bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adaptive display white point under various ambient conditions
Authors: Guo Jiamin , Wei Minchen , Xie Fei , Jiao Zhiwei
Published: May 2024

Display technologies have been developed to adjust the display brightness and color under different viewing conditions, providing better viewing experiences to users. Solutions have been proposed to adjust the display white point according to the ambient light condition, which roots into the underlying chromatic adaptation mechanism in the human visual system. This study was carefully designed to reveal the necessity to consider the ambient light level and display luminance together, which affects the viewing mode, when adjusting the adaptive display white point. The results clearly suggested that when the display luminance was greater than the ambient light diffuse white luminance, the display was viewed in the self‐luminous mode and the display white point was not significantly affected by the ambient light chromaticities. In contrast, when the display luminance was lower than the ambient light diffuse white luminance, the display was viewed in the surface mode and the ambient light chromaticities had a significant effect on the display white point, especially when the surround ratio was high.
Efficacy of different indocyanine green doses in fluorescent laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A prospective, randomized, double‐blind trial
Authors: Wang Siyu , Yuan Wenkang , Yu Anhai , Gu Wang , Wang Tianqi , Zhang Chong , Zhang Chao
Published: May 2024

Background and Objectives

Intraoperative bile duct injury is a significant complication in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Near‐infrared fluorescence cholangiography (NIFC) can reduce this complication. Therefore, determining the optimal indocyanine green (ICG) dosage for effective NIFC is crucial. This study aimed to determine the optimal ICG dosage for NIFC.

Methods

This was a prospective, randomized, double‐blind clinical trial at a single tertiary referral center, including 195 patients randomly assigned to three groups: lower dose (0.01 mg/BMI) ICG (n = 63), medium dose (0.02 mg/BMI) ICG (n = 68), and higher dose (0.04 mg/BMI) ICG (n = 64). Surgeon satisfaction and detection rates for seven biliary structures were compared among the three dose groups.

Results

Demographic parameters did not significantly differ among the groups. The medium dose (72.1%) and higher dose ICG groups (70.3%) exhibited superior visualization of the common hepatic duct compared to the lower dose group (41.3%) (p < 0.001). No differences existed between the medium and higher dose groups. Similar trends were observed for the common bile duct and cystic common bile duct junction.

Conclusions

In patients undergoing fluorescent laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the 0.02 mg/BMI dose of indocyanine green demonstrated better biliary structure detection rates than the 0.01 mg/BMI dose and was non‐inferior to the 0.04 mg/BMI dose.
Robotic‐assisted total knee arthroplasty is associated with the use of thinner polyethylene liners compared to navigation‐guided and manual techniques
Authors: Cheng Ryan , Kim Billy , Taylor Walter L. , Westrich Geoffrey H. , Shen Tony S.
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of intraoperative technology use on the rate of using polyethylene liners 15 mm or greater during primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Methods

There were 103,295 implants from 16,386 primary unilateral TKAs performed on 14,253 patients at a single institution between 1 January 2018, and 30 June 2022, included in the current study. Robotic assistance and navigation guidance were used in 1274 (8%) and 8345 (51%) procedures, respectively. The remaining 6767 TKAs (41%) were performed manually. Polyethylene liners were manually identified and further subcategorised by implant thickness. Patients who underwent robotic‐assisted TKA were younger (p < 0.001) and more likely to be male (p < 0.001) compared to patients who underwent navigation‐guided or manual TKAs.

Results

Average polyethylene liner thickness was similar between groups (10.5 ± 1.5 mm for robotic‐assisted TKAs, 10.9 ± 1.8 mm for navigation‐guided TKAs and 10.8 ± 1.8 mm for manual TKAs). The proportions of polyethylene liners 15 mm or greater used were 4.9%, 3.8% and 1.9% for navigation‐guided, manual and robotic‐assisted procedures, respectively (p < 0.001). Multivariate regression analyses demonstrated that navigation‐guided (odds ratio [OR]: 2.6, 95% confidence Interval [CI]: [1.75–4.07], p < 0.001) and manual (OR: 2.0, 95% CI: [1.34–3.20], p = 0.001) procedures were associated with an increased use of polyethylene liners 15 mm or greater.

Conclusion

Robotic‐assisted TKA was associated with a lower proportion of polyethylene liners 15 mm or greater used compared to navigation‐guided and manual TKA. These findings suggest that robotic assistance can reduce human error via a more precise cutting system, limit over‐resection of the tibia and flexion‐extension gap mismatch and ultimately allow for more appropriately sized implants.

Level of Evidence

Level III, retrospective cohort study.
An Ovine Model Yields Histology and Gene Expression Changes Consistent with Laryngotracheal Stenosis
Authors: Mafla Laura , So Raymond J. , Collins Samuel L. , Chan‐Li Yee , Lina Ioan , Motz Kevin M. , Hillel Alexander T.
Published: May 2024

Objectives

Animal models for laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS) are critical to understand underlying mechanisms and study new therapies. Current animal models for LTS are limited by small airway sizes compared to human. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a novel, large animal ovine model for LTS.

Methods

Sheep underwent either bleomycin‐coated polypropylene brush injury to the subglottis (n = 6) or airway stent placement (n = 2) via suspension microlaryngoscopy. Laryngotracheal complexes were harvested 4 weeks following injury or stent placement. For the airway injury group, biopsies (n = 3 at each site) were collected of tracheal scar and distal normal regions, and analyzed for fibrotic gene expression. Lamina propria (LP) thickness was compared between injured and normal areas of trachea.

Results

No mortality occurred in sheep undergoing airway injury or stent placement. There was no migration of tracheal stents. After protocol optimization, LP thickness was significantly increased in injured trachea (Sheep #3: 529.0 vs. 850.8 um; Sheep #4: 933.0 vs. 1693.2 um; Sheep #5: 743.7 vs. 1378.4 um; Sheep #6: 305.7 vs. 2257.6 um). A significant 62‐fold, 20‐fold, 16‐fold, 16‐fold, and 9‐fold change of COL1, COL3, COL5, FN1, and TGFB1 was observed in injured scar specimen relative to unaffected airway, respectively.

Conclusion

An ovine LTS model produces histologic and transcriptional changes consistent with fibrosis seen in human LTS. Airway stent placement in this model is safe and feasible. This large airway model is a reliable and reproducible method to assess the efficacy of novel LTS therapies prior to clinical translation.

Level of Evidence

N/A Laryngoscope, 134:4239–4245, 2024
Long‐Term Follow‐Up of Post Radiation Complete Sinus Opacification in Sinonasal Cancer Patients
Authors: Levi Lirit , Havazelet Shany , Moskovitz Anner , Soudry Ethan
Published: May 2024

Objective

Treatment of sinonasal malignancies most often requires primary or postoperative radiation treatment. Post radiation sinonasal morbidity has been previously described; however, none addressed post‐radiation sinus obstruction. Our objective was to investigate the long‐term outcomes of post radiation complete isolated sinus opacification (CISO).

Methods

A retrospective analysis of sinonasal cancer patients treated with radiation therapy during the years 2002 to 2022. Clinical, imaging and treatment data were collected from patients' medical records. Only patients with at least 12 months of follow‐up and available imaging for review were included.

Results

Out of 109 patients, 37 patients were identified to meet the inclusion criteria. Mean follow‐up was 58 months. 35% of patients were diagnosed with persistent post radiation CISO with a mean onset of 4 months. All these patients remained asymptomatic, and their imaging remained stable during follow‐up with none developing an expanding mucocele. Ethmoid sinus tumor involvement was found to be more prevalent in the CISO group (62% vs. 25%, p‐value = 0.048) as well as chemotherapy/immunotherapy (54% vs. 38%, p‐value = 0.046). Multivariant analysis revealed that ethmoid sinus involvement (OR = 9.516, p‐value = 0.047) and adjuvant therapy, either chemotherapy/immunotherapy (OR = 10.75, p‐value = 0.036) were found to be a predictive factor for complete opacification.

Conclusion

Our study revealed that a substantial number of post‐radiation patients develop a stable and persistent CISO, often in the frontal and sphenoid sinuses. These patients remained asymptomatic, and none required surgical intervention during nearly 5 years of follow‐up.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 134:4232–4238, 2024
SiO2 nanoparticle attenuates phytotoxicity of graphene quantum dots in Zea mays (L.) plants
Authors: Yan Ruifeng , Zhang Yanfeng , Tian Hongyan , Hao Yuan , Sun Haifeng
Published: May 2024

The tremendous potential of graphene quantum dots (gqds) in biomedical applications has raised increasing concerns about their risks to ecosystem and human beings. silicon dioxide nanoparticles (sio2 nps) serve as promising nanofertilizers in enhancing plant tolerance against abiotic stresses, but the knowledge of their role in regulating crop responses to gqd stress is far from sufficient in depth and width. The present work offers insight into the effects of sio2 nps on the root uptake and phytotoxicity of gqds in maize (zea mays L.) seedlings. the addition of sio2 nps significantly decreased the accumulation of gqds in the roots and leaves by 33.3% and 58.8%, respectively. physiologically, the presence of sio2 nps led to substantial enhancement in photosynthesis and antioxidant enzyme activities relative to the plants under the gqds stress. responsive differentially expressed genes were mainly associated with crucial pathways regarding photosynthesis, the mapk signaling pathway in the maize plants, and glutathione metabolism. sio2 nps alleviated the gqds‐induced oxidative stress and helped to re‐establish redox homeostasis by up‐regulating the expression of genes related to antioxidant enzyme activities. these results showed that the root application of sio2 nps alleviated the gqd‐induced inhibition to the photosynthesis and growth of crop plants, which are of great significance for advancing the sustainable utilization of nanofertilizers in agriculture.
Effect of Dicarboxylic Acid Chain Length on the Tribological Properties of Aqueous Polyether Esters
Authors: Shao Wenqiang , Xu Chao , Wang Xiaobo , Liu Xiaoling , Lou Wenjing
Published: May 2024

This article presents the preparation of environmentally friendly water‐soluble lubricant additives. Adipic acid (AA), sebacic acid (SA) and dodecanedioic acid (DA) were individually subjected to esterification reactions with polyethylene glycol 1500 (PEG1500) to prepare a class of water‐soluble polyether esters (AAPEE1500, SAPEE1500 and DAPEE1500) (referred to as XAPEE1500s) that exhibit excellent water solubility and do not contain environmentally harmful elements. First, the molecular structure characterisation and functional group analysis of these additives will be conducted using an infrared spectrometer and a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer. Subsequently, the frictional properties of the additives in the base liquid (deionised water) will be investigated using an SRV‐V tribometer, Falex pin‐on‐disc tribometer and screw torque tester. The surface morphology of wear scars will be characterised and analysed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a non‐contact 3D profilometer. Finally, the lubrication mechanism of the DAPEE1500 additive will be analysed using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results indicate that the optimal lubrication performance is achieved when the added mass fraction of DAPEE1500 is at 3%. Compared with 0.5 wt% DAPEE1500, the average friction coefficient of 3 wt% DAPEE1500 decreased from 0.285 to 0.122, and the wear volume decreased from 25.52 × 10−5 μm3 to 10.96 × 10−5 μm3. The lubrication mechanism of polyether ester is the result of the combined action of its polar ester functional groups and long carboxylic acid chains in the structure. These polar functional groups can form a relatively firm adsorption film on the friction surface, while the long carboxylic acid chains act as a brush‐like isolating layer, thus demonstrating superior anti‐wear and anti‐friction performance.
UPHOLDING THE LEADERSHIP LESSONS OF THE LITTLE ROCK NINE
Authors: McArthur Sarah
Published: May 2024

The author, Leader to Leader’s editor‐in‐chief, reflects on how her father was a member of the 327th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army, and as such had an important role in US history. She notes that in 1957, “President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued Executive Order 10730 sending my father’s regiment to Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas to maintain order as the school was desegregated.” This Executive Order “placed the Arkansas National Guard under federal authority and sent 1,000 US Army troops to Little Rock to enforce the US Supreme Court’s 1954 ruling in Brown v. the Board of Education that US State laws establishing segregation in public schools are unconstitutional, even if the segregated schools are otherwise equal in quality.” She relates that her father “ … remembers feeling the volatility of the situation that did not ignite, he believes, because of the discipline and presence of the 101st.” These thoughts resonated with her as she later interviewed the retired Army General Dennis J. Reimer, who in the 1990s was Chief of Staff of the United States Army, for her forthcoming documentary about our journal’s founder, Frances Hesselbein.
Transcription factor EHF drives cholangiocarcinoma development through transcriptional activation of glioma‐associated oncogene homolog 1 and chemokine CCL2
Authors: Luo Yiming , Li Zhi , Zhu He , Lu Junli , Lei Zhen , Su Chen , Liu Furong , Zhang Hongwei , Huang Qibo , Han Shenqi , Rao Dean , Wang Tiantian , Chen Xiaoping , Cao Hong , Zhang Zhiwei , Huang Wenjie , Liang Huifang
Published: May 2024

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is characterized by rapid onset and high chance of metastasis. Therefore, identification of novel therapeutic targets is imperative. E26 transformation‐specific homologous factor (EHF), a member of the E26 transformation‐specific transcription factor family, plays a pivotal role in epithelial cell differentiation and cancer progression. However, its precise role in CCA remains unclear. In this study, through in vitro and in vivo experiments, we demonstrated that EHF plays a profound role in promoting CCA by transcriptional activation of glioma‐associated oncogene homolog 1 (GLI1). Moreover, EHF significantly recruited and activated tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) through the C‐C motif chemokine 2/C‐C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCL2/CCR2) axis, thereby remodeling the tumor microenvironment. In human CCA tissues, EHF expression was positively correlated with GLI1 and CCL2 expression, and patients with co‐expression of EHF/GLI1 or EHF/CCL2 had the most adverse prognosis. Furthermore, the combination of the GLI1 inhibitor, GANT58, and CCR2 inhibitor, INCB3344, substantially reduced the occurrence of EHF‐mediated CCA. In summary, our findings suggest that EHF is a potential prognostic biomarker for patients with CCA, while also advocating the therapeutic approach of combined targeting of GLI1 and CCL2/CCR2‐TAMs to inhibit EHF‐driven CCA development.
Examining the impact of board gender diversity and regional differentiation in the ESG‐corporate performance nexus: Evidence from financial service industry
Authors: Tran Thu Huong , Lu Wen‐Min , Ting Irene Wei Kiong , Huang Hsueh‐Li ( Shirley) , Fauzi Muhammad Ashraf
Published: May 2024

This study explores the impact of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors on corporations by investigating how board gender diversity moderates the relationship between ESG practices and corporate performance across different regions. Using traditional data envelopment analysis (DEA) and chance‐constrained DEA models, the study analyzes 225 financial service firms over an 11‐year period (2011–2021). Results indicate that high (low) board gender diversity levels significantly influence the connection between the environmental (social) aspects of ESG practices and corporate performance. Thus, the roles of stakeholder engagement and regional distinctions are highlighted in achieving sustainable development goals.
Privacy‐preserving data aggregation achieving completeness of data queries in smart grid
Authors: Li Xinyang , Zhao Meng , Ding Yong , Yang Changsong , Wang Huiyong , Liang Hai , Wang Yujue
Published: May 2024

In smart grid systems, the control center formulates strategies and provides services by analyzing electricity consumption data. However, ensuring the privacy and security of user data is a critical concern. While traditional data aggregation schemes can provide a certain level of privacy protection for users, they also impose limitations on the control center's access to fine‐grained data. To address these challenges, we propose a privacy‐preserving data aggregation scheme supporting data query (PAQ). We designed a multi‐level data aggregation mechanism based on Paillier semi‐homomorphic encryption to achieve efficient aggregation of user data in the control center. Additionally, a data query mechanism based on electricity consumption intervals is introduced, allowing the control center to query aggregated ciphertexts for different user categories from outsourced data on the cloud server. Security analysis demonstrates that PAQ design effectively solves security issues in data aggregation and query processes. Performance analysis indicates that the proposed scheme outperforms existing solutions in terms of efficiency.
Performance of security options for message protocols: A comparative analysis
Authors: dos Reis Bezerra Wesley , Koch Fernando , Becker Westphall Carlos
Published: May 2024

We explore the challenges around security configuration and performance while utilizing publish–subscribe protocols in the Internet of Things, edge computing, and fog computing. Issues in security configuration can lead to disruptions and higher operation costs. These issues can be prevented by selecting the appropriate transmission technology for each configuration, considering the variations in sizing, installation, sensor profile, distribution, security, networking, and locality. We introduce a comparative analysis of different configurations around a smart agriculture use case. For that, we implemented a simulation environment to generate datasets relevant to research and compare the results in terms of performance, resource utilization, security, and resilience—focused on authentication process. This analysis provides a blueprint to decision support for fog computing engineers on the best practices around security configurations.
Analyzing the impact of terrorism on tourism in Sri Lanka
Authors: Bandyopadhyay Arunava , Rej Soumen , Mallick Mohidul Alam , Mahalik Mantu Kumar , Kumar Sunil , Vijayabaskar M.
Published: May 2024

While terrorism brings fear and chaos, tourism is the epitome of peace and happiness. Sri Lanka has always attracted international tourists due to tropical climate and beautiful tourist destinations. However, terrorism and the recent debt crisis have led to chaos and economic failure; in this study, the impact of terrorism, external debt, and military expenditure on international tourism in Sri Lanka have been empirically studied to unravel the dynamics. Dynamic ARDL simulation and cumulative fourier frequency causality results highlight the presence of an inverted N‐shaped association between terrorism and tourism, as well as external debt and tourism. The phenomenal results from this analysis provide essential policy suggestions for Sri Lanka for economic recovery through the promotion of international tourism.
Predictors of low and very low bone mineral density in long‐term childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors: Toward personalized risk prediction
Authors: Nadeau Geneviève , Samoilenko Mariia , Fiscaletti Melissa , Veilleux Louis‐Nicolas , Curnier Daniel , Laverdière Caroline , Sinnett Daniel , Krajinovic Maja , Lefebvre Geneviève , Alos Nathalie
Published: May 2024

Background

Cohorts of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (cALL) survivors reaching adulthood are increasing. Approximately 30% of survivors meet criteria for low bone mineral density (BMD) 10 years after diagnosis. We investigated risk factors for low BMD in long‐term cALL survivors.

Methods

We recruited 245 cALL survivors from the PETALE (Prévenir les effets tardifs des traitements de la leucémie aiguë lymphoblastique chez l'enfant) cohort, who were treated with the Dana Farber Cancer Institute protocols, did not experience disease relapse or hematopoietic stem cell transplants, and presented with more than 5 years of event‐free survival. Median time since diagnosis was 15.1 years.

Results

Prevalence of low DXA‐derived BMD (Z‐score ≤−1) ranged between 21.9% and 25.3%, depending on site (lumbar spine (LS‐BMD), femoral neck (FN‐BMD), and total body (TB‐BMD), and between 3.7% and 5.8% for very low BMD (Z‐score ≤−2). Males had a higher prevalence of low BMD than females for all three outcomes (26%–32% vs. 18%–21%), and male sex acted as a significant risk factor for low BMD in all models. Treatment‐related factors such as cumulative glucocorticoid (GC) doses and cranial radiation therapy (CRT) were associated with lower BMDs in the full cohort and in females at the FN‐BMD site.

Conclusion

Low and very low BMD is more prevalent in male cALL survivors. Male sex, high cumulative GC doses, CRT, risk group, and low body mass index (BMI) were identified as risk factors for low BMD. A longer follow‐up of BMD through time in these survivors is needed to establish if low BMD will translate into a higher risk for fragility fractures through adulthood.
Effects of slit plate design on mechanical properties of castable plastic bonded explosives
Authors: Sevinc Alper , Edis Baris
Published: May 2024

The effect of slit plate design on PBXs quality was systematically studied from the point of view voids and powder‐binder separation phenomenon. PBXN‐109 type explosive samples were prepared in accordance with MIL−E‐82886 and cast through slit plates of different geometry and perforation size. The other casting parameters such as casting time, temperature, pressure, valve opening and PBX amount kept constant to prevent uncertainties arising from these parameters. Density measurements, X‐ray inspection and tensile tests were carried out to evaluate the air removal and powder‐binder separation characteristic of slit plates. Density measurements did not provide a clear interpretation of the powder‐binder separation and deaeration abilities of slit plates. X‐ray inspections and tensile tests showed that the dimensions and design of slit plate perforations have impact on voids and powder‐binder separation in PBXs. The slit plate #E showed relatively poor performance in terms of stress property, attributed to the largest cross‐sectional area per perimeter length ratio of perforations, leading to decrease in air removal ability.
Effects of surface moisture flux on the formation and evolution of cold fog over complex terrain with large‐eddy simulation
Authors: Li Xin , Pu Zhaoxia
Published: May 2024

This study examines the effect of surface moisture flux on fog formation, as it is an essential factor of water vapor distribution that supports fog formation. A one‐way nested large‐eddy simulation embedded in the mesoscale community Weather Research and Forecasting model is used to examine the effect of surface moisture flux on a cold fog event over the Heber Valley on January 16, 2015. Results indicate that large‐eddy simulation successfully reproduces the fog over the mountainous valley, with turbulent mixing of the fog aloft in the valley downward. However, the simulated fog is too dense and has higher humidity, a larger mean surface moisture flux, more extensive liquid water content, and longer duration relative to the observations. The sensitivity of fog simulations to surface moisture flux is then examined. Results indicate that reduction of surface moisture flux leads to fog with a shorter duration and a lower height extension than the original simulation, as the decrease in surface moisture flux impairs water vapor transport from the surface. Consequently, the lower humidity combined with the cold air helps the model reproduce a realistic thin fog close to the observations. The outcomes of this study illustrate that a minor change in moisture flux can have a significant impact on the formation and evolution of fog events over complex terrain, even during the winter when moisture flux is typically very weak.
Assessing the causality of interferon‐γ and its receptor 1/2 with systemic lupus erythematosus risk using genetic data
Authors: Chang Minjing , Yao Kaixin , Hao Jiawei , Long Yinqi , Qiao Lulin , Zhang Yaru , Ma Kexin , He Peifeng
Published: May 2024

Background

The interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) signaling pathway is activated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study aimed to assess the causal association between IFN‐γ, IFN‐γ receptor 1 (IFN‐γR1), and IFN‐γR2 and SLE using a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) design.

Methods

Genetic instruments for exposure to IFN‐γ, IFN‐γR1, and IFN‐γR2 were derived from a large genome‐wide association study (GWAS) that included a sample size of 3301 participants. Instrumental variables for SLE were selected from another independent GWAS analysis comprising 5201 cases and 6099 controls with European ancestry. Bidirectional two‐sample MR was performed using inverse variance weighting, MR‐Egger regression, and weighted median methods. A series of sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the results.

Results

The inverse variance weighting showed that IFN‐γ had a positive causal association with the risk of SLE (odd ratio [OR] = 1.24, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03–1.47, p = 0.018). IFN‐γR2 levels were not associated with SLE risk after adjustment for multiple comparisons (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.73–0.99, p = 0.034). No genetic association was also detected between IFN‐γR1 and SLE (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.79–1.19, p = 0.768). Evidence from bidirectional MR did not support reverse causality. The weighted median regression also showed directionally similar estimates.

Conclusion

Higher levels of IFN‐γ are significantly associated with an increased risk of SLE, providing insights into the pathogenesis of SLE.
Target sign of the lung
Authors: Kinoshita Yoshiaki , Takata Kengo , Kushima Hisako , Ishii Hiroshi
Published: May 2024

Key message

A target sign of the lung consists of a ring‐like opacity and a central nodular opacity and has been limited to reports associated with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection or organizing pneumonia. This is the first report of a target sign that was potentially associated with drug‐induced lung injury.
Dopant‐induced Morphology of Organic Semiconductors Resulting in High Doping Performance
Authors: Guo Jing , Chen Ping‐An , Yang Shuzhang , Wei Huan , Liu Yu , Xia Jiangnan , Chen Chen , Chen Huajie , Wang Suhao , Li Wenwu , Hu Yuanyuan
Published: May 2024

Doping plays a crucial role in modulating and enhancing the performance of organic semiconductor (OSC) devices. In this study, the critical role of dopants is underscored in shaping the morphology and structure of OSC films, which in turn profoundly influences their properties. Two dopants, trityl tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl) (TrTPFB) and N,N‐dimethylanilinium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate (DMA‐TPFB), are examined for their doping effects on poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and PBBT‐2T host OSCs. It is found that although TrTPFB exhibits higher doping efficiency, OSCs doped with DMA‐TPFB achieve comparable or even enhanced electrical conductivity. Indeed, the electrical conductivity of DMA‐TPFB‐doped P3HT reaches over 67 S cm−1, which is a record‐high value for mixed‐solution‐doped P3HT. This can be attributed to DMA‐TPFB inducing a higher degree of crystallinity and reduced structural disorder. Moreover, the beneficial impact of DMA‐TPFB on the OSC films' morphology and structure results in superior thermoelectric performance in the doped OSCs. These findings highlight the significance of dopant‐induced morphological and structural considerations in enhancing the film characteristics of OSCs, opening up a new avenue for optimization of dopant performance.
Experimental and analytical study on enhancing flexural strength of RC beams using post‐ tensioned heavy‐duty metal straps wrapped around anchored steel plates
Authors: Abdullah Wrya
Published: May 2024

This paper addresses the challenge of enhancing the bending capacity of beams through a cost‐effective and practical approach. Current methods are often expensive, brittle, time‐intensive, or massive. In response, an alternative method is proposed that involves the utilization of post‐tensioned heavy‐duty metal straps wrapped around steel plates anchored to the beams. To evaluate the effectiveness of the method, six large‐scale normal reinforced concrete beams were constructed with a width of 160 mm and a depth of 240 mm, and a clear span of 1900 mm. The testing parameters were the position of the steel plates along the length of the beam and the position of the metal straps along the height of the steel plates. Quantitative results demonstrate a significant enhancement in the load‐carrying capacity of the beams. Compared to the control specimen, the method led to a minimum increase of 40% of load carrying capacity and a maximum increase of 66%. Key influencing factors include the location of the metal straps on the steel plates (120 or 90 mm away from the bottom of the beam) and the position of the steel plates on the face of the beam (650 mm or 350 away from the edge of the beam). Notably, the load‐carrying capacity increases when the metal straps are positioned lower on the steel plates and the plates are placed further away from the center of the beam. Finally, analytical results obtained using VecTor2 software align well with experimental findings.
Autonomous Development of Compositional Diversity in Self‐Spreading Flat Protocells
Authors: Gözen İrep , Mann Stephen , Jesorka Aldo
Published: May 2024

An experimental pathway to the spontaneous generation of compositionally diverse synthetic protocells is presented. The pathway is initiated by flat giant unilamellar vesicles (FGUVs) that originate from compositionally different multilamellar lipid reservoirs and undergo spontaneous spreading across solid surfaces. On contact, the spreading FGUVs merge to produce a concentration gradient in membrane lipids across the fusion interface. Subsequent reconstruction through a series of shape transformations produces a network of nanotube‐connected lipid vesicles that inherit different ratios of the membrane constituents derived from the bilayers of the parent FGUVs. The fusion process leads to the engulfment of small FGUVs by larger FGUVs, mimicking predator‐prey behavior in which the observable characteristics of the prey are lost but the constituents are carried by the predator FGUV to the next generation of lipid vesicles. We speculate that our results could provide a feasible pathway to autonomous protocell diversification in origin of life theories and highlight the possible role of solid surfaces in the development of diversity and rudimentary speciation of natural protocells on the early Earth.
Finite element analysis of precast concrete beam‐column joint based on bolt connection
Authors: Xu Jingbin , Li Hao , Zhang Yu
Published: May 2024

A novel proposal for an assembled bolted joint between a precast reinforced concrete beam and column is presented in this paper. In order to evaluate the behavior of the joint, a comprehensive experiment was carried out on a full‐scale precast concrete beam‐column joint based on bolted connection subjected to pseudo‐static loading. The experiment aims to investigate the failure mode, load carrying capacity, and energy dissipation characteristics of the joint. To further understand the performance of the joint, a finite element model was developed using ABAQUS. The difference in failure mode and ultimate bearing capacity between the bolted joints and cast‐in‐situ joints were analyzed in conjunction with the experimental results. Moreover, the impact of various parameters on the performance of the bolted joints was quantified. The characteristics of the bolted joints, such as the span‐depth ratio, reinforcement ratio of the beam, the stirrup ratio at the beam‐column junction, T‐end length, and the bolt strength grade, were meticulously analyzed through an examination of bearing capacity curve, stiffness degradation patterns, and energy dissipation capability. The results show that, in comparison with the traditional cast‐in‐situ joints, the damage failure extent exhibited by the bolted joints is notably smaller, thereby rendering it more advantageous for seismic restoration and replacement. Furthermore, the span‐depth ratio, reinforcement ratio of the beam, and the stirrup ratio have a greater influence on the seismic performance of bolted joints than the T‐end length and bolt strength grade.
Phylogeny and reclassification of Lampranthus (Ruschieae, Aizoaceae) in southern Africa
Authors: Klak Cornelia , Hanáček Pavel , Bruyns Peter V.
Published: May 2024

Lampranthus consists of 85 species of succulent perennials which are all endemic to southern Africa. Most of its species are restricted to fynbos and regenerate in large numbers after fires. We use nine chloroplast markers to generate a phylogeny with a dense sampling of Lampranthus and some taxa which may be closely related to it. While we found that most of the species belong to one strongly supported “core” clade, we also found three minor clades of Lampranthus that fall outside this core. For Lampranthus we set up a new classification of three subgenera. The clades forming L. subg. Adunci (3 spp.) and subg. Calcarati (1 sp.) are unresolved within the Ruschieae and we treat them as subgenera until their relationships are clarified. Three sections are proposed for L. subg. Lampranthus and we also suggest new synonymy for several species in L. sect. Lampranthus (65 spp.) and sect. Blandi (15 spp.). Roosia and the type species for Esterhuysenia are nested in L. sect. Blandi and so these genera are subsumed under Lampranthus. Esterhuysenia stokoei forms part of Lampranthus and is the sole member of a new section within L. subg. Lampranthus. The two larger sections of L. subg. Lampranthus show different evolutionary trends and distributions: Lampranthus sect. Lampranthus contains more species, they are mostly in the winter rainfall region of the Western Cape and they have a greater range of floral shapes and colours. Lampranthus sect. Blandi contains a single species in the Kamiesberg, in the Northern Cape, while most of its species occur along the southern coast of southern Africa eastwards to southern Natal. These species are florally less diverse. Two species of Lampranthus are moved to a new genus, Malephoropsis gen. nov. These are unrelated to the rest of Lampranthus and they fall among species of Malephora, Disphyma and Gibbaeum with which they share softly corky branches, mesomorphic leaves and only slightly woody fruits with false septa. Several species, which were at one stage included in Lampranthus, are re‐instated in Ruschia; for four others, previously transferred out of Lampranthus to Esterhuysenia or Oscularia, but which cannot be accommodated into any of the existing genera, we propose a new genus, Sederbergia gen. nov. Lastly, we consider three monotypic genera which were sequenced here for the first time: Circandra is re‐instated in Erepsia; Malotigena is transferred to Delosperma subg. Proterogyna; the relationships of Daggodora remain unresolved.
The history of UK weather forecasting: the changing role of the central guidance forecaster. Part 9: How has the role of the guidance forecaster changed? An overview and a look ahead
Authors: Young Martin V. , Grahame Nick S.
Published: May 2024

In the final paper in this series, we review how remarkable advances in weather forecasting over successive decades have changed the role of the UK guidance forecaster. We then look at what might happen to this role in the future by examining how the continued growth of artificial intelligence might impact upon weather forecasting and whether forecasts will continue to improve. By contrast we also consider aspects such as risks to the observing network, which could potentially have an adverse effect. We also ask “will the weather forecaster still have a role in the future?”
Effect of drug therapies on self‐reported chemosensory outcomes after COVID‐19
Authors: Fornazieri Marco A. , Cunha Bruno M. , Nicácio Samuel P. , Anzolin Lucas K. , da Silva José L. B. , Neto Aristides Fernandes , Neto Deusdedit Brandão , Voegels Richard L. , Pinna Fábio D. R.
Published: May 2024

Objective

The aim of this study was to assess the relative efficacy of medications used following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection on self‐reported alterations in taste and/or smell function.

Methods

Seven hundred and fourteen persons with self‐reported postcoronavirus disease 2019 (post‐COVID‐19) chemosensory disorders were personally interviewed regarding specific medications they were administered following the acute phase of the disease. The dependent measure—self‐reported total recovery of chemosensory symptoms—was subjected to stepwise logistic regression. Independent predictors included demographic and clinical variables, in addition to specific medications used to mitigate disease symptoms (i.e., systemic corticosteroids, oseltamivir, vitamin C, ibuprofen, hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, ivermectin, nitazoxanide, anticoagulants, and zinc).

Results

The median time between COVID‐19 symptom onset and the interviews was 81 days (interquartile range: 60–104). Of the 714 subjects, 249 (34.9%) reported total recovery of their chemosensory function; 437 (61.2%) had at least one treatment since the beginning of the disease. Women and those with more comorbidities had undergone more treatments. The recovery rates of the treated and nontreated groups did not differ significantly. Nonetheless, respondents who had used nitazoxanide tended to have a higher rate of self‐reported taste or smell recovery. Those who took oral zinc were less likely to improve.

Conclusions

No medication employed during the first months after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection had a clear positive effect on returning self‐reported smell or taste function to normal, although nitrazoxide trended in a positive direction. Oral zinc had a negative effect on the reported recovery of these senses.
Challenges, Possibilities, and Tensions When Investigating Child Sexual Abuse Against Preschoolers
Authors: Magnusson Mikaela , Ernberg Emelie
Published: May 2024

Investigating and adjudicating sexual abuse against young children is a difficult task for the criminal justice system. The current chapter focuses on challenges, potential possibilities, and tensions at Swedish Barnahus when investigating sexual abuse against preschoolers. By studying legal cases and inquiring Swedish prosecutors and specialist police interviewers, we have identified several challenges that complicate these investigations, such as limited access to corroborative evidence, difficulty conducting child investigative interviews, and challenges in assessing preschoolers’ testimony. Improved interagency collaboration and access to specialised expertise at Barnahus could potentially help alleviate some of these challenges. While the Barnahus model provides promising solutions to help address these challenges when investigating sexual abuse against preschoolers, different tensions currently complicate the realisation of these objectives within the Swedish Barnahus context.
Papering over the Cracks or Rebuilding the System: Opportunities and Challenges for the Barnahus Model in the United Kingdom
Authors: Devaney John , Mitchell Mary , Alaggia Ramona , Gray Chris
Published: May 2024

Part of the complexity of responding to child maltreatment lies within the intersection of the child welfare and criminal justice systems. Drawing upon learning from two separate research studies in the United Kingdom, we identify several key considerations for the introduction of the Barnahus model into a new context. We argue that the Barnahus model may positively disrupt how we conceive of the role and interaction of the child welfare and criminal justice systems. Such a disruption will involve moving away from a discourse that prioritises criminal justice processes and outcomes and the rights of people who have been accused of causing harm to children over those focused on upholding children’s rights, promoting child safety, and supporting children in recovering from their maltreatment.
The Earliest Dated Pictures in the Dispersal of Psychologically Modern Humans: A Middle Paleolithic Painted Rock Shelter (C. 45KA) at Wadi Defeit, Egypt
Authors: Davis Whitney
Published: May 2024

The paper reports the discovery in 2018 of a Middle Paleolithic painted rock shelter (dubbed “The Hunter’s Shelter”) in the remote upper reaches of the Wadi Defeit in far southeastern Egypt (just north of the climatologically significant latitude 22° N) by a team from the University of California at Berkeley. The paintings depict two elephants being attacked by encircling human beings wielding spears, in dangerous procedures documented by ethnohistorical accounts of indigenous elephant hunts in central Africa. One of the elephants is partly superimposed on a running or leaping lion (not in scale with the figures of humans and elephants), which might have been made in an earlier episode of painting. The paintings can be dated in three ways: acacia gum inserted into gouges in one elephant’s belly yielded calibrated radiocarbon dates of c. 45 ka; the lion was partly covered by an oxolate crust dated by Uranium-Thorium decay to 60–45 ka; and windswept sand that partly covered the paintings yielded OSL dates of 45–40 ka. At present, the shelter is the earliest known dated painting site in the global prehistoric record. In addition to reporting the motivations and parameters of the project and its preliminary results, the paper discusses the “naturalistic” and “realistic” elements of the configurations and evaluates the regional MP cultural affiliations of the site and the people who likely made the paintings. It explores the idea, given the shelter’s location, that the makers were a Middle Paleolithic population of anatomically and “psychologically” modern humans who moved out of central East Africa through the mountains and wadi systems of the western Red Sea coast in a wave of dispersal dated to c. 75–45 ka; ultimately some of them left the continent altogether by way of land and/or sea travel to the Levant and/or Arabia at the tip(s) of the Red Sea, eventually populating much of the world with modern humans. The second half of the paper considers methodological and theoretical issues raised by the empirical findings of the project, speculating that picture making played a role in effecting the global dispersal of psychologically modern humans, presumably by helping them to remember and communicate lifeways and to understand and adapt to new environments and ecologies as they moved into them, though these possibilities remain to be investigated in detail on a global scale.
Rock Art, Modes of Existence, and Cosmopolitics: A View from the Southern Andes
Authors: Troncoso Meléndez Andrés
Published: May 2024

The ontological turn has opened multiples avenues of inquiry in archaeology and rock art research. Goals of this theoretical approach include unfolding and describing other worlds, understanding the differences between modern worldviews and past ontologies, and defining the ontologies materialized in rock images. This paper discusses the relationship(s) between rock art and ontology with reference to the idea of cosmopolitics and the political role of other-than-humans in social life. We suggest that rock art is grounded on historical modes of existence or, in other words, that rock images unfold particular fields of relations, affections, and political agencies through time and space. To illustrate this point, we focus on two Northern Chilean rock art examples: the El Medano hunter-gatherer-fisher rock paintings on the Pacific coast of the Atacama Desert; and carved Incan outcrops of the Atacama Desert. These examples allow us to discuss how rock art images produce historical cosmopolitics that disclose specific relationships between humans, other-than-humans, and politics. A discussion about the relationships between rock art and cosmopolitics is not only relevant to understand past ontologies, but it can also be a useful tool to think about the future, our current relationships with other-than-humans and ‘nature,’ and the need to create new models of development based on a new way of understanding the relationships between humans, landscape, and other-than-humans.
Regional Reponses to Global Climate Change: Exploring Anthropomorphic Depictions in Rock and Mobiliary Art Expressions from the Kimberley and Europe During the Late and Terminal Pleistocene
Authors: Veth Peter , Harper Sam , Porr Martin
Published: May 2024

Northern Australia and particularly the Kimberley and Arnhem Land regions are well known for the intensive production of figurative anthropomorphs as a dominant theme by the terminal Pleistocene. Ongoing analysis and dating places the archaeological efflorescence of individual human figures and grouped scenes, often with extraordinary detail in the depictions of accoutrements, weaponry, and personal ornamentation, subsequent to the LGM (MIS 2) and across the Pleistocene-Holocene transition. In this chapter, we argue that the intensive production of human figures – in contrast to preceding millennia of predominantly figurative animal motifs – was a cultural response to ongoing loss of territory with sea level rise (and especially on the shallow continental shelves of the north), greater identity marking and emerging regionalism in northern Australia starting between 18–12 ka. While the impacts and climate details of MIS 3 and 2 were clearly different in the northern hemisphere, we believe there are complementary trajectories in Western Eurasian art bodies, which equally display regional and interregional patterns during approximately the same time period in both parietal and mobiliary art. We explore whether global drivers associated with glacio-eustatic trends, the loss of land through inundation and the emergence and subsequent relaxation of glacial refugia, might be implicated in the enhancement of anthropomorphic assemblages located on opposite sides of the world.