bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Toward partially bio‐based thermoplastic vulcanizates based on poly (lactic acid) and chloroprene rubber
Authors: Shahroodi Zahra , Moshkriz Ali , Momeni Vahid
Published: October 2023

Polylactic acid (PLA)‐based thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) were fabricated using dynamic and static vulcanization in the presence of untreated and surface‐treated zinc oxide (ZnO). Initially, the effect of chloroprene rubber (CR) as the elastomeric phase in the PLA‐based thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) was tailored. The CR content varied from 20 to 40 wt%, leading to 46%–70% and 19%–76% decrement in tensile strength and modulus, respectively, while elongation at break increased up to 9–13 times, highlighting the soft rubber phase's impact on ductility. Impact resistance testing showed improved toughness with CR addition, peaking at 20 wt% CR. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed matrix‐dispersed morphology with increasing CR droplet size, and co‐continuous morphology at 40 wt% rubber in BP6R4. In the next step, the optimized TPE was selected, and the focus shifted to investigate the effect of dynamic/static vulcanization on mechanical properties. It is revealed that adding modified ZnO (ZnO60) increased melt torque, but it decreased after 1.5 min. All vulcanized samples exhibited lower tensile strength and elongation at break but higher elastic modulus due to metallic particle reinforcement. ZnO particle agglomerates and rubber aggregations led to lower mechanical properties. These findings offer quantitative insights into vulcanization's influence on PLA‐based TPVs, informing partially biobased TPEs development and addressing vulcanization limitations.

Highlights

Fabrication of biobased thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) and thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) based on polylactic acid/chloroprene rubber (PLA/CR) shows the sustainable material prospect.

The effects of dynamic/static vulcanization on TPE's behavior are investigated.

Micro‐morphology analysis showed dispersed CR phase in TPEs when PLA content is <40 wt%.

The addition of modified ZnO through static vulcanization minimized degradation.

ZnO Agglomeration and CR aggregations caused subpar TPV mechanical properties.
Different profiles of neurocognitive functioning in patients with brain metastases prior to brain radiotherapy
Authors: van Grinsven Eva E. , Cialdella Fia , Verhoeff Joost J. C. , Philippens Marielle E. P. , van Zandvoort Martine J. E.
Published: October 2023

Objective

Patients with brain metastases (BrMs) are a heterogeneous population, with almost 50% experiencing cognitive impairment before brain radiotherapy. Defining pre‐radiotherapy cognitive profiles will aid in understanding of the cognitive vulnerabilities and offer valuable insight and guidance for tailoring interventions.

Methods

The study population consisted of 58 adult patients with BrMs referred for radiotherapy. A semi‐structured interview and comprehensive battery including 10 neuropsychological tests were used to assess subjective and objective cognitive performance prior to radiotherapy.

Results

A majority (69%) of patients report decline in cognitive performance compared to their premorbid level (i.e. pre‐cancer). Objective testing revealed memory (52%), processing speed (33%) and emotion recognition (29%) deficits were most frequent. 21% of patients had no cognitive deficits while 55% had deficits (−1.5SD) in at least two cognitive domains. Hierarchical cluster analysis based on patient deficit profiles identified four clusters: (I) no or limited cognitive deficits selectively restricted to processing speed or executive function, (II) psychomotor speed deficits, (III) memory deficits and (IV) extensive cognitive deficits including memory. No patient or clinical‐related (e.g. age, number of BrMs, previous treatment) differences were found between clusters.

Conclusions

Patterns of cognitive performance in patients with BrMs are heterogeneous, with most experiencing at least some degree of neurocognitive dysfunction. We identified four meaningful cognitive clusters. Stability of these clusters over time and in different samples should be assessed to advance understanding of the cognitive vulnerability of this patient population.
Global health trends of human papillomavirus‐associated oral cancer: A review
Authors: Kanmodi Kehinde Kazeem , Amzat Jimoh , Nwafor Jacob Njideka , Nnyanzi Lawrence Achilles
Published: October 2023

Oral cancer is a malignant neoplastic disease, it constitutes the most common cancer in the head‐and‐neck region, and it is the 16th most common and 15th deadliest cancer type affecting humans. Despite the global efforts channelled towards global cancer control, the burden of oral cancer is still increasing. Every year, several thousands of people across 195 countries/territories die of oral cancer, and only about 40%–50% of the victims of oral cancer barely survive for 5 years after diagnosis. Within the past few decades, there has been a paradigm shift in the epidemiological trend of oral cancer risk factors. Oral sex – a major route of transmission of human papillomavirus (HPV) – was found to be increasing at an alarming rate, whereas tobacco and alcohol use had been on the decline. This narrative review critically discussed the contemporary challenges facing the global eradication of HPV‐associated oral cancer, with reasonable recommendations. The challenges discussed in this review are major, ranging from clinical to public health policy issues, which include the lack of validated and inexpensive oral HPV screening and diagnostic tools, high global public illiteracy on oral HPV infection, diverse sociocultural factors, weak global research capacity on oral HPV infection and HPV‐associated oral cancer and the absence of policies across different countries on national preventive programmes on HPV‐associated oral cancer. This review also identified the need for more attention towards the prevention and control oral HPV infection and HPV‐associated oral cancers globally.
Menstruation‐related acute watery diarrhoea: Understanding the impact of hormonal fluctuations on digestive health
Authors: Amin Mohammad Ashraful , Nahin Sabrina , Manna Ridwana Maher , Hawlader Mohammad Delwer Hossain
Published: October 2023

Case

During menstruation, healthy women frequently experience gastrointestinal symptoms. The objective of this report is to describe a case of a woman who presented with acute watery diarrhoea during menstruation for the last 3 years.

Outcome

A case report has been compiled of a patient who visited the emergency room of the hospital on May 20, 2023, complaining of severe watery diarrhoea. An increased frequency of Gastrointestinal symptoms during menses has also been reported in women, but specifically acute watery diarrhoea symptoms during menses for the last 3 years is quite an unusual case. This study explores the possibility of a relationship between hormonal changes with increased prostaglandin levels and menstrual diarrhoea. Besides norethisterone acetate was utilized by the patient due to irregular menstruation, which might have an influence on this gastrointestinal problem but more studies are needed to determine its effect.

Conclusion

Considering the possibility of a new diagnosis and carefully investigating the correct diagnosis for persistent acute watery diarrhoea related to menstruation is crucial for improving patient care.
Booms and Busts: Asset Dynamics, Disaster, and the Politics of Wealth in Rural Mongolia
Authors: Murphy Daniel J.
Published: October 2023

Asset‐based approaches in poverty research argue that trajectories of asset accumulation and decumulation in rural, agricultural livelihoods can be located in the connections between household asset endowments and exposure to shocks. Though these frameworks show that wealth and its “other,” poverty, can be persistent over time, there is a critical lack in understanding the political and historical mechanisms of that persistence including the dynamic interaction between resource access, socioeconomic inequality, and risk management. In this article, I use contemporary and historical livestock data collected from rural pastoralists in Mongolia to demonstrate that asset dynamics are largely an effect of historical processes of dispossession and impoverishment, and the resulting unequal distribution of risks and resources, rather than a cause. As such, I argue that booms and busts in household herds must be seen through a kaleidoscope of emerging and shifting institutions where differences in endowments, entitlements, and risk exposure are filtered through local cultural politics. In conclusion, I argue that by contextualizing rather than eschewing asset‐based approaches, researchers can uncover the politics of excess as a politics of access and shed light on the cultural and institutional foundations of wealth, surplus, and their “others.”
Risk‐Seeking Peasants, Excessive Artisans: Speculation in the Northern Andes
Authors: Antrosio Jason , Colloredo‐Mansfeld Rudi
Published: October 2023

Thomas Friedman (referencing Harvard economist Lawrence Katz) declared that the economic future for the United States meant that “everyone today has to be an artisan” (The New York Times, October 23, 2010). But what does it mean to be an artisan in a globalized world? This article suggests that artisan economies may involve high levels of risk and excess, frustrating the search for economic justice and more equitable opportunities. Fieldwork with peasant agriculturists in southwestern Colombia and textile artisans in northern Ecuador challenges the stereotypes of conservative, risk‐averse peasants or of traditional, low‐output artisans. Rather, risk‐maximization and excessive behavior is widespread, and may be vital for maintaining the system. The chance at windfall profits encourages small‐scale production, making it seem worth persevering through adverse conditions. At times when traditional calculations of toil and expenditure make agriculture or artisanry seem like wasted effort, excessive display of winnings can provide motivation to continue. In booms and busts in the northern Andes, peasants and artisans have built an infrastructure of excess: overbuilt streetscapes, overcapacity in workshops, lost economic diversity, and production shifted to niche markets. To participate in a global economy, this is the meaning of “everyone today has to be an artisan.”
The Promising Seesaw Relationship Between Activity and Stability of Ru‐Based Electrocatalysts for Acid Oxygen Evolution and Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis
Authors: Fan Ruo‐Yao , Zhang Yu‐Sheng , Lv Jing‐Yi , Han Guan‐Qun , Chai Yong‐Ming , Dong Bin
Published: October 2023

The development of electrocatalysts that are not reliant on iridium for efficient acid‐oxygen evolution is a critical step towards the proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) and green hydrogen industry. Ruthenium‐based electrocatalysts have garnered widespread attention due to their remarkable catalytic activity and lower commercial price. However, the challenge lies in balancing the seesaw relationship between activity and stability of these electrocatalysts during the acid‐oxygen evolution reaction (OER). This review delves into the progress made in Ru‐based electrocatalysts with regards to acid OER and PEMWE applications. It highlights the significance of customizing the acidic OER mechanism of Ru‐based electrocatalysts through the coordination of adsorption evolution mechanism (AEM) and lattice oxygen oxidation mechanism (LOM) to attain the ideal activity and stability relationship. The promising tradeoffs between the activity and stability of different Ru‐based electrocatalysts, including Ru metals and alloys, Ru single‐atomic materials, Ru oxides, and derived complexes, and Ru‐based heterojunctions, as well as their applicability to PEMWE systems, are discussed in detail. Furthermore, this paper offers insights on in situ control of Ru active sites, dynamic catalytic mechanism, and commercial application of PEMWE. Based on three‐way relationship between cost, activity, and stability, the perspectives and development are provided.
Influence of LiNO3 on the Lithium Metal Deposition Behavior in Carbonate‐Based Liquid Electrolytes and on the Electrochemical Performance in Zero‐Excess Lithium Metal Batteries
Authors: Stuckenberg Silvan , Bela Marlena Maria , Lechtenfeld Christian‐Timo , Mense Maximilian , Küpers Verena , Ingber Tjark Thorben Klaus , Winter Martin , Stan Marian Cristian
Published: October 2023

Continuous lithium (Li) depletion shadows the increase in energy density and safety properties promised by zero‐excess lithium metal batteries (ZELMBs). Guiding the Li deposits toward more homogeneous and denser lithium morphology results in improved electrochemical performance. Herein, a lithium nitrate (LiNO3) enriched separator that improves the morphology of the Li deposits and facilitates the formation of an inorganic‐rich solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI) resulting in an extended cycle life in Li||Li‐cells as well as an increase of the Coulombic efficiency in Cu||Li‐cells is reported. Using a LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 positive electrode in NCM622||Cu‐cells, a carbonate‐based electrolyte, and a LiNO3 enriched separator, an extension of the cycle life by more than 50 cycles with a moderate capacity fading compared to the unmodified separator is obtained. The relative constant level of LiNO3 in the electrolyte, maintained by the LiNO3 enriched separator throughout the cycling process stems at the origin of the improved performance. Ion chromatography measurements carried out at different cycles support the proposed mechanism of a slow and constant release of LiNO3 from the separator. The results indicate that the strategy of using a LiNO3 enriched separator instead of LiNO3 as a sacrificial electrolyte additive can improve the performance of ZELMBs further by maintaining a compact and thus stable SEI layer on Li deposits.
Kinetically Controlled Structural Modulation of the Self‐Assembled Silver Nanoclusters
Authors: Feng Ning , Wang Zhi , Sun Di , Zhang Lizhi , Xin Xia , Sun Panpan , Azam Mohammad , Li Hongguang
Published: October 2023

Metal nanoclusters (NCs) with atomic precision are growing into a fascinating class of building blocks for supramolecular chemistry. What makes it more interesting is the enhanced optical properties of the ordered structures, including aggregation‐induced emission (AIE). However, algorithm dictating the self‐assembly of metal NCs in multicomponent environment remains largely unknown, and effective means to manipulate the self‐assembly is still lacking, especially under kinetic control. Herein, nanofibers which contain sub‐1 nm nanowires and exhibit circularly polarized phosphorescence (CPP) are obtained from crystallization‐induced self‐assembly (CISA) of water‐soluble, negatively charged silver NCs (Ag9‐NCs) in the presence of glutamic acid (Glu). By the introduction of a positively‐charged additive (choline chloride, CC), the structure of the nanowires is modulated and the lateral interaction between adjacent nanofibers is adjusted, leading to simultaneous improvement of the phosphorescence and chirality which finally enhances CPP. Importantly, changing the time at which CC is introduced altered the kinetic pathway of the CISA, which enables to effectively manipulate both the final structures of the self‐assembled Ag9‐NCs and the output of the optical signals.
NIR‐II cyanine@albumin fluorophore for deep tissue imaging and imaging‐guided surgery
Authors: Zhang Yuewei , Jia Yunlong , Zhu Shoujun
Published: October 2023

The near‐infrared (NIR)‐II bioimaging technique is highly important for both diagnosing and treating life‐threatening diseases due to its exceptional imaging capabilities. However, the lack of suitable NIR‐II fluorescent probes has hindered their widespread clinical application. To address this issue, the binding of albumin to cyanine dyes has emerged as a practical and efficient method for developing high‐performance NIR‐II probes. Cyanine dyes can bind with exogenous and endogenous albumin through either covalent or noncovalent interactions, serving various purposes. The resulting cyanine@albumin (or albumin@cyanine) fluorophores offer significant advantages, including strong brightness, excellent photostability, good biosafety, and a long‐term, high‐resolution imaging window. Cyanine dye in situ binding with endogenous albumin can also enhance the targeting imaging capability. This review provides a summary of the interaction mechanism, performance enhancement, tumor‐targeting feature, and in vivo imaging applications of the cyanine@albumin fluorophores. These advancements not only highlight the unique characteristics of cyanine@albumin fluorophores in preclinical research but also emphasize their potential for clinical diagnosis.
Imaging‐Guided Antibacterial Based on Gold Nanocrystals and Assemblies
Authors: Chen Ling , Wu Ying , Zhang Wencheng , Shen Wenbin , Song Jibin
Published: October 2023

Bacterial infection becomes a severe threat to human life and health worldwide. Antibiotics with the ability to resist pathogenic bacteria are therefore widely used, but the misuse or abuse of antibiotics can generate multidrug‐resistant bacteria or resistant biofilms. Advanced antibacterial technologies are needed to counter the rapid emergence of drug‐resistant bacteria. With the excellent optical properties, engineerable surface chemistry, neglectable biotoxicity, gold nanocrystals are particularly attractive in biomedicine for cancer therapy and antibacterial therapy, as well as nanoprobes for bioimaging and disease diagnosis. In this perspective, gold nanocrystal‐based antibacterial performance and deep‐tissue imaging are summarized, including near‐infrared‐light excited photoacoustic imaging and fluorescence imaging through deep tissue infections. On the basis of integrating “imaging‐therapy‐targeting” in single nanotheranostic, the current challenges of imaging‐guided antibacterial and therapy based on gold nanocrystals are discussed, and some insights are provided into the gold nanocrystal‐based nanoplatform that integrates antibacterial activity and therapy. This perspective is expected to provide comprehensive guidance for diagnosing and combating bacterial infections based on gold nanostructures.
Bond of steel reinforcement based on detailed measurements: Results and interpretations
Authors: Corres Enrique , Muttoni Aurelio
Published: October 2023

Rebar‐to‐concrete bond is a fundamental aspect of the behavior of reinforced concrete structures. The characterization of the interface response is challenging due to the complexity of the physical phenomena and the large number of factors involved. Locally, the response is characterized by the bond–slip relationship, which is typically obtained experimentally from pull‐out tests with short bonded lengths. The behavior of longer anchorages in structural members differs significantly from short tests as the bond stress distribution is not uniform. In this context, this paper presents the results of a comprehensive research aiming to establish a better relationship between the local bond–slip response from short pull‐out tests and the response of medium‐length anchorages. The results of an experimental program are presented, including the effect of some parameters commonly found in structural applications, such as casting conditions, clear cover, rib geometry, and rib orientation. A local bond–slip relationship for well‐confined conditions is proposed on the basis of the tests performed by the authors and on the examination of a database on short pull‐out tests from the literature. Based on this relationship and some mechanical considerations, the local bond–slip relationship for unconfined conditions can satisfactorily be formulated based on crack‐width measurements from the concrete surface. This can be useful for the assessment of existing structures and can be seen as a step forward in the development of a consistent mechanical model for bond.
A comprehensive review on sewage sludge as sustainable feedstock for bioenergy production
Authors: Gizaw Desta Getachew , Periyasamy Selvakumar , Redda Zinnabu Tassew , John Beula Isabel , Baylie Mengstie Hunegnaw , Asaithambi Perumal
Published: October 2023

The greatly rising amounts of sewage sludge from different sources are causing severe concerns around the globe. Disposal of sewage sludge is exceptionally difficult and poses serious environmental problems due to the significant quantity of toxic heavy metals and organic contaminants in its constituents. This review provides an overview of different conversion methods of sewage sludge into energy, that is, pyrolysis, hydrothermal gasification, hydrothermal liquefaction, hydrothermal carbonization, anaerobic digestion, and transesterification. It also focuses on each conversion route's state‐of‐the‐art research advances, features, and drawbacks to ensure financial and ecological responsibility. The detailed descriptions of the methods and respective energy generation could help scholars and industrialists produce energy from sewage sludge to keep the environment harmless.
How eyesight helps elephants move steadily
Authors: Mills Georgina
Published: October 2023

Georgina Mills discusses new research looking at how visual feedback helps the world's largest quadrupeds stay stable.
Canine elbow realignment osteotomy for treatment of axial humeroradial or humeroulnar incongruency in four dogs
Authors: Jaworski Janek , Burton Neil J
Published: October 2023

Canine elbow incongruity is a condition that may be associated with the development of dysplastic lesions of the elbow; namely, medial coronoid process disease, osteochondrosis of the humeral condyle and ununited anconeal process. Axial elbow incongruity (either short radius or short ulna syndrome) may predispose to the development of elbow osteoarthritis. Surgical correction of incongruity has previously been described in an effort to improve lameness and mitigate progression of osteoarthritis, although a system by which to achieve measured and precise adjustment of congruity of both the radius and ulna has been lacking. This case series describes use of a novel acute correction surgery, canine elbow realignment osteotomy for correction of axial elbow incongruency in four dogs.
A continuum active structure model for the interaction of cilia with a viscous fluid
Authors: Decoene Astrid , Martin Sébastien , Vergnet Fabien
Published: October 2023

This paper presents a model for a thin active structure interacting with a viscous fluid, as well as a discretization and numerical simulations of the arising fluid‐structure interaction problem. The developed model allows to reproduce the behavior of cilia or flagella immersed in a viscous flow. In the context of linear or nonlinear elasticity, the model is based upon the definition of a suitable internal Piola‐Kirchoff tensor mimicking the action of the internal dyneins that induce the motility of the structure. In the subsequent fluid‐structure interaction problem, two difficulties arise and are discussed: on the one hand the internal activity of the structure leads to more restrictive well‐posedness conditions and, on the other hand, the coupling conditions between the fluid and the structure require a specific numerical treatment. A weak formulation of the time‐discretized problem is derived in functional spaces that include the coupling conditions, but for numerical purposes, an equivalent formulation using Lagrange multipliers is introduced in order to get rid of the constraints in the functional spaces. This new formulation allows for the use of standard (fluid and structure) solvers, up to an iterative procedure. Numerical simulations are presented, including the beating of one or two cilia in 2d, discussing the competition between the magnitude of the internal activity and the viscosity of the surrounding fluid.
Examining Contradictions for the Development of Competencies in School Leadership
Authors: Lantela Lauri , Pietiläinen Ville , Korva Saana
Published: October 2023

This study examined the challenges school principals face at work, and their support needs for professional development. The study drew on cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) and approached as contradictions principals’ work, the schools in which they operate as activity systems and the challenges they face. The research data consists of three data sets collected from principals: data from a quantitative survey (n = 47), data from workshops for principals (n = 8) and data from individual interviews (n = 5). Three main contradictions were formed from the data and named as (1) inadequate tools in relation to the object of activity, (2) hierarchical structure and tradition of schools and (3) fragmentation of the subject. The results reveal that the work of the principal and the organizational environment are increasingly complex—principals must solve unique problems that are new both to them and in society. The results point towards a shift in problem-solving and learning from an individual perspective towards the communal and inter-organizational view. A CHAT framework can be used as a tool in the development of these collaborative structures, practices and culture.
Cultural Antecedents in Multisectoral Collaboration Promoting the Well-Being of School-Aged Children
Authors: Nurmi Henna , Leinonen Jaana , Örn Malla , Ylitapio-Mäntylä Outi
Published: October 2023

This study focuses on the antecedents of collaborative culture in multisectoral collaboration promoting school-aged children’s well-being in Finnish municipalities. The purpose of this study is to understand the role of cultural conditions in collaboration by examining the ‘voices’ of principals and heads of local educational departments in local collaborative structures and practices. This work is an interpretive qualitative study, and the empirical data consist of 20 thematic interviews collected from principals and heads of local educational departments. The data were analysed using a qualitative content analysis method. The findings show that legislative, strategic, structural and physical frameworks create visible frames and artefacts that enhance collaborative culture. At the level of espoused beliefs and values, the systematic methods of collaboration and the development of collaborative practices support collaboration, whereas the discontinuity of collaborative practices limits it. At the level of basic assumptions, multisectoral collaboration can be strengthened through shared values, recognising the importance of principals’ and heads of local educational departments’ role as constructors of collaborative culture, understanding of well-being promotion as a common task, knowledge about other sectors, shared understanding of needs associated with well-being promotion and familiarity with other sectors. Multisectoral collaboration can also be supported through workable group dynamics, respect, trust in collaborators and personal positive attitudes, willingness to collaborate and collaborative skills. Old traditions usually hinder collaboration.
The Production of Space in the Frontiers of Tourism: Critical Analysis of the Huella de Glaciares Circuit Between El Chaltén, Argentina, and Villa O’Higgins, Chile
Authors: Schweitzer Alejandro F. , Ponzi Brenda Sofía , Picone Sabrina Elizabeth
Published: October 2023

Nature-based tourism (NBT) has been positioned as being aligned with conservation objectives and capable of contributing to social and ecological sustainability in contemporary contexts of socio-ecological crisis and global change. Nevertheless, some have characterized this strategy as a capitalist accumulation circuit, a form of commodification and production of nature. In southern Patagonia, NBT exploits roads, trails, and protected areas as tourism resources. This chapter focuses on the production of frontier spaces in south Patagonia through an analysis of cross-border NBT strategies. We present an intrinsic case study of the Huella de Glaciares (Trail of the Glaciers) NBT product, situated in the Santa Cruz Province of Argentina, and the Aysén Region of Chile. Through interviews, participant observation, field visits, and documentary analysis, we identify that the Huella de Glaciares, along with other tourism routes that connect with the larger Patagonia territory, respond to renewed cross-border processes. We observed that the Huella de Glaciares NBT circuit was being advanced and promoted by the governments of both countries and by private tourism agents between Villa O’Higgins and El Chaltén, without adequate consideration of the project’s sustainability in this area of Patagonia.
Values, Conflicts, and Narratives of Private Protected Areas: The Case of Tompkins Conservation in Chilean Patagonia and Argentina
Authors: Serenari Christopher , Bachmann-Vargas Pamela
Published: October 2023

There are many ways to approach an understanding of nature conservationvalues and narratives. This chapter employs a case study to focus on one of the most important contemporary nature conservation initiatives, because of its global coverage and impact. We trace the formation of narratives developed by researchers, conservation entities, politicians, and other actors who have given meaning to Douglas and Kristine Tompkins effort to create privately protected areas (PAs) in ChileanPatagonia and Argentina. We reviewed academic and popular press texts to construct and interpret stories and their evolution throughout the processes of land acquisition and PA development, management, integration, and donation. Findings reveal connections, tensions, and contradictions produced by the broader Tompkins project and different approaches by the more critical academicians than the upbeat and colorful popular press. In this chapter, we demonstrate how narratives can be a useful tool to analyze value and ideological conflicts about private protected areas (PPAs) in Chile and Argentina. Narratives are also helpful to determine how humans do and will use stories to advance PPAs to achieve global biodiversity conservation goals, such as the 30 × 30 initiative, or problematize their existence.
Light-quark Yukawa couplings from off-shell Higgs production
Authors: Balzani Elisa , Gröber Ramona , Vitti Marco
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Yukawa couplings of the first quark generation are notoriously difficult to constrain due to their small values within the Standard Model. Here we propose Higgs off-shell production, with the Higgs boson decaying to four leptons, as a probe of the up- and down-quark Yukawa couplings. Using kinematic discriminants similar to the ones employed in the Higgs width measurements we find that the down (up) Yukawa coupling can be constrained to a factor of 156 (260) times its Standard Model value at the high-luminosity LHC assuming only experimental systematic uncertainties. Off-shell Higgs production hence provides better sensitivity to the first-generation quark Yukawa couplings with respect to other probes such as Higgs+jet or Higgs pair production.
Coarse graining pure states in AdS/CFT
Authors: Chandra Jeevan , Hartman Thomas
Published: October 2023

Abstract

We construct new Euclidean wormhole solutions in AdSd+1 and discuss their role in UV-complete theories, without ensemble averaging. The geometries are interpreted as overlaps of GHZ-like entangled states, which arise naturally from coarse graining the density matrix of a pure state in the dual CFT. In several examples, including thin-shell collapsing black holes and pure black holes with an end-of-the-world brane behind the horizon, the coarse-graining map is found explicitly in CFT terms, and used to define a coarse-grained entropy that is equal to one quarter the area of a time-symmetric apparent horizon. Wormholes are used to derive the coarse-graining map and to study statistical properties of the quantum state. This reproduces aspects of the West Coast model of 2D gravity and the large-c ensemble of 3D gravity, including a Page curve, in a higher-dimensional context with generic matter fields.
Poincaré generators at second post-Minkowskian order
Authors: Lee Hojin , Lee Kanghoon , Lee Sangmin
Published: October 2023

Abstract

We verify the global Poincaré invariance of the Hamiltonian mechanics of gravitating binary dynamics at the second post Minkowskian (2PM) order. For spinless point particles, based on the known 2PM Hamiltonian in the center of momentum frame, we compute the general 2PM Hamiltonian valid in an arbitrary reference frame. An off-shell extension of the 1PM Hamiltonian, which contributes at the 2PM order through an iteration process, plays a crucial role. We then construct the 2PM boost generator that uniquely satisfies all the conditions imposed by the Poincaré algebra.
Diagnostische Leistungsfähigkeit von zwei Antigentests im Vergleich zu einem PCR-Test zum Nachweis von SARS-CoV-2 in einer Notaufnahme und im Rettungsdienst
Authors: Kinne Veit , Ehrenberg Sandra , Baier Michael , Lang Sebastian , Lewejohann Jan-Christoph , Kipp Frank
Published: October 2023

Hintergrund

In der deutschen Krankenhauslandschaft sowie Notfallversorgung stellte die COVID-19-Pandemie eine Belastungsprobe dar. Die notfallmedizinische Gesundheitsversorgung wird in Deutschland durch die Versorgungskette zwischen prähospitaler Notfallrettung und klinischer Notfallversorgung in den Notaufnahmen sichergestellt. In Krankenhäusern und in der Notfallversorgung wird ein schneller, einfacher, genauer und kostengünstiger Test benötigt, um SARS-CoV‑2 zu identifizieren. In der zentralen Notaufnahme (ZNA) ist es wichtig, Patienten/Patientinnen mit COVID-19-Verdacht strikt von nichtinfizierten Notfallpersonen zu trennen.

Methode

Es wurde die Leistungsfähigkeit von Antigentests in dem Rettungsdienst der Stadt Jena und in einer zentralen Notaufnahme des Universitätsklinikums Jena untersucht und mit dem RT-PCR-Goldstandard überprüft. Hierzu wurden multiple Testungen sowohl im Rettungswagen als auch in der Notaufnahme mittels Antigentests und RT-PCR-Tests durchgeführt. Insgesamt wurden 980 Patienten/Patientinnen in einem Zeitraum von 2 Monaten (Oktober und November 2022) in die Untersuchung eingeschlossen.

Ergebnisse

Das Durchschnittsalter aller Patienten/Patientinnen lag bei 65 Jahren. Über die Hälfte der behandelten Patienten/Patientinnen kamen aus der Stadt Jena. Die Sensitivität und Spezifität der Antigentests lagen im klinischen Setting (in der Notaufnahme) bei 66,7 % resp. 99,2 % und im prähospitalen Setting (im Rettungsdienst) bei 68,8 % resp. 96,7 % im Vergleich zur RT-PCR. Im prähospitalen Setting lag die Sensitivität der Antigentests mit 2 % etwas höher als die klinische Antigentestung. Bei der Paralleltestung hatten 6 % der Antigentests ein falsch-negatives SARS-CoV-2-Antigentestergebnis im Rettungsdienst und 4,6 % der Antigentests ein falsch-negatives SARS-CoV-2-Antigentestergebnis in der ZNA. Die falsch-negativen Antigentests und somit die potenziell nicht erkannten Personen wurden durch die Betrachtung des Ct-Werts weiter abgeschätzt.

Schlussfolgerung

Durch die Verwendung von Antigentests im Rettungsdienst und in der Notaufnahme kann eine zügigere Disposition in den COVID und Non-COVID-Bereich einer Notaufnahme erfolgen. Die Messgenauigkeit der Antigentests im Rettungsdienst und in der ZNA entspricht nicht der der RT-PCR. Dennoch ist der Antigentest ein nützliches Erstscreeninginstrument für die Früherkennung von SARS-CoV‑2 im prähospitalen und im klinischen Bereich. Eine zweifache Antigentestung kann für eine akkuratere Diagnostik des SARS-CoV-2-Erregers sinnvoll sein.
Institutionalised distrust and human oversight of artificial intelligence: towards a democratic design of AI governance under the European Union AI Act
Authors: Laux Johann
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Human oversight has become a key mechanism for the governance of artificial intelligence (“AI”). Human overseers are supposed to increase the accuracy and safety of AI systems, uphold human values, and build trust in the technology. Empirical research suggests, however, that humans are not reliable in fulfilling their oversight tasks. They may be lacking in competence or be harmfully incentivised. This creates a challenge for human oversight to be effective. In addressing this challenge, this article aims to make three contributions. First, it surveys the emerging laws of oversight, most importantly the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act (“AIA”). It will be shown that while the AIA is concerned with the competence of human overseers, it does not provide much guidance on how to achieve effective oversight and leaves oversight obligations for AI developers underdefined. Second, this article presents a novel taxonomy of human oversight roles, differentiated along whether human intervention is constitutive to, or corrective of a decision made or supported by an AI. The taxonomy allows to propose suggestions for improving effectiveness tailored to the type of oversight in question. Third, drawing on scholarship within democratic theory, this article formulates six normative principles which institutionalise distrust in human oversight of AI. The institutionalisation of distrust has historically been practised in democratic governance. Applied for the first time to AI governance, the principles anticipate the fallibility of human overseers and seek to mitigate them at the level of institutional design. They aim to directly increase the trustworthiness of human oversight and to indirectly inspire well-placed trust in AI governance.
The Effect of Effervescent and Buffered Alendronate Compared to Conventional Alendronate on Markers of Bone Turnover: A Randomized Non-inferiority Trial
Authors: Hikmet Rawan , Harsløf Torben , Langdahl Bente Lomholt
Published: October 2023

Buffered and effervescent alendronate (ALN-EFF) increases gastric pH and is reported to decrease the risk of gastrointestinal side effects compared to conventional formulations of alendronate (ALN). The clinical effectiveness of ALN-EFF, however, has not been investigated. This study aims to investigate if ALN-EFF is non-inferior to ALN in suppressing bone turnover markers (BTM). We conducted a 16-week prospective, randomized, open-label study comprising 64 postmenopausal women with BMD T-score < −1 naïve to osteoporosis treatment. Participants were randomized 1:1 to ALN or ALN-EFF. We collected blood samples at 0, 4, 8, and 16 weeks. Non-inferiority margin was determined as 12% (80% of efficacy retained), and an SD of 15% on change in CTx. CTx decreased by 58.2% ± 24.1% in the ALN group and by 46.9% ± 23.3% (CI − 38.42:− 55.35) in the ALN-EFF group (p = 0.08). The non-inferiority limit was 46.6%. With ALN-EFF the CI crosses the non-inferiority limit thus the test for non-inferiority was indeterminate. PINP decreased by 45.7 ± 22.6% in the ALN group and by 35.1 ± 20.7% in the ALN-EFF group (p = 0.07). Changes over time in the BTMs were not significantly different between the groups, p > 0.10 for both CTx and PINP. There was no difference in frequency of AEs or compliance between the two groups, but rate of discontinuation was lower with ALN-EFF. In conclusion, suppression of BTMs was not significantly different between the groups but formal non-inferiority could not be established.
Photosynthetic animals and where to find them: abundance and size of a solar-powered sea slug in different light conditions
Authors: Vital Xochitl G. , Simões Nuno , Cruz Sónia , Mascaró Maite
Published: October 2023

Three populations of the solar-powered sea slugElysia crispataon reefs from the southern Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean were analyzed. The aim was to describe and compare the changes in abundance and size of this species in different localities, as a function of depth and time-of-day. We hypothesized that differences in abundance would be related to locality, time of the day and depth, and differences in size would be related to locality and time of the day. Using snorkeling and SCUBA diving, all individuals within quadrats were counted and measured. A total of 680 organisms were recorded at Verde, Arcas and Puerto Morelos (PM) reefs at five times of the day (sunrise, morning, zenith, evening, and night) and depths of 0–13 m. Zero inflated negative binomial (ZINB) regressions adjusted to abundance data showed thatE. crispatain Arcas and Verde reefs is expected to be more abundant (> 50) in shallow depths (< 2 m) at any time of the day except sunrise, whereas a low abundance (≤ 1 organism) is predicted in PM regardless of depth and time-of-day. According to linear models, size was not related to depth, but was related to locality and time-of-day, with sea slugs from Arcas and Verde having similar size, and both larger than those in PM. This information suggests that this sea slug is capable of moving within the reefs and helps to understand the unique biological phenomena of kleptoplasty.
Integrating TSPO PET imaging and transcriptomics to unveil the role of neuroinflammation and amyloid-β deposition in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Zhang Miao , Qian Xiao-hang , Hu Jialin , Zhang Yaoyu , Lin Xiaozhu , Hai Wangxi , Shi Kuangyu , Jiang Xufeng , Li Yao , Tang Hui-dong , Li Biao
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Despite the revealed role of immunological dysfunctions in the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) through animal and postmortem investigations, direct evidence regarding the impact of genetic factors on microglia response and amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition in AD individuals is lacking. This study aims to elucidate this mechanism by integrating transcriptomics and TSPO, Aβ PET imaging in clinical AD cohort.

Methods

We analyzed 85 patients with PET/MR imaging for microglial activation (TSPO, [18F]DPA-714) and Aβ ([18F]AV-45) within the prospective Alzheimer’s Disease Immunization and Microbiota Initiative Study Cohort (ADIMIC). Immune-related differentially expressed genes (IREDGs), identified based on AlzData, were screened and verified using blood samples from ADIMIC. Correlation and mediation analyses were applied to investigate the relationships between immune-related genes expression, TSPO and Aβ PET imaging.

Results

TSPO uptake increased significantly both in aMCI (P < 0.05) and AD participants (P < 0.01) and showed a positive correlation with Aβ deposition (r = 0.42, P < 0.001). Decreased expression of TGFBR3, FABP3, CXCR4 and CD200 was observed in AD group. CD200 expression was significantly negatively associated with TSPO PET uptake (r =—0.33, P = 0.013). Mediation analysis indicated that CD200 acted as a significant mediator between TSPO uptake and Aβ deposition (total effect B = 1.92, P = 0.004) and MMSE score (total effect B =—54.01, P = 0.003).

Conclusion

By integrating transcriptomics and TSPO PET imaging in the same clinical AD cohort, this study revealed CD200 played an important role in regulating neuroinflammation, Aβ deposition and cognitive dysfunction.
Environmental impact and nutritional quality of adult diet in France based on fruit and vegetable intakes
Authors: Komati Nathalie , Vieux Florent , Maillot Matthieu , Darmon Nicole , Calvarin Johanna , Lecerf Jean-Michel , Amiot Marie-Josèphe , Belzunces Luc , Tailliez Delphine
Published: October 2023

Purpose

To describe the nutritional quality and environmental impact of self-selected diets of adults in France in relation to their fruit and vegetable (FV) intakes.

Methods

Estimates of food and nutrient intakes were taken from the national INCA3 Survey on food intakes carried out in France in 2014–2015. The population (n = 2121 adults) was split into five quintiles of FV intakes, in g/d (Q1 representing the lowest intake, and Q5 the highest). The nutritional quality of diets was assessed through 4 indicators: mean adequacy ratio (MAR), solid energy density, mean excess ratio (MER) and Programme National Nutrition Santé guideline score 2 (PNNS-GS2). The environmental impacts were measured with environmental footprint (EF) scores and 4 additional indicators: climate change, ozone depletion, fine particulate matter and water use. Indicators were compared between quintiles. Analysis was conducted on diets adjusted to 2000 kcal.

Results

MAR and PNNS-GS2 increased with increased FV quintiles, while solid energy density decreased. Fibre, potassium, vitamin B9 and vitamin C densities increased with increasing FV intakes. Climate change, ozone depletion and fine particulate matter impacts of diets decreased with increasing quintiles of FV consumption. Conversely, water use impact increased.

Conclusion

Higher intake of FV is associated with higher nutritional quality of diets and lower environmental impact, except for water use. Given the benefits of fruit and vegetables for human health and the environment, their negative impact on water use could be improved by working on the agricultural upstream, rather than by changing individuals’ food choices and reducing their consumption.
Radioactive nanosized colloids and indocyanine green identify the same sentinel lymph nodes in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Hingsammer Lukas , Schönegg Daphne , Gander Thomas , Lanzer Martin
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Near-infrared fluorescence imaging using indocyanine green (ICG) combined with radioactive markers has the potential to improve sentinel lymph-node (SLN) mapping in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This study aimed to evaluate the ability of 99mTc and ICG in identifying the sentinel lymph nodes in patients with early stage OSCC.

Methods

Data were collected prospectively, and a retrospective analysis of 15 patients with early stage OSCC and a cN0 neck was performed. All patients received peritumoral injection of 99mTc the day before surgery and ICG was administered intraoperatively. Intentionally, the application of the two different tracers were done by two different physicians with varying degrees of experience. The number of identified lymph nodes positive for 99mTc and ICG, the overlap or possible discrepancies of both methods, and the time until fluorescence signals of ICG were detected were noted.

Results

In all patients, a 100% agreement in sentinel lymph-node identification was achieved, regardless of both the exact location of the peritumoral injection and the experience of the injecting surgeon. Time until ICG accumulation in the sentinel lymph node was consistently found to be between 1 and 3 min.

Conclusion

ICG constitutes a viable and useful addition to 99mTc for intraoperative sentinel lymph-node detection in this study.
Swinv2-Imagen: hierarchical vision transformer diffusion models for text-to-image generation
Authors: Li Ruijun , Li Weihua , Yang Yi , Wei Hanyu , Jiang Jianhua , Bai Quan
Published: October 2023

Recently, diffusion models have been proven to perform remarkably well in text-to-image synthesis tasks in a number of studies, immediately presenting new study opportunities for image generation. Google’s Imagen follows this research trend and outperforms DALLE2 as the best model for text-to-image generation. However, Imagen merely uses a T5 language model for text processing, which cannot ensure learning the semantic information of the text. Furthermore, the Efficient UNet leveraged by Imagen is not the best choice in image processing. To address these issues, we propose the Swinv2-Imagen, a novel text-to-image diffusion model based on a Hierarchical Visual Transformer and a Scene Graph incorporating a semantic layout. In the proposed model, the feature vectors of entities and relationships are extracted and involved in the diffusion model, effectively improving the quality of generated images. On top of that, we also introduce a Swin-Transformer-based UNet architecture, called Swinv2-Unet, which can address the problems stemming from the CNN convolution operations. Extensive experiments are conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed model by using three real-world datasets, i.e. MSCOCO, CUB and MM-CelebA-HQ. The experimental results show that the proposed Swinv2-Imagen model outperforms several popular state-of-the-art methods.