bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing Machine Learning and Statistical Methods for Rock Glacier‐Based Permafrost Distribution in Northern Kargil Region
Authors: Mahanta Kirti Kumar , Pradhan Ipshita Priyadarsini , Gupta Sharad Kumar , Shukla Dericks Praise
Published: June 2024

Estimating permafrost distribution in high‐mountain areas is challenging. In these situations, rock glaciers, provide valuable insights into permafrost distribution and are often used as proxies for identifying permafrost occurrence. Integrating various climatological and topographical conditioning factors with rock glaciers enables inferring the distribution of permafrost in these environments. This study utilized three machine learning models such as random forest (RF), support vector (SVM), and artificial neural network (ANN), and one statistical model, namely, the frequency ratio (FR), to assess the permafrost probability over the northern Kargil region of Indian Himalayas. Among 198 rock glaciers identified through high‐resolution images from Google Earth, 70% are used as training dataset, rest 30% as testing dataset. The study considered eight factors: slope, aspect, elevation, curvature, mean annual land surface temperature (MA‐LST), mean annual normalized difference snow index (MA‐NDSI), mean annual normalized difference water index (MA‐NDWI), and lithology for mapping. Furthermore, the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) test assessed the variable importance for model performance. The results revealed that the RF model performs best for permafrost probability mapping, followed by the SVM, FR, and ANN models. The study also found that 11% of the total geographic area has a high and very high probability of permafrost occurrence.
Notoginsenoside R1 decreases intraplaque neovascularization by governing pericyte‐endothelial cell communication via Ang1/Tie2 axis in atherosclerosis
Authors: Li Yuan , Zhang Lei , Yang Wenqing , Lin Lin , Pan Jinyuan , Lu Mengkai , Zhang Zhiyuan , Li Yunlun , Li Chao
Published: June 2024

Atherosclerosis represents the major cause of mortality worldwide and triggers higher risk of acute cardiovascular events. Pericytes‐endothelial cells (ECs) communication is orchestrated by ligand‐receptor interaction generating a microenvironment which results in intraplaque neovascularization, that is closely associated with atherosclerotic plaque instability. Notoginsenoside R1 (R1) exhibits anti‐atherosclerotic bioactivity, but its effect on angiogenesis in atherosclerotic plaque remains elusive. The aim of our study is to explore the therapeutic effect of R1 on vulnerable plaque and investigate its potential mechanism against intraplaque neovascularization. The impacts of R1 on plaque stability and intraplaque neovascularization were assessed in ApoE−/− mice induced by high‐fat diet. Pericytes‐ECs direct or non‐direct contact co‐cultured with VEGF‐A stimulation were used as the in vitro angiogenesis models. Overexpressing Ang1 in pericytes was performed to investigate the underlying mechanism. In vivo experiments, R1 treatment reversed atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability and decreased the presence of neovessels in ApoE−/− mice. Additionally, R1 reduced the expression of Ang1 in pericytes. In vitro experiments demonstrated that R1 suppressed pro‐angiogenic behavior of ECs induced by pericytes cultured with VEGF‐A. Mechanistic studies revealed that the anti‐angiogenic effect of R1 was dependent on the inhibition of Ang1 and Tie2 expression, as the effects were partially reversed after Ang1 overexpressing in pericytes. Our study demonstrated that R1 treatment inhibited intraplaque neovascularization by governing pericyte‐EC association via suppressing Ang1‐Tie2/PI3K‐AKT paracrine signaling pathway. R1 represents a novel therapeutic strategy for atherosclerotic vulnerable plaques in clinical application.
Geometric tracking control of a multi‐rotor UAV for partially known trajectories
Authors: Kumar Yogesh , Roy S. B. , Sujit P. B.
Published: June 2024

This article presents a trajectory‐tracking controller for multi‐rotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in scenarios where only the desired position and heading are known without the higher‐order derivatives. The proposed solution modifies the state‐of‐the‐art geometric controller, effectively addressing challenges related to the non‐existence of the desired attitude and ensuring positive total thrust input for all time. We tackle the additional challenge of the non‐availability of the higher derivatives of the trajectory by introducing novel nonlinear filter structures. We formalize theoretically the effect of these filter structures on the system error dynamics. Subsequently, through a rigorous theoretical analysis, we demonstrate that the proposed controller leads to uniformly ultimately bounded system error dynamics. To demonstrate the controller's effectiveness and potential to enhance multi‐rotor performance and reliability in practical applications, we present a simulation study considering two examples with time‐varying trajectories.
Multilingual learners’ exposure to science and language inputs in elementary school: ¿Qué sabemos?
Authors: Boza Lelydeyvis , Chris Curran F. , Harris‐Walls Katharine , Tan Tiffany S. , Deig Amber , Pacheco Mark B.
Published: June 2024

As linguistic diversity continues to increase in the United States public school system, schools are expected to meet the needs of their ever‐changing student body. While much attention within education research has understandably focused on multilingual learners’ (MLs) English language acquisition, an emergent body of work points to science as an important subject for attention among elementary MLs. We suggest that understanding what science and language inputs are afforded to MLs in schools can contribute to understanding the needs and opportunities for enhancing MLs’ science learning. This study leveraged nationally representative data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study of 2010–2011 to explore the science and language inputs available to MLs in elementary school. Using descriptive statistics, our analysis of science and language inputs provides evidence on what MLs have, or do not have, access to inside of their schools. Science inputs appear to be relatively evenly distributed across classrooms serving non‐MLs, MLs, and subgroups therein. In comparison, language inputs are differentially distributed across ML subgroups, but they are distributed in ways that may align with student needs. However, while the science inputs do not necessarily vary across subgroups, the language inputs do, and this may affect how students can engage with science inputs. In understanding what science and language inputs MLs are afforded, this study provides a foundation for how to improve formal learning environments for them, especially regarding science learning.
Facile Fabrication of Hydroxyapatite and Bentonite Encapsulated Biopolymeric Hybrid Composites for Selective Removal of Methylene Blue
Authors: Sathiyajothi Vellaiyapillai , Viswanathan Natrayasamy , Naushad Mu.
Published: June 2024

Dyeing industries release their hazardous dyeing effluents into the environment which affects the human health and ecosystem. Hence, the removal of dye from waste‐water is mandatory one. In this present study, focus on the fabrication of bio‐clay‐ceramic hybrid composites by dispersing bentonite (BT) clay and ceramic hydroxyapatite (HA) into alginate (Alg) and gelatin (Gel) polymeric matrixes by in‐situ method which gives BTHAAlg and BTHAGel hybrid composites for methylene blue (MB) removal. The various adsorption influencing parameters such as shaking time, adsorbent dosage, pH and initial MB concentration were optimized under batch method. The highest MB adsorption capacities of BTHAAlg and BTHAGel composites were found to be 43.70 and 47.50 mg/g respectively with optimized conditions of 100 mg/L of initial MB concentration, 40 min shaking time and 0.1 g dosages. In pH studies, the high MB adsorption capacity of bio‐clay‐ceramic composites were noticed at pH 11. The characterization techniques like FTIR, SEM and EDAX analysis were performed to find the physico‐chemical properties of bio‐clay‐ceramic composites. The equilibrium data of hybrid composites towards MB adsorption was well fitted with Langmuir isotherm model than D‐R and Fruendlich models because of higher r and low sd values. The negative values of ▵Go at three different temperatures (303, 313 and 323 K) indicate that the spontaneous nature of MB adsorption, while positive values of ΔHo and ΔSo revealed that the MB adsorption onto hybrid composites was endothermic in nature and more randomness occurred at solid/liquid interfaces. In kinetic studies, the MB adsorption onto hybrid composites was well fitted with pseudo‐second‐order and intra‐particle diffusion models. The electrostatic attraction and hydrogen bonding plays a dominant role in MB adsorption onto BTHAAlg and BTHAGel bio‐clay‐ceramic composites. The regeneration studies proposed that the hybrid composites can be reusable upto five cycles. Hence, the developed bio‐clay‐ceramic hybrid composites were act as best adsorbents for MB removal.
Imidazo[1,2‐a]Quinoxaline‐2‐Carbonitrile Derivative (RA‐22) Inhibits Self‐Renewal and Growth of Cancer Stem and Cancer Cells via Downregulating AKT Pathway
Authors: Kumar Pramit , Prasad Yadav Umesh , Joshi Gaurav , Arora Sahil , Kumar Manvendra , Chatterjee Joydeep , Chandra Vikas , Singh Sandeep , Kumar Raj , Kumar Santosh
Published: June 2024

EGFR activation in colorectal and breast cancer stimulates downstream pathways like Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK and PI3 K/Akt, fostering cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and therapy resistance, underscoring its significance as a therapeutic target in both cancers. In the present work, we rationally designed (E)‐4‐methyl‐1‐((3‐oxo‐1‐phenylbutyl)amino)‐4‐styryl‐4,5‐dihydroimidazo[1,2‐a]quinoxaline‐2‐carbonitrile (RA‐22) as EGFR inhibitor. Our research investigates the role of RA‐22 as a target molecule for EGFR, exploring its anticancer potential and mechanism of action across breast cancer and colorectal cancer cell lines. The in‐vitro studies showed its cytotoxic response towards MDA‐MB‐231 and HCT‐116 and its inhibitory effect on cancer stem cells in mammosphere/spheroid culture. The compound downregulates the oncogenic signalling proteins like STAT‐3, AKT, PAN‐AKT, and ERK and also reduces the expression of the anti‐apoptotic protein Bcl‐2 and increases the apoptotic proteins like Cleaved‐PARP, Cleaved‐Caspase‐3, and Cleaved‐Caspase‐9.
Synthesis and in vitro Antiproliferative Evaluation and Molecular Docking Studies of Novel Chalcone‐Phosphonates Derivatives as Anticancer Agents
Authors: Mishra Shweta , Verma Ekta , Debnath Biplab , Chawla Amit , Shama Khandige Prasanna , Saxena Bhagawati , Sahoo Nityananda , Jana Pradeep
Published: June 2024

Based on the wide range of pharmacological aspects related to organophosphates, a new type of chalcone‐phosphonate containing derivatives were synthesized by the reaction of dialkyl phosphite and substituted chalcones using anhydrous Mg(ClO4)2 at 80 °C under solvent‐free conditions. The resulting compounds were evaluated for anti‐proliferative activity in vitro against a panel of three human cancer cell lines: MCF7, HeLa, and A549 cell lines. Compound 3 l, 3 m, and 3 p exhibited anti‐proliferative activity against MCF7 and HeLa, with IC50 values of 1.12 μM, 1.63 μM, 1.09 μM and 1.29 μM, 1.44 μM, 2.40 μM respectively. The molecular docking study showed that the synthesized derivatives have good binding ability in the active site of the Vaccinia H1‐related (VHR) phosphatase (PDB: 3F81), PI3‐ kinase (PDB: 3R7Q), androgen receptor (PDB: 3V49) and VEGFR2 kinase (PDB: 3VHE). Finally, in silico pharmacokinetic (ADME) and toxicity studies revealed that compounds have the drug‐like feature for the favourable bioavailability. In conclusion, this work confirmed the potency of chalcone‐phosphonates derivatives for the further optimization of potential anti‐ proliferative agents.
Yttrium Silicate‐Coated Carbon Fiber Reinforced Phenolic Aerogel‐like Composites with Low Density and Low Ablation
Authors: Sun Jin , Wang Shuang , Huang Jie , Huang Haiming , Yao Jun
Published: June 2024

The evolution of hypersonic vehicles has raised higher requirements for thermal protection materials, which have become the focus of research on how to meet the lightweight and less ablative. Herein, a yttrium silicate‐coated carbon fiber felts (YS‐CFs) reinforced phenolic aerogel‐like (PR) composites were prepared. The YS‐CFs/PR with the addition of 12 % hexamethylenetetramine exhibited low density (0.540 g/cm3), low thermal conductivity (0.145 W/(m⋅K)), and good thermal stability. Specifically, under an oxyacetylene flame examination with 2.44 MW/m2 heated for 120 s, its mass ablation rates (9.833 mg/s) and line ablation rates (5 μm/s) were decreased by 40.8 % and 32.6 %, respectively, compared to others. The results show that the composites with these combined properties can meet the requirements for thermal protection materials in the field of hypersonic vehicles.
Review On Strategies For the Design and Synthesis of Flower‐Like Bi2WO6 and BiOX (X=F, Cl, Br, I) Composites for Photocatalytic Environmental Remediation
Authors: Deshmukh Shubham Avinash , Suresh Selvaraj , Bhuse Darpan Vijaykumar , Raut Subodh Uttamrao , Reddy M. Vijaya Bhaskar , Ravichandran S.
Published: June 2024

In latest events, water pollution has posed an immense threat, and its sustainable treatment is a topic of concern. Among myriad of water treatment, research community has lensed towards sustainable heterogeneous photocatalysis especially, inorganic semiconductors. Bismuth tungstate a pristine Aurivillius compound with unique crystal structure, exceptional photochemical stability, and strong redox abilities but minimum visible light absorption and quick carrier recombination are its caveats, these caveats are circumvented by synthesizing BiOX (X=F, Cl, Br and I) composites with surface modifiers, doping with hetero atoms (metals and non‐metals), construction of the heterojunction and amalgamation of carbon materials. The heart of this review is strategic engineering of flower‐like morphology photocatalyst synthesis and optical properties, it also discusses the charge transfer kinetics, photocatalytic performance, and durability. The flower‐like morphology highlighted in this review is due to its ability to harvest light, providing larger specific surface area which introduces more active sites and efficient excitons generation. The comprehensive tabulated data in this review will help the actively engaged research community in Bismuth heterogenous photocatalysis. It also sheds light on the future view of environmental remediation via photocatalytic developments.
Nitration of Derivatives of Imidazo[1,5‐a]pyridine via C−H Functionalization with Fe(NO3)3 ⋅ 9H2O as a Promoter and a Nitro Source
Authors: Yang Xiaohan , Wang Biqin , Zhang Qian , Szekely Aron , Wu Mengxiang , Li Yahong
Published: June 2024

An additive‐free, mild, and regioselective C(1)−H nitration of imidazo[1,5‐a]pyridine derivatives was developed. This protocol features the use of easily handled, commercially available, and nontoxic Fe(NO3)3 ⋅ 9H2O both as a nitration source and as a promoter, exhibits good functional group compatibility, and generates the desired nitrated products in acceptable to excellent yields. Mechanistic studies proposed that the nitration reaction may involve a radical C−H functionalization process.
Enhanced Photoelectrocatalytic Activity of CuO/CuNb2O6 Heterojunction Photocathodes for Efficient Solar Water Splitting
Authors: Li Zhixue , Lin Zeze , Zhang Yuheng , Hu Junhua , Song Angang
Published: June 2024

CuNb2O6 (CNO), a novel ternary metal oxide, has garnered much attention since it has a modest bandgap and potentially high current density. However, the reported photocurrent density so far is still much lower than the theoretical value. In this study, a CuO/CNO photoelectrode heterojunction was synthesized for the first time by using a solution‐based spray pyrolysis method. The properties of the heterojunction were investigated through various characterization techniques, including Mott‐Schottky analysis, time‐resolved photoluminescence, surface photovoltage analysis, chopper linear sweep voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The optimized maximum photocurrent density of the CuO/CNO heterojunction was ~0.75 mA/cm2 at 0.4 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), which is 2.8 times higher compared to the bare CNO photocathode. The improvement is attributed to the enhanced transport properties of charge carriers and promoted better separation of photo‐generated electrons and holes in the photoelectrode by the heterostructure. By the generation of heterojunctions, this work provides a new foundation for the design and construction of photocathodes with high charge separation efficiencies. This is also useful for future studies on water decomposition using heterojunctions as photoelectrode materials.
A Polymer‐Functionalized GO Composite Prepared through Pickering Emulsion Polymerization for Selective Removal of Zr from Acidic Solutions
Authors: Vignesh Murugesan Veera , Suneesh Asokan Sudha , Selvan Balakrishnan Robert , Jain Ashish , Madapu Kishore Kumar , Ramanathan Nagarajan
Published: June 2024

For the selective removal of Zr from PUREX originated acidic aqueous waste of metallic fuel, an adsorbent based on graphene oxide (GO)‐polystyrene composite functionalized with amide functional group was developed. Improved Hummers’ oxidation of graphite powder was utilized to produce GO and the amide moiety was linked to GO via chemical functionalization. The amide modified GO was converted to GO‐polystyrene composite microspheres through pickering emulsion assisted route. FT‐IR, XRD and SEM analyses were employed to characterize the composite adsorbent. The adsorption behavior of Zr was examined under varying experimental conditions. Adsorption was modeled using several adsorption and kinetic models. The Zr adsorption capacity calculated based on the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and Pseudo‐first‐order models exhibited a close agreement. Adsorption studies using simulated U‐Pu‐Zr originated PUREX aqueous waste signifies the superior Zr‐adsorption capacity (~50 mg g−1), even in the presence of other possible interfering elements present in SHLLW.
Efficient Nebulization and Pulmonary Biodistribution of Polymeric Nanocarriers in an Acute Lung Injury Preclinical Model
Authors: Solé‐Porta Anna , Areny‐Balagueró Aina , Camprubí‐Rimblas Marta , Fernández Fernández Elena , O’Sullivan Andrew , Giannoccari Rossella , MacLoughlin Ronan , Closa Daniel , Artigas Antonio , Roig Anna
Published: June 2024

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a clinical syndrome characterized by acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. Pneumonia and sepsis are the most common causes, turning ARDS into a critical public health problem. Despite recent advances in pharmacological strategies, clinical trials have not demonstrated a reduction in ARDS‐associated mortality. This is in part connected to the singularity of the pulmonary physiological barrier, which hampers drug delivery, specifically at distal areas. To this aim, the use of polymeric nanocarriers as a platform for the efficient delivery of therapeutics to the lungs by nebulization is introduced. Herein, poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanocapsules (NCs) loaded with human serum albumin, as an inhalable nanotherapeutic are prepared. The production of stable NCs aerosols in the inhalable range is achieved using a commercial device, while the nanocarrier's physicochemical parameters are only minimally altered after nebulization. Importantly, in vivo studies with healthy and acute lung injury animals show that after inhalation, the NCs are homogeneously distributed throughout the lungs, arriving at the distal areas. The NCs are internalized by alveolar type II cells, avoiding macrophage‐mediated lung clearance. These features make the PLGA NCs excellent vehicles for noninvasive pulmonary delivery, facilitating a ready‐to‐be‐used nanomedicine.
enCloud: Aspect‐oriented trusted service migration on SGX‐enabled cloud VM
Authors: Yoo Seehwan , Kim Youngpil , Park Hyunchan , Hwang Jaehyun , Kim Kitak
Published: June 2024

This paper presents enCloud, a new aspect‐oriented trusted service migration with SGX‐enabled cloud VM. Addressing the challenge of reconciling end‐to‐end security with VM migration, enCloud incorporates two key aspects: (1) end‐to‐end security for enclave context migration, and (2) VM abstraction for conventional VM context migration. This paper provides a practical guideline with applicable APIs for trusted service migration. In a case study, enCloud demonstrates effective trusted DB service migration on a cloud VM, achieving end‐to‐end security with minimal trust boundaries. The framework supports pre‐copy live VM migration to minimize service downtime. This paper contributes a concise and practical solution in the form of the enCloud framework for secure service migration.
Detection of Covid‐19 disease by using privacy‐aware artificial intelligence system
Authors: Ismetoglu Abdullah , Canbay Yavuz
Published: June 2024

Covid‐19 is a highly infectious respiratory disease that spreads quickly between individuals and has been recognized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Chest x‐ray images, lung computed tomography images, and polymerase chain reaction tests are generally used to diagnose this disease by the doctors. Nevertheless, manual diagnosis of Covid‐19 disease is laborious and requires highly experienced professionals. Therefore, automated systems are always needed to assist doctors in their diagnostic decisions. In the field of medicine and healthcare, artificial intelligence and deep learning currently offer incredibly effective and rapid automatic decision‐support systems. Since sensitive data is used to diagnose Covid‐19, privacy has become a major concern in research that uses artificial intelligence and deep learning. In order to eliminate these issues, this paper proposes a novel deep learning model that privately detects Covid‐19 disease. The proposed model utilizes differential privacy technique to provide data privacy and convolutional neural network to diagnose Covid‐19 disease. The performance of the proposed model was evaluated through experiments conducted on five different datasets, resulting a maximum accuracy rate of 97%.
Unpacking Stimuli and Barriers to Internationalization Across Export Stages: The Case of Spanish Wine Firms in China
Authors: Jiménez‐Asenjo Noelia , Filipescu Diana A. , Curran Louise
Published: June 2024

Firm internationalization has been analyzed from different angles based on various theories. However, qualitative research on the stability of the factors that motivate and hinder internationalization across the export stages in emerging markets is limited. This study builds on the “stages” theories of internationalization, providing a detailed analysis of the perceived stability of stimuli and barriers during the exploration, entry, and expansion stages. We focus on a sample of Spanish wine firms exporting to China—a key wine market, with annual growth rates of over 25% between 2000 and 2020. The results suggest that the perception of most barriers is stage‐dependent, varying over time as commitment levels evolve. The main stimuli, on the other hand, remain constant across the different export stages. Moreover, we find that firm size, international experience, and access to local and international networks are key factors that influence the evolution of firms' internationalization in China, while lateral rigidity continues to constrain the expansion of smaller companies. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges of doing business in an emerging market, particularly in the institutional context in China, as well as their evolution over different stages of internationalization. Furthermore, they offer insights into the dynamics of the Chinese wine market and the implications for European exporters.
Unilateral retrobulbar haemorrhage in a cat secondary to suspected anticoagulant rodenticide intoxication
Authors: Seo Daeyun , Lim Seongsoo , Namgoong Beomkwan , Choe Ahreum , Uhm Heesung , Hong Hyeajeong , Lee Nanju , Kim Isong , Kim Min‐Su
Published: June 2024

A 6‐month‐old intact female mixed‐breed kitten presented with severe exophthalmos of the left eye. Periocular lesions, including subconjunctival haemorrhage, third eyelid protrusion, and left eyelid oedema, were detected in the absence of globe retropulsion. The left intraocular pressure was increased, and ocular ultrasonography revealed ipsilateral retrobulbar fluid. Coagulation panels were markedly prolonged and severe anaemia was detected. Ultrasound‐guided retrobulbar centesis performed to decrease intraocular pressure yielded blood. Based on the history and clinical findings, anticoagulant rodenticide intoxication was suspected. Treatment included partial tarsorrhaphy and the administration of topical antibiotics, artificial tears, and vitamin K1. Fresh whole blood and fresh frozen plasma were transfused for supportive therapy. Coagulation parameters improved after 7 days of hospitalisation. The periocular lesions resolved within 14 days, despite persistent optic nerve damage and blindness. This case report raises the possibility that anticoagulant rodenticide toxicity may result in retrobulbar haemorrhage in the absence of other typical cavitary bleeding. Although uncommon, anticoagulant rodenticide toxicity should be considered in cats with retrobulbar haemorrhage.
Time to surgery after completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy does not negatively impact recurrence and survival outcomes in breast cancer patients
Authors: Bek Schin , Sultana Rehena , Du Sherry De Xuan , Tan Qing Ting
Published: June 2024

Background

The effect of time to surgery after completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and outcomes in breast cancer patients remains poorly defined. Acceptable time to surgery has frequently been arbitrarily defined as between four to eight weeks. This study aims to ascertain if time to surgery after completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy impacts disease‐free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS).

Materials and methods

This single‐institution retrospective study included patients who underwent neoadjuvant therapy and subsequent surgery from 2006 to 2017. Demographic, clinicopathological factors, and surgical data from 259 patients were analyzed. 105 patients received surgery within 28 days (group 1). 128 patients received surgery within 29–56 days (group 2), and 26 patients received surgery after 57 days or more (group 3). DFS and OS among the three groups were compared.

Results

Age, race, pre‐chemotherapy stage, tumor type, grade, hormone receptor status, Her2 status, focality, lymphovascular invasion, radiological response to chemotherapy, type of surgery, pathological response to chemotherapy, and receipt of adjuvant radiotherapy were not significantly different between the three groups. Only receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy was statistically significant (p = 0.0230). DFS and OS between the three groups were not found to be significantly different (p = 0.520 and p = 0.369, respectively).

Conclusion

Time to surgery after completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy did not appear to affect recurrence or survival outcomes. Findings from this study may allow more flexibility and reduce the burden of scheduling patients for surgery within the usual four‐to‐eight‐week window in centers with resource and scheduling constraints.
Priorities and Distribution in Care
Authors: Werner Gijsbert D. A. , van Riel Arthur , Gijsberts Mérove I. L. , de Visser Marianne
Published: June 2024

In the third part of this report we look at choices with regard to health and social care. In what ways can people and resources be distributed across sectors, organizations, treatments and preventive interventions? How do we divide our public resources between care and other goals? And how do we decide on such questions? Whereas our focus in the previous part was the organization of care and achieving effectiveness or productive efficiency—how to provide care—we now turn our attention to what to do? What care do we offer? And how much of it? Economists refer to this as allocative efficiency: to what ends should resources be allocated and what should attract fewer, or none at all? Allocative efficiency also concerns the extent to which that allocation is in line with society’s wishes and preferences. In other words, are we doing the right things? This is all about priorities, not to mention the practical limits we set to the growth of health and social care. And perhaps even more importantly, about how the choices are made.
Economic consequences of inland waterway disruptions in the Upper Mississippi River region in a changing climate
Authors: Chen Zhenhua , Cheng Junmei
Published: June 2024

Inland waterway locks have become significant bottlenecks in waterway networks worldwide due to the disruptions caused by aging infrastructure and climate change. While these locks have traditionally received attention for traffic issues, the disruptive impact on the regional economy remains unclear. This study addresses this knowledge gap by assessing the economic impacts of inland water transportation system failures, specifically focusing on disruptions in agricultural commodities within the Upper Mississippi River–Illinois River (UMR–IR) region. These disruptions encompass both unscheduled climate-induced extreme weather events and scheduled maintenance and repair work due to internal system failure. To capture the spatial interdependence between the regional economy and shipping rate changes caused by disruptions, we developed an integrated modeling approach. This approach combines spatial econometric modeling and multi-regional computable general equilibrium modeling techniques. Detailed weekly data from 2013 to 2021, including variations in inland barge rates and environmental conditions, were utilized. The assessment reveals that lock closure events in the UMR-IR region have severe economic consequences, impacting both the region itself and beyond. Conversely, transportation resilience achieved through modal substitution from barge to rail services during disruptive events can substantially reduce GDP losses. Specifically, such resilience measures can reduce GDP losses in the UMR-IR region by 6.6–24.2% and in the rest of the USA by 5.2–19.5%. Overall, these research findings carry significant implications for future planning and investment in inland waterway systems.
Determination of the urinary concentrations of six bisphenols in public servants by online solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Estévez-Danta Andrea , Rodil Rosario , Quintana José Benito , Montes Rosa
Published: June 2024

Bisphenols are widely used as monomers and additives in plastic production. Thus, bisphenol A (BPA) and its most prominent substitutes have been detected in many environmental and human samples. This study proposes an online solid-phase extraction analytical methodology coupled to liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of six bisphenols (BPA and bisphenols F (BPF), S (BPS), AF (BPAF), B (BPB), and E (BPE)) in urine samples as an efficient and automated methodology. The method was developed and validated for all bisphenols with good recoveries (92–112%) and repeatability (RSD ≤ 10%) despite the variable matrix effects, except BPAF (which would require a dedicated internal standard), achieving method quantification limits in the 0.05–2.2 ng mL−1 range. The methodology was subsequently applied to 435 urine samples from a non-occupational exposure population (civil servants for the regional government) from Santiago de Compostela (Galicia, Spain). Only BPA, BPF, and BPS were positively detected; the last two presented higher detection frequencies than BPA. When the urinary concentrations are extrapolated to human intake and compared to the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 2 × 10−4 µg kg−1 day−1 (TDI), all BPA positively identified samples would surpass this threshold. Although no TDI exists currently for the other two identified bisphenols, it is evident that human exposure to bisphenols should be limited. Finally, the results stratification by gender revealed higher levels of exposure to BPF in the women group.
Cohomology Chambers on Complex Surfaces and Elliptically Fibered Calabi–Yau Three-Folds
Authors: Brodie Callum R. , Constantin Andrei
Published: June 2024

We determine several classes of smooth complex projective surfaces on which Zariski decomposition can be combined with vanishing theorems to yield cohomology formulae for all line bundles. The obtained formulae express cohomologies in terms of divisor class intersections, and are adapted to the decomposition of the effective cone into Zariski chambers. In particular, we show this occurs on generalised del Pezzo surfaces, toric surfaces, and K3 surfaces. In the second part we use these surface results to derive formulae for all line bundle cohomology on a simple class of elliptically fibered Calabi–Yau three-folds. Computing such quantities is a crucial step in deriving the massless spectrum in string compactifications.
Entropic Approximation of $$\infty $$-Optimal Transport Problems
Authors: Brizzi Camilla , Carlier Guillaume , De Pascale Luigi
Published: June 2024

We propose an entropic approximation approach for optimal transportation problems with a supremal cost. We establish $$\Gamma $$
Γ
-convergence for suitably chosen parameters for the entropic penalization and that this procedure selects $$\infty $$
∞
-cyclically monotone plans at the limit. We also present some numerical illustrations performed with Sinkhorn’s algorithm.
Inhibiting the CB1 receptor in CIH-induced animal model alleviates colon injury
Authors: Wang Pei-Pei , Cheng Xiao-Qian , Dou Zhan-Jun , Fan Yong-Qiang , Chen Jie , Zhao Li , Han Jian-Xing , Lin Xian-Wang , Wang Bei
Published: June 2024

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can lead to intestinal injury, endotoxemia, and disturbance of intestinal flora. Additionally, as a crucial component of the endocannabinoid system, some studies have demonstrated that cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptors are closely linked to the multiple organ dysfunction triggered by OSA. However, the role of the CB1 receptor in alleviating OSA-induced colon injury remains unclear. Here, through the construction of the OSA classic model, we found that the colon tissue of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH)–induced mice exhibited an overexpression of the CB1 receptor. The results of hematoxylin-eosin staining and transmission electron microscopy revealed that inhibition of the CB1 receptor could decrease the gap between the mucosa and muscularis mucosae, alleviate mitochondrial swelling, reduce microvilli shedding, and promote the recovery of tight junctions of CIH-induced mice. Furthermore, CB1 receptor inhibition reduced the levels of metabolic endotoxemia and inflammatory responses, exhibiting significant protective effects on the colon injury caused by CIH. At the molecular level, through western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction techniques, we found that inhibiting the CB1 receptor can significantly increase the expression of ZO-1 and Occludin proteins, which are closely related to the maintenance of intestinal mucosal barrier function. Through 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) determination, we found that inhibition of the CB1 receptor increased the diversity of the microbial flora and controlled the makeup of intestinal flora. Moreover, butyric acid concentration and the amount of SCFA-producing bacteria, such as Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae, were both markedly elevated by CB1 receptor inhibition. The results of the spearman correlation study indicated that Lachnospiraceae showed a positive association with both ZO-1 and Occludin but was negatively correlated with the colon CB1 receptor, IL-1β, and TNF-α. According to this study, we found that inhibiting CB1 receptor can improve CIH-induced colon injury by regulating gut microbiota, reducing mucosal damage and promoting tight junction recovery.

Key points

•CIH leads to overexpression of CB1 receptor in colon tissue.

•CIH causes intestinal flora disorder, intestinal mucosal damage, and disruption of tight junctions.

•Inhibition of CB1 receptor can alleviate the colon injury caused by CIH through regulating the gut microbiota, reducing mucosal injury, and promoting tight junction recovery.

Graphical abstract
Airlift bioreactor–based strategies for prolonged semi-continuous cultivation of edible Agaricomycetes
Authors: Cerrone Federico , Lochlainn Conor Ó , Callaghan Tony , McDonald Peter , O’Connor Kevin E
Published: June 2024

Submerged cultivation of edible filamentous fungi (Agaricomycetes) in bioreactors enables maximum mass transfer of nutrients and has the potential to increase the volumetric productivity of fungal biomass compared to solid state cultivation. These aspects are paramount if one wants to increase the range of bioactives (e.g. glucans) in convenient time frames. In this study, Trametes versicolor (M9911) outperformed four other Agaricomycetes tested strains (during batch cultivations in an airlift bioreactor). This strain was therefore further tested in semi-continuous cultivation. Continuous and semi-continuous cultivations (driven by the dilution rate, D) are the preferred bioprocess strategies for biomass production. We examined the semi-continuous cultivation of T. versicolor at dilution rates between 0.02 and 0.1 h−1. A maximum volumetric productivity of 0.87 g/L/h was obtained with a D of 0.1 h−1 but with a lower total biomass production (cell dry weight, CDW 8.7 g/L) than the one obtained at lower dilution rates (12.3 g/L at D of 0.04 and vs 13.4 g/L, at a D of 0.02 h−1). However, growth at a D of 0.1 h−1 resulted in a very short fermentation (18 h) which terminated due to washout (the specific D exceeded the maximum growth rate of the fungal biomass). At a D of 0.04 h−1, a CDW of 12.3 g/L was achieved without compromising the total residence time (184 h) of the fermentation. While the D of 0.04 h−1 and 0.07 h−1 achieved comparable volumetric productivities (0.5 g/L/h), the total duration of the fermentation at D of 0.07 h−1 was only 85 h. The highest glucan content of cells (27.8 as percentage of CDW) was obtained at a D of 0.07 h−1, while the lowest glucan content was observed in T. versicolor cells grown at a D of 0.02 h−1.

Key points

• The highest reported volumetric productivity for fungal biomass was 0.87 g/L/h.

• Semi-continuous fermentation at D of 0.02 h−1 resulted in 13.4 g/L of fungal biomass.

• Semi-continuous fermentation at D of 0.07 h−1 resulted in fungal biomass with 28% of total glucans.
Retrieval optimization in a warehouse with multiple input/output-points
Authors: Buckow Jan-Niklas , Goerigk Marc , Knust Sigrid
Published: June 2024

Optimizing retrieval requests in warehouses is essential for maintaining a smooth flow of products. Most studies on warehouse retrieval optimization have considered no more than two input/output-points for product retrieval. In this paper, we study different variants of a new stacker crane scheduling problem, where pallets have to be retrieved in a warehouse with multiple input/output-points. The goal is to minimize the total travel time of the stacker crane to perform all retrievals. The problem variants we consider require determining either the pallet retrieval sequence, the assignment of pallets to input/output-points, or both. We prove NP-hardness results and identify cases that can be solved in strongly polynomial time. Additionally, we propose transformations to the traveling salesman problem, enabling the application of a vast collection of existing solution techniques. Finally, in an extensive computational study, we compare different problem variants, assess their gain of optimization, and experimentally analyze the impact of various instance parameters.
Low vision aids provision in an urban setting in Germany between 2014 and 2017: a regional population based study with healthcare claims data
Authors: Stolwijk M. L. , Meyer I. , van der Pas S. L. , Twisk J. W.R. , van Nispen R. M.A. , van Rens G. H.M.B.
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Little is known about the utilization of low vision services (LVS) in Germany. To understand which persons and how often these services would be utilized, this study aimed to investigate low vision aids (LVAs) provision in an urban setting and to describe user characteristics and trends in their characteristics.

Methods

A retrospective study based on a population-based healthcare claims database in Cologne (N = ~ 500,000), Germany. The study population comprised individuals, who were continuously insured at four large statutory health insurers and who redeemed a prescription for visual aids or aids for blindness between January 2014 and December 2017. We examined their socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Trends in characteristics were examined with logistic and linear regression models over time.

Results

Out of ~ 500,000 persons, 781 unique individuals (~ 0.2%) redeemed an LVA prescription. They were mainly female (68.7%), 60 years or older (75.3%) and had macular degeneration (50.6%) and/or glaucoma (25.9%). In the working-age subgroup, 33.8% were employed. Visual aids were most often prescribed (74.1%) and of all types of LVAs, individuals most commonly redeemed a prescription for magnifiers (35.8%), screen readers (34.3%) and/or canes (17.1%). Of the entire study population, 75.4% received their prescription from an ophthalmologist, 5.3% from a general practitioner and 7.1% from other medical specialists. Significant trends in characteristics of individuals who redeemed an LVA prescription were not found.

Conclusions

Between 2014 and 2017, 781 individuals in Cologne redeemed an LVA prescription. They had characteristics which mostly can be explained by the epidemiology of VI. Results indicate that individuals that redeemed LVAs have a magnification requirement of ≥ 1.5-fold and ≥ 6-fold. Furthermore, next to ophthalmologists, general practitioners and other medical specialists seem to play a role in LVA provision as well, which should be taken into account by policy makers when planning interventions for increasing LVS provision. Our findings provide a starting point to examine LVS provision in Germany.
To become part of the team—patient experiences of participating in decision-making for a new treatment (proton beam therapy)
Authors: Sjövall K. , Ahlberg K. , Fessé P. , Fransson P. , Kristensen I. , Ohlsson-Nevo E. , Åkeflo L. , Langegård U.
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The aim of this study was to explore patients’ experience of participation in the treatment decision of proton beam therapy versus conventional radiotherapy.

Background

Proton beam therapy (PBT) has become a treatment option for some cancer patients receiving radiotherapy. The decision to give PBT instead of conventional radiotherapy (CRT) needs to be carefully planned together with the patient to ensure that the degree of participation is based on individuals’ preferences. There is a knowledge gap of successful approaches to support patients’ participation in the decision-making process, which is particularly important when it comes to the situation of having to choose between two treatment options such as PBT and CRT, with similar expected outcomes.

Method

We conducted a secondary analysis of qualitative data collected from interviews with patients who received PBT for their brain tumor. Transcribed verbatims from interviews with 22 patients were analyzed regarding experiences of participation in the decision-making process leading to PBT.

Findings

Participants experienced their participation in the decision-making process to a varying degree, and with individual preferences. Four themes emerged from data: to be a voice that matters, to get control over what will happen, being in the hand of doctors’ choice, and feeling selected for treatment.

Conclusion

A decision for treatment with PBT can be experienced as a privilege but can also cause stress as it might entail practical issues affecting everyday life in a considerable way. For the patient to have confidence in the decision-making process, patients’ preferences, expectations, and experiences must be included by the healthcare team. Including the patient in the healthcare team as an equal partner by confirming the person enables and facilitates for patients’ voice to be heard and reckoned with. Person-centered care building on a partnership between patients and healthcare professionals should provide the right basis for the decision-making process.
Development and validation of the caregiver-report version of the international depression questionnaire (IDQ-CG) and international anxiety questionnaire (IAQ-CG)
Authors: Redican Enya , Sachser Cedric , Berliner Lucy , Pfeiffer Elisa , Martsenkovskyi Dmytro , Hyland Philip , Ben-Ezra Menachem , Shevlin Mark
Published: June 2024

The International Depression Questionnaire (IDQ) and International Anxiety Questionnaire (IAQ) are self-report measures of ICD-11 single episode depressive disorder (DD) and generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). The present study sought to describe the development and psychometric evaluation of the caregiver-report versions of the IDQ and IAQ for children, referred to as the IDQ-CG and IAQ-CG, respectively. Participants were 639 parents living in Ukraine who provided data on themselves and one child in their household as part of “The Mental Health of Parents and Children in Ukraine Study: 2023 Follow-up” study. The latent structure of the IDQ-CG and IAQ-CG were tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), composite reliability (CR) estimates were estimated, and convergent validity was assessed. Prevalence rates of probable ICD-11 DD and GAD were also estimated. CFA results indicated that the IDQ-CG and IAQ-CG were unidimensional, while the internal reliability of both scales was excellent. Convergent validity was established via associations with external measures of internalizing, externalizing, and attention problems as well as trauma exposure. Factors associated with increased IDQ-CG and IAQ-CG scores included pharmacological support for emotional or behavioural problems, delayed milestone development, being forced to move to another part of Ukraine, serious life disruption due to the war, and having experienced a bereavement. Of the total sample, 1.6% met diagnostic requirements for ICD-11 DD and 5.8% met diagnostic requirements for ICD-11 GAD. This study supports the psychometric properties of the IDQ-CG and IAQ-CG. These measures can be effectively used to identify young people in need of mental health support.
Sense of relatedness and study engagement as mediators between students’ peer support and life satisfaction
Authors: Ulmanen Sanna , Tikkanen Lotta , Pyhältö Kirsi
Published: June 2024

Previous research suggests that peer support is an essential component of adolescents’ sense of relatedness in peer relationships and correlates with study engagement and life satisfaction. However, what the underlying mechanisms of these relationships are, has remained unclear. This study examined 1) whether the sense of relatedness or study engagement mediate the effect of peer support on students’ life satisfaction, and 2) whether sense of relatedness mediates the effects of peer support on students’ study engagement. The data were analysed with the structural equation modelling (SEM), using a cross-sectional sample of Finnish upper secondary education students (n = 293) (63% female, 31% male). The results showed that the relationship between peer support and the student life satisfaction beyond the school was fully mediated by students’ experiences of study engagement and sense of relatedness. This suggests that peer support for studying by itself is not sufficient for cultivating student life satisfaction, but its effectiveness depends on whether it positively impacts their study engagement and sense of relatedness. To improve the life satisfaction of upper secondary education students, study-related peer support needs to be cultivated so that it triggers students’ sense of relatedness and study engagement.