bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Encequidar Mesylate Novel Degradation Products: Isolation, Characterization, and Structural Evaluation Using Mass‐Triggered Preparative HPLC, HRMS, and NMR Techniques
Authors: Surukonti Srikanth Reddy , Manabolu Surya Surendra Babu
Published: August 2024

Encequidar mesylate salt is a novel, little‐absorbed P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) that facilitates oral absorption. It is a substance that stops the P‐gp adenosine triphosphate‐binding cassette transporter from working. To ascertain the drug substance's inherent stability, it underwent stress testing under a variety of degradation conditions, including acidic hydrolysis, alkaline hydrolysis, oxidative, thermal, and photolytic, in accordance with regulatory requirements. It was discovered that the drug substance is highly unstable in alkaline conditions, and the degradation leads to the formation of two unique, unknown degradation products. Utilizing UHPLC–ESI/MS for identification and mass‐triggered preparative HPLC for isolation, the degradants’ structures were definitively determined by using high‐resolution mass spectrometry and 2D NMR methodologies. These unique degradation products were determined to be novel impurities of the encequidar drug substance and were firmly proven to be its hydrolysis components on the basis of spectral and chromatographic data. Possible potential mechanisms have been proposed to explain the formation of the degradants.
Experimental study on a novel reduced beam section self consolidating concrete‐filled double steel tube
Authors: Naghipour Morteza , Akbarzadeh Mohammad , Hasani Seyed Mohammad Reza
Published: August 2024

This study proposes a novel reduced beam section concrete‐filled double steel tube (RBS CFDST) beam‐to‐column joint and investigates the effect of RBS length and the beam moment of inertia on the plastic hinge formation in such joints. Therefore, a set of nine RBS CFDST connections were fabricated and cast with self‐consolidating concrete in the laboratory. Then, parameters including failure pattern, buckling mode, plastic hinge location, joint maximum load‐bearing capacity, and column rotation were inspected. The findings reveal that when the RBS length is equal to that of the beam dimension, the entire plastic hinge length is formed within the RBS zone. As such, the plastic hinge occurs away from the column face and brittle failure is avoided, while the joint column rotation is significantly reduced. It was also concluded that the maximum load‐bearing capacity is the highest when the RBS length is at its lowest.
Acute Neurobehavioral and Glial Responses to Explosion Gas Inhalation in Rats
Authors: Liu Jinren , Gao Junhong , Wang Hong , Fan Xiaolin , Li Liang , Wang Xiangni , Wang Xiying , Lu Jiajia , Shi Xingmin , Yang Pinglin
Published: August 2024

Military personnel, firefighters, and fire survivors exhibit a higher prevalence of mental health conditions such as depression and post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to the general population. While numerous studies have examined the neurological impacts of physical trauma and psychological stress, research on acute neurobehavioral effects of gas inhalation from explosions or fires is limited. This study investigates the early‐stage neurobehavioral and neuronal consequences of acute explosion gas inhalation in Sprague–Dawley rats. Rats were exposed to simulated explosive gas and subsequently assessed using behavioral tests and neurobiological analyses. The high‐dose exposure group demonstrated significant depression‐like behaviors, including reduced mobility and exploration. However, neuronal damage was not evident in histological analyses. Immunofluorescence revealed increased density of radial glia and oligodendrocytes in specific brain regions, suggesting hypoxia and axon damage induced by gas inhalation as a potential mechanism for the observed neurobehavioral changes. These findings underscore the acute impact of explosion gas inhalation on mental health, highlighting the habenula and dentate gyrus of hippocampus as the possible target regions. The findings are expected to support early diagnosis and treatment strategies for brain injuries caused by explosion gas, offering insights into early intervention for depression and PTSD in affected populations.
Benefits of nuchal translucency measurement prior to 11–14 weeks' gestation
Authors: Jiang F. , Li D.‐Z.
Published: August 2024

Linked article: This Correspondence comments on Bet et al. Click here to view the article.
Strategies for mental wellbeing
Authors: Richards Kate
Published: August 2024

Reviewed by Kate Richards, an advocate for mental health and wellbeing and workplace cultures with a wellbeing focus. She is a Mind Matters Initiative ambassador and Vetlife volunteer.
Message from the President
Authors: Judson Anna
Published: August 2024

Anna Judson reflects on the power of the natural world to boost wellbeing as she takes time out to visit a project bringing beavers back to London.
Committed to supporting students
Authors: Carlin Laura
Published: August 2024

Membership marketing manager Laura Carlin describes how BVA supports the vets of the future.
(Un)rightful Entitlements: Exploring the Populist Narratives of Welfare Chauvinism and Welfare Nostalgia
Authors: Blum Sonja
Published: August 2024

With the electoral rise of populist radical-right parties (PRR) in European liberal democracies, scholarly attention has turned to their social-policy agendas and, to a lesser extent, also their gender, family and sexuality agendas. Research has explored PRR parties’ stances towards different groups, including access to or exclusion from social rights. ‘Welfare chauvinism’ has proven as a useful concept to understand social policy agendas of PRR parties, focused on (un)deservingness along the lines of native vs. non-native populations. This chapter argues, first, that a widened understanding of ‘welfare chauvinism’ enables a fuller investigation of different exclusionary tendencies—in terms of migration, gender, family, or sexual orientation. And second, that such welfare chauvinism goes along with specific (un)deservingness constructions, which can be captured through studying (populist) policy narratives. The chapter theorizes on ‘populist narratives’ about material inclusion or exclusion, i.e. who should be given, not given, or taken from in terms of social rights. It proposes certain plots and narrative elements which are characteristic of ‘populist narratives’. To demonstrate its usefulness for empirical research, the concept is applied to investigate the contested German family policy modernization, its populist protesters and the family policy agenda of the Alternative für Deutschland.
A finite element-based physics-informed operator learning framework for spatiotemporal partial differential equations on arbitrary domains
Authors: Yamazaki Yusuke , Harandi Ali , Muramatsu Mayu , Viardin Alexandre , Apel Markus , Brepols Tim , Reese Stefanie , Rezaei Shahed
Published: August 2024

We propose a novel finite element-based physics-informed operator learning framework that allows for predicting spatiotemporal dynamics governed by partial differential equations (PDEs). The Galerkin discretized weak formulation is employed to incorporate physics into the loss function, termed finite operator learning (FOL), along with the implicit Euler time integration scheme for temporal discretization. A transient thermal conduction problem is considered to benchmark the performance, where FOL takes a temperature field at the current time step as input and predicts a temperature field at the next time step. Upon training, the network successfully predicts the temperature evolution over time for any initial temperature field at high accuracy compared to the solution by the finite element method (FEM) even with a heterogeneous thermal conductivity and arbitrary geometry. The advantages of FOL can be summarized as follows: First, the training is performed in an unsupervised manner, avoiding the need for large data prepared from costly simulations or experiments. Instead, random temperature patterns generated by the Gaussian random process and the Fourier series, combined with constant temperature fields, are used as training data to cover possible temperature cases. Additionally, shape functions and backward difference approximation are exploited for the domain discretization, resulting in a purely algebraic equation. This enhances training efficiency, as one avoids time-consuming automatic differentiation in optimizing weights and biases while accepting possible discretization errors. Finally, thanks to the interpolation power of FEM, any arbitrary geometry with heterogeneous microstructure can be handled with FOL, which is crucial to addressing various engineering application scenarios.
MS treatment de-escalation: review and commentary
Authors: Selmaj Krzysztof , Hartung Hans-Peter , Mycko Marcin P. , Selmaj Igor , Cross Anne H.
Published: August 2024

Almost all currently licensed disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for MS treatment require prolonged if not lifelong administration. Yet, as people age, the immune system has increasingly reduced responsiveness, known as immunosenescence. Many MS DMTs reduce the responsiveness of the immune system, increasing the risks for infections and possibly cancers. As people with MS (pwMS) age, it is recognized that inflammatory MS activity declines. Several studies have addressed de-escalation of DMTs for relapsing MS under special circumstances. Here, we review evidence for de-escalating DMTs as a strategy that is particularly relevant to pwMS of older age. Treatment de-escalation can involve various strategies, such as extended or reduced dosing, switching from high-efficacy DMTs having higher risks to moderately effective DMTs with lesser risks, or treatment discontinuation. Studies have suggested that for natalizumab extended dosing maintained clinical efficacy while reducing the risk of PML. Extended interval dosing of ocrelizumab mitigated the decline of Ig levels. Retrospective and observational discontinuation studies demonstrate that age is an essential modifier of drug efficacy. Discontinuation of MS treatment in older patients has been associated with a stable disease course, while younger patients who discontinued treatment were more likely to experience new clinical activity. A recently completed 2-year randomized-controlled discontinuation study in 260 stable pwMS > 55 years found stable clinical multiple sclerosis with only a small increased risk of new MRI activity upon discontinuation. DMT de-escalation or discontinuation in MS patients older than 55 years may be non-inferior to continued treatment with immunosuppressive agents having higher health risks. However, despite several small studies, a definite conclusion about treatment de-escalation in older pwMS will require larger and longer studies. Ideally, comparison of de-escalation versus continuation versus discontinuation of DMTs should be done by prospective randomized-controlled trials enrolling sufficient numbers of subjects to allow comparisons for MS patients of both sexes within age groups, such as 55–59, 60–65, 66–69, etc. Optimally, such studies should be 3 years or longer and should incorporate testing for specific markers of immunosenescence (such as T-cell receptor excision circles) to account for differential aging of individuals.
Evaluation of aircraft engine performance during takeoff phase with machine learning methods
Authors: Kurt Bulent
Published: August 2024

During the takeoff phase, aircraft engines reach maximum speed and temperature to achieve the required thrust. Due to these harsh operating conditions, the performance of aircraft engines may decrease. This decrease in performance increases both fuel consumption and environmental damage. Reducing or eliminating the damages caused by aircraft is among the objectives of ICAO. In order to achieve this goal, aircraft engines are compulsorily tested, evaluated by experts and certified. The data obtained during the test process is recorded and stored in the engine emission databank (EEDB). During the takeoff phase, there is no system that can evaluate aircraft engines without dismantling and without expert knowledge. In this study, EEDB 2019 and 2021 takeoff phase data sets were used. Fuel flow T/O parameter is an important parameter used both in the calculation of aircraft emissions and in the evaluation of engine performance. Gaussian process regression (GPR), support vector machine (SVM) and multilayer perceptron (MLP) models were used to estimate the fuel flow T/O parameter. The results obtained were compared according to error performance criteria and the best model was selected. In MATLAB® environment, confidence intervals were plotted with the estimated fuel flow T/O value at 99% confidence level. This study demonstrates that the performance evaluation of aircraft engines during the takeoff phase can be performed without the need for expert knowledge.
An integrated multi-attributive border approximation area comparison (MABAC) method for evaluating resilience and knowledge sharing of suppliers in pythagorean fuzzy environment
Authors: Jafari Mostafa , Naghdi Khanachah Shayan
Published: August 2024

This paper aims to determine the resilience scores of suppliers by considering the importance of knowledge sharing and incorporating a set of criteria that affect the supply chain’s resilience, along with knowledge sharing. In order to achieve this goal, we propose a new multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method named MULTIMABAC to evaluate suppliers’ resilience. This method is based on the multi-attributive border approximation area comparison (MABAC) method. The new method consists of criteria weighting, expert weighting, and supplier evaluation. In the criteria weighting section, we extend the BWM (Best–Worst method) using Pythagorean fuzzy sets (PFSs). The weight of experts is determined by incorporating the average concept into the MABAC method. The resilience score of suppliers is calculated using an extended MABAC method with ideal positive and negative solutions. All indices are aggregated using the ordinal priority approach (OPA) to obtain a unique ranking. Additionally, we extend the MULTIMABAC method using PFSs to address uncertainty in supply chain decision-making. Results and sensitivity analysis demonstrate that the proposed method effectively facilitates knowledge sharing in selecting resilient suppliers. Therefore, organizations can use the proposed method to evaluate and choose resilient suppliers. Moreover, the MULTIMABAC method demonstrates robustness to variations in the weights of its constituent parameters.
The effect of operating conditions on neutral sulphite semi-chemical pulping properties: an industrial pilot plant study
Authors: Lambert Matthew A. , Wahl Helene , Bosman Catharine E. , Louw Tobias M. , Auret Lidia , Görgens Johann F.
Published: August 2024

The influence of pulping variables on the pulp and black liquor properties for a neutral sulphite semi-chemical pulping system was investigated in a pilot plant pulping setup situated at an industrial paper mill. Eucalyptus chips were used as raw material and the operating variables were Na2SO3 charge (8–18% w/w on oven-dry wood), Na2CO3 charge (0.5–3.0% w/w on oven-dry wood) and maximum cooking temperature (160–180 °C). Response surface methodology was used to parametrize empirical models to find the optimal conditions for maximizing the short-span compression strength index of the pulp. The derived regression models for the black liquor properties and the pulp hypo number had R2-adjusted values above 0.8 and p-values for overall significance below 0.05. The derived regression models for the handsheet strength properties had R2-adjusted values between 0.3 and 0.45 and p-values for overall significance either below 0.05 or between 0.05 and 0.1. The sulphite charge, followed by the carbonate charge, had the most notable effect on the evaluated properties with the effects of temperature being less significant. Optimization of the pilot plant system showed that the short-span compression strength index of the pulp could be maximized to 26.7 N m/g, using a sulphite charge of 9.4% (w/w on oven-dry wood) and a carbonate charge of 1.94% (w/w on oven-dry wood), similar to short-span compression strength indices typically achieved using other pulping processes.
School mathematics as context: examining discourses about the subject in district policymaking
Authors: Nguyen Phi
Published: August 2024

School subjects differ in their histories, epistemologies, and relations to state and federal policies. Though educational policymaking is shaped by how education leaders view school mathematics—what mathematics is, how mathematics is learned, and what counts as equitable and high-quality mathematics education—policy research often takes a subject-neutral perspective, ignoring the ways in which policymaking is rooted in the subject-matter. In this article, I report the ways in which systems of meaning or discourses about school mathematics penetrate the policymaking of two school districts. Based on a discourse analysis of interviews, observations, and artifacts, I found five main discourses about school mathematics reflected in district policymaking: (1) mathematics is a core school subject; (2) mathematics is sequential, where mastery of prior learning is necessary for future learning; (3) mathematics is well-defined, with agreement over the content; (4) there are competing perspectives of high-quality mathematics pedagogy, between conceptually-oriented instruction and direct instruction focused on procedures; and (5) equity in mathematics is access and achievement. These discourses about school mathematics were written in formal policy texts, institutionalized in district-wide practices for assessment, intervention, and tracking, and reflected in leaders’ personal views and social narratives from teachers, parents, and the community. By making visible the taken-for-granted meanings about school mathematics shaping educational policymaking, it becomes possible to interrupt and challenge them with alternative discourses.
Biological Antecedents Essentialism
Authors: Hermida Margarida
Published: August 2024

An essentialist claim often made about organisms is that they could not have originated in different gametes. The thesis of gametic essentialism (GE) is usually understood either as a particular case of material origin essentialism, or as genetic essentialism. This paper argues that it should instead be understood in terms of the numerical identity of the gametes. Since gametes are living cells, their identity conditions should be the same as those of other living beings, and therefore involve neither specific material composition, nor specific genes, but continuity of the same life. Understood in this way, GE is a particular case of biological antecedents essentialism (BAE), a kind of origin essentialism that is better justified in the light of the metaphysical nature of organisms as objects that inherit life from previously existing living organisms. BAE overcomes many objections facing other origin essentialist accounts, and it recognises the importance of the gametes in transmitting not just genes, but actively functioning physical structures necessary for life. If we wish to maintain an origin essentialism principle for organisms, we should prefer BAE.
A Physics informed neural network approach for solving time fractional Black-Scholes partial differential equations
Authors: Nuugulu Samuel M. , Patidar Kailash C. , Tarla Divine T.
Published: August 2024

We present a novel approach for solving time fractional Black-Scholes partial differential equations (tfBSPDEs) using Physics Informed Neural Network (PINN) approach. Traditional numerical methods are faced with challenges in solving fractional PDEs due to the non-locality and non-differentiability nature of fractional derivative operators. By leveraging the ideas of Riemann sums and the refinement of tagged partitions of the time domain, we show that fractional derivatives can directly be incorporated into the loss function when applying the PINN approach to solving tfBSPDEs. The approach allows for the simultaneous learning of the underlying process dynamics and the involved fractional derivative operator without a need for the use of numerical discretization of the fractional derivatives. Through some numerical experiments, we demonstrate that, the PINN approach is efficient, accurate and computationally inexpensive particularly when dealing with high frequency and noisy data. This work augments the understanding between advanced mathematical modeling and machine learning techniques, contributing to the body of knowlege on the advancement of accurate derivative pricing models.
Narcissism and Affective Polarization
Authors: Tilley James , Hobolt Sara
Published: August 2024

There are increasing concerns about affective polarization between political groups in the US and elsewhere. While most work explaining affective polarization focuses on a combination of social and ideological sorting, we ask whether people’s personalities are associated with friendliness to their political in-group and hostility to their political out-group. We argue that the personality trait of narcissism (entitled self-importance) is an important correlate of affective polarization. We test this claim in Britain using nationally representative survey data, examining both long-standing party identities and new Brexit identities. Our findings reveal that narcissism, and particularly the ‘rivalry’ aspect of narcissism, is associated with both positive and negative partisanship. This potentially not only explains why some people are more susceptible to affective polarization, but also has implications for elite polarization given that narcissism is an important predictor of elite entry.
The Impact of Implementation Fidelity of a School-Based Multi-Component Smoking Prevention Intervention on Vocational Students’ Smoking Behavior: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Jensen Marie Pil , Krølner Rikke Fredenslund , Thygesen Lau Caspar , Lund Lisbeth , Andersen Susan
Published: August 2024

Preventing young people’s cigarette smoking is a major public health priority, and smoking is especially prevalent in vocational schools. Well-enforced comprehensive school tobacco policies accompanied by preventive efforts show potential to reduce smoking, but the implementation process is crucial to achieve the intended effect. We investigate whether and how implementation fidelity of a multi-component smoking prevention intervention impacted student smoking outcomes after 4–5 months among students in Danish vocational education and training (national age range 15–65 years, mean 25.6) and preparatory basic education (national age range 15–25 years, mean 17.6) institutions using questionnaire data from a cluster-RCT. The intervention included a smoke-free school hours policy, educational curriculum, and class competition. We calculated an overall implementation fidelity measure combining staff-reported school-level delivery (fidelity) and student-reported receipt (participation, responsiveness), and used multilevel regression models to analyze associations with smoking outcomes (smoking daily, regularly, and during school hours). We supplemented the analysis with restricted cubic spline regression. Additionally, we stratified the analyses by school types and analyzed associations between implementation fidelity of the separate intervention components and smoking outcomes. High implementation was associated with lower odds of regular smoking (OR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.18–0.78) and smoking during school hours, but not daily smoking, and these associations varied between the school settings. When analyzed separately, implementation fidelity of the components did not affect the outcomes significantly. Our findings underline the need to support the implementation process of school tobacco policy interventions to ensure the intended effects of reducing students’ smoking.
Are economic preferences shaped by the family context? The relation of birth order and siblings’ gender composition to economic preferences
Authors: Detlefsen Lena , Friedl Andreas , de Miranda Katharina Lima , Schmidt Ulrich , Sutter Matthias
Published: August 2024

The formation of economic preferences in childhood and adolescence has long-term consequences for life outcomes. We study in an experiment how both birth order and siblings’ gender composition are related to risk, time, and social preferences. We find that second-born children are typically less patient, more risk-tolerant, and more trusting. However, siblings’ gender composition interacts importantly with birth order effects. Second-born children are more risk-taking only with same-gender siblings. In mixed-gender environments, children seem to identify with the gender stereotype that boys are much more willing to take risks than girls, irrespective of birth order. For trust and trustworthiness, birth order effects are larger with mixed-gender siblings. Only for patience, siblings’ gender composition does not matter.
Analysis of the Behavior of a Chemical Tanker in Extreme Waves
Authors: Wang Shan , Klein Marco , Ehlers Sören , Clauss Günther , Guedes Soares C.
Published: August 2024

The behavior of a chemical tanker (CT) in extreme waves was discussed in detail, that is, in terms of rigid body heave and pitch motions, vertical bending moments (VBMs) amidships, green water, and slamming impacts through the analysis of the experimental data from model tests. Regular wave tests conducted for two wave steepness showed that the increase in wave steepness caused the increase in the asymmetry between hogging and sagging moments and the contribution of green water on deck to the decrease in vertical wave bending moments. Random uncertainty analysis of statistical values in irregular wave tests with various seeds revealed slight experimental uncertainties on motions and VBMs and slightly higher errors in slamming pressure peaks. With the increase in forward speed, experimental uncertainty on slamming pressures at the bow increased. Breather solutions of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation applied to generate tailored extreme waves of certain critical wavelengths showed a good performance in terms of ship response, and it was further verified for the CT.
Parental perspectives regarding the return of genomic research results in neurodevelopmental disorders in South Africa: anticipated impact and preferences
Authors: Diedericks Angelique , Bruwer Zandré , Laing Nakita , Eastman Emma , De Vries Jantina , Newton Charles R. , Abubakar Amina , Robinson Elise B. , Donald Kirsten A. ,   on behalf of the NeuroDev study
Published: August 2024

Few policies and little research exist regarding the disclosure of genomic results to research participants in Africa. As understanding participant preferences would be pivotal to the success of the feedback process, this study set out to address this issue by engaging with enrolled participants from an ongoing genomics research project on neurodevelopmental disorders with the aim to assess the anticipated impact of receiving pertinent results and explore the preferences for feedback in a South African context. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 parents of children participating in the research study. Transcribed interview data and observational notes were analysed using thematic analysis and framework matrices. Participants linked their own meaning to the impact of receiving a pertinent result and perceived the information as useful for reasons other than only clinical utility. These included closure, improved management of their child’s condition and information regarding recurrence risks. In terms of preferences for feedback, an in-person result delivery session, conducted by a member of the study team or medical professional familiar with their child was preferred. In addition, participants felt a sense of ownership over their blood or their contribution to the research study, finding meaning even in non-pertinent results. These findings provide insight into the type of discussions that may be valuable in enabling the development of best practices and guidelines for the return of individual genetic research results, in a culturally appropriate manner, within South African communities.
Management of HER2-positive and microsatellite instability-high advanced gastric cancer: a case report
Authors: Tamura Taichi , Kanemasa Yusuke , Nakamura Shohei , Okuya Toshihiro , Yagi Yu , Matsuda Shinichiro , Murata Mitsutaka , Endo Kazuya , Hara Kentaro , Okinaga Hiroko , Horiguchi Shin-ichiro , Seyama Yasuji , Cho Haruhiko , Shimoyama Tatsu
Published: August 2024

Chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer has progressed significantly in the past few decades. Biomarker-specific drugs, including anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) drugs for HER2-positive patients and immune checkpoint inhibitors for those with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H), have become common. However, patients who are positive for HER2 and have MSI-H are extremely rare, and there are no established treatments for these patients. We present the case of a 75-year-old, male patient with gastric cancer with lymph node metastases and liver infiltration. Biomarker analysis revealed HER2 3 + , loss of MLH1, and MSI-H. After three cycles of S-1, oxaliplatin, and trastuzumab, the primary tumor and metastases shrank markedly. He subsequently underwent gastrectomy and hepatectomy as conversion surgery, achieving a pathologically complete response. He has been recurrence-free for seven months postoperatively. The present case demonstrated the efficacy of trastuzumab-containing chemotherapy followed by conversion surgery in a patient with HER2-positive, MSI-H, advanced gastric cancer.
Biosorption and separation behaviour of Sr(II) and Y(III) using Aspergillus terreus: isolation, characterization, batch and column studies
Authors: Abdel-Galil E. A. , Kandeel E. M. , Kasem A. E. , Mohamed M. K. , Mahrous S. S.
Published: August 2024

In this study, Aspergillus terreus was isolated from liquid radioactive waste and used as a dead biosorbent material to separate Y(III) from a solution containing both Sr(II) and Y(III). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, scanning electron microscope, and thermogravimetric analysis were also used to characterize the produced biosorbent fungus. A batch technique was conducted to study the biosorption behavior of A. terreus toward Sr(II) and Y(III) ions. The distribution behavior of Sr(II) and Y(III) as a function of pH in the range 1–5 has been studied. Y(III) from Sr(II) can be separated at all the pH ranges examined. The biosorption process was performed at different adsorption parameters such as pH, biosorbent weight, agitation time, and initial adsorbate concentration to get maximum removal of Sr(II) and Y(III) ions. After 30 min, both ions have reached equilibrium. The uptake percentage of Sr(II) and Y(III) increased with increasing pH value with a removal percentage of 9.5 and 99.5%, respectively, and was achieved at pH 5.00. The thermodynamic analyses revealed that the biosorption process was endothermic, spontaneous, and regulated mainly by physical biosorption. Nitric acid is the best desorbing agent among different eluting agents used. 0.1 M from HNO3 is sufficient to eliminate about 76.65 and 81.10% of Sr(II) and Y(III), respectively, where A. terreus may be regenerated for reuse efficiently. The separation of Y(III) from a solution including Sr(II) has been established by a column technique with a breakthrough capacity of 1.43 mg/g for Sr(II) and 63.00 mg/g for Y(III). The results indicate that the A. terreus biosorbent is highly efficient in separating Y(III) from Sr(II).
Epidemiology of childhood bone and joint disease during the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand
Authors: Hunter Sarah , Brown Elsie , Crawford Haemish , Grant Cameron
Published: August 2024

Purpose

It is unknown whether social distancing impacts frequency of presentation and severity of childhood bone and joint infection (BJI). In New Zealand, the COVID-19 disease elimination strategy involved strict social isolation policies spanning March 2020-September 2022. Examination of this period may provide insight around risk factors for BJI.

Methods

A retrospective review of all patients < 16 years with presumed acute haematogenous osteomyelitis (AHO) or septic arthritis (SA) treated in the Auckland region was performed between 2018 and 2023. Frequency and severity of presentations has been examined before, during, and after periods of social restriction. Severe cases included those with intensive care admission, recurrent infection, or multiple surgeries. Pre-hospital experience, length of stay, and disease outcomes have also been assessed.

Results

A total of 563 cases met inclusion criteria. Compared to the pre-pandemic period, monthly case averages reduced between April 2020 to September 2022 (10.1 vs. 7.9 cases/month, p = 0.008). Separating cases by causative microbiology shows a statistically significant drop in culture negative and Kingella kingae mediated BJI cases (4.2 vs. 2.9 cases/month, p = 0.006) but not for cases secondary to Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes (4.2 vs. 3.9 cases/month, p = 0.6). The frequency of severe disease reduced during this period (5.6 vs. 4.1 cases/month, p = 0.01) together with lower rates of recurrent infection (9% vs. 4%, p = 0.03).

Conclusion

The COVID-19 management strategy in New Zealand utilised strict social isolation, mask wearing, and hand hygiene measures to control disease spread between 2020 and 2022. These measures coincided with reduction in frequency and severity of presentations for childhood BJI.
Bacteraemia in Tropical Australia: A Review
Authors: Ratnayake H. E. , Eisen D. P. , Adegboye O. A. , Pak A. , McBryde E. S.
Published: August 2024

Purpose of Review

This review discusses the trends of bacteraemia and their outcomes in tropical regions of Australia. Bacteraemia can frequently lead to severe sepsis and potentially life-threatening consequences. Epidemiology of bacteraemia is ever evolving.

Recent Findings

This review outlines the current patterns of bacteraemia in tropical regions of Australia, focusing on their outcomes and associated risk factors. The most frequently reported causes of bacteraemia were Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. There has been an increase in published incidence of Group A Streptococcus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Burkholderia pseudomallei bacteraemia cases, while Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteraemia exhibited a declining trend. Factors specific to tropical environments and the higher representation of Indigenous populations in these areas were identified as contributing to the elevated incidence rates.

Bacteraemia was found to be an increasing healthcare burden to the Australian tropical regions. Ideally, linkage of existing data from healthcare settings could be utilised to obtain more accurate, comprehensive and up to date information of trends and patterns of bacteraemia.
Exploring the ‘Rare’: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Rare Malignant Cervical Tumors in a Tertiary Cancer Care Institute of Northeast India
Authors: Begum Dimpy , Kumar Mahendra , Baruah Upasana , Barmon Debabrata , ahmad Shiraj
Published: August 2024

Introduction

The WHO 2020 classification of tumors of the female genital tract has adopted the dualistic classification of cervical squamous and adenocarcinoma into HPV–HPV-associated and HPV–HPV-independent types. However, the separate discussion on 'rare' varieties of cervical cancer is significant as it allows us to delve into their risk factors and natural course of disease and define any alternative treatment strategies to improve outcomes.

Objectives

To estimate the factors associated with histologically proven rare malignant tumors of the cervix and the overall survival of rare malignant cervical tumors in a tertiary care institute of Northeast India (NEI).

Methods

Our tertiary care institute in Northeast India, a region with unique healthcare challenges, including a high incidence of cervical cancers, conducted this retrospective study from 01/01/2018 to 31/12/2022. It excluded patients with incomplete records, squamous and adenocarcinoma histology, and metastatic cancer to the cervix. We collected demographic and survival data and performed survival analysis using SPSS 29.0.

Results

Out of 2367 diagnosed cervical cancer patients, 45 patients (1.9%) were diagnosed with rare cancer. Adenosquamous (0.7%) was the leading histology, followed by small cell NET (0.59%) and clear cell carcinoma (0.33%) in rare cervical cancer. Bleeding per vaginum was the presenting symptom in 91%. More than 80% of patients had a short duration of illness (< 6 months). Stage III (42%), followed by Stage II (27%), Stage IV (21%), and Stage I (10%) were presenting stages. A final diagnosis in 72% of histology required immunohistochemistry (IHC). Most of the patient (65%) did not complete their treatment.

Conclusion

This study's findings underscore the need for collective efforts in studying rare cancers, which can significantly enhance treatment strategies and improve the overall prognosis and quality of life for individuals affected.
Treating Tropospheric Phase Delay in Large-scale Sentinel-1 Stacks to Analyze Land Subsidence
Authors: Haghshenas Haghighi Mahmud , Motagh Mahdi
Published: August 2024

Variations in the tropospheric phase delay pose a primary challenge to achieving precise displacement measurements in Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) analysis. This study presents a cluster-based empirical tropospheric phase correction approach to analyze land subsidence rates from large-scale Sentinel‑1 data stacks. Our method identifies the optimum number of clusters in individual interferograms for K‑means clustering, and segments extensive interferograms into areas with consistent tropospheric phase delay behaviors. It then performs tropospheric phase correction based on empirical topography-phase correlation, addressing stratified and broad-scale tropospheric phase delays. Applied to a six-year data stack along a 1000-km track in Iran, we demonstrate that this approach enhances interferogram quality by reducing the standard deviation by 50% and lowering the semivariance of the interferograms to 20 cm2 at distances up to 800 km in 97% of the interferograms. Additionally, the corrected time series of deformation shows a 40% reduction in the root mean square of residuals at the most severely deformed points. By analyzing the corrected interferograms, we show that our method improves the efficiency of country-scale InSAR surveys to detect and quantify present-day land subsidence in Iran, which is essential for groundwater management and sustainable water resource planning.
Imprint of paleocurrents, extensional and compressional deformation in the magnetic fabrics of the Permo-Triassic red beds of the Cadí Basin (Eastern Pyrenees)
Authors: Simón-Muzás Ana , Soto Ruth , Pueyo Emilio L. , Beamud Elisabet , Oliva-Urcia Belén , Casas-Sainz Antonio M.
Published: August 2024

A magnetic fabric study was carried out in Permo-Triassic continental sedimentary red beds from the Cadí Basin (Eastern Pyrenees). These rocks were deposited on the top of a volcanic sequence when the regional tectonic regime changed from transtension to extension. Standard paleomagnetic cores (cylinders), cubes and irregular fragments were obtained for this study in 25 sites distributed throughout the basin. The “fragment methodology”, using oriented irregular fragments in claystones, is demonstrated to be successful and replicable. The aims of this study are (i) to interpret the magnetic fabrics in red beds according to sedimentary or tectonic models; (ii) to establish the relationship between the magnetic fabrics in the sedimentary red beds and the magnetic fabrics previously obtained in the underlying volcanic series, and (iii) to compare magnetic fabrics in continental sediments with other basins of the same age to interpret the tectonic scenario in the Iberian plate during Permian and Triassic times. The results obtained reveal a primary magnetic fabric that recorded a syn-sedimentary stretching in two nearly perpendicular directions, WNW-ESE and N-S, linked to basin development. Other sedimentary and tectonic factors, such as paleocurrents and deformation derived from the Alpine compression did not have a significant influence on the development of magnetic fabrics. The geodynamic scenario of the Iberian plate during Late Permian to Triassic times can be explained according to regional trajectories of extensional stress due to the activity of the North-Pyrenean fault zone.
Just Participatory Research with Young People Involved in Climate Justice Activism
Authors: Mayes Eve , Arya Dena
Published: August 2024

This commentary reflects on the tensions inherent in enacting creative, co-produced, and participatory methods with younger co-researchers who are also climate justice advocates. Whilst participatory research with young people involved in climate justice work has the potential to build intergenerational networks of solidarity, such research is contoured with complexity. The authors, two university-based researchers, juxtapose the social justice agenda at the foundation of participatory research, with the climate justice agenda, and consider the resonances and tensions between research and social movements. They advocate for an intersectional climate justice approach to participatory research that positions young people as co-researchers and co-authors, aiming to counter epistemic injustices and amplify the voices of those first and worst affected by climate change. Simultaneously, the felt value-action gap (between the justice sought and the injustices that persist within research) generates questions about the profound differences, even incommensurability, between university-generated research and the pursuit of climate justice in movement spaces. A series of questions are offered to those engaged in participatory research with younger people to prompt collective reflection on research processes and practises. The commentary concludes with a call for university-based researchers to engage critically with the power structures within academia and to prioritise the needs and goals of younger climate justice advocates over institutional demands.
An analysis of public topics and sentiments based on social media during the COVID-19 Omicron Variant outbreak in Shanghai 2022
Authors: Liu Chao , Tian Yeyoumin , Shi Yuhao , Huang Zhiyi , Shao Yuchen
Published: August 2024

The outbreak of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in Shanghai in 2022 elicited complex emotions among Shanghainese during the two-month quarantine period. This paper aims to identify prevailing public themes and sentiments by analyzing social media posts from Weibo. Initially, we conducted research based on a dataset of 90,000 Weibo posts during the 2022 COVID-19 outbreak in Shanghai. By examining social media data that mirrors residents' emotional shifts and areas of focus during unforeseen circumstances, we have developed an analytical framework combining hotspot analysis and public sentiment assessment. Subsequently, we employed the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) method to conduct topic modeling on the Weibo text data. The SnowNLP sentiment classification method was then utilized to quantify sentiment values. Ultimately, we performed spatial visualization of sentiment and concern data, categorizing them into distinct time periods based on Shanghai's infection curve. This approach allowed us to investigate concern focal points, sentiment trends, and their spatiotemporal evolution characteristics. Our findings indicate that variations in public sentiment primarily hinge on the severity of the epidemic's spread, emerging events, the availability of essential resources, and the government's ability to respond promptly and accurately. It is evident that, while residents' concerns shift over time, their primary objective on social media remains expressing demands and releasing emotions. This research offers an avenue for leveraging public opinion analysis to enhance governance capacity during crises, fortify urban resilience, and promote public involvement in governmental decision-making processes.
Design and analysis of thermoacoustic air source heat pump water heaters
Authors: Prashantha B. G. , Kuwar Yogendra Vasantrao , Narasimham G. S. V. L. , Seetharamu S. , Devappa
Published: August 2024

Thermoacoustic air-to-water air source heat pumps (TAWASHP) are the eco-friendly, simple, compressor less, low cost and likely looking future substitute for the existing compressor-based heat pumps. In this work, the design optimization of the 1-kW TAWASHP with helium for the temperature difference of 15 to 70 K for pumping heat from the atmospheric air to water using the linear thermoacoustic concepts was discussed. The optimized design can fit for both cooling and water heating applications without wasting the heat rejection to the surrounding atmosphere, rather supplied to the insulated hot water tank. The optimized one-fourth wavelength resonator TAWASHP shows the coefficient of performance of 1.1 to 2.34. The theoretical results are validated with the DeltaEC software results, and the results are in concurrence with each other. The DeltaEC predicts the TAWASHP can supply 1.55 to 3.35 kW of heat to water, which is equivalent to 37.3 to 80.3 kWh of heat energy per day.
The BaMidbar Mental Health training program for educators: a Mixed Methods case study
Authors: Bond Rachel , D’Souza Angela , Barron Ian
Published: August 2024

The purpose of this study was to examine the BaMidbar Mental Health Training program and the influence the training had on community educator populations. This was a mixed method exploratory case study which utilized observational data and five interviews. A survey which examined the possible impacts of the trainings (through relevance and confidence variables) was utilized. We found that participants’ confidence had a higher correlation to the likelihood of implementing training materials than the relevance the training had to participants’ job placements. We also found categories of perceived skill development articulated by the participants interviewed. These skills included: checking in, changing spaces, giving students choices, giving feedback and identifying behaviors. There were concerns that the training programs did not create enough knowledge retention of specific therapeutic terms or scaffolding skills for educators to embed the training content into their job placements. Suggestions for further research and training programs are listed in the conclusion.
A tutorial for integrating generative AI in mixed methods data analysis
Authors: Combrinck Celeste
Published: August 2024

The current article used real data to demonstrate the analysis and synthesis of Mixed Methods Research (MMR) data with generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI). I explore how reliable and valid Gen AI data outputs are and how to improve their use. The current content is geared towards enhancing methodological application regardless of field or discipline and includes access to a prompt library and examples of using outputs. The demonstration data used emanated from a study done in South Africa, with a quantitative sample size of 969 first-year engineering students and, for the qualitative part, 14 first-year students. In the current article, I compare my original analysis to ChatGPT results. Generative AI as a mind tool is best used with human insight, and I found this to be especially true when coding qualitative data. ChatGPT produced generic codes if asked to do inductive coding, and the results improved when training the Gen AI on human examples, which led to moderate and significant correlations between human and machine coding. The quantitative analysis was accurate for the descriptive statistics, but the researcher had to use best judgment to select the correct inferential analysis. Quantitative and qualitative analysis should be conducted separately in generative AI before asking the Chatbot for help with mixed methods results. In the current paper, I give guidelines and a tutorial on how to use chatbots in an ethically responsible and scientifically sound manner for research in social and human sciences.