bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultrasound‐Assisted Green Synthesis of 3,5‐Disubstituted Isoxazole Secondary Sulfonamides via One‐Pot Five‐Component Reaction using CaCl2/K2CO3 as Pre‐Catalyst in Water
Authors: Mahmoudi Ayoub El , Tachallait Hamza , Moutaoukil Zakaria , Arshad Suhana , Karrouchi Khalid , Benhida Rachid , Bougrin Khalid
Published: December 2022

Tandem one‐pot five‐component reaction involving saccharin, propargyl bromide, aldehyde, hydroxylamine hydrochloride, and non‐conjugated primary amine has been explored for a rapid and an efficient synthesis of isoxazole‐secondary sulfonamides. This novel multicomponent reaction involves one pot N‐propargylation of saccharin, oximation, and 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition, followed by an intermolecular ring‐opening reaction by N‐nucleophilic amine. This transformation is catalyzed by CaCl2/K2CO3 and activated under ultrasonic cavitation. The CaCl2 salt is reported for the first time as a new precatalyst and a chlorine source. We showed that ultrasound, using sonotrode, significantly improved the reaction compared to ultrasonic bath and magnetic stirring. The isoxazole‐secondary sulfonamides 6 a–r were obtained in good to excellent yields (75–96 %) and withing shorter reaction times (13–17 min). All the synthesized compounds were fully characterized by IR, MS‐ESI, 1H NMR, 13C NMR spectroscopy, X‐ray crystallography and HPLC analysis.
Highly effective palladium nanocatalyst supported in polymeric networks for the catalytic hydrogen generation from borane‐morpholine complex
Authors: Ozay Hava , Tercan Melek , Ozay Ozgur , Ilgin Pinar
Published: December 2022

This study describes the synthesis of Pd0 nanoparticles supported in hydrogel networks (SPVI@Pd) and their catalytic activity for the borane‐morpholine complex (MB) hydrolysis reaction. In this respect, while our study is one of the limited number of studies reported for the catalytic hydrolysis of MB, it is the first study in which Pd0 nanoparticles supported in hydrogel networks were used in the catalytic hydrolysis of MB. The synthesized Pd0 nanoparticles were characterized using structural and morphological characterization techniques and as a result of these analyses, the sizes of Pd0 nanoparticles were determined average as 7.01±1.90 nm. The Ea value and the turnover frequency (TOF) value at 303 K for the SPVI@Pd3.0 catalyzed MB hydrolysis reaction were determined as 49.46 kJ/mol and 187.74 molH2 ⋅ molPd−1 ⋅ h−1. It was also observed that the SPVI@Pd3.0 catalyst had good catalytic activity even after eight cycles.
High‐Density NiMnFe Hydroxide Nanoparticle‐Nanosheet Arrays for Industrial‐Level Electrochemical Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Zhu Jie , Lin Feng , Zhang Yuelan , Wang Jianghao , Fu Jie , Ouyang Pingkai
Published: December 2022

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) plays key roles in the energy efficiency of electro‐catalytic systems. However, the sluggish kinetics and accumulated gas slugs under the industrial operation condition limit the application of OER. Herein, Mn, Fe co‐doped nickel hydroxide with highly dense nano‐sheets array is obtained through a simple and mild two‐step etching strategy, which exhibits a remarkable OER performance. Doping Mn and Fe can modulate the electronic structure and redox behavior of active site, leading to an excellent intrinsic activity toward OER. Moreover, highly dense nanoparticle‐nanosheet array structure is conducive to provide more active sites and inhibit the accumulation of gas slugs under industrial current density. Thus, the obtained catalyst provides an impressing current density of 1.8 A cm−2at a small overpotential of 370 mV and sustains the performance more than 100 h.
Photo‐Responded Antibacterial Therapy of Reinfection in Percutaneous Implants by Nanostructured Bio‐Heterojunction
Authors: Ding Tiexin , Zhang Lan , Han Jing , Zhou Jianhong , Han Yong
Published: December 2022

Percutaneous implants may experience infection for several times during their servicing periods. They need antibacterial activity and durability to reduce recurrent infection and cytocompatibility to reconstruct biosealing. A novel photoresponse bio‐heterojunction (PCT) is developed herein. It consists of TiO2 nanotubes loaded with CuS nanoparticles and wrapped with polydopamine (PDA) layer. In PCT, a built‐in electric field directing from TiO2 to CuS and then to PDA is formed, and with near‐infrared (NIR) irradiation, it drives photoexcited electrons to transfer in opposite direction, resulting in the separation of electron–hole pairs and formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Simultaneously, PCT shows photothermal effect due to nonradiative relaxation of photoexcited electrons and thermal vibration of lattices. The synergic effect of photogenerated ROS and hyperthermia increases bacterial membrane permeability and leakage of cellular components, endowing PCT with outstanding antibacterial performance. More importantly, PCT has good antibacterial durability and cytocompatibility due to the inhibited leaching of CuS by PDA layer. In reinfected models, with NIR irradiation, PCT sterilizes bacteria, reduces inflammatory response and enhances re‐integration of soft tissue efficiently. This work provides an outstanding bio‐heterojunction for percutaneous implants in treating reinfection by NIR irradiation and rebuilding biosealing.
Landscape characteristics influence projected growth rates of stream-resident juvenile salmon in the face of climate change in the Kenai River watershed, south-central Alaska
Authors: Meyer Benjamin E. , Wipfli Mark S. , Schoen Erik R. , Rinella Daniel J. , Falke Jeffrey A.
Published: December 2022

Objective

Climate change is affecting the distribution and productivity of Pacific salmon throughout their range. At high latitudes, warmer temperatures have been associated with increased freshwater growth of juvenile salmon, but it is not clear how long this trend will continue before further warming leads to reduced growth. To explore the potential influence of climate warming on juvenile Chinook and Coho Salmon summer growth rates in southcentral Alaska, we coupled bioenergetics models with temperature sensitivity models for streams across the Kenai River watershed.

Methods

We measured diet (n = 772 stomachs) and growth (n = 3,791 weight/length values) under current conditions and used published air temperature projections to model growth for the 2030–2039 and 2060–2069 decades.

Result

We estimated direct effects of climate warming on juvenile growth (body mass at the end of May–September study period) will be primarily negative, ranging from +5.1% to −22.8% relative to a 2010–2019 baseline. Estimated effects depended on age cohort, feeding rate, and climate scenario. However, an extended growing season from warming could mitigate or offset predicted reductions in growth during midsummer.

Conclusion

Our results illustrate how diverse habitats are expected to produce variation in the magnitude of climate effects throughout juvenile salmon rearing environments.
Feeding trial evaluation of supplemental sodium and calcium use by pigeons
Authors: Sanders Todd A.
Published: December 2022

The Pacific Coast band‐tailed pigeon's (Patagioenas fasciata monilis) conspicuous and well documented use of supplemental minerals has allowed wildlife managers to conduct counts of pigeons at sites with minerals to index their abundance; but despite at least 9 associated peer‐reviewed research publications since 1998, the reason that band‐tailed pigeons use mineral sites and necessity of that use remains unknown. I conducted feeding trials with pigeons during summers of 2009 and 2010 to evaluate maintenance and reproductive performance associated with access to supplemental minerals: one with 24 pairs of wild‐caught band‐tailed pigeons, and one with 30 pairs of wild‐caught rock pigeons (Columba livia). Data indicate that red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa var. arborescens) and cascara (Rhamnus purshiana) berries (natural food items) are high energy food sources for band‐tailed pigeons, and that band‐tailed pigeons can thrive on these berries without access to supplemental sodium and calcium. However, access to supplemental sodium could offer band‐tailed pigeons advantages in body weight maintenance or gain when consuming a diet low in sodium and high in potassium. Band‐tailed pigeons did not nest in this study; thus, it remains unknown if there are benefits to reproductive performance from access to supplemental minerals. Rock pigeons with access to supplemental sodium fledged ≥33% more young than those pigeons without access to supplemental sodium, and this was primarily associated with the increased number of clutches and increased fledging rate. Also, fledgling mass was greater ( ± SE = 35.5 ± 7.9 g, 95% CI = 19.3–51.8) for rock pigeons with access to supplemental sodium at fledging in 2010, but the difference was not statistically significant in 2009 (5.9 ± 22.9, 95% CI = − 43.2–55.0) possibly because of the nutritionally limited diet that year. Access to supplemental sodium could offer band‐tailed pigeons advantages in fecundity and hatchling survival rates (recruitment) through increased efficiency in food conversion. Natural mineral sites used by band‐tailed pigeons should be conserved until additional information is available for evaluation. Also, comparison of counts of band‐tailed pigeons at mineral sites over time and among sites must be interpreted cautiously until the factors (e.g., diet, weather, accessibility, supplemental mineral concentration, etc.) that influence the proportion of the local band‐tailed pigeon population that uses mineral sites can be determined.
XFEM level set-based topology optimization for turbulent conjugate heat transfer problems
Authors: Noël L. , Maute K.
Published: December 2022

Solving conjugate heat transfer design problems is relevant for various engineering applications requiring efficient thermal management. Heat exchange between fluid and solid can be enhanced by optimizing the system layout and the shape of the flow channels. As heat is transferred at fluid/solid interfaces, it is crucial to accurately resolve the geometry and the physics responses across these interfaces. To address this challenge, this work investigates for the first time the use of an eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM) approach to predict the physical responses of conjugate heat transfer problems considering turbulent flow. This analysis approach is integrated into a level set-based optimization framework. The design domain is immersed into a background mesh and the geometry of fluid/solid interfaces is defined implicitly by one or multiple level set functions. The level set functions are discretized by higher-order B-splines. The flow is predicted by the Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes equations. Turbulence is described by the Spalart–Allmaras model and the thermal energy transport by an advection–diffusion model. Finite element approximations are augmented by a generalized Heaviside enrichment strategy with the state fields being approximated by linear basis functions. Boundary and interface conditions are enforced weakly with Nitsche’s method, and the face-oriented ghost stabilization is used to mitigate numerical instabilities associated with the emergence of small integration subdomains. The proposed XFEM approach for turbulent conjugate heat transfer is validated against benchmark problems. Optimization problems are solved by gradient-based algorithms and the required sensitivity analysis is performed by the adjoint method. The proposed framework is illustrated with the design of turbulent heat exchangers in two dimensions. The optimization results show that, by tuning the shape of the fluid/solid interface to generate turbulence within the heat exchanger, the transfer of thermal energy can be increased.
Kalimantan hydroclimate variability since the last glacial period
Authors: Hendrizan Marfasran , Kuhnt Wolfgang , Holbourn Ann , Cahyarini Sri Yudawati , Ningsih Nining Sari
Published: December 2022

Changes in convective activity and hydroclimate over Northeastern Kalimantan are key features to understand glacial to interglacial climate evolution in the center of the West Pacific Warm Pool during the Late Pleistocene to Holocene. We use high-resolution X-ray fluorescence (XRF) scanner-derived elemental ratios in sediment Core SO217-18522 (1º 24.106’ N, 119º 4.701’E, 975 m water depth) recovered from the northern Makassar Strait to reconstruct changes in precipitation-related weathering and erosion over Northeastern Kalimantan over the last 50 kyr. Enhanced seasonality of rainfall and an extended dry season during Heinrich Stadials (HS4 to HS1) and the Younger Dryas (YD) suggest weakening of the tropical convection associated with a southward shift of the tropical rain belt and the annual mean position of the Intertropical Tropical Convection Zone. Increasing sediment discharge and intensification of convective activity occurred during the early to mid-Holocene during an interval of high Northern Hemisphere insolation, elevated atmosphericpCO2levels and global warming. Our reconstructions in comparison with regional terrestrial and marine records highlight the high spatial variability of Kalimantan hydroclimate on millennial to glacial-interglacial timescales.
Calibrating the Dice Loss to Handle Neural Network Overconfidence for Biomedical Image Segmentation
Authors: Yeung Michael , Rundo Leonardo , Nan Yang , Sala Evis , Schönlieb Carola-Bibiane , Yang Guang
Published: December 2022

The Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) is both a widely used metric and loss function for biomedical image segmentation due to its robustness to class imbalance. However, it is well known that the DSC loss is poorly calibrated, resulting in overconfident predictions that cannot be usefully interpreted in biomedical and clinical practice. Performance is often the only metric used to evaluate segmentations produced by deep neural networks, and calibration is often neglected. However, calibration is important for translation into biomedical and clinical practice, providing crucial contextual information to model predictions for interpretation by scientists and clinicians. In this study, we provide a simple yet effective extension of the DSC loss, named the DSC++ loss, that selectively modulates the penalty associated with overconfident, incorrect predictions. As a standalone loss function, the DSC++ loss achieves significantly improved calibration over the conventional DSC loss across six well-validated open-source biomedical imaging datasets, including both 2D binary and 3D multi-class segmentation tasks. Similarly, we observe significantly improved calibration when integrating the DSC++ loss into four DSC-based loss functions. Finally, we use softmax thresholding to illustrate that well calibrated outputs enable tailoring of recall-precision bias, which is an important post-processing technique to adapt the model predictions to suit the biomedical or clinical task. The DSC++ loss overcomes the major limitation of the DSC loss, providing a suitable loss function for training deep learning segmentation models for use in biomedical and clinical practice. Source code is available at https://github.com/mlyg/DicePlusPlus.
Changes in Sexual Behaviors with Opposite-Sex Partners and Sexually Transmitted Infection Outcomes Among Females and Males Ages 15–44 Years in the USA: National Survey of Family Growth, 2008–2019
Authors: Katz David A. , Copen Casey E. , Haderxhanaj Laura T. , Hogben Matthew , Goodreau Steven M. , Spicknall Ian H. , Hamilton Deven T.
Published: December 2022

Rates of reported gonorrhea and chlamydial infections have increased substantially over the past decade in the USA and disparities persist across age and race/ethnicity. We aimed to understand potential changes in sexual behaviors, sexual network attributes, and sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening that may be contributing to these trends. We analyzed data from 29,423 female and 24,605 male respondents ages 15–44 years from the National Survey of Family Growth, 2008–2019. We used survey-weighted linear or logistic regression to evaluate linear temporal trends in sexual behaviors with opposite-sex partners, network attributes, and STI testing, treatment, and diagnosis. Significant declines were observed in condom use at last vaginal sex, mean number of vaginal sex acts, proportion of condom-protected sex acts in the past 4 weeks, and racial/ethnic homophily with current partners among males and females from 2008–2010 through 2017–2019. Among males, mean number of female partners in the past 12 months and concurrency also declined, while the percent reporting ever having sex with another male increased. Past-year testing for chlamydia and any STI increased among females. Research is needed to understand how these changes interact and potentially contribute to increasing reported gonorrhea and chlamydia diagnoses and identify avenues for future intervention.
Stakeholder Theory: Toward a Classical Institutional Economics Perspective
Authors: Valentinov Vladislav
Published: December 2022

Stakeholder theorists have traditionally objected to the neoclassical conception of the firm as a vehicle for maximizing profit or shareholder wealth, thus opening up space for controversial engagement with neoclassical economics. The present paper fills some of this space by elaborating the parallels between stakeholder theory and classical institutional economics, a heterodox school of economic thought that has long been critical of a broad range of neoclassical ideas. Rooted in the writings of Veblen and Commons, classical institutional economics explores how the social provisioning process is coordinated or hindered by real-world business institutions. From this standpoint, stakeholder theory highlights the possibility of overcoming the institutionally ingrained conflicts and trade-offs for the sake of realizing common human interests in organizing the social provisioning process in an orderly and reasonable way. This argument not only illuminates the relationship of stakeholder theory to the wider societal context of modern capitalist economies but also elaborates novel aspects of the moral nature of stakeholder management.
Shapley values for cluster importance
Authors: Brandsæter Andreas , Glad Ingrid K.
Published: December 2022

This paper proposes a novel approach to explain the predictions made by data-driven methods. Since such predictions rely heavily on the data used for training, explanations that convey information about how the training data affects the predictions are useful. The paper proposes a novel approach to quantify how different data-clusters of the training data affect a prediction. The quantification is based on Shapley values, a concept which originates from coalitional game theory, developed to fairly distribute the payout among a set of cooperating players. A player’s Shapley value is a measure of that player’s contribution. Shapley values are often used to quantify feature importance, ie. how features affect a prediction. This paper extends this to cluster importance, letting clusters of the training data act as players in a game where the predictions are the payouts. The novel methodology proposed in this paper lets us explore and investigate how different clusters of the training data affect the predictions made by any black-box model, allowing new aspects of the reasoning and inner workings of a prediction model to be conveyed to the users. The methodology is fundamentally different from existing explanation methods, providing insight which would not be available otherwise, and should complement existing explanation methods, including explanations based on feature importance.
Reframing race and widening access into higher education
Authors: Madriaga Manuel
Published: December 2022

This paper draws attention to empirical work on widening access to understand the silence on race matters in English higher education. This work repurposes a critical race theoretical framework that offers a glimpse of how the issue of unequal access to higher education has been framed in the research field. It is argued here that the framing of widening access reveals a persistent colour-evasiveness that is dominant. The findings show that widening access policy has not benefitted students of colour as they are not accessing higher education with the same kind of success as their white peers. The paper concludes for a call for race-conscious interventions to remedy the continued race inequity in accessing highly rejective institutions based on the evidence gathered.
Spatial Attention to Emotional Images and Psychopathic Personality Traits
Authors: Snowden Robert J. , Mitchell Ella , Ojo Sarah K. , Preedy-Lunt Rebecca , Gray Nicola S.
Published: December 2022

Psychopathy has often been thought to be associated with a deficit in processing of the affective content of stimuli. This hypothesis was tested by examining if stimuli that depicted a threat to the viewer, or stimuli that depicted distressing scenes, would produce an automatic shift in spatial attention, and whether this effect would be modified by individual differences in trait psychopathy as conceptualised by the triarchic model of psychopathy. Using a large mixed gender community sample (N = 286) it was found that spatial attention was averted away from threat stimuli for both short (200 ms) and long (500 ms) periods from cue to target, while the distress cues did not produce any spatial attention shifts. The trait of Meanness was found to be associated with a reduction in the effect of threat stimuli, while the trait of Disinhibition was found to be associated with an increase in this threat effect. However, the dot-probe task showed poor reliability. We conclude that the callous unemotional aspects of psychopathy, as captured by the Meanness scale, are underpinned by a lack of response to affective information, whereas impulsive/irresponsible traits of psychopathy, as captured by the Disinhibition scale, are underpinned by an exaggerated response to such affective information.
Approximation algorithms for some extensions of the maximum profit routing problem
Authors: Armaselu Bogdan
Published: December 2022

In this paper, we consider extensions of the Maximum-Profit Public Transportation Route Planning Problem, or simply Maximum-Profit Routing Problem (MPRP), introduced in Armaselu and Daescu (Approximation algorithms for the maximum profit pick-up problem with time windows and capacity constraint, 2016. arXiv:1612.01038, Interactive assisting framework for maximum profit routing in public transportation in smart cities, PETRA, 13–16, 2017). Specifically, we consider MPRP with Time-Variable Supply (MPRP-VS), in which the quantity $$q_i(t)$$

q
i

(
t
)

supplied at site i is linearly increasing in time t, as opposed to the original MPRP problem, where the quantity is constant in time. For MPRP-VS, our main result is a $$5.5 \log {T} (1 + \epsilon ) \left( 1 + \frac{1}{1 + \sqrt{m}}\right) ^2$$

5.5
log
T

(
1
+
ϵ
)

1
+

1

1
+

m

2

approximation algorithm, where T is the latest time window and m is the number of vehicles used. We also study the MPRP with Multiple Vehicles per Site, in which a site may be visited by a vehicle multiple times, which can have 2 flavors: with quantities fixed in time (MPRP-M), and with time-variable quantities (MPRP-MVS). Our algorithmic solution to MPRP-VS can also improve upon the MPRP algorithm in Armaselu and Daescu (2017) under certain conditions. In addition, we simulate the MPRP-VS algorithm on a few benchmark, real-world, and synthetic instances.
FPGA acceleration of planar multibody dynamics simulations in the Hamiltonian–based divide–and–conquer framework
Authors: Turno Szymon , Malczyk Paweł
Published: December 2022

Multibody system simulations are increasingly complex for various reasons, including structural complexity, the number of bodies and joints, and many phenomena modeled using specialized formulations. In this paper, an effort is pursued toward efficiently implementing the Hamiltonian-based divide-and-conquer algorithm (HDCA), a highly-parallel algorithm for multi-rigid-body dynamics simulations modeled in terms of canonical coordinates. The algorithm is implemented and executed on a system–on–chip platform which integrates a general-purpose CPU and FPGA. The details of the LDUP factorization, which is used in the HDCA approach and accounts for significant computational load, are presented. Simple planar multibody systems with open- and closed-loop topologies are analyzed to show the correctness of the implementation. Hardware implementation details are provided, especially in the context of inherent parallelism in the HDCA algorithm and linear algebra procedures employed for calculations. The computational performance of the implementation is investigated. The final results show that the FPGA–based multibody system simulations may be executed significantly faster than the analogous calculations performed on a general–purpose CPU. This conclusion is a good premise for various model-based applications, including real-time multibody simulation and control.
Swampman, teleosemantics and kind essences
Authors: Papineau David
Published: December 2022

One powerful and influential approach to mental representation analyses representation in terms of biological functions, and biological functions in terms of histories of natural selection. This “teleosemantic” package, however, faces a familiar challenge. Surely representation depends only on the present-day structures of cognitive systems, and not on their historical provenance. “Swampman” drives the point home. Suppose a bolt of lightning creates an intrinsic duplicate of a human being in a steamy tropic swamp; will not this creature be representing its surroundings, despite its lack of any selectional history? In this paper I shall answer this challenge by showing how a proper appreciation of the structure of natural kinds in general, and of mental representation in particular, implies that selectional histories are indeed built into the nature of mental representation. In particular, I shall address a recent argument by Peter Schulte against this general line of argument.
NH3-NO SCR Catalysts for Engine Exhaust Gases Abatement: Replacement of Toxic V2O5 with MnOx to Improve the Environmental Sustainability
Authors: Consentino L. , Pantaleo Giuseppe , Parola V. La , Migliore C. , Greca E. La , Liotta Leonarda Francesca
Published: December 2022

Mn-WO3/TiO2 catalysts were investigated for Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) of NO with NH3. The catalysts were synthesized by wetness impregnation method with different Mn loadings (1.5-3-12 wt%) on 8wt%WO3/TiO2. All three catalysts were compared with 8wt%WO3/TiO2 and bare MnOx oxide, used as references. The 1.5wt%Mn-8wt%WO3/TiO2 exhibited the highest performance in NO conversion and N2 selectivity. A commercial catalyst, based on titania supported vanadia and tungsta, (V2O5-WO3/TiO2), widely used for its high efficiency, was also investigated in the present work. The morphological, structural, redox and electronic properties of the catalysts and their thermal stability were studied by several techniques (N2 adsorption/desorption, X-ray diffraction, H2 temperature-programmed reduction, NH3 temperature programmed desorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy).

The aim of this paper is to study the effect of different Mn loadings on 8wt%WO3/TiO2 with the ambition to obtain highly active and selective catalysts in a large window of temperature. The replacement of toxic vanadium used in the classic V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalyst with MnOx in the best performing catalyst, 1.5wt%Mn-8wt%WO3/TiO2, represents an important achievement to improve the environmental sustainability.
Understanding CT imaging findings based on the underlying pathophysiology in patients with small bowel ischemia
Authors: Nakamura Yuko , Kondo Shota , Narita Keigo , Maeda Shogo , Fonseca Dara , Honda Yukiko , Tani Chihiro , Fukumoto Wataru , Mitani Hidenori , Ishibashi Mana , Chosa Keigo , Tatsugami Fuminari , Awai Kazuo
Published: December 2022

Because acute small bowel ischemia has a high mortality rate, it requires rapid intervention to avoid unfavorable outcomes. Computed tomography (CT) examination is important for the diagnosis of bowel ischemia. Acute small bowel ischemia can be the result of small bowel obstruction or mesenteric ischemia, including mesenteric arterial occlusion, mesenteric venous thrombosis, and non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia. The clinical significance of each CT finding is unique and depends on the underlying pathophysiology. This review describes the definition and mechanism(s) of bowel ischemia, reviews CT findings suggesting bowel ischemia, details factors involved in the development of small bowel ischemia, and presents CT findings with respect to the different factors based on the underlying pathophysiology. Such knowledge is needed for accurate treatment decisions.
Improved reproducibility of diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index: an analysis of reorientation technique of the OASIS-3 dataset
Authors: Tatekawa Hiroyuki , Matsushita Shu , Ueda Daiju , Takita Hirotaka , Horiuchi Daisuke , Atsukawa Natsuko , Morishita Yuka , Tsukamoto Taro , Shimono Taro , Miki Yukio
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index is intended to reflect the glymphatic function of the brain; however, head rotation may reduce reproducibility and reliability. This study aimed to evaluate whether reorientation of DTI data improves the reproducibility of the ALPS index using the OASIS-3 dataset.

Materials and methods

234 cognitively normal subjects from the OASIS-3 dataset were included. Original and reoriented ALPS indices were calculated using a technique that registered vector information of DTI to another space and created reoriented diffusivity maps. The F test was used to compare variances of the original and reoriented ALPS indices. Subsequently, subjects with head rotation around the z- (inferior-superior; n = 43) or x axis (right-left; n = 25) and matched subjects with neutral head position were selected for evaluation of intra- and inter-rater reliability. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) of the original and reoriented ALPS indices for participants with head rotation and neutral head position were calculated separately. The Bland–Altman plot comparing the original and reoriented ALPS indices was also evaluated.

Results

The reoriented ALPS index exhibited a significantly smaller variance than the original ALPS index (p < 0.001). For intra- and inter-reliability, the reorientation technique showed good-to-excellent reproducibility in calculating the ALPS index even in subjects with head rotation (ICCs of original ALPS index: 0.52–0.81; ICCs of reoriented ALPS index: > 0.85). A wider range of the 95% limit of agreement of the Bland–Altman plot for subjects with x axis rotation was identified, indicating that x axis rotation may remarkably affect calculation of the ALPS index.

Conclusion

The technique used in this study enabled the creation of reoriented diffusivity maps and improved reproducibility in calculating the ALPS index.
Adalimumab (Humira®) Induced Recurrent Peritonsillar Abscess in A Patient Received Three Different Anti-TNF Therapies: A Case Report
Authors: Vural Sevilay , Kuşdoğan Mikail , Kaya Hasan Burak , İkiz Venhar , Albayrak Levent
Published: December 2022

Anti-tumor necrosis factor agents are widely used in treating ankylosing spondylitis, but they increase the risk of infection by suppressing the immune response. Therefore, physicians should be careful about recurrent infections in patients under anti-tumor necrosis factor agents.
Evaluating species richness using proteomic fingerprinting and DNA barcoding—a case study on meiobenthic copepods from the Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone
Authors: Rossel Sven , Uhlenkott Katja , Peters Janna , Vink Annemiek , Arbizu Pedro Martínez
Published: December 2022

The Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCZ) is a vast deep-sea region harboring a highly diverse benthic fauna, which will be affected by potential future deep-sea mining of metal-rich polymetallic nodules. Despite the need for conservation plans and monitoring strategies in this context, the majority of taxonomic groups remain scientifically undescribed. However, molecular rapid assessment methods such as DNA barcoding and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) provide the potential to accelerate specimen identification and biodiversity assessment significantly in the deep-sea areas. In this study, we successfully applied both methods to investigate the diversity of meiobenthic copepods in the eastern CCZ, including the first application of MALDI-TOF MS for the identification of these deep-sea organisms. Comparing several different species delimitation tools for both datasets, we found that biodiversity values were very similar, with Pielou’s evenness varying between 0.97 and 0.99 in all datasets. Still, direct comparisons of species clusters revealed differences between all techniques and methods, which are likely caused by the high number of rare species being represented by only one specimen, despite our extensive dataset of more than 2000 specimens. Hence, we regard our study as a first approach toward setting up a reference library for mass spectrometry data of the CCZ in combination with DNA barcodes. We conclude that proteome fingerprinting, as well as the more established DNA barcoding, can be seen as a valuable tool for rapid biodiversity assessments in the future, even when no reference information is available.
Estimated daily intake of epichlorohydrin and certain heavy metals of bagged and loose black teas
Authors: Nour Suheir M. F. , El-Desoky Amany M. M. , Hassan Nagla A. , Osman Khaled A.
Published: December 2022

This study aimed to determine the levels of epichlorohydrin (ECH) and some metals in 3 brands of bagged and loose black teas which are widely marketed in Alexandria markets, Egypt, and estimate the acceptable daily intake as a safety indicator. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry results revealed that ECH levels significantly differed between the tested brands steeped for 2 min and tea bags contained higher levels than in loose teas and the levels increased by increasing the steep time. These levels of ECH in all the tested brands either in tea bags or loose teas were higher than the guideline value of 0.10 μg/L. Also, the results illustrated that the adding of sucrose or washing of bags with deionized water for 1 min significantly decreased the levels of ECH. In addition, inductively coupled plasma optic emission spectrometry (ICP–OES) results illustrated that the levels of Al, Pb, and Cd were too low in infusions compared to the established guidelines. Because of the high consumption of tea in Alexanria city, Egypt, it is necessary to determine the contribution of tea to the daily dietary intake of ECH, Al, Pb and Cd. In case of the bagged teas, the calculated daily intake of ECH was on average about 55.37 times greater than that in loose teas. The consumption of both bagged and loose teas infusion could not pose a risk for population as the health hazard index was < 1. It can be concluded that consumers who prefer to use tea bags should rinse these bags before preparing the tea brewer, and do not increase the steeping time to more than 2 min.
The effectiveness of video animations in the education of healthcare practitioners
and student practitioners: a systematic review of trials
Authors: Knapp Peter , Benhebil Nadia , Evans Ella , Moe-Byrne Thirimon
Published: December 2022

Introduction Video animations are increasingly available in education but without
systematic evaluation. This review aimed to collate trials of animations versus other
delivery, in student or qualified healthcare practitioners.
Methods Included
studies had the following features: controlled design with random or quasi-random
allocation; student or qualified healthcare practitioners; comparing video animation
with another format (e.g. textbook, lecture, static images); animation delivered instead
of, or in addition to, another format. The primary outcome was knowledge; secondary
outcomes were attitudes and cognitions, and behaviours. Multiple databases were searched
from 1996-October 2022 using a defined strategy. We also undertook citation searching.
Dual, independent decision-making was used for inclusion assessment, data extraction,
and quality appraisal. Included studies were appraised using the Cochrane ROB2 tool.
Findings were reported using narrative synthesis.
Results We included 13 studies:
11 recruited student practitioners, two recruited qualified practitioners, total
n = 1068. Studies evaluated cartoon animations or 2D/3D animations. Knowledge was
assessed in ten studies, showing greater knowledge from animations in eight studies.
Attitudes and cognitions were assessed in five studies; animations resulted in positive
outcomes in three studies, no difference in one study, and worse outcomes in one study.
Behaviours were assessed in three studies, animations producing positive outcomes in two
studies and there was no difference in one study. Overall risk of bias was ‘high’ in ten
studies and ‘some concerns’ in three.
A Rising 2D Star: Novel MBenes with Excellent Performance in Energy Conversion and Storage
Authors: Xu Tianjie , Wang Yuhua , Xiong Zuzhao , Wang Yitong , Zhou Yujin , Li Xifei
Published: December 2022

As a flourishing member of the two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterial family, MXenes have shown great potential in various research areas. In recent years, the continued growth of interest in MXene derivatives, 2D transition metal borides (MBenes), has contributed to the emergence of this 2D material as a latecomer. Due to the excellent electrical conductivity, mechanical properties and electrical properties, thus MBenes attract more researchers' interest. Extensive experimental and theoretical studies have shown that they have exciting energy conversion and electrochemical storage potential. However, a comprehensive and systematic review of MBenes applications has not been available so far. For this reason, we present a comprehensive summary of recent advances in MBenes research. We started by summarizing the latest fabrication routes and excellent properties of MBenes. The focus will then turn to their exciting potential for energy storage and conversion. Finally, a brief summary of the challenges and opportunities for MBenes in future practical applications is presented.
Age, ageing, and the philosophy of ‘elder law’: An interview with Israel (Issi) Doron
Authors: Gandhi Ankita
Published: December 2022

Gerontology—the multidisciplinary study of the process of ageing and its medical and social consequences for older adults—has often not been given its due by either legal practitioners or legal academics. While we have witnessed several social movements advocating for the rights and interests of other marginalised groups, discrimination against older adults has also not been the subject of any mass action comparable to those movements. Consequently, the position of older adults within legal systems has frequently been bypassed, especially outside the United States of America. However, the COVID-19 pandemic suddenly brought the precarious position of older adults into the spotlight, be it in care homes during lockdowns or in hospitals through several waves or with regard to priority access to vaccines. At each juncture, governments took recourse to legal regulation to mitigate the impact of the disease on what they understood to be the most vulnerable sections of the population. But some of these rules were subjected to criticism, especially from older adults themselves, because of their overbreadth, and on account of the protectionism and infantilisation of older adults that they entailed. In this interview, Professor Israel (Issi) Doron, Dean of the Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences of the University of Haifa, Israel, discusses how academia, strategic litigation, and advocacy and activism have finally begun taking the field of ‘jurisprudential gerontology’ into serious consideration.
Refining the Implementation of a Hub-and-Spoke Model for TelePain Through Qualitative Inquiry
Authors: Subramaniam Soumya , Chen Jessica , Wilkerson Tai-Lyn , Stevenson Lauren , Kincaid Carrie , Firestone Christine , Ball Sherry L.
Published: December 2022

The hub-and-spoke telehealth model leverages centrally located providers who utilize telehealth technology to bring specialized care to medically underserved areas. This model has the potential to promote equitable access to healthcare. However, few studies address how to facilitate the adoption and implementation of hub-and-spoke telehealth. We examined spoke site providers’ experiences with TelePain, a national hub-and-spoke model of interdisciplinary chronic pain care, with a focus on improving future implementation. We conducted semi-structured individual interviews (20–45 min) with 27 VA spoke site providers via teleconferencing between August 2020 and February 2021. Interview transcripts were coded in Atlas.ti 8.0 using deductive (identified a priori and used to build the interview guide) and inductive (emerging) codes. Our analysis identified the following themes stressed by the spoke sites: (1) spoke sites needed to envision how TelePain services would work at their site before deciding to adopt; (2) TelePain implementation needed to fit into local existing care processes; (3) hub sites needed to understand spoke sites’ context (e.g., via needs assessment) to tailor the services accordingly, and (4) hub-and-spoke sites needed to establish bidirectional communication. Our findings provide a practical guide to improve future rollout of hub-and-spoke telehealth models. Recommendations focus on the role of the hub site in promoting program adoption by (1) developing a clear and detailed marketing plan and (2) considering how the program can be adapted to fit the local spoke site context. To improve implementation, hub-and-spoke sites must establish ongoing and consistent bidirectional communication; this is particularly critical in the everchanging post-peak pandemic healthcare system. An important next step is the development of recommendations and guidelines for implementing hub-and-spoke telehealth, as well as examining pain outcomes for patients touched by this program.
Reliability of an Interpretation Bias Task of Ambiguous Faces and Its Relationship with Social Anxiety, Depression, and Looming Maladaptive Style
Authors: Prieto-Fidalgo Ángel , Mueller Sven C. , Calvete Esther
Published: December 2022

Social anxiety (SA) and depression have been associated with negative interpretation biases of social stimuli. Studies often assess these biases with ambiguous faces, as people with SA and depression tend to interpret such faces negatively. However, the test–retest reliability of this type of task is unknown. Our objectives were to develop a new interpretation bias task with ambiguous faces and analyse its properties in terms of test–retest reliability and in relation to SA, depression, and looming maladaptive style (LMS). Eight hundred sixty-four participants completed a task in which they had to interpret morphed faces as negative or positive on a continuum between happy and angry facial expressions. In addition, they filled out scales on SA, depressive symptoms, and LMS. Eighty-four participants completed the task again after 1–2 months. The test–retest reliability was moderate (r = .57–.69). The data revealed a significant tendency to interpret faces as negative for people with higher SA and depressive symptoms and with higher LMS. Longer response times to interpret the happy faces were positively associated with a higher level of depressive symptoms. The reliability of the present task was moderate. The results highlight associations between the bias interpretation task and SA, depression, and LMS.
A two-parameter family of non-parametric, deformed exponential manifolds
Authors: Newton Nigel J.
Published: December 2022

We construct a new family of non-parametric statistical manifolds by means of a two-parameter class of deformed exponential functions, that includes functions with power-law, linear and sublinear rates of growth. The manifolds are modelled on weighted, mixed-norm Sobolev spaces that are especially suited to this purpose, in the sense that an important class of nonlinear superposition operators (those used in the construction of divergences and tensors) act continuously on them. We analyse variants of these operators, that map into “subordinate” Sobolev spaces, and evaluate the associated gain in regularity. With appropriate choice of parameter values, the manifolds support a large variety of the statistical divergences and entropies appearing in the literature, as well as their associated tensors, eg. the Fisher-Rao metric. Manifolds of finite measures and probability measures are constructed; the latter are shown to be smoothly embedded submanifolds of the former.
Strong Stability Preserving Runge–Kutta and Linear Multistep Methods
Authors: Izzo Giuseppe , Jackiewicz Zdzislaw
Published: December 2022

This paper reviews strong stability preserving discrete variable methods for differential systems. The strong stability preserving Runge–Kutta methods have been usually investigated in the literature on the subject, using the so-called Shu–Osher representation of these methods, as a convex combination of first-order steps by forward Euler method. In this paper, we revisit the analysis of strong stability preserving Runge–Kutta methods by reformulating these methods as a subclass of general linear methods for ordinary differential equations, and then using a characterization of monotone general linear methods, which was derived by Spijker in his seminal paper (SIAM J Numer Anal 45:1226–1245, 2007). Using this new approach, explicit and implicit strong stability preserving Runge–Kutta methods up to the order four are derived. These methods are equivalent to explicit and implicit RK methods obtained using Shu–Osher or generalized Shu–Osher representation. We also investigate strong stability preserving linear multistep methods using again monotonicity theory of Spijker.
A Novel Image Encryption Technique Using Multi-Coupled Map Lattice System with Generalized Symmetric Map and Adaptive Control Parameter
Authors: Zia Syed Muhammad Unsub , McCartney Mark , Scotney Bryan , Martinez Jorge , Sajjad Ali
Published: December 2022

Image and video data make up a significant portion of the content shared over the Internet and social media. The use of image and video communication allows more information to be shared while simultaneously presenting higher risks in terms of data security. The traditional encryption schemes are general purpose; however, to encrypt image and video data, application-specific encryption solutions are needed. An image or a video frame comprises a two-dimensional matrix where pixel intensity values are integers in range [0,255], leading to data redundancy problems. Moreover, the bulk amount of image and video data adds another challenge when deploying security primitives. In this paper, a novel coupled map lattice system-based image cryptosystem has been proposed that uses generalised symmetric maps for generation of pseudo-random sequences. The generalization of symmetric maps allows the user to choose the source of pseudo-random sequence generation by varying a single control parameter. Other adaptive control parameters ensure an adequate degree of randomness in the generated sequences. The proposed encryption system relies on three independent sources of pseudo-random sequence generators, which are further re-randomized before the final encryption process. Comprehensive experimentation has been performed to test the proposed system against various attack models on publicly available datasets. A detailed comparative analysis has also been conducted with existing state-of-the-art image encryption techniques. Results show that the proposed algorithm provides high information entropy, negative correlation, large key space, and high sensitivity to key variations, and is resistant to various types of attacks, including chosen-text, statistical, and differential attacks.