bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Usefulness of Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra for rapid diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Tunisia
Authors: Bouzouita Imen , Ghariani Asma , Dhaou Khouloud Ben , Jemaeil Sabrine , Essaalah Leila , Bejaoui Sana , Draoui Henda , El Marzouk Naceur , Mehiri Emna , Slim-Saidi Leila 
Published: January 2024

AbstractExtrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) remains a challenging diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Cepheid, USA) for rapid diagnosis of EPTB in Tunisia. Eight hundred and forty-seven extrapulmonary samples collected from 2017 to 2021, were subjected to Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra. Microscopy and culture were performed for all the specimens. The accuracy of Xpert Ultra was evaluated in comparison to the culture. Xpert Ultra diagnosed EPTB with a global sensitivity of 80.66% (74.3–85.75) and specificity of 70.87% (67.31–74.20). The molecular test was most accurate when performed in cerebrospinal fluids, bones and joints and cutaneous specimens showing a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity ranging from 70.60 to 91.11%. In lymph node samples comprising aspirates and biopsies, the sensitivity of Xpert Ultra was high 87.50% (77.23–93.53), however, the specificity was 51.08% (44.67–57.46). For pleural samples, the Xpert Ultra sensitivity was 77.50% (68.34–84.68) ranging from 71.43 to 80% in pleural biopsies and fluids respectively. The specificity in all pleural specimens was 79.56% (74.40–83.91). Xpert Ultra showed promise in the diagnosis of EPTB. The performances varied according to the site of the disease. The test may be more valuable if used in combination with other diagnostic modalities.
Loss of Pax3 causes reduction of melanocytes in the developing mouse cochlea
Authors: Udagawa Tomokatsu , Takahashi Erisa , Tatsumi Norifumi , Mutai Hideki , Saijo Hiroki , Kondo Yuko , Atkinson Patrick J. , Matsunaga Tatsuo , Yoshikawa Mamoru , Kojima Hiromi , Okabe Masataka , Cheng Alan G. 
Published: January 2024

AbstractCochlear melanocytes are intermediate cells in the stria vascularis that generate endocochlear potentials required for auditory function. Human PAX3 mutations cause Waardenburg syndrome and abnormalities of skin and retinal melanocytes, manifested as congenital hearing loss (~ 70%) and hypopigmentation of skin, hair and eyes. However, the underlying mechanism of hearing loss remains unclear. Cochlear melanocytes in the stria vascularis originated from Pax3-traced melanoblasts and Plp1-traced Schwann cell precursors, both of which derive from neural crest cells. Here, using a Pax3-Cre knock-in mouse that allows lineage tracing of Pax3-expressing cells and disruption of Pax3, we found that Pax3 deficiency causes foreshortened cochlea, malformed vestibular apparatus, and neural tube defects. Lineage tracing and in situ hybridization show that Pax3+ derivatives contribute to S100+, Kir4.1+ and Dct+ melanocytes (intermediate cells) in the developing stria vascularis, all of which are significantly diminished in Pax3 mutant animals. Taken together, these results suggest that Pax3 is required for the development of neural crest cell-derived cochlear melanocytes, whose absence may contribute to congenital hearing loss of Waardenburg syndrome in humans.
Predictors of never testing for HIV among sexually active individuals aged 15–56 years in Rwanda
Authors: Niyompano Hosee , Biracyaza Emmanuel , Hakizayezu François , Niyoyita Jean Claude , Ndayisenga Jerome , Omolo Jared , Umubyeyi Aline 
Published: January 2024

AbstractHuman Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) testing services are known as the primary step in preventing the spread of HIV. However, access to these crucial services varies across regions within continents due to disparities in healthcare infrastructure, resources, and awareness. Approximately one in every five people living with HIV (PLWH) encounters obstacles in accessing HIV testing, notably in Eastern and Southern Africa, where geographical, resource, awareness, and infrastructure limitations prevail. Consequently, HIV remains a significant public health concern in these regions, necessitating expanded testing efforts to combat the HIV/AIDS disaster. Despite these challenges, there is a lack of scientific evidence on the prevalence of HIV testing and its determining factors in Rwanda. This study determined the prevalence of never being tested for HIV and its associated factors among sexually active individuals aged 15–56 who participated in the Rwanda AIDS Indicators and HIV Incidence Survey (RAIHIS). This cross-sectional study enrolled 1846 participants. The variables were extracted from the RAIHIS dataset and statistically analyzed using STATA software version 13. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were employed to identify predictors of never having undergone HIV testing, with a 95% confidence interval and a 5% statistical significance level applied. The prevalence of non-testing for HIV was 17.37%. Being aged 15–30 years (aOR 2.57, 95%CI 1.49–4.43, p < 0.001) and male (aOR 2.44, 95%CI 1.77–3.36, p < 0.001) was associated with an increase in the odds of never testing for HIV. Further, those from urban area were less likely than those living in rural areas to have never tested for HIV (aOR 0.31; 95% CI 0.38–0.67; p < 0.001). Participants who were not aware of HIV test facilitates were more likely to have never undergone HIV testing (aOR 1.75; 95% CI 1.25–2.47; p = 0.031) than their counterparts. While the prevalence of HIV non-testing remains modest, the significance of youth, male gender, lack of awareness, and rural residence as influential factors prompts a call for inventive strategies to tackle the reasons behind never having undergone HIV testing. Further exploration using mixed methodologies is advocated to better comprehend socio-cultural impacts and causation relating to these identified factors.
Bezafibrate attenuates immobilization-induced muscle atrophy in mice
Authors: Nakamura Satoshi , Sato Yuiko , Kobayashi Tami , Oya Akihito , Fujie Astuhiro , Matsumoto Morio , Nakamura Masaya , Kanaji Arihiko , Miyamoto Takeshi 
Published: January 2024

AbstractMuscle atrophy due to fragility fractures or frailty worsens not only activity of daily living and healthy life expectancy, but decreases life expectancy. Although several therapeutic agents for muscle atrophy have been investigated, none is yet in clinical use. Here we report that bezafibrate, a drug used to treat hyperlipidemia, can reduce immobilization-induced muscle atrophy in mice. Specifically, we used a drug repositioning approach to screen 144 drugs already utilized clinically for their ability to inhibit serum starvation-induced elevation of Atrogin-1, a factor related to muscle atrophy, in myotubes in vitro. Two candidates were selected, and here we demonstrate that one of them, bezafibrate, significantly reduced muscle atrophy in an in vivo model of muscle atrophy induced by leg immobilization. In gastrocnemius muscle, immobilization reduced muscle weight by an average of ~ 17.2%, and bezafibrate treatment prevented ~ 40.5% of that atrophy. In vitro, bezafibrate significantly inhibited expression of the inflammatory cytokine Tnfa in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, a murine macrophage line. Finally, we show that expression of Tnfa and IL-1b is induced in gastrocnemius muscle in the leg immobilization model, an activity significantly antagonized by bezafibrate administration in vivo. We conclude that bezafibrate could serve as a therapeutic agent for immobilization-induced muscle atrophy.
Application of neural networks to synchro-Compton blazar emission models
Authors: Tzavellas A. , Vasilopoulos G. , Petropoulou M. , Mastichiadis A. , Stathopoulos S. I. 
Published: January 2024

Context. Jets from supermassive black holes at the centers of active galaxies are the most powerful and persistent sources of electromagnetic radiation in the Universe. To infer the physical conditions in the otherwise out-of-reach regions of extragalactic jets, we usually rely on fitting their spectral energy distributions (SEDs). The calculation of radiative models for the jet’s non-thermal emission usually relies on numerical solvers of coupled partial differential equations.Aims. In this work, we use machine learning to tackle the problem of high computational complexity to significantly reduce the SED model evaluation time, which is necessary for SED fittings carried out with Bayesian inference methods.Methods. We computed the SEDs based on the synchrotron self-Compton model for blazar emission using the radiation code ATHEvA. We used them to train neural networks (NNs) to explore whether they can replace the original code, which is computationally expensive.Results. We find that a NN with gated recurrent unit neurons (GRUN) can effectively replace the ATHEvA leptonic code for this application, while it can be efficiently coupled with Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) and nested sampling algorithms for fitting purposes. We demonstrate this approach through an application to simulated data sets, as well as a subsequent application to observational data.Conclusions. We present a proof-of-concept application of NNs to blazar science as the first step in a list of future applications involving hadronic processes and even larger parameter spaces. We offer this tool to the community through a public repository.
Upper limit of the solar wind protons backscattering efficiency from Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
Authors: Canu-Blot Romain , Wieser Martin , Wieser Gabriella Stenberg 
Published: January 2024

Context. Solar wind ions backscattering is a fundamental plasma-surface interaction process that may occur on all celestial bodies exposed to the solar wind and lacking a significant atmosphere or magnetosphere. Yet, observations have been limited to the regolith-covered Moon and Phobos, one of the Martian moons.
Aims. We aim to expand our knowledge of the process to include comets by investigating the backscattering of solar wind protons from the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
Methods. We used one of the ion spectrometers on board ESA’s Rosetta spacecraft to search for evidence of backscattered solar wind protons from the cometary surface. The signal of interest was expected to be very weak and several statistical treatments of the data were essential to eliminate any influence from background noise and instrumental effects. Due to limited knowledge of the signal location within the observed parameter space, we conducted a statistical analysis to identify the most probable conditions for detecting the signal.
Results. No significant solar wind backscattered protons were ever observed by the instrument. The statement applies to the large spectrum of observation conditions. An upper limit of the backscattered proton flux is given, as well as an upper limit of the backscattering efficiency of 9 × 10−4.
Conclusions. The surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko distinguishes itself as a notably weak reflector of solar wind protons, with its backscattering efficiency, at most, as large as the lowest observed backscattering efficiency from the lunar regolith.
Assessing the moderating effect of environmental regulation on the process of media reports affecting enterprise investment inefficiency in China
Authors: Feng Yanchao , Huang Rongbing , Chen Yidong , Sui Guoshuo 
Published: January 2024

AbstractTo achieve the triple goals of digesting excess capacity, making effective investments, and accelerating green governance, it is important and necessary to comprehensively examine the intrinsic relationship between media reports, environmental regulation, and enterprise investment inefficiency. To this end, this study employs multiple econometric models to investigate the intrinsic relationship between them by using the data of listed companies in China’s A-share heavy-polluting industries between 2010 and 2020. The results of the study are as follows. Firstly, media reports can encourage heavy-polluting enterprises to pay attention to stakeholder demands and significantly ameliorate the enterprise investment inefficiency. In addition, environmental regulation can ameliorate the enterprise investment inefficiency through the “push-back effect” and “compensation effect”. Moreover, pollution fees can positively moderate the amelioration effect of media reports on the investment inefficiency of heavy-polluting enterprises, while it fails in terms of environmental protection subsidies. Finally, conclusions and policy implications are provided.
Update of the BIPM comparison BIPM.RI(II)-K1.Ge-68 of activity measurements of the radionuclide 68Ge to include the 2021 result of the NIM (China)
Authors: Michotte Carine , Coulon Romain , Courte Sammy , Gressier Vincent , Nonis Manuel , Liu Haoran , Liang Juncheng , Liu Meiling , Zhang Ming 
Published: January 2024

Main text
Since 2013, 6 laboratories have submitted 7 samples of 68Ge to the International Reference System (SIR) for activity comparison at the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM), with comparison identifier BIPM.RI(II)-K1.Ge-68. Recently, the NIM (China) participated in the comparison and the key comparison reference value (KCRV) has been updated. The degrees of equivalence
between each equivalent activity measured in the SIR or linked to the SIR from the CCRI(II)-K2.Ge-68 comparison and the updated KCRV have been calculated and the results are given in the form of a table. A graphical representation is also given.
To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database https://www.bipm.org/kcdb/.
The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCRI, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
Another look at the current-carrying wire in special relativity
Authors: Smith Glenn S 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
In this paper we examine two models for a current-carrying wire in special relativity. The first model assumes an infinitely long wire and does not specify the source or return path for the current. This model is simple and easy to analyze, so it is often used in introductory textbooks to show the significance of special relativity for electromagnetism. The second model is a coaxial line with a battery at one end and a short circuit at the other. The center conductor of the line represents the wire of interest, and the outer conductor forms the return path for the current. The analysis for this model is more involved than that of the first model, but it provides information not available from that model. This new information answers questions a student might have when first encountering the simpler model.
CUQIpy: I. Computational uncertainty quantification for inverse problems in Python
Authors: Riis Nicolai A B , Alghamdi Amal M A , Uribe Felipe , Christensen Silja L , Afkham Babak M , Hansen Per Christian , Jørgensen Jakob S 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
This paper introduces CUQIpy, a versatile open-source Python package for computational uncertainty quantification (UQ) in inverse problems, presented as Part I of a two-part series. CUQIpy employs a Bayesian framework, integrating prior knowledge with observed data to produce posterior probability distributions that characterize the uncertainty in computed solutions to inverse problems. The package offers a high-level modeling framework with concise syntax, allowing users to easily specify their inverse problems, prior information, and statistical assumptions. CUQIpy supports a range of efficient sampling strategies and is designed to handle large-scale problems. Notably, the automatic sampler selection feature analyzes the problem structure and chooses a suitable sampler without user intervention, streamlining the process. With a selection of probability distributions, test problems, computational methods, and visualization tools, CUQIpy serves as a powerful, flexible, and adaptable tool for UQ in a wide selection of inverse problems. Part II of the series focuses on the use of CUQIpy for UQ in inverse problems with partial differential equations.
Thermal and hydraulic performance of Al alloy-based 3D printed triangular microchannel heatsink governed by rough walls with graphene and alumina nanofluids as working liquid
Authors: Nadarajah Puurnaraj , Mohamed Khairudin , Abdullah Jamaluddin , Devarajan Mutharasu 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Microchannel heat sinks (MCHS) are known for providing enhanced cooling performance but their fabrication requires complex and multi-step processes. The recent development of additive manufacturing has enabled the fabrication of state-of-art monolithic structures that had been impossible to build using conventional methods. In this work, a monolithic cross-flow triangular cross-section MCHS was fabricated from aluminum alloy (AlSi10Mg) using the Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) process. The microchannel wall surface roughness was measured and the cross-section shrinkage of the microchannels was compared with the initial design hydraulic diameter of 500 µm–1000 µm. The MCHS with an initial design hydraulic diameter of 750 µm possessed a relative wall surface roughness, R
a of 7.7%. The triangular cross-section hydraulic diameter underwent a shrinkage of 15.2% and 5.3% in terms of the reduction in angle between adjacent side alloys. Experiments were conducted for Reynolds numbers between 50 and 275 with nanofluids containing graphene and Al2O3 nanoparticles in water/water +10% ethylene glycol; these were compared with their respective base fluids. The Poiseuille number indicated that flow was laminar developed with base fluid and laminar developing with nanofluid as coolant. Despite providing the lowest thermal resistance, the graphene nanoparticles in water created the greatest pressure drop leading to a reduced performance coefficient. Al2O3 nanoparticles in water/water +10% ethylene glycol were found to have 7.7% and 20% better performance coefficients than their respective base fluids.
Effect of bonding adhesive thickness on temperature characteristics and strain characteristics of SAW strain sensors
Authors: Liu Qiang , Yang Wenlong , Li Hongyuan , Xu Hong 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Accurate measurement of physical parameters based on sensing technology is an important basis for equipment structural health monitoring technology. In harsh environments, strain measurement techniques based on SAW sensors have attracted much attention. The bonding adhesive is a key step in the strain measurement process, and its effect on the accuracy of the measurement results cannot be ignored. In this paper, the one-port resonant SAW strain sensor is prepared using LiNbO3 as a piezoelectric substrate, Pt as an electrode and SiO2 as a protective layer. The strain characteristics and temperature characteristics of SAW strain sensors at the thickness of the bonding adhesive (Model: DOUBLE-BOND CHEMICAL®DB5016) are explored. The frequency–temperature curves of the SAW sensors show a quasi-linear decreasing trend with increasing temperature, and the temperature–frequency characteristics are similar for different bonding adhesive thicknesses. The strain sensitivity increases and then decreases with increasing temperature, and reaches a maximum at 150 °C. An increase in the thickness of the bonding adhesive leads to a decrease in the temperature linearity and an increase in the temperature sensitivity of the SAW strain sensor, which is maximized at a bonding adhesive thickness of 0.35 mm. The increase in the thickness of the bonding adhesive leads to a decrease in the strain linearity and strain sensitivity of the SAW sensor. The relationship between the strain transfer efficiency of the SAW sensor and the thickness of the bonding layer, the shear modulus of the bonding layer, the length of the sensor, the thickness of the sensor substrate and the shear modulus of the sensor is established through theoretical derivation. A theoretical foundation is provided for the accurate measurement of strain based on SAW technology.
A compact and reconfigurable C-band DGS-based power divider using RF MEMS capacitive switch
Authors: Narang Niharika , Shrivastava Pranav Kumar , Basu Ananjan , Singh Pushpapraj 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
This article presents a reconfigurable and compact power divider design that utilizes a combination of defect structures in the ground plane (DGS) and capacitance loading using a unique RF MEMS switch on the sapphire substrate. The combination of these two techniques results in a reduced-size reconfigurable power divider, wherein the length of the quarter-wavelength transmission line is reduced to λ/16 from λ/4, and the higher-order harmonics are suppressed up to 40 GHz. The RF MEMS capacitive switch is designed, and its DC characteristics are simulated in coventorware. The RF characteristics of the designed power divider are simulated in Ansys HFSS 19.2. The power divider utilizing RF MEMS technology has been fabricated through surface micromachining, requiring only four masks for fabrication. According to measurement findings, insertion loss and return loss are 3.57 dB and 24.6 dB (at 4.4 GHz) and 3.82 dB and 22.06 dB (at 5.4 GHz) when the switch is on and off, respectively. The total area of the design is 3.1 mm2 (21.3% of the conventional power divider). The proposed design can suppress harmonics up to the 8th order by 10 dB. These features render it a viable option for employment in Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits (RFICs).
An adaptive enhanced envelope spectrum technique for bearing fault detection in conditions characterized by strong noise
Authors: Xv Jinglun , Liao Zihao , Cao Yuqi , Cao Yunqi , Hou Dibo , Huang Pingjie 
Published: January 2024

Abstract
Rolling bearings are widely used in rotating machinery and have a high failure rate. Regrettably, the task of ensuring dependable bearing fault detection presents a formidable challenge, especially when the bearing fault-related characteristics are non-stationary or even affected by strong noise. In response to this challenge, a novel adaptive enhanced envelope spectrum (AEES) technique is proposed in this study. Firstly, it generates representative intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) using the variational mode decomposition algorithm. Then, based on the analysis of the envelope spectrum normalized mutual information and time-domain fuzzy entropy, a new IMF selection and integration strategy combining time- and frequency-domain metrics is suggested to reconstruct the most informative analytical signal. An adaptive filter is employed to post-process the reconfigured signal to reinforce fault-related impulsive characteristics, the optimal length of which is ascertained through the proposed variable step-size search technique based on unbiased autocorrelation analysis. The efficacy of the AEES technique has been validated through a sequence of experiments conducted under diverse bearing conditions. Its robustness and distinct advantages under strong noise conditions are tested using a publicly available dataset. The validation results show that the AEES technique can effectively identify the health conditions of bearings under high noise conditions (signal-to-noise ratios between 1 dB and 3 dB). Compared with two relevant techniques in the existing literature and a classical method, the proposed AEES technique can achieve signal processing results with fewer interference components and more prominent characteristic frequency information and has a unique ability to identify fault features in some challenging situations.