bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Problematizing empowerment in global health: Disrupting universalisms and challenging power inequities
Authors: Tucker Heather M. , Odhiambo Rebecca , Jadwin‐Cakmak Laura , Mbanda Anita , Harper Gary
Published: June 2024

This commentary is a call for problematizing the concept of “empowerment” as it is often used in global health. The authors urge that scholars and policymakers use the concept as it is defined in specific contexts, particularly within communities in low to middle‐income countries. The authors also interrogate universalized assumptions about the use of “empowerment” as a political concept, as well as the use of social categories such as “women”. Finally, the authors challenge and complicate the notion that empowerment is a concept which can be delivered from donors in high‐income countries to so‐called disempowered recipients in low‐income contexts.
A Priori Estimates for the Motion of Charged Liquid Drop: A Dynamic Approach via Free Boundary Euler Equations
Authors: Julin Vesa , La Manna Domenico Angelo
Published: June 2024

We study the motion of charged liquid drop in three dimensions where the equations of motions are given by the Euler equations with free boundary with an electric field. This is a well-known problem in physics going back to the famous work by Rayleigh. Due to experiments and numerical simulations one may expect the charged drop to form conical singularities called Taylor cones, which we interpret as singularities of the flow. In this paper, we study the well-posedness of the problem and regularity of the solution. Our main theorem is a criterion which roughly states that if the flow remains $$C^{1,\alpha }$$

C

1
,
α

-regular in shape and the velocity remains Lipschitz-continuous, then the flow remains smooth, i.e., $$C^\infty $$

C
∞

in time and space, assuming that the initial data is smooth. Our main focus is on the regularity of the shape of the drop. Indeed, due to the appearance of Taylor cones, which are singularities with Lipschitz-regularity, we expect the $$C^{1,\alpha }$$

C

1
,
α

-regularity assumption to be optimal. We also quantify the $$C^\infty $$

C
∞

-regularity via high order energy estimates which, in particular, implies the well-posedness of the problem.
New insights on the formation of the polymetamorphic Felbertal tungsten deposit (Austria, Eastern Alps) revealed by CL, EPMA, and LA-ICP-MS investigation
Authors: Haupt Cordula P. , Krause Joachim , Schulz Bernhard , Götze Jens , Chischi Johannes , Berndt Jasper , Klemme Stephan , Schmidt Steffen , Aupers Karsten , Reinhardt Nils
Published: June 2024

The Felbertal tungsten deposit is the only economic scheelite mine in Europe, yet its genesis is not fully understood. It has been argued recently that the formation of the deposit is most likely related to granitic intrusions of Variscan age, contrasting a previously suggested syn-depositional stratabound origin of Early Cambrian age. Solving this controversy remains challenging due to the polymetamorphic evolution of the deposit, which experienced both Variscan and Alpine metamorphism. In this contribution we present a comprehensive new data set of scheelite major, minor, and trace element concentrations from multiple scheelite generations of the Felbertal deposit along with microstructural observations. Our results show that Mo, Mo/Mn, REE, Y/Ho, Nb, and Nb/Ta in scheelite are variable within the different scheelite generations and are predominantly controlled by the host-rock lithologies on the local scale, whereas in general the data show a strong response to the shift of P, T, and pH upon changing magmatic-hydrothermal to metamorphic conditions. For the first time, we identify remnants of primary scheelite in the Western Ore Zone. The presented data support a magmatic-hydrothermal origin of the first scheelite mineralization during the Variscan orogeny with primary scheelite being characterized by wing-shaped REE patterns with a negative Eu-anomaly, high trace element concentrations, non-chondritic Y/Ho, and high Nb/Ta. Primary scheelite underwent metamorphic/hydrothermal alteration (recrystallization and dissolution-reprecipitation processes) during the Variscan and Alpine orogeny. This case study highlights that indicative mineralization-controlling geochemical ratios like Sr/Mn cannot be applied for polymetamorphic tungsten deposits like Felbertal.
Using zircon and apatite chemistry to fingerprint porphyry Cu – Mo ± Au mineralization in the Delamerian Orogen, South Australia
Authors: Hong Wei , Fabris Adrian , Gilbert Sarah , Wade Benjamin P. , Collins Alan S. , Wise Tom , Reid Anthony J.
Published: June 2024

To evaluate the fertility of porphyry mineralization in the Delamerian Orogen (South Australia), zircon and apatite from four prospects, including Anabama Hill, Netley Hill, Bendigo, and Colebatch, have been analyzed by LA-ICP-MS and electron microprobe. The zircon is characterized by heavy REEs enrichment relative to light REEs, high (Ce/Nd)N (1.3–45), and weak to moderate negative Eu/Eu* (0.2–0.78). The apatite has right-sloped REE patterns with variably negative to positive Eu anomalies. Low Mg (< 670 ppm) and Sr/Y ratios (< 5) in apatite likely illustrate fractional crystallization trends for the granitic melts in shallow crust. The Yb/Gb and Eu/Eu* in zircon reveal that intrusions at Anabama Hill, Netley Hill, and Bendigo underwent fractional crystallization controlled by amphibole (< 50–60%), garnet (< 15%), apatite (< 0.6%), and/or titanite (< 0.3%). These stocks have average fO2 values reported relative to fayalite-magnetite-quartz buffer (ΔFMQ), from 0.7 ± 0.9 to 2.1 ± 0.4, ascribed to prolonged magmatic evolution or sulfur degassing during post-subduction processes. Our data imply that both Anabama and Bendigo complexes experienced prevalent (garnet-) amphibole crystallization from hydrous melts that have moderately high oxidation (ΔFMQ + 1 to + 3) and elevated sulfur-chlorine components (Anabama, 37 ± 9 to 134 ± 83 ppm S and 0.30 ± 0.24 to 0.64 ± 0.89 wt% Cl; Bendigo, 281 ± 178 to 909 ± 474 ppm S and 0.45 ± 0.47 to 3.01 ± 1.54 wt% Cl). These are crucial ingredients to form porphyry Cu–Mo ± Au ores with economic significance, which provides encouragement for mineral exploration in this orogen.
Multimodal fine-grained grocery product recognition using image and OCR text
Authors: Pettersson Tobias , Riveiro Maria , Löfström Tuwe
Published: June 2024

Automatic recognition of grocery products can be used to improve customer flow at checkouts and reduce labor costs and store losses. Product recognition is, however, a challenging task for machine learning-based solutions due to the large number of products and their variations in appearance. In this work, we tackle the challenge of fine-grained product recognition by first extracting a large dataset from a grocery store containing products that are only differentiable by subtle details. Then, we propose a multimodal product recognition approach that uses product images with extracted OCR text from packages to improve fine-grained recognition of grocery products. We evaluate several image and text models separately and then combine them using different multimodal models of varying complexities. The results show that image and textual information complement each other in multimodal models and enable a classifier with greater recognition performance than unimodal models, especially when the number of training samples is limited. Therefore, this approach is suitable for many different scenarios in which product recognition is used to further improve recognition performance. The dataset can be found at https://github.com/Tubbias/finegrainocr.
Nitrogen stable isotope analysis of sulfonamides by derivatization-gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry
Authors: Dou Qingyuan , Canavan Aoife , Fu Yuhao , Xiang Leilei , Wang Yu , Wang Xi , Jiang Xin , Dirr Christopher , Wang Fang , Elsner Martin
Published: June 2024

The continuous introduction of micropollutants into the environment through livestock farming, agricultural practices, and wastewater treatment is a major concern. Among these pollutants are synthetic sulfonamide antibiotics such as sulfamethoxazole, which are not always fully degraded and pose a risk of fostering antimicrobial resistance. It is challenging to assess the degradation of sulfonamides with conventional concentration measurements. This study introduces compound-specific isotope analysis of nitrogen isotope ratios at natural abundances by derivatization-gas chromatography hyphenated with isotope ratio mass spectrometry (derivatization-GC-IRMS) as a new and more precise method for tracing the origin and degradation of sulfonamides. Here, sulfamethoxazole was used as a model compound to develop and optimize the derivatization conditions using (trimethylsilyl)diazomethane as a derivatization reagent. With the optimized conditions, accurate and reproducible δ15N analysis of sulfamethoxazole by derivatization-GC-IRMS was achieved in two different laboratories with a limit for precise isotope analysis of 3 nmol N on column, corresponding to 0.253 µg non-derivatized SMX. Application of the method to four further sulfonamides, sulfadiazine, sulfadimethoxine, sulfadimidine, and sulfathiazole, shows the versatility of the developed method. Its benefit was demonstrated in a first application, highlighting the possibility of distinguishing sulfamethoxazole from different suppliers and pharmaceutical products.

Graphical Abstract
Imaging in malignant germ cell tumors involving the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal axis: the evaluation of the posterior pituitary bright spot is essential
Authors: Stock Annika , Calaminus Gabriele , Weisthoff Mathilda , Serfling Julia , Pietsch Torsten , Bison Brigitte , Pham Mirko , Warmuth-Metz Monika
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Malignant intracranial germ cell tumors (GCTs) are rare diseases in Western countries. They arise in midline structures and diagnosis is often delayed. We evaluated imaging characteristics and early tumor signs of suprasellar and bifocal GCT on MRI.

Methods

Patients with the diagnosis of a germinoma or non-germinomatous GCT (NGGCT) who received non-contrast sagittal T1WI on MRI pre-therapy were included. Loss of the posterior pituitary bright spot (PPBS), the expansion and size of the tumor, and the expansion and infiltration of surrounding structures were evaluated. Group comparison for histologies and localizations was performed.

Results

A total of 102 GCT patients (median age at diagnosis 12.3 years, range 4.4–33.8; 57 males; 67 in suprasellar localization) were enrolled in the study. In the suprasellar cohort, NGGCTs (n = 20) were noticeably larger than germinomas (n = 47; p < .001). Each tumor showed involvement of the posterior lobe or pituitary stalk. A PPBS loss (total n = 98) was observed for each localization and entity in more than 90% and was related to diabetes insipidus. Osseous infiltration was observed exclusively in suprasellar GCT (significantly more frequent in NGGCT; p = .004). Time between the first MRI and therapy start was significantly longer in the suprasellar cohort (p = .005), with an even greater delay in germinoma compared to NGGCT (p = .002). The longest interval to treatment had circumscribed suprasellar germinomas (median 312 days).

Conclusion

A loss of the PPBS is a hint of tumor origin revealing small tumors in the neurohypophysis. Using this sign in children with diabetes insipidus avoids a delay in diagnosis.
CT-guided radiofrequency ablation of facial and mandibular nerves in the treatment of compound Meige’s syndrome
Authors: Huang Hao , Huang Bing , Du Xindan , Lin Huidan , Li Xue , Zhao Xian , Zhou Qinghe , Yao Ming
Published: June 2024

This retrospective study examined the clinical outcomes and complications in 6 cases of compound Meige’s syndrome, presenting with blepharospasm and masticatory muscle spasm, following treatment with CT-guided radiofrequency ablation targeting bilateral facial nerves and mandibular branches of the trigeminal nerve. After the operation, the symptoms of eyelid spasm and masticatory muscle spasm resolved, but mild facial paralysis and numbness of mandibular nerve innervation persisted. Follow-up for 4–28 months showed that the symptoms of facial paralysis resolved within 2–5 (3.17 ± 0.94) months after the operation, whereas the numbness in the mandibular region persisted, accompanied by a decrease in masticatory function. During the follow-up period, none of the 6 patients experienced a recurrence of Meige’s syndrome. These findings suggest that CT-guided radiofrequency ablation of the bilateral facial nerve and mandibular branches of the trigeminal nerve may offer a promising approach to treating compound Meige’s syndrome.
The vertical topography of the carotid bifurcation – original study and review
Authors: Manta Mihaela Daniela , Rusu Mugurel Constantin , Hostiuc Sorin , Tudose Răzvan Costin , Manta Bogdan Adrian , Jianu Adelina Maria
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The vertical level of carotid bifurcation (CB) is commonly indicated at the superior margin of the thyroid cartilage. Few studies observed the CB vertical topography. It was aimed at studying the vertical location of the CB as referred to vertebral and anterior cervical landmarks.

Methods

An archived lot of 147 computed tomography angiograms was documented for the vertical level of CB referred to vertebral and anterior cervical landmarks. The topography of the CB in relation to anterior landmarks was classified into seven types: (1) at the superior margin of the thyroid cartilage; (2) between the hyoid and the thyroid cartilage; (3) at the hyoid level; (4) between the hyoid and mandible; (5) subgonial or supragonial CB; (6) lower cervical level; (7) intrathoracic.

Results

The most common locations of CB were at C3 (27.21%), C3/C4 (26.19%) and C4 (25.51%). Bilateral symmetry of CB was found in 51.7%, except for C2 and C5/C6. Type 7 was not found, type 3 occurred in 39.12%, type 2 in 24.49%, type 1 in 13.95%, type 4 in 13.61%, type 5 in 6.12%, and type 6 in 2.72% (294 CBs). Bilateral symmetry of anterior types was found in 59.86%. Statistically significant correlations were found between sex and both left and right types and vertebral levels of CB.

Conclusions

The vertical topography of the CB is highly variable and has sex-related specificity. This detail should be included in the teaching of anatomy. Surgeons and interventionists should better document the carotid anatomy on a case-by-case basis.
The hydrodynamics of Lizard Island lagoon, Great Barrier Reef
Authors: Philipps Caitlin J. , Bellwood David R.
Published: June 2024

Hydrodynamic processes are a major driver for marine systems, linking marine organisms with their environment. However, a lack of hydrodynamic data at an ecologically relevant spatial resolution has stymied our understanding of reef function, as exemplified by Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef. To address this gap, 23 to 27 Marotte HS current meters were deployed over three periods, collecting 15 months of current velocity data. Combining these data with wind and tide datasets, we provide a preliminary description of the circulation in the Lizard Island lagoon, examining wind and tide influence, and flushing time. During south-easterly trade winds, flood tides flow through the Lagoon Entrance, while wind-induced waves cross the Bird-South crest, driving a north-westerly flow through Loomis Channel and across the western lagoon. Ebb tides flow east–south-east through the Lagoon Entrance and south-west through the Palfrey-South channel. Tides contribute a mean of 20.4% to the overall current speed, particularly in deeper sites with less reef interference, while shallow sites were more influenced by wind. Lizard Island lagoon flushing times ranged from a few hours to 10 days; longer during periods with low wind speeds. Hindcast flushing times during the 2016 coral bleaching event (following 8 Degree Heating Weeks) were approximately 22 h, suggesting that flushing time likely had minimal influence on bleaching. Our analyses provide initial insights into the circulation of the Lizard Island system and aid understanding of the potential relationships between reef organisms and their physical environment, bridging the gap between ecology and hydrodynamics.
A workflow to systematically design uncertainty-aware visual analytics applications
Authors: Maack Robin G. C. , Raith Felix , Pérez Juan F. , Scheuermann Gerik , Gillmann Christina
Published: June 2024

Visual analytics (VA) is a paradigm for insight generation by using visual analysis techniques and automated reasoning by transforming data into hypotheses and visualization to extract new insights. The insights are fed back into the data to enhance it until the desired insight is found. Many applications use this principle to provide meaningful mechanisms to assist decision-makers in achieving their goals. This process can be affected by various uncertainties that can interfere with the user decision-making process. Currently, there are no methodical description and handling tool to include uncertainty in VA systematically. We provide a unified workflow to transform the classic VA cycle into an uncertainty-aware visual analytics (UAVA) cycle consisting of five steps. To prove its usability, three real-world applications represent examples of the UAVA cycle implementation and the described workflow.
Unprescribed cannabinoids and multiple sclerosis: a multicenter, cross-sectional, epidemiological study in Lombardy, Italy
Authors: Giossi Riccardo , Mercenari Martina , Filippi Massimo , Zanetta Chiara , Antozzi Carlo Giuseppe , Brambilla Laura , Confalonieri Paolo , Crisafulli Sebastiano Giuseppe , Tomas Roldan Eugenia , Annovazzi Pietro , Conti Marta Zaffira , Barrilà Caterina , Ronzoni Marco , Grobberio Monica , Negri Attilio , Gustavsen Stefan , Torri Clerici Valentina
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Cannabinoids are approved for spasticity and pain in multiple sclerosis (MS). In 2017 the prevalence of current users in the Italian general population was 10.2%, while data on Italian MS patients are limited.

Methods

From March 2022 to February 2023, we conducted a multicenter, cross-sectional study. Adult MS patients completed an anonymous online survey. The primary outcome was the estimated prevalence of unprescribed cannabis current use. Cannabis use patterns and associations with clinical and socio-demographical variables were investigated. The binomial method was used to estimate 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for primary outcome.

Results

5620 patients were invited and 2024 (36.0%) were included (mean age 45.2 years, females 64.5%). Relapsing remitting form was the most frequent (77.3%). Median expanded disability status scale (EDSS) was 2.0. The proportion of current users was 15.5% (95% CI 13.9–17.1) and 36.4% of them disclosed to their physician their unprescribed cannabis use. 15.0% patients were former users while 69.5% never used cannabis. Current users more frequently reported a medical use (i.e., current medical users) compared to former users (p < 0.001). 41.1% of never users would use cannabis if it was legal. Young age, being male, and a free marital status were associated with current use. Current medical users had higher disability, spasticity and pain, reduced quality of life, concomitant neurological/psychiatric drugs and analgesics use. Unprescribed cannabis appeared relatively safe, with limited addiction risk, and reported clinical benefits, including concomitant medications reduction.

Conclusion

Unprescribed cannabis use is common in patients with MS in Italy, with observed prevalence seemingly superior to the general population, often intended for medical use and without the disclosure to the treating physician, although with potential clinical benefits.
Postoperative outcomes in patients with diabetes after enhanced recovery thoracoscopic lobectomy
Authors: Huang Lin , Petersen René Horsleben , Kehlet Henrik
Published: June 2024

Background

Diabetes is considered a general surgical risk factor, but with few data from enhanced recovery (ERAS) otherwise known to improve outcome. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate postoperative outcomes of patients with diabetes who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy in an established ERAS setting.

Methods

We retrospectively analysed outcome data (hospital stay (LOS), readmissions, and mortality) from a prospective database with consecutive unselected ERAS VATS lobectomies from 2012 to 2022. Complete follow-up was secured by the registration system in East Denmark.

Results

We included 3164 patients of which 323 had diabetes, including 186 treated with insulin and antidiabetic medicine, 35 with insulin only and 102 with antidiabetic medicine only. The median LOS was 3 days, stable over the study period. There were no differences in terms of LOS, postoperative complications, readmissions or 30 days alive and out of hospital. Patients with diabetes had significantly higher 30- and 90-day mortality rates compared to those without diabetes (p < .001), but also had higher preoperative comorbidity. Preoperative HbA1c levels did not correlate with postoperative outcomes.

Conclusion

In an ERAS setting, diabetes may not increase the risk for prolonged LOS, complications, and readmissions after VATS lobectomy, however with higher 30- and 90-day mortality probably related to more preoperative comorbidities.
Automated asthma detection in a 1326-subject cohort using a one-dimensional attractive-and-repulsive center-symmetric local binary pattern technique with cough sounds
Authors: Barua Prabal Datta , Keles Tugce , Kuluozturk Mutlu , Kobat Mehmet Ali , Dogan Sengul , Baygin Mehmet , Tuncer Turker , Tan Ru-San , Acharya U. Rajendra
Published: June 2024

Asthma is a common disease. The clinical diagnosis is usually confirmed on a pulmonary function test, which is not always readily accessible. We aimed to develop a computationally lightweight handcrafted machine learning model for asthma detection based on cough sounds recorded using mobile phones. Toward this aim, we proposed a novel feature extractor based on a one-dimensional version of the published attractive-and-repulsive center-symmetric local binary pattern (1D-ARCSLBP), which we tested on a new cough sound dataset. We prospectively recorded cough sounds from 511 asthmatics and 815 non-asthmatic subjects (comprising mostly healthy volunteers), which yielded 1875 one-second cough sound segments for analysis. Our model comprised four steps: (i) preprocessing, in which speech signals and stop times (silent zones between coughs) were removed, leaving behind analyzable cough sound segments; (ii) feature extraction, in which tunable q-factor wavelet transformation was used to perform multilevel signal decomposition into wavelet subbands, allowing 1D-ARCSLBP to extract local low- and high-level features; (iii) feature selection, in which neighborhood component analysis was used to select the most discriminative features; and (iv) classification, in which a standard shallow cubic support vector machine was deployed to calculate binary classification results (asthma versus non-asthma) using tenfold and leave-one-subject-out cross-validations. Our model attained 98.24% and 96.91% accuracy rates with tenfold and leave-one-subject-out cross-validation strategies, respectively, and obtained a low-time complexity. The excellent results confirmed the feature extraction capability of 1D-ARCSLBP and the feasibility of the model being developed into a real-world application for asthma screening.
Vibration of embedded restrained composite tube shafts with nonlocal and strain gradient effects
Authors: Uzun Büşra , Yaylı Mustafa Özgür , Civalek Ömer
Published: June 2024

Torsional vibration response of a circular nanoshaft, which is restrained by the means of elastic springs at both ends, is a matter of great concern in the field of nano-/micromechanics. Hence, the complexities arising from the deformable boundary conditions present a formidable obstacle to the attainment of closed-form solutions. In this study, a general method is presented to calculate the torsional vibration frequencies of functionally graded porous tube nanoshafts under both deformable and rigid boundary conditions. Classical continuum theory, upgraded with nonlocal strain gradient elasticity theory, is employed to reformulate the partial differential equation of the nanoshaft. First, torsional vibration equation based on the nonlocal strain gradient theory is derived for functionally graded porous nanoshaft embedded in an elastic media via Hamilton’s principle. The ordinary differential equation is found by discretizing the partial differential equation with the separation of variables method. Then, Fourier sine series is used as the rotation function. The necessary Stokes' transformation is applied to establish the general eigenvalue problem including the different parameters. For the first time in the literature, a solution that can analyze the torsional vibration frequencies of functionally graded porous tube shafts embedded in an elastic media under general (elastic and rigid) boundary conditions on the basis of nonlocal strain gradient theory is presented in this study. The results obtained show that while the increase in the material length scale parameter, elastic media and spring stiffnesses increase the frequencies of nanoshafts, the increase in the nonlocal parameter and functionally grading index values decreases the frequencies of nanoshafts. The detailed effects of these parameters are discussed in the article.
Plant-specific calreticulin is localized in the nuclei of highly specialized cells in the pistil—new observations for an old hypothesis
Authors: Wasąg Piotr , Suwińska Anna , Richert Anna , Lenartowska Marta , Lenartowski Robert
Published: June 2024

One of the first cellular locations of the calreticulin (CRT) chaperone in eukaryotic cells, apart from its obvious localization in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), was the cell nucleus (Opas et al. 1991). The presence of CRT has been detected inside the nucleus and in the nuclear envelope of animal and plant cells, and a putative nuclear localization signal (NLS) in the CRT amino acid sequence has been mapped in several animal and plant species. Over the last 30 years, other localization sites of this protein outside the ER and cell nucleus have also been discovered, suggesting that CRT is a multifunctional Ca2+-binding protein widely found in various cell types. In our previous studies focusing on plant developmental biology, we have demonstrated the presence of CRT inside and outside the ER in highly specialized plant cells, as well as the possibility of CRT localization in the cell nucleus. In this paper, we present a detailed analysis of immunocytochemical localization of CRT inside nuclei of the pistil transmission tract somatic cells before and after pollination. We show a similar pattern of the nuclear CRT localization in relation to exchangeable Ca2+ for two selected species of angiosperms, dicotyledonous Petunia and monocot Haemanthus, that differ in anatomical structure of the pistil and discuss the potential role of CRT in the cell nucleus.
A novel ACE inhibitory peptide from Pelodiscus sinensis Wiegmann meat water-soluble protein hydrolysate
Authors: Liao Pengying , Liu Huayu , Sun Xueqin , Zhang Xinrui , Zhang Miao , Wang Xianyou , Chen Jun
Published: June 2024

Pelodiscus sinensis meat is a nutritional food and tonic with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities. To identify the bioactive substances responsible, several bioinformatics methods were integrated to enable a virtual screening for bioactive peptides in proteins identified within a water-soluble protein fraction of Pelodiscus sinensis meat by Shotgun proteomics. The peptides were generated from the identified proteins by in silico proteolysis using six proteases. A comparison of the numbers of proteins suitable for digestion with each enzyme and the iBAQ (intensity-based absolute quantification) values for these proteins revealed that bromelain and papain were the most suitable proteases for this sample. Next, the water solubility, toxicity, and ADMET (absorption/distribution/metabolism/excretion/toxicity) properties of these peptides were evaluated in silico. Finally, a novel ACE inhibitory peptide IEWEF with an IC50 value of 41.33 µM was identified. The activity of the synthesized peptide was verified in vitro, and it was shown to be a non-competitive ACE inhibitor. Molecular docking revealed that IEWEF could tightly bind to C-ACE, and N-ACE with energies less than 0 kJ mol−1, and the peptide IEWEF can form hydrogen bonds with C-ACE and N-ACE respectively. These results provide evidence that bioactive peptides in the water-soluble protein fraction account for (at least) some of the ACE inhibitory activities observed in Pelodiscus sinensis meat. Furthermore, our research provides a workflow for the efficient identification of novel ACE inhibitory peptides from complex protein mixtures.
Predictors of dropout, time spent on the program and client satisfaction in an internet-based, telephone-assisted CBT anxiety program among elementary school children in a population-based sample
Authors: Kaajalaakso Katri , Luntamo Terhi , Korpilahti-Leino Tarja , Ristkari Terja , Hinkka-Yli-Salomäki Susanna , Sourander Andre
Published: June 2024

Increasing evidence has shown that childhood anxiety can be effectively treated by Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT). Being able to predict why participants decide to drop out of such programs enables scarce resources to be used appropriately. The aim of this study was to report dropout predictors for a population-based ICBT intervention aimed at children with anxiety, together with the time they and their parents spent on the program and client satisfaction rates. The study focused on 234 Finnish children aged 10–13 who received an ICBT intervention, with telephone support, for anxiety symptoms, as a part of a randomized control trial. Their parents also had access to Internet-based material and participated in the weekly telephone calls with the coach. Possible drop out factors were explored and these included various family demographics, child and parent psychopathology and therapeutic alliance. Just under a fourth (23.9%) of the children dropped out of the intervention. The risk was higher if the child did not fulfill the criteria for any anxiety diagnosis or reported a poorer therapeutic alliance. Family demographics and the COVID-19 pandemic did not increase the risk. The families spent an average of 127 min on the webpage each week and an average of 32 min on the phone calls. The overall satisfaction with the program was 87% for the children and 95% for the parents. Both the children and the parents found the telephone calls helpful. These findings are important in clinical practice when assessing a family’s eligibility for ICBT.
Computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) for the detection of pulmonary embolism (PE) among trauma patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Yaghoobpoor Shirin , Fathi Mobina , Taher Hayder Jasim , Farhood Afraa Jasim , Bahrami Ashkan , Eshraghi Reza , Hajibeygi Ramtin , Tutunchian Zohreh , Myers Lee , Ahmadi Rojin , Gholamrezanezhad Ali
Published: June 2024

Background and objectives

Computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) is a standard imaging technique employed for the detection of pulmonary embolism (PE). This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to examine the prevalence of PE among the trauma patients undergoing CTPA.

Methods

A comprehensive search across PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science yielded 13 studies encompassing 5,570 individuals conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guideline. Studies that used CTPA for the detection of PE among the trauma patients were selected. This resulted in an evaluation of prevalence, trauma types, clinical manifestations, radiological findings, and mortality rates of PE among traumatic patients undergoing CTPA.

Results

The overall prevalence of PE among trauma patients undergoing CTPA was 18% (95% CI = 13-24%). After pooling the existing data, femur fractures were determined to be the most prevalent trauma type (12%). The most prevalent clinical manifestations of PE among trauma patients included shortness of breath, chest pain, and altered vital signs. Radiological findings encompassed various pulmonary abnormalities, such as opacity, ground-glass opacities, and pleural effusions. Mortality rates of PE among the trauma patients ranged from 0% to 29.4% across the included studies.

Conclusion

This study provides comprehensive insights into the prevalence, clinical manifestations, radiological findings and mortality of PE among trauma patients undergoing CTPA. According to our findings, lower threshold for CTPA is recommended in patients with lower extremity or spine fractures.
SMoTeF: Smurf money laundering detection using temporal order and flow analysis
Authors: Shadrooh Shiva , Nørvåg Kjetil
Published: June 2024

Smurfing in financial networks is a popular fraud technique in which fraudsters inject their illegal money into the legitimate financial system. This activity is performed within a short period of time, with recurring transactions and multiple intermediaries. A major problem of existing graph-based methods for detecting smurfing is that they fall short of retrieving accurate fraud patterns. Consequently, the result is numerous non-fraudulent patterns alongside a few fraud patterns, causing a high false-positive rate. To alleviate this problem, we propose SMoTeF, a framework that extends existing graph-based smurf detection methods by distinguishing fraudulent smurfing patterns from non-fraudulent ones, thus significantly reducing the false-positive ratio. The core of the approach is a novel algorithm based on computing maximum temporal flow within temporal order of events. In order to evaluate the approach, a framework for injecting various smurfing patterns is developed, and experimental results on three real-world datasets from different domains show that SMoTeF significantly improves on the effectiveness of the state-of-the-art baseline, with only marginal runtime overhead.
Perturbating and Estimating DSGE Models in Julia
Authors: Salazar-Perez Alvaro , Seoane Hernán D.
Published: June 2024

This paper illustrates the power of Julia language for the solution and estimation of Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium models. We document large gains of the Julia implementation of Perturbation solution (first and higher orders) and Bayesian estimation using two workhorse models in the literature: the Real Business Cycle Model and a medium scale New-Keynesian Model. We release a companion package that implements 1st, 2nd a 3rd order approximation of Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium models and allows for estimation of (log-)linearized models using Sequential Monte-Carlo Methods. Our examples highlight that Julia has low entry costs and it is a language where it is easy to deal with parallelization.
Weaving the Fabric of Social and Emotional Learning in the Context of Teaching: A Study in Hong Kong Kindergarten Classrooms
Authors: Chen Jennifer J. , Liang Xiaoting , Lin Jasmine C.
Published: June 2024

This study investigated how children’s social and emotional learning (SEL) might reflect their teachers’ social and emotional teaching (SET) by means of social learning. To this end, the research team conducted 20 videotaped observation sessions of four teachers’ SET and 71 children’s SEL during whole-group instruction in four kindergarten classrooms in Hong Kong. The research team coded SET and SEL based on teacher and child utterances for evidence of the CASEL’s five key social and emotional competencies (Self-Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, and Responsible Decision-Making). Additionally, we coded a one-on-one correspondence between each competency and one of the four strategies identified (Telling/Commanding/Directing, Explaining, Asking Questions, and Affirming/Confirming). Both the teachers and children evidenced Responsible Decision-Making the most. Except for Social Awareness, the teachers’ SET and children’s SEL in the other four competencies were correlated significantly and strongly. Furthermore, among the five strategies, teachers primarily utilized the Asking Questions strategy, while children predominantly corresponded with the Telling strategy. Significant correlations were observed among the strategies: between teachers’ Asking Questions and children’s Telling, between teachers’ Asking Questions and children's Explaining, between teachers’ Explaining and children's Explaining, Asking Questions, and Affirming/Confirming, and between teachers’ Affirming/Confirming and children’s Telling. These findings suggest that social learning was at work to guide children’s SEL in the context of their teachers’ SET.
Detection of a major Lynch Syndrome-causing MLH1 founder variant in a large-scale genotyped cohort
Authors: Sipilä Lauri J. , Aavikko Mervi , Ravantti Janne , Martin Samantha , Kuopio Teijo , Lahtinen Laura , FinnGen  , Peltomäki Päivi , Mecklin Jukka-Pekka , Aaltonen Lauri A. , Seppälä Toni T.
Published: June 2024

Some 50% of Finnish Lynch Syndrome (LS) cases are caused by a founder variant in MLH1, in which the entire exon 16 has been lost due to an Alu-mediated recombination event. We piloted detecting the variant in FinnGen, a large genotyped cohort comprising approximately 10% of the current Finnish population, and validated the MLH1 founder variant status of identified individuals residing in the Central Finland Biobank catchment area. A consensus sequence flanking the deletion was identified in whole genome sequences of six LS individuals with the founder variant. Genotype data of 212,196 individuals was queried for regional matches to the consensus sequence. Enrichment of cancer and age at cancer onset was compared between matching and non-matching individuals. Variant status was validated for a subset of the identified individuals using a polymerase chain reaction assay. Allelic matches in a chosen target region was detected in 348 individuals, with 89 having a cancer diagnosis (Bonferroni-adjusted p-value = 1), 20 a familial cancer history (p-adj. < .001), with mean age of onset of cancer being 53.6 years (p-adj. = .002). Eighteen of potential variant carriers had been sampled by the Central Finland Biobank, of which four (22%) were validated as true variant carriers. The workflow we have employed identifies MLH1 exon 16 deletion variant carriers from population-wide SNP genotyping data. An alternative design will be sought to limit false positive findings. Large genotyped cohorts provide a potential resource for identification and prevention of hereditary cancer.
Beyond the Canopy: Social Play Behavior in Wild Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi)
Authors: Cardoso Rodriguez Sara , Corral Eva , Llorente Miquel , Liebal Katja , Amici Federica
Published: June 2024

Play is a multifunctional behavior that may confer different advantages depending on the context, the species, sex, and age of the players. Despite numerous studies of social play in primates, we know little about this behavior in platyrrhines. This study was designed to provide a systematic description of social play in a wild group of Geoffroy’s spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). We conducted behavioral observations of acrobatic social play, object social play, cuddling play, and rough-and-tumble play in a large group of spider monkeys (N = 54) in Yucatan, Mexico. Over 5 months, we recorded and analyzed 104 play sessions. The probability of engaging in social play was higher for infants and juveniles than for subadults and adults, and it did not differ between sexes. Moreover, the probability of engaging in different types of social play did not vary across individuals based on their sex and age, nor on the frequency of play faces. Play sessions lasted longer when both players were younger and with a higher number of players, but there was no significant variation in session length associated with the frequency of play faces or players’ sex. Overall, our study revealed patterns of play behavior that suggest substantial flexibility in play in this species, in line with the high levels of tolerance that characterize spider monkeys.
Early insights into Piaget’s cognitive development model through the lens of the Technologies curriculum
Authors: Cerovac Milorad , Keane Therese
Published: June 2024

Piaget’s theory of stage structure is synonymous with discussions involving cognitive development. As with any theoretical model, researchers inevitably and rightly seek to affirm and/or contest the elements of the model presented. In this comparative study, students’ performance across three hands-on engineering tasks for two distinct student cohort groups were investigated including young primary school students (aged 8 to 10) in Piaget’s concrete operations; and older secondary school students (aged 15 to 18) in Piaget’s formal operations stage of cognitive development. The purpose was to gain an insight into Piaget’s stage structure from the perspective of the compulsory national Technologies curriculum in Australia, of which engineering is a core subject. The senior students outperformed their younger peers on all three tasks (simple, complicated and complex), with differences in abstraction and spatial inferential reasoning abilities increasing, as the task complexity increased. Although there is very limited evidence linking practical technological subjects and Piaget’s cognitive development model, the findings were consistent with respect to students’ abstract thinking capabilities and their cognitive development.
Examining engineering design students’ perceptions of agency for sustainability in a problem- and project-based learning (PBL) context—a Q methodology study
Authors: Guerra Aida , Jiang Dan , Du Xiangyun , Abou-Hayt Imad , Valderrama Pineda Andrés Felipe
Published: June 2024

This study explores engineering design students’ perceptions of their agency for sustainability in a Danish problem- and project-based learning (PBL) context. A conceptual framework is proposed with three dimensions: personal, action, and contextual. Q methodology was adopted to investigate the subjective views of 24 first-year undergraduate students in a Sustainable Design program regarding the most important contributors in their development of agency for sustainability. The Q factor analysis identified three prevailing opinions, which emphasized: 1) The professional role of engineering designers to act for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); 2) The role of the formal curriculum in building the foundations to act for the SDGs; and 3) Collaboration within and beyond the university. These results indicate the complexity of student agency and highlight PBL's effectiveness for supporting students’ learning for sustainability across all three dimensions of student agency. The results also suggest that institutions and educators should design more formal and informal sustainability-related activities with clear structures and well-defined regulations and strategies for sustainability.
Energy-efficient tool path generation and expansion optimisation for five-axis flank milling with meta-reinforcement learning
Authors: Lu Fengyi , Zhou Guanghui , Zhang Chao , Liu Yang , Chang Fengtian , Lu Qi , Xiao Zhongdong
Published: June 2024

Five-axis flank milling is prevalent in complex surfaces manufacturing, and it typically consumes high electricity energy. To save energy and improve energy efficiency, this paper proposes a tool path optimisation of five-axis flank milling by meta-reinforcement learning. Firstly, considering flank milling features, a feed angle is defined that guides tool spatial motion and identifies an ideal principal path. Then, machining energy consumption and time are modelled by tool path variables, i.e., feed angle, cutting strip width and path length. Secondly, an energy-efficient tool path dynamic optimisation model is constructed, which is then described by multiple Markov Decision Processes (MDPs). Thirdly, meta-learning integrating with the Soft Actor-Critic (MSAC) framework is utilised to address the MDPs. In an MDP with one principal path randomly generated by a feed angle, cutting strip width is dynamically optimised under a maximum scallop height limit to realise energy-efficient multi-expansions. By quick traversal of MDPs with various feed angles, MSAC enables an energy-efficient path generation and expansion integrated scheme. Experiments show that, regarding machining energy consumption and time, the proposed method achieves a reduction of 69.96% and 68.44% over the end milling with an iso-scallop height, and of 41.50% and 39.80% over the flank milling with an iso-scallop height, with a minimum amount of machining carbon emission, which highlights its contribution to the arena of energy-oriented and sustainable intelligent manufacturing.
Characterizing Changes in a Salt Hydrate Bed Using Micro X-Ray Computed Tomography
Authors: Arya Aastha , Martinez-Garcia Jorge , Schuetz Philipp , Mahmoudi Amirhoushang , Brem Gerrit , Donkers Pim A. J. , Shahi Mina
Published: June 2024

Thermochemical storage using salt hydrates presents a promising energy storage method. Ensuring the long-term effectiveness of the system is critical, demanding both chemical and mechanical stability of material for repetitive cycling. Challenges arise from agglomeration and volume variations during discharging and charging, impacting the cyclability of thermochemical materials (TCM). For practical usage, the material is often used in a packed bed containing millimetre-sized grains. A micro-level analysis of changes in a packed bed system, along with a deeper understanding involving quantifying bed characteristics, is crucial. In this study, micro X-ray computed tomography (XCT) is used to compare changes in the packed bed before and after cycling the material. Findings indicate a significant decrease in pore size distribution in the bed after 10 cycles and a decrease in porosity from 41.34 to 19.91% accompanied by an increase in grain size, reducing void space. A comparison of effective thermal conductivity between the uncycled and cycled reactor indicates an increase after cycling. Additionally, the effective thermal conductivity is lower in the axial direction compared to the radial. XCT data from uncycled and cycled experiments are further used to observe percolation paths inside the bed. Furthermore, at a system scale fluid flow profile comparison is presented for uncycled and cycled packed beds. It has been observed that the permeability decreased and the pressure drop increased from 0.31 to 4.88 Pa after cycling.
Standard addition method for the rapid analysis of 226Ra, gross alpha–beta and total radium isotope activities in surface water of Maritsa River, Türkiye
Authors: Zaim Nimet , Camtakan Zeyneb , Kiremitçioğlu Şevki
Published: June 2024

This research aimed to determine the activity concentration of 226Ra in the natural radioactivity of the surface water of the Maritsa River, Türkiye. The gamma spectrometric analysis was conducted by using 3′′ × 3′′ NaI(Tl) and (HPGe) detector. Since the direct measurement method could not acquire reliable results, the mean activity concentration of 226Ra was calculated as 0.62 Bq L−1 with the “standard addition method”. The mean values of the gross alpha/beta activities and the total radium alpha activity concentration were measured. The results are 0.013 Bq L−1, 0.304 Bq L−1, and 0.014 Bq L−1 respectively.