenguang , Huang Yihao , Tu Shuxin
Published: September 2022

Silicon is an essential trace nutrient for plant growth and is frequently employed to remediate soils contaminated with heavy metals in agriculture. However, silicon’s role and mechanism in reducing heavy metal toxicity have not been well understood, especially for multi-heavy metals. In this study, the effects of silicon-rich materials (silicate, rice husk biochar (RHB), and bentonite) on growth trait, antioxidant response, and heavy metal accumulation and distribution of wheat grown in two soils polluted by multiple heavy metals (Cd, Zn, Pb, and As) were investigated. The results revealed that the addition of silicon-rich materials enhanced plant growth, improved the photosynthetic attributes in leaf tissues, and decreased the contents of Cd, Zn, Pb, and As in wheat shoots and grains. The examination of the subcellular distribution of heavy metals in plants implied that silicon-rich materials transferred heavy metals as intracellular soluble fractions to the cell walls, indicating the reduction of mobility and toxicity of heavy metals in the plants. In addition, the application of the silicon-rich materials reduced oxidative damage in plants by downregulating plant antioxidant response systems and decreasing the production of malondialdehyde (MDA), ascorbic acid (AsA), and glutathione (GSH). Moreover, fractionation analysis of soil heavy metals showed that silicon-rich amendments could convert bioavailable heavy metals into immobilized forms. The results indicated that silicon-rich materials could remediate multi-heavy metal-polluted soils and promote wheat production.
Metamorphic Ages of the Jurassic Accretionary Complexes in the Kanto Mountains, Central Japan, Determined by K–Ar Dating of Illite: Implications for the Tectonic Relationship Between the Chichibu and Sanbagawa Belts
Authors: Zhiqiang Lu , Shimizu Ichiko , Itaya Tetsumaru
Published: September 2022

To determine the metamorphic ages of the accretionary complexes in the Northern Chichibu Belt in SW Japan, K–Ar dating was conducted using weakly metamorphosed sedimentary rocks collected from the Kanto Mountains, Central Japan. Whole-rock ages were obtained for chert and red shale samples, and the mineral ages of fine-grained illite with the grain size less than 4 μm were obtained for chert, red shale, mudstone, acidic tuff, and basic tuff. The K–Ar ages of chert and red shale presented large variations, with systematically older ages compared to those of mudstone and tuff in the same strata. The influence of submarine hydrothermal activities on chert and red shale before subduction is a possible cause of this deviation. The illite samples, which were fractionated into four grain-size classes using a suspension method, yielded older ages and higher illite crystallinity (i.e., smaller values of Kübler’s crystallinity index) for larger grain-size classes. The peak metamorphic ages were determined from the K–Ar ages of the 3–4 μm class illite in mudstone and tuff. The Late Jurassic to the Earliest Cretaceous accretionary complex of the lowest structural unit (Kashiwagi Unit) was dated within a small range between 117–110 Ma, which is distinctly older than the K–Ar ages of white mica reported from the Sanbagawa Belt. The peak metamorphic age of acidic tuff (113 Ma) at the type locality of the Mikabu Greenstones indicates that the subducted Mikabu seamount is a constituent of the Kashiwagi Unit. The peak metamorphic ages of the Manba and Kamiyoshida Units were obtained as 132–107 Ma and 163–144 Ma, respectively. Major structural discontinuity is suggested within the Middle Jurassic accretionary complexes.
Microstructure and Cyclic Oxidation Resistance of Ce-Si Modified Aluminide Coating Deposited by Pack Cementation on Inconel 738LC
Authors: Nourpoor Parviz , Javadian Soheila , Sabour Rouh Aghdam Alireza , Ghadami Farzin
Published: September 2022

The synergistic effect of silicon and cerium addition on the oxidation resistance of pack cementation aluminide coating applied on Ni-based superalloy substrate was investigated. The effect of cerium and silicon on the scale morphology, oxidation behavior, and scale spallation tendency are discussed based on the experimental results, using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray analyses (EDX). In addition, the oxidation resistance was evaluated by measuring the weight of samples after each 16-hour cycle at 1100˚C for 50 cycles. The experiments indicated that silicon addition to aluminide coating improves the oxidation resistance through the formation of β-NiAl1-nSin and δ-Ni2Al3-nSin and δ-Ni2Si phases. Furthermore, the addition of 1% cerium to modified aluminide enhances the formation of the fine-grained microstructure of the β-NiAl and δ-Ni2Al3 and reduces the outward/inward diffusion of elements (so-called blocking effect) which significantly modifies the hot oxidation resistance. The addition of 2% cerium, owing to the distortion of the β-NiAl and δ-Ni2Al3 phases, strictly decreases the hot oxidation resistance and the coating is exfoliated after 450 h at 1100 °C. The cyclic oxidation tests showed that the samples containing 1% cerium and 6% silicon possess the highest hot oxidation resistance in which 2 mg/cm2 weight loss of Ce-Si-aluminide was reported after 800 h. This is attributed to the simultaneous effect of cerium and silicon during the deposition process which reduces the oxygen diffusion and reduces the growth rate of α-Al2O3 during oxidation tests. The α-Al2O3 oxidation layer morphology showed that finer grains are formed in samples containing optimum ratios of cerium and silicon which indicates that these elements improve the coating adhesion and oxidation resistance simultaneously.
Method to evaluate vessel wake forces on wetland scarps
Authors: Styles Richard , Bain Rachel , Priestas Anthony
Published: September 2022

This Coastal and Hydraulics engineering technical note (CHETN) presents a methodology to compute normal forces on wetland perimeters with vertically scarped edges. The approach uses an empirical algorithm that predicts the normal force given the offshore vessel wake height, period, and water depth at a given point. Wave impact forces are measured using load cells, which have not been applied previously to marsh settings. Load cell and vessel wake measurements from two field sites are combined to generate an empirical transfer function relating forces to incoming vessel wake characteristics.
Sulforaphane Enhances the Anticancer Properties of Paclitaxel in Two Human Derived Prostate Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Habib Tito Naeem , Altonsy Mohamed Omar , Ghanem Salah Abdelmoneim , Salama Mohammed Said , Hosny Mai Abd El Hafieth
Published: September 2022

Background: In cancer therapy, combined treatment results in additive and synergistic outcomes and reduces the development of drug resistance in response to anticancer agents compared with monotherapy. We propose that when Paclitaxel (Taxol, PTX) is combined with Sulforaphane (SFN), may result in better treatment outcomes in prostate cancer. Understanding the mechanism of drug synergy, as opposed to simply knowing which drugs to combine, enables further optimization of advantageous drug interactions and can provide efficient therapeutic strategies in preclinical research. Methods: We measured apoptosis, cell cycle, and expression of Bax and Bcl2 in response to the PTX and SFN individual and combined treatments. Cell lines (PC-3) and (LNCaP), were individually treated with different concentrations of PTX, SFN, and its combination. Annexin V/PI positivity and data analysis were conducted using a flow cytometer and guava data acquisition and analysis software. Graph-Pad Prism 6, and Microsoft Excel software were used for statistical analyses and graphs generation. Student’s t-tests or one-way analysis of variance with Tukey’s correction were used to determine the significant difference between mono- and combination treatments.Results: The effect of the PTX or SFN treatments on reducing cell viability increased in a dose-dependent manner. Combined treatment enhanced PTX’s effects and reduced the EC50 values of both drugs compared to individual treatments. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that PTX or SFN treatments redistributed cell-cycle phases by inducing S-phase arrest and increasing apoptotic cell population in PC-3 cells. Such effects were enhanced in the PTX+SFN combination group. Interestingly, the necrotic cells were not affected by the combination treatments. Caspase-3 cleavage and morphological deformations of the cell nuclei are signs of apoptotic cell death; such parameters were examined by western blot and fluorescent microscopy in response to mono- and combination treatments.Conclusion: The PTX or SFN differentially modulated the expression of Bax and Bcl2 in PC-3 and LNCaP cell lines, and the combined treatment enhanced these effects in favor of cell apoptosis versus survival. Our data indicated that combination therapy of PTX and SFN significantly increased Bax protein expression and Bax: Bcl2 ratio compared to PTX or SFN individual treatments. Such findings will help develop new biomarkers and guide therapy choices.
Poor air passenger knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms and behaviour undermines strategies aimed at preventing the import of SARS-CoV-2 into the UK
Authors: Jones David. L. , Rhymes Jennifer M. , Green Emma , Doyle Charlotte , Kevill Jessica L. , Malham Shelagh K. , Weightman Andrew J. , Farkas Kata
Published: September 2022

Background
Air travel mediates transboundary movement of SARS-CoV-2. To prepare for future pandemics, we sought to understand air passenger behaviour and perceived risk during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods
This study of UK adults (n = 2103) quantified knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms, perceived health risk of contracting COVID-19, likelihood of returning to the UK with COVID-19 symptoms, likelihood to obey self-quarantining guidelines, how safe air travellers felt when flying during the pandemic (n = 305), and perceptions towards face covering effectiveness.
Results
Overall knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms was poor. Men and younger age groups (18–44) were less informed than women and older age groups (44+). A significant proportion (21%) of the population would likely travel back to the UK whilst displaying COVID-19 symptoms with many expressing that they would not fully comply with self-isolation guidelines. Overall, males and younger age groups had a reduced perceived personal risk from contracting COVID-19, posing a higher risk of transporting SARS-CoV-2 back to the UK.
Conclusion
Poor passenger knowledge and behaviour undermines government guidelines and policies aimed at preventing SARS-CoV-2 entry into the UK. This supports the need for stricter, clearer and more targeted guidelines with point-of-departure viral testing and stricter quarantining upon arrival.
Health and Peacebuilding in Colombia: challenges and opportunities of a community training process for the post-accord
Authors: González-Uribe Catalina , Simbaqueba Melissa Arena , León-Giraldo Sebastián , Arias-Gómez Luis F. , Rodríguez David Alejandro , Hernández-Neuta Ginna Esmeralda , Moreno-Serra Rodrigo , Bernal Oscar
Published: September 2022

Following the peace agreement process in Colombia and to guarantee the right to health, a national educational program to train community leaders in technical education in public health was designed and implemented. Using qualitative methodologies, we sought reflections about the impact of the training process on the 'participant's life projects, collecting information from previous and current experiences and expectations after the program. Participants (n = 44) included peasants, afro-Colombian and indigenous communities, displaced people, victims of the armed conflict, and ex-combatants of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - Army of the People (FARC-EP). Data collection through ethnographic observation, focus groups, and individual semi-structured interviews took place between October and November 2018. Results indicate that the participants saw the program as an opportunity to meet their goals and have better opportunities for their lives; change their way of thinking, and be reflective and open to discussion. Historical governmental and institutional abandonment was identified as a barrier for trust in the program and uncertainty on its potential benefits. Daily life co-existence during the training was a challenge between participants given their diverse backgrounds in the context of conflict in Colombia. It is important to create friendly and explanatory strategies to generate trust with and among participants accompanied with psychological support, ease successful interaction, and generate wellbeing through the program's implementation.
AuthROS: Secure Data Sharing Among Robot Operating Systems Based on Ethereum
Authors: Zhang Shenhui , Tao Songjing , Li Xiulai , Wu Shuang , Tang Ming , Tang Zeping , Liang Zhixuan , Liu Bernie
Published: September 2022

The Robot Operating System (ROS) streamlines human processes, increasing the efficiency of various production tasks. However, the security of data transfer operations in ROS is still in its immaturity. Securing data exchange between several robots is a significant problem. This paper proposes \textit{AuthROS}, an Ethereum blockchain-based secure data sharing method, for robot communication. It is a ROS node authorization system capable of ensuring the immutability and security of private data flow between ROS nodes of any size. To ensure data security, AuthROS employs the smart contract for permission granting and identification, SM2-based key exchange, and SM4-based plaintext encryption techniques. In addition, we deploy a data digest upload technique to optimize data query and upload performance. Finally, the experimental findings reveal that AuthROS has strong security, time performance, and node forging in cases where data should be recorded and robots need to remain immobile.
Anterior Cingulate Glutamate Metabolites as a Predictor of Antipsychotic Response in First Episode Psychosis: data from the STRATA collaboration.
Authors: Egerton Alice , Griffiths Kira , Casetta Cecila , Deakin John , Drake Richard , Howes Oliver , Kassoumeri Laura , Khan Sobia , Lankshear Steve , Lees Jane , Lewis Shôn , Mikulskaya Elena , Millgate Edward , Oloyede Ebenezer , Pollard Rebecca , Rich Nathalie , Segev Aviv , Sendt Kyra-Verena , MacCabe James
Published: September 2022

Elevated brain glutamate has been implicated in non-response to antipsychotic medication in schizophrenia. Biomarkers that can accurately predict antipsychotic non-response from the first episode of psychosis (FEP) could allow stratification of patients; for example, patients predicted not to respond to standard antipsychotics could be fast-tracked to clozapine. Using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS), we examined the ability of glutamate and Glx (glutamate plus glutamine) in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and caudate to predict response to antipsychotic treatment. A total of 89 minimally medicated patients with FEP not meeting symptomatic criteria for remission were recruited across two study sites.1H-MRS and clinical data were acquired at baseline, 2 and 6 weeks. Response was defined as >20% reduction in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) Total score from baseline to 6 weeks. In the ACC, baseline glutamate and Glx were higher in Non-Responders and significantly predicted response (P < 0.02; n = 42). Overall accuracy was greatest for ACC Glx (69%) and increased to 75% when symptom severity at baseline was included in the model. Glutamate metabolites in the caudate were not associated with response, and there was no significant change in glutamate metabolites over time in either region. These results add to the evidence linking elevations in ACC glutamate metabolites to a poor antipsychotic response. They indicate that glutamate may have utility in predicting response during early treatment of first episode psychosis. Improvements in accuracy may be made by combining glutamate measures with other response biomarkers.
Herbivorous fish microbiome adaptations to sulfated dietary polysaccharides
Authors: Podell Sheila , Oliver Aaron , Kelly Linda Wegley , Sparagon Wesley , Nelson Robert S. , Laurens Lieve M. L. , Sims Neil A. , Nelson Craig E. , Allen Eric E. , Plominksy Alvaro M. , Augyte Simona
Published: September 2022

Marine herbivorous fish that feed primarily on macroalgae, such as those from the genus Kyphosus, are essential for maintaining coral health and abundance on tropical reefs. Here, deep metagenomic sequencing and assembly of gut compartment-specific samples from three different species of macro-algivorous Hawaiian kyphosids have been used to connect host gut microbial taxa with predicted protein functional capacities likely to contribute to efficient macroalgal digestion. Assembled metagenomes from terrestrial ruminant microbiota containing carbohydrate-utilizing bacterial taxa closely related to those found in kyphosid fish, including Alistipes-related Bacteroidota and Clostridia-related Bacillota, were used as negative controls to identify shared features common to both marine and non-marine saccharolytic intestinal bacteria. This strategy provided the statistical power necessary to distinguish macro-algivorous digestion-specific activities from more generalized aspects of carbohydrate metabolism. Gene co-localization patterns of enriched digestive enzyme families on assembled contigs were used to identify polysaccharide utilization locus associations, and to visualize potential cooperative networks of extracellularly exported proteins targeting complex sulfated polysaccharides. These insights into the gut microbiota of herbivorous marine fish improve our understanding of the enzymes and microorganisms involved in digesting complex macroalgal sulfated polysaccharides, providing foundational resources for future investigations into suppression of coral reef macroalgal overgrowth, fish host physiology, the use of macroalgal feedstocks in terrestrial and aquaculture animal feeds, and the bioconversion of macroalgae biomass into value-added commercial fuel and chemical products.
Managing Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation After Open-Heart Surgery Using Transdermal β1 Blockers
Authors: Yamamoto Kenji , Miwa Senri , Yamada Tomoyuki , Setozaki Shuji , Hamuro Mamoru , Kurokawa Shunji , Enomoto Sakae
Published: September 2022

Objective: We aimed to describe the efficacy of a transdermal patch of bisoprolol for managing postoperative atrial fibrillation and flutter in thoracic surgical procedures.Methods: Among the 384 patients who underwent open-heart surgery at our hospital and received oral bisoprolol to prevent postoperative atrial fibrillation, 65 (16.9%) patients also received a 4-mg transdermal patch of bisoprolol for the control of heart rate of postoperative atrial fibrillation were analyzed. We applied the bisoprolol transdermal patch when the heart rate was >80 bpm and removed it at ≤60 bpm; an additional patch was applied when the heart rate was >140 bpm. Heparin calcium injections were administered twice daily for anticoagulation between 2 and 6 days postoperatively. Results: The average number of prescriptions for transdermal patches of bisoprolol during hospitalization was 1.8±1.1 (1–5). The median first prescription date was on a postoperative day 2 (range: days 0–37). Sinus rhythm in 18 patients (27.7%) recovered within 24 h. Eight patients (12.3%) were switched to continuous landiolol infusion due to persistent tachycardia. In three patients, the transdermal patch was removed due to severe bradycardia. Fifteen patients experienced persistent atrial fibrillation and were treated with electrical cardioversion during hospitalization. We did not observe serious complications that could be directly attributed to bisoprolol transdermal patch use. Conclusion: Single-use bisoprolol transdermal patch may help control heart rate during the initial treatment of postoperative atrial fibrillation after open-heart surgery.
Selection signatures for local and regional adaptation in Chinese Mongolian horse breeds reveal candidate genes for hoof health
Authors: Han Haige , Randhawa Imtiaz A. S. , MacHugh David E. , McGivney Beatrice A. , Katz Lisa M. , Dugarjaviin Manglai , Hill Emmeline W.
Published: September 2022

Background: Thousands of years of natural and artificial selection since the domestication of the horse has shaped the distinctive genomes of Chinese Mongolian horse populations. Consequently, genomic signatures of selection can provide insights into the human-mediated selection history of specific traits and evolutionary adaptation to diverse environments. Here, we used genome-wide SNPs from five distinct Chinese Mongolian horse populations to identify genes within genomic regions under selection for traits specific to Wushen (gait), Abaga Black (black coat colour) and Baicha Iron Hoof (hoof quality) horse, as well as other global breeds to identify regional-specific signatures of selection.Results: We first validated the use of the composite selection signals approach by identifying the most significant selection peak for the Wushen horse in the region on ECA23 harbouring DMRT3, the major gene for gait. We detected selection signatures encompassing several genes in the Baicha Iron Hoof horse that represent good biological candidates for hoof health, including the CSPG4, PEAK1, EXPH5, WWP2 and HAS3 genes. In addition, an analysis of regional subgroups (Asian compared to European) identified a single locus on ECA3 containing the ZFPM1 gene that is a marker of selection for the major domestication event leading to the DOM2 horse clade.Conclusions: Genomic variation at these loci in the Baicha Iron Hoof may be leveraged in other horse populations to identify animals with superior hoof health or those at risk of hoof-related pathologies. The overlap between the selection signature in Asian horses with the DOM2 selection peak raises questions about the nature of horse domestication events, which may have involved a prehistoric clade other than DOM2 that has not yet been identified.
Sleep alteration in the van der Pol-type circadian pacemaker model driven by natural light and intermitent noise
Authors: Tayong Fred Legrand Tsafack , Yamapi René , Filatrella Giovanni
Published: September 2022

Sleep/wake cycles were once dictated by the solar day, but now humans are subjected to prolonged exposure to artificial light, resulting in altered daily sleep patterns. We investigate a van der Pol-type mathematical model for a circadian model, which incorporates a daylight and noise model, to capture the consequences of artificial light, which has become part of our daily lives. The results show that when the cycle is interpreted as a model for the sleep/awake alternation, the duration and sleep offset are influenced by light intensity, daylight duration and noise intensity. Increasing light intensity and duration can lead to a decrease in sleep duration beyond ∼ 30 mins. Thus, the cycle of the circadian oscillations can be influenced by a sudden change in longitude (jet lag) is much more influenced by the daily duration of light than by its intensity. Noise could cause a loss of sleep of more than 10%; in other words, artificial light could cause a decrease of more than 40 mins in sleep time, which could cause a malfunction of the human mechanism. Furthermore, simulations show that the duration of sleep during the different seasons of the year reveals that it is in winter that sleep is longer in contrast to summer where the daily loss of sleep could be as much as 5% (∼ 20mins); nevertheless, the increase in noise intensity can decrease the duration of sleep in winter and make it shorter than in summer. The evolution of light over the year is slow enough for the oscillator to regulate sleep time, whereas a sudden change in latitude and the consequent change in daily light could cause major dysfunctions on sleep time and requires an adaptation time to be regulated; Indeed the adaptation to this change could take several cycles and depends on the environmental conditions, as it would be more difficult for the organism to regulate its sleep if moving from a point with long daylight to a position with shorter daylight than for a trip in the opposite direction. In brief, the mathematical van der Pol pacemaker model of the circadian rhythm driven by periodic and random terms, that mimic realistic illumination, provides quantitative information on alterations in the circadian sleep/wake pattern, in agreement with empirical observations.PACS numbers:
Carbon footprint of transhumant sheep farms: accounting for natural baseline emissions in Mediterranean systems
Authors: Pardo Guillermo , Casas Raquel , Prado Agustín del , Manzano Pablo
Published: September 2022

Purpose Transhumance has rarely been analyzed through LCA approaches, and there is little evidence about its emissions level when conducted under different practices (by truck or on hoof), or compared to static/sedentary livestock systems. Moreover, mobile pastoralism is strongly linked to natural resources by its seasonal grazing patterns, thereby occupying the niche of wild herbivores. Considering natural emission baselines in these ecosystems could have relevant effects when estimating their carbon footprint. Materials and methods Inventory data of 21 sheep farms was collected in order to estimate the carbon footprint (CF) of lamb meat produced. Farms were divided in 3 sub-groups representing typical management practices in the region: i) static (STAT), ii) transhumance by truck (THT) and iii) transhumance on hoof (THH). Livestock GHG emissions were modelled according to herd structure and IPCC guidelines. Off-farm emissions from external feeds and fuels were accounted based on existent LCA databases. A natural baseline of wild herbivores was established from the population of red deer reported in a hunting preserve, previously considered to be a reference for the natural carrying capacity in Mediterranean ecosystems. GHG emissions of wild herbivores were estimated through two methods based on: i) IPCC guidelines, and ii) allometric regression equations. Results and discussion Carbon footprint ranged from 16.4 up to 30.6 kgCO2eq per kg of lamb liveweight (LW). Significant differences were identified among static and transhumant farms, which consistently showed lower CF values (STAT: 26.3 kgCO2eq/kg LW, THT: 18.1 kg CO2eq/kg LW, THH: 18.1 kg CO2eq/kg LW). Static farms resulted in higher GHG emissions (+31%) and higher CO2 and N2O, contributions derived from the consumption of additional feeds. Both methods applied to compute emissions for wild herbivores led to similar results (25.3-26.8 Mg CO2eq/km2), comparatively lower than estimation for transhumant sheep (47.7 Mg CO2eq/km2). When considering natural baseline emissions, the CF of transhumant lamb meat is reduced by almost 30%, reaching values quite below those reported for intensive lamb production systems in Spain. Conclusions From our results, mobility of grazing livestock can be considered as a strategy promoting climate change mitigation. This is achieved mainly by reducing the need of external feeds, while maximizing the use of local forage resources that otherwise would be difficult to valorize. Further reductions in the CF result when considering natural baseline emissions. The application of this new GHG accounting perspective could have relevant implications when aiming at climate neutrality of grazing-based ruminant systems.
Conflict Resolution Styles and Skills and Variation among Medical Students
Authors: Gunasingha Rathnayaka M. K. D. , Lee Hui-Jie , Zhao Congwen , Clay Alison S.
Published: September 2022

Background: Conflict is inevitable on healthcare teams, yet few professional school curricula teach or assess conflict resolution skills. Little is known about the variation in conflict resolution styles across medical students and how these styles might impact conflict resolution skills.Methods: Graduating medical students completed a mandatory conflict resolution session with standardized patients acting as nurses during a transition to residency course. Coaches reviewed videotapes of simulated student-nurse encounters, focusing on students’ conflict resolution style (assessed with the Thomas-Kilman Instrument (TKI)) and student skills with negotiation and emotional intelligence. We also assessed the impact of knowing one’s conflict resolution style, student gender, race and intended field of practice on conflict resolution skills.Results: One hundred and eight students completed the simulated conflict session. Sixty-seven students completed the TKI before the simulated patient (SP) encounter and 41 after. The most common conflict resolution style was accommodating (n=40). Knowing one’s conflict resolution style in advance of the simulation and one’s identified race/ethnicity did not impact skill as assessed by faculty coaches. Students pursuing diagnosis-based specialties had higher negotiation (p=0.04) and emotional quotient (p=0.006) scores than those pursuing procedural specialties. Females had higher emotional quotient scores (p=0.02). Conclusions: Conflict resolution styles vary among medical students. Male gender and future practice in a procedural specialty impacted conflict resolution skills, but knowing conflict resolution style did not.
Almost periodic solutions in distribution sense for stochastic Lasota-Wazewska red blood cell models
Authors: Meng Xiaofang , Li Zhouhong , Fei Yu
Published: September 2022

The goal of this paper is to investigate the almost periodic solutions in distribution sense of the stochastic Lasota-Wazewska red blood cell models with mixed delays. Using the Banach fixed point theorem, we first establish the existence of almost periodic solutions in distribution sense.In the next step, we use stochastic analysis and inequality techniques to assess Lasota-Wazewska red blood cell model mean square global exponential stability. To illustrate the practicality of our results, we provide two numerical examples and simulations.
Does specialization matter for technical efficiency in beef cattle farming?
Authors: ALHAS-EROGLU NEVRA
Published: September 2022

The objective of this study was to examine the impact of specialization on technical efficiency of beef cattle farms in Samsun province, Turkey. Farm-level cross-sectional data was collected from randomly selected 171 beef cattle farms. Stochastic Frontier Analysis was used to determine technical efficiency of beef farming and to identify inefficiency determinants. The model results revealed that mean technical efficiency of specialized and combined cattle farms was 0.66 and 0.55, respectively, whereas it was 0.61 on average. The sum of input elasticity was 0.52 and indicated that cattle farms operated under decreasing return to scale. The results of the study highlighted that specialization increased technical efficiency. Inefficiency model revealed that record keeping and herd size reduced the level of inefficiency whereas non-agricultural income, fodder crop area and external input rate increased. Cattle farms should be encouraged to improve farm size and keep farm record with specialization and the government should direct a large part of its support to specialized cattle farms to improve beef farming with technical efficiency.
Effects of Presenilin-1 Familial Alzheimer’s Disease Mutations on γ-Secretase Activation for Cleavage of Amyloid Precursor Protein
Authors: Do Hung Nguyen , Devkota Sujan , Bhattarai Apurba , Wolfe Michael , Miao Yinglong
Published: September 2022

γPresenilin-1 (PS1) is the catalytic subunit of γ-secretase, the “proteasome of the membrane” which cleaves within the membrane of 150 + peptide substrates. Dominant missense mutations in PS1 cause early-onset familial Alzheimer’s disease (FAD); however, the exact pathogenic mechanism remains unknown. Here we combined Gaussian-accelerated molecular dynamics (GaMD) simulations and biochemical experiments to determine the effects of six representative PS1 FAD mutations (P117L, I143T, L166P, G384A, L435F, and L286V) on the enzyme-substrate interactions between γ-secretase and amyloid precursor protein (APP). Biochemical experiments showed that all six FAD mutations rendered γ-secretase less active for the endoproteolytic (ε) cleavage of APP. Distinct low-energy conformational states were identified from the free energy profiles of wildtype and PS1 FAD-mutant γ-secretase. The P117L and L286V FAD mutants could still sample the “Active” state for substrate cleavage, but with significantly reduced conformational space compared with the wildtype. The other mutants hardly visited the “Active” state. The PS1 FAD mutants were found to reduce γ-secretase proteolytic activity by hindering APP residue L49 from proper orientation in the active site and/or disrupting the distance between the catalytic aspartates. Therefore, our findings provide mechanistic insights into how PS1 FAD mutations affect structural dynamics and enzyme-substrate interactions of γ-secretase and APP.
Hepatic artery intervention combined with immune-targeted therapy is superior to sequential therapy in BCLC-C hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Dong Hanzhi , Jian Yan , Peng Zhiqiang , Wang Meijian , Cheng Na , Liu Fangfang , Zhang Qi , Zhang Wenfeng
Published: September 2022

Background
Hepatic artery intervention combined with immunotarget therapy exerts excellent disease control and prolongs survival. However, the arrangement of hepatic artery intervention and systemic therapy confuses clinical decisions.
Methods
A two-center, retrospective clinical study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee. From December 2018 to February 2022, patients with BCLC-C HCC who received targeted therapy plus PD-1 inhibitors with or without hepatic artery intervention were included. According to the treatment mode, the patients were assigned to three groups: initial hepatic artery intervention combined with immunotarget therapy, immunotarget therapy sequential hepatic artery interventional therapy, and immunotarget therapy only. The survival, response, and adverse events were compared among the three groups. Subgroup analysis and univariate and multivariate prognostic analyses were also evaluated.
Results
The median follow-up time was 18.3 months (95% CI 16.7 to 20.0 months). A total of 163 patients with BCLC-C stage HCC were assigned to three groups: initial hepatic artery intervention plus PD-1 inhibitors plus targeted therapy (HPT, n = 66), PD-1 inhibitors plus targeted therapy followed by hepatic artery intervention (PTH, n = 56) and PD-1 inhibitors plus targeted therapy (PT, n = 41). The median progression-free survival was 8.37 months (95% CI 6.35–10.39) with HPT versus 5.3 months (95% CI 3.48–7.12) with PTH versus 6.33 months (95% CI 3.75–8.92) with PT. The progression-free survival of the HPT group was better than that of the PTH group (HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.45–0.97, p = 0.027) and PT group (HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.39–0.92, p = 0.01). The median overall survival was 14.6 months (95% CI 10.6–18.7) with HPT, 10.0 months (95% CI 8.2–11.8) with PTH and 11.3 months (95% CI 8.3–14.3) with PT. The 1-year OS rates in the HPT, PTH and PT groups were 50%, 33.9%, and 34.1%, respectively. Overall survival was significantly longer in the HTP group than in the PT group (HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.361–0.996, p = 0.032). Compared with the PTH group, the overall survival of the HTP group had a prolonged survival trend (HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.416–1.032, p = 0.059). All treatment modalities were deemed equally safe. Multivariate analysis suggested that the mode of treatment, albumin level, Child‒Pugh grade and hepatectomy history were independent prognostic factors for BCLC-C HCC patients.
Conclusions
Initial hepatic artery intervention combined with immunotarget therapy gained survival benefits with tolerable side effects compared with immunotarget sequential hepatic artery intervention and immunotarget therapy alone. Multivariate analysis suggested that liver reserve function was closely correlated with prognosis.
Study of relationship among milk parameters in crossbred dairy cattle.
Authors: Rai Puspa , Adhikari Niran
Published: September 2022

The study was conducted to determine the relationship among milk parameters. We included different milk constituents and lactation length as our milk parameters. The cross-sectional milk samples from 246 individual cattle were collected in a sterilized container and were analyzed by the ultra-sonic milk analyzer. The correlation coefficient (r) between SNF, Density, Protein, and Lactose is r ≥ 0.89. The temperature has the highest positive correlation with conductivity (r ≥ 0.46). Salt is negatively correlated with pH and added water r ≤ -0.31, whereas the Freezing point is positively influenced by every factor except pH & added water. Lactation length is positive and significant with the fat r ≥ 0.49 and negative with conductivity where r ≤- 0.14. Based on one of these parameters we can know about another correlated trait. It will be beneficial to understand the overall milk quality, and animal health status and also reduces the milk quality checking costs. All of these will be beneficial both to the farmer and public health.
Prognostic value of coronary computer tomography fractional flow reserve for major adverse cardiac events in suspected coronary artery disease patients with low to intermediate Framingham Risk Score
Authors: Huang Wei , Liu Xiaoqi , Liao Hongli , Cheng Panpan , Li Yumin , Zhou Hongmei , Dong Yue , Liu Yuankang , Wang Pengyun , Xu Chengqi , Xu Xiangyang
Published: September 2022

Background: The purpose was to assess the prognostic value of coronary computed tomography fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR) to major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in suspected CAD patients with low to intermediate Framingham Risk Score (FRS).Methods: This retrospective study included 217 suspected CAD patients (651 vessels) who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) between January 2016 and November 2019 in Li Yuan Hospital. Patients were categorized into low to intermediate risk group (FRS≤20%) and high risk group (FRS＞20%) according to FRS. Assesses the patient's total segment involvement score (SIS) and segment stenosis score (SSS) and calculates the FFR value for each vessel based on deep learning. On the patient level, CT-FFR ≤0.8 in one or more vessels was defined as positive. The primary clinical endpoint was 2 years of MACE including non-fatal myocardial infarction, unstable angina, revascularization, and cardiac death. Survival analysis was performed, and the C-index and the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) were used to assess the performance of each predictive model. Results: A total of 144 suspected CAD patients (432 vessels) with low to intermediate FRS were analyzed. MACE occurred in 9.7%. Patients with the low to intermediate FRS had a significant difference in MACE rate between the CT-FFR≤0.8 group and CT-FFR＞0.8 group(log-rank, P＜0.001). On multivariate Cox proportional analysis, only CT-FFR≤0.8 was significantly associated with MACE when adjusted for compound factors. Furthermore, the model with CT-FFR had higher C-index results.Conclusion: In suspected CAD patients with low to intermediate FRS, CT-FFR had added prognosis value over CTA for MACE occurred.
Treatment initiation rates of patients with positive anti-hepatitis C virus results in tertiary hospitals in Turkey: a retrospective, cross-sectional chart review (Lost-C Study)
Authors: Çelen Mustafa Kemal , Şengel Buket Ertürk , Kaya Şafak , Demirtürk Neşe , Azap Alpay , Pullukçu Hüsnü , Eroğlu Esma , Yıldırım Figen , Barut Hüseyin Şener , Zerdali Esra , Tartar Ayşe Sağmak , Mete Ayşe Özlem , Şahin Ahmet Melih , Suntur Bedia Mutay , Sarı Nagehan Didem , Yılmaz Emel , Candevir Aslıhan , Şimşek Funda , İnan Dilara , Akhan Sıla , Günal Özgür , Ural Onur , Parlak Mehmet , Çabalak Mehmet , Nazik Selçuk , Hızel Kenan , Kınıklı Sami , Dursun Zehra Beştepe , Batırel Ayşe , Mermutluoğlu Çiğdem , Asan Ali
Published: September 2022

Background: The aim of this national, multicenter, cross-sectional, retrospective chart review study was to determine the rate of patients in Turkey who received hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment after receiving positive anti-HCV results during HCV screening. Methods: Data related to patients’ demographics, laboratory results, the time interval from obtaining a positive anti-HCV result to treatment initiation, the specialty of the physician requesting anti-HCV screening, and type of hospital were collected and analyzed. Results: Among 1000 patients who received a positive anti-HCV result, 50.3% were male and 78.5% were screened for HCV-RNA. Among HCV-RNA screened patients, 54.8% (n = 430) had a positive result. Among patients testing positive for HCV-RNA, 72.8% received HCV treatment in line with their positive anti-HCV results. The median time from obtaining a positive anti-HCV result to initiation of HCV treatment was 91.0 days (interquartile range 42.0 to 178.5). Non-surgical branches requested HCV-RNA testing more frequently than surgical branches (p < 0.001). The rate of access to HCV treatment was higher in patients screened in university hospitals than in patients screened in training and research hospitals (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our results indicate a higher rate of treatment initiation in patients with HCV infection than is described in the published literature. Furthermore, the time from screening to treatment initiation was considerably shorter compared with other international studies. However, because HCV-RNA testing was not requested in a significant portion of patients with a positive test result for anti-HCV, there might be a large patient population with HCV who do not receive treatment.