bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deciphering Sodium‐Ion Storage: 2D‐Sulfide versus Oxide Through Experimental and Computational Analyses
Authors: Sengupta Shilpi , Pramanik Atin , de Oliveira Caique Campos , Chattopadhyay Shreyasi , Pieshkov Tymofii , Autreto Pedro Alves da Silva , Ajayan Pulickel M. , Kundu Manab
Published: June 2024

Transition metal derivatives exhibit high theoretical capacity, making them promising anode materials for sodium‐ion batteries. Sulfides, known for their superior electrical conductivity compared to oxides, enhance charge transfer, leading to improved electrochemical performance. Here, a hierarchical WS2 micro‐flower is synthesized by thermal sulfurization of WO3. Comprising interconnected thin nanosheets, this structure offers increased surface area, facilitating extensive internal surfaces for electrochemical redox reactions. The WS2 micro‐flower demonstrates a specific capacity of ≈334 mAh g−1 at 15 mA g−1, nearly three times higher than its oxide counterpart. Further, it shows very stable performance as a high‐temperature (65 °C) anode with ≈180 mAh g−1 reversible capacity at 100 mA g−1 current rate. Post‐cycling analysis confirms unchanged morphology, highlighting the structural stability and robustness of WS2. DFT calculations show that the electronic bandgap in both WS2 and WO3 increases when going from the bulk to monolayers. Na adsorption calculations show that Na atoms bind strongly in WO3 with a higher energy diffusion barrier when compared to WS2, corroborating the experimental findings. This study presents a significant insight into electrode material selection for sodium‐ion storage applications.
Algorithmic responsibility without accountability: Understanding data‐intensive algorithms and decisions in organisations
Authors: Besio Cristina , Fedtke Cornelia , Grothe‐Hammer Michael , Karafillidis Athanasios , Pronzini Andrea
Published: June 2024

Social science research has been concerned for several years with the issue of shifting responsibilities in organisations due to the increased use of data‐intensive algorithms. Much of the research to date has focused on the question of who should be held accountable when ‘algorithmic decisions’ turn out to be discriminatory, erroneous or unfair. From a sociological perspective, it is striking that these debates do not make a clear distinction between responsibility and accountability. In our paper, we draw on this distinction as proposed by the German social systems theorist Niklas Luhmann. We use it to analyse the changes and continuities in organisations related to the use of data‐intensive algorithms. We argue that algorithms absorb uncertainty in organisational decision‐making and thus can indeed take responsibility but cannot be made accountable for errors. By using algorithms, responsibility is fragmented across people and technology, while assigning accountability becomes highly controversial. This creates new discrepancies between responsibility and accountability, which can be especially consequential for organisations' internal trust and innovation capacities.
Stable Motions of High Energy Particles Interacting via a Repelling Potential
Authors: Rom-Kedar V. , Turaev D.
Published: June 2024

The motion of $$N$$
N
particles interacting by a smooth repelling potential and confined to a compact $$d$$
d
-dimensional region is proved to be, under mild conditions, non-ergodic for all sufficiently large energies. Specifically, choreographic solutions, for which all particles follow approximately the same path close to an elliptic periodic orbit of the single-particle system, are proved to be KAM stable in the high energy limit. Finally, it is proved that the motion of $$N$$
N
repelling particles in a rectangular box is non-ergodic at high energies for a generic choice of interacting potential: there exists a KAM-stable periodic motion by which the particles move fast only in one direction, each on its own path, yet in synchrony with all the other parallel moving particles.
Thermostable vacuum foam dried Newcastle disease vaccine: Process optimization and pilot-scale study
Authors: Lyu Fang , Zhao Yan-hong , Zuo Xiao-xin , Nyide Babalwa , Deng Bi-hua , Zhou Ming-xu , Hou Jibo , Jiao Jia-jie , Zeng Min-qian , Jie Hong-ying , Olaniran Ademola , Lu Yu , Khoza Thandeka
Published: June 2024

Vacuum foam drying (VFD) has been shown to improve the thermostability and long-term shelf life of Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV). This study optimized the VFD process to improve the shelf life of NDV at laboratory-scale and then tested the optimized conditions at pilot-scale. The optimal NDV to T5 formulation ratio was determined to be 1:1 or 3:2. Using the 1:1 virus to formulation ratio, the optimal filling volumes were determined to be 13–17% of the vial capacity. The optimized VFD process conditions were determined to be at a shelf temperature of 25℃ with a minimum overall drying time of 44 h. The vaccine samples prepared using these optimized conditions at laboratory-scale exhibited virus titer losses of ≤ 1.0 log10 with residual moisture content (RMC) below 3%. Furthermore, these samples were transported for 97 days around China at ambient temperature without significant titer loss, thus demonstrating the thermostability of the NDV-VFD vaccine. Pilot-scale testing of the NDV-VFD vaccine at optimized conditions showed promising results for up-scaling the process as the RMC was below 3%. However, the virus titer loss was slightly above 1.0 log10 (approximately 1.1 log10). Therefore, the NDV-VFD process requires further optimization at pilot scale to obtain a titer loss of ≤ 1.0 log10. Results from this study provide important guidance for possible industrialization of NDV-VFD vaccine in the future.

Key points

• The process optimization and scale-up test of thermostable NDV vaccine prepared through VFD is reported for the first time in this study.

• The live attenuated NDV-VFD vaccine maintained thermostability for 97 days during long distance transportation in summer without cold chain conditions.

• The optimized NDV-VFD vaccine preparations evaluated at pilot-scale maintained acceptable levels of infectivity after preservation at 37℃ for 90 days, which demonstrated the feasibility of the vaccine for industrialization.
Patient care and access to clinical trials in gynaecological oncology: global implications of the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Nasser Sara , Fotopoulou Christina , Gültekin Murat , Dimitrova Desislava , Bilir Esra , Inci Gülhan , Morice Philippe , Mirza Mansoor Raza , Martin Antonio Gonzalez , Berek Jonathan , Sehouli Jalid ,   Collaborating Groups: European Network for Gynaecological Oncology Trials (ENGOT), European Society for Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), Gynecological Cancer Intergroup (GCIG), Pan-Arabian Research Society for Gynecological Oncology (PARSGO), North-East German Gynecological Oncology Society (NOGGO)
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Our prospective international survey evaluated the impact of the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic on the management gynaecological malignancies from the multidisciplinary physicians’ perspective with particular focus on clinical infrastructures and trial participation.

Methods

Our survey consisted of 53 COVID-related questions. It was sent to healthcare professionals in gynaecological oncology centres across Europe and Pan-Arabian region via the study groups and gynaecological societies from April 2020 to October 2020. All healthcare professionals treating gynaecological cancers were able to participate in our survey.

Results

A total of 255 answers were collected from 30 countries. The majority (73%) of participants were gynaecological oncologists from university hospitals (71%) with at least an Intensive Care Unit with cardiopulmonary support available at their institutions. Most institutions continued to perform elective surgeries only for oncological cases (98%). Patients had to wait on average 2 weeks longer for their surgery appointments compared to previous years (range 0–12 weeks). Most cases that were prioritised for surgical intervention across all gynaecological tumours were early-stage disease (74%), primary situation (61%) and good ECOG status (63%). The radicality of surgery did not change in the majority of cases (78%) across all tumour types. During the pandemic, only 38% of clinicians stated they would start a new clinical trial. Almost half of the participants stated the pandemic negatively impacted the financial structure and support for clinical trials. Approximately 20% of clinicians did not feel well-informed regarding clinical algorithm for COVID-19 patients throughout the pandemic. Thirty percent stated that they are currently having trouble in providing adequate medical care due to staff shortage.

Conclusion

Despite well-established guidelines, pandemic clearly affected clinical research and patientcare. Our survey underlines the necessity for building robust emergency algorithms tailored to gynaecological oncology to minimise negative impact in crises and to preserve access to clinical trials.
Policies for aquifer thermal energy storage: international comparison, barriers and recommendations
Authors: Stemmle Ruben , Hanna Richard , Menberg Kathrin , Østergaard Poul Alberg , Jackson Matthew , Staffell Iain , Blum Philipp
Published: June 2024

Aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES) represents a promising solution for heating and cooling, offering lower greenhouse gas emissions and primary energy consumption than conventional technologies. Despite these benefits and the widespread availability of suitable aquifers, ATES has yet to see widespread utilisation, with uptake highly concentrated in select countries (Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden and Denmark). Beyond technical and hydrogeological feasibility, appropriate national policies are paramount in driving ATES deployment. This study provides an international comparison of ATES policies, highlighting best practices and revealing where measures are missing. It sources insights from a survey of experts across academia, industry and governmental bodies in 30 countries, complemented by semi-structured expert interviews. The study reveals significant differences in the existence and strength of supportive policy environments between countries with different ATES market maturity. A mere 33% of all survey respondents stated that there are policies designed to support ATES utilisation in their respective countries, while the existence of laws and regulations governing ATES was confirmed by 56% of the respondents. The interviews provide details on creating supportive environments (e.g. through facilitators like pre-existing groundwater technology use and building energy efficiency standards) and further barriers to ATES deployment. Ten recommendations for ATES policies are derived to address the following areas: legislative and regulatory issues, raising public awareness, ATES’ role in local energy transitions, and social engagement. This work aims to steer global policy towards better harnessing the potential of ATES to decarbonise buildings.

Graphical abstract
Solvency analysis of deferred annuities
Authors: Gasimova Khadija , Haberman Steven , Millossovich Pietro
Published: June 2024

While the solvency analysis of immediate life annuity portfolios has been extensively studied, the case of deferred annuities has received comparatively much less attention. We assess the importance and effect of stochastic mortality models and interest rates on the solvency analysis of a portfolio of deferred annuity contracts. Our analysis considers three steps: first, the benchmark case where mortality rates and interest rates are both deterministic; then, the case in which only mortality rates are stochastic is explored; finally, the full model where both mortality rates and interest rates are stochastic. The results demonstrate the model risk stemming from the uncertainty in the mortality models and its impact on the evaluation of solvency margins for life annuities. The role of the deferment period is thoroughly discussed and compared to the case of immediate annuities.
A systematic review on research utilising artificial intelligence for open source intelligence (OSINT) applications
Authors: Browne Thomas Oakley , Abedin Mohammad , Chowdhury Mohammad Jabed Morshed
Published: June 2024

This paper presents a systematic review to identify research combining artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms with Open source intelligence (OSINT) applications and practices. Currently, there is a lack of compilation of these approaches in the research domain and similar systematic reviews do not include research that post dates the year 2019. This systematic review attempts to fill this gap by identifying recent research. The review used the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses and identified 163 research articles focusing on OSINT applications leveraging AI algorithms. This systematic review outlines several research questions concerning meta-analysis of the included research and seeks to identify research limitations and future directions in this area. The review identifies that research gaps exist in the following areas: Incorporation of pre-existing OSINT tools with AI, the creation of AI-based OSINT models that apply to penetration testing, underutilisation of alternate data sources and the incorporation of dissemination functionality. The review additionally identifies future research directions in AI-based OSINT research in the following areas: Multi-lingual support, incorporation of additional data sources, improved model robustness against data poisoning, integration with live applications, real-world use, the addition of alert generation for dissemination purposes and incorporation of algorithms for use in planning.
Enhancing Skin Cancer Diagnosis Using Swin Transformer with Hybrid Shifted Window-Based Multi-head Self-attention and SwiGLU-Based MLP
Authors: Pacal Ishak , Alaftekin Melek , Zengul Ferhat Devrim
Published: June 2024

Skin cancer is one of the most frequently occurring cancers worldwide, and early detection is crucial for effective treatment. Dermatologists often face challenges such as heavy data demands, potential human errors, and strict time limits, which can negatively affect diagnostic outcomes. Deep learning–based diagnostic systems offer quick, accurate testing and enhanced research capabilities, providing significant support to dermatologists. In this study, we enhanced the Swin Transformer architecture by implementing the hybrid shifted window-based multi-head self-attention (HSW-MSA) in place of the conventional shifted window-based multi-head self-attention (SW-MSA). This adjustment enables the model to more efficiently process areas of skin cancer overlap, capture finer details, and manage long-range dependencies, while maintaining memory usage and computational efficiency during training. Additionally, the study replaces the standard multi-layer perceptron (MLP) in the Swin Transformer with a SwiGLU-based MLP, an upgraded version of the gated linear unit (GLU) module, to achieve higher accuracy, faster training speeds, and better parameter efficiency. The modified Swin model-base was evaluated using the publicly accessible ISIC 2019 skin dataset with eight classes and was compared against popular convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and cutting-edge vision transformer (ViT) models. In an exhaustive assessment on the unseen test dataset, the proposed Swin-Base model demonstrated exceptional performance, achieving an accuracy of 89.36%, a recall of 85.13%, a precision of 88.22%, and an F1-score of 86.65%, surpassing all previously reported research and deep learning models documented in the literature.
Asymptotically uniform functions: a single hypothesis which solves two old problems
Authors: Gabriel J.-P. , Berrut J.-P.
Published: June 2024

The asymptotic study of a time-dependent function ƒ as the solution of a differential equation often leads to the question of whether its derivative

$$f'$$

f
′

vanishes at infinity. We show that a necessary and sufficient condition for this is that

$$f'$$

f
′

is what may be called asymptotically uniform. We generalize the result to higher order derivatives. We also show that the same property for ƒ itself is also necessary and sufficient for its one-sided improper integrals to exist. The article provides a broad study of such asymptotically uniform functions.
Maternal Depression and Sleep Problems in Early Childhood: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Orton Owen , Bilgin Ayten
Published: June 2024

Both prenatal and postnatal maternal depression have been associated with increased sleep problems in early childhood. However, this association is less consistent for postnatal depression, and the strength of the association remains unclear. The aim of the current study was to provide a quantitative synthesis of the literature to estimate the magnitude of the association between maternal depression and sleep problems in early childhood. Medline, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched for prospective longitudinal studies from 1970 to December 2022. Of 117 articles screened, 22 studies met the inclusion criteria. Both prenatal depression (OR = 1.82; 95% CI = 1.28–2.61) and postnatal depression (OR = 1.65; 95% CI = 1.50–1.82) were associated with increased likelihood of sleep problems in early childhood. The heterogeneity between the studies was significant and high both for prenatal (Q = 432.323; I2 = 97.456, P < .001) and postnatal depression (Q = 44.902, I2 = 65.594, P < .001), which mean that conclusions are tentative and need to be considered within the possible influence of unmeasured confounding. However, mitigating depression symptoms in mothers both during pregnancy and in the postnatal period would be an effective strategy for reducing sleep problems in children.
A computer vision system for detecting motorcycle violations in pedestrian zones
Authors: Hernández-Díaz Nicolás , Peñaloza Yersica C. , Rios Y. Yuliana , Martinez-Santos Juan Carlos , Puertas Edwin
Published: June 2024

This paper presents a system that relies on computer vision to identify instances of motorcycle violations in crosswalks utilizing CNNs. The system was trained and evaluated on a novel public dataset published by the authors, which contains traffic images classified into four categories: motorcycles in crosswalks, motorcycles outside crosswalks, pedestrians in crosswalks, and only motorbike outside. We demonstrate the viability of leveraging deep learning models such as YOLOv8 for this purpose and provide details on the training and performance of the model. This system has the potential to enable intelligent traffic enforcement to mitigate accidents in pedestrian zones; to develop the system, a dataset comprising over 6,000 images was amassed from publicly available traffic cameras and subsequently annotated. Several models, including YOLOv8, SSD, and MobileNet, were trained on this dataset. The YOLOv8 model attained the highest performance with a mean average precision of 84.6% across classes. The study presents the system architecture and training process. Results illustrate the potential of utilizing deep learning to detect traffic violations in pedestrian zones, which can promote intelligent traffic enforcement and improved safety.
Extratesticular masses focusing on MRI findings
Authors: Edo Hiromi , Yagi Fumiko , Mizuno Mariko , Okada Masahiro , Hyoe Eiko , Ozaki Ippei , Akita Hirotaka , Jinzaki Masahiro , Shinmoto Hiroshi
Published: June 2024

Scrotal masses, whether cystic or solid lesions, are routinely evaluated using ultrasonography. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used for further investigation in cases with atypical findings, difficult diagnoses, large masses, and/or unclear relationships with the surrounding tissues. Scrotal solid masses are divided into intra- and extra-testicular masses. A staggering 90% of the intratesticular masses are malignant, whereas 75% of extratesticular masses are benign. Extratesticular masses are less common than intratesticular masses; however, some extratesticular masses present characteristic MRI findings. Familiarity with these specific MRI features of extratesticular masses is beneficial to radiologists, as appropriate diagnoses can help avoid unnecessary invasive treatments such as orchiectomy. In this review, we describe fibrous pseudotumors, polyorchidism, adenomatoid tumors, and scrotal leiomyoma as benign paratesticular masses, focusing on their characteristic imaging features on MRI. Although these tumors are extremely rare, their MRI findings are distinctive, and accurate diagnoses can prevent unnecessary orchiectomy. In addition, to demonstrate the pitfalls of diagnosing extratesticular masses, we present a case of seminoma misidentified as extratesticular masses due to large extensions outside the testis. Spermatic cord sarcoma, including rhabdomyosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, and liposarcoma, and metastasis to the spermatic cord are described as malignant extratesticular masses. This review focused on extratesticular masses and elaborates the imaging findings that can aid in the accurate diagnosis using MRI.
Adhipati, Yogācāra Intersubjectivity, and Soteriology in Kuiji’s Commentaries
Authors: Zu Jessica X.
Published: June 2024

This study sheds light on a key concept of Yogācāra intersubjectivity that played a significant role in medieval Chinese Yogācāra. Specifically, it analyzes how Kuiji 窺基 (632–682) reinterprets adhipati (activating and amplifying influence; Ch: zengshang 增上 or zengshang li 增上力 or zengshang yuan 增上緣) to account for intersubjective karmic interactions across different lifeworlds in the events of teaching and killing.

As this line of investigation shows, Kuiji’s theory of adhipati attempts to sidestep the entanglement of the problems of intersubjectivity and incommensurable worlds in Yogācāra. Extant scholarship on intersubjectivity often presumes one spatio-temporal world populated by sentient beings and insentient objects, which is fundamentally at odds with the Yogācāra tenet that each mental stream generates its distinct lifeworld. To address the pragmatic question of how different mental continuums of consciousnesses can impinge into each other’s lifeworlds, Kuiji employed adhipati in a specific way to account for intersubjective interplay across different, potentially incommensurable worlds. In this framing of intersubjectivity, the problem of one world or many worlds is explained non-dualistically: these lifeworlds are neither the same nor different, neither one nor many, but karmically interconnected.

Expanding on recent discussions of the puzzle of intersubjectivity in Yogācāra, this paper shows that Kuiji’s deployment of adhipati provides an account of genuine intersubjectivity in which different mental continuums are recognized as subjects and engage in causal interactions among different spatio-temporal worlds. In Kuiji’s framing, this genuine intersubjectivity gives rise to the sense of one shared world.
Shared Sovereignties and Criminal Governances in the Context of the Pandemic in Colombia
Authors: Niño César , Guerrero-Sierra Hugo , Wilches Jaime
Published: June 2024

The Covid-19 pandemic led to a process of social isolation, but this does not appear to have applied to criminal organisations in Colombia. On the contrary, they had opportunities to strengthen and demonstrate capacities to coexist with the state. So, how were shared sovereignties and criminal governances configured during Covid-19 in Colombia? Through an ethnography of digital narratives and the construction of a model of governance types, we found that the political model of shared sovereignty and criminal governance was strengthened in the context of the pandemic, allowing legal and illegal actors to accept a mutually beneficial –but painful– draw, to control their areas of social influence and territorial control.
Exploring the relationship between personality and gaming disorder symptoms in a sample of Dota 2 players
Authors: Bäcklund Christian , Sörman Daniel Eriksson , Röhlcke Sebastian , Nyström Markus B. T.
Published: June 2024

This study explored the relationship between the big five personality traits and gaming disorder symptoms (GDS) in a sample of Dota 2 players. Recent research has indicated that the relationship between personality traits and GDS may depend on the video game genre investigated. However, the association between GDS and personality has yet to be investigated within a specific game, which may be even more relevant to explore as each game offers unique gameplay mechanics that can influence player behavior differently. Thus, the present study investigated the relationship between the big five personality traits and GDS in a sample of video game players from a specific game, DOTA 2 (n = 321, M = 23.25 years, SD = 4.51). Multiple linear regression was used to analyze GDS formatted as a composite score, and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were further conducted for analyses in which gamers were classified into normal gamers (i.e., less than three criteria endorsed), moderate-risk gamers (i.e., four criteria endorsed), and high-risk gamers (i.e., all criteria endorsed). The analysis of the composite score showed a significant relationship between neuroticism, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and GDS. Analyses of the gaming classifications revealed that neuroticism was the most crucial factor concerning differentiating moderate-risk and high-risk from normal gamers. The findings and their practical implications are further discussed.
Should I Just Stick to the Wall? Evaluating the Social Acceptance and Preferred Driving Side of Wall Following
Authors: Robinson Nicole , Yeung Christopher Tsz-Hang , Cosgun Akansel
Published: June 2024

The need for safe, predictable, and reliable robot navigation is fundamental for mobile robots to move around in home and office environments. Shortest-path navigation is a popular robot navigation method that uses the most efficient path to get to the desired goal. This behaviour is not always easy to interpret, understand, and avoid in a congested hallway. Instead, more predictable navigation methods, such as a robot following a wall, can help increase social acceptance and help avoid the robot crossing the pedestrian path. If a robot follows along a wall, a key variable to consider is the preferred driving side of the robot (left or right) in areas such as in narrow passages, and its perceived impact on social acceptance. This international user study (n = 143) involved an online video-based test to compare robot evaluation and social acceptance for two types of mobile navigation (Wall-Following and Shortest Path), including the preferred driving side for Wall-Following. A Fetch robot navigated from start to goal position in a series of indoor scenarios with a pedestrian. Select scenarios included a hallway, doorway, and intersection. Independent Sample T-Tests results found that Wall-Following was rated significantly higher than Shortest Path for being perceived as more comfortable and predictable, regardless of robot driving side. The preference for the driver side of the robot did not match the country of residence, nor did it have a significant impact on robot ratings. There were significant interaction effects for comfort, safety and predictable scores across two timepoints. Given the popularity of Shortest Path navigation, the findings indicate that this approach might not be the most appropriate for human settings. Additional investigation into Wall-Following behaviours is recommended for social acceptance, even if the method compromises the efficiency of the robot to acheive its objective.
An Internet Snapshot Survey Assessing the sale of Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists for use with Electronic Vaping Devices
Authors: Gould Allon , Dargan Paul I , Wood David M
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) are associated with significant toxicity and are increasingly used in electronic vaping devices. We assessed the availability of SCRA vaping products to UK purchasers on the surface web.

Methods

An internet snapshot survey was performed between October 2022 and January 2023 on ‘google.com’ using the search terms “buy c-liquid vape”, “buy herbal incense vape liquid”, “buy cannabis vape liquid”, “buy hashish vape liquid”, “buy K2 vape liquid”.

Results

62 websites selling 128 SCRA vaping brands were identified. Most were purportedly based in the USA (41 websites, 66%) and most sold other controlled substances. Purchase incentives offered included discreet packaging (38, 61%), discounts for bulk purchase (34, 55%) and tracked delivery (30, 48%). Many websites stated SCRA products were: not for human consumption (41, 66%), for research purposes only (15, 24%), or legal (28, 45%). Websites sold a median (IQR) of 16 (7–25) SCRA vaping brands. Almost all were bottles of vaping liquid (1220/1225, 99.6%). The most common bottle size was 5mL (60%), the median (IQR) total volume of SCRA liquid per sale was 50mL (10–200mL). Median (IQR) price was £3.39/mL (£2.01/mL– £5.29/mL). Price decreased with increasing volume purchased (£6.58/mL for ≤ 5mL, £1.60/mL for > 200mL).

Conclusion

SCRA vaping products are easily obtainable online, in both small and bulk quantities. Information provided to purchasers on safety and legality is lacking or misleading. Further studies are needed to confirm the chemistry of these products. Policymakers should consider steps to limit the potential harm caused by the purchase and use of these products.
Drug delivery to and through the skin
Authors: Guy Richard H.
Published: June 2024

Drug delivery technology has advanced significantly over >50 years, and has produced remarkable innovation, countless publications and conferences, and generations of talented and creative scientists. However, a critical review of the current state-of-the-art reveals that the translation of clever and sophisticated drug delivery technologies into products, which satisfy important, unmet medical needs and have been approved by the regulatory agencies, has - given the investment made in terms of time and money - been relatively limited. Here, this point of view is illustrated using a case study of technology for drug delivery into and through the skin and aims:  to examine the historical development of this field and the current state-of-the-art;  to understand why the translation of drug delivery technologies into products that improve clinical outcomes has been quite slow and inefficient; and  to suggest how the impact of technology may be increased and the process of concept to approved product accelerated.

Graphical Abstract
Exploring the feasibility of prestressed anchor cables as an alternative to temporary support in the excavation of super-large-span tunnel
Authors: Zhou Shunhua , Jin Yuyin , Tian Zhiyao , Zou Chunhua , Zhao Heming , Miao Zengrun
Published: June 2024

Excavating super-large-span tunnels in soft rock masses presents significant challenges. To ensure safety, the sequential excavation method is commonly adopted. It utilizes internal temporary supports to spatially partition the tunnel face and divide the excavation into multiple stages. However, these internal supports generally impose spatial constraints, limiting the use of large-scale excavation equipment and reducing construction efficiency. To address this constraint, this study adopts the “Shed-frame” principle to explore the feasibility of an innovative support system, which aims to replace internal supports with prestressed anchor cables and thus provide a more spacious working space with fewer internal obstructions. To evaluate its effectiveness, a field case involving the excavation of a 24-m span tunnel in soft rock is presented, and an analysis of extensive field data is conducted to study the deformation characteristics of the surrounding rock and the mechanical behavior of the support system. The results revealed that prestressed anchor cables integrated the initial support with the shed, creating an effective “shed-frame” system, which successively maintained tunnel deformation and frame stress levels within safe regulatory bounds. Moreover, the prestressed anchor cables bolstered the surrounding rock effectively and reduced the excavation-induced disturbance zone significantly. In summary, the proposed support system balances construction efficiency and safety. These field experiences may offer valuable insights into the popularization and further development of prestressed anchor cable support systems.
First experiences with machine learning predictions of accelerated declining eGFR slope of living kidney donors 3 years after donation
Authors: Lukomski Leandra , Pisula Juan , Wagner Tristan , Sabov Andrii , Große Hokamp Nils , Bozek Katarzyna , Popp Felix , Kann Martin , Kurschat Christine , Becker Jan Ulrich , Bruns Christiane , Thomas Michael , Stippel Dirk
Published: June 2024

Background

Living kidney donors are screened pre-donation to estimate the risk of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). We evaluate Machine Learning (ML) to predict the progression of kidney function deterioration over time using the estimated GFR (eGFR) slope as the target variable.

Methods

We included 238 living kidney donors who underwent donor nephrectomy. We divided the dataset based on the eGFR slope in the third follow-up year, resulting in 185 donors with an average eGFR slope and 53 donors with an accelerated declining eGFR-slope. We trained three Machine Learning-models (Random Forest [RF], Extreme Gradient Boosting [XG], Support Vector Machine [SVM]) and Logistic Regression (LR) for predictions. Predefined data subsets served for training to explore whether parameters of an ESKD risk score alone suffice or additional clinical and time-zero biopsy parameters enhance predictions. Machine learning-driven feature selection identified the best predictive parameters.

Results

None of the four models classified the eGFR slope with an AUC greater than 0.6 or an F1 score surpassing 0.41 despite training on different data subsets. Following machine learning-driven feature selection and subsequent retraining on these selected features, random forest and extreme gradient boosting outperformed other models, achieving an AUC of 0.66 and an F1 score of 0.44. After feature selection, two predictive donor attributes consistently appeared in all models: smoking-related features and glomerulitis of the Banff Lesion Score.

Conclusions

Training machine learning-models with distinct predefined data subsets yielded unsatisfactory results. However, the efficacy of random forest and extreme gradient boosting improved when trained exclusively with machine learning-driven selected features, suggesting that the quality, rather than the quantity, of features is crucial for machine learning-model performance. This study offers insights into the application of emerging machine learning-techniques for the screening of living kidney donors.

Graphical abstract
Upgrading the Compressor Stage of the CAT250TJ Micro Gas Turbine Engine
Authors: van Eck Hano , van der Spuy Sybrand Johannes
Published: June 2024

Due to their simplicity and relative ease of manufacture, single-stage centrifugal and mixed flow micro gas turbine (MGT) engines are preferred in thrust-based remotely piloted aerial vehicles. A single-stage mixed-flow compressor upgrade for the 200 N CAT250TJ MGT engine is numerically evaluated and presented. An in-house developed mean line application and commercial CFD software is used for the design and performance evaluation of the proposed upgrade configurations. The CAT250TJ – Gen1 engine features a single-stage centrifugal compressor, annular combustor, and single stage axial turbine. Apart from an upgraded impeller, a new crossover diffuser configuration is introduced to replace the wedge-type, straight outlet diffuser configuration of the Gen1 engine. The new single vane crossover diffuser configuration provides a design point total-to-total efficiency and pressure ratio increase of 8.3% and 12.1%, respectively. A disadvantage of a single-vaned crossover diffuser compared to legacy diffusers is a narrower operating range. To alleviate this issue, various combinations of tandem and splitter vane crossover diffuser configurations are proposed. These provide an enhanced operating range, comparable with the operating range displayed by the Gen1 configuration. A turbine power matching analysis is additionally completed to ensure proper compressor integration. Gas turbine cycle software is used to evaluate the on-engine performance of the upgraded compressor configurations. It is shown that the new baseline, single vane crossover diffuser configuration provides a 10.74% increase in design point static thrust.
The Transformed MG-Extended Exponential Distribution: Properties and Applications
Authors: Menberu Addisalem Assaye , Goshu Ayele Taye
Published: June 2024

Our research paper introduces a newly developed probability distribution called the transformed MG-extended exponential (TMGEE) distribution. This distribution is derived from the exponential distribution using the modified Frechet approach, but it has a more adaptable hazard function and unique features that we have explained in detail. We conducted simulation studies using two methods: rejection sampling and inverse transform sampling, to produce summaries and show distributional properties. Moreover, we applied the TMGEE distribution to three real datasets from the health area to demonstrate its applicability. We used the maximum likelihood estimation technique to estimate the distribution’s parameters. Our results indicate that the TMGEE distribution provides a better fit for the three sets of data as compared to nine other commonly used probability distributions, including Weibull, exponential, and lognormal distributions.
Design issues concerning circular economy assessment methods at the product level: a comparative analysis through a case study of a mobile tiny house
Authors: Ruiz-Pastor Laura , Altavilla Stefania , Borgianni Yuri
Published: June 2024

Sustainability evaluations are increasingly relevant in the design of products. Within sustainability-related frameworks, circular economy (CE) has gained attention in the last few years, and this has vastly affected design, leading, for example, to design for circularity. This article deals with the wide range of product-level CE assessment tools, out of which some are applied to a case study from the building sector, namely a tiny house made with hemp bricks. Attention was specifically paid to those methods through which a single circularity indicator could be extrapolated. Overall, the objective of this work is to study the convergence of existing CE assessment methods in providing consistent circularity performances. The results show similarities in the overall circularity scores despite differences in the variables used to achieve that final score. Thus, despite the lack of standard methods, the results suggest that many of these tools are sufficiently interchangeable, also in consideration of consistent indications to improve the circularity of the tiny house. This means that consistent inputs are provided to anyone willing to redesign the tiny house with the objective of making it more circular irrespective of the assessment tool used.
Design and analysis of a negative pressure wall-climbing robot with an omnidirectional characteristic for cylindrical wall
Authors: Yuan Chunyang , Chang Yong , Song Yifeng , Lin Song , Jing Fengren
Published: June 2024

A negative pressure wall-climbing robot is a special robot for climbing vertical walls, which is widely used in construction, petrochemicals, nuclear energy, shipbuilding, and other industries. The mobility and adhesion of the wheel-track wall-climbing robot with steering-straight mode are significantly decreased on the cylindrical wall, especially during steering. The reason is that the suction chamber may separate from the wall and the required driving force for movement increases, during steering. In this paper, a negative pressure wall-climbing robot with omnidirectional movement mode is developed. By introducing a compliant adjusting suction mechanism and omni-belt wheels, an omnidirectional movement mode is formed instead of the steering-straight mode, and the performances of adhesion and mobility are improved. We establish the safety adhesion model for the robot on a cylindrical wall and obtain the safety adhesion forces. We designed and manufactured an experimental prototype based on the analysis. Experiments showed that the robot has the ability of full maneuverability in cylindrical walls.
Seasonal and Interannual Salish Sea Inflow Origins Using Lagrangian Tracking
Authors: Beutel Becca , Allen Susan E.
Published: June 2024

The Salish Sea is a semi‐enclosed sea between Vancouver Island and the coast of British Columbia and Washington State, invaluable from both an economic and ecologic perspective. Here we explore the contribution of Pacific water masses to the flow through Juan de Fuca Strait (JdF), the Salish Sea's primary connection to the Pacific Ocean. Quantitative Lagrangian particle tracking within Ariane, an offline Lagrangian tool capable of volume transport calculations, was applied to two numerical ocean models to track the paths and physical properties of water parcels before entering JdF (CIOPS) and within the Salish Sea (SalishSeaCast). During summer upwelling, flow from the north shelf and offshore dominate Pacific inflow, while during winter downwelling, flow from the south shelf and surface flow from the Columbia River plume are the dominant Pacific sources. A weaker and less consistent estuarine flow regime in the winter leads to less Pacific inflow overall and a smaller percentage of said inflow reaching the Salish Sea's inner basins than in the summer. Nevertheless, it was found that winter dynamics are a large driver of interannual variability. This analysis extends the knowledge on the dynamics of Pacific inflow to the Salish Sea and highlights the importance of winter inflow to interannual variability.
The Vigil Magnetometer for Operational Space Weather Services From the Sun‐Earth L5 Point
Authors: Eastwood J. P. , Brown P. , Magnes W. , Carr C. M. , Agu M. , Baughen R. , Berghofer G. , Hodgkins J. , Jernej I. , Möstl C. , Oddy T. , Strickland A. , Vitkova A.
Published: June 2024

Severe space weather has the potential to cause significant socio‐economic impact and it is widely accepted that mitigating this risk requires more comprehensive observations of the Sun and heliosphere, enabling more accurate forecasting of significant events with longer lead‐times. In this context, it is now recognized that observations from the L5 Sun‐Earth Lagrange point (both remote and in situ) would offer considerable improvements in our ability to monitor and forecast space weather. Remote sensing from L5 allows for the observation of solar features earlier than at L1, providing early monitoring of active region development, as well as tracking of interplanetary coronal mass ejections through the inner heliosphere. In situ measurements at L5 characterize the solar wind's geoeffectiveness (particularly stream interaction regions), and can also be ingested into heliospheric models, improving their performance. The Vigil space weather mission is part of the ESA Space Safety Program and will provide a real‐time data stream for space weather services from L5 following its anticipated launch in the early 2030s. The interplanetary magnetic field is a key observational parameter, and here we describe the development of the Vigil magnetometer instrument for operational space weather monitoring at the L5 point. We summarize the baseline instrument capabilities, demonstrating how heritage from science missions has been leveraged to develop a low‐risk, high‐heritage instrument concept.
X‑chromosome loss rescues Sertoli cell maturation and spermatogenesis in Klinefelter syndrome
Authors: Winge Sofia B. , Skakkebaek Niels E. , Aksglaede Lise , Saritaş Gülizar , Rajpert-De Meyts Ewa , Goossens Ellen , Juul Anders , Almstrup Kristian
Published: June 2024

Klinefelter syndrome (47,XXY) causes infertility with a testicular histology comprising two types of Sertoli cell-only tubules, representing mature and immature-like Sertoli cells, and occasionally focal spermatogenesis. Here, we show that the immature-like Sertoli cells highly expressed XIST and had two X-chromosomes, while the mature Sertoli cells lacked XIST expression and had only one X-chromosome. Sertoli cells supporting focal spermatogenesis also lacked XIST expression and the additional X-chromosome, while the spermatogonia expressed XIST despite having only one X-chromosome. XIST was expressed in Sertoli cells until puberty, where a gradual loss was observed. Our results suggest that a micro-mosaic loss of the additional X-chromosome is needed for Sertoli cells to mature and to allow focal spermatogenesis.
Enantioselective synthesis of chiral amides by carbene insertion into amide N–H bond
Authors: Zhang Xuan-Ge , Yang Zhi-Chun , Pan Jia-Bin , Liu Xiao-Hua , Zhou Qi-Lin
Published: June 2024

Chiral amides are important structure in many natural products and pharmaceuticals, yet their efficient synthesis from simple amide feedstock remains challenge due to its weak Lewis basicity. Herein, we describe our study of the enantioselective synthesis of chiral amides by N-alkylation of primary amides taking advantage of an achiral rhodium and chiral squaramide co-catalyzed carbene N–H insertion reaction. This method features mild condition, rapid reaction rate (in all cases 1 min) and a wide substrate scope with high yield and excellent enantioselectivity. Further product transformations show the synthetic potential of this reaction. Mechanistic studies reveal that the non-covalent interactions between the catalyst and reaction intermediate play a critical role in enantiocontrol.
Multipolar condensates and multipolar Josephson effects
Authors: Xu Wenhui , Lv Chenwei , Zhou Qi
Published: June 2024

When single-particle dynamics are suppressed in certain strongly correlated systems, dipoles arise as elementary carriers of quantum kinetics. These dipoles can further condense, providing physicists with a rich realm to study fracton phases of matter. Whereas recent theoretical discoveries have shown that an unconventional lattice model may host a dipole condensate as the ground state, we show that dipole condensates prevail in bosonic systems due to a self-proximity effect. Our findings allow experimentalists to manipulate the phase of a dipole condensate and deliver dipolar Josephson effects, where supercurrents of dipoles arise in the absence of particle flows. The self-proximity effects can also be utilized to produce a generic multipolar condensate. The kinetics of the n-th order multipoles unavoidably creates a condensate of the (n + 1)-th order multipoles, forming a hierarchy of multipolar condensates that will offer physicists a whole new class of macroscopic quantum phenomena.
Ultrafast electron transfer at the In2O3/Nb2O5 S-scheme interface for CO2 photoreduction
Authors: Deng Xianyu , Zhang Jianjun , Qi Kezhen , Liang Guijie , Xu Feiyan , Yu Jiaguo
Published: June 2024

Constructing S-scheme heterojunctions proves proficient in achieving the spatial separation of potent photogenerated charge carriers for their participation in photoreactions. Nonetheless, the restricted contact areas between two phases within S-scheme heterostructures lead to inefficient interfacial charge transport, resulting in low photocatalytic efficiency from a kinetic perspective. Here, In2O3/Nb2O5 S-scheme heterojunctions are fabricated through a straightforward one-step electrospinning technique, enabling intimate contact between the two phases and thereby fostering ultrafast interfacial electron transfer (<10 ps), as analyzed via femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. As a result, powerful photo-electrons and holes accumulate in the Nb2O5 conduction band and In2O3 valence band, respectively, exhibiting extended long lifetimes and facilitating their involvement in subsequent photoreactions. Combined with the efficient chemisorption and activation of stable CO2 on the Nb2O5, the resulting In2O3/Nb2O5 hybrid nanofibers demonstrate improved photocatalytic performance for CO2 conversion.