bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a novel mesh model to define a new index “amount of stone” to evaluate calculus and predicting the lithotripsy time
Authors: Wei Bingjian , Fu Yang , Ma Aidi , Hong Li , Wang Yunyan , Gu Shuo , Ji Lu
Published: July 2023

Objective

Develop a mesh model to define a new “index amount of stone” to evaluate calculus and predict lithotripsy time.

Methods

The stones were divided into target units with diameter of 5 mm by the mesh from x, y and z directions, and the cross-sectional areas between units were calculated as amount of stone as a new index to evaluate calculus. Design a prospective study with 112 cases of percutaneous nephrolithotomy to verify the reliability of this index, and to compare the accuracy of the quantity, volume and maximum diameter of stones in predicting the time of lithotripsy.

Results

Amount of stone (Q) is reliable. The lithotripsy time was significantly correlated with the amount of stone, volume and maximum diameter of the stone (p < 0.01). The three regression equations were valid. The linear fit in the amount group was larger than that in the volume group, and further larger than that in the maximum diameter group, with R2 values of 0.716, 0.661 and 0.471, respectively.

Conclusions

It is more accurate and convenient to use amount of stone to evaluate calculus, which can be used to predict the lithotripsy time.
Influence of the Sulfur Species on the Current Efficiency and Carbon Consumption in the Aluminum Electrolysis Process
Authors: Ambrová Marta , Korenko Michal , Szatmáry Lórant
Published: July 2023

The influence of sulfur species on the current efficiency and carbon consumption in the aluminum electrolysis was investigated. Prebaked and graphite anodes with varying levels of sulfur were used. It was found that increasing the sulfur content in the anodes decreases the current efficiency and increases the carbon consumption of both types of anodes. The current efficiency decreased by 1.3 pct and the carbon consumption rose by 6.1 pct per 1 wt pct S in the prebaked anodes. The addition of sodium sulfate to the electrolyte during electrolysis with graphite anodes led to a decrease in current efficiency from 0.9 to 1.0 pct per 1 wt pct S, and to an increase in carbon consumption from 3.1 to 7.0 pct per 1 wt pct S. Electrolyte analysis showed the presence of sulfates, sulfides and polysulfides. Some link between sulfur content in the anodes and sulfur content in the electrolyte and outgoing gases was found. A comparison of the polarized and non-polarized conditions showed that the electrolysis increases the sulfur depletion from the cell and promotes the formation of soluble sulfides. Reactions of sulfur participation in redox processes have also been proposed.
Langfrist-Prognose von Performance-Indizes: Vergleich einiger Verfahren
Authors: Bamberg Günter , Heiden Sebastian , Krapp Michael
Published: July 2023

Langfrist-Prognosen sind typischerweise problematischer als Kurzfrist-Prognosen. Im Kapitalmarktkontext ist die Sachlage jedoch umgekehrt, da verlässliche Kurzfrist-Prognosen durch Arbitrageure sofort zunichte gemacht würden. Ex ante ist der Performance-Index am Prognosehorizont eine extrem rechtsschief verteilte Zufallsvariable. Prognosen, die auf dessen Modalwert abzielen, sind daher viel zu pessimistisch. Prognosen, die auf den Erwartungswert abzielen, sind dagegen zu optimistisch. Von den drei prominenten Lagemaßen ist nur der Median in der Lage, als Basis für eine verlässliche Prognose zu dienen. Es werden einige Praktiker-Verfahren untereinander und mit einem neuen Prognoseverfahren verglichen, welches auf der erwartungstreuen Schätzung des Medians beruht. Zur Illustration der Verfahren und der resultierenden Prognosen werden Daten des DAX bis 2022 verwendet. Es zeigt sich unter anderem, dass der erwartungstreue Median-Schätzer bessere Prognosen als das beste ‚Praktiker-Verfahren‘ liefert.
Conservation of vCJD Strain Properties After Extraction and In Vitro Propagation of PrPSc from Archived Formalin-Fixed Brain and Appendix Tissues Using Highly Sensitive Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification
Authors: Suleiman Suzanne , McGuire Lynne I. , Chong Angela , Ritchie Diane L. , Boyle Aileen , McManus Lee , Brydon Fraser , Smith Colin , Knight Richard , Green Alison , Diack Abigail B. , Barria Marcelo A.
Published: July 2023

Three retrospective lymphoreticular tissue studies (Appendix I, II, and III) aimed to estimate the UK prevalence of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), following exposure of the population to the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) agent, in the late 1980s and 1990s. These studies evaluated the presence of abnormal prion protein aggregates, in archived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) appendectomy samples, by immunohistochemical detection. Although there was concordance in the estimated prevalence of vCJD from these studies, the identification of positive specimens from pre- and post-BSE-exposure periods in Appendix III study has raised questions regarding the nature and origin of the detected abnormal prion protein. We applied a robust and novel approach in the extraction of disease-associated prion protein (PrPSc) present in frozen and FFPE samples of brain and appendix from a patient with pathologically confirmed vCJD. The extracted material was used to seed the highly sensitive protein misfolding cyclic amplification assay (hsPMCA) to investigate the in vitro and in vivo propagation properties of the extracted abnormal prion protein. We demonstrate that PrPSc can be successfully extracted from FFPE appendix tissue and propagated in vitro. Bioassay in wild-type and gene-targeted mouse models confirmed that the extracted and amplified product is infectious and retains strain properties consistent with vCJD. This provides a highly sensitive and reliable platform for subsequent analysis of the archived FFPE appendix tissue derived from the Appendix II and III surveys, to further evaluate the nature of the abnormal PrP detected in the positive samples.
A Review of Recent Manufacturing Technologies for Sustainable Soft Actuators
Authors: Lalegani Dezaki Mohammadreza , Bodaghi Mahdi
Published: July 2023

Soft actuators have brought significant advancements to robotics, allowing robots to perform a diverse range of tasks across various domains. However, the increased use of soft actuators has resulted in negative environmental impacts, including material consumption, waste generation, and energy consumption. To address these challenges, research is increasingly focused on developing sustainable soft actuators (SSAs) that can provide high performance while minimizing environmental harm. This review article aims to explore the development and manufacturing of SSAs and their potential to reduce material waste and energy consumption promoting sustainability. The article examines various categories of soft actuators, such as multi-responsive ones, shape-locking variants, and biological water-responsive models, as well as their implementation through multi-material printing and, 3D and 4D printing techniques. The article also highlights the potential applications of these SSAs, including manufacturing, human–machine interaction, locomotion, and manipulation. Furthermore, the review explores various methods for reducing energy consumption and material waste in soft actuators, such as using recycled materials and eco-friendly manufacturing processes for a circular economy. Finally, the study provides a comprehensive analysis of SSAs and their potential to steer the evolution of robotics towards a more sustainable future and a circular economy.
Kernel-mask knowledge distillation for efficient and accurate arbitrary-shaped text detection
Authors: Chen Honghui , Qiu Yuhang , Jiang Mengxi , Lin Jianhui , Chen Pingping
Published: July 2023

Recently, segmentation-based approaches have been proposed to tackle arbitrary-shaped text detection. The trade-off between speed and accuracy is still a challenge that hinders its deployment in practical applications. Previous methods adopt complex pipelines to improve accuracy while ignoring inference speed. Moreover, the performance of most efficient scene text detectors often suffers from weak feature extraction when equipping lightweight networks. In this paper, we propose a novel distillation method for efficient and accurate arbitrary-shaped text detection, termed kernel-mask knowledge distillation. Our approach equips a low computational-cost visual transformer module (VTM) and a feature adaptation layer to make full use of feature-based and response-based knowledge in distillation. More specifically, first, the text features are obtained by aggregating the multi-level information extracted in the respective backbones of the teacher and student networks. Second, the text features are respectively sent to the VTM to enhance the feature representation ability. Then, we distill the feature-based and response-based kernel knowledge of the teacher network to obtain an efficient and accurate arbitrary-shaped text detection model. Extensive experiments on publicly available datasets demonstrate the state-of-the-art performance of our method. It is worth noting that our method can achieve a competitive F-measure of 86.92% at 34.5 FPS on Total-text. Code is available at https://github.com/giganticpower/KKDnet.
Children and Young People’s Perception of the Active Ingredients of Dramatherapy When Used as a Treatment for Symptoms of Emotional Disorders: A Meta-synthesis
Authors: Keiller Eleanor , Murray Aisling , Tjasink Megan , Bourne Jane , Ougrin Dennis , Carr Catherine Elizabeth , Lau Jennifer Y. F.
Published: July 2023

A developing evidence base suggests that dramatherapy, a creative form of psychotherapy, is a useful treatment for child and adolescent emotional disorders. However, little is known regarding the therapeutic benefits (“active ingredients”) of this intervention. A systematic search and meta-synthesis of secondary qualitative data reflecting participants’ perceptions of active ingredients of dramatherapy for symptoms of emotional disorders (anxiety, depression and trauma-related stress) was conducted. Six analytical themes emerged from eight studies. Dramatherapy as a learning (1) and social (2) experience and dramatherapy as a positive intervention (3) which supports self-expression (4) and emotion regulation (5) were identified as active ingredients. The skill and professionalism of dramatherapists (6) were also identified. This study is limited as the data available were not collected for the primary purpose of identifying active ingredients, more focused investigations may reveal different findings. In addition, studies contributed unequal amounts of data thus, findings may be skewed. The findings of this synthesis were benchmarked against other interventions commonly offered to children and young people with emotional distress. Three active ingredients (dramatherapy is fun, dramatherapy builds confidence, participants process difficulties through drama) were deemed unique to dramatherapy. Further research could employ mediation analysis to determine therapeutic mechanisms of change of this intervention.
Evaluating information with emergy: how did Howard T. Odum incorporate human information into emergy accounting?
Authors: Abel Thomas
Published: July 2023

Howard T. Odum was a towering early figure in ecology and energy systems theory. He was a pioneer of computer modeling in ecology, and in ecological economics, both of which are today thriving and important disciplines of their own. Less well-known is his approach to information and its function in systems of nature and society. Odum’s brand of ecological economics he labeled emergy accounting. For researchers in the field today it is essential to understand the historical and philosophical bases of this approach. Even less well-known is his application of emergy accounting to information. This paper will explore the historical development of his reasoning about information emergy. The significant achievement of this historical review will be two tables of Principles for interpreting Odum’s demonstrations and for guiding future information emergy evaluations.
Neurovirology
Authors: Tenser Richard B.
Published: July 2023

The plethora of miscommunication and disinformation about how SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) spreads suggests a widespread misunderstanding of how viruses work. This book will focus on the interpretation of scientific and medical results, giving the reader guidance on interpreting virological data, including the concepts of 'live' versus infectious virus. The first section covers the background of virology and immunology, introducing the reader to the science of virology (using COVID-19 as an illustration) and considers the measurement of infectious disease, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), molecular biology and the immune system. The second section looks at clinical virology and neurovirology. Taking a novel perspective on how viruses may play a role in evolution, this book discusses antivirals and how autoimmune disorders may be caused or triggered by viruses. Concise and practical, this is a key resource for those working in neurology, infectious disease and virology.
Quantized Detector Networks
Authors: Jaroszkiewicz George
Published: July 2023

Scientists have been debating the meaning of quantum mechanics for more than a century. This book for graduate students and researchers gets to the root of the problem: how the contextual nature of empirical truth and the laws of observation impact on our understanding of quantum physics. Bridging the gap between non-relativistic quantum mechanics and quantum field theory, this novel approach to quantum mechanics extends the standard formalism to cover the observer and their apparatus. The author demystifies some of the aspects of quantum mechanics that have traditionally been regarded as extraordinary, such as wave-particle duality and quantum superposition, emphasizing the scientific principles rather than the mathematical modelling. Including key experiments and worked examples throughout, the author encourages the reader to focus on empirically sound concepts and avoid metaphysical speculation. Originally released in 2017, this title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
Particle Detectors
Authors: Grupen Claus , Shwartz Boris
Published: July 2023

Elementary particles can be identified through various techniques, depending on the purpose of the measurement and which relevant quantities, such as time, energy, and spatial coordinates, have to be measured. Detectors cover the measurement of energies spanning from the very low to the highest energies observed in cosmic rays. Describing the instrumentation for experiments in high energy physics and astroparticle physics, this edition describes track detectors, calorimeters, particle identification, neutrino detectors, momentum measurement, electronics, and data analysis. It also discusses applications of these detectors in other fields, such as nuclear medicine, radiation protection, and environmental science. Problem sets have been added to each chapter and additional instructive material has been provided, making this an excellent reference for graduate students and researchers in particle physics. First published in 2008, this title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
An Introduction to the Standard Model of Particle Physics
Authors: Cottingham W. N. , Greenwood D. A.
Published: July 2023

The second edition of this introductory graduate textbook provides a concise yet accessible introduction to the Standard Model. It has been updated to account for the successes of the theory of strong interactions and the observations on matter–antimatter asymmetry. It gives a coherent presentation of the phenomena and theory that describe neutrino mass as well as an account of progress in the theory of strong interactions. The book develops clearly the theoretical concepts from the electromagnetic and weak interactions of leptons and quarks to the strong interactions of quarks. Each chapter ends with problems, with hints to selected problems provided at the end of the book. The mathematical treatments are suitable for graduates in physics, while more sophisticated mathematical ideas are developed in the text and appendices. First published in 2007, this title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
Supersymmetric Solitons
Authors: Shifman M. , Yung A.
Published: July 2023

In the last decade methods and techniques based on supersymmetry have provided deep insights in quantum chromodynamics and other non-supersymmetric gauge theories at strong coupling. This book summarizes major advances in critical solitons in supersymmetric theories, and their implications for understanding basic dynamical regularities of non-supersymmetric theories. After an extended introduction on the theory of critical solitons, including a historical introduction, the authors focus on three topics: non-Abelian strings and confined monopoles; reducing the level of supersymmetry; and domain walls as D-brane prototypes. They also provide a thorough review of issues at the cutting edge, such as non-Abelian flux tubes. The book presents an extensive summary of the current literature so researchers in this field can understand the background and related issues. First published in 2009, this title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
Electroweak Theory
Authors: Paschos E. A.
Published: July 2023

The electroweak theory unifies two basic forces of nature: the weak force and electromagnetism. This is a concise introduction to the structure of the electroweak theory and its applications. It describes the structure and properties of field theories with global and local symmetries, leading to the standard model. It describes the particles and processes predicted by the theory, and compares them with experimental results. It also covers neutral currents, the properties of W and Z bosons, the properties of quarks and mesons containing heavy quarks, neutrino oscillations, CP-asymmetries in K, D, and B meson decays, and the search for Higgs particles. Each chapter contains problems to supplement the text, stemming from the author's long teaching experience. This will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers in elementary particle physics. Originally published in 2007, this title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
The Pinch Technique and its Applications to Non-Abelian Gauge Theories
Authors: Cornwall John M. , Papavassiliou Joannis , Binosi Daniele
Published: July 2023

Non-Abelian gauge theories, such as quantum chromodynamics (QCD) or electroweak theory, are best studied with the aid of Green's functions that are gauge-invariant off-shell, but unlike for the photon in quantum electrodynamics, conventional graphical constructions fail. The pinch technique provides a systematic framework for constructing such Green's functions, and has many useful applications. Beginning with elementary one-loop examples, this book goes on to extend the method to all orders, showing that the pinch technique is equivalent to calculations in the background field Feynman gauge. The Schwinger–Dyson equations are derived within the pinch technique framework, and are used to show how a dynamical gluon mass arises in QCD. Finally the volume turns to its many applications. This book is ideal for elementary particle theorists and graduate students. This 2011 title has been reissued as an Open Access publication on Cambridge Core.
On off-line and on-line Bayesian filtering for uncertainty quantification of structural deterioration
Authors: Kamariotis Antonios , Sardi Luca , Papaioannou Iason , Chatzi Eleni , Straub Daniel
Published: July 2023

Data-informed predictive maintenance planning largely relies on stochastic deterioration models. Monitoring information can be utilized to update sequentially the knowledge on model parameters. In this context, on-line (recursive) Bayesian filtering algorithms typically fail to properly quantify the full posterior uncertainty of time-invariant model parameters. Off-line (batch) algorithms are—in principle—better suited for the uncertainty quantification task, yet they are computationally prohibitive in sequential settings. In this work, we adapt and investigate selected Bayesian filters for parameter estimation: an on-line particle filter, an on-line iterated batch importance sampling filter, which performs Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) move steps, and an off-line MCMC-based sequential Monte Carlo filter. A Gaussian mixture model approximates the posterior distribution within the resampling process in all three filters. Two numerical examples provide the basis for a comparative assessment. The first example considers a low-dimensional, nonlinear, non-Gaussian probabilistic fatigue crack growth model that is updated with sequential monitoring measurements. The second high-dimensional, linear, Gaussian example employs a random field to model corrosion deterioration across a beam, which is updated with sequential sensor measurements. The numerical investigations provide insights into the performance of off-line and on-line filters in terms of the accuracy of posterior estimates and the computational cost, when applied to problems of different nature, increasing dimensionality and varying sensor information amount. Importantly, they show that a tailored implementation of the on-line particle filter proves competitive with the computationally demanding MCMC-based filters. Suggestions on the choice of the appropriate method in function of problem characteristics are provided.
The European Pesticides Harmonised Risk Indicator HRI_1: A Clarification About Its Displayed Rendering
Authors: Vekemans Marie-Cécile , Marchand Patrice A.
Published: July 2023

Since the EU Directive (EC) No 128/2009 (SUD) was approved by the European Parliament, the establishment of a general framework aimed at securing the sustainable use of pesticides was laid down, and European Union (EU) Member States adopted National Action Plans in accordance with this Directive. Specifically, for EU Member States, pesticides, objectives and quantitative targets were created. Therefore, the EU Commission provided a methodology for risk assessment as the derivation of two harmonised risk indicators: HRI_1 and HRI_2. The present study focuses on HRI_1, as this can be implemented at the country level. Each EU Member State delivers annual harmonised risk indicators values to the Commission based on calculations using their own data and results. However, only the EU Commission can derive this HRI_1 (concatenated) indicator at the EU level. Therefore, the present study is an attempt to shed some light on the modus operandi used by the EU Commission to compile this HRI_1, and it also aims to clarify these calculations. Data originating from twenty-seven EU Member States were analysed. These data were compared to data published on the EU Commission website over time. Possible virtual developments including the modification and evolution of active substance statuses are envisaged.
Crossed pandemics: Racism, police violence, and Covid-19 in Brazil and the United States
Authors: Fernández Marta , dos Santos Silva Pedro Paulo
Published: July 2023

The article aims to answer the following question: how is it possible that in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, as a series of daily activities were suspended in the name of preserving life, police violence has not only continued but worsened in the United States and in Brazil? We argue that racism structures social relations both in the United States and in Brazil, functioning as an essential activity of states that remain involved in the production of different types of physical and symbolic death even amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. Contrary to mainstream International Relations, which narrates its central categories – such as the state – as neutral and non-racialised, we will draw attention to the racial origin of the state and its institutions, such as the police. This article aims to look at these two contexts, Brazil and the United States, in a crossed way. This analysis is only possible because, despite the heterogeneity of the two scenarios, we understand that racism is constitutive of global order and of the institutions that sustain its unfair and unequal character.
How do second language learners go about their listening when they view captioned videos? Replication studies of Taylor (2005), Winke et al. (2013) and Rodgers and Webb (2017)
Authors: Yeldham Michael
Published: July 2023

In recent years, interest in using captioned videos for second language learning has grown immensely, partly owing to the explosion of available materials and the rapid increase in viewing platforms. The captioning affords many learners access to authentic videos ordinarily out of their reach, and teachers often employ the videos to help improve their learners’ listening. However, there is the view that learners mainly just read the captions, and that the viewing largely enhances their reading skills, instead. There is an increasing amount of research investigating this issue, much of which needs to be further verified through replication. This article outlines how three key relevant studies may be replicated, with an emphasis on examining the impact of the captioned viewing on the learners’ listening. Two of the studies, by Taylor (2005) and Winke et al. (2013), examine viewers’ processing strategies, which can include the use of the audio, caption and visual modalities. The other study, by Rodgers and Webb (2017), examines how viewing over the long term impacts learners’ comprehension.
Comparison of the AIRS, IASI, and CrIS Infrared Sounders Using Simultaneous Nadir Overpasses: Novel Methods Applied to Data From 1 October 2019 to 1 October 2020
Authors: Loveless M. , Knuteson R. , Revercomb H. , Borg L. , DeSlover D. , Martin G. , Taylor J. , Iturbide‐Sanchez F. , Tobin D.
Published: July 2023

High spectral resolution infrared sounders are an integral component of the global observing system and are used in a broad range of applications. This is enabled by their high accuracies which are ensured by rigorous calibration/validation activities. One of these activities is the post‐launch intercomparison with other high spectral resolution infrared sounders using simultaneous nadir overpasses (SNOs). This paper introduces a novel application of the previously developed SNO methodology by including time difference histogram symmetrization and a spatial sampling uncertainty. Where possible, radiometric measurement uncertainties are included and propagated through the statistics. Comparisons of Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), METOP‐A/B/C Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI), and Cross‐track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) from 1 October 2019, to 1 October 2020, are analyzed. Results show AIRS and IASI differences as well as CrIS and AIRS differences are generally less than 0.4 K across the spectrum, and CrIS and IASI differences are generally less than 0.25 K. Comparison of the Suomi National Polar‐Orbiting Partnership and NOAA‐20 CrIS instruments via IASI and AIRS shows differences are generally less than 0.1 K across all bands and that the two CrIS instruments statistically agree within their radiometric uncertainties except for the narrow 2,370 cm−1 region where artifacts due to brightness temperature conversion are prone to occur.
Characteristics of Auroral Electron Precipitation at Geomagnetic Latitude 67° Over Tromsø
Authors: Tesfaw Habtamu W. , Virtanen Ilkka I. , Aikio Anita T.
Published: July 2023

We use the EISCAT incoherent scatter radar data measured in years 2001–2021 to study statistical characteristics of 1–100 keV electron precipitation at 66.7° MLAT over Tromsø. Peak energies, auroral powers and number fluxes of precipitating electrons are derived from electron density altitude profiles measured along the geomagnetic field line during periods of no photoionization. The method allows us to include energetic 30–100 keV electrons, which are poorly covered in earlier satellite‐based studies. Locations of the radar within the auroral oval are determined using a model with the 1‐hr Hpo geomagnetic index as input. The average peak energy of precipitating electrons increases almost monotonically from evening (18 MLT) to morning hours (09 MLT). The 30–50 keV electrons dominate the energetic electron precipitation before 06 MLT, after which the 50–100 keV precipitation becomes dominant. Large auroral powers (>60 mWm−2) are observed in the 18–02 MLT sector in the main auroral oval. We obtain occurrence rate of electron precipitation in Tromsø by calculating the fraction of data points with auroral power larger than 2 mWm−2. The occurrence rate peaks during the declining phases of solar cycles (sc), in 2002–2004 for sc23 and in 2015–2017 for sc24, caused by variations in geomagnetic activity. In addition, the occurrence rate has maxima during March and September, minimum in December to January, and it increases monotonically from evening to morning hours, reaching maximum at 05–06 MLT.
The oral health of adults attending dental practices in England in 2018: a report of a novel method and findings
Authors: Douglas Gail V. A. , Jones Kate , Dyer Tom A. , Neville Janet , Wilcox David , Davies Gill
Published: July 2023

Introduction National surveys of the oral health of adults are conducted decennially. For reasons of feasibility and cost, these only provide accurate information at large geographical areas. To address this, a survey of adults attending dental practices in England was undertaken.

Aim To describe and discuss the survey method and findings.

Method A clinical examination and questionnaire survey was conducted in a sample of English dental practices.

Results Questionnaires (n = 16,572) and clinical examinations (n = 14,270) were completed with patients from 1,173 dental practices. Poorer oral health disproportionately affected older adults and those from more socioeconomically deprived areas. Over one in three from more deprived areas had untreated caries compared with one in five in the less deprived (36.2% vs 19.9%) and impacts of oral problems were nearly three times higher in the more deprived areas (27.9% vs 11.0%). Of those receiving NHS care, 28.7% and 46.2% reported they would struggle/be unable to pay a Band 2 and Band 3 NHS patient charge, respectively.

Conclusion It is feasible to undertake a survey of adults in dental practices but care must be taken generalising the findings to the general population and comparing them with other surveys undertaken using different methods.
Quantum gene regulatory networks
Authors: Roman-Vicharra Cristhian , Cai James J.
Published: July 2023

In this work, we present a quantum circuit model for inferring gene regulatory networks (GRNs) from single-cell transcriptomic data. The model employs qubit entanglement to simulate interactions between genes, resulting in competitive performance and promising potential for further exploration. We applied our quantum GRN modeling approach to single-cell transcriptomic data from human lymphoblastoid cells, focusing on a small set of genes involved in innate immunity regulation. Our quantum circuit model successfully predicted the presence and absence of regulatory interactions between genes, while also estimating the strength of these interactions. We argue that the application of quantum computing in biology has the potential to provide a better understanding of single-cell GRNs by more effectively approaching the relationship between fully interconnected genes compared to conventional statistical methods such as correlation and regression. Our results encourage further investigation into the creation of quantum algorithms that utilize single-cell data, paving the way for future research into the intersection of quantum computing and biology.
Experimental investigation of wettability alteration, IFT reduction, and injection schemes during surfactant/smart water flooding for EOR application
Authors: Noorizadeh Bajgirani Seyed Soheil , Saeedi Dehaghani Amir Hossein
Published: July 2023

In recent years, the application of smart water and surfactant in order to improve oil recovery has attracted special attention in carbonate reservoirs. In this research, the effects of various salts in smart water and two surfactants of Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB) and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) on the wettability alteration of carbonate rock and IFT were studied. Besides, along with micromodel flooding, core flooding tests were conducted to assess the amount of oil recovery at reservoir conditions as an injection scheme was used. In this regard, the results illustrated that the presence of CTAB or SDS in seawater (SW) can act better in contact angle reduction compared to smart water. Also, a four times increase in the concentration of SO42− and removing Na+ from SW reduced the contact angle to 68° and 71°, respectively, being the best possible options to alter the carbonate surface wettability to more water-wet states. Moreover, in the second-order process in which the rock section was first placed in SW, and then was put in the smart solution (with or without surfactant), CTAB had a great effect on the wettability alteration. In the case of IFT reduction, although SW4Mg2+, compared to other ions, better decreased the IFT to 17.83 mN/m, SW + SDS and SW + CTAB further declined the IFT to 0.67 and 0.33 mN/m, respectively. Concerning different ions, divalent cations (Mg2+ and Ca2+) show better results in improving oil recovery factor. However, the combination of SW and surfactants has a more positive effect on boosting oil recovery, as compared to smart water flooding. It should be mentioned that the first-order injection is better than the second-order one since SW is flooded at first, and then, after the breakthrough, smart water is injected into the micromodel. In addition, the core flooding tests showed that SW + CTAB and SW + SDS in tertiary injection increased the oil recovery to about 59 and 57%, respectively, indicating that the presence of CTAB could be more effective than that of SDS.
Cross-section measurements for 68Zn(p,2p)67Cu and 68Zn(p,2n)67Ga reactions using a newly developed separation method for the superposed $$\gamma$$-ray spectra
Authors: Jung Myung-Hwan , Cho Won-Je , Jang Hye Min , Chun Kwon-Soo , Lee Jae Sang , Hwang Yong Seok , Kim Sang Wook , Park Jun Kue
Published: July 2023

We have developed a new analytical peak separation analysis for superposed $$\gamma$$
γ
-ray peaks on $$^{67}$$

67

Cu and $$^{67}$$

67

Ga to measure the $$^{68}$$

68

Zn(p,2p)$$^{67}$$

67

Cu and $$^{68}$$

68

Zn(p,2n)$$^{67}$$

67

Ga reactions, unlike in most previous works that were employing a radiochemical separation to measure them. Based on the nuclear data such as the $$\gamma$$
γ
-ray intensity and the half-life for each nuclide, we may develop a new analytical method that enables us to estimate the respective counts arising from each nuclide, thereby obtaining the nuclear reactions. The newly developed analytical method can universally be applied to separate the superposed $$\gamma$$
γ
-ray spectra of any two nuclides, especially superior in separating the nuclides with different half-lives. In comparison with the data in the literature, the two reactions in the present work are in good agreement with those of some previous works. In addition, we compared the present $$^{68}$$

68

Zn(p,2n)$$^{67}$$

67

Ga reaction without the peak separation to the data in the literature without the chemical separation, and find that a good agreement is evident, enhancing the reliability of the $$^{68}$$

68

Zn(p,x)$$^{65}$$

65

Zn and $$^{68}$$

68

Zn(p,3n)$$^{66}$$

66

Ga reactions, which are further measured in the present work
Preparation of sisal fiber/polyaniline/bio-surfactant rhamnolipid-layered double hydroxide nanocomposite for water decolorization: kinetic, equilibrium, and thermodynamic studies
Authors: Negarestani Mehrdad , Tavassoli Soheil , Reisi Saba , Beigi Negar , Mollahosseini Afsaneh , Hosseinzadeh Majid , Kheradmand Asiyeh
Published: July 2023

Sisal fiber is a potent economical biomaterial for designing composites because of its low density, high specific strength, no toxic effects, and renewability. The present study utilized sisal fiber as a starting material and subjected it to modification to produce a sisal fiber/polyaniline/bio-surfactant rhamnolipid-layered double hydroxide nanocomposite material denoted as SF@PANI@LDH@RL. The composite was evaluated for its efficacy in removing reactive orange 16 (RO16) and methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. The synthesized adsorbent was characterized by FTIR, XRD, and SEM–EDS techniques; these analyses indicated the successful modification of the sisal fiber. The primary factors, including contact time, adsorbent dosage, dye concentration, temperature, and pH, were optimized for achieving the most excellent adsorption efficiency. On the one hand, methylene blue removal is enhanced in the basic solution (pH = 10). On the other hand, reactive orange 16 adsorption was favored in the acidic solution (pH = 3). The highest adsorption capacities for methylene blue and reactive orange 16 were 24.813 and 23.981 mg/g at 318 K, respectively. The Temkin isotherm model, which proves the adsorption procedure of methylene blue and reactive orange 16 could be regarded as a chemisorption procedure, supplies the most suitable explanation for the adsorption of methylene blue (R2 = 0.983) and reactive orange 16 (R2 = 0.996). Furthermore, Elovich is the best-fitting kinetic model for both dyes (R2 = 0.986 for MB and R2 = 0.987 for RO16). The recommended SF@PANI@LDH@RL adsorbent was reused six consecutive times and showed stable adsorption performance. The results demonstrate that SF@PANI@LDH@RL is a perfect adsorbent for eliminating cationic and anionic organic dyes from aqueous media.
Rapid diffusion of H2 and strong adsorption of D2 in Ni-4PyC realized the efficient separation of H2/D2 by gas chromatography
Authors: Kong Lingyun , Ping Enming , Ding Chunyan , Zhang Lijuan , Zhou Yunshan , Chen Nan
Published: July 2023

In this work, Ni-4PyC was selected as the material for the separation of hydrogen isotopes H2/D2, and the mechanism of hydrogen isotope H2/D2 separation was investigated by molecular simulation.
Half-sandwich iridium complexes with hydrazone ligands: preparation, structure, and catalytic synthesis of cyanosilylethers under air
Authors: Gao Song , Liu Zhen-Jiang , Luo Yu-Zhou , Yao Zi-Jian
Published: July 2023

Half-sandwich iridium complexes, which exhibited high catalytic activity in cyanosilylethers synthesis in air, were prepared. The broad substrate scope and excellent activity made this catalytic system attractive in industrial processes.
Low-temperature molten salt synthesis and catalytic mechanism of CoS2/NC as an advanced bifunctional electrocatalyst
Authors: Tu Yuankun , Li Chuanhua , Shi Yubao , Jiang Yu , Xiao Wei , Zhu Shenghua , Lv Peng , Yan Xuemin
Published: July 2023

The development of productive and sustainable bifunctional electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) plays an important role in the commercial evolution of metal–air batteries.
Oxygen-evolution reaction in the presence of cerium(iv) ammonium nitrate and iron (hydr)oxide: old system, new findings
Authors: Akbari Nader , Nandy Subhajit , Aleshkevych Pavlo , Chae Keun Hwa , Najafpour Mohammad Mahdi
Published: July 2023

The reaction of FeOxHy in the presence of cerium(iv) ammonium nitrate during the oxygen-evolution reaction was tracked using in situ Raman, in situ X-ray absorption, in situ visible, and in situ electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies.
Expanding the scope of bis(catecholato)germane catalysis: hydrosilylation, hydroboration, Friedel–Crafts alkylation and oligomerization
Authors: Henry Andrew T. , Nanan Dana A. R. , Baines Kim M.
Published: July 2023

Various applications of bis(catecholato)germanes in catalysis were examined demonstrating the versatility of these easily synthesized germanium-based Lewis acid catalysts.
Gold complexes with remote-substituted amino N-heterocyclic carbenes
Authors: Vanden Broeck Sofie M. P. , Tzouras Nikolaos V. , Saab Marina , Van Hecke Kristof , Dereli Busra , Ritacco Ida , Cavallo Luigi , Vougioukalakis Georgios C. , Braunstein Pierre , Nolan Steven P. , Danopoulos Andreas A. , Cazin Catherine S. J.
Published: July 2023

Amino N-heterocyclic carbenes exhibit diverse, ligand-dependent coordination modes when bound to Au(i) centres.
Halogen bonding assisted site-selective C-3 triaryl methylation of indoles and N-triaryl methylation of imidazoles
Authors: Konwar Dipika , Sarma Pranamika , Borah Jagat Chandra , Bora Utpal
Published: July 2023

Halogen bonding assisted C-3 triaryl methylation of indoles and N-triaryl methylation of imidazoles using trityl chlorides are investigated under catalyst-free conditions at room temperature.
Palladium-catalyzed Heck/aminocarbonylation of alkene-tethered carbamoyl chlorides with nitro compounds for the synthesis of carbamoyl-substituted oxindoles
Authors: Pan Xing-Feng , Bao Xuanzhang , Xu Ren-Rui , Qi Xinxin , Wu Xiao-Feng
Published: July 2023

A new approach for the synthesis of carbamoyl-substituted oxindoles has been developed via a palladium-catalyzed Heck cyclization and reductive aminocarbonylation reaction of alkene-tethered carbamoyl chlorides with nitro compounds.
Harnessing the power of biorefining: paving the way for sustainable fuels and chemicals
Authors: Huber George W. , Konarova Muxina , Lim Jason Y. C. , Wilson Karen
Published: July 2023

George W. Huber, Muxina Konarova, Jason Y. C. Lim and Karen Wilson introduce the Sustainable Energy & Fuels themed collection on biorefining.
The stellar halo in Local Group Hestia simulations
Authors: Khoperskov Sergey , Minchev Ivan , Libeskind Noam , Haywood Misha , Di Matteo Paola , Belokurov Vasily , Steinmetz Matthias , Gomez Facundo A. , Grand Robert J. J. , Hoffman Yehuda , Knebe Alexander , Sorce Jenny G. , Spaare Martin , Tempel Elmo , Vogelsberger Mark
Published: July 2023

Theory suggests that mergers play an important role in shaping galactic discs and stellar haloes, which was observationally confirmed in the Milky Way (MW) thanks toGaiadata. In this work, aiming to probe the contribution of mergers to the in situ stellar halo formation, we analyse six M 31 and MW analogues from the HESTIA suite of cosmological hydrodynamical zoom-in simulations of the Local Group. We found that all the HESTIA galaxies experience between one to four mergers with stellar mass ratios between 0.2 and 1 relative to the host at the time of the merger. These significant mergers, with a single exception, happened 7 − 11 Gyr ago. The overall impact of the most massive mergers in HESTIA is clearly seen as a sharp increase in the orbital eccentricity (and a corresponding decrease in the rotational velocityVϕ) of pre-existing disc stars of the main progenitor, thus nicely reproducing the Splash-, Plume-like feature that was discovered in the MW. We do find a correlation between mergers and close pericentric passages of massive satellites and bursts of the star formation in the in situ component. Massive mergers sharply increase the disc velocity dispersion of the in situ stars; however, the latest significant merger often heats up the disc up to the numbers when the contribution of the previous ones is less prominent in the age-velocity dispersion relation. In HESTIA galaxies, the in situ halo is an important component of the inner stellar halo where its fraction is about 30 − 40%, while in the outer parts it typically does not exceed ≈5% beyond 15 kpc from the galactic centre. The simulations suggest that this component of the stellar haloes continues to grow well after mergers conclude; however, the most significant contribution comes from stars that formed recently before the merger. The orbital analysis of the HESTIA galaxies suggests that wedges inRmax − Zmax(apocentre – maximum height from the mid-plane) space are mainly populated by the stars born in between significant mergers.
Formation of an observed eruptive flux rope above the torus instability threshold through tether-cutting magnetic reconnection
Authors: Prasad A. , Kumar S. , Sterling A. C. , Moore R. L. , Aulanier G. , Bhattacharyya R. , Hu Q.
Published: July 2023

Context. Erupting magnetic flux ropes (MFRs) are believed to play a crucial role in producing solar flares. However, the formation of erupting MFRs in complex coronal magnetic configurations and the role of their subsequent evolution in the flaring events are not fully understood.

Aims. We perform a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation of active region NOAA 12241 to understand the formation of a rising magnetic flux rope during the onset of an M6.9 flare on 2014 December 18 around 21:41 UT (SOL2014-12- 18T21:41M6.9), which was followed by the appearance of parallel flare ribbons.

Methods. The MHD simulation was initialised with an extrapolated non-force-free magnetic field generated from the photospheric vector magnetogram of the active region taken a few minutes before the flare.

Results. The initial magnetic field topology displays a pre-existing sheared arcade enveloping the polarity inversion line. The simulated dynamics exhibit the movement of the oppositely directed legs of the sheared arcade field lines towards each other due to the converging Lorentz force, resulting in the onset of tether-cutting magnetic reconnection that produces an underlying flare arcade and flare ribbons. Concurrently, a magnetic flux rope above the flare arcade develops inside the sheared arcade and shows a rising motion. The flux rope is found to be formed in a torus-unstable region, thereby explaining its eruptive nature. Interestingly, the location and rise of the rope are in good agreement with the corresponding observations seen in extreme-ultraviolet channels of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Furthermore, the foot points of the simulation’s flare arcade match well with the location of the observed parallel ribbons of the flare.

Conclusions. The presented simulation supports the development of the MFR by the tether-cutting magnetic reconnection inside the sheared coronal arcade during flare onset. The MFR is then found to extend along the polarity inversion line (PIL) through slip-running reconnection. The MFR’s eruptive nature is ascribed both to its formation in the torus-unstable region and also to the runaway tether-cutting reconnection.