bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Nitrogen Fertilization on Soil Nitrate Concentrations in an Onion Field in the Saiss Basin
Authors: Nessah Chaimae , El Hmaidi Abdellah , Lahjouj Abdelhakim , El Faleh El mâti , Bouhafa Karima
Published: February 2024

High nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates can result in excessive nitrate (NO3-N) in soils and groundwater. The Saiss basin is an agricultural area in Morocco, where substantial increases in nonpoint source pollution from excessive N fertilization is commonly observed. The purpose of this study was to determine the short-term effect of N fertilizer application rates on soil NO3-N and soil water contents (SWC) in an onion (Allium cepa L.) field over two consecutive years (2021 and 2022). The field experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design. Six N rates, namely 0, 90, 135, 180, 225, and 270 Kg N/ha were considered in drip-irrigated onion crops. Soil samples were collected from five consecutive soil layers, namely 0-20, 20-40, 40-60, 60-80, and 80-100 cm, and analyzed for NO3-N contents and SWC. SWC were lower before irrigation and increased significantly after irrigation for both seasons. There was no significant effect of N rates on SWC. Soil NO3-N decreased significantly with time. In the first season, lowest NO3-N levels was observed after harvest for all N rates. Visually, a marked accumulation of nitrate in soil was observed in the three highest N rates after harvest. Statistically, N rates did not show significant effect on soil NO3-N (p>0,05) in 2021 and 2022. This finding may be explained by the predominance of the denitrification process at Douyet station.
Novel phylogenetic clade of avian Haemoproteus parasites (Haemosporida, Haemoproteidae) from Accipitridae raptors, with description of a new Haemoproteus species
Authors: Harl Josef , Fauchois Anaïs , Puech Marie-Pierre , Gey Delphine , Ariey Frédéric , Izac Brigitte , Weissenböck Herbert , Chakarov Nayden , Iezhova Tatjana , Valkiūnas Gediminas , Duval Linda
Published: February 2024

Avian haemosporidian parasites (order Haemosporida, phylum Apicomplexa) are blood and tissue parasites transmitted by blood-sucking dipteran insects. Three genera (Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon) have been most often found in birds, with over 270 species described and named in avian hosts based mainly on the morphological characters of blood stages. A broad diversity of Haemoproteus parasites remains to be identified and characterized morphologically and molecularly, especially those infecting birds of prey, an underrepresented bird group in haemosporidian parasite studies. The aim of this study was to investigate and identify Haemoproteus parasites from a large sample comprising accipitriform raptors of 16 species combining morphological and new molecular protocols targeting the cytb genes of this parasite group. This study provides morphological descriptions and molecular characterizations of two Haemoproteus species, H. multivacuolatus n. sp. and H. nisi Peirce and Marquiss, 1983. Haemoproteus parasites of this group were so far found in accipitriform raptors only and might be classified into a separate subgenus or even genus. Cytb sequences of these parasites diverge by more than 15% from those of all others known avian haemosporidian genera and form a unique phylogenetic clade. This study underlines the importance of developing new diagnostic tools to detect molecularly highly divergent parasites that might be undetectable by commonly used conventional tools.
Erzählungen von Kindern mit Hörbeeinträchtigung – interindividuelle Unterschiede und Zusammenhänge mit lautsprachlichen Fähigkeiten
Authors: Hardebeck Lara , Ruigendijk Esther , Grandon Bénédicte , Licandro Ulla
Published: February 2024

Der Erwerb der Erzählfähigkeiten ist ein wichtiger Teil des Spracherwerbs und eine Schlüsselkompetenz für eine erfolgreiche Bildungslaufbahn sowie für die soziale Teilhabe. Bisherige Forschungen zu den Erzählfähigkeiten von Kindern mit einer Hörbeeinträchtigung sind rar und heterogen. Daher untersucht die vorliegende Studie die Erzählfähigkeiten von Schüler*innen mit diesem Profil (N = 16; MAlter = 10;8 Jahre) anhand einer mündlichen Erzählung nach Bildvorlage. Sowohl auf makro- als auch auf mikrostruktureller Ebene zeigte sich eine hohe interindividuelle Variabilität. Darüber hinaus traten Zusammenhänge zwischen den Erzählfähigkeiten, dem rezeptiven Wortschatz und dem phonologischen Arbeitsgedächtnis auf. Die Ergebnisse erweitern den Kenntnisstand zum fortgeschrittenen Spracherwerb von Kindern mit einer Hörbeeinträchtigung im Schulalter und beleuchten die komplexen Zusammenhänge.
Klimawandel und vektorübertragene Infektionen in EuropaTeil 2: Zeckenübertragene Infektionen
Authors: Jung Laura , Schönherr Sebastian , Lübbert Christoph , Trawinski Henning
Published: February 2024

Die zunehmenden Auswirkungen des Klimawandels und globaler Umweltveränderungen haben erhebliche Konsequenzen für das Infektionsrisiko von vektorübertragenen Erkrankungen. Dies wirkt sich insbesondere auch auf die temperaturabhängige Aktivität und das Vorkommen von Zecken in Europa aus. Veränderungen in den Verbreitungsgebieten der Vektoren, verbunden mit einem gesteigerten Übertragungsrisiko durch verhaltensbedingte Faktoren, führen zu einem Anstieg der durch Zecken übertragenen Erkrankungen, darunter Borreliose, Frühsommer-Meningoenzephalitis (FSME) und Tularämie. Insbesondere steigende Temperaturen und eine Zunahme der Luftfeuchtigkeit begünstigen die Vermehrung von Zecken. Vor diesem Hintergrund ist eine verstärkte Implementierung von Präventions- und Überwachungsmaßnahmen im Kontext zeckenübertragener Infektionskrankheiten von entscheidender Bedeutung.
„…nicht mal auf den Gang!“ – Das
subjektive Empfinden institutioneller Maßnahmen während der
Covid-19 Pandemie von Pflegeheimbewohnern. Eine qualitative
Studie.
Authors: Sanftenberg Linda , Hoerger Anja , Mayr Katharina , Nassehi Armin , Wildgruber Domenika , Hausen Anita , Janke Christian , Hoelscher Michael , Hindenburg Dagmar , Eidenschink Christine , Rink Laura , Sebastião Maria , Teupser Daniel , Kosub Helena , Zoellinger Isabel , Dreischulte Tobias , Gensichen Jochen ,   für die BACOM-Studiengruppe
Published: February 2024

Einleitung Im Rahmen der Covid-19 Pandemie wurden zum Infektionsschutz von
Pflegeheimbewohner*innen institutionelle Maßnahmen angeordnet.
Diese wurden im Hinblick auf ihre Angemessenheit kontrovers diskutiert. Ziel
dieser Arbeit war es, das subjektive Erleben institutioneller Maßnahmen
zum Zwecke des Infektionsschutzes während der Covid-19 Pandemie von
Pflegeheimbewohner*innen in Bayern besser zu verstehen und die Rolle des
Pflegefachpersonals und der Hausärzt*innen für die
Bewältigung der Krisensituation zu beleuchten.

Methodik Es wurden semistrukturierte Interviews mit Bewohner*innen
der stationären Langzeitpflege geführt. Die Datenanalyse
erfolgte mittels inhaltlich-strukturierender Inhaltsanalyse nach Kuckartz.

Ergebnisse Insgesamt wurden in fünf Pflegeheimen zehn
Pflegeheimbewohner*innen mit verschiedenen Pflegegraden befragt, von
denen zum Befragungszeitpunkt fünf bereits eine Covid-19 Infektion
durchgemacht hatte. Die Befragten berichteten einerseits von ihrer
Schutzbedürftigkeit, andererseits von der erlebten Isolation
während der Pandemie. Betont wurde das Vertrauen in die Fürsorge
durch die Pflegefachpersonen. Ein verlässlicher persönlicher
Kontakt zu bereits bekannten Hausärzt*innen wurde hingegen
vermisst.

Schlussfolgerung Die Rolle des Pflegefachpersonals und der
Hausärzt*innen verdient mehr Aufmerksamkeit und ist
möglicherweise ein Schlüssel für die bessere Akzeptanz
und Bewältigung solcher Krisensituationen.
Welche Faktoren beeinflussen die motorischen
Funktionsveränderungen bei Schlaganfall-Patienten während einer
neurologischen Rehabilitationsbehandlung?
Authors: Rothacher Catherine , Liepert Joachim
Published: February 2024

Ziel der Studie Identifikation von Faktoren, die bei
Schlaganfall-Patienten Einfluss auf das Ausmaß von motorischen
Funktionsverbesserungen während einer stationären neurologischen
Rehabilitation nehmen.

Methodik Retrospektive Analyse von 398 Schlaganfall-Patienten, die sich in
stationärer Phase C- Rehabilitation (Barthel-Index zwischen 30 und 70
Punkten) befanden. Veränderungen in 3 physiotherapeutischen
(Sitz/Stand; Transfer Bett/Stuhl; Treppen steigen) und 3
ergotherapeutischen (Essen/Trinken; Oberkörper Ankleiden; Objekt
Manipulieren) Assessments wurden mit den Faktoren Alter, Geschlecht, initialer
Barthel-Index, Zeit seit Schlaganfall, Aufenthaltsdauer; Therapie-Anzahl und
–Umfang, Ischämie versus Blutung korreliert und einer
schrittweisen Regressionsanalyse unterzogen.

Ergebnisse In allen Assessments zeigten sich signifikante Verbesserungen.
Die Aufenthaltsdauer und Therapie-Anzahl und –Umfang korrelierten mit
Verbesserungen von Sitz/Stand, Bett/Stuhl, Treppe und
Oberkörper ankleiden, zudem korrelierten Therapie-Anzahl und
–Umfang mit Essen/Trinken. Der initiale Barthel-Index
korrelierte negativ mit Sitz/Stand, Bett/Stuhl und
Oberkörper ankleiden. Alter und Geschlecht hatten keinen Einfluss auf
das Ausmaß der Verbesserungen. Der Vergleich Ischämie versus
Blutung ergab keine Unterschiede im Ausmaß der Verbesserungen.
Patienten<3 Monate nach Schlaganfall verbesserten sich stärker
in Sitz/Stand, Bett/Stuhl, Treppe, Oberkörper ankleiden
und Objekt manipulieren als Patienten>6 Monate nach Schlaganfall, waren
aber auch durchschnittlich 10 Tage (52 versus 42 Tage) länger in
stationärer Rehabilitation. Eine schrittweise Regressionsanalyse
identifizierte die Faktoren Physio-Termin-Anzahl und initialer Barthel-Index als
wichtigste für Veränderungen in Sitz/Stand und
Bett/Stuhl, Physio-Therapie-Menge und Zeit seit Schlaganfall für
Treppen steigen, Ergo-Termin-Anzahl für Essen/Trinken,
Ergo-Termin-Anzahl und Zeit seit Schlaganfall für Oberkörper
ankleiden und Ergo-Termin-Anzahl und Dauer des Aufenthaltes für Objekt
manipulieren.

Schlussfolgerung Bei Schlaganfall-Patienten ist eine
größere Therapiemenge mit stärkeren motorischen
Funktionsverbesserungen assoziiert. Alter, Geschlecht und Ätiologie des
Schlaganfalls haben keinen relevanten Einfluss auf motorische Verbesserungen im
Rahmen einer stationären Rehabilitation.
Multisite Thrombosis in a Patient with Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria
Authors: Beckmann Lennart , Faizy Tobias D. , Flottmann Fabian , Fiehler Jens , Bokemeyer Carsten , Well Lennart , Beitzen-Heineke Antonia , Langer Florian
Published: February 2024

Case: Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is an extremely rare bone marrow disorder caused by acquired mutations in the phosphatidylinositol glycan class A gene, which lead to a partial or total loss of the cellular complement regulators CD55 and CD59.1 In addition to complement-mediated hemolysis and cytopenia, venous and arterial thromboses at multiple and/or unusual sites are a common complication and occur in up to 44% of patients in historic PNH cohorts.1
2
Expedition 5300 – Eine Serie höhenmedizinischer Studien
Authors: Kaestner Lars
Published: February 2024

La Rinconada ist mit einer Höhe von 5000–5300 m über dem Meeresspiegel die höchstgelegene dauerhaft bewohnte Stadt unserer Erde (Abb. 1, 2). Die Goldgräberstadt liegt im Süden Perus, gerade mal 2,5 Autostunden vom Titicacasee entfernt. Seit 2018 führt das französische Institut für Gesundheit und medizinische Forschung an der Universität Grenoble-Alpes gemeinsam mit internationalen Partnern höhenmedizinische Studien in La Rinconada durch. Die Wissenschaftler haben nun die 5-jährige Forschungsarbeit in einem Review zusammengefasst.
ETV5 Silencing Produces Mesenchymal to Epithelial Transition in INS-1
(832/13) Cell Line
Authors: Díaz-López Yael Efrén , Cázares-Domínguez Vicenta , Arenas-Huertero Francisco , Gutierrez-Aguilar Ruth
Published: February 2024

ETV5 has been described to be involved in the epithelial to mesenchymal
transition (EMT) mainly in cancer. It is known that EMT provokes cytoskeleton
remodeling, improving cellular migratory, and invasive capabilities. Moreover,
overexpression of ETV5 has been correlated to cancer development and this
gene has been implicated in cell proliferation. However, little is known about
the downregulation of ETV5 expression in a pancreatic cell line and the
inverse mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET). Therefore, we studied the
implications of ETV5 silencing over the phenotype of the insulinoma INS-1
(832/13) cell line and described the MET by partial ETV5
silencing in the INS-1 (832/13) cell line. The downregulation of
ETV5 expression was obtained by using ETV5 siRNA in the
insulinoma rat cell line, INS-1 (832/13). Then, ETV5 knockdown
provoked a MET phenotype observed by crystal violet staining and verified by
immunohistochemistry against E-cadherin. Wound healing assay showed no
migration, and F-actin stain revealed rearrangement of actin microfilaments. In
addition, TGFβ1 and TGFβ3 were downregulated in
the absence of ETV5. ETV5 silencing induces epithelial phenotype
by downregulating TGFβ1 and TGFβ3 in INS-1
(832/13) cell line.
Association between Acute and Chronic Inflammatory States: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Mahesh Seema , Mallappa Mahesh , Vacaras Vitalie , Shah Viraj , Serzhantova Elena , Kubasheva Nadezhda , Chabanov Dmitriy , Tsintzas Dionysios , Jaggi Latika , Jaggi Atul , Vithoulkas George
Published: February 2024

Background Fever is the hallmark of efficient acute inflammatory response, which may be disrupted in chronic inflammatory conditions. The “continuum theory” proposes that the return of acute inflammatory states with high fever predicts improvement in chronic diseases during treatment. Our objective was to investigate the observation made, during classical homeopathic treatment, that such an association exists between chronic inflammation and efficient acute inflammation.

Methods In a case-control study, the reports of patients diagnosed with chronic inflammatory conditions with at least 6 months of follow-up under homeopathic treatment were retrospectively sampled from homeopathic medical practices from Greece, India, Romania and Russia. Twenty patients who improved under homeopathic treatment and 20 age-matched controls of those who did not improve were selected. The occurrence of common acute infectious diseases with fever during the follow-up period was investigated.

Results The average age of the cases and controls was 28.4 (SD: 16.64) and 27.9 (SD: 17.19) years respectively. 18/20 cases and 4/20 controls developed common infectious diseases with fever. Cramer's V co-efficient value was found to be 0.551 (p < 0.01), indicating that improvement was more in patients with fever than without. Odds ratio of improving with respect to development of acute infectious diseases was 36.0 (95% CI: 5.8 to 223.5). The binary logistic regression model indicated significant contribution of occurrence of acute infections with fever as a predictor for improvement in chronic inflammatory disease.

Conclusions Classical homeopathic clinical observations indicate an association between chronic inflammatory status in the body and the ability to mount efficient acute inflammation. In this case-control study, the occurrence of common infections with fever during treatment heralded improvement in chronic inflammatory disease. Further powered studies are necessary to substantiate this finding.
Posttraumatic Isolated Diffuse SAH Because of Atlas (C1) Fracture Involving Transverse Process without Vertebral Artery Injury: A Case Report
Authors: Patil Akshay , Iratwar Sandip , Jha Ashish
Published: February 2024

Traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) can be seen in mild, moderate, and severe head injury. Traumatic SAH is usually present in the sulci or superficial subarachnoid space (SAS) of the cortex rather than in the basal SAS. Basal SAH is usually harmful because of the injury to vascular structure resulting into vasospasm and ischemia. Here we are presenting a rare case in which patient is presented with traumatic injury to the neck followed by the isolated diffuse SAH mostly basal without injury to the brain parenchyma. Patient was presented with the raised intracranial pressure features (headache, vomiting) and seizure. On admission, he had a Glasgow Coma Scale of E3V3M5. His computed tomography (CT) of the brain was suggestive of diffuse SAH in all cisterns especially in basal cistern. He was evaluated by angiogram that was suggestive of no major vascular involvement. His CT cervical spine was suggestive of Atlas (C1) fracture involving transverse process with medial and inward displacement of bone, probably causing vascular insult in the form of venous injury leading to the SAH.
Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Reduction for Medically Refractory Hepatic Encephalopathy
Authors: Toliver Brandon , Thornburg Matthew , Schmitz Adam , Haste Paul
Published: February 2024

Purpose Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is an established intervention for symptomatic portal hypertension, with many patients experiencing hepatic encephalopathy (HE) as an undesirable side effect. For medically refractory HE, TIPS reduction can decrease the burden of neurotoxic metabolites. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of TIPS reduction for the treatment of medically refractory post-TIPS HE.

Methods A retrospective search using an institutional database yielded 45 patients who underwent TIPS reduction between 2011 and 2021. Four patients were excluded due to lack of post-TIPS HE, and 41 patients in total were included. The primary endpoint was improvement of HE after TIPS reduction as measured by the West Haven scores. Secondary endpoints included postreduction recurrence of ascites or gastrointestinal bleeding, procedural complications, and 30-day mortality.

Results TIPS reduction was performed in all 41 patients with a 30-day mortality rate of 9.8%. No deaths were attributable to the procedure itself. Twenty-seven patients (65.9%) had improvement in HE and 10 patients (24.4%) proceeded to TIPS occlusion due to refractory HE. The average pre- and postreduction West Haven grades were 2.9 ± 0.5 and 1.9 ± 1.2 (p < 0.001), respectively. One patient (2.4%) had spontaneous TIPS thrombosis after reduction and developed arterial gastrointestinal bleeding, 15 patients (36.6%) experienced recurrent ascites, and there were no cases of variceal hemorrhage.

Conclusion In this population, TIPS reduction improved medically refractory HE in 65.9% of patients with a 36.6% risk of recurrent ascites, no cases of variceal hemorrhage, and 9.8% 30-day mortality.
Overview of Nasal Airway and Nasal Breathing Evaluation
Authors: Xavier Rui
Published: February 2024

Several methods are available for evaluating nasal breathing and nasal airflow, as this evaluation may be made from several different perspectives.

Physiologic methods for nasal airway evaluation directly measure nasal airflow or nasal airway resistance, while anatomical methods measure nasal airway dimensions. Subjective methods evaluate nasal breathing through several validated patient-reported scales assessing nasal breathing. Computational fluid dynamics evaluates nasal airflow through the analysis of several physics' variables of the nasal airway.

Being familiar to these methods is of utmost importance for the nasal surgeon to be able to understand data provided by the different methods and to be able to choose the combination of evaluation methods that will provide the information most relevant to each clinical situation.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder: A Decade of Mandatory Psychiatric Evaluation in Cosmetic Rhinoplasty Aspirants
Authors: Shandilya Munish , Bourke Stephanie , Shandilya Avi
Published: February 2024

The aim of rhinoplasty is to make the patient happier with their nose. The patient's perception plays a substantial role in their outcome satisfaction. Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an obsessive-compulsive disorder concerning body image, which negatively distorts the patient's perception, rendering them dissatisfied with the outcome even if the results are close to the defined objectives. In this paper, we present a protocol with a two-specialist approach (rhinoplasty surgeon and a psychiatrist) to standardize BDD diagnosis using the DSM-5 criteria. The patients deemed suitable for cosmetic rhinoplasty by the rhinoplasty surgeon's first consultation were sent for Mandatory Psychiatric Evaluation (MPE) for further consultation and second opinion. MPE was employed with a semi-structured clinical interview by a psychiatrist incorporating the Cosmetic Procedure Screening Questionnaire and Appearance Anxiety Inventory. From 2010 to 2023, 1,602 patients attended our practice seeking cosmetic rhinoplasty, out of which, 892 were sent for MPE to the same psychiatrist. The MPE identified 2.5% (22/892) patients as having mild BDD; out of which, 15 were considered suitable for surgical intervention and underwent successful rhinoplasty (follow up: 1–10 years, M = 4.33 years). Although BDD is considered a contraindication in rhinoplasty, our experience shows that borderline and mild BDD can be offered surgery with good insight and support system. Moderate to severe BDD in our practice was filtered out at the first stage and was not offered surgical intervention. BDD among rhinoplasty aspirants is not as prevalent as previously reported. Standardized diagnostic protocols and studying the severity of BDD when present has clarified management of BDD in rhinoplasty aspirants in our practice. MPE is not easy to incorporate in every rhinoplasty practice, but we aim to present guidelines arising from our ongoing experience to help management of BDD in rhinoplasty.
Concomitant Surgical Ablation for Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Undergoing Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery: A Single-Center Experience in Vietnam
Authors: Chuong Pham Tran Viet , Thuan Phan Quang , Thanh Vu Tri , Dinh Nguyen Hoang
Published: February 2024

Background This study presents the early and midterm outcomes of combining atrial fibrillation (AF) treatment with minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) at our center.

Methods From January 2017 to June 2022, our center treated a total of 86 patients with both MIMVS and surgical AF ablation. The patient cohort included 62 women (72.1%) and 24 men (27.9%). The average EuroScore II was 2.64 ± 1.49%, and the patients were followed up for an average period of 46.31 ± 9.84 months.

Results Postoperatively, 95.3% of patients experienced a change in sinus rhythm, and 86.2% were discharged in sinus rhythm. The hospital's mortality rate was 2.3%, with a late mortality rate of 3.5%. Survival analysis revealed an atrial fibrillation–free 5-year follow-up rate of 59.1 ± 9.1%. The 5-year survival rate was 92.7 ± 3.3%.

Conclusion Our 5-year experience demonstrates that the combination of MIMVS and surgical AF ablation can be routinely performed with favorable peri- and postoperative outcomes. This reflects our hospital's culture and guidance on patient selection, particularly when adopting minimally invasive approaches for multiple procedures.
Outcomes of Free Flap Transfer in Facial Reanimation: A Review
Authors: Shamil Eamon , Tan Denise Jia Yun , Grobbelaar Adriaan
Published: February 2024

Free functional muscle transfer is is an option for reanimating the face in chronic facial nerve paralysis. The optimal outcome in these patients is the ability to restore a spontaneous smile in response to emotion. We discuss the role of free functional muscle transfer in facial paralysis treatment, the choices of nerve used in reconstruction surgery, and the application of different types of muscle flaps in facial reanimation. In this paper, we review the relevant and up-to-date academic literature regarding the outcomes of free functional muscle flap transfer in facial paralysis patients.
From an Input to an Output: The Discursive Uses of External Research Funding in Academic Career Assessment
Authors: Pietilä Maria
Published: February 2024

Success in the competition for external grants has become an important indicator when progressing in academic careers. Drawing on interview data with academics across various career stages and academic fields at one Finnish university, the study identifies four discourses that elucidate why research grants are deemed significant in advancing an academic career. The findings indicate that it is appealing for universities to use research funding success as an assessment criterion due to its connections to authoritative discourses in higher education and research policy. For example, funding success is seen as a symbol of high academic quality and as a signal of an individual’s ability to thrive in a resource-scarce environment. However, in the context of limited resources for research and the introduction of new societally oriented funding instruments, utilizing funding success as an assessment criterion overlooks academics’ different prerequisites for gaining funding.
Maternal depression and children’s behavioral self-regulation: the role of parenting and children’s screen time
Authors: Wang Shuang , Huang Jin , Xie Hongbin , Liu Cong , Wang Xiaolong
Published: February 2024

Family processes such as maternal parenting and family screen exposure are significantly related to children’s gains in behavioral self-regulation, but the potential mechanism of these relations remains unknown. In this study, we investigated how maternal depression is associated with children’s behavioral self-regulation through the mediating role of maternal supportive parenting and children’s family screen time. A total sample of 657 Chinese children and their mothers was recruited. Results from structural equation models indicated that supportive parenting and screen time partially mediated the effect of maternal depression on children’s behavioral self-regulation by the sequential, after controlling for child demographic variables. Furthermore, supportive parenting played a partially mediating role in associations between maternal depression and children’s self-regulation. The findings provide insights into parenting practices for early childhood development in the Chinese family environment.
Embracing diversity under isolation and cease-fire: a poststructuralist look at administrators’ policy on multilingualism
Authors: Mavioglu Metin
Published: February 2024

Although multilingualism in higher education context continues to garner increasing scholarly interest, research remains scarce on school administrators’ policies on multilingualism. To the best of our knowledge, this study constitutes one of the very few attempts to tackle this issue in higher education context and the first of its kind to pursue such endeavour in North Cyprus setting. This study seeks to investigate, through a post-structuralist perspective, the perceptions and policies of multilingualism by the director and assistant directors of an English preparatory school in a North Cyprus university which has flourished as a haven for international education. The study combines a multiplicity of data through semi-structured interviews and informal chats to provide a richer insight into the multifaceted case being investigated. The findings demonstrate that administrators regard multilingualism as a seal of internationalism and educational quality. They remain hesitant and even mostly sceptical, however, about whether translingual practice could offer any meaningful contribution to language learning processes. Although poststructuralist understanding considers truth and identity to be decentred and forever changing, and despite the scope of our study being limited to one particular institution only, our findings promise great potential for inspiring reflection and research in other universities in North Cyprus and elsewhere, which similarly aspire to international competition in higher education.
Is it useful to understand disease through Husserl’s transcendental phenomenology?
Authors: Choi Woosok
Published: February 2024

This article explores the relationship between disease and our understanding of it through the lens of Husserl’s phenomenology. It argues that understanding disease requires us to examine the fundamental conditions and various aspects and that phenomenology provides a way to do this. Husserl’s transcendental phenomenology helps us identify the structures of experience necessary for the possibility of experiencing disease, and to recognize how these structures shape our understanding of it. His transcendental philosophy reveals that the subjective experience of illness can be understood in terms of general concepts. In this point, this article will critically sketch some misunderstandings of disease, followed by an exploration of phenomenological explorative methods. Husserl’s phenomenological inquiry is significant in its disclosure of ways in which internal experiences can be shared as general concepts.
Learners’ beliefs about English language learning
Authors: Kang Hyun-Sook
Published: February 2024

This study explored the beliefs about English language learning demonstrated by Korean-speaking college students
while sojourning in the United States. Adopting a contextual approach to learner beliefs, the study further examined the nature of
changes in sojourners’ beliefs and what aspects of study abroad were related to such changes. To this end, the study drew on the
participants’ accounts of their second language (L2) experiences in connection with different aspects of study abroad through
episodic narrative interviews. A thematic analysis of the interview data suggests that sojourners’ beliefs about language learning
are reminiscent of societal ideological structures and school or familial influences. During the sojourn, learner beliefs about L2
learning were reshaped by interactions with co-nationals and members of the host community as micro-level resources situated in
the meso-level host program. Sojourners further demonstrated changes in their broad perspectives on what constitutes an in situ
form of bilingualism in the sending and host countries.
APOE traffics to astrocyte lipid droplets and modulates triglyceride saturation and droplet size
Authors: Windham Ian A. , Powers Alex E. , Ragusa Joey V. , Wallace E. Diane , Zanellati Maria Clara , Williams Victoria H. , Wagner Colby H. , White Kristen K. , Cohen Sarah
Published: February 2024

The E4 variant of APOE strongly predisposes individuals to late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. We demonstrate that in response to lipogenesis, apolipoprotein E (APOE) in astrocytes can avoid translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen and traffic to lipid droplets (LDs) via membrane bridges at ER–LD contacts. APOE knockdown promotes fewer, larger LDs after a fatty acid pulse, which contain more unsaturated triglyceride after fatty acid pulse-chase. This LD size phenotype was rescued by chimeric APOE that targets only LDs. Like APOE depletion, APOE4-expressing astrocytes form a small number of large LDs enriched in unsaturated triglyceride. Additionally, the LDs in APOE4 cells exhibit impaired turnover and increased sensitivity to lipid peroxidation. Our data indicate that APOE plays a previously unrecognized role as an LD surface protein that regulates LD size and composition. APOE4 causes aberrant LD composition and morphology. Our study contributes to accumulating evidence that APOE4 astrocytes with large, unsaturated LDs are sensitized to lipid peroxidation, which could contribute to Alzheimer’s disease risk.
RAS G-domains allosterically contribute to the recognition of lipid headgroups and acyl chains
Authors: Arora Neha , Mu Huanwen , Liang Hong , Zhao Wenting , Zhou Yong
Published: February 2024

Mutant RAS are major contributors to cancer and signal primarily from nanoclusters on the plasma membrane (PM). Their C-terminal membrane anchors are main features of membrane association. However, the same RAS isoform bound to different guanine nucleotides spatially segregate. Different RAS nanoclusters all enrich a phospholipid, phosphatidylserine (PS). These findings suggest more complex membrane interactions. Our electron microscopy-spatial analysis shows that wild-types, G12V mutants, and membrane anchors of isoforms HRAS, KRAS4A, and KRAS4B prefer distinct PS species. Mechanistically, reorientation of KRAS4B G-domain exposes distinct residues, such as Arg 135 in orientation state 1 (OS1) and Arg 73/Arg 102 in OS2, to the PM and differentially facilitates the recognition of PS acyl chains. Allele-specific oncogenic mutations of KRAS4B also shift G-domain reorientation equilibrium. Indeed, KRAS4BG12V, KRAS4BG12D, KRAS4BG12C, KRAS4BG13D, and KRAS4BQ61H associate with PM lipids with headgroup and acyl chain specificities. Distribution of these KRAS4B oncogenic mutants favors different nanoscale membrane topography. Thus, RAS G-domains allosterically facilitate membrane lateral distribution.
PROTAC-mediated NR4A1 degradation as a novel strategy for cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Wang Lei , Xiao Yufeng , Luo Yuewan , Master Rohan P. , Mo Jiao , Kim Myung-Chul , Liu Yi , Maharjan Chandra K. , Patel Urvi M. , De Umasankar , Carelock Madison E. , Tithi Tanzia Islam , Li Xiangming , Shaffer Donald R. , Guertin Kevin R. , Zhuang Haoyang , Moser Emily , Smalley Keiran S.M. , Lv Dongwen , Zhou Daohong , Zheng Guangrong , Zhang Weizhou
Published: February 2024

An effective cancer therapy requires killing cancer cells and targeting the tumor microenvironment (TME). Searching for molecules critical for multiple cell types in the TME, we identified NR4A1 as one such molecule that can maintain the immune suppressive TME. Here, we establish NR4A1 as a valid target for cancer immunotherapy and describe a first-of-its-kind proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC, named NR-V04) against NR4A1. NR-V04 degrades NR4A1 within hours in vitro and exhibits long-lasting NR4A1 degradation in tumors with an excellent safety profile. NR-V04 inhibits and frequently eradicates established tumors. At the mechanistic level, NR-V04 induces the tumor-infiltrating (TI) B cells and effector memory CD8+ T (Tem) cells and reduces monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (m-MDSC), all of which are known to be clinically relevant immune cell populations in human melanomas. Overall, NR-V04–mediated NR4A1 degradation holds promise for enhancing anticancer immune responses and offers a new avenue for treating various types of cancers such as melanoma.
Regulating the electrical performance of contact-separation mode triboelectric nanogenerators based on double-sided groove textures
Authors: Yang Weixu , Yang Suqing , Sun Zhen , Chen Ping , Qiao Xiaoxi
Published: February 2024

The contact-separation mode triboelectric nanogenerators (CS-TENGs) is a kind of micro/nano electromechanical power system based on the contact electrification and electrostatic induction. With the expansion of application field of the CS-TENG, regulating the electrical performance becomes essential. In this paper, simple and effective methods for the CS-TENG output regulation based on the double-sided groove textures are proposed. To do this, groove textures on both Cu contact electrode and PDMS dielectric layer are fabricated, and influences and mechanisms of the alignment angle (the angle between the direction of groove textures on the Cu electrode and that on the PDMS dielectric layer), matching condition (textures sidewall contact and non-contact) and applied pressure on the CS-TENG output are explored through output tests, contact and electrostatic simulations. It is shown that altering the alignment angle, matching condition and applied pressure of groove texture on the Cu contact electrode and PDMS dielectric layer, could simply regulate the output of CS-TENG, where changing the alignment angle is the most effective. Under low and high applied pressures, the variations of the output voltage with alignment angle from 0˚–90˚ reach to 343.8% and 297.2%, respectively, and CS-TENG at 0˚ angle outputs the maximum voltage under both pressures, while the minimum voltages under the two pressures are exhibited from different angles. The change of contact area induced by the longitudinal deformation and transverse expansion of the groove textures is the main reason for the output regulations.
Optoelectrical properties of the ternary chalcogenide SnSb2S5 as a new absorber layer for photovoltaic application
Authors: Kraidy A F , El Radaf I M , Zeinert A , Lahmar A , Peláiz-Barranco A , Gagou Y
Published: February 2024

A new material, tin antimony sulfide (SnSb2S5) thin films, considering different thicknesses (200 nm, 312 nm and 431 nm), were obtained by thermal evaporation onto a glass substrate. The films were studied electrically (I–V dependence) and optically to highlight their properties as photoanodes in thin film photovoltaic devices. The I–V characteristic curves showed n-type semiconductor samples with an electrical conductivity of 10−3(ohm cm)−1 under white light excitation. The values of the absorption coefficient (α) and extinction coefficient (K) were found to be enlarged by increasing the layer thickness. The SnSb2S5 films displayed a high absorption coefficient of 105 cm−1. The studied physical characterizations of tin antimony sulfide (SnSb2S5) samples showed interesting optical and electrical properties for good absorber layers in thin film solar cell devices.
A neural-network-based model of radio-frequency hollow cathode discharge characterized using particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision simulation
Authors: Bera Kallol , Verma Abhishek , Ganta Sathya , Rauf Shahid
Published: February 2024

An understanding of the plasma dynamics of radio-frequency (RF) hollow cathode discharges (HCDs) at low to moderate pressures is important due to their wide range of applications. A HCD consists of a hollow cylindrical cavity in the RF-powered cathode separated from a grounded electrode by a dielectric. In RF HCDs, RF sheath heating can play a significant role in plasma production in addition to secondary electrons. In this study, a single hollow cathode hole is modeled using the particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision (PIC-MCC) technique at low pressure, where kinetic effects are important. Characterization of a single hollow cathode using PIC-MCC simulation is, however, computationally expensive. For improved computational efficiency, a neural network modeling framework has been developed using the temporal variations of applied RF voltages as input and the electrode current as output. A space-filling design for computational experiments is used, where the variables include the RF voltage at the fundamental frequency, RF voltage at the second harmonic, and their phase difference. The predictions of the electrode current using the trained neural network model compare well with the results of the PIC/MCC simulations, but at a significantly lower computational cost. The neural network model predicts the current very well inside the training domain, and reasonably well even outside the training domain considered in this study.
Thermoelectric, mechanical, and pressure sustained half-metallic properties of BaInO3 perovskite for spintronics applications: DFT computation
Authors: Ashwin V , Mohamed Sheik Sirajuddeen M
Published: February 2024

Oxide perovskites continue to promote research interest because of their concurrent use in spintronic and thermoelectric applications. The electronic, magnetic, and thermoelectric properties of new half-metallic BaInO3 perovskite are investigated using the density functional theory. The structural and thermodynamic stability of the proposed perovskite is provided by the tolerance factor, octahedral factor, formation energy, and phonon dispersion curves. The structural relaxation curves reveal that the ground state is ferromagnetic. The generalized gradient approximation and mBJ band structure plots show that the half-metallicity exclusively results from the strong exchange splitting of 2p-bands at the Fermi level. Compared with PBE, mBJ depicts highly localized magnetic moments around oxygen along with enhanced half-metallic gaps and band gaps in the spin-up channel. Under a compressive strain, the system undergoes a magnetic phase transition from half-metallic ferromagnet to non-magnetic metal at 30 GPa. The elastic stability at the studied pressure range has been verified from Blackman’s and Every’s diagrams. The material remains ductile and exhibits moderate elastic anisotropy in the studied pressure range. The quasi-harmonic Debye model is employed to study the temperature and pressure effects of thermodynamic parameters. The computed transport properties including the Seebeck coefficient and spin-Seebeck coefficient predict reasonable thermoelectric performance in generating thermally induced spin-polarized current and spin current, respectively. Such a detailed study of this material could open prospects in spintronic as well as waste energy recovery devices.
Proton-fluence dependent magnetic properties of exfoliable quasi-2D van der Waals Cr2Si2Te6 magnet
Authors: Iturriaga Hector , Chen Ju , Yang Jing , Martinez Luis M , Shao Lin , Liu Yu , Petrovic Cedomir , Kirk Martin , Singamaneni Srinivasa R
Published: February 2024

The discovery of long-range magnetic ordering in atomically thin materials catapulted the van der Waals (vdW) family of compounds into an unprecedented popularity, leading to potentially important technological applications in magnetic storage and magneto-transport devices, as well as photoelectric sensors. With the potential for the use of vdW materials in space exploration technologies it is critical to understand how the properties of such materials are affected by ionizing proton irradiation. Owing to their robust intra-layer stability and sensitivity to external perturbations, these materials also provide excellent opportunities for studying proton irradiation as a non-destructive tool for controlling their magnetic properties. Specifically, the exfoliable Cr2Si2Te6 (CST) is a ferromagnetic semiconductor with the Curie temperature (T
C) of ∼32 K. Here, we have investigated the magnetic properties of CST upon proton irradiation as a function of fluence (1 × 1015, 5 × 1015, 1 × 1016, 5 × 1016, and 1 × 1018 H+/cm−2) by employing variable-temperature, variable-field magnetization measurements, and detail how the magnetization, magnetic anisotropy vary as a function of proton fluence across the magnetic phase transition. While the T
C remains constant as a function of proton fluence, we observed that the saturation magnetization and magnetic anisotropy diverge at the proton fluence of 5 × 1016 H+/cm−2, which is prominent in the ferromagnetic phase, in particular.This work demonstrates that proton irradiation is a feasible method for modifying the magnetic properties and local magnetic interactions of vdWs crystals, which represents a significant step forward in the design of future spintronic and magneto-electronic applications.
Extraordinary optical and transport properties of disordered stealthy hyperuniform two-phase media
Authors: Kim Jaeuk , Torquato Salvatore
Published: February 2024

Disordered stealthy hyperuniform two-phase media are a special subset of hyperuniform structures with novel physical properties due to their hybrid crystal-liquid nature. We have previously shown that the rapidly converging strong-contrast expansion of a linear fractional form of the effective dynamic dielectric constant

ε
e

k

1

,
ω

(Torquato and Kim 2021 Phys. Rev. X 11 021002) leads to accurate approximations for both hyperuniform and nonhyperuniform two-phase composite media when truncated at the two-point level for distinctly different types of microstructural symmetries in three dimensions. In this paper, we further elucidate the extraordinary optical and transport properties of disordered stealthy hyperuniform media. Among other results, we provide detailed proofs that stealthy hyperuniform layered and transversely isotropic media are perfectly transparent (i.e. no Anderson localization, in principle) within finite wavenumber intervals through the third-order terms. Remarkably, these results imply that there can be no Anderson localization within the predicted perfect transparency interval in stealthy hyperuniform layered and transversely isotropic media in practice because the localization length (associated with only possibly negligibly small higher-order contributions) should be very large compared to any practically large sample size. We further contrast and compare the extraordinary physical properties of stealthy hyperuniform two-phase layered, transversely isotropic media, and fully three-dimensional isotropic media to other model nonstealthy microstructures, including their attenuation characteristics, as measured by the imaginary part of

ε
e

k

1

,
ω

, and transport properties, as measured by the time-dependent diffusion spreadability

S

(
t
)

. We demonstrate that there are cross-property relations between them, namely, we quantify how the imaginary parts of

ε
e

k

1

,
ω

and the spreadability at long times are positively correlated as the structures span from nonhyperuniform, nonstealthy hyperuniform, and stealthy hyperuniform media. It will also be useful to establish cross-property relations for stealthy hyperuniform media for other wave phenomena (e.g. elastodynamics) as well as other transport properties. Cross-property relations are generally useful because they enable one to estimate one property, given a measurement of another property.
An ideal candidate for observing anomalous Hall effect induced by the in-plane magnetic field
Authors: Li Wenrong , Wang C M
Published: February 2024

The anomalous Hall effect induced by the in-plane magnetic field (anomalous planar Hall effect) has recently attracted a lot of interests due to its numerous advantages. Although several schemes have been put forward in theory, experimental observations in many materials so far are often accompanied by planar Hall effects due to other mechanisms, rather than the pure anomalous planar Hall effect (APHE). We propose the surface state of the strained topological insulator as an ideal candidate to observe this effect. The surface state exhibits a pure APHE, characterized by a linear dependence on the magnetic field and a 2π periodicity, which remains robust against the scattering of non-magnetic and various magnetic impurities, as long as the uniaxial strain preserves mirror symmetry. Although a general strain that breaks the mirror symmetry can induce the conventional Drude Hall effect, the anomalous contribution remains dominant. Furthermore, we present a feasible scheme to distinguish between the two contributions based on their distinct magnetic field dependencies. Our work is of great significance for promoting experimental observation of the APHE and provides reference value in the search for other realistic materials.
Engineering piezoelectricity at vdW interfaces of quasi-1D chains in 2D Tellurene
Authors: Sachdeva Parrydeep Kaur , Gupta Shuchi , Bera Chandan
Published: February 2024

Low-dimensional piezoelectrics have drawn attention to the realization in nano-scale devices with high integration density. A unique branch of 2D Tellurene bilayers formed of weakly interacting quasi-1D chains via van der Waals forces is found to exhibit piezoelectricity due to the semiconducting band gap and spatial inversion asymmetry. Various bilayer stackings are systematically examined using density functional theory, revealing optimal piezoelectricity when dipole arrangements are identical in each layer. Negative piezoelectricity has been observed in two of the stackings AA′ and AA″ while other two stackings exhibit the usual positive piezoelectric effect. The layer-dependent 2D piezoelectricity (

∣

e

22

2
D

 
∣

) increases with an increasing number of layers in contrast to the odd–even effect observed in h-BN and MoS2. Notably, the piezoelectric effect is observed in even-layered structures due to the homogeneous stacking in multilayers. Strain is found to enhance in-plane piezoelectricity by 4.5 times (−66.25 × 10−10 C m−1 at −5.1% strain) due to the increasing difference in Born effective charges of positively and negatively charged Te-atoms under compressive biaxial strains. Moreover, out-of-plane piezoelectricity is induced by applying an external electric field, thus implying Tellurene is a promising candidate for piezoelectric sensors.