bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of Metabolic and Inflammatory Disorder in the Aging FGF21 Knockout Mouse
Authors: Cai Lu-Qiong , Li Xiu-Chun , Wang Yang-Yue , Chen Yu-Xin , Zhu Xia-Yan , Zuo Zi-Yi , Si-Ma Yi-Qun , Lin Yi-Nuo , Li Xiao-Kun , Huang Xiao-Ying
Published: April 2024

Aging is a physiological condition accomplished with persistent low-grade inflammation and metabolic disorders. FGF21 has been reported to act as a potent longevity determinant, involving inflammatory response and energy metabolism. In this study, we engineered aging FGF21 knockout mice of 36–40 weeks and observed that FGF21 deficiency manifests a spontaneous inflammatory response of lung and abnormal accumulation of lipids in liver. On one hand, inflamed state in lungs and increased circulating inflammatory cytokines were found in FGF21 knockout mice of 36–40 weeks. To evaluate the ability of FGF21 to suppress inflammation, a subsequent study found that FGF21 knockout aggravated LPS-induced pulmonary exudation and inflammatory infiltration in mice, while exogenous administration of FGF21 reversed these malignant phenotypes by enhancing microvascular endothelial junction. On the other hand, FGF21 knockout induces fatty liver in aging mice, characterized by excessive accumulation of triglycerides within hepatocytes. Further quantitative metabolomics and lipidomics analysis revealed perturbed metabolic profile in liver lacking FGF21, including disrupted glucose and lipids metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism. Taken together, this investigation reveals the protective role of FGF21 during aging by weakening the inflammatory response and balancing energy metabolism.
Image-based identification of optical quality and functional properties in inkjet-printed electronics using machine learning
Authors: Polomoshnov Maxim , Reichert Klaus-Martin , Rettenberger Luca , Ungerer Martin , Hernandez-Sosa Gerardo , Gengenbach Ulrich , Reischl Markus
Published: April 2024

We propose a novel image-analysis based machine-learning approach to the fully-automated identification of the optical quality, of functional properties, and of manufacturing parameters in the field of 2D inkjet-printed test structures of conductive traces. To this end, a customizable modular concept to simultaneously identify or predict dissimilar properties of printed functional structures based on images is described and examined. An application domain of the concept in the printing production process is outlined. To examine performance, we develop a dataset of over 5000 test structures containing images and physical characteristics, which are manufactured using commercially available materials. Functional test structures are fabricated via a single-nozzle vector-based inkjet-printing system and thermally sintered. Physical characterization of electrical conductance, image capturing, and evaluation of the optical quality of the test structures is done by an automatic in-house built measurement station. Conceptionally, the design of a convolutional neural network is described to identify the optical quality and physical characteristics based only on acquired images. A mathematical apparatus that allows assessment of the identification accuracy is developed and described. The impact of printing resolution, of emerging defects in the geometry of printed structures, and of image quality and color space on the identification accuracy is analyzed. Quality groups related to the printing resolution that affect identification accuracy are determined. Supplementarily, we introduce not yet reported classification of processes related to the fabrication of printed functional structures, adopted from the process analytical technology.
Thrombus or tumor? A case report of a rare sarcoma entity: intimal sarcoma of the pulmonary arteries
Authors: Dörr A. , Flörcken A. , Bullinger L. , Capper D. , Deimling A. Von , Kaul D. , Märdian S. , Starck C. , Horst D. , Dragomir M.P. , Schäfer F.M. , Jarosch A.
Published: April 2024

Background

Tumor embolism is a very rare primary manifestation of cancers and the diagnosis is challenging, especially if located in the pulmonary arteries, where it can mimic nonmalignant pulmonary embolism. Intimal sarcoma is one of the least commonly reported primary tumors of vessels with only a few cases reported worldwide. A typical location of this malignancy is the pulmonary artery. Herein, we present a case report of an intimal sarcoma with primary manifestation in the pulmonary arteries.

Case summary

A 53-year-old male initially presented with dyspnea. On imaging, a pulmonary artery embolism was detected and was followed by thrombectomy of the right ventricular outflow tract, main pulmonary artery trunk, and right pulmonary artery after ineffective lysis therapy. Complementary imaging of the chest and abdomen including a PET-CT scan demonstrated no evidence of a primary tumor. Subsequent pathology assessment suggested an intimal sarcoma further confirmed by DNA methylation based molecular analysis. We initiated adjuvant chemotherapy with doxorubicin. Four months after the completion of adjuvant therapy a follow-up scan revealed a local recurrence without distant metastases.

Discussion

Primary pulmonary artery intimal sarcoma (PAS) is an exceedingly rare entity and pathological diagnosis remains challenging. Therefore, the detection of entity-specific molecular alterations is a supporting argument in the diagnostic spectrum. Complete surgical resection is the prognostically most important treatment for intimal cardiac sarcomas. Despite adjuvant chemotherapy, the prognosis of cardiac sarcomas remains very poor. This case of a PAS highlights the difficulty in establishing a diagnosis and the aggressive natural course of the disease.

Conclusion

In case of atypical presentation of a pulmonary embolism, a tumor originating from the great vessels should be considered. Molecular pathology techniques support in establishing a reliable diagnosis.
On the gradability of knowledge how, and its relationship to motor representations and ability
Authors: Young Garry
Published: April 2024

In this paper I defend the traditional anti-intellectualist claim that a form of knowing how to Φ (e.g., knowing how to play the guitar) exists that entails the ability to Φ (play the guitar), and that this knowledge cannot be reduced to propositions (such as ‘S knows a way w to Φ’, where w is a means of Φing). I also argue that S can know how to Φ in the absence of the ability to Φ, and for this knowledge to be likewise irreducible to propositions. This is made possible when one distinguishes between type and token actions. Moreover, I contend that type and token actions, and one’s ability to engage in them, are differentiated at the level of motor representations. Motor representations provide an alternate means of grading knowledge how to that presented by Carlotta Pavese, insofar as this form of gradable knowledge is likewise irreducible to propositions.
Bibliometric analysis and visualisation of research on life cycle assessment in Africa (1992–2022)
Authors: Isah Mohammed Engha , Zhang Zhengyang , Matsubae Kazuyo , Itsubo Norihiro
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Life cycle assessment (LCA) has found wide applicability as a tool for assessing the environmental impacts of human activities in different fields such as manufacturing, mining, transportation, oil and gas, construction, and medicine. Despite the wide applicability of LCA globally, the uptake and use of the tool in Africa remains limited. This research is motivated by the need to explore the continental structure of life cycle assessment to ascertain the level of knowledge and research; collaboration amongst institutions, countries, and authors; keyword co-occurrence; thematic evolution; and bibliographic coupling.

Methods

Publications related to life cycle assessment were retrieved and cleaned from the Scopus database with the language restricted to English and only countries recognised by the African Union. VOSviewer (version 1.6.19) visualisation tool was used to construct and visualise the network maps of researchers, co-occurrence, co-authorships, and keywords. On the other hand, Bibliometrix was employed to carryout descriptive analysis and thematic evolution and to extract bibliographic information.

Results and discussion

In total, 616 research publications between 1992 and 2022 were retrieved. The results show that research on the subject matter picked up from 2004 and has been on the upward trend. South Africa, Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria are the top countries carrying out LCA research on the continent. In addition, the top authors, affiliations, and funders also come from these countries. It was also noted that there were low levels of cooperation between authors on the African continent; rather, they collaborate more with researchers in Europe, America, and other parts of the world. The built environment, construction industry, alternative energy, agriculture, and waste management and recycling are the major themes of research on the continent.

Conclusion

Life cycle assessment is gaining traction amongst researchers in Africa, albeit slowly. Considering the continents’ role in the future especially in providing critical raw materials needed for the transition to a carbon-neutral society in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), rapid uptake and embedding life cycle thinking in every sector of the African economy are needed. However, there is an urgent need to equip researchers with the skills to facilitate the development of a life cycle inventory (LCI) database at countries or continental level.
Editorial to the special issue on applications of complexity for resilient organizations, management and innovation systems
Authors: Cincotti Silvano , Giannoccaro Ilaria , Ponsiglione Cristina , Ponta Linda , Pyka Andreas
Published: April 2024

Welcome to the Special Issue on Applications of Complexity for Resilient Organizations, Management, and Innovation Systems. This Special Issue includes six articles highlighting how complexity science and complex systems approaches can be employed to study resilient aspects in organizations, management and innovation systems. Nowadays, governments, policy-makers, managers, firms, and organizations are requested to face challenges with possible and unpredictable disruptive events always more and more interconnected. Complexity science and complex systems approaches applied to economic and managerial systems allow to model the endogenous dynamics of a system as a whole and composed of heterogeneous interacting agents from the bottom up. Such models open the opportunity for a dynamic and systemic approach to investigate and improve the resilience of organizations and innovation systems. It is crucial to remark that both scholars and decision-makers collaborated on the Special Issue to better understand the advantages of using a systemic approach (i.e., complexity science and complex systems approaches) in areas where such methodologies have not been considered so far, i.e., organization, innovation, and management. To aid in this endeavor, the papers included in the Special Issue investigate different conceptual and methodological aspects applied in different contexts and open a new vista on the opportunity offered by complexity science and complex systems approaches to face research and professional questions in the areas of organization, management, and innovation.
Pulse oximeter bench tests under different simulated skin tones
Authors: Swamy Suvvi K. Narayana , He Chenyang , Hayes-Gill Barrie R. , Clark Daniel J. , Green Sarah , Morgan Stephen P.
Published: April 2024

Pulse oximeters’ (POs) varying performance based on skin tones has been highly publicised. Compared to arterial blood gas analysis, POs tend to overestimate oxygen saturation (SpO2) values for people with darker skin (occult hypoxemia). The objective is to develop a test bench for assessing commercial home and hospital-based POs in controlled laboratory conditions. A laboratory simulator was used to mimic different SpO2 values (~ 70 to 100%). Different neutral density and synthetic melanin filters were used to reproduce low signal and varying melanin attenuation levels. Six devices consisting of commercial home (Biolight, N = 13; ChoiceMMed, N = 18; MedLinket, N = 9) and hospital-based (Masimo Radical 7 with Neo L, N = 1; GE B450 Masimo SET with LNCS Neo L, N = 1; Nonin 9550 Onyx II™, N = 1) POs were reviewed and their response documented. Significant variations were observed in the recorded SpO2 values among different POs when exposed to identical simulated signals. Differences were greatest for lower SpO2 (< 80%) where empirical data is limited. All PO responses under low signal and melanin attenuation did not change across various simulated SpO2 values. The bench tests do not provide conclusive evidence that melanin does not affect in vivo SpO2 measurements. Research in the areas of instrument calibration, theory and design needs to be further developed.

Graphical Abstract
Transforming a National Invention Education Program through a Strength-based Approach
Authors: Couch Stephanie R. , Kalainoff Melinda Z.
Published: April 2024

This system-level ethnographic study of a strength-based approach to transforming a national invention education program makes visible how program leadership drew on research and their own expertise to shift who and how they served. With data analysis grounded in program reports, documentation, and internal and published research, the program’s developmental trajectory is (re)constructed and (re)presented with contextual details provided by program leadership to bring forward how facets of a strength-based approach informed the overtime transformation. Working in conjunction with program leadership to identify common design elements across new program offerings, this study presents this program’s principles for designing for instruction and considerations for curricular integration of invention education into K-14 educational institutions. Furthermore, how these principles align with a strength-based approach are discussed.
Your silence speaks volumes: Weak states and strategic absence in the UN General Assembly
Authors: Morse Julia C. , Coggins Bridget
Published: April 2024

Country participation in one-state, one-vote forums like the United Nations General Assembly often reflects underlying power asymmetries and endogenous political processes. Voting alignment is undoubtedly an important preference indicator. However, this paper contends that it is incomplete; silence is politically significant as well. Weak states use absence as a form of institutional power that shields them from geopolitical pressure and competing-principals problems. While abstention is a public signal of neutrality that undercuts voting unanimity, the ambiguous intent of absence makes it a distinct form of political expression. We examine the politics of absences at the General Assembly, highlighting how states may be strategically absent from select votes for political reasons. Building on the Bailey et al. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 61(2), 430–456, 2017 roll-call voting data, we distinguish strategic absences from other types of absence and provide evidence that such behavior is linked to US interests and competing-principals problems. Taking these non-random reasons for missingness into account provides a fuller picture of how weak states engage with international institutions and highlights how silence can be a consequence of larger political processes.
Enhanced Spatial Fuzzy C-Means Algorithm for Brain Tissue Segmentation in T1 Images
Authors: Jafrasteh Bahram , Lubián-Gutiérrez Manuel , Lubián-López Simón Pedro , Benavente-Fernández Isabel
Published: April 2024

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) plays an important role in neurology, particularly in the precise segmentation of brain tissues. Accurate segmentation is crucial for diagnosing brain injuries and neurodegenerative conditions. We introduce an Enhanced Spatial Fuzzy C-means (esFCM) algorithm for 3D T1 MRI segmentation to three tissues, i.e. White Matter (WM), Gray Matter (GM), and Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF). The esFCM employs a weighted least square algorithm utilizing the Structural Similarity Index (SSIM) for polynomial bias field correction. It also takes advantage of the information from the membership function of the last iteration to compute neighborhood impact. This strategic refinement enhances the algorithm’s adaptability to complex image structures, effectively addressing challenges such as intensity irregularities and contributing to heightened segmentation accuracy. We compare the segmentation accuracy of esFCM against four variants of FCM, Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) and FSL and ANTs algorithms using four various dataset, employing three measurement criteria. Comparative assessments underscore esFCM’s superior performance, particularly in scenarios involving added noise and bias fields.The obtained results emphasize the significant potential of the proposed method in the segmentation of MRI images.
Market potential: the measurement of domestic market size
Authors: Bruna Fernando
Published: April 2024

Influenced by the concept of the strength of a force in physics, access to markets has since the 1940s been evaluated by indicators of ‘potential’, measured as a sum of a distance-weighted of population or market size of foreign or external territories. Later development of the New Economic Geography (NEG) by Paul Krugman did not solve the problem of calculating internal market size in a way that can be used to add it to calculations for external market potential. This paper analyzes the consequences of geometrical justifications in measuring internal market potential. For a sample of European regions, the paper concludes that the literature should be more explicit about historical processes of agglomeration and methods of calculating internal market size.
Extramammary Paget Disease of Oral Mucosa: Case Report with Literature Review
Authors: Dababneh Melad N. , Bottalico Danielle M. , Schneider Keith M. , Moh Michelle , Stojanov Ivan J.
Published: April 2024

Extramammary Paget disease (EPMD) of the oral mucosa is an unusual and extremely rare condition, with fewer than ten cases documented. Here, we report a case of EMPD extensively involving oral mucosa and underlying salivary ducts in a 72-year-old male and review published clinical, histologic, immunophenotypic, and prognostic features of this rare entity.
The roles of parent temperament and parenting styles in adolescent temperament development
Authors: Meuronen Johanna , O’Leary Mira , Nolvi Saara , Tunkkari Mari , Kiuru Noona
Published: April 2024

This study examined temperament development from early to middle adolescence and the roles of parenting styles and parent temperament in this development. The sample consisted of 842 adolescents (n = 842 in Grade 6; 54% girls) and their parents (N = 707). Adolescents assessed their temperament in Grades 6 and 9 and parents assessed their temperament and parenting styles when adolescents were in Grade 6. The results showed that adolescent affiliativeness increased and effortful control decreased from early to middle adolescence. High parental warmth was related to higher adolescent affiliativeness and higher effortful control, but also to a decrease in adolescent negative affectivity. High parental behavioral control, in turn, was related to adolescents’ initially higher, but subsequently decreasing surgency. Further, high parental psychological control was related to lower adolescent effortful control. Parent temperament was also related to adolescent temperament, and parenting styles partially mediated several associations between parents’ and adolescents’ temperament. The results suggest that parents’ temperament and parenting styles are related to adolescents’ temperament development in a complex manner, even as adolescents seek to gain independence from parents. Understanding the roles of parental temperament and parenting in adolescent temperament development is important in order to support adolescents in their development towards a stable adulthood.
Hypergravity Impact on Fertility of Apis mellifera carnica Queens – Case Study
Authors: Stasiowska Dagmara , Kolasa Michał
Published: April 2024

The launch is considered the most stressful rocket flight stage due to the hypergravity occurrences. The possibility of using honey bees (Apis mellifera) as the extraterrestrial pollinator depends on their ability to reproduce correctly after experiencing hypergravity. The described study aims to verify the impact of a launching rocket’s acceleration on honey bee queen’s egg-laying behavior. Four artificially inseminated A. mellifera carnica queens were placed in the Human Training Centrifuge and given to the acceleration pattern of the launching Soyuz rocket. Next, the data on the number of food stores, eggs, larvae, and worker and drone pupae were collected from the test and control hives using the modified Liebefeld method. The pilot study results imply that accelerated queen’s egg-laying behavior may change twofold: limiting or maximizing the number of laid eggs, with the control queen egg-laying rate remaining stable for all samples. The number of drone pupae is greater for the test sample colonies, with its earlier appearance in the hive. No impact on overwintering success was observed. Authors indicate limitations of the results and a need to continue the study to verify the occurrence of anomalies potentially related to the examined factor.
Spatial and Ontogenetic Trophic Dynamics of Co-occurring Predatory Fishes in a Northern Gulf of Mexico Estuary
Authors: Livernois Mariah C. , Rezek Ryan J. , Wells R. J. David
Published: April 2024

Co-occurring predators often exhibit ecological niche partitioning, resulting from competition over evolutionary time. However, in productive estuarine ecosystems with high resource availability, predators may occupy similar niches without conflict. Determining the degree of niche partitioning and overlap among co-occurring predators can provide insights into a food web’s function and its potential resiliency to perturbations. This study used stable isotope analysis to assess the trophic ecology of four predators in Galveston Bay, Texas, USA: spotted seatrout, black drum, bull shark, and alligator gar. Spatially distinct primary producer isotopic ratios emerged for both δ13C and δ15N following salinity regimes, which translated to similar patterns in predator tissue. The volume and overlap among species’ trophic niches also varied spatially, with species-specific expansion and contraction of niches across the freshwater-marine continuum. The observed niche patterns were likely related to movements, with implications for trophic coupling across the estuarine landscape. Using regional delineations for baseline values yielded trophic position estimates that were validated by compound-specific stable isotopes and were similar (3.77 to 3.96) for all species but black drum (3.25). Trophic position increased with body length for all species but black drum, and these relationships differed when using estuary-wide versus regionally distinct baselines. Alligator gar gut contents were examined, which primarily aligned with piscivory but also included previously unreported taxa (insect, mammal). Collectively, these results provide evidence for spatial and ontogenetic shifts in trophic ecology within this predator assemblage and highlight the importance of spatial scale when using stable isotopes to examine estuarine food webs.
“Allowing Space for Voice…All Our Voices”: Understanding Ho‘ouna Pono Implementation Through Educational Leadership Perspectives in Rural Hawai‘i Schools
Authors: Okamura Kelsie H. , Palafu Tessa , An Katlyn , Marshall Sarah Momilani , Chin Steven Keone , Stern Kelly A. , Powell Byron J. , Becker Sara J. , Mandell David S. , Okamoto Scott K.
Published: April 2024

Epidemiological research over the past two decades has highlighted substance use disparities that affect Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander youth, and the lack of effective approaches to address such disparities (Okamoto et al. in Asian American Journal of Psychology 10(3):239–248, 2019). The Ho‘ouna Pono curriculum is a culturally grounded, teacher-implemented, video-enhanced substance use prevention program that has demonstrated efficacy in rural Hawaiʻi in a large-scale trial (Okamoto in Asian American Journal of Psychology 10(3):239–248, 2019). Despite its potential to ameliorate health disparities and address youth substance use, prevention programs such as Ho‘ouna Pono have been poorly disseminated and implemented across Hawaiʻi, raising the question: Why are effective prevention programs not used in communities that most need them? The present study used concept mapping to understand previously identified implementation barriers and develop implementation strategies for Ho‘ouna Pono. Seven Hawaiʻi Department of Education (HIDOE) educational leaders and administrators sorted Ho‘ouna Pono implementation barriers (e.g., “There is a lack of HIDOE funding to support prevention curricula”), named concepts, and rated barriers’ perceived impact and difficulty. Multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis yielded a five-cluster solution: (1) Kumu (Hawaiian word for teacher) Controlled, (2) School Level Buy-in, (3) Curriculum, (4) Student Attitudes + Mindsets (Family + Community), and (5) Policy. Participant ratings identified eight high-impact and low-difficulty barriers. Discussion revealed important intersections among barriers indicating the need for coordinated and cross-level implementation strategies to support Ho‘ouna Pono sustainment. Brainstormed implementation strategies using participants’ own language highlighted a need for participatory methods in school settings to bidirectionally share ways to best sustain substance use prevention programs.
Salinity distribution in agricultural land by geophysical, hydrochemical and geostatistical approaches: a pilot area located in Qelabshowah–Belqas, East Nile Delta region, Egypt
Authors: Genedi Mohamed A. , Ahmed Mohammed A.
Published: April 2024

The study area is situated in the Qelabshowah–Belqas region, known for its Quaternary deposits. This research aims to demonstrate the two-dimensional (2D) variation of subsurface layers and salinity distribution using geoelectrical data, hydrochemical analysis, and geostatistical analysis. DC resistivity measurements were taken at fifteen vertical electrical sounding (VES) survey points using a Schlumberger array (AB/2 = 100 m) along three profiles. In addition, an electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) survey was conducted with a dipole–dipole array across one profile. Seven surface water samples were collected in the area. From the 1D and 2D inversion of VES and ERT data sets, three-to-four geoelectric layers were identified, including unconsolidated surface deposits, saturated clayey sand, saturated sand, and a salt-rich layer. The 2D inversion of VES data revealed an ancient salt-rich layer deposited in swampy conditions over a conductive wet sand layer along profile one due to salt mineral infiltration and dissolution. The 2D inversion of ERT data showed accurate lateral geometric accuracy compared to the 2D inversion of VES data, highlighting geological features, such as caves in the second layer and a buried water canal on the ground surface. Surface water samples showed high salinity levels with sodium hazards, indicating an Na–Cl composition. Geoelectric and hydrochemical data sets were geostatistically analyzed using spherical variogram supported ordinary Kriging interpolation. The analysis indicated weak to moderate spatial dependency for true resistivity parameters, while sodium content (SC) and permeability index (PI) showed strong spatial correlation. The 2D spatial distribution resistivity maps based on the 1D inversion of VES data displayed a general decrease in resistivity with depth, likely due to clay minerals or moist soil in the second layer and saline irrigation water infiltration in the third layer. The 2D spatial distribution of SC and PI showed a high concentration zone, posing a potential risk to agricultural crops regardless of soil permeability. It is recommended to use these maps when cultivating plants that can tolerate high sodium levels during the reclamation process.
Combined modelling of micro-level outstanding claim counts and individual claim frequencies in non-life insurance
Authors: Bücher Axel , Rosenstock Alexander
Published: April 2024

Usually, the actuarial problems of predicting the number of claims incurred but not reported (IBNR) and of modelling claim frequencies are treated successively by insurance companies. New micro-level methods designed for large datasets are proposed that address the two problems simultaneously. The methods are based on an elaborated occurrence process model that includes both a claim intensity model and a claim development model. The influence of claim feature variables is modelled by suitable neural networks. Extensive simulation experiments and a case study on a large real data set from a motor legal insurance portfolio show accurate predictions at both the aggregate and individual policy level, as well as appropriate fitted models for claim frequencies. Moreover, a novel alternative approach combining data from classic triangle-based methods with a micro-level intensity model is introduced and compared to the full micro-level approach.
Effect of stearic acid modification on properties of pearl millet starch
Authors: Sultana Afreen , Punia Bangar Sneh , Whiteside William Scott
Published: April 2024

The present study aims Pennisetum glaucum (commonly known as pearl millet) starch modification with stearic acid at various concentrations (2.4, 2.6, and 4.8%) to improve starch functionality. The interaction of stearic acid and starch was verified by X-ray diffractogram which showed peaks at 15.1°, 23.2°, and a doublet with peaks at 17.1° and 18°confirming that an A-type crystalline starch was successfully isolated from pearl millet. The crystallinity pattern of the starch-stearic acid complex was similar to native starch, but there was a slight increase in peak intensity, and an additional peak at 21.42° (SSA3) was recorded, which might be due to aggregates of stearic acid. The surface of the starch granules was slightly dented and punctured as a result of the stearic acid modification, which SEM confirmed. DSC pattern showed that compared to native starch, the starch-stearic acid complex had higher peak temperatures of 123.21 °C (SSA3), demonstrating greater thermal stability. Complex formation was also interpreted from the FTIR spectrum, which showed a small peak at 1698 cm−1 in starch-stearic acid composite samples, which might be due to the stretching vibration of C═O of stearic acid. The complexing index of the sample increased from 26.81 to 90.32% on increasing the stearic acid concentration from 2.4 to 4.8%, respectively. This characterization confirmed the reaction between the hydroxyl group of starch and stearic acid, which showed an increase in thermal stability and can also help improve hydrophobicity, which implies that this complex has the potential for usage in food packaging with improved barrier properties.

Graphical abstract
Pedagogical content knowledge about the sustainability of high school chemistry and biology teachers
Authors: Muñoz-Galván Mariana , Padilla Kira
Published: April 2024

Pedagogical content knowledge is specialised knowledge resulting from the practice and experience of the teacher in the classroom. This research aims to analyse teachers’ thinking based on the study of this knowledge and its application to sustainability in teachers who teach the subjects of chemistry and biology at the high school level in Mexico City. The methodology was a multiple case study of ten in-service high school chemistry and biology teachers. The results made it possible to analyse the teachers’ thinking about teaching sustainability in the context of biology and chemistry about the following central topics: ecological balance, natural resources, biodiversity, ecosystems, environment, energy, climate change, and pollution. It was possible to obtain information about how teachers understand teaching–learning processes for sustainability, their knowledge about the topics analysed, the strategies used, the representations and the different evaluation activities they use, and the difficulties that arise when teaching sustainability in their classes.
Career Motivation and Job Satisfaction in Türkiye: Mediating Role of Teacher İnnovativeness and İnstructional Practice
Authors: Ertaş Behiye Dağdeviren , Pekmezci Fulya Barış
Published: April 2024

Scholarly research on teachers’ job satisfaction has recently attracted the attention of researchers. However, only few studies have focused on the factors that address teachers’ job satisfaction, as to reveal whether and to what extent teachers’ career motivations, especially social utility motivation, affect job satisfaction. Existing literature suggests that social utility motivation is likely to affect the factors such as teachers’ commitment, teaching practices, self-efficacy, and professionalism, which can be considered necessary for job satisfaction. In this context, this study aims to reveal the effect of teachers’ social utility motivation on job satisfaction and the mediating effect performed by instructional practice and teacher innovation, using data from the TALIS 2018 dataset. Based on our research questions, we used data teacher questionnaires gathered in Türkiye. After accounting for missing values, the structural equation modeling analysis 2539 teachers from Türkiye. In the study, the researchers applied a mediation analysis of structural equation modeling to test the proposed model. The results of the analysis confirm that instructional practice and teacher innovation mediate between social utility motivation and job satisfaction. This research is expected to contribute to the studies that focus on the effects of social utility motivation on job satisfaction.
Physical activity, exercise habits and health-related quality of life in maintenance hemodialysis patients: a multicenter cross-sectional study
Authors: Hu Huagang , Chau Pui Hing , Choi Edmond Pui Hang
Published: April 2024

Background

Although exercise has the potential to yield numerous benefits for maintenance hemodialysis patients, the relationship between physical activity, exercise habits, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has not been thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to characterize the physical activity, exercise habits, and HRQOL of maintenance hemodialysis patients while examining the associations between these factors.

Methods

A convenience sampling was used to recruit 827 patients from 74 dialysis units in China. The structured questionnaire included sociodemographics, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, exercise habits, and the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form 1.3. An independent samples t-test, multivariable logistic regression analysis, and multivariable linear regression analysis were used.

Results

The physical activity levels of 69% of participants were found to be below the recommendation of the World Health Organization. Despite 62.4% of participants reporting regular exercise, 73.8% reported light exercise intensity, and 92.6% engaged in walking or jogging. Participants’ HRQOL was higher in the low-intensity exercise group compared with the moderate-to-hard-intensity exercise group. Moderate-to-high physical activity was associated with better HRQOL in 13 of the 19 domains and regular exercise was linked to higher HRQOL in four of the 19 domains.

Conclusions

This study identified a low level of physical activity, light exercise intensity, and walking as the primary exercise type among the participants. A significant correlation was found between higher physical activity levels, regular exercise, and better HRQOL for maintenance hemodialysis patients. It is advisable to implement strategies to enhance physical activity levels and design exercise programs for maintenance hemodialysis patients based on their real-world physical activity levels and exercise habits.

Graphical abstract
CRISPR-Cas9 System Mediated Genome Editing Technology: An Ultimate Tool to Enhance Abiotic Stress in Crop Plants
Authors: Mohamed Heba I. , Khan Ayesha , Basit Abdul
Published: April 2024

The drastic rise in the human population globally might uplift the issue of food scarcity in the coming few decades. This problem could affect the agricultural sector entirely, and to set targets for uplift, major issues like climate change and environmental stresses should be fixed for possible high crop production. To develop highly productive and resistant varieties using old traditional methods is now a waste of time, and fast practices like the use of genome editing tools are required. Among all the technological tools, CRISPR-Cas9 is the most precise, productive, and quickest system, with extensive usage to resist biotic and abiotic stresses. This technique has direct or indirect influence over quantitative genes to withstand abiotic shocks. More than 20 crops have been modified using CRISPR-Cas tools to withstand stresses and improve yield. Researchers are using CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing to improve staple crops for biotic and abiotic stress resistance and improved nutritional quality.Irrespective of rules regarding genetically modified organisms, CRISPR/Cas9 insert genes through agroinfiltration, viral infection, or preassembled Cas9 protein-sgRNA ribonucleoprotein transformation in crops without transgenic impression. Certain undesirable genes that result in starch degradation and maltose amassing were deleted by using CRISPR to reduce cold sensitivity. Precise noxious ion and metal removal from roots and their effective counterbalancing in protoplast notions to distant structures could also be managed through gene editing tools. Spindly gene knockout creates stress-tolerant (drought and salt) plants. Researchers can make cost-effective use of CRISPR technology in multiple sectors. The global population needs to be fed as climate change has severely affected food security, which could be overcome in the future through advancements in CRIPSR technology.
Comparison of Global Alignment and Proportion (GAP) Score and SRS-Schwab ASD Classification in the Analysis of Surgical Outcomes for Adult Spinal Deformity
Authors: Wang Zhaohan , Wu Bing , Wang Zheng , Song Kai , Xue Yuan , Zhang Chuyue , Wang Yan
Published: April 2024

Study design

The GAP score predicted post-operative mechanical complications more effectively whereas SRS-Schwab classification improved evaluation of postoperative PROMs.

Objective

The study compared the GAP Score and SRS-Schwab Classification in predicting surgical outcomes for adult spinal deformity (ASD) and elucidated whether both systems should be included in the preoperative planning.

Materials and methods

Radiographic measurements and health-related quality of life scores at baseline, 6 weeks after surgery, and the last follow-up were collected from a cohort of 69 ASD patients subjected to long segment spinal fusion surgery after they were grouped by GAP score and SRS-Schwab classification respectively. Fisher's exact test and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to compare the incidence of mechanical complications and the discriminant capacity during revision surgery between the two groups. Postoperative patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs) were compared by one-way ANOVA, and the proportions of MCID achieved for PROMs compared by chi-square test between the two groups.

Results

The overall incidence of mechanical complications and revision surgery were 42% and 8.7%. Both GAP score and its categories predicted mechanical complications and revision surgery, but the GAP score system could not predict the improvements of PROMs. The SRS-Schwab classification could predict the occurrence of postoperative mechanical complications and improvements of postoperative PROMs between the aligned, moderately misaligned and severely misaligned groups (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Hence, a comprehensive surgical strategy for postoperative planning may improve patients’ quality of life and minimize mechanical complications.

Graphical Abstract
The Incidence, Mortality and Medical Expenditure in Patients with Asthma in Taiwan: Ten-year Nationwide Study
Authors: Liao Kuang-Ming , Chen Pei-Jun , Hung Yu-Tung , Hsu Tzu-Ju , Tsai Fuu-Jen , Shen Te-Chun
Published: April 2024

Background

This study examines incidence, mortality, medical expenditure and prescription patterns for asthma on a national scale, particularly in Asian countries for asthma is limited. Our aim is to investigate incidence, mortality, prescription patterns and provide a comprehensive overview of healthcare utilization trends for asthma from 2009 to 2018.

Methods

We included patients diagnosed with asthma between 2009 and 2018. We excluded patients with missing demographic data. Our analysis covered comorbidities, including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, allergic rhinitis, eczema, atopic dermatitis, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, chronic hepatitis, stroke, and cancer. Investigated medications comprised oral and intravenous steroids, short-acting beta-agonists, inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), combinations of ICS and long-acting beta-agonists, long-acting muscarinic antagonists, and leukotriene receptor antagonists montelukast. We also assessed the number of outpatient visits, emergency visits, and hospitalizations per year, as well as the average length of hospitalization and average medical costs.

Results

The study included a final count of 88,244 subjects from 1,998,311 randomly selected samples between 2000 and 2019. Over the past decade, there was a gradual decline in newly diagnosed asthma patients per year, from 10,140 to 6,487. The mean age annually increased from 47.59 in 2009 to 53.41 in 2018. Over 55% of the patients were female. Eczema was diagnosed in over 55% of the patients. Around 90% of the patients used oral steroids, with a peak of 97.29% in 2018, while the usage of ICS varied between 86.20% and 91.75%. Intravenous steroids use rose from 40.94% in 2009 to 54.14% in 2018. The average annual hospital stay ranged from 9 to 12 days, with a maximum of 12.26 days in 2013. Lastly, the average medical expenses per year ranged from New Taiwan dollars 5558 to 7921.

Conclusions

In summary, both asthma incidence and all-cause mortality rates decreased in Taiwan from 2009 to 2018. Further analysis of medical expenses in patients with asthma who required multiple hospitalizations annually revealed an increase in outpatient and emergency visits and hospitalizations, along with longer hospital stays and higher medical costs.
Confused Purposes and Inconsistent Adjudication: An Assessment of Bail Decisions in Delhi's Courts
Authors: Surendranath Anup , Andrew Gale
Published: April 2024

A persistent issue in the Indian criminal justice system has been the over-incarceration of pre-trial detainees, which is inextricably linked with the practices of trial courts in deciding on the detention and release of accused persons pending trial. The present statutory law and judicial discourse provides little guidance on the process for deciding bail matters. There has also not been much effort to empirically research decision-making in such matters and/or the impact of these decisions on the pre-trial detainee population in prisons. The present study is an attempt to plug this gap, analysing ‘regular’ bail orders of Sessions Courts of Delhi available from the eCourts system between 2017 and 2019 for the offences of theft and rape. The data reveals a failure to recognise the fundamentally preventive purpose of bail, as well as to develop individualised and specialised processes in compliance with this purpose. Such failure in guidance has resulted in judges importing factors from the trial process that remain unjustified outside of the punitive detention process, such as guilt. In conclusion, we argue that a fundamental reimagination of the approach to bail is required – one that is distinct from the trial process and focuses instead on the individualised assessment of risk.
The Donati-Ardinghelli Wedding of 1465: A Closer Reading of Braccio Martelli's Letter of April 27 to Lorenzo de’ Medici
Authors: Bryce Judith
Published: April 2024

This article offers an intensive—although still not exhaustive—reading of a letter written to the adolescent Lorenzo de’ Medici by Braccio Martelli, a member of his brigata. It is a document that focuses on the celebrations accompanying the wedding of Lucrezia Donati, the object of Lorenzo's affections, to Niccolò Ardinghelli, an anti-Medicean living in exile. I examine some of the letter's multiple overlapping topics and contexts, including private sociability (wedding practices, music, dance, dress), the trophy status of Lucrezia, sexual and political tensions, and the ties between the letter writer and his addressee in terms of client/patron and homosocial relations.
The Women of Viharsarok: Peasant Women's Labour Activism in 1890s Hungary
Authors: Varsa Eszter
Published: April 2024

This article explores peasant women’s labour activism in 1890s Hungary, in the southeastern part of the Habsburg Empire, where repeated harvesters’ strikes and peasant uprisings took place during the second half of the nineteenth and early decades of the twentieth centuries, making it the first centre of agrarian workers’ socialist organizing in Hungary. Informed by a more inclusive approach to women’s activist histories and subaltern studies, this article develops a new perspective on the periodization and geography of the international and Hungarian history of women’s social movements, to contribute to the historiographies of peasant women’s labour activism in the Eastern European countryside.
The Role of Individual Income in Modulating the Impact of Health Determinants: Exploring the Interplay between Socioeconomic Factors and Health Outcomes
Authors: Amate-Fortes Ignacio , Guarnido-Rueda Almudena , Martínez-Navarro Diego , Oliver-Márquez Francisco J.
Published: April 2024

This article analyses the self-perceived health of the population surveyed by the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS), with 316,277 observations. The main novelties of this research are: first, we use the econometric technique of quantile regression, which will allow us to distinguish the respondent’s income level. Second, the personal, social, lifestyle and macroeconomic context dimensions of the respondents are considered simultaneously as determinants of self-perceived health. In this way, we will be able to see what the determinants of health are, and whether they vary with income. Finally, it is evident that there are indeed different responses to the same stimulus depending on the level of income, especially in the elasticity of the response, seeing how the higher the income, the more or less the same stimulus influences a person. In addition, it is established that age, nationality and employment status are the most influential variables in self-perceived health.