bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bacteria‐Inspired Aqueous‐in‐Aqueous Compartmentalization by In Situ Interfacial Biomineralization
Authors: Yuan Hao , Li Fei , Jia Lufan , Guo Ting , Kong Tiantian , Meng Tao
Published: December 2022

Compartmentalization is essential for living cells to orchestrate their biological processes with controlled external influences. Thus, compartmentalization has been a constant theme for cell‐mimicking materials. Despite recent advances in engineering compartmentalized materials as synthetic cells and organelles, it remains difficult to produce robust and well‐ordered compartments with secluded environments in aqueous surroundings. Nature creates hierarchically ordered compartmentalized materials by utilizing bio‐catalyzed mineralization, inspired by which, mechanically robust all‐aqueous compartments are developed by engineering a mild biomimetic mineralization at aqueous/aqueous interfaces. The enzyme‐induced biomineralization generates a layer of densely‐packed particles, acting as an armor to enclose aqueous interiors. This strategy of in situ bio‐synthesized compartments is different from current strategies, where compartments are constructed by randomly adsorbed particles at interface, leading to inadequately controlled properties of compartments. To demonstrate the robustness and adaptiveness of the in situ bio‐synthesized all‐aqueous compartments, these are utilized as drug delivery materials by sequestering protein drugs at their aqueous interiors and releasing when exposing to gastric environments. The study provides new ways to fabricate compartmentalized materials with well‐defined properties, unlocking routes to the next generation of self‐assembled materials and structures by integrating aqueous two‐phase systems with biomineralization.
Resummation and cancellation of the VIA source in electroweak baryogenesis
Authors: Postma Marieke , van de Vis Jorinde , White Graham
Published: December 2022

Abstract

We re-derive the vev-insertion approximation (VIA) source in electroweak baryogenesis. In contrast to the original derivation, we rely solely on 1-particle-irreducible self-energy diagrams. We solve the Green’s function equations both perturbatively and resummed over all vev-insertions. The VIA source corresponds to the leading order contribution in the gradient expansion of the Kadanoff-Baym (KB) equations. We find that it vanishes both for bosons and fermions, both in the perturbative and in the resummed approach. The non-existence of the source is a result of a cancellation between different terms in the KB equations, and persists after resumming the masses.
The unpolarized and polarized single-mass three-loop heavy flavor operator matrix elements Agg,Q and ∆Agg,Q
Authors: Ablinger J. , Behring A. , Blümlein J. , De Freitas A. , Goedicke A. , von Manteuffel A. , Schneider C. , Schönwald K.
Published: December 2022

Abstract

We calculate the gluonic massive operator matrix elements in the unpolarized and polarized cases,Agg,Q(x, μ2) and ∆Agg,Q(x, μ2), at three-loop order for a single mass. These quantities contribute to the matching of the gluon distribution in the variable flavor number scheme. The polarized operator matrix element is calculated in the Larin scheme. These operator matrix elements contain finite binomial and inverse binomial sums in MellinN-space and iterated integrals over square root-valued alphabets in momentum fractionx-space. We derive the necessary analytic relations for the analytic continuation of these quantities from the even or odd Mellin moments into the complex plane, present analytic expressions in momentum fractionx-space and derive numerical results. The present results complete the gluon transition matrix elements both of the single- and double-mass variable flavor number scheme to three-loop order.
Bootstrapping the a-anomaly in 4d QFTs
Authors: Karateev Denis , Marucha Jan , Penedones João , Sahoo Biswajit
Published: December 2022

Abstract

We study gapped 4d quantum field theories (QFTs) obtained from a relevant deformation of a UV conformal field theory (CFT). For simplicity, we assume the existence of a ℤ2 symmetry and a single ℤ2-odd stable particle and no ℤ2-even particles at low energies. Using unitarity, crossing and the assumption of maximal analyticity we compute numerically a lower bound on the value of the a-anomaly of the UV CFT as a function of various non-perturbative parameters describing the two-to-two scattering amplitude of the particle.
Bounds for spectral projectors on generic tori
Authors: Germain Pierre , Rydin Myerson Simon L.
Published: December 2022

We investigate norms of spectral projectors on thin spherical shells for the Laplacian on generic tori, including generic rectangular tori. We state a conjecture and partially prove it, improving on previous results concerning arbitrary tori.
Effect of metformin as an adjuvant therapy to letrozole on estradiol and other biomarkers involved in the pathogenesis of breast cancer in overweight and obese postmenopausal women: a pilot study
Authors: El-attar Aya Ahmed , Ibrahim Osama Mohamed , Alhassanin Suzan Ahmed , Essa Enas Said , Mostafa Tarek Mohamed
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Metformin may provide a therapeutic benefit in different types of malignancy.

Purpose

We aimed at evaluating the effect of metformin as an adjuvant therapy to letrozole on estradiol and other biomarkers involved in the pathogenesis of breast cancer in overweight and obese postmenopausal women.

Methods

Seventy-five postmenopausal stages II–III breast cancer female patients were assessed for eligibility in an open-labeled parallel pilot study. Forty-five patients met the inclusion criteria and were assigned into three arms: the lean arm (n = 15) women who received letrozole 2.5 mg/day, the control arm (n = 15) overweight/obese women who received letrozole 2.5 mg/day, and the metformin arm (n = 15) overweight/obese women who received letrozole 2.5 mg/day plus metformin (2000 ± 500 mg/day). The intervention duration was 6 months. Blood samples were obtained at baseline and 6 months after intervention for the measurement of serum estradiol, leptin, osteocalcin levels, fasting blood glucose concentration, and serum insulin.

Results

After the intervention and as compared to the control arm, the metformin arm showed a significantly lower ratio to the baseline (significant reduction) for estradiol (p = 0.0433), leptin (p < 0.0001), fasting blood glucose (p = 0.0128), insulin (p = 0.0360), osteocalcin serum levels (p < 0.0001), and the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance “HOMA-IR” value (p = 0.0145). There was a non-significant variation in the lactate ratio to the baseline among the three study arms (p = 0.5298).

Conclusion

Metformin may exert anti-cancer activity by decreasing the circulating estradiol, leptin, and insulin. Metformin might represent a safe and promising adjuvant therapy to letrozole in overweight/obese postmenopausal women with breast cancer.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05053841/Registered September 23, 2021 - Retrospectively.
Suspension polymerization for synthesis of new hypercrosslinked polymers nanoparticles for removal of copper ions from aqueous solutions
Authors: Metwally Amal M. , ElKhawaga Hanaa A. , Shaaban Abdel-Fattah F. , Reda Laila M.
Published: December 2022

Novel hypercrosslinked polymers nanoparticles (HCPNs) were designed by suspension polymerization technique with high surface area as well as HCPNs with functional groups have the affinity to removal of copper ions from aqueous solutions. Two HCPNs were synthesized through a two-step reaction, initially including the suspension polymerization of N-methacryloxytetrachlorophthalimide (NMTPA) with divinyl benzene (DVB) to give poly(NMTPA-co-DVB) and followed by the treatment of poly(NMTP-co-DVB) with triethylenetetramine (TETA) to give HCPNs (1) and with tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) to give HCPNs (2). Using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, the surface morphology of the particles of the synthesized HCPNs was detected, and also, the particle size was measured. Also, the chemical structures of the synthesized compounds were illustrated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). Thermal stability of the synthesized HCPNs was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis. The results illustrated that the particle size of the synthesized HCPNs is in range of 25–50 nm. The synthesized HCPNs compounds were reported for the separation of copper ions from wastewater, in which the results showed a very good affinity for these compounds for separation of copper ions from wastewater.
Geometric descriptors for the prediction of snowflake drag
Authors: Köbschall Kilian , Breitenbach Jan , Roisman Ilia V. , Tropea Cameron , Hussong Jeanette
Published: December 2022

The dynamics of solid particles of complex shapes such as airborne snowflakes are governed by aerodynamic drag forces that are a function of the relative velocity of the particle in the flow and the particle drag coefficient, which depends on the particle geometry and its orientation. In this study, artificial snowflakes are produced by additive manufacturing and their drag coefficients are obtained by measuring the terminal velocity in a liquid container, matching the Reynolds number typically encountered in natural occurrences. The experimental results show that the convex hull of the particle is suitable to accurately predict the drag force with existing correlations. Since it is unfeasible to accurately measure the three-dimensional geometries of natural snowflakes, the approximation with the convex hull provides a useful simplification. Furthermore, the known shapes of the artificial snowflakes are used to develop correlations to estimate the most relevant three-dimensional descriptors to predict the drag of snowflakes from a two-dimensional projection onto an arbitrary plane.

Graphic abstract
Uncertainty-aware visual analytics: scope, opportunities, and challenges
Authors: Maack Robin G. C. , Scheuermann Gerik , Hagen Hans , Peñaloza Jose Tiberio Hernández , Gillmann Christina
Published: December 2022

In many applications, visual analytics (VA) has developed into a standard tool to ease data access and knowledge generation. VA describes a holistic cycle transforming data into hypothesis and visualization to generate insights that enhance the data. Unfortunately, many data sources used in the VA process are affected by uncertainty. In addition, the VA cycle itself can introduce uncertainty to the knowledge generation process but does not provide a mechanism to handle these sources of uncertainty. In this manuscript, we aim to provide an extended VA cycle that is capable of handling uncertainty by quantification, propagation, and visualization, defined as uncertainty-aware visual analytics (UAVA). Here, a recap of uncertainty definition and description is used as a starting point to insert novel components in the visual analytics cycle. These components assist in capturing uncertainty throughout the VA cycle. Further, different data types, hypothesis generation approaches, and uncertainty-aware visualization approaches are discussed that fit in the defined UAVA cycle. In addition, application scenarios that can be handled by such a cycle, examples, and a list of open challenges in the area of UAVA are provided.
Pediatric ventriculoperitoneal shunt: a comparative study between anterior fontanel ultrasound-guided versus conventional cranial end insertion
Authors: Elmesallamy Wael Abd Elrahman Ali , Abofaid Akrem Mhemed Ali , Mohamed Mohamed Salah , Taha Mahmoud M.
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Ventriculoperitoneal (V-P) shunt is one of the most common neurosurgical procedures in pediatrics for the treatment of hydrocephalus. Shunt failure is one of the common mechanical complications which lead to major morbidities. This study aims to compare between cranial part insertions of the V-P shunts guided by trans-anterior fontanel ultrasound versus conventional insertion.

Methods

A prospective comparative randomized study was conducted on 60 pediatric patients aged ≤ 2 years who suffered hydrocephalus and allocated into 2 groups. In the first group (n = 30), the cranial parts of the ventriculoperitoneal shunts were inserted guided by trans-anterior fontanel ultrasound, and in the second group (n = 30), the insertions were by the conventional method. The follow-up duration of the patients was 3 months.

Results

Proximal part obstruction of the V-P shunt was found in 3 cases of the conventional group during follow-up with statistical insignificance (p = 0.237) while adequate proximal part location recorded statistical significance (p = 0.0005) in favor of ultrasound-guided group.

Conclusion

The use of the anterior fontanel ultrasound guide during ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion is a feasible, safe, and effective technique for the placement of ventricular catheters in pediatric patients with a patent anterior fontanel.
The added value of km-scale simulations to describe temperature over complex orography: the CORDEX FPS-Convection multi-model ensemble runs over the Alps
Authors: Soares P. M. M. , Careto J. A. M. , Cardoso Rita M. , Goergen Klaus , Katragkou Eleni , Sobolowski Stefan , Coppola Erika , Ban Nikolina , Belušić Danijel , Berthou Ségolène , Caillaud Cécile , Dobler Andreas , Hodnebrog Øivind , Kartsios Stergios , Lenderink Geert , Lorenz T. , Milovac Josipa , Feldmann Hendrik , Pichelli Emanuela , Truhetz Heimo , Demory Marie Estelle , de Vries Hylke , Warrach-Sagi Kirsten , Keuler Klaus , Raffa Mario , Tölle Merja , Sieck Kevin , Bastin Sophie
Published: December 2022

The increase in computational resources has enabled the emergence of multi-model ensembles of convection-permitting regional climate model (CPRCM) simulations at very high horizontal resolutions. An example is the CORDEX Flagship Pilot Study on “Convective phenomena at high resolution over Europe and the Mediterranean”, a set of kilometre-scale simulations over an extended Alpine domain. This first-of-its-kind multi-model ensemble, forced by the ERA-Interim reanalysis, can be considered a benchmark dataset. This study uses a recently proposed metric to determine the added value of all the available Flagship Pilot Study hindcast kilometre-scale simulations for maximum and minimum temperature. The analysis is performed using state-of-the-art gridded and station observations as ground truth. This approach directly assesses the added value between the high-resolution CPRCMs against their driving global simulations and coarser resolution RCM counterparts. Overall, models display some modest gains, but also considerable shortcomings are exhibited. In part, these deficiencies can be attributed to the assimilation of temperature observations into ERA-Interim. Although the gains for the use of kilometre-scale resolution for temperature are limited, the improvement of the spatial representation of local atmospheric circulations and land–atmosphere interactions can ultimately lead to gains, particularly in coastal areas.
See clearer: survey on the subjective and objective information levels as well as perception and information transfer using virtual reality headsets in patients with diabetic macular edema receiving anti-VEGF treatment
Authors: Enders Christian , Duncker Tobias , Schürks Markus , Scholz Paula , Dörner Julia , Müller Christian , Wachtlin Joachim , Lommatzsch Albrecht
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of a VR Headset in routine clinical practice as an additional source of information for patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) and their companions.

Methods

Survey including 121 patients with DME, 22 companions, and 14 healthcare professionals from 8 ophthalmology centers in Germany. Patients’ and their companions’ health literacy was assessed by questionnaires including knowledge statements before and after watching a VR-based 3-D educational video. HCPs’ perspectives on the usability of a VR Headset were also assessed.

Results

Patients’ mean age was 63.4 ± 12.2 years, 64.5% were men, and 76% (92/121) had previous anti-VEGF (VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor) injections. After using the VR Headset, over 85% of patients and companions felt better informed about DME and its treatment. Patients’ mean (± SD) number of correct answers to knowledge statements increased from 13.2 ± 3.7 before to 15.5 ± 2.3 after using the VR Headset. Over 95% of patients and companions rated content and ease of understanding of the video as “very good” or “good.” Most patients and all companions considered the use of a VR Headset as a positive experience, most wishing to obtain information via VR Headset in the future. Most physicians and all medical assistants rated the effect of the VR Headset on patient satisfaction as positive and suggested further VR modules.

Conclusion

After using the VR Headset, patients with DME and their companions demonstrated knowledge gains that may be meaningful individually and contribute to better adherence. This may offer an additional opportunity for knowledge transfer.
Cellular automaton created as an m-ary product of algebraic quasi-multiautomata
Authors: Křehlík Štěpán
Published: December 2022

In this work, we follow the construction of an n-ary system of Cartesian composition of multiautomata with internal links, where we define the internal links to the homogeneous and heterogeneous products of multi-automata. While the introduction of an internal link is rectilinear in the Cartesian composition, it requires a new approach in product construction for the other two automata products. In this way, it is possible to focus on multiple options for creating these systems. More specifically, we combine automata and multi-automata with binding according to the basic definitions given by Dörfler. This approach shows new connections to cellular automata, which allow for the modeling of phenomena in many areas. At the end of the work, we discuss the advantages of these individual schemes for quasi-multiautomata connections.
Long-term missing value imputation for time series data using deep neural networks
Authors: Park Jangho , Müller Juliane , Arora Bhavna , Faybishenko Boris , Pastorello Gilberto , Varadharajan Charuleka , Sahu Reetik , Agarwal Deborah
Published: December 2022

We present an approach that uses a deep learning model, in particular, a MultiLayer Perceptron, for estimating the missing values of a variable in multivariate time series data. We focus on filling a long continuous gap (e.g., multiple months of missing daily observations) rather than on individual randomly missing observations. Our proposed gap filling algorithm uses an automated method for determining the optimal MLP model architecture, thus allowing for optimal prediction performance for the given time series. We tested our approach by filling gaps of various lengths (three months to three years) in three environmental datasets with different time series characteristics, namely daily groundwater levels, daily soil moisture, and hourly Net Ecosystem Exchange. We compared the accuracy of the gap-filled values obtained with our approach to the widely used R-based time series gap filling methods and . The results indicate that using an MLP for filling a large gap leads to better results, especially when the data behave nonlinearly. Thus, our approach enables the use of datasets that have a large gap in one variable, which is common in many long-term environmental monitoring observations.
Leveraging compatibility and diversity in computer-aided music mashup creation
Authors: Bernardo Gonçalo , Bernardes Gilberto
Published: December 2022

We advance Mixmash-AIS, a multimodal optimization music mashup creation model for loop recombination at scale. Our motivation is to (1) tackle current scalability limitations in state-of-the-art (brute force) computational mashup models while enforcing the (2) compatibility of audio loops and (3) a pool of diverse mashups that can accommodate user preferences. To this end, we adopt the artificial immune system (AIS) opt-aiNet algorithm to efficiently compute a population of compatible and diverse music mashups from loop recombinations. Optimal mashups result from local minima in a feature space representing harmonic, rhythmic, and spectral musical audio compatibility. We objectively assess the compatibility, diversity, and computational performance of Mixmash-AIS generated mashups compared to a standard genetic algorithm (GA) and a brute force (BF) approach. Furthermore, we conducted a perceptual test to validate the objective evaluation function within Mixmash-AIS in capturing user enjoyment of the computer-generated loop mashups. Our results show that while the GA stands as the most efficient algorithm, the AIS opt-aiNet outperforms both the GA and BF approaches in terms of compatibility and diversity. Our listening test has shown that Mixmash-AIS objective evaluation function significantly captures the perceptual compatibility of loop mashups (p < .001).
The Tamins rock avalanche (eastern Switzerland): timing and emplacement processes
Authors: Pfiffner O. Adrian , Ivy-Ochs Susan , Mussina Zhasmin , Aaron Jordan , Steinemann Olivia , Vockenhuber Christof , Akçar Naki
Published: December 2022

The Tamins rock avalanche lies adjacent to the Flims rock avalanche, the largest in the Alps. Its deposit forms a ridge across the Rhine Valley just downstream of the confluence of the Vorderrhein and Hinterrhein rivers. The deposit is dominated by a 1.6-km-long longitudinal ridge, Ils Aults, and two roughly 600-m-long transverse ridges. Several extensional scarps bear witness to spreading of the deposit. A breach through the deposit, where the Rhine River presently flows, reveals a carapace and intense fragmentation. Exposure dating using cosmogenic 36Cl yields an age of 9420 ± 880 years. This suggests that the Tamins event occurred in a time frame similar to the Flims event but was slightly earlier than the Flims rock avalanche, as also required by stratigraphic relationships. 3D volume modeling reveals bulking of only 14%. The motion of the rock avalanche seems to have occurred first as a flexible block, which underwent fragmentation and simple shearing where the top moved faster than the bottom. The ensuing spreading led to the formation of extensional scarps. There is no identified weak layer along the sliding surface; nevertheless, modeling suggests a friction angle of 10°.
Effectiveness of taxanes following nivolumab in patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a retrospective chart review of patients in ATTRACTION-3
Authors: Chin Keisho , Yamamoto Shun , Takahashi Masanobu , Kadowaki Shigenori , Kubota Yutaro , Amanuma Yusuke , Okada Morihito , Kanda Mitsuro , Kimura Yasue , Nogi Yuhiko , Arimitsu Yuko , Kitagawa Yuko
Published: December 2022

Background

The phase III ATTRACTION-3 study showed that second-line nivolumab monotherapy for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma prolonged overall survival (OS) but did not improve progression-free survival (PFS). Subsequent systemic therapy after discontinuing nivolumab may affect these outcomes. To test this possibility, we evaluated the outcomes of treatment with taxanes after nivolumab in ATTRACTION-3.

Methods

We reviewed the charts of Japanese patients who had discontinued second-line nivolumab in ATTRACTION-3 and started subsequent third-line taxanes between January 7, 2016, and November 12, 2018. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) to third-line taxanes.

Results

Of the 75 patients included in this study, 54 (72%), 18 (24%), and 3 (4%) patients received either paclitaxel, docetaxel, or combination therapy comprising docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil, respectively. The ORR in the overall, paclitaxel, and docetaxel groups was 29.6%, 36.5%, and 12.5%, respectively; these numbers were comparable to those (20–44%) in patients receiving taxanes as first- and second-line therapy. The median OS in the overall, paclitaxel, and docetaxel groups was 9.9, 9.9, and 9.3 months, respectively, whereas the corresponding median PFS was 4.9, 4.7 and 6.5 months, respectively. Treatment-related adverse events were observed in 65 (87%) patients, of which grade 3–4 occurred in 37 (49%) patients.

Conclusions

Favorable effectiveness and safety profile of taxanes following second-line nivolumab was observed in Japanese patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. When a patient with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma receiving nivolumab becomes refractory or intolerant, subsequent taxane treatment may be a promising option.
“Maybe in a few years I'll be able to look at it”: a preliminary study of documentary issues in the Ukrainian refugee experience
Authors: Wiśniewska-Drewniak Magdalena , Lowry James , Kravchenko Nadiia
Published: December 2022

Following the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia, millions of refugees have fled Ukraine for safety in neighbouring countries, including Poland. This movement of people has been facilitated by, and has produced, documentation that will have significant afterlives as evidence and memory. The records refugees have carried with them, the records they have made during flight, and the records created in their encounters with states and communities beyond their homeland, will be important in the prosecution of war crimes, the reconstruction of events, the reconstitution of communities and the protection of rights and entitlements. This article sets out the findings of a pilot study into the documentary experiences of Ukrainian refugees in Poland. Interviews conducted by and with Ukrainian refugees consider the removal of records, the documentation of the refugee experience, the documentary requirements of border crossings, and the informational requirements of life beyond the border. Although drawing on a limited study population, the research surfaces some significant issues related to the preservation of memory and culture, exclusionary and hostile government information systems, and research ethics. This article could help to inform archival solidarity with Ukraine; it underscores the need for trauma-informed archival research and practice; and finally suggests the need for a person-centered approach to this work.
Quantifying the Lucky Droplet Model for Rainfall
Authors: Wilkinson Michael
Published: December 2022

It is difficult to explain rainfall from ice-free clouds, because the timescale for the onset of rain showers is shorter than the mean time for collisions between microscopic water droplets. It has been suggested that raindrops are produced from very rare ‘lucky’ droplets, which undergo a large number of collisions on a timescale which is short compared to the mean time for the first collision. This work uses large deviation theory to develop estimates for the timescale for the onset of a rain shower, as a function of the collision rate coefficients. The growth history of the fast-growing droplets which do become raindrops is discussed. It is shown that their first few collisions are always approximately equally spaced in time, regardless of how the mean time for collisions varies as a function of the number of collisions.
Examining the causal effect of pretrial detention on case outcomes: a judge fixed effect instrumental variable approach
Authors: Koppel Stephen , Bergin Tiffany , Ropac René , Randolph Imani , Joseph Hannah
Published: December 2022

Exploiting quasi-random assignment to NYC arraignment judges with varying propensities to detain, we use a judge fixed effect instrumental variable approach to estimate the impact of pretrial detention on several case outcomes: guilty plea, conviction, and carceral sentence. We find that any period of pretrial detention increases the likelihood of a guilty plea by 23 percentage points, a conviction by 24 percentage points, and a carceral sentence by 35 percentage points. Stratified analyses show differences in the size of the effect by charge severity and race: felony defendants experienced a larger effect on all case outcomes; non-Black defendants experienced a larger effect on guilty pleas and convictions; and Black defendants experienced a larger effect on carceral sentences.
Is the oxidative potential of components of fine particulate matter surface-mediated?
Authors: Baumann Karsten , Wietzoreck Marco , Shahpoury Pourya , Filippi Alexander , Hildmann Stefanie , Lelieveld Steven , Berkemeier Thomas , Tong Haijie , Pöschl Ulrich , Lammel Gerhard
Published: December 2022

Redox-active substances in fine particulate matter (PM) contribute to inhalation health risks through their potential to generate reactive oxygen species in epithelial lung lining fluid (ELF). The ELF’s air–liquid interface (ALI) can play an important role in the phase transfer and multi-phase reactions of redox-active PM constituents. We investigated the influence of interfacial processes and properties by scrubbing of coated nano-particles with simulated ELF in a nebulizing mist chamber. Weakly water-soluble redox-active organics abundant in ambient fine PM were reproducibly loaded into ELF via ALI mixing. The resulting oxidative potential (OP) of selected quinones and other PAH derivatives were found to exceed the OP resulting from bulk mixing of the same amounts of redox-active substances and ELF. Our results indicate that the OP of PM components depends not only on the PM substance properties but also on the ELF interface properties and uptake mechanisms. OP measurements based on bulk mixing of phases may not represent the effective OP in the human lung.
Detection of lisdexamfetamine and its metabolite d-amphetamine in urine and gastric contents collected from a cadaver at forensic autopsy
Authors: Torimitsu Suguru , Saka Kanju , Noritake Kanako , Namera Akira , Makino Yohsuke , Yamaguchi Rutsuko , Iwase Hirotaro
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Lisdexamfetamine (LDX), which is used for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy, is composed of l-lysine attached to dextroamphetamine (d-amphetamine). In this article, we report a forensic autopsy case in which prescription drugs were unknown at autopsy. While amphetamine was detected, methamphetamine could not be detected by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) in any of samples collected. Thus, we aimed to quantify LDX concentrations in autopsy samples and to prove that the amphetamine detected in this case was due to metabolized LDX.

Methods

Femoral vein blood, cardiac whole blood, urine, and gastric content samples were taken at autopsy for toxicological analysis. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed using LC–MS/MS. In addition, optical isomer separation for the amphetamine detected was conducted. The stability of LDX in whole blood and urine was also examined at three different temperatures.

Results

The concentrations of LDX were < 4.00, 30.9, and 4.42 ng/mL in whole blood, urine, and gastric content samples, respectively. The concentrations of amphetamine were 329, 510, 2970, and 915 ng/mL in femoral vein blood, heart whole blood, urine, and gastric contents, respectively. The amphetamine detected in this case was identified to be only d-amphetamine by optical isomer separation. The d-amphetamine detected was considered to be derived from LDX. Stability experiments revealed that LDX in whole blood decreased at ambient temperature.

Conclusions

The results in the present case report may be useful in interpreting whether or not the amphetamine detected in a cadaver is a metabolite of LDX.
Quantifying Equiaxed vs Epitaxial Solidification in Laser Melting of CMSX-4 Single Crystal Superalloy
Authors: Jiang Runbo , Ren Zhongshu , Aroh Joseph , Mostafaei Amir , Gould Benjamin , Sun Tao , Rollett Anthony D.
Published: December 2022

The competition between epitaxialvs.equiaxed solidification has been investigated in CMSX-4 single crystal superalloy during laser melting as practiced in additive manufacturing. Single-track laser scans were performed on a powder-free surface of directionally solidified CMSX-4 alloy with several combinations of laser power and scanning velocity. Electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) mapping facilitated identification of new orientations,i.e., “stray grains” that nucleated within the fusion zone along with their area fraction and spatial distribution. Using high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics simulations, both the temperature and fluid velocity fields within the melt pool were estimated. This information was combined with a nucleation model to determine locations where nucleation has the highest probability to occur in melt pools. In conformance with general experience in metals additive manufacturing, the as-solidified microstructure of the laser-melted tracks is dominated by epitaxial grain growth; nevertheless, stray grains were evident in elongated melt pools. It was found that, though a higher laser scanning velocity and lower power are generally helpful in the reduction of stray grains, the combination of a stable keyhole and minimal fluid velocity further mitigates stray grains in laser single tracks.
Can living donor liver transplantation provide similar outcomes to deceased-donor liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Elkomos Beshoy Effat , Abdo Mostafa , Mamdouh Remon , Abdelaal Amr
Published: December 2022

Background and Aim

A potential solution to the deceased organ shortage is to include live organ donations and to identify patients with lower rates of HCC recurrence to fairly allocate liver grafts. Our aims were to detect the long-term outcomes of LDLT versus DDLT for HCC and predictors of recurrence after transplantation.

Methods

PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane library were searched for eligible studies from inception to July 2021 and a systematic review and meta-analysis were done.

Results

35 studies with a total of 7822 patients were included. The 1-, 3-, 4 year-OS showed trivial improvement for LDLT recipients. However, the two modalities had similar 5-, 6- and 10-year OS. A significant improvement in the ITT-OS was observed for LDLT recipients. Regarding the DFS and recurrence after transplantation, no significant difference was observed between LDLT and DDLT. In addition to that, the pooled hazard ratio of the included studies showed that Milan criteria, level of AFP, presence of vascular invasion, tumor differentiation were significant predictors of recurrence.

Conclusion

The cancer biology (not the graft type) is the most important determinant of recurrence and survival after LT. However, LDLT provided much better survival benefits to HCC patients especially in regions that suffer from low deceased organ availability.
Safety and clinical efficacy of linezolid in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Shi Yi , Wu Hai-Lan , Wu Yu-Hang , Li Shuang , Zhang Li-Ya , Xu Shan-Shan , Huang He-Yu , Zhang Chun-Hong , Yu Xu-Ben , Cai Kang , Zhang Jing , Huang Li-Su
Published: December 2022

Background

We aimed to evaluate the tolerability and efficacy of linezolid in children for treating suspected and diagnosed Gram-positive bacterial infections.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted up to April 23, 2021, using linezolid and its synonyms as search terms. Two reviewers independently identified and extracted relevant randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studies. The extracted studies were included in a single-rate meta-analysis of adverse events and clinical outcomes using random-effects models.

Results

A total of 1082 articles were identified, and nine studies involving 758 children were included in the meta-analysis. The overall proportion of adverse events was 8.91% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.64%–36.52%], with diarrhea (2.24%), vomiting (2.05%), and rash (1.72%) being the most common. The incidences of thrombocytopenia and anemia were 0.68% and 0.16%, respectively. Some specific adverse events, including rash and gastrointestinal events, were more frequent in the oral administration subgroup. In terms of efficacy, the overall proportion of clinical improvement was 88.80% (95% CI = 81.31%–93.52%). Children with a history of specific bacteriological diagnosis or concomitant antibiotic therapy had a 1.13-fold higher clinical improvement than children without such histories. The proportion of microbial eradication was 92.68% (95% CI = 84.66%–96.68%). The proportion of all-cause mortality was 0.16% (95% CI = 0.00%–7.75%).

Conclusions

Linezolid was well-tolerated in pediatric patients and was associated with a low frequency of adverse events, such as anemia, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia. Moreover, linezolid was effective in children with diagnosed and suspected Gram-positive infections.
Homophily and polarization on political twitter during the 2017 Norwegian election
Authors: Enjolras Bernard , Salway Andrew
Published: December 2022

Ideological homophily on social media has been receiving increased scholarly interest, as it is associated with the formation of filter bubbles, echo chambers, and increased ideological polarization. And yet, no linkage necessarily exists between ideological homophily, echo chambers, and polarization. Despite political interactions on social media taking place to a large extent between like-minded individuals, cross-cutting interactions are also frequent. Using Twitter data, we investigated the extent to which ideological homophily, echo chambers, and polarization occur together and characterize the network of political Twitter users during the 2017 election in Norway. Despite the presence of some degree of ideological homophily, we did not find evidence of echo chambers in the Norwegian political Twittersphere during the 2017 election. And yet, the retweet network is characterized by a significant degree of polarization across ideological blocs. Our findings support the thesis according to which polarization on social media may have drivers other than the technological deterministic effect of social media affordances enhancing the formation of online echo chambers.
Determination of intrinsic kinetic of corncob char gasification with CO2 and steam using multipore diffusion model
Authors: Gómez-Vásquez Rafael D. , Camargo-Trillos Diego A. , Castiblanco Erika Arenas , Humánez Jesús , Bula Antonio
Published: December 2022

The intrinsic heterogeneous reactivity of biochar in CO2 and steam gasification plays an important role in thermochemical reactor design, adjusting operating conditions, and predicting the quality of biomass gasification products, especially when the combined valorization of syngas and biochar with important textural properties is required. In the present work, the intrinsic heterogeneous kinetics of CO2 and steam gasification of corn biochar is estimated by fitting a multimodal pore size distribution (PSD) with random capillary model evolution with respect to the experimental results by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). As novelty the independence of the initial biochar textural properties was considered, using two samples with different initial pore size distributions (PSDs): A1 sample with an initial surface area of 54.09 m2/g and A2 sample with 22.14 m2/g. The experimental intraparticle gradient effect is considered by using samples with a particle size of 149 µm conventionally larger than those reported to guarantee chemical kinetic control at 60 µm. The apparent kinetics obtained by TGA revealed a difference of 70 kJ/mol for CO2 gasification and 30 kJ/mol for steam gasification in contrast to initial PSD change. The average activation energies and pre-exponential factor obtained by parametric fitting of the model with respect to the evolution of the conversion for CO2 gasification were E = 210.2 kJ/mol and A0 = 1.13*106 g/m2s, while steam revealed E = 136.64 kJ/mol and 7.1*102 g/m2s. Furthermore, the model reduced the activation energy differences with respect to different PSDs by 5 kJ/mol for CO2 and 18 kJ/mol for steam biochar gasification.
Effects of a transitional care intervention on readmission among older medical inpatients: a quasi-experimental study
Authors: Rasmussen Lisa Fønss , Barat Ishay , Riis Anders Hammerich , Gregersen Merete , Grode Louise
Published: December 2022

Purpose

To evaluate the effect of a transitional care intervention (TCI) on readmission among older medical inpatients.

Methods

This non-randomised quasi-experimental study was conducted at Horsens Regional Hospital in Denmark from 1 February 2017 to 31 December 2018. Inclusion criteria were patients ≥ 75 years old admitted for at least 48 h. First, patients were screened for eligibility. Then, the allocation to the intervention or control group was performed according to the municipality of residence. Patients living in three municipalities were offered the hospital-based intervention, and patients living in a fourth municipality were allocated to the control group. The intervention components were (1) discharge transportation with a home visit, (2) a post-discharge cross-sectorial video conference and (3) seven-day telephone consultation. The primary outcome was 30-day unplanned readmission. Secondary outcomes were 30- and 90-day mortality and days alive and out of hospital (DAOH).

Results

The study included 1205 patients (intervention: n = 615; usual care: n = 590). In the intervention group, the median age was 84.3 years and 53.7% were females. In the control group, the median age was 84.9 years and 57.5% were females. The 30-day readmission rates were 20.8% in the intervention group and 20.2% in the control group. Adjusted relative risk was 1.00 (95% confidence interval: 0.80, 1.26; p = 0.99). No significant difference was found between the groups for the secondary outcomes.

Conclusion

The TCI did not impact readmission, mortality or DAOH. Future research should conduct a pilot test, address intervention fidelity and consider real-world challenges.

Trial registration

Clinical trial number: NCT04796701. Registration date: 24 February 2021.
X-ray Based Robotic E-Waste Fractionation for Improved Material Recovery
Authors: Duddek Mike , Freein von Rössing Lisa , Freitas Seabra da Rocha Saulo H.
Published: December 2022

Small handheld battery-powered devices contain complex material combinations. Current recycling methods achieve low recycling rates for these materials. For a more efficient recycling, fractionation of the devices according to the material composition before a mechanical shredding is helpful. However, this requires either manual disassembly or knowledge of the internal structure of the devices, which is not provided by the manufactures. Since manual disassembly is not economical, due to high labour costs, another methodology is needed. With the help of X-ray technology, the internal structure of the devices can be exposed and analysed without opening them manually. With the obtained data, a fractionation strategy can be generated to perform a robotised fractionation with a high pressure waterjet cutter, allowing higher recycling rates. Which is achieved by a reduction of the material complexity of each individual fraction, and the avoidance of inseparable material mixtures. Additionally complex fractions can be treated in specialised recycling facilities where processes are applied economically for a fraction of the device compared to the entire unit.
Reclaiming transparency: contesting the logics of secrecy within the AI Act
Authors: Busuioc Madalina , Curtin Deirdre , Almada Marco
Published: December 2022

Transparency is widely acknowledged as a core value in the governance of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. However, scholarship on AI technologies and their regulation often casts this need for transparency in terms of requirements for the explanation of algorithmic outputs and/or decisions produced with the involvement of opaque black-box AI systems. Our article argues that this discourse has re-interpreted and reshaped transparency in fundamental ways away from its original meaning. The target of transparency – in most cases, the provider of AI software – determines and shapes what is made visible to the outside world, and there is no external check on the validity and accuracy of such mediated accounts and explanations, opening transparency up for manipulation. Through a theoretically informed and critical analysis of the transparency provisions in the European Union’s AI Act proposal, the article shows that the substitution of transparency with mediated explanations faces important technical constraints, creates opportunities and incentives for both providers and public-sector users of AI systems to adopt opaque practices, and reinforces secrecy requirements that gag accountability in practice. An approach to transparency as disclosure thus becomes necessary, even if not sufficient in and of itself, to ensure the accountable development and use of AI technologies in the European Union. Transparency needs to be reclaimed as a core concept, accountability tailored and reinforced and the necessity for secrecy re-examined and cordoned off.
Genericity and Inductive Inference
Authors: Schiller Henry Ian
Published: December 2022

We are often justified in acting on the basis of evidential confirmation. I argue that this is because inductive inference supports belief in non-quantificational—orgeneric—generalizations, rather than universally quantified generalizations. I show how this account supports, rather than undermines, a Bayesian account of inductive inference. Induction from confirming instances of a generalization to belief in the corresponding generic is part of a reasoning instinct that is typically (but not always) correct, and allows us to approximate the predictions that formal epistemology would make.
Northern Nigerian intellectuals, Sudan, and the “eclectic style” in contemporary Islamic thought
Authors: Thurston Alexander
Published: December 2022

This article examines two northern Nigerian Muslim intellectuals – Aminu Sagagi and Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (enthroned as Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II of Kano, 2014–20) – whose approaches, in different ways, exemplify a self-consciously eclectic Islamic intellectual style. Their eclecticism breaks with categories familiar from the study of Islam in Africa and Nigeria, categories such as Sufis, Salafis and Islamists. The eclecticist style – or rather, styles – draw on northern Nigerian Islamic modernist traditions, the curriculum and atmosphere of Sudan’s International University of Africa (where both of these Nigerian intellectuals received degrees), and a wider set of global influences. Given their diverse intellectual formation, the eclecticists’ writings and careers allow for an examination of the translocal exchanges that have shaped what is sometimes perceived as a self-contained unit called ‘northern Nigeria’. The article further explores how the eclecticist style manifests in legal and political thought, analysing the critiques that Sagagi and Sanusi made of sharīʿa implementation in northern Nigerian states in the early 2000s. The article draws on Nigerian and Sudanese sources, as well as unpublished and published writings by Sagagi and Sanusi, to describe their intellectual trajectories and outlooks and offer a portrait of the eclecticist style.