bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rush Hour in a National Park—Mobile Encounters in a Peripheral Tourism Landscape
Authors: Nousiainen Minna , Rantala Outi , Tuulentie Seija
Published: November 2023

Remote places are often portrayed as marginal, immobile and static. However, these places are also shaped by various mobility practices which are intertwined in the landscape. In this chapter, we focus on shifting place mobilities through the concept of freedom to roam (allemansrätten, everyone’s rights) and explore the ways in which it turns into moral aspects of landscape practices and questions of ownership. We approach mobilities from the perspective of relational ontology and investigate how the different types of interconnected local and global mobilities transform into becoming in a landscape. Here, we apply Ingold’s ideas about landscape as a process of temporalities, various movements and mobilities that are continually unfolding and changing. The plurality of ways locals encounter tourism in the landscape of Posio in south-east Lapland, Finland, becomes illustrated through the destinization and commodification of the landscape, changes taking place in the physical landscape and in the embodied ways of using the landscape, as well as in the context of ownership issues related to the landscape. These diverse becomings demonstrate how the seemingly marginalised local mobility practices and local ownership in the landscape are affected by the abruptly increased recreational mobility.
Korpus und Annotation
Authors: Wan Shujun
Published: November 2023

Eine wesentliche Grundlage für die Untersuchung der Argumentationsstrategien von chinesischen Deutschlerner/-innen und der von deutschen L1-Sprecher/-innen ist die Aufbereitung von sich für die Forschungsansätze eignenden Korpusdaten. Bei der Auseinandersetzung mit unterschiedlichen konzeptuellen Modellen zur Beschreibung der Argumentationsstrategie in Abschnitt 2.1.2 wurde festlegt, die RST als Framework für die Datenanalyse einzusetzen. Ausgehend davon werden in diesem Kapitel drei Fragestellungen diskutiert und beantwortet: a) Welches Korpus wird für die Studie verwendet? b) Wie wurden die Korpusdaten mit der RST annotiert? c) Wo lässt sich auf die annotierten Korpusdaten zugreifen?
Zusammenfassung und Ausblick
Authors: Wan Shujun
Published: November 2023

Als das letzte Kapitel der gesamten Dissertation besteht Kapitel 7 inhaltlich aus zwei Teilen: Abschnitt 7.1 fasst die wesentlichen Forschungsergebnisse dieser Studie zusammen. In Abschnitt 7.2 werden anschließend die unvermeidlichen Beschränkungen und weiterhin offene Fragen für zukünftige Forschungen dargestellt.
O-GlcNAc modification of GSDMD attenuates LPS-induced endothelial cells pyroptosis
Authors: Yu Fan , Zhang Zhen , Leng Yiping , Chen Alex F.
Published: November 2023

Objective

Increased O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) stimulation has been reported to protect against sepsis associated mortality and cardiovascular derangement. Previous studies, including our own research, have indicated that gasdermin-D(GSDMD)-mediated endothelial cells pyroptosis contributes to sepsis-associated endothelial injury. This study explored the functions and mechanisms of O-GlcNAc modification on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced pyroptosis and its effects on the function of GSDMD.

Methods

A LPS-induced septic mouse model administrated with O-GlcNAcase (OGA) inhibitor thiamet-G (TMG) was used to assess the effects of O-GlcNAcylation on sepsis-associated vascular dysfunction and pyroptosis. We conducted experiments on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) by challenging them with LPS and TMG to investigate the impact of O-GlcNAcylation on endothelial cell pyroptosis and implications of GSDMD. Additionally, we identified potential O-GlcNAcylation sites in GSDMD by utilizing four public O-GlcNAcylation site prediction database, and these sites were ultimately established through gene mutation.

Results

Septic mice with increased O-GlcNAc stimulation exhibited reduced endothelial injury, GSDMD cleavage (a marker of pyroptosis). O-GlcNAc modification of GSDMD mitigates LPS-induced pyroptosis in endothelial cells by preventing its interaction with caspase-11 (a human homologous of caspases-4/5). We also identified GSDMD Serine 338 (S338) as a novel site of O-GlcNAc modification, leading to decreased association with caspases-4 in HEK293T cells.

Conclusions

Our findings identified a novel post-translational modification of GSDMD and elucidated the O-GlcNAcylation of GSDMD inhibits LPS-induced endothelial injury, suggesting that O-GlcNAc modification-based treatments could serve as potential interventions for sepsis-associated vascular endothelial injury.
A Method for Finding Exact Solutions to the 2D and 3D Euler–Boussinesq Equations in Lagrangian Coordinates
Authors: Saleva Tomi , Tuomela Jukka
Published: November 2023

We study the Boussinesq approximation for the incompressible Euler equations using Lagrangian description. The conditions for the Lagrangian fluid map are derived in this setting, and a general method is presented to find exact fluid flows in both the two-dimensional and the three-dimensional case. There is a vast amount of solutions obtainable with this method and we can only showcase a handful of interesting examples here, including a Gerstner type solution to the two-dimensional Euler–Boussinesq equations. In two earlier papers we used the same method to find exact Lagrangian solutions to the homogeneous Euler equations, and this paper serves as an example of how these same ideas can be extended to provide solutions also to related, more involved models.
Arterial angioembolisation versus pre-peritoneal pelvic packing in haemodynamically unstable patients with complex pelvic fractures: a meta-analysis
Authors: Migliorini Filippo , Cocconi Federico , Schipper Inger , ten Duis Kaj , Marzi Ingo , Komadina Radko , Hildebrand Frank , Wendt Klaus
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Angioembolisation (AE) and/or pre-peritoneal pelvic packing (PPP) may be necessary for patients with complex pelvic fractures who are haemodynamically unstable. However, it remains unclear whether AE or PPP should be performed as an initial intervention and ongoing debates exist. This meta-analysis aimed to compare AE versus PPP in haemodynamically unstable patients with acute pelvic fractures. The primary outcomes of interest were to compare in-hospital mortality rate and number of blood units transfused. Secondary outcomes included evaluating differences in the time from diagnosis to treatment, as well as the length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital.

Methods

All clinically relevant studies comparing AE versus PPP in patients with complex pelvic fractures and haemodynamic instability were accessed. The 2020 PRISMA guidelines were followed. In September 2023, the following databases were accessed: PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Embase, without constraint.

Results

Data from 320 patients were collected (AE: 174; PPP: 146). The mean age on admission was 47.4 ± 7.2 years. The mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) on admission was 43.5 + 5.4 points. Baseline comparability was observed in ISS (P = 0.5, Table 3) and mean age (P = 0.7, Table 3). No difference was reported in mortality rate (P = 0.2) or rate of blood units transfused (P = 0.3). AE had a longer mean time to the procedure of 44.6 min compared to PPP (P = 0.04). The mean length of ICU and hospital stay were similar in both groups.

Conclusion

Despite the longer mean time from admission to the procedure, no significant differences were found between AE and PPP in terms of in-hospital mortality, blood units transfused, or length of ICU, and hospital stay. These findings should be interpreted considering the limitations of the present study. High-quality comparative research is strongly warranted.

Level of evidence

Level IV, meta-analysis.
Atmospheric response to seasonal changes in sea surface temperature during the boreal summer in the Tropical Atlantic
Authors: Wane Dahirou , Coëtlogon Gaëlle de , Lazar Alban , Wade Malick , Gaye Amadou T.
Published: November 2023

We investigate the atmospheric response to seasonal variations in sea surface temperature (SST) in the eastern tropical Atlantic during the boreal summer, using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) regional atmospheric model. Three ensembles of 11 simulations each are produced with different SST forcings: the control ensemble (CTL) uses the observed climatology of the SST in 2000–2009, while the Frozen North (FzN) and Frozen South (FzS) experiments block the seasonal warming or cooling of the SST from June onwards in a region confined to the eastern tropical Atlantic. The result is a cold SST anomaly in the northeastern tropical Atlantic off the coasts of Senegal and Mauritania in FzN, and a warm anomaly in the southeastern region (Gulf of Guinea and the cold tongue zone in the equatorial Atlantic) in FzS. Comparison with CTL reveals significant impacts of these SST anomalies on the position and intensity of the marine intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and on West African rainfall during July and August. Over the ocean, the cold anomaly in NETA suppresses convection on the northern side of the ITCZ (north of 10$$^\circ$$

∘

N), while the warm anomaly in the Gulf of Guinea strengthens convection on its southern flank. The latter is also leading to a sharp increase in precipitation in the coastal regions to the northeast of the Gulf of Guinea. These changes are clearly due to variations in surface pressure gradients and the divergence of low-level moisture in response to SST anomalies, which in turn induce changes in deep atmospheric convection through thermodynamic feedback. On the continent, a substantial reduction in precipitation is observed in the western Sahel (particularly Senegal) following the cold anomaly in NETA, and in the eastern Sahel following the warm anomaly in the Gulf of Guinea: both are explained by a positive anomaly in the divergence of moisture transport in the upper troposphere, associated with an acceleration of the African easterly jet along its southern edge. However, the mechanism by which the SST anomalies create this acceleration in both experiments remains to be elucidated.
The increased lateral tibial slope may result in inferior long-term clinical outcome after DB-ACL reconstruction
Authors: Yang Cheng-Pang , Hung Shih-Feng , Lin Keng-Yi , Hung Yu-Chieh , Chen Yi-Jou , Yao Shang-Yu , Chiu Chih-Hao , Chan Yi-Sheng
Published: November 2023

Purpose

To determine if there is a correlation between lateral tibial slope and long-term clinical results in patients who underwent double-bundle ACL reconstruction.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed patients that received double-bundle ACL reconstruction at a single institution by a single surgeon from January 2011 to December 2014. All the magnetic resonance imaging were reviewed and lateral tibial slopes (LTS) were recorded by an experienced surgeon and rechecked by the other two authors of this study that specialized in orthopedic knee surgery. The relationship between PROMs measurement and lateral tibial slope were analyzed. The patients were then separated into two groups (LTS > 7.4° and < 7.4°) according to the previous study.

Results

A total of 119 patients were enrolled in this study. All enrolled patients were followed for at least 8 years. The PROMS result were negatively correlated with the lateral tibial slope (p values all < 0.001). The patients with high lateral tibial slope had significantly lower PROMS values (Lysholm 94.26 ± 5.61 vs 80.15 ± 8.28, p = 0.013; IKDC 82.99 ± 4.55 vs 70.09 ± 7.15, p = 0.003; Tegner 9.32 ± 0.95 vs 6.85 ± 1.99, p < 0.001). Finally, the LTS cutoff value between patients with “Good” and “Fair” Lysholm score in our study was 7.55 degrees.

Conclusions

Patients with high lateral tibial slope may result in inferior long-term subjective outcomes. The using of double-bundle ACL reconstruction along cannot overcome the negative impact caused by steep lateral tibial slope. A lateral tibial slope of 7.55° may be used as a cut-off for a good clinical outcome.

Level of evidence

III retrospective comparative prognostic trial.
Recurrent Cough in the Elderly: A Forgotten Entity
Authors: Kaulamo Johanna Tuulikki , Lätti Anne Marika , Koskela Heikki Olavi
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Recurrent cough is little researched in adults. We investigated the prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of recurrent cough, and compared the results to those of isolated chronic cough.

Methods

Cross-sectional email survey in an elderly community-based population. Recurrent cough was defined as ≥ 3 cough episodes within one year (each lasting ≥ 1 week) and no current chronic cough. Isolated chronic cough was defined as current cough lasting ≥ 8 weeks and no recurrent cough.

Results

The prevalence of recurrent cough was 3.8% among all respondents (n = 5983). Recurrent cough was associated with asthma (aOR 3.32 (95% CI 2.13–5.18)), chronic rhinosinusitis (2.91 (1.89–4.46)), family history of chronic cough (2.59 (1.88–3.56)), analgesic intolerance (2.13 (1.27–3.57)), male gender (1.92 (1.39–2.66)), gastro-esophageal reflux disease (1.73 (1.21–2.47)), obstructive sleep apnoea (1.69 (1.23–2.32)), symptom sum (1.12 per symptom (1.03–1.22)), and younger age (0.96 per year (0.93–1.00)).

Isolated chronic cough was associated with chronic rhinosinusitis (3.45 (2.39–4.97)), asthma (2.17 (1.38–3.41), gastro-esophageal reflux disease (1.80 (1.32–2.47)), family history of chronic cough (1.80 (1.35–2.41)), obstructive sleep apnoea (1.49 (1.12–2.00)), symptom sum (1.18 per symptom (1.10–1.27)), and body mass index (0.96 per unit (0.93–1.00)).

Among subjects with recurrent and isolated chronic cough, the prevalence of depressive symptoms were 7.7% and 4.2%, p = 0.11, the Leicester Cough Questionnaire total scores 15.2 (14.6–15.8) and 16.3 (16.0–16.6), P = 0.001, and the mean number of yearly cough-related doctor`s visits 0.58 (0.45–0.71) and 0.36 (0.19–0.53), P = 0.007, respectively.

Conclusion

The risk factors and consequences of recurrent and isolated chronic cough were comparable. Recurrent cough seems beneficial to address in cough evaluation.
Independent, additive and interactive effects of acute normobaric hypoxia and cold on submaximal and maximal endurance exercise
Authors: Callovini A. , Fornasiero A. , Savoldelli A. , Decet M. , Skafidas S. , Pellegrini B. , Bortolan L. , Schena F.
Published: November 2023

Purpose

To evaluate the independent and combined effects of hypoxia (FiO2 = 13.5%) and cold (− 20 °C) on physiological and perceptual responses to endurance exercise.

Methods

14 trained male subjects ($$\mathop {\text{V}}\limits^{.}$$

V
.

O2max: 64 ± 5 mL/kg/min) randomly performed a discontinuous maximal incremental test to exhaustion on a motorized treadmill under four environmental conditions: Normothermic-Normoxia (N), Normothermic-Hypoxia (H), Cold-Normoxia (C) and Cold-Hypoxia (CH). Performance and physiological and perceptual responses throughout exercise were evaluated.

Results

Maximal WorkLoad (WL) and WL at lactate threshold (LT) were reduced in C (− 2.3% and − 3.5%) and H (− 18.0% and − 21.7%) compared to N, with no interactive (p = 0.25 and 0.81) but additive effect in CH (− 21.5% and − 24.6%). Similarly, HRmax and Vemax were reduced in C (− 3.2% and − 14.6%) and H (− 5.0% and − 7%), showing additive effects in CH (− 7.7% and − 16.6%). At LT, additive effect of C (− 2.8%) and H (− 3.8%) on HR reduction in CH (− 5.7%) was maintained, whereas an interactive effect (p = 0.007) of the two stressors combined was noted on Ve (C: − 3.1%, H: + 5.5%, CH: − 10.9%). [La] curve shifted on the left in CH, displaying an interaction effect between the 2 stressors on this parameter. Finally, RPE at LT was exclusively reduced by hypoxia (p < 0.001), whereas TSmax is synergistically reduced by cold and hypoxia (interaction p = 0.047).

Conclusion

If compared to single stress exposure, exercise performance and physiological and perceptual variables undergo additive or synergistic effects when cold and hypoxia are combined. These results provide new insight into human physiological responses to extreme environments.
Safety of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in pregnancy: a systematic review of case reports and case series
Authors: Cipolla Salvatore , Catapano Pierluigi , Messina Martin , Pezzella Pasquale , Giordano Giulia Maria
Published: November 2023

Pregnancy and the immediate postpartum period are considered at high risk for women who have already received a previous psychiatric diagnosis and might represent a stressful event favoring the onset of new psychiatric disorders. The electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is effective for the treatment of severe, treatment-resistant mental disorders, and it could represent a therapeutic choice for psychiatric conditions during pregnancy. The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate the safety of ECT during pregnancy and to update the state of the art of its use. An extensive literature search on PubMed, APA PsycInfo, and Scopus databases for relevant articles published from inception to September 2023 has been performed. A final number of 45 articles (34 case reports and 11 case series, for a total of 130 pregnant women) were included in the present review. The limited evidence confirmed that ECT is effective in determining a partial remission of symptoms in women suffering from severe mental disorders, especially in the presence of suicidal ideation or psychosis, during all pregnancy epochs. However, ECT is not free from side effects, although the majority of possible complications were of low- or moderate-grade and not life-threatening for the women. Exposure to pharmacological treatment before or during the ECT or to the anesthetic during ECT might have contributed to the onset of these complications. ECT techniques evolved over years, increasing the degree of its safety, and according to our review it appears to be relatively safe and effective during pregnancy in the majority of cases.
F-IVM: analytics over relational databases under updates
Authors: Kara Ahmet , Nikolic Milos , Olteanu Dan , Zhang Haozhe
Published: November 2023

This article describes F-IVM, a unified approach for maintaining analytics over changing relational data. We exemplify its versatility in four disciplines: processing queries with group-by aggregates and joins; learning linear regression models using the covariance matrix of the input features; building Chow-Liu trees using pairwise mutual information of the input features; and matrix chain multiplication. F-IVM has three main ingredients: higher-order incremental view maintenance; factorized computation; and ring abstraction. F-IVM reduces the maintenance of a task to that of a hierarchy of simple views. Such views are functions mapping keys, which are tuples of input values, to payloads, which are elements from a ring. F-IVM supports efficient factorized computation over keys, payloads, and updates. It treats uniformly seemingly disparate tasks: While in the key space, all tasks require general joins and variable marginalization, in the payload space, tasks differ in the definition of the sum and product ring operations. We implemented F-IVM on top of DBToaster and show that it can outperform classical first-order and fully recursive higher-order incremental view maintenance by orders of magnitude while using less memory.
Farmers’ behavioural determinants of on-farm biodiversity management in Europe: a systematic review
Authors: Klebl Fabian , Feindt Peter H. , Piorr Annette
Published: November 2023

Agricultural intensification and landscape homogenisation are major drivers of biodiversity loss in European agricultural landscapes. Improvements require changes in farming practices, but empirical evidence on farmers’ motivations underlying their on-farm biodiversity management remains fragmented. To date, there is no aggregated overview of behavioural determinants that influence European farmers’ decisions to implement biodiversity-friendly farming practices. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by conducting a systematic literature review of 150 empirical studies published between 2000 and 2022. We identified 108 potential determinants of farmers’ behaviour, which were integrated into a multilevel framework. The results show that the farmers’ decisions are complex and often non-directional processes, shaped by numerous external (at a society, landscape, community, and farm level) and internal factors. These factors are embedded in regional and cultural contexts. However, the analysis of study sites indicates that the spatial coverage of scientific evidence on biodiversity-friendly farming measures is uneven across Europe. Given the diversity of local and socio-cultural conditions, there is a need for public policies, including the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy, to address more specifically determinants encouraging biodiversity-friendly farm management. This entails reflecting culture-specific perspectives and incorporating experiential knowledge into multilevel policy design processes, as well as offering regionally adapted advice on measure implementation and biodiversity impacts.
Herbivores influence biogeochemical processes by altering litter quality and quantity in a subarctic wetland
Authors: Saunders Taylor , Adkins Jaron , Beard Karen H. , Atwood Trisha B. , Waring Bonnie G.
Published: November 2023

Global change drivers that modify the quality and quantity of litter inputs to soil affect greenhouse gas fluxes, and thereby constitute a feedback to climate change. Carbon cycling in the Yukon–Kuskokwim (Y–K) River Delta, a subarctic wetland system, is influenced by landscape variations in litter quality and quantity generated by herbivores (migratory birds) that create ‘grazing lawns’ of short stature, nitrogen-rich vegetation. To identify the mechanisms by which these changes in litter inputs affect soil carbon balance, we independently manipulated qualities and quantities of litter representative of levels found in the Y–K Delta in a fully factorial microcosm experiment. We measured CO2 fluxes from these microcosms weekly. To help us identify how litter inputs influenced greenhouse gas fluxes, we sequenced soil fungal and bacterial communities, and measured soil microbial biomass carbon, dissolved carbon, inorganic nitrogen, and enzyme activity. We found that positive correlations between litter input quantity and CO2 flux were dependent upon litter type, due to differences in litter stoichiometry and changes to the structure of decomposer communities, especially the soil fungi. These community shifts were particularly pronounced when litter was added in the form of herbivore feces, and in litter input treatments that induced nitrogen limitation (i.e., senesced litter). The sensitivity of carbon cycling to litter quality and quantity in this system demonstrates that herbivores can strongly impact greenhouse gas fluxes through their influence on plant growth and tissue chemistry.

Graphical abstract
A memetic NSGA-II for the multi-objective flexible job shop scheduling problem with real-time energy tariffs
Authors: Burmeister Sascha Christian , Guericke Daniela , Schryen Guido
Published: November 2023

Rising costs for energy are increasingly becoming a vital factor for the production planning of manufacturing companies. Manufacturers face the challenge to react to dynamic energy prices and design energy cost efficient schedules in their production planning. In the literature, the energy cost-aware Flexible Job Shop Scheduling Problem addresses minimization of both makespan and energy costs. Recent studies provide multi-objective approaches to model the trade-off of minimizing makespan and energy costs. However, the literature is limited to coarse-grained time periods and does not consider dynamic tariffs where costs change at short intervals, so that production schedules may fall short on energy costs. We aim to close this research gap by considering frequently changing real-time energy tariffs. We propose a multi-objective memetic algorithm based on the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) with both makespan and energy cost minimization as the objectives. We evaluate our approach by conducting computational experiments using prominent FJSP-benchmark instances from the literature, which we supplement with empiric dynamic energy prices. We show results on method performance and compare the memetic NSGA-II with the results of an exact state-of-the-art solver. To investigate the trade-off between a short makespan and low energy costs, we present solutions on the approximated Pareto front and discuss our results.
High-resolution PGT-A results in incidental identification of patients with small pathogenic copy number variants
Authors: Leahy Deirdre , Marin Diego , Xu Jia , Eccles Jennifer , Treff Nathan R.
Published: November 2023

Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate whether a high-throughput high-resolution PGT-A method can detect copy number variants (CNVs) that could have clinical implications for patients and their embryos.

Methods

A prospective analysis of PGT-A cases was conducted using a high-resolution SNP microarray platform with over 820,000 probes. Cases where multiple embryos possessed the same segmental imbalance were identified, and preliminary PGT-A reports were issued recommending either parental microarray or conventional karyotyping to identify CNVs or translocations.

Results

Analysis of 6080 sequential PGT-A cases led to identification of 41 cases in which incidental findings were observed (0.7%) and parental testing was recommended. All cases, in which parental studies were completed, confirmed the original PGT-A incidental findings. In 2 of the cases, parental studies indicated a pathogenic variant with clinical implications for the associated embryos. In one of these cases, the patient was identified as a carrier of a duplication in chromosome 15q11.2:q11.2 (SNRPN + +), which is associated with autism spectrum disorder. In the second case, the patient was heterozygous positive for an interstitial deletion of 3p26.1:p26.3, which is associated with 3p deletion syndrome and had clinical implications for the patient and associated embryos. In each case, parental studies were concordant with PGT-A findings and revealed the presence of an otherwise unknown CNV.

Conclusion

High-throughput high-resolution SNP array–based PGT-A has the ability to detect previously unknown and clinically significant parental deletions, duplications, and translocations. The use of cost-effective SNP array–based PGT-A methods may improve the effectiveness of PGT by identifying and preventing previously unknown pathogenic CNVs in children born to patients seeking in vitro fertilization.
Novel Interaction Control in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Treatment Using a Robotic Brace
Authors: Farhadiyadkuri Farhad , Zhang Xuping
Published: November 2023

Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) may affect the quality of the patient’s life if it is left untreated. Bracing is prescribed to halt or reduce the curvature progression and avoid surgery. However, the in-brace correction pressure remains unclear, and it is controlled passively by tightening/losing the brace’s strap. Computational modeling has recently attracted researchers’ attention to predict and optimize the AIS bracing treatment. In this paper, a Multi Body-Finite Element (MB-FE) Simscape model and an analytical model of the AIS bracing treatment are created. The MB-FE Simscape model is used to predict the in-brace correction pressure. Furthermore, a Novel Position-based Impedance Control (NPIC) is proposed to control the dynamic interaction between the robotic brace and torso. In this method, the error between the desired and estimated impedance parameters is involved in the controller design to improve the performance of the typical PIC in terms of pose tracking and impedance model tracking. In-vivo data from the literature and numerical simulations are used to validate the MB-FE Simscape model and analytical model. The performance of the proposed controller is verified using numerical simulations in terms of pose tracking and impedance model tracking.
Durable and Low-Cost Chitosan Decorated Fe/MOF-5 Bimetallic MOF Composite Film for High Performance of the Congo Red Adsorption
Authors: Abd El-Monaem Eman M. , Omer Ahmed M. , Eltaweil Abdelazeem S.
Published: November 2023

The auspicious merits of polysaccharides make them eminent choices in numerous fields, particularly water remediation. Nonetheless, polysaccharides like chitosan (CTS) suffer from low adsorbability. Meanwhile, the recent revolution in material science has produced substances with supreme adsorbability, such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Consequently, the Fe/MOF-5@CTS composite film was synthesized by doping a low amount (5 wt%) of Fe/MOF-5 into the CTS film. The crystallinity, morphology, composition, and surface charge of the Fe/MOF-5@CTS composite film were identified using multiple characterization analyses. Furthermore, the adsorption property of Fe/MOF-5@CTS was examined for the removal of Congo red (CR). Surprisingly, the Qmax of CR onto Fe/MOF-5@CTS reached 219.78 mg/g. Additionally, the composite film only lost 18.54% of its capacity after ten cycles. The selectivity test demonstrated the higher selectivity of the positively charged-rich composite film towards anionic dyes, especially CR, compared to the cationic dyes. Based on the practical experiments and analysis tools, the adsorption mechanism of CR onto Fe/MOF-5@CTS is presumed to occur via electrostatic, host-guest, π-π interaction, and coordination bonds.
Evaluating Mesh Geometry and Shade Coefficient for Fog Harvesting Collectors
Authors: Elshennawy Abdullah A. , Abdelaal Magdy Y. , Hamed Ahmed M. , Awad Mohamed M.
Published: November 2023

The most valuable resource for sustaining life on earth is water. In dry and semi-arid areas, the problem of water scarcity can be resolved with the aid of fog collection techniques employing fog collectors. Fog collection is greatly influenced by a variety of factors. Some are design parameters, while others depend on ambient circumstances. Geometry and the mesh’s shade coefficient are important design factors that can be modified and have an impact on the rate at which fog collects in fog collectors. The shape of the mesh holes and the process used to create the mesh serve to identify geometry and measure the shade coefficient. In this paper, a straightforward mathematical technique is proposed to make it easier to calculate the shade coefficient of various mesh shapes used in fog harvesting and to provide an approximation of the mesh volume and cost. Five alternative geometries were used: the rectangular mesh, square mesh, Raschel mesh, triangular mesh, and hexagonal mesh. The current simple method will facilitate the design of the fog mesh collector and can assist in achieving the ideal shade coefficient and most effective mesh geometry for fog harvesting. Rectangular meshes were solely used as an example to evaluate the results. Stainless steel rectangular meshes with various shade coefficients were tested for fog collection, and the amount of water collected by each mesh varied. It was concluded that the optimum shade coefficient ranged 50–60% for fog collection.
Flood Attenuation Potential of Italian Dams: Sensitivity on Geomorphic and Climatological Factors
Authors: Evangelista Giulia , Ganora Daniele , Mazzoglio Paola , Pianigiani Francesca , Claps Pierluigi
Published: November 2023

In this work the attenuation potential of flood peaks of 265 large reservoirs all over Italy is analysed, considering a flood management that excludes gates opening and then configures strictly unsupervised attenuation effects. Key factors of dams and related basins are considered to develop a ranking method that can emphasize the interplay between dam geometry and the hydrological processes acting in the upstream watershed. To maintain a homogeneous approach in such a wide geographic area, the attenuation index is computed applying the numerical solution of the differential equation of lakes and only two different standardized hydrograph shapes have been used. An index design flood from the rational method is used as the incoming peak value for each dam, enhancing the use of the results of a recent analysis of all Italian rainfall extremes. Even with a very simple approach, twenty-four different design incoming floods are derived, by varying the shape of the incoming hydrograph and the parameters of the rational method. Exploring the ranking results in all the alternatives, the attenuation potential obtained for all dams demonstrates to be strongly sensitive to the assumptions on the time of concentration and to some rainfall features. On the other hand, the hydrograph shape seems to exert much less influence on the ranking outcome. Results obtained can be useful to studies of wide-area flood frequency analyses, as we highlighted the sensitivity of the rank of attenuation efficiency to hydrologic parameters widely used in the assessment of the design flood peaks in ungauged basins.
Reuse of sediment as a soil conditioner in a semiarid region dominated by subsistence farming: sediment characterization at the regional scale and effects on maize crop
Authors: Braga Brennda B. , Costa Carlos A. G. , Lima Gabriela D. , de Lacerda Claudivan F. , Foerster Saskia , Brosinsky Arlena , Medeiros Pedro H. A.
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The increasing demand for fertilizers and their rising prices has led to the search for new nutrient sources, especially in rural areas where family farming predominates. In this study, we assessed the potential of reusing sediment deposited in surface reservoirs as a soil conditioner in a semiarid region, focusing on two features: the characterization of sediment physicochemical properties at the regional scale and the effect of the substrate containing sediment on the growth and physiology of maize.

Methods

Sediment from the beds of 14 reservoirs was investigated, and two of them were used for the preparation of substrate for maize cultivation. Differences between the physicochemical properties of the sediments were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey’s test at a significance level of 0.05. The experimental design of the plant experiment was entirely randomized, in a factorial arrangement of two sources and four doses of sediment: 25, 50, 75, and 100% of the economic dose of 100 t ha−1 previously proposed in the study region. Two treatments were considered as controls: a substrate containing only soil and a treatment containing soil and chemical fertilizer. The data for each treatment were submitted independently considering the doses and sediment sources, and the means were compared by Tukey’s test.

Results

In general, nutrient contents were higher in the sediment of the surface reservoirs than in the soil. For instance, the concentrations of nitrogen and potassium were three to 10 times higher in the sediment, compared to the soil, and the organic matter content was up to six times higher. In the plant experiment, the dose and source of the sediments influenced all of the analyzed variables. The addition of sediments to the soil increased the chlorophyll content, photosynthesis rate, and growth of the leaves in relation to the treatment containing only soil. There were no significant differences between the biomass production and the plants’ nutrient extraction with the largest dose of the most enriched sediment when compared to the treatment with chemical fertilizer.

Conclusions

The experiment of maize plant growth showed the feasibility of using sediment deposited in reservoirs as a soil conditioner due to the enrichment of nutrients, organic matter, and fine particles. Therefore, sediment reuse has potential to improve livelihoods and food security, as well as contributing to a circular economy. However, prior analysis is required to avoid soil contamination and to set the most appropriate sediment dose, due to the high spatial variability of the sediment characteristics.
Associations Between Demographic Variables, Psychosocial Health, Quality of Life, and Happiness in the Context of COVID-19
Authors: Østertun Geirdal Amy K. , Leung Janni , Price Daicia , Kabelenga Isaac , Lamph Gary , Thygesen Hilde , Ruffolo Mary R. , Bonsaksen Tore
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The purpose was to examine the association between demographic variables, psychosocial health, quality of life, and happiness in the context of COVID. The hypothesis was that psychosocial health variables have mediating roles between demographic variables and experienced quality of life (QoL) and happiness.

Methods

Cross-sectional surveys were conducted across four countries: Norway, USA, UK, and Australia among 1649 individuals. Multiple regression analysis identified those variables that made independent statistically contributions onto the QoL and happiness outcome variables, and the analysis of psychological distress, fatigue and loneliness as mediational variables was performed.

Results

Not having a spouse/ partner was associated with poorer QoL, and older age was associated with lower happiness. The psychosocial health variables made the highest variance in QoL (R2 change = 0.51) and happiness (R2 change = 0.46) and poorer psychosocial health had a mediating role between civil status and QoL (p < 0.001) and between age and happiness outcomes (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Psychosocial health is of considerable importance in individuals in the time of COVID-19.
Concurrent Hospice and Dialysis Care: Considerations for Implementation
Authors: Ernecoff Natalie C. , Robinson Mayumi T. , Motter Erica M. , Bursic Alexandra E. , Lagnese Keith , Taylor Robert , Lupu Dale , Schell Jane O.
Published: November 2023

Importance

Hospice positively impacts care at the end of life for patients and their families. However, compared to the general Medicare population, patients on dialysis are half as likely to receive hospice. Concurrent hospice and dialysis care offers an opportunity to improve care for people living with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD).

Objective

We sought to (1) develop a conceptual model of the Program and (2) identify key components, resources, and considerations for further implementation.

Design

We conducted a template analysis of qualitative interviews and convened a community advisory panel (CAP) to get feedback on current concurrent care design and considerations for dissemination and implementation.

Participants

Thirty-nine patients with late-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD), family caregivers, bereaved family caregivers, hospice clinicians, nephrology clinicians, administrators, and policy experts participated in interviews. A purposive subset of 19 interviewees composed the CAP.

Main Measures

Qualitative feedback on concurrent care design refinements, implementation, and resources.

Key Results

Participants identified four themes that define an effective model of concurrent hospice and dialysis: it requires (1) timely goals-of-care conversations and (2) an interdisciplinary approach; (3) clear guidelines ensure smooth transitions for patients and families; and (4) hospice payment policy must support concurrent care. CAP participants provided feedback on the phases of an effective model of concurrent hospice and dialysis, and resources, including written and interactive educational materials, communication tools, workflow processes, and order sets.

Conclusions

We developed a conceptual model for concurrent hospice and dialysis care and a corresponding resource list. In addition to policy changes, clinical implementation and educational resources can facilitate scalable and equitable dissemination of concurrent care. Concurrent hospice and dialysis care must be systematically evaluated via a hybrid implementation-effectiveness trial that includes the resources outlined herein, based on our conceptual model of concurrent care delivery.
Kinetic Analysis of Hydrogen Reduction of Nickel Compounds
Authors: Pöyhtäri Sonja , Ruokoja Juhani , Heikkinen Eetu-Pekka , Heikkilä Anne , Kokkonen Tommi , Tynjälä Pekka
Published: November 2023

A review on the hydrogen reduction kinetics of NiO, NiCO3, and Ni(OH)2 hydrogen was conducted, and the most significant experimental values and results were summarized from the past two decades. Isothermal hydrogen reduction experiments of NiO, NiCO3, and, Ni(OH)2 experiments were carried out at 300 °C, 400 °C, and 500 °C, and the obtained data were fitted to multiple different solid-state kinetic models in order to compare the suitability of the models. Non-isothermal reduction in H2 (0 °C$$\to $$
→
900 °C) showed the decomposition of NiCO3 at a temperature range of 230 °C to 300 °C and Ni(OH)2 at 220 °C to 300 °C. The calculated Ea values for NiCO3, Ni(OH)2, and NiO varied between 30 and 35, 36 and 37, and 21 and 26 kJ/mol, respectively. Most of the used models were well fitted making the choice of unequivocally the best suitable model difficult and the identification of the mechanism behind the reaction. It was concluded that an increase in temperature accelerates the reduction process, and the reaction rate-controlling mechanism requires more extensive investigation.
Sleep Duration and Executive Function in Adults
Authors: Sen Aayushi , Tai Xin You
Published: November 2023

Purpose of Review

To review the literature examining the relationship between sleep and cognition, specifically examining the sub-domain of executive function. We explore the impact of sleep deprivation and the important question of how much sleep is required for optimal cognitive performance. We consider how other sleep metrics, such as sleep quality, may be a more meaningful measure of sleep. We then discuss the putative mechanisms between sleep and cognition followed by their contribution to developing dementia.

Recent Findings

Sleep duration and executive function display a quadratic relationship. This suggests an optimal amount of sleep is required for daily cognitive processes. Poor sleep efficiency and sleep fragmentation are linked with poorer executive function and increased risk of dementia during follow-up. Sleep quality may therefore be more important than absolute duration. Biological mechanisms which may underpin the relationship between sleep and cognition include brain structural and functional changes as well as disruption of the glymphatic system.

Sleep is an important modifiable lifestyle factor to improve daily cognition and, possibly, reduce the risk of developing dementia. The impact of optimal sleep duration and sleep quality may have important implications for every ageing individual.
Digital Approaches for Myositis
Authors: Knitza Johannes , Kuhn Sebastian , Gupta Latika
Published: November 2023

Purpose of Review

This article serves as a comprehensive review, focusing on digital approaches utilized in the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). The authors critically assess the literature published in the last three years, evaluating the advancements and progress achieved in this specific domain.

Recent Findings

Remarkable strides have been made in the realm of digital diagnostic support, particularly in image analysis and clinical prediction models, showing promise in aiding the diagnosis of IIM. The field of remote patient monitoring has also witnessed significant advancements, revolutionizing the care process by offering more convenient, data-driven, and continuous monitoring for IIM patients. Various digital tools, such as wearables, video- and voice consultations, and electronic patient-reported outcomes, have been extensively explored and implemented to enhance patient care. Survey studies consistently reveal a high acceptance of telehealth services among patients. Additionally, internet-based studies have facilitated the efficient and rapid recruitment of IIM patients for research purposes. Moreover, the integration of sensors and exoskeletons has shown great potential in significantly improving the functionality and quality of life for individuals with muscle weakness caused by IIM.

The integration of digital health solutions in the care of IIM patients is steadily gaining attention and exploration. Although the existing evidence is limited, it does indicate that patients can be adequately and safely supported through digital means throughout their entire healthcare journey. The growing interest in digital health technologies holds the promise of improving the overall management and outcomes for individuals with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.
Analogies and Differences Between Dental Stem Cells: Focus on Secretome in Combination with Scaffolds in Neurological Disorders
Authors: Santilli Francesca , Fabrizi Jessica , Santacroce Costantino , Caissutti Daniela , Spinello Zaira , Candelise Niccolò , Lancia Loreto , Pulcini Fanny , Delle Monache Simona , Mattei Vincenzo
Published: November 2023

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are well known for their beneficial effects, differentiation capacity and regenerative potential. Dental-derived MSCs (DSCs) are more easily accessible and have a non-invasive isolation method rather than MSCs isolated from other sources (umbilical cord, bone marrow, and adipose tissue). In addition, DSCs appear to have a relevant neuro-regenerative potential due to their neural crest origin. However, it is now known that the beneficial effects of MSCs depend, at least in part, on their secretome, referring to all the bioactive molecules (neurotrophic factors) released in the conditioned medium (CM) or in the extracellular vesicles (EVs) in particular exosomes (Exos). In this review, we described the similarities and differences between various DSCs. Our focus was on the secretome of DSCs and their applications in cell therapy for neurological disorders. For neuro-regenerative purposes, the secretome of different DSCs has been tested. Among these, the secretome of dental pulp stem cells and stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth have been the most widely studied. Both CM and Exos obtained from DSCs have been shown to promote neurite outgrowth and neuroprotective effects as well as their combination with scaffold materials (to improve their functional integration in the tissue). For these reasons, the secretome obtained from DSCs in combination with scaffold materials may represent a promising tissue engineering approach for neuroprotective and neuro-regenerative treatments.

Graphical Abstract
Current review of acute type A aortic dissection in Malaysia
Authors: Krishna Moorthy Paneer Selvam , Sakijan Abdul Samad , Permal Deventhiran , Gaaffar Intan Fariza , Kepli Aini Syakirin , Sahimi Haidatul Insyirah
Published: November 2023

Acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) still poses significant challenges and management dilemmas for cardiovascular surgeons worldwide. Despite the continuous improvement in diagnosis and management strategies for ATAAD, clinical outcomes remain poor and the optimal therapy is still debatable especially those with malperfusion syndrome (MPS). This review is based on the current literature and includes the results from the Aortic Registry of National Heart Institute of Malaysia (NHIM) database. It covers different aspects of ATAAD and concentrates on the outcome of surgical repair. The diagnosis is often delayed leading to variable outcomes. High index of suspicion and urgent treatment is required to tackle this dynamic disease which include the variation in presentation and clinical course. Different surgical techniques and perfusion strategies have been described to save patients. Complex techniques such as total arch replacement (TAR) with frozen elephant trunk and valve sparing root surgery may provide long-term benefit in selected patients, but require significant surgical expertise and experience.