A document by Caio Calarga C. Click on the document to view its contents.

In warmer environments, most ectotherms reach maturity at a smaller body size (the temperature-size rule, TSR). However, in such environments, growth is usually accelerated and would be expected to result in maturation at a larger body size, leading to increases in fecundity, survival, and mating success, compared to maturation at a smaller size (the ‘life-history puzzle’). To explore mechanisms, we reared Aldrichina grahami at 20 ℃, 25 ℃ and 30 ℃, and added a nutritional challenge by using dilutions of pork liver paste to provide diets that ranged in quality from high (undiluted, control) to moderate (1/8), low (1/16) and poor (1/24). Larvae were randomly sampled for weighing from hatching. Growth curves were fitted to the relationships between growth rate and weight for the third instar larvae. Our results showed that body size was affected by an interaction between temperature and diet, and that TSR and TSR exceptions (E-TSR) could be interconverted by underfeeding. Moreover, when the TSR was followed as temperature increased, there was a cross-over point divided the two growth curves into early and later stages, which could be used to help understand the life-history puzzle in warmer temperatures, with the instantaneous growth rate being higher in the early stages of development and then lower in later stages. This study reminds us that animals evolved to cope with multiple simultaneous environmental changes, and offered a better understanding for life-history puzzles.

The consequences of biological invasions and habitat degradation for native biodiversity depend on how species cope with the individual and synergetic challenges these processes present. To assess the impact of anthropogenic land-use on the food web architecture of an invaded community, we examine the diets of nine native and two highly invasive mammal species at different trophic levels, inhabiting different land-uses across six biogeographic regions in Tasmania, Australia. We use two complementary methods, environmental DNA metabarcoding analysis (eDNA) of faeces and stable isotope analysis (SIA) of nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) in whole blood, to account for the high inter-individual and temporal variability in animal diets. eDNA showed regionalisation in the diet of smaller species, with land-use further defining dietary taxa within each region. SIA revealed that bioregion and land-use influence the δ13C values of all carnivore species and omnivores, whereas the δ15N values of these species are influenced only by land-use and not bioregion. Including multiple species showed that native rats are changing their diet in response to the presence of invasive rats, an impact that would have been otherwise attributed to land-use. Our findings demonstrate that human activities and invasive species are molding the diets of invaded communities raising questions about the potential impacts that dietary modifications will have on the life-history traits and the evolutionary consequences these modifications might have on the survival of native species. This highlights the urgency to include human activities in ecological studies and the importance of targeting multispecies assemblages to gain a better understanding of synergetic impacts on native biodiversity.

Electromagnetic wave propagation problems related to multilayer inhomogeneous cylindrical dielectric waveguides are solved by using an accurate and efficient semianalytical method based on the Galerkin procedure. Each inhomogeneous layer's field is represented as a linear combination of eigenfunctions with unknown coefficients, and the eigenfunctions are expressed by the inner products of a series of basis functions in term of the Galerkin procedure. The continuity of the field and its radial derivative is applied at the interface between the adjacent layers. Repeating the same procedure for all inhomogeneous layers, the Helmholtz equations are transformed into linear algebraic equations of expanded coefficients in matrix form. Therefore, the complicated problem of wave propagation in a multilayer inhomogeneous waveguide could be reduced to a simple problem of solving a matrix's eigenvalues. Detailed propagation characteristics are given for several representative and practical multilayer inhomogeneous cylinders with different kinds of permittivity profiles. The accuracy and the efficiency of the proposed method is then validated by comparing the calculated results with those obtained by using other numerical techniques.

A document by Nathanael Z. Wong. Click on the document to view its contents.

In Wireless Sensor Network, there are many tiny sensors that plays vital role in various technologies and cluster head selection is an important issues for data transmission. As cluster heads receives data from sensor nodes and sends data after aggregation to the base station. Appropriate cluster heads selection leads to efficient energy consumption and enhances network lifetime. For solving this issue many solutions has been given considering some attributes but with time meta-heuristics algorithms were now widely used for real world applications. Nature inspired algorithm has seeking wide attention of researchers as it gives the capability to self-learn and has better performance. In this paper we have proposed Dragon Fly algorithm which is inspired by dynamic and static behavior of dragon fly. We have first use LEACH for energy model and also compute multi-attributes of sensor nodes using MADM (multi-attributes decision making) accordingly. After this, then the proposed algorithm NDFMA is applied where Dragon fly algorithm and MADM used for optimized selection of cluster heads. The proposed algorithm has been evaluated in terms of numbers of alive nodes, dead nodes, energy consumption, throughput and number of packets sends. NDFMA method suggested that it performs better than other state-of-the art algorithms. The proposed method is way to compute multi-attributes of sensor nodes for ranking them and selecting optimized cluster heads. NDFMA algorithm has been compared with NBA, LEACH and ESO-LEACH which validates that the new proposed algorithm is performing better than the classical and compared algorithm.

This paper proposes a three-dimensional laser beam-riding guidance (LBRG) scheme with finite distance convergence for the interception guidance problem of laser beam-riding guided missiles (LBRGMs). First, the motion relationship between the guidance station, missile, and target is constructed, and a three-dimensional LBRG model based on position deviation is designed. Considering the finite range of the laser beam and convergence performance of the guidance system, a finite-distance convergence performance function is proposed, and its guidance law is designed by combining the prescribed performance and sliding mode control methods. Then, considering the unknown maneuvering information of the target, the acquired maneuvering information is converted into an estimation of the line-of-sight angle and its rate, estimated by designing the command filter. In addition, Lyapunov theory is employed to prove the stability of the guidance scheme. The position deviation converged to the steady-state value within the prescribed flight distance, thereby satisfying the prescribed transient and steady-state performance requirements and realizing the interception of the maneuvering target. Finally, the effectiveness of the guidance scheme is verified through simulations.

Background Metformin has been frequently used off-label for childhood obesity besides diabetes. Studies have demonstrated the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) suppressive effect of metformin in patients with a diagnosis of primary hypothyroidism. This study aimed to evaluate free T4 (fT4) and free T3 (fT3) tests and influencing factors in adolescents (TSH) who were on metformin therapy for obesity and insulin resistance and had no diagnosed thyroid disease. Material and Methods A total of 54 patients aged 10-18 years who presented to the Pediatric Endocrinology Outpatient Clinic for overweight between 2017 and 2020 and who were diagnosed with exogenous obesity and insulin resistance based on examinations by excluding hypothyroidism were retrospectively evaluated. Baseline and post-treatment 6-month thyroid function tests, HOMA-IR, and anthropometric measurements were evaluated. Results Of the 54 patients included in the study, 38 (70.4%) were female and 16 (29.6%) were male. the mean time from admission to follow-up was 6.5±2.7 months. There was a moderate negative (inverse) correlation between the change in weight SDS (∆weight SDS) and the change in fT4 (∆fT4) of the patients (r=-0.319), and a moderate positive correlation between ∆weight SDS and the change in fT3 value (∆fT3) (r=0.534) (p=0.035; p=0.027, respectively). A moderate significant positive correlation was found between the change in HOMA-IR (∆HOMA-IR) and the change in TSH (∆TSH) (r=0.376; p=0.009).

Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) is a serious and irreversible injury. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is considered to be a potential therapy for I/R injury due to the paracrine effects. High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a novel mediator in MSC and regulates the response of inflammation injury. Signal Transduction and Transcription Activator 3 (STAT3) is a critical transcription factor and important for release of paracrine factors. However, the relationship between HMGB1 and STAT3 in paracrine effect of MSC remains unknown. In vitro, Hypoxia/Reoxygenation injury model was established by AnaeroPack System and examined by Annexin V flow cytometry, CCK8 assay and morphology observation. Detection of apoptotic proteins and protein expression of HMGB1 and STAT3 by Western blot. The conditioned medium of MSC with or without LPS pretreatment was cocultured with H9c2 cells for 24h before hypoxia treatment and MSC showed obvious cardiomyocytes protect role, as evidence by decreased apoptosis rate and improved cells viability, and LPS pretreated MSC exhibited better protect role than untreated MSC. However, such effect was abolished in HMGB1 deficiency group, silencing HMGB1 decreased the secretion of VEGF, HGF, IGF, cell viability, and the expression of STAT3. Furthermore, STAT3 silence attenuated the protective effect of LPS in MSC. Collectively, these findings suggested that LPS improved MSC-mediated cardiomyocytes protection by HMGB1/STAT3 signaling.

Introduction: The most prevalent method for evaluating lung expansion in high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HFOV) is chest X-ray (CXR). The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of chest radiography with point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in determining lung expansion. Methods: This prospective study included newborns who required HFOV and were being monitored in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. A single neonatologist assessed lung expansion with a chest x-ray and POCUS, to measure the costal level of the right hemidiaphragm and compare the results. Results: A neonatologist took 55 measurements on 28 newborns with a gestational age of 32 (23.2-39.4) weeks who were followed on HFOV. The rib counts obtained from anterior chest ultrasonography and posterior CXR showed a statistically high concordance (p<0.05). Conclusions: Lung ultrasonography is a reliable method in the evaluation of lung expansion in patients followed on HFOV.

Due to the compact and complex internal structure of 110kV three-phase enclosed GIS disconnector, its internal insulation design is a difficult point to be solved. To solve this problem, this paper firstly establishes a three-dimensional model of three-phase enclosed GIS disconnecting switch and conducts a research on the distribution of electric field under a specific working condition, it is found that the outer corner of the static contact, the inner corner of the static arc contact, the inner corner of the outer end of the moving contact and the inner corner of the moving contact are the internal electric field concentration of the three-phase enclosed GIS disconnector. Then, in order to further reduce the electric field strength and improve the insulation margin and performance, this paper proposes a method based on the combination of Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) and Multi-objective Grasshopper Optimization Algorithm (MOGOA) to optimize the structural design of three-phase enclosed GIS disconnector, and a ELM model is established, which takes the internal fillet radius of stationary arcing contact, the internal fillet radius of moving contact, the internal fillet radius of external end of dynamic and static contact, the radius of the outer corner of the two static side contacts and the opening distance of the grounding contact as the inputs, and takes the maximum electric field strength of the two static side contacts and the moving side contacts as outputs; Finally, the structural parameters are optimized by MOGOA algorithm.

In this paper it will be presented the theoretical value of the Gravitational constant. From the dimensionless unification of the fundamental interactions we will find the formulas for the Gravitational constant. From these equations it will be calculated the theoretical value of the Gravitational constant. This value is very close to the CODATA recommended value of gravitational constant and two experimental measurements from a research group announced new measurements based on torsion balances.

Beside its well-known link to mental effort, pupil dilation (PD) can be also informative regarding the cognitive and neurobiological background of episodic memory. It has been shown, for example, that the magnitude of PD during retrieval signals the strength of a memory trace. Importantly, however, this link might be mediated by the specific memory test. In the case of direct and automatic forms of memory retrieval (e.g. recognition memory), the magnitude of retrieval-related PD might reflect the aggregate strength of the memory trace. In contrast, in more effortfull, indirect forms of retrieval (e.g.cued-recall), PD might be related to mental effort, and thus higher memory strength might be associated with less mental effort and consequently attenuated PD. In our study, we tested these predictions by probing the cue-target associations by either a recognition or by a cued-recall task and simultaneously measuring the PD triggered by the retrieval process. Memory strength was manipulated by encoding the cue-target associations either once or twice. As predicted, our results showed that higher memory strength was associated with attenuated PD in the cued-recall task. In contrast, memory strength did not predict PD in our recognition memory task, which suggest that PD in recognition memory might be associated with the recollection-familiarty dichotomy and not memory strength per se. Our results show that the type of the specific memory test influences how the strength of a memory trace can be assessed using pupillometry.

A novel ten parameters analytical nonlinear current voltage model for GaN HEMTs is described in this article. The empirical model correctly determines the first function (scale factor) and second function (shape factor) of I ds dependency on V gs and V ds. The first and second function has been taken from the Angelov and Yang models to assess the effects of bias (V gs ,V ds) related traps (gate and drain lag), self-heating, virtual gate formation, drain induced barrier lowering etc. and their involvement in the proposed I-V model equation for all the HEMTs devices. The proposed model has been evaluated with the lookup table-based model and found in close agreement between the measured data and the optimized curves on two different types of GaN HEMTs. This convenient yet precise empirical I-V model could be easily accomplished with GaN HEMT for computer aided circuit design and simulation.

This paper concerned the scattering phenomenon for the mass-supercritical focusing fractional Hartree equation below the ground state threshold. A simple new proof for the radial initial data case is showed here. More specifically, we get the scattering criterion by radial Sobolev embedding inequality and Hardy-Littlewood-Sobolev inequality. Then, combining Balakrishnan's formula, the corresponding Morawetz estimation is obtained. Finally, we prove the scattering result in a new way, which does not require the concentration-compactness.

A document by Clifford Takemoto. Click on the document to view its contents.

There is pressure for evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM) emanating from sustainable development challenges, demand for inclusivity, transparency and accountability. Machine learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) technologies using Artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance EIDM by easing complex decision-making processes. There is significant evidence on the effectiveness of these technologies in processing ‘big data’ too intricate for conventional processing approaches, but a gap exists in using them to support EIDM. The review draws from a rapid review of relevant literature to validate the assertion that ‘ML and DL technologies using AI can enhance EIDM.’ Findings show that originally computer applications were more practical at transaction processing levels and less useful in complex decision support systems. Developments in AI systems changed this. Data management, analytics and visualisation agencies now exist, enabling evidence integration by applying erudite analytics - rendering the evidence easily usable by decision-makers through intuitive visualisation. Complex decision-making can now be automated using AI, making it possible to analyse data trends, develop data consistency, forecast, quantify uncertainty, anticipate user information needs, provide information in the most appropriate form, and suggest numerous courses of action. It is now feasible to forecast the effects of future decisions. This way, policymakers can obtain transformational insights to improve policy outcomes in critical sectors.

Bioclimatic variables (BCVs) are the most widely used predictors within the field of ecological niche modeling. However, recent studies indicate that BCVs alone are not sufficient to describe these limits and more (bio)climatological variables should be considered. Unfortunately, the most popular database WorldClim offers only a limited selection of predictors; thus, other gridded station-based observations or reanalysis (GSOR) datasets should be taken into account. In the present study, we investigate how well the BCVs are represented by different GSOR datasets for the extended Mediterranean area within the period 1970-2020, how deviations among the datasets differ regionally and how different calculation schemes affect the representation of BCVs. We consider different calculation schemes for quarters/months, the annual mean temperature and the maximum temperature of the warmest month and show the effects on the respective BCV. Differences resulting from different calculation schemes are presented for ERA5-Land. Selected BCVs are analyzed to show differences between WorldClim, ERA5-Land, E-OBS and CRU. Our results show that (a) deviations between the two calculation schemes for annual mean temperature (maximum temperature of the warmest month) diminish (increase) when the temporal resolution is decreased; (b) with respect to the definition of the respective month/quarter, temporal shifts can have substantially different effects on the BCVs, depending on region; (c) overall, all datasets represent the different BCVs similarly, but with partly large differences in some subregions; (d) the largest differences occur when specific month/quarters are defined by the seasonal cycle of precipitation. In summary, (a) since the definition of BCVs matches different calculation schemes, a transparent communication of the BCVs calculation schemes is inevitable; (b) the calculation, integration or elimination of BCVs has to be examined carefully for each dataset, region, period or species; (c) the GSOR-Data provide, except some subregions, a consistent representation of BCVs within the extended Mediterranean region.

Chemical graph theory is an interdisciplinary mathematics and chemistry discipline that obtains mathematical information about the structure of target compounds and is an important research branch in theoretical pharmacology and nanomedicine. This paper study a coupled Hadamard type sequential fractional differential system on glucose graphs and establishes the Ulam's stability and existence of the system solutions. Furthermore, we examine examples against different background graphs and provide approximate graphs of the solutions. The novelty of this paper is that the origin of each edge is not fixed in modeling the glucose graphs, and one of the two vertices of the corresponding edge can be arbitrarily chosen as the origin to build the system and give the approximate graphs of the solutions using iterative methods and numerical simulation.

While the autoxidation of linseed oil has been extensively studied, the role of metal driers in catalyzing this process remains poorly understood. Previous studies have demonstrated that Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) can be used to monitor the progress of autoxidation during linseed oil drying. Typically, studies have focused on a single absorption at 3010 cm-1 to determine the rate of autoxidation. In this study, FT-IR spectra of linseed oil during autoxidation were measured between 3800 and 700 cm-1 and fit to kinetic models using global analysis, which provides more robust fitting than prior methods. This study revealed that the drier catalyzed autoxidation process can be best modeled as an A → B → C type reaction, with B corresponding to a cis-trans conjugated intermediate previously identified in model complex studies. These kinetic models further revealed that for three Co driers the rate constants for the A → B and B → C reactions are identical within experimental error, suggesting both reactions share a rate limiting step.

Bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) are widely used in various electronic systems, and the establishment of the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) model for BJTs is crucial for EMC analysis of these systems, such as high-frequency circuits. In this paper, a BJT EMC model that satisfies both functionality and EMC analysis requirements was established based on physical characteristic measurement. Firstly, comprehensive and systematic methods for measurement and extracting SPICE parameters based on physical BJTs are presented, including a proposed curve-fitting calculation method for extracting barrier capacitance parameters. Secondly, an analysis of the impact of major BJT electrical characteristics parameters was conducted, leading to the identification of important model parameters affecting BJT functionality and EMC. Finally, the primary BJT model was optimized using the simplex method, and a method for EMC analysis and verification of the BJT model was presented. The experimental and simulation results are in good agreement, and the established model meets the accuracy requirements for both EMC and functionality. Therefore, the proposed method is feasible and suitable for the EMC modeling of BJTs.

Background: Norovirus (NoV) is a leading cause of epidemic non-bacterial acute gastroenteritis in young children and adults globally. Snow Mountain Virus (SMV), the prototype of genogroup II and genotype II NoV, has been used in three human challenge studies to examine the infectivity, pathogenicity, and immune response to NoV. Methods: This is a secondary data analysis. Clinical and laboratory data from two previously completed SMV human challenge trials using two different inocula (Inoculum 1 and Inoculum 2) were analyzed to compare infectivity, illness (including modified Vesikari severity scores of gastroenteritis in those subjects with clinical symptoms), viral shedding, and serum IgG conversion. SMV Inoculum 2 is a second-generation inoculum prepared from a stool sample collected from a study subject who was infected with SMV Inoculum 1. Results: Of 15 subjects orally challenged with SMV Inoculum 1 between 2000 and 2002, nine were infected, and seven presented with acute gastroenteritis. Of 33 subjects orally challenged with SMV Inoculum 2 between 2016 and 2018, 25 were infected, and nine presented with acute gastroenteritis. There were no statistically significant differences in overall infection and illness rates between subjects challenged with Inoculum 1 vs. Inoculum 2. However, subjects infected with Inoculum 1 experienced more severe clinical symptoms of acute gastroenteritis and had higher severity scores (6.00 vs. 2.94, P = 0.003) compared with those infected with Inoculum 2. We also observed that infection with Inoculum 2 resulted in longer viral shedding compared with Inoculum 1. This analysis also indicated that secretor-positive subjects had more severe gastroenteritis than secretor-negative subjects. Among ill subjects, no association was observed between challenge dose and severity of acute gastroenteritis. Conclusions: Understanding the differences between these two SMV inocula is critical for NoV vaccine evaluation because illness and viral shedding are two important outcomes in NoV challenge studies to determine vaccine efficacy. Using a less pathogenic inoculum for a vaccine trial will require more participants to meet the target reduction in illness when evaluating the efficacy of candidate vaccines.

Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the potential of noninvasive and repeated monitoring of rhACE2 distribution and content in organs using the ACE2-specific nuclide probe 68Ga-HZ20. Methods We optimized the labeling conditions of the probe and evaluated its safety. A mouse organ in situ rhACE2 high-aggregation model was constructed for the first time, and in vivo real-time PET imaging of rhACE2 was performed using the ACE2-specific PET agent 68Ga-HZ20. The distribution and uptake of the probe were analyzed, and the model was validated. Results This radiotracer exhibited reliable radiochemical properties in vitro and maintained a high affinity for rhACE2 in vivo. In terms of probe uptake, 68Ga-HZ20 showed a good target-to-nontarget ratio, and the correlation between the uptake value of the probe and the dose of rhACE2 was >90% in both models; the probe was rapidly cleared from the circulatory system and excreted by the kidneys and urinary system. No organs were damaged after the injection of high doses of probe. Conclusions This technology for noninvasively and repeatedly monitoring the content and distribution of rhACE2 in vivo aids in clarifying the resident capacity of rhACE2 in organs and in analyzing the preventive effect of rhACE2 against SARS-CoV-2 and the effectiveness of therapies for COVID-19.

A document by Valter Paixão. Click on the document to view its contents.