bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Innovative Azobenzene‐Based Photothermal Fabric with Excellent Heat Release Performance for Wearable Thermal Management Device
Authors: Wu Yudong , Dong Liqi , Tang Shuxin , Liu Xiao , Han Yulin , Zhang Songge , Liu Kai , Feng Wei
Published: September 2024

Azobenzene (azo)‐based photothermal energy storage systems have garnered great interest for their potential in solar energy conversion and storage but suffer from limitations including rely on solvents and specific wavelengths for charging process, short storage lifetime, low heat release temperature during discharging, strong rigidity and poor wearability. To address these issues, an azo‐based fabric composed of tetra‐ortho‐fluorinated photo‐liquefiable azobenzene monomer and polyacrylonitrile fabric template is fabricated using electrospinning. This fabric excels in efficient photo‐charging (green light) and discharging (blue light) under visible light range, solvent‐free operation, long‐term energy storage (706 days), and good capacity of releasing high‐temperature heat (80–95 °C) at room temperature and cold environments. In addition, the fabric maintains high flexibility without evident loss of energy‐storage performance upon 1500 bending cycles, 18‐h washing or 6‐h soaking. The generated heat from charged fabric is facilitated by the Z‐to‐E isomerization energy, phase transition latent heat, and the photothermal effect of 420 nm light irradiation. Meanwhile, the temperature of heat release can be personalized for thermal management by adjusting the light intensity. It is applicable for room‐temperature thermal therapy and can provide heat to the body in cold environments, that presenting a promising candidate for wearable personal thermal management.
Magnetic Torque‐Driven All‐Terrain Microrobots
Authors: Wang Qiong , Zhang Zhuhua , Wu Yuhua , Li Bingyan , Li Yuchong , Gu Hongcheng , Gu Zhongze
Published: September 2024

All‐terrain microrobots possess significant potential in modern medical applications due to their superior maneuverability in complex terrains and confined spaces. However, conventional microrobots often struggle with adaptability and operational difficulties in variable environments. This study introduces a magnetic torque‐driven all‐terrain multiped microrobot (MTMR) to address these challenges. By coupling the structure's multiple symmetries with different uniform magnetic fields, such as rotating and oscillating fields, the MTMR demonstrates various locomotion modes, including rolling, tumbling, walking, jumping, and their combinations. Experimental results indicate that the robot can navigate diverse terrains, including flat surfaces, steep slopes (up to 75°), and gaps over twice its body height. Additionally, the MTMR performs well in confined spaces, capable of passing through slits (0.1 body length) and low tunnels (0.25 body length). The robot shows potential for clinical applications like minimally invasive hemostasis in internal bleeding and thrombus removal from blood vessels through accurate cargo manipulation capability. Moreover, the MTMR can carry temperature sensors to monitor environmental temperature changes in real time while simultaneously manipulating objects, displaying its potential for in‐situ sensing and parallel task implementation. This all‐terrain microrobot technology demonstrates notable adaptability and versatility, providing a solid foundation for practical applications in interventional medicine.
Green Solution Processing of Halide Perovskite Solar Cells: Status and Future Directions
Authors: Han Jonghoon , Kim Ran Hee , Huang Shujuan , Kim Jincheol , Yun Jae Sung
Published: September 2024

Halide perovskite solar cells have achieved impressive efficiencies above 26%, making them a promising technology for the future of solar energy. However, the current fabrication methods rely on highly toxic solvents, which pose significant safety and environmental hazards. It is crucial to develop greener and safer alternatives to these solvents to facilitate the commercialization of perovskite solar cells. In this review, the safety and hazard evaluations of conventional toxic solvents and discuss the selection criteria for solvents that affect the morphology, nucleation, crystallization, and performance of perovskite solar cells. Furthermore, recent research into green solvent alternatives is evaluated and their properties are compared to those of commonly used solvents. In this review, fundamental insights are provided into the progress and challenges of green‐solution processing of perovskite solar cells, which will be essential for advancing this technology toward commercialization.
A possible archaic precursor of the octocoral structural plan from the Ordovician of Estonia
Authors: Rozhnov Sergey V.
Published: September 2024

A new species and genus of colonial coral, Lindaphylon solovjevi, from the Upper Ordovician of Estonia is described in detail. The colony has a zonation similar to the zonation structure of the mesogleal skeleton of octocorals, since it consists of a narrow axis and a surrounding wide cortex of small calcite sclerites and a system of large solenia. Corallites present 12 sclerosepta in a wide shallow cup. A new family Lindaphylonidae and an order Lyndaphylonaceae are based on these features, and a new order placed in the subphylum Anthozoa as incertae sedis. A comparative study of skeleton formation and mesenteric apparatus symmetry in different groups of coral polyps is considered in detail.
The fiber hinge model for unbonded post‐tensioned beam‐column connections
Authors: Qi Hu , Shen Yelei , Guo Haishan , Zhang Wenxuan , Lu Zheng
Published: September 2024

The precast concrete frame with unbonded post‐tensioned beam‐column connections (UPBC) has been emphasized in recent years for it is capable of sustaining a design‐basis earthquake with minor damage. The fiber hinge model (FHM), which is a simple and effective approach, is proposed in this paper for the simulation of UPBC. In the FHM, the mild steels and prestressed tendons crossing the interface are integrated into one element. The mechanism and behavior of the FHM are presented in this paper. The proposed model, which is developed in OpenSees, has been validated by tests, and the FHM is able to accurately describe the shift of compressive center induced by the opening of the interface between the precast beam and column, as well as “beam elongation effects.”
A high Ki‐67 labeling index and high thyroglobulin doubling rate are significant predictors of excision‐site recurrence of papillary thyroid carcinoma following airway resection for locally curative surgery
Authors: Ito Yasuhiro , Miyauchi Akira , Hirokawa Mitsuyoshi , Kawakami Makoto , Kihara Minoru , Onoda Naoyoshi , Miya Akihiro
Published: September 2024

Background

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) occasionally invades the trachea and requires airway resection. Tracheal excision site recurrence (ESR) is a serious problem. We investigated predictors of ESR in patients with PTC who underwent airway resection for locally curative surgery.

Methods

We enrolled 149 patients with PTC who underwent airway resection (median age at the initial surgery: 67 years), including partial‐thickness resection (n = 73) or full‐thickness resection (n = 76), for grossly curative surgery. The median postoperative follow‐up period was 93 months.

Results

To date, 11 patients (6.7%) underwent ESR: 6 underwent full‐thickness resection and 5 underwent partial‐thickness resection. The time to ESR ranged from 14 to 113 months (median: 57 months) after the initial surgery. None of the 11 ESR patients underwent adjuvant external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) and none of the 4 airway resection patients who underwent EBRT developed ESR. The 5‐ and 10‐year ESR rates were 4.3% and 11.3%, respectively. In the multivariate analysis (forward–backward stepwise selection method), a Ki‐67 labeling index (LI) ≥5% (p = 0.048) and the thyroglobulin doubling rate (Tg‐DR) >0.33/year (p = 0.009) (for Tg‐antibody negative cases) were independent predictors of ESR. Nine of the 11 patients underwent ESR resection and only one developed a second recurrence.

Conclusions

A high Ki‐67 LI was a static predictor, and high Tg‐DR was a dynamic predictor, of ESR in patients with PTC following airway resection. In such patients, careful postoperative monitoring for ESR is necessary and adjuvant therapies, such as EBRT, may be considered.
Introducing SWIRL: An Intermediate Representation Language for Scientific Workflows
Authors: Colonnelli Iacopo , Medić Doriana , Mulone Alberto , Bono Viviana , Padovani Luca , Aldinucci Marco
Published: September 2024

In the ever-evolving landscape of scientific computing, properly supporting the modularity and complexity of modern scientific applications requires new approaches to workflow execution, like seamless interoperability between different workflow systems, distributed-by-design workflow models, and automatic optimisation of data movements. In order to address this need, this article introduces SWIRL, an intermediate representation language for scientific workflows. In contrast with other product-agnostic workflow languages, SWIRL is not designed for human interaction but to serve as a low-level compilation target for distributed workflow execution plans. The main advantages of SWIRL semantics are low-level primitives based on the send/receive programming model and a formal framework ensuring the consistency of the semantics and the specification of translating workflow models represented by Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) into SWIRL workflow descriptions. Additionally, SWIRL offers rewriting rules designed to optimise execution traces, accompanied by corresponding equivalence. An open-source SWIRL compiler toolchain has been developed using the ANTLR Python3 bindings.
Certified Quantization Strategy Synthesis for Neural Networks
Authors: Zhang Yedi , Chen Guangke , Song Fu , Sun Jun , Dong Jin Song
Published: September 2024

Quantization plays an important role in deploying neural networks on embedded, real-time systems with limited computing and storage resources (e.g., edge devices). It significantly reduces the model storage cost and improves inference efficiency by using fewer bits to represent the parameters. However, it was recently shown that critical properties may be broken after quantization, such as robustness and backdoor-freeness. In this work, we introduce the first method for synthesizing quantization strategies that verifiably maintain desired properties after quantization, leveraging a key insight that quantization leads to a data distribution shift in each layer. We propose to compute the preimage for each layer based on which the preceding layer is quantized, ensuring that the quantized reachable region of the preceding layer remains within the preimage. To tackle the challenge of computing the exact preimage, we propose an MILP-based method to compute its under-approximation. We implement our method into a tool and demonstrate its effectiveness and efficiency by providing certified quantization that successfully preserves model robustness and backdoor-freeness.
A Local Search Algorithm for MaxSMT(LIA)
Authors: He Xiang , Li Bohan , Zhao Mengyu , Cai Shaowei
Published: September 2024

MaxSAT modulo theories (MaxSMT) is an important generalization of Satisfiability modulo theories (SMT) with various applications. In this paper, we focus on MaxSMT with the background theory of Linear Integer Arithmetic, denoted as MaxSMT(LIA). We design the first local search algorithm for MaxSMT(LIA) called PairLS, based on the following novel ideas. A novel operator called pairwise operator is proposed for integer variables. It extends the original local search operator by simultaneously operating on two variables, enriching the search space. Moreover, a compensation-based picking heuristic is proposed to determine and distinguish the pairwise operations. Experiments are conducted to evaluate our algorithm on massive benchmarks. The results show that our solver is competitive with state-of-the-art MaxSMT solvers. Furthermore, we also apply the pairwise operation to enhance the local search algorithm of SMT, which shows its extensibility.
Understanding Synthesized Reactive Systems Through Invariants
Authors: Ehlers Rüdiger
Published: September 2024

In many applications for which reactive synthesis is attractive, computed implementations need to have understandable behavior. While some existing synthesis approaches compute finite-state machines with a structure that supports their understandability, such approaches do not scale to specifications that can only be realized with a large number of states. Furthermore, asking the engineer to understand the internal structure of the implementation is unnecessary when only the behavior of the implementation is to be understood.

In this paper, we present an approach to computing understandable safety invariants that every implementation satisfying a generalized reactivity(1) specification needs to fulfill. Together with the safety part of the specification, the invariants completely define which transitions between input and output proposition valuations any correct implementation can take. We apply the approach in two case studies and demonstrate that the computed invariants highlight the strategic decisions that implementations for the given specification need to make, which not only helps the system designer with understanding what the specification entails, but also supports specification debugging.
Gravitational index of the heterotic string
Authors: Chen Yiming , Murthy Sameer , Turiaci Gustavo J.
Published: September 2024

Abstract

The fundamental heterotic string has a tower of BPS states whose supersymmetric index has an exponential growth in the charges. We construct the saddle-point of the gravitational path integral corresponding to this index. The saddle-point configuration is a supersymmetric rotating non-extremal Euclidean black hole. This configuration is singular in the two-derivative theory. We show that the addition of higher-derivative terms in four-dimensional $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 supergravity resolves the singularity. In doing so, we extend the recently-developed “new attractor mechanism” to include the effect of higher-derivative terms. Remarkably, the one-loop, four-derivative F-term contribution to the prepotential leads to a precise match of the gravitational and microscopic index. We also comment, using the effective theory near the horizon, on the possibility of a string-size near-extremal black hole. Our results clarify the meaning of different descriptions of this system in the literature. The thermal state transitions to a winding condensate and a gas of strings without ever reaching a small black hole, while the index is captured by the rotating Euclidean black hole solution and is constant and thus smoothly connected to the microscopic ensemble.
Proteomics profiling and machine learning in nusinersen-treated patients with spinal muscular atrophy
Authors: Panicucci Chiara , Sahin Eray , Bartolucci Martina , Casalini Sara , Brolatti Noemi , Pedemonte Marina , Baratto Serena , Pintus Sara , Principi Elisa , D’Amico Adele , Pane Marika , Sframeli Marina , Messina Sonia , Albamonte Emilio , Sansone Valeria A. , Mercuri Eugenio , Bertini Enrico , Sezerman Ugur , Petretto Andrea , Bruno Claudio
Published: September 2024

Aim

The availability of disease-modifying therapies and newborn screening programs for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) has generated an urgent need for reliable prognostic biomarkers to classify patients according to disease severity. We aim to identify cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) prognostic protein biomarkers in CSF samples of SMA patients collected at baseline (T0), and to describe proteomic profile changes and biological pathways influenced by nusinersen before the sixth nusinersen infusion (T302).

Methods

In this multicenter retrospective longitudinal study, we employed an untargeted liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based proteomic approach on CSF samples collected from 61 SMA patients treated with nusinersen (SMA1 n=19, SMA2 n=19, SMA3 n=23) at T0 at T302. The Random Forest (RF) machine learning algorithm and pathway enrichment analysis were applied for analysis.

Results

The RF algorithm, applied to the protein expression profile of naïve patients, revealed several proteins that could classify the different types of SMA according to their differential abundance at T0. Analysis of changes in proteomic profiles identified a total of 147 differentially expressed proteins after nusinersen treatment in SMA1, 135 in SMA2, and 289 in SMA3.

Overall, nusinersen-induced changes on proteomic profile were consistent with i) common effects observed in allSMA types (i.e. regulation of axonogenesis), and ii) disease severity-specific changes, namely regulation of glucose metabolism in SMA1, of coagulation processes in SMA2, and of complement cascade in SMA3.

Conclusions

This untargeted LC-MS proteomic profiling in the CSF of SMA patients revealed differences in protein expression in naïve patients and showed nusinersen-related modulation in several biological processes after 10 months of treatment. Further confirmatory studies are needed to validate these results in larger number of patients and over abroader timeframe.
Burden of disease in Germany attributed to ambient particulate matter pollution
Authors: Hahad Omar , Lelieveld Jos , Al-Kindi Sadeer , Schmitt Volker H. , Hobohm Lukas , Keller Karsten , Röösli Martin , Kuntic Marin , Daiber Andreas
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Ambient fine particulate matter pollution with a diameter less than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) is a significant risk factor for chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), leading to a substantial disease burden, decreased quality of life, and deaths globally. This study aimed to investigate the disease and mortality burdens attributed to PM2.5 in Germany in 2019.

Methods

Data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2019 were used to investigate disability-adjusted life–years (DALYs), years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and deaths attributed to ambient PM2.5 pollution in Germany.

Results

In 2019, ambient PM2.5 pollution in Germany was associated with significant health impacts, contributing to 27,040 deaths (2.82% of total deaths), 568,784 DALYs (2.09% of total DALYs), 135,725 YLDs (1.09% of total YLDs), and 433,058 YLLs (2.92% of total YLLs). The analysis further revealed that cardiometabolic and respiratory conditions, such as ischemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and diabetes mellitus, were the leading causes of mortality and disease burden associated with ambient PM2.5 pollution in Germany from 1990–2019. Comparative assessments between 1990 and 2019 underscored ambient PM2.5 as a consistent prominent risk factor, ranking closely with traditional factors like smoking, arterial hypertension, and alcohol use contributing to deaths, DALYs, YLDs, and YLLs.

Conclusion

Ambient PM2.5 pollution is one of the major health risk factors contributing significantly to the burden of disease and mortality in Germany, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted interventions to address its substantial contribution to chronic NCDs.
Macroeconomic effects of monetary policy in Japan: an analysis using interest rate futures surprises
Authors: Kubota Hiroyuki , Shintani Mototsugu
Published: September 2024

We estimate the effects of monetary policy on the aggregate economy in Japan during the last three decades when the effective lower bound (ELB) on interest rates was occasionally binding. We use monetary policy surprises from the interest rate futures market as the external instrument to identify monetary policy shocks in the vector autoregressive model. We find that monetary policy has been effective in Japan during the last three decades, and the effect was more persistent in the ELB regime than in the non-ELB regime. In a simulation exercise, we further show that a New Keynesian model with forward guidance can replicate our empirical finding.
Neural networks for quantum state tomography with constrained measurements
Authors: Ma Hailan , Dong Daoyi , Petersen Ian R. , Huang Chang-Jiang , Xiang Guo-Yong
Published: September 2024

Quantum state tomography (QST) aiming at reconstructing the density matrix of a quantum state plays an important role in various emerging quantum technologies. Recognizing the challenges posed by imperfect measurement data, we develop a unified neural network (NN)-based approach for QST under constrained measurement scenarios, including limited measurement copies, incomplete measurements, and noisy measurements. Through comprehensive comparison with other estimation methods, we demonstrate that our method improves the estimation accuracy in scenarios with limited measurement resources, showcasing notable robustness in noisy measurement settings. These findings highlight the capability of NNs to enhance QST with constrained measurements.
County-level Racial/Ethnic Residential Segregation and Physical Activity Behavior among US Adults
Authors: Deng Yangyang , Moniruzzaman Mohammad , Rogers Breanna , Jones Kelly K. , Saint-Maurice Pedro F. , Patel Shreya , Berrigan David , Matthews Charles E. , Tamura Kosuke
Published: September 2024

The relationship between racial/ethnic residential segregation and physical activity (PA) remains unclear with both positive and negative associations between segregation and PA recently reported. We aimed to examine the relationship between county-level residential segregation and total daily PA and domain-specific PA and whether these associations varied by gender. Participants (N = 2625, mean age [SD] = 45.2 [15.4]) were recruited from the AmeriSpeak panel who completed up to two Activities Completed over Time in 24 Hours (ACT24) previous day recalls in 2019. PA outcomes were created for the following: (1) light PA (LPA), (2) moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), (3) total active time, and (4) domain-specific PA, including leisure, work, household, transport, personal, and other activities. County-level residential segregation based on isolation. Weighted generalized linear models were used to examine the relationship between county-level segregation and each PA outcome, controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, income, employment, body mass index, county-level poverty, and census region. Overall, results showed no association between county-level residential segregation and LPA, MVPA, total active time, and domain-specific PA among NH Black and Hispanic populations. Among NH Black females, greater residential segregation was associated with more total hours/day of activity (β = 3.54, 95% CI [0.23, 6.85]). Only NH Black females living in segregated neighborhoods had more total active time. Additionally, it is important to acknowledge that these relationships may vary among NH Black and Hispanic populations. Future studies should examine the interaction between segregation and a broader range of individual, contextual, and environmental factors in relation to PA and domain-specific PA.
Carbochlorination of YOCl for Synthesis of YCl3
Authors: Takeda Osamu , Lu Xin , Zhu Hongmin
Published: September 2024

As the production of high-quality titanium (Ti) metal increases significantly, the generation of low-quality Ti scraps increases and exceeds the demand for current cascade recycling in ferrous metallurgy. Therefore, the development of an upgrading recycling technology, in which scraps are refined and reutilized, is required. The magnesium (Mg) deoxidation assisted by the formation of oxychlorides of rare earth metals is currently considered a promising process for upgrading recycling technology, during which YOCl is formed as a byproduct. In this study, we investigate the synthesis and separation of YCl3 from YOCl via carbochlorination at 973 and 1073 K and confirmed that YCl3 can be regenerated from YOCl at a high conversion rate (82.7 pct at maximum). YCl3 was also formed even in the presence of MgCl2; however, MgCl2 decreased the conversion rate (49.8 pct at minimum). The conversion rate in the temperature region where YCl3 is a liquid (1073 K) was lower than that in the temperature region where YCl3 is a solid (973 K). Therefore, an operation with temperature cycling, in which YCl3 is formed at a temperature where YCl3 is a solid and then the temperature is increased to a temperature where YCl3 is a liquid to drain the molten mixed salt, is efficient.
Towards the Automation of Non-destructive Fault Recognition: Enhancement of Robustness and Accuracy Through AI Powered Acoustic and Thermal Signal Analysis in Time, Frequency- and Time-Frequency Domains
Authors: Brand Sebastian , Altmann Frank , Grosse Christian , Kögel Michael , Hollerith Christian , Gounet Pascal
Published: September 2024

Non-destructive inspection and analysis techniques are crucial for quality assessment and defect analysis in various industries. They enable for screening and monitoring of parts and products without alteration or impact, facilitating the exploration of material interactions and defect formation. With increasing complexity in microelectronic technologies, high reliability, robustness and thus, successful failure analysis is essential. Machine learning (ML) approaches have been developed and evaluated for the analysis of acoustic echo signals and time-resolved thermal responses for assessing their ability for defect detection. In the present paper different ML architectures were evaluated, including 1D and 2D convolutional neural networks (CNNs) after transforming time domain data into the spectral- and wavelet domains. Results showed that 2D CNNs processing data in wavelet domain representation performed best, however at the expense of additional computational effort. Furthermore, ML-based analysis was explored for lock-in thermography to detect and locate defects in the axial dimension based on thermal emissions. While promising, further research is needed to fully realize its potential.
Liver fibrosis is closely linked with metabolic-associated diseases in patients with autoimmune hepatitis
Authors: Liu Kehui , Feng Mingyang , Chi Wanqing , Cao Zhujun , Wang Xiaoyin , Ding Yezhou , Zhao Gangde , Li Ziqiang , Lin Lanyi , Bao Shisan , Wang Hui
Published: September 2024

Background

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the impact of metabolic-associated diseases (MADs) on patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH).

Methods

The study analyzed the clinical characteristics of 283 AIH patients who underwent liver biopsy between January 2016 and February 2022 in Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai, China.

Results

Among the identified AIH patients (n = 283), 87.3%, 23.0%, or 43.1% had MADs, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), or severe fibrosis, respectively. The proportion of diabetes mellitus (DM) was significantly higher in patients with severe liver fibrosis than in those with mild or moderate fibrosis in the AIH cohort (31.1% vs. 18.0%, p < 0.05). Fibrosis was also more severe in patients with NAFLD than in those without (53.8% vs. 39.9%, p < 0.05). Age, Plts, IgG and the presence with MADs were identified as independent predictors of the severity of inflammation in AIH patients. Moreover, severe liver fibrosis (stages 3 to 4) was independently associated with male (OR, 2.855; p = 0.025), γ-GT (OR, 0.997; p = 0.007), and combination with MADs (OR, 4.917; p = 0.006). Furthermore, combination with DM was also an independent predictor of severe liver fibrosis in AIH patients (OR, 2.445, p = 0.038).

Conclusions

Concurrent MADs, common in AIH patients, is an independent risk factor for severe fibrosis or inflammation; of note, combination with DM was also an independent predictor of severe liver fibrosis in AIH patients. While managing with AIH, routine assessment of co-existing MADs, especially DM, is also important.
Assessing Inter-yarn Frictional Behavior of Jute Fabrics Impregnated with Corn Flour Particles-Based Shear Thickening Fluids
Authors: Chamola Rahul , Das Subhankar , Nautiyal Rishi Dev , Kumar Kaushal , Goyat M. S. , Mishra Yogendra Kumar
Published: September 2024

Recently naturally driven fabrics are gaining more attention to develop impact-resistive fabrics due to their cost-effectiveness and environment-friendly nature. The effectiveness of jute fabrics becomes more prominent when used with shear thickening fluids (STFs). The present study is focused on the assessment of inter-yarn frictional behavior of jute fabrics impregnated with natural corn flour particles-based STFs. The varying amount of corn flour particles of 10 and 13 µm were blended with deionized water, glycerol, and polyethylene glycol (PEG-400) to synthesize STFs. To the best of our knowledge, first time the stability and rheological performance of corn flour particles-based STFs under varying shear rates in different dispersion mediums have been investigated. The peak viscosity of STF consisting 50% particles (10 µm) in glycerol was found significantly higher compared to the STF consisting same size and concentration of particles with deionized water. The yarn pull-out test was conducted to evaluate the materials’ inter-yarn frictional resistance behavior. The maximum pulling force was observed for jute fabric impregnated with glycerol-based STF. Thus, the developed STFs can be vital for developing better impact-resistive fabrics.
The prevalence of disability in older adults with multimorbidity: a meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Jin , Sun Yan , Li Aiying
Published: September 2024

Background

Disability is typically correlated with lower quality of life and decreased capacity for self-care. It has been demonstrated that multimorbidity is closely linked to a variety of unfavorable events, such as disability. Researchers are still figuring out how and to what extent co-morbidities impact disability, though. In order to fill up this gap, this study examines the prevalence and contributing variables of disability in older patients who have multimorbidity.

Methods

We conducted a systematic search of Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, and CINAL databases for articles from their inception until September 2023. We selected co-morbid older adults aged > 60 years and used the ADL scale or any scale that assesses disability as an assessment tool. We excluded literature that did not meet the criteria, and literature that could not be included in the data we needed. We extracted data from the included literature and calculated synthetic prevalence rates, ORs, and 95% confidence intervals.

Results

A total of 32 papers (71,135 older adults) were included in the study. The prevalence of disability among older patients with multimorbidity was around 34.9% (95% CI = 25.8-43.9%). Subgroup analysis showed higher rates of disability among comorbidities who were older, female, unmarried, and long-term users of health services. And the incidence of disability increased each year. Meanwhile, the regions of the United States, China, and Spain showed higher rates of disability.

Conclusions

Disability rates in older patients with multimorbidity are higher, thus it’s critical to focus on risk factors while fully accounting for regional variances.
Personal Circumstances Preceding Firearm Suicide Death Among Black Adults in the United States
Authors: Goldstein Evan V.
Published: September 2024

Despite an alarming rise in firearm suicide rates within Black communities, there has been little research on the contributors that precede firearm suicide deaths among Black adults. To fill this knowledge gap, this study was guided by an overarching research question: What are the recurring and salient personal circumstances experienced by Black adults prior to dying by firearm suicide in the US? This basic, interpretive qualitative study analyzed narrative text data for 843 Black adult firearm suicide decedents from the National Violent Death Reporting System. The analysis began with an initial cycle of open coding, followed by a second coding cycle, organizing the circumstances into major categories using a focused coding process. The analysis then moved back and forth between description and interpretation, and major themes were developed. Five themes emerged from this analysis: (1) Decedents often experienced poor health prior to death — but not always poor mental health. (2) Romantic relationships were often deteriorating, leading to frequent interpersonal arguments. (3) Alcohol and substance use were common before a suicide attempt. (4) Decedents frequently experienced financial and legal difficulties prior to death. (5) Decedents had many pathways to accessing firearms, and limiting firearm availability before death was challenging. Additional research on potential intervention pathways will be critical, given recent evidence indicating dramatic increases in firearm ownership among Black adults over the past 5 years.
From Tutor to Future Educator: Investigating the Role of Peer-Peer Tutoring in Shaping Careers in Medical Education
Authors: Stokes Lauren , Singh Harinder
Published: September 2024

In the effort to promote academic excellence and provide teaching experiences and training for medical students, the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine (UCISOM) built a novel peer tutoring program (2020), Collaborative Learning Communities with Medical Students as Teachers (CLC-MSAT). While the role of peer-assisted learning in student success on academic courses is well established, we wanted to assess the impact of our UCISOM peer-assisted learning program on tutors’ career interest in medical education. Through a mixed-methods analysis of our peer tutors’ experiences, we found 100% were overall satisfied with their positions; > 85% learned new skills; > 88% felt they were strong teachers; > 88% felt they now had a stronger grasp of the medical curriculum and most importantly, 100% of students maintained their interest and aspirations to serve in a future medical educator role after participating as a tutor. Additionally, we found a statistically significant relationship between tutors’ intentions of exploring a career in academic medicine after serving in the CLC program. Our findings suggest that our tutoring program has had a positive impact in providing authentic teaching experiences and training to medical students early in their careers at UCISOM, which may help prepare the next generation of qualified academic clinicians.
Cybergrooming Victimization Among Young People: A Systematic Review of Prevalence Rates, Risk Factors, and Outcomes
Authors: Schittenhelm Catherine , Kops Maxime , Moosburner Maeve , Fischer Saskia M. , Wachs Sebastian
Published: September 2024

Adolescence is marked by a unique blend of factors, including adolescents’ exploration of their emerging sexuality and growing engagement with digital media. As adolescents increasingly navigate online spaces, cybergrooming victimization has emerged as a significant concern for the development and protection of young people. Yet, there is a lack of systematic analyses of the current state of research. To this end, the present systematic review aimed to integrate existing quantitative research on prevalence rates, risk factors, and outcomes of cybergrooming victimization, informed by an adaptation of the General Aggression Model. Studies providing self-reported data on cybergrooming victimization of people between the ages of 5 and 21 were included. A total of 34 studies met all inclusion criteria, with most focusing on adolescence. Reported prevalence rates were characterized by strong heterogeneity, which could largely be attributed to the underlying methodology. Overall, the included studies showed that at least one in ten young people experiences cybergrooming victimization. Findings further indicated that various factors, for example, being a girl, being older, engaging in risky behavior, displaying problematic Internet use, reporting lower mental well-being, and experiencing other types of victimization, are positively associated with cybergrooming victimization. However, most studies’ cross-sectional designs did not allow for an evidence-based classification into risk factors, outcomes, and co-occurrences, so findings were embedded in the proposed model based on theoretical considerations. In addition, there is a noted lack of studies that include diverse samples, particularly younger children, LGBTQIA+ youth, and young people with special educational needs. These findings emphasize that cybergrooming victimization is a prevalent phenomenon among young people that requires prevention and victim support addressing multiple domains.
Unlocking the potential of low-melting-point alloys integrated extrusion additive manufacturing: insights into mechanical behavior, energy absorption, and electrical conductivity
Authors: Jin Liuchao , Zhai Xiaoya , Zhang Kang , Jiang Jingchao
Published: September 2024

Additive manufacturing is a commonly used manufacturing method in complex part fabrication, instant assemblies, part consolidation, mass customization and personalization, on-demand manufacturing, lightweight, and topological optimization due to its advantage of lower costs, flexibility to learn and use, reduced raw material wastage, digital design integration, high efficiency, environmental-friendliness. However, the current metal 3D printing, which is mainly fabricated layer by layer using laser, is expensive to manufacture metal parts. Therefore, in this paper, a low-cost high-quality metal manufacturing process called low-melting-point alloys (LMPAs) integrated extrusion additive manufacturing will be examined. This manufacturing process can fabricate complex metal structures and integrated circuits with simple fused deposition modeling, which is a cost-effective method for producing these objects. LMPAs with different melting points are used for performance comparison to find out the optimized mechanical behavior, energy absorption properties, and electrical conductivity. Our investigation into LMPAs integrated extrusion additive manufacturing has revealed significant findings. Tensile tests conducted on LMPAs with varying melting points have illuminated distinct mechanical behaviors. Notably, lower melting points contribute to increased ductility but reduced stiffness, while higher melting points result in greater stiffness but diminished ductility. These results emphasize the importance of tailoring LMPA selection based on specific application requirements. Furthermore, our examination of lattice and triply periodic minimal surface structures has demonstrated consistent energy absorption properties across different manufacturing temperatures, highlighting the adaptability and versatility of LMPAs for energy absorption applications. Additionally, our electrical conductivity assessments have shown that LMPAs with melting points of $${{47}^{\circ }C}$$

47

∘

C

and $${{120}^{\circ }}\hbox {C}$$

120

∘

C

exhibit higher electrical conductivity, making them suitable for applications requiring good electrical conduction properties. These findings collectively underscore the significance of LMPAs in additive manufacturing, offering valuable insights for material selection and applications in various domains.
Additive manufacturing of flexible thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU): enhancing the material elongation through process optimisation
Authors: Marco Viccica , Massimo Giordano , Manuela Galati
Published: September 2024

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is used to produce elastomeric parts with superior wear/abrasion resistance, toughness, shock absorption properties, and flexibility, even at low temperatures. The production of this material through additive manufacturing (AM) techniques has been increasing because of the possibility of tuning the mechanical properties using structural design and build process parameters. Despite the data being limited, TPU produced by AM, mainly based on material extrusion, is much stiffer than the corresponding produced by conventional manufacturing, and, therefore, it shows a limited elongation. This study presents the mechanical characterization of TPU produced by the infrared light powder bed fusion (PBF-IrL) system (HP multi-jet fusion), which has recently been introduced. The properties are compared with TPU produced by open (3ntrA4) and closed (Markforged) material extrusion (MEX) systems. For the open FDM, the effects of the processing conditions are investigated to improve the material elongation and UTS with respect to the data reported in the literature for AM and conventional manufacturing. For this reason, an extensive and comprehensive review has been carried out. Compared to material extrusion, PBF-IrL TPU specimens showed higher Young’s modulus, but poorer A%. Considering the samples produced by MEX and compared to previous results in the literature, the properties obtained in this study are superior both in terms of UTS and A%.
Theorem of the alternative for a system of mappings in generalized complete metric spaces
Authors: Khantwal Deepak
Published: September 2024

The aim of the paper is to establish some theorems of the alternative for a system of mappings in generalized complete metric spaces. Our results extend and generalize the well-known results of Daiz and Margolis (Bull Am Math Soc 74:305–309, 1968), Matkowski (Bull Acad Polon Sci Sér Sci Math Astron Phys 21:323–324, 1973), Jleli and Samet (J Inequal Appl 38:8, 2014), and many others. We also present some illustrative examples to validate our results.
Projected Changes in Rainfall Extremes over West African Cities Under Specific Global Warming Levels Using CORDEX and NEX-GDDP Datasets
Authors: Klutse Nana Ama Browne , Abiodun Babatunde J. , Quagraine Kwesi A. , Nkrumah Francis , Abaton Abayomi A. , Adekoke Jimmy , Sylla Mouhamadou Bamba , Berkoh-Oforiwaa Rebecca , Koffi Hubert A. , Essien Patrick
Published: September 2024

We analyze long-term extreme events in daily precipitation for the period of 1950–2005 and future projections from 2006 to 2100 based on representative concentration pathways (RCP8.5) over West Africa, including twelve major cities of the subregion. The study uses two datasets from the Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiments (CORDEX) and NASA Earth eXchange Global Daily Downscaled Projections (NEX–GDDP), for their potential to simulate extreme rainfall characteristics over West Africa. CORDEX datasets are dynamically downscaled from 9 General Circulation Model (GCM) and the NEX-GDDP is statistically downscaled from 21 GCM simulations from CMIP5. The ensemble members of each dataset were used for the analysis and evaluated with eight observations. The projected changes in the rainfall indices were analyzed at four Global Warming Levels (GWLs) under the RCP8.5 climate-forcing scenario. The projections from the CORDEX and NEX-GDDP ensembles were compared. Self-Organizing Map (SOM) analysis was used to classify the projected changes from the simulations into twelve groups, based on their characteristics. Both CORDEX and NEX-GDDP models perform well in simulating the frequency and intensities of daily rainfall characteristics for important parts of the domain. However, substantial differences exist between the models and their relative performance varies with the indices. In all cases, NEX-GDDP outperforms CORDEX in stimulating the extreme indices. On the projections, CORDEX showed a wider spread than the NEX–GDDP for RTOT and vice versa for R97.5pTOT for all the GWLs.
Influence of Protected Areas in the Carbon Cycle: A Machine Learning Approach for Future Forecasting
Authors: Lago-González Pedro , Acuña Alonso Carolina , Álvarez Xana
Published: September 2024

Protected Areas (PAs) are destined to the conservation of natural resources, whose quantity and quality are menaced by Climate Change and anthropogenic pressure. The objective of this research was to quantify and forecast the Carbon Absorption of PAs, attending these factors. We used the Net Primary Productivity (NPP) and implemented machine learning algorithms, as Random Forests (RF), Gradient Boosting Trees (GBT), and Multilayer Perceptrons (MLPNN), to forecast it in four differentiated PAs of Galicia (NW Spain): the Central Massif, the Sil Canyons, Fragas do Eume, and the Tambre River. Two testing stages were carried, one in the areas where the model was trained, and another in the whole territory. Finally, we set several scenarios based on projections SSP2-4.5 and SSP 5-8.5 in and land use changes. GBT was the most accurate algorithm, with a Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) of 0.05 kgC/m2 (5.7% of the average NPP) and correlation of 0.9. RF obtained an error of 0.07 and correlation of 80%, and MLPNN 0.06 and 86%, respectively. The GBT obtained a RMSE of 0.04 kgC/m2 and R2 of 0.95 in the first test. These results were worsened in the second test, with an RMSE of 0.09 kgC/m2 and 71% of correlation. For the SSP2-4.5 scenarios, a decrease around 7% can be expected, barely influenced by the land use. On the other hand, the SSP5-8.5 is expected to record a decrease of 5% in the NPP, with no significant differences between the land uses, but with a significant trend. All the pilot sites stick to this trend, except for the Tambre River, which was forecasted to record a slight increase of the NPP (~ 3%). The prediction and analysis of future scenarios can help the management of the territory, focusing on the mitigation of the effects of Climate Change in PAs.

Graphical Abstract
Characterisation of the complete chloroplast genome of Solanum tuberosum cv. White Lady
Authors: Frank Krisztián , Nagy Erzsébet , Taller János , Wolf István , Polgár Zsolt
Published: September 2024

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is considered worldwide as one of the most important non-cereal food crops. As a result of its adaptability and worldwide production area, potato displays a vast phenotypical variability as well as genomic diversity. Chloroplast genomes have long been a core issue in plant molecular evolution and phylogenetic studies, and have an important role in revealing photosynthetic mechanisms, metabolic regulations and the adaptive evolution of plants. We sequenced the complete chloroplast genome of the Hungarian cultivar White Lady, which is 155 549 base pairs (bp) in length and is characterised by the typical quadripartite structure composed of a large- and small single-copy region (85 991 bp and 18 374 bp, respectively) interspersed by two identical inverted repeats (25 592 bp). The genome consists of 127 genes of which 82 are protein-coding, eight are ribosomal RNAs and 37 are transfer RNAs. The overall gene content and distribution of the genes on the White Lady chloroplast was the same as found in other potato chloroplasts. The alignment of S. tuberosum chloroplast genome sequences resulted in a highly resolved tree, with 10 out of the 13 nodes recovered having bootstrap values over 90%. By comparing the White Lady chloroplast genome with available S. tuberosum sequences we found that gene content and synteny are highly conserved. The new chloroplast sequence can support further studies of genetic diversity, resource conservation, evolution and applied agricultural research. The new sequence can support further potato genetic diversity and evolutionary studies, resource conservation, and also applied agricultural research.