bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Screening seven‐electron boron‐centered radicals for dinitrogen activation
Authors: Zeng Jie , You Feiying , Zhu Jun
Published: December 2023

The activation of dinitrogen is significant as nitrogen‐containing compounds play an important role in industries. However, the inert NN triple bond caused by its large HOMO‐LUMO gap (10.8 eV) and high bond dissociation energy (945 kJ mol−1) renders its activation under mild conditions particularly challenging. Recent progress shows that a few main group species can mimic transition metal complexes to activate dinitrogen. Here, we demonstrate that a series of seven‐electron (7e) boron‐centered radical can be used to activate N2 via density functional theory calculations. It is found that boron‐centered radicals containing amine ligand perform best on the thermodynamics of dinitrogen activation. In addition, when electron‐donating groups are introduced at the boron atom, these radicals can be used to activate N2 with low reaction barriers. Further analysis suggests that the electron transfer from the boron atom to the π* orbitals of dinitrogen is essential for its activation. Our findings suggest great potential of 7e boron radicals in the field of dinitrogen activation.
Annelids as models of germ cell and gonad regeneration
Authors: Özpolat B. Duygu
Published: December 2023

Germ cells (reproductive cells and their progenitors) give rise to the next generation in sexually reproducing organisms. The loss or removal of germ cells often leads to sterility in established research organisms such as the fruit fly, nematodes, frog, and mouse. The failure to regenerate germ cells in these organisms reinforced the dogma of germline–soma barrier in which germ cells are set‐aside during embryogenesis and cannot be replaced by somatic cells. However, in stark contrast, many animals including segmented worms (annelids), hydrozoans, planaria, sea stars, sea urchins, and tunicates can regenerate germ cells. Here I review germ cell and gonad regeneration in annelids, a rich history of research that dates back to the early 20th century in this highly regenerative group. Examples include annelids from across the annelid phylogeny, across developmental stages, and reproductive strategies. Adult annelids regenerate germ cells as a part of regeneration, grafting, and asexual reproduction. Annelids can also recover germ cells after ablation of germ cell progenitors in the embryos. I present a framework to investigate cellular sources of germ cell regeneration in annelids, and discuss the literature that supports different possibilities within this framework, where germ–soma separation may or may not be preserved. With contemporary genetic‐lineage tracing and bioinformatics tools, and several genetically enabled annelid models, we are at the brink of answering the big questions that puzzled many for over more than a century.
A potential broad‐spectrum neutralizing antibody against Betacoronavirus
Authors: Wang Rong , Guo Jiazheng , Lu Jiansheng , Du Peng , Zhang Jun , Yu YunZhou , Chen Lei , Xiong Zhiqi , Xiang Yuning , Ni Xiaodan , Xu Junjie , Yang Zhixin
Published: December 2023

Three pandemics caused by human Betacoronavirus had broken out in the past two decades. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) was one of the novel epidemic strains which caused the third pandemic, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), a global public health crisis. So far, more than millions of people have been infected. Considering the public health and economic impact of Betacoronavirus pandemic, drugs with broad‐spectrum activity against these coronaviruses are urgently needed. In this study, two monoclonal antibodies targeting SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein receptor‐binding domain (RBD) with good neutralizing activity were used to construct a novel immunoglobulin‐like bispecific antibody BI31. The neutralizing effect of BI31 against the pseudovirus and the authentic virus is better than that of its parent antibodies alone and in combination. What surprised us most was that the newly constructed bispecific antibody also had the neutralizing activity against SARS‐CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS‐CoV) that the parent antibodies did not have. These suggested that the BI31 can not only be developed as a therapeutic drug against COVID‐19 but it could also become a broad‐spectrum therapeutic antibody against Betacoronavirus.
metamedian: An R package for meta‐analyzing studies reporting medians
Authors: McGrath Sean , Zhao XiaoFei , Ozturk Omer , Katzenschlager Stephan , Steele Russell , Benedetti Andrea
Published: December 2023

When performing an aggregate data meta‐analysis of a continuous outcome, researchers often come across primary studies that report the sample median of the outcome. However, standard meta‐analytic methods typically cannot be directly applied in this setting. In recent years, there has been substantial development in statistical methods to incorporate primary studies reporting sample medians in meta‐analysis, yet there are currently no comprehensive software tools implementing these methods. In this paper, we present themetamedianR package, a freely available and open‐source software tool for meta‐analyzing primary studies that report sample medians. We summarize the main features of the software and illustrate its application through real data examples involving risk factors for a severe course of COVID‐19.
Co‐encapsulation of curcumin and anthocyanins in bovine serum album–fucoidan nanocomplex with a two‐step pH‐driven method
Authors: Chen Xiao , Qin Hao , Zhai Jia‐Ming , Wang Jun‐Hu , Zhang Yu‐He , Chen Yang , Wu Yan‐Chao , Li Hui‐Jing
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Curcumin (CUR) and anthocyanins (ACN) are recommended due to their bioactivities. However, their nutritional values and health benefits are limited by their low oral bioavailability. The incorporation of bioactive substances into polysaccharide–protein composite nanoparticles is an effective way to enhance their bioavailability. Accordingly, this study explored the fabrication of bovine serum albumin (BSA)–fucoidan (FUC) hybrid nanoparticles using a two‐step pH‐driven method for the delivery of CUR and ACN.

RESULTS

Under a 1:1 weight ratio of BSA to FUC, the point of zero charge moved from pH ⁓ 4.7 for BSA to around 2.5 for FUC‐coated BSA, and the formation of BSA–FUC nanocomplex was pH‐dependent by showing the maximum CUR emission wavelength shifting from 546 nm (CUR‐loaded BSA–FUC at pH 4.7) and 544 nm (CUR/ACN‐loaded BSA–FUC nanoparticles at pH 4.7) to 540 nm (CUR‐loaded BSA–FUC at pH 6.0) and 539 nm (CUR/ACN‐loaded BSA–FUC nanoparticles at pH 6.0). Elevated concentrations of NaCl from 0 to 2.5 mol L−1 caused particle size increase from about 250 to about 800 nm, but showing no effect on the encapsulation efficiency of CUR. The CUR and ACN entrapped, respectively, in the inner and outer regions of the BSA–FUC nanocomplex were released at different rates. After incubation for 10 h, more than 80% of ACN was released, while less than 25% of CUR diffused into the receiving medium, which fitted well to Logistic and Weibull models.

CONCLUSION

In summary, the BSA–FUC nanocomposites produced by a two‐step pH‐driven method could be used for the co‐delivery of hydrophilic and hydrophobic nutraceuticals. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Risk factors for local recurrence of upper extremity desmoid tumors
Authors: Denwood Hayley , Gonzalez Marcos R. , Sodhi Alisha , Werenski Joseph , Clunk Marilee , Newman Erik T. , Lozano‐Calderón Santiago A.
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Upper extremity (UE) desmoid tumors are locally aggressive neoplasms with high recurrence rates. Our study sought to analyze the demographics and treatment strategies of UE desmoid tumors and identify risk factors for recurrence.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective review of 52 patients with histologically confirmed UE desmoid tumors treated at our institution between 1990 and 2015 was conducted. Survival was assessed using the Kaplan–Meier method and the Cox proportional hazards model was used for risk factor analysis.

Results

For the entire cohort, median age was 40 (29–47) years, 75% were female, and 48% had local recurrence. The median tumor size was 45 (15–111) cm3 on imaging. Twenty‐two patients had a previous resection. The most common treatments were surgery alone (50%) and surgery with adjuvant radiotherapy (21%). Tumor size ≥5 cm and tumor volume ≥40 cm3 on imaging were associated with increased recurrence (p = 0.006 and p = 0.005, respectively). Age and sex were not associated with local recurrence. Patients with a tumor size ≥5 cm were 2.6 times more likely to present with recurrence. At the 10‐year mark, a lower local recurrence‐free survival was seen in patients with tumors ≥5 cm (72.2% vs. 36.3%, p = 0.042) or ≥40 cm3 (67.2% vs. 32.7%, p = 0.034).

Conclusion

In our study, only tumor dimensions appeared to modify recurrence risk.
The Destination Marketing Organization as an intelligent agent: Evaluating engagement in knowledge management practices
Authors: Novotny Michelle , Dodds Rachel , Walsh Philip R.
Published: December 2023

DMOs have been increasingly called upon to adopt the role of knowledge management, becoming intelligent agents with the capacity to gather, assess, and disseminate information among internal and external stakeholders. While knowledge management has remained a prominent topic in the literature, its application within the field of tourism management has been limited. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to ascertain to what extent DMOs have engaged in knowledge management practices through a nation‐wide survey of 30 Canadian DMOs. The results demonstrate that, while DMOs have made progress toward becoming intelligent agents, there remains a long way to go.
Spectral effects and enhancement quantification in healthy human saliva with surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy using silver nanopillar substrates
Authors: Zamani Esmat , Ksantini Nassim , Sheehy Guillaume , Ember Katherine J. I. , Baloukas Bill , Zabeida Oleg , Trang Tran , Mahfoud Myriam , Sapieha Jolanta‐Ewa , Martinu Ludvik , Leblond Frédéric
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Raman spectroscopy as a diagnostic tool for biofluid applications is limited by low inelastic scattering contributions compared to the fluorescence background from biomolecules. Surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) can increase Raman scattering signals, thereby offering the potential to reduce imaging times. We aimed to evaluate the enhancement related to the plasmonic effect and quantify the improvements in terms of spectral quality associated with SERS measurements in human saliva.

Methods

Dried human saliva was characterized using spontaneous Raman spectroscopy and SERS. A fabrication protocol was implemented leading to the production of silver (Ag) nanopillar substrates by glancing angle deposition. Two different imaging systems were used to interrogate saliva from 161 healthy donors: a custom single‐point macroscopic system and a Raman micro‐spectroscopy instrument. Quantitative metrics were established to compare spontaneous RS and SERS measurements: the Raman spectroscopy quality factor (QF), the photonic count rate (PR), the signal‐to‐background ratio (SBR).

Results

SERS measurements acquired with an excitation energy four times smaller than with spontaneous RS resulted in improved QF, PR values an order of magnitude larger and a SBR twice as large. The SERS enhancement reached 100×, depending on which Raman bands were considered.

Conclusions

Single‐point measurement of dried saliva with silver nanopillars substrates led to reproducible SERS measurements, paving the way to real‐time tools of diagnosis in human biofluids.
Outcomes of women diagnosed with primary bladder neck obstruction based on video urodynamic criteria
Authors: Drain Alice , Volkin Dmitry , Rosenblum Nirit , Brucker Benjamin M. , Nitti Victor W.
Published: December 2023

Objective

Functional and anatomic bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) in women are more prevalent than previously suspected and remain a diagnostic challenge. Several urodynamic diagnostic criteria for female BOO have been proposed, but studies validating the criteria by assessing treatment outcomes are lacking. We sought to correlate video urodynamic (VUD) diagnostic criteria with symptom improvement in women with functional bladder outlet obstruction.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of women diagnosed with primary bladder neck obstruction (PBNO) by VUD criteria who underwent bladder neck incision (BNI) between 2010 and 2022 was performed. Patient demographic, clinical, and urodynamic characteristics were collected before and after treatment and analyzed.

Results

Twenty‐six women with mean age 64.7 years underwent BNI. Nineteen patients (73.1%) were cured, four (15.4%) improved, and three (11.5%) failed. After BNI the mean postoperative Qmax was significantly higher (9.4 vs. 3 mL/s, p = 0.006) and mean postvoid residual (PVR) was significantly lower (102 vs. 514 mL, p ≤ 0.001). Patients who did not require a catheter preoperatively were more likely to be cured than those who did (90% vs. 62.5%, p = 0.03). The PdetQmax of patients that were cured or improved did not differ significantly from those who were not (50.7 cm H2O vs. 32 cm H2O, p = 0.21).

Conclusions

The diagnosis of PBNO by VUD criteria for obstruction correlated with treatment outcomes with success in 88.5% and 56% becoming catheter independent. Successful treatment was independent of preoperative PdetQmax.
Response to tibial and sacral nerve modulation in overactive bladder: Is there any correlation?
Authors: Fourel Mathieu , Hafez Samy , Ramdane Nassima , Perrouin‐Verbe Marie‐Aimée , De Wachter Stefan , Vermersch Patrick , Biardeau Xavier
Published: December 2023

Objectives

To assess the correlation between the response to transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS) and subsequent response to sacral nerve modulation (SNM) to treat overactive bladder (OAB).

Materials and Methods

All patients who consecutively received TTNS followed by a two‐stage SNM between January 2016 and June 2022 to treat OAB in two university hospital centers were included. The response to each therapy was evaluated with success defined by a 50% or greater improvement in one or more bothersome urinary symptoms from baseline. The primary endpoint was the statistical relationship between the response to TTNS and the response to SNM, assessed by logistic regression. Secondary endpoints were the statistical relationship between the response to TTNS and the response to SNM when controlling for gender, age (<57 years vs. >57 years), presence of an underlying neurological disease, and presence of DO, adding the factor and interaction to the previous regression model.

Results

Among the 92 patients enrolled in the study, 68 of them were women (73.9%), and the median age was 57.0 [41.0–69.0] years. The success was reported in 22 patients (23.9%) under TTNS and 66 patients (71.7%) during the SNM test phase. There was no statistical correlation between response to TTNS and response to SNM in the overall population (confidence interval: 95% [0.48–4.47], p = 0.51). Similarly, there was no statistical correlation when controlling for age <57 years or ≥57 years, with p = 1.0 and p = 0.69, respectively. No statistical study could be conducted for the other subpopulations due to small sample sizes.

Conclusion

The response to TTNS does not predict the response to SNM in the treatment of OAB. TTNS and SNM should be considered as separate therapies, and the decision‐making process for OAB treatment should take this into account.
The design and evaluation of a quick checklist for urodynamic quality control: A prospective single‐center small sample study
Authors: Zeng Xiao , Liu Meng‐zhu , Shen Si‐hong , Yang Shi‐qin , Zhang Jie , Shen Hong , Luo De‐yi , Jin Tao
Published: December 2023

Purpose

To design a quick checklist for urodynamic study (UDS), aiming to reduce the occurrence of errors in the process, which may help to increase the quality of UDS. And further to analyze the effectiveness of this quick checklist for UDS quality control.

Methods

First, a quick checklist for uroflow study and pressure‐flow study was developed, based on the International Continence Society‐Good Urodynamic Practice standards, our previous studies, and recent literature, as well as expert suggestions. Then, patients who underwent UDS between January 2023 to February 2023 were randomly assigned to a study group or a control group. For the study group, the quick checklist was used throughout the UDS process, while the control group did not. The main artefacts were chosen to verify the effectiveness of the quick checklist for improving the UDS quality.

Results

The quick checklist comprised three subtypes: checklist for patients, checklist for environment and device, and checklist for UDS test process. 38 UDS traces per group were included. The incidence of missing the standard cough test decreased significantly from 18.4% to 0 (p = 0.012), with the checklist implementation. The baseline drift frequency rate also declined significantly from 39.5% to 5.3% (p < 0.05). Volume < 150 mL on uroflow study occurred in 68.4% of cases and its frequency rate decreased significantly with checklist implementation (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

A quick checklist for quality control of UDS was developed. The quick checklist as a convenient, quick, and easy used urodynamic quality control method, may help to reduce the technical artefacts and improve fundamental urodynamic quality control. Future research with a larger sample size is needed to confirm the effectiveness of the checklist.
Quantum Secret Reconstruction
Authors: Ma Rui‐Hai , Gao Fei , Cai Bin‐Bin , Lin Song
Published: December 2023

In addition to secret splitting, secret reconstruction is another important component of secret sharing. In this paper, the first quantum secret reconstruction protocol is proposed to protect the reconstruction process. Before the protocol, a classical secret is divided into multiple shares that are distributed to the shareholds, respectively. In the presented protocol, the dealer utilizes the secret to encrypt a privacy quantum state, and sends the encrypted state to a combiner who is chosen by the dealer within the shareholders. With the help of other shareholders, the combiner utilizes the properties of cluster states to recover the privacy quantum state. It is shown that the proposed protocol is secure against several common attacks, including external and internal attacks. Compared with classical secret reconstruction protocols, this protocol not only achieves information‐theoretic security of all shares, but is also more efficient due to the reduced distribution and computation cost. To demonstrate the feasibility of the protocol, a corresponding simulation quantum experiment is conducted on the IBM Q. Furthermore, in conjunction with quantum fingerprinting, it can be directly applied to achieve the task of quantum multiple secrets sharing, since the classical shares can be reused in the proposed protocol.
Incorporation of Bimetallic Sulfide with Carbon Nitride for Advanced Na‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Lee Jang Mee , Bahadur Rohan , Mir Showkat Hassan , Bargoria Ian Chirchir , Perumalsamy Vibin , Ruban Ajanya Maria , Yu Xiaojiang , Breese Mark B. H. , Yi Jiabao , Chakraborty Sudip , Vinu Ajayan
Published: December 2023

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) have received tremendous attention owing to their low cost, high working voltages, and energy density. However, the design and development of highly efficient SIBs represent a great challenge. Here, a unique and reliable approach is reported to prepare carbon nitride (CN) hybridized with nickel iron sulfide (NFCN) using simple reaction between Ni–Fe layered double hydroxide and dithiooxamide. The characterization results demonstrate that the hybridization with optimal amount of CN induces local distortion in the crystal structure of the hybrid, which would benefit SIB performance. Systematic electrochemical studies with a half‐cell configuration show that the present hybrid structure exhibits a promising reversible specific capacity of 348 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 after 100 cycles with good rate capability. Simulation result reveals that the iron atoms in nickel iron sulfide act as a primary active site to accommodate Na+ ions. At last, with a full cell configuration using NFCN and Na3V2(PO4)2O2F as the anode and cathode, respectively, the specific capacity appears to be ≈95 mAh g−1 after 50 cycles at 0.1 A g−1 condition. This excellent performance of these hybrids can be attributed to the synergistic effect of the incorporated CN species and the high conductivity of nickel–iron sulfide.
A Spatially Controlled Proximity Split Tweezer Switch for Enhanced DNA Circuit Construction and Multifunctional Transduction
Authors: Bai Dan , Zhang Jianhong , Zhang Yaoyi , Yu Hongyan , Zhang Li , Han Xiaole , Lv Ke , Wang Li , Luo Wang , Wu You , Zhou Xi , Wang Weitao , Feng Tong , Xie Guoming
Published: December 2023

DNA strand displacement reactions are vital for constructing intricate nucleic acid circuits, owing to their programmability and predictability. However, the scarcity of effective methods for eliminating circuit leakages has hampered the construction of circuits with increased complexity. Herein, a versatile strategy is developed that relies on a spatially controlled proximity split tweezer (PST) switch to transduce the biomolecular signals into the independent oligonucleotides. Leveraging the double‐stranded rigidity of the tweezer works synergistically with the hindering effect of the hairpin lock, effectively minimizing circuit leakage compared with sequence‐level methods. In addition, the freely designed output strand is independent of the target binding sequence, allowing the PST switch conformation to be modulated by nucleic acids, small molecules, and proteins, exhibiting remarkable adaptability to a wide range of targets. Using this platform, established logical operations between different types of targets for multifunctional transduction are successfully established. Most importantly, the platform can be directly coupled with DNA catalytic circuits to further enhance transduction performance. The uniqueness of this platform lies in its design straightforwardness, flexibility, scalable intricacy, and system compatibility. These attributes pave a broad path toward nucleic acid‐based development of sophisticated transduction networks, making them widely applied in basic science research and biomedical applications.
Electrochemical Synthesis of Copper Mesh‐Supported Thermo‐Catalysts
Authors: Liu Qi , Wu Haoran , Gu Haoyuan , Jiang Zhaocong , Zhang Wenhao , Li Hu , Wang Zengguo , Liu Pengfei , Li Didi , Zhu Minghui
Published: December 2023

Metallic substrates, widely studied in the context of monolithic catalysts, offer inherent advantages in heterogeneous catalysis due to their exceptional thermal conductivity and mechanical properties. However, synthesizing stable monolithic catalysts with metallic substrates in a well‐controlled manner remains a significant challenge. Here, this work introduces a simple, cost‐efficient method to fabricate robust Cu mesh‐supported thermo‐catalysts using a modified cycling chronopotentiometry approach, where the Cu mesh serves as a donor of Cu ions. In this method, the Cu mesh surface generates two distinct layers of CuO and Cu2O. In this context, CuO acts as the active phase, accounting for the high CO oxidation activity of Cu mesh catalysts with T90 ≈ 120 °C. Additionally, these catalysts exhibit considerable potential in electrocatalysis, showcasing significant research and application value.
Recent Research on Preparation and Application of Smart Joule Heating Fabrics
Authors: Ye Chunfa , Zhao Longqi , Yang Sihui , Li Xiaoyan
Published: December 2023

Multifunctional wearable heaters have attracted much attention for their effective applications in personal thermal management and medical therapy. Compared to passive heating, Joule heating offers significant advantages in terms of reusability, reliable temperature control, and versatile coupling. Joule‐heated fabrics make wearable electronics smarter. This review critically discusses recent advances in Joule‐heated smart fabrics, focusing on various fabrication strategies based on material‐structure synergy. Specifically, various applicable conductive materials with Joule heating effect are first summarized. Subsequently, different preparation methods for Joule heating fabrics are compared, and then their various applications in smart clothing, healthcare, and visual indication are discussed. Finally, the challenges faced in developing these smart Joule heating fabrics and their possible solutions are discussed.
Molecular Engineering of Ordered Piezoelectric Sulfonic Acid‐Containing Assemblies
Authors: Yuan Hui , Cazade Pierre‐Andre , Zhou Shuaikang , Shimon Linda J. W. , Yuan Chengqian , Tan Dan , Liu Cunshun , Fan Wei , Thangavel Vijayakanth , Cao Yi , Thompson Damien , Yan Xuehai , Yang Rusen , Xue Bin , Gazit Ehud
Published: December 2023

Sulfonic acid‐containing bioorganic monomers with wide molecular designability and abundant hydrogen bonding sites hold great potential to design diverse functional biocrystals but have so far not been explored for piezoelectric energy harvesting applications due to the lack of strategies to break the centrosymmetry of their assemblies. Here, a significant molecular packing transformation from centrosymmetric into non‐centrosymmetric conformation by the addition of an amide terminus in the sulfonic acid‐containing bioorganic molecule is demonstrated, allowing a high electromechanical response. The amide‐functionalized molecule self‐assembles into a polar supramolecular parallel β‐sheet‐like structure with a high longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient d11 = 15.9 pm V−1 that produces the maximal open‐circuit voltage of >1 V and the maximal power of 18 nW in nanogenerator devices pioneered. By contrast, molecules containing an amino or a cyclohexyl terminus assemble into highly symmetric 3D hydrogen bonding diamondoid‐like networks or 2D double layer structures that show tunable morphologies, thermostability, and mechanical properties but non‐piezoelectricity. This work not only presents a facile approach to achieving symmetry transformation of bioorganic assemblies but also demonstrates the terminal group and the property correlation for tailor‐made design of high‐performance piezoelectric biomaterials.
Enhancing Performance of GaN/Ga2O3 P‐N Junction Uvc Photodetectors via Interdigitated Structure
Authors: Cai Ziling , He Xiyao , Wang Kaikai , Hou Xin , Mei Yang , Ying Leiying , Zhang Baoping , Long Hao
Published: December 2023

Ga2O3‐based Ultraviolet‐C photodetector (UVCPD) is considered the most promising UVCPD at present and is divided into Metal‐Semiconductor‐Metal (MSM) and PN junction types. Compared with MSM‐PDs, PN‐PDs exhibit superior transient performance due to the built‐in electric field. However, current Ga2O3‐based PN‐PDs lack consideration for carrier collection and electric field distribution. In this study, PN‐PDs with an interdigital n‐Ga2O3 layer and finger electrodes are fabricated on p‐GaN/n‐Ga2O3 epilayers. Ultrafast response times of 31 µs (1/e decay) and 2.76 µs (fast component) are realized, which outperforms all Ga2O3 UVC‐PDs up to now. Under 0 V self‐powered, the responsivity (0.25 A W−1) of interdigital PD is enhanced by the interdigital electrode structure due to increasing carriers’ collection length. Under bias, the performances of interdigital PD with 41.7 A W−1 responsivity and 8243 selection ratios are significantly elevated by enhancing the built‐in electric field in the Ga2O3 region, which is 34.76 and 39.4 times those of traditional PDs, respectively. The intrinsic enhancing mechanism of interdigital structure is also investigated by interdigital PDs with various electrode spacings and perimeters. In summary, this paper not only reports a highly performed interdigitated structure p‐GaN/n‐Ga2O3 UVCPDs, but also provides guidelines for structure design in Ga2O3‐based PN‐PDs.
Hypoxia‐based critical gene biomarkers as prognostic reporters for gastric adenocarcinoma
Authors: Zhang Zhiya , Liao Yin , Zhao Peiyou , Chen Xinwei , Liu Yunfei , Wu Ji , Zuo Hongbin
Published: December 2023

Background

Gastric cancer is the most common malignant tumour of the digestive system, yet there is a lack of reported prognostic biomarkers for STAD patients.

Methods

Transcriptomic expression data of STAD from GEO database, single cell sequencing data from OMIX gastric cancer database. Conservative molecular typing of gastric cancer was constructed using non‐negative matrix factorization (NMF). The abundance of 28 immune cells in the tumour samples was assessed using ssGSEA. The R package “oncoPredict” was used to predict chemotherapy response. TIDE website for immunotherapy response prediction. Finally, single cell analysis was performed to clarify the specific type annotation of STAD cells and to analysis their spatial expression.

Results

Hypoxia‐score demonstrated excellent prognostic discrimination in TCGA gastric cancer samples. Among multiple deconvolution‐based algorithms for immune infiltration, Hypoxia‐score presented a general immunosuppressive efficacy across multiple datasets, as evidenced by a broad negative correlation with immune cell infiltration. By the likelihood that each group may have specific drug sensitivity to multiple chemotherapeutic and targeted agents. Results showed that high‐risk scoring patients were more sensitive to Staurosporine, Sabutoclax, and AZD8055, while low‐risk patients were more sensitive to Bortezomib, Dactinomycin, Docetaxel, Daporinad, Sepantronium, and bromide. In the immunotherapy cohort, the Hypoxia‐score presented the ability to discriminate for immunotherapy efficacy. The distribution of Hypoxia‐score in single‐cell descending space was calculated using AddModuleScore and was found to be distributed across the various cell types annotated in the single‐cell analysis. It is suggested that various cells in the tumour microenvironment are involved in hypoxia gene set processes to varying degrees.

Conclusion

The Hypoxia‐score proves to be a valuable tool for assessing the prognosis of gastric cancer patients and guiding drug treatments, providing significant guidance for clinical diagnosis and treatment in the context of gastric cancer.
Cultural Change in Post-Migrant Societies: Re-imagining Communities Through Arts and Cultural Activities
Authors: Sievers Wiebke
Published: December 2023

Where do we stand between the exclusion of migrants as others from national narratives and traditions invented in the nineteenth century and the emergence of new narratives that include them and enable their social, political and cultural participation? This is what we discuss under the label cultural change in this volume, Cultural change in post-migrant societies: Re-imagining communities through arts and cultural activities. Since history has shown that arts and cultural activities have the potential to effectuate cultural change, we focus on the question of whether and how far they contribute to such a change in post-migrant societies. In the introduction, I explain the theme and objective of the present volume. Subsequently, I place it in the wider debate on social and cultural change in migration and cultural studies. I then explain in more detail where and how this volume moves beyond the state-of-the-art. Finally, I discuss our results in the light of recent changes in migration studies.
Refugees in a Multimedia Dialogue: A Methodology that Inspires the Creation of New Narratives on Migration in an Evolving Process of Change
Authors: Kamm Martina , Meyer Lhamo
Published: December 2023

Based on the project No child’s play this chapter describes how arts-based methods and, especially, (visual) storytelling can inspire the creation of new narratives on migration in a slow process of change. No child’s play is a long-term project of more than 13 years that deals with the consequences of persecution, war and flight for refugees and their families as well as the Swiss public. The project is a good example of participatory action research (PAR), as it contributes to the empowerment of and awareness among the different groups in society which participated in the project. The analysis shows that arts-based methods create an emotional access and awareness, serving as a ‘teaser’. They can move, especially young participants, to reflect and talk about personal experiences or attitudes related to origins, war, trauma, home or discrimination. Many would speak about their past in front of others for the very first time, suddenly realising that their stories matter and that it is important to deal with them. This chapter illustrates this process of change with various examples. Moreover, it analyses two prominent perspectives that shaped the narratives. One is the family and its ambivalent role as a place of refuge and (over)protection. The other is the role of religion and faith as coping strategies and cultural ties for refugee families.
Culture as Deconstruction and Participation? Reflections from a field…in Transition
Authors: Moralli Melissa , Musarò Pierluigi
Published: December 2023

This chapter explores how different artistic activities can promote cultural and social change in terms of both 1) narratives built around migration and diversity and 2) practices of resistance and social inclusion facilitating intercultural dialogue. Our reflection focuses on a double level of analysis. From the methodological point of view, it investigates how, in the project “Atlas of Transitions”, the approach of action research sustains the conditions under which groups of people can organise and learn from their own experience, showing a major shift in both the reflection on knowledge production within and outside the academy and in the relations between research, action and social change. Secondly, our analysis focuses on the processes of audience development which encourage the audience of artistic practices to intervene directly in the performances. In this way, both action research and audience development can intervene in supporting a critical reflection by the participants, nurturing change and awareness about migration and linking the artistic, civic and political spheres.
Youth in the City: Fostering Transcultural Leadership for Social Change
Authors: Dutto Matteo , Ricatti Francesco , Simeone Luca , Wilson Rita
Published: December 2023

When considering the impact of migrants’ creative practices within superdiverse urban environments and their ability to both represent and engender linguistic, cultural and social change, there is a tendency to rigidly demarcate and separate the crucial roles played by artists, researchers, educators, students and activists. Furthermore, little consideration is usually given to the development of transcultural and multilingual youth’s ability to lead and engender such changes. The focus tends to be on the impact of the final artistic product, rather than on the impact of the complex participatory processes through which many of these artistic products have been developed. Drawing from the transdisciplinary work we conducted for ourYouth in the Cityinitiative (YITC), this chapter challenges these prevailing assumptions. Using theLa Nostra Pratoproject (2019–2020) as an illustrative example, we suggest an alternative model for understanding and engendering social and cultural change: one that focuses on the transdisciplinary and transcultural processes through which young people in superdiverse urban contexts develop leadership skills through creative practices.

In loving memory of Salvatore Iaconesi, who taught us the meaning and power of facing the world with a sense of “meraviglia”.
How to Tell the History of Cultural Change Through Migration: A Post-migrant Field Theoretical Approach
Authors: Sievers Wiebke
Published: December 2023

How can we tell the history of cultural change through migration? This chapter presents a new theoretical and methodological approach, which I developed in response to this question by combining Bourdieu’s field theory with a post-migrant perspective. While my focus is on literary fields, the approach may also serve as an inspiration for exploring similar changes in other fields, including not only the arts but also politics and the economy. Bourdieu’s literary field theory allows us to understand authors and their works as part of a societal process of change. In that respect, it is ideal to grasp how literary fields have changed in response to immigration. Yet, due to his methodological nationalism, Bourdieu ignores nationalisation as a process that implied the drawing of boundaries towards immigrants and their descendants in literary fields on four levels: language, literary traditions, literary themes and the right to state support. These mechanisms of exclusion have become naturalised in nationalised literary fields to such an extent that they were long also accepted by immigrants and their descendants. Only when they began to fight exclusion in and through their literary works did immigrants and their descendants become accepted as authors in literary fields.
Continuity or Change? How Migrants’ Musical Activities (Do not) Affect Ethnic Boundaries
Authors: Parzer Michael , Mijić Ana
Published: December 2023

Our article discusses whether and how the musical activities of migrants and their descendants contribute to cultural change. Drawing on Andreas Wimmer’s work, we examine both the benefits and limitations of his ‘boundary-making approach.’ In so doing, we define cultural change as a transformation of ethnic boundaries. Based on the assumption that these boundaries arise from social classification, we shed light on the various processes that shape how musicians and their music are located in the symbolic order of internal identification and external categorisation. Following Wimmer, we suggest distinguishing between three fundamental modes of how social activities in the field of music affect boundaries: (1) Boundary changing, which includes boundary blurring and reinforcing; (2) boundary shifting, meaning the contraction and expansion of an ethnic boundary; and (3) boundary crossing, which occurs when an individual shifts sides and crosses a given boundary by changing their position. By adapting Wimmer’s typology, we aspire to provide a toolkit for analysing ethnic boundaries in the musical field and to contribute to the debate on the challenges of researching migrants’ impact on the social and cultural transformation of contemporary societies.
How Does “Migrant” and “World” Music Change Local and National Cultures? An Insight from the Cologne Carnival, Related Antiracist Networks and Recent Cultural Politics
Authors: Salzbrunn Monika , Ellinghaus Birgit
Published: December 2023

Nina Glick Schiller and Ayse Çağlar have invited migration scholars to constructively question the transnational paradigm by “locating migration”. Based on our work on the dynamics of the Cologne carnival, this chapter assesses the impact of “migrant” and “world” music on local and national cultural policies.

Cologne’s history has always been shaped by migration, even though the enrichment of the music and carnival scene, thanks to migrants, has been recognised and celebrated only for a couple of decades. Over the last 30 years, Cologne’s carnival as well as the broader music scene in Cologne has undergone profound changes: new repertories pertaining to different social and religious references, updated lyrics of songs, hybrid styles with sources from musicians with multiple origins and links between the anti-Nazi resistance movements and current anti-fascist initiatives. Diversification processes have been initiated both top-down and bottom-up, leading to resilient changes concerning the use of musical references and the visibility of new cultural actors. We analyse the creativity and openness of the cultural scene of Cologne, taking into consideration political consciousness, decision-making and the re-shaping of institutions and the short- and long-term strategies and effects of cultural politics. Starting from a local case study, we broaden our perspective to regional dynamics and put these in a broader national and supranational context.
Can Micro Practices Change National Heritage? Norwegian National Day Celebrations in a Multicultural Setting
Authors: Nikielska-Sekuła Karolina
Published: December 2023

Presenting the engagement of immigrants, their descendants and native Norwegians with Norwegian Constitution Day celebrations, this chapter discusses how people de facto change elements of national culture through their micro practices. It explores data collected between 2013 and 2020 during the Norwegian Constitution Day celebrations in the area of Drammen municipality, Norway. The analysis is supported theoretically by the concept of the third space. Additionally, I use the concept of heritage in becoming to problematise the dynamic between a genealogical model of national heritage and its interpretation performed by people in relation to the spatial, cultural and structural circumstances in which they live. The chapter argues that the individual patterns of Norwegian Constitution Day celebrations exercised by immigrant minorities constitute a third space. Immigrants de facto change the Norwegian national heritage. Subsequently, I analyse the extent to which this change is reflected at the level of mainstream celebrations and the ways in which it is mediated by agents of non-change. Moreover, the chapter discusses the problem of identity reductionism and the reification of ethnicity present in multicultural societies, arguing that the performances of the actors within the third space may serve as means of resistance against “groupism”.
A Framework for Accessibility in XR Environments
Authors: Valakou Aikaterini , Margetis George , Ntoa Stavroula , Stephanidis Constantine
Published: December 2023

Digital accessibility is vital for ensuring equal access and usability for individuals with disabilities. However, addressing the unique challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in XR environments remains a complex task. This paper presents an ongoing accessibility framework designed to empower developers in creating inclusive XR applications. The framework aims to provide a comprehensive solution, addressing the needs of individuals with disabilities, by incorporating various accessibility features, based on XR accessibility guidelines, best practices, and state of the art approaches. The current version of the framework has focused on the accessibility of XR environments for blind or partially sighted users, enhancing their interaction with text, images, videos, and 3D artefacts. The proposed work lays the foundation for Extended Reality (XR) developers to easily encompass accessible assets. In this respect, it offers customizable text settings, alternative visual content text, and multiple user interaction control mechanisms. Furthermore, it includes features such as edge enhancement, interactive element descriptions with dynamic widgets, scanning for navigation, and foreground positioning of active objects. The framework also supports scene adaptations upon user demand to cater to specific visual needs.
Single-soft emissions for amplitudes with two colored particles at three loops
Authors: Herzog Franz , Ma Yao , Mistlberger Bernhard , Suresh Adi
Published: December 2023

Abstract

We compute the three-loop correction to the universal single-soft emission current for the case of scattering amplitudes with two additional color-charged partons. We present results valid for QCD and$$ \mathcal{N} $$N= 4 super-symmetric Yang-Mills theory. To achieve our results we develop a new integrand expansion technique for scattering amplitudes in the presence of soft emissions. Furthermore, we obtain contributions from single final-state parton matrix elements to the Higgs boson and Drell-Yan production cross section at next-to-next-to-next-to-next-to leading order (N4LO) in perturbative QCD in the threshold limit.
The effect of the spindle speed control when milling free-form surfaces
Authors: Mgherony Abdulwahab , Mikó Balázs
Published: December 2023

Machining free-form surfaces using ball-end mill is still common, especially for finishing and semi-finishing. However, due to the change in the surface inclination, the working diameter changes from one point to another, which affects the cutting parameters, especially the cutting speed. That means, even with constant spindle speed, the cutting speed varies during the milling process and affects the surface quality. This article defines a new method to keep the cutting speed constant, by calculating the working diameter at each point and changing the spindle speed accordingly. The results of using this method are illustrated, and a comparison was made between the surfaces of five workpieces under different feed directions before and after the optimization. The results emphasize the importance of maintaining a constant cutting speed to obtain a more homogeneous surface.
Visuomotor tracking strategies in children: associations with neurodevelopmental symptoms
Authors: Thorsson Max , Galazka Martyna A. , Johnson Mats , Åsberg Johnels Jakob , Hadjikhani Nouchine
Published: December 2023

Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) often display motor problems that may impact their daily lives. Studying specific motor characteristics related to spatiotemporal control may inform us about the mechanisms underlying their challenges. Fifty-eight children with varying neurodevelopmental symptoms load (median age: 5.6 years, range: 2.7–12.5 years) performed an interactive tablet-based tracking task. By investigating digit touch errors relative to the target’s movement direction, we found that a load of neurodevelopmental symptoms was associated with reduced performance in the tracking of abrupt alternating directions (zigzag) and overshooting the target. In contrast, reduced performance in children without neurodevelopmental symptoms was associated with lagging behind the target. Neurodevelopmental symptom load was also associated with reduced flexibility in correcting for lateral deviations in smooth tracking (spiral). Our findings suggest that neurodevelopmental symptoms are associated with difficulties in motor regulation related to inhibitory control and reduced flexibility, impacting motor control in NDDs.