bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phytoconstituents with cardioprotective properties: A pharmacological overview on their efficacy against myocardial infarction
Authors: Ullah Aman , Mostafa Nada M. , Halim Sobia Ahsan , Elhawary Esraa A. , Ali Ain , Bhatti Rohail , Shareef Usman , Al Naeem Waiel , Khalid Asaad , Kashtoh Hamdy , Khan Ajmal , Al‐Harrasi Ahmed
Published: July 2024

Myocardial infarction (MI) is considered one of the most common cardiac diseases and major cause of death worldwide. The prevalence of MI and MI‐associated mortality have been increasing in recent years due to poor lifestyle habits viz. residency, obesity, stress, and pollution. Synthetic drugs for the treatment of MI provide good chance of survival; however, the demand to search more safe, effective, and natural drugs is increasing. Plants provide fruitful sources for powerful antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory agents for prevention and/or treatment of MI. However, many plant extracts lack exact information about their possible dosage, toxicity and drug interactions which may hinder their usefulness as potential treatment options. Phytoconstituents play cardioprotective role by either acting as a prophylactic or adjuvant therapy to the concurrently used synthetic drugs to decrease the dosage or relief the side effects of such drugs. This review highlights the role of different herbal formulations, examples of plant extracts and types of several isolated phytoconstituents (phenolic acids, flavonoids, stilbenes, alkaloids, phenyl propanoids) in the prevention of MI with reported activities. Moreover, their possible mechanisms of action are also discussed to guide future research for the development of safer substitutes to manage MI.
Event‐triggered resilient joint mobile robot localization and sensor fault estimation
Authors: Lu Yanyang , Karimi Hamid Reza , Li Bin , Chen Chih‐Chiang
Published: July 2024

The event‐triggered joint sensor fault estimation and mobile robot (MR) localization (MRL) problem (MRLP) subject to the potential fluctuations of the estimator gain are investigated. From the external sensor to the estimator, to decrease the consumption of sensor energy and cut down network bandwidth resources, an event‐triggered scheme is considered. For the sake of characterizing the phenomenon induced by the inaccurate calculation of estimator gain, an uncertainty with the bounded second moment is employed. The purpose of this study is theoretically to find a feasible and effective approach to the addressed joint estimation problem such that the estimation error (EE) covariance (EEC) meets the given performance index. First, a minimum upper bound (UB) of the EEC is derived. Subsequently, in terms of the proposed joint estimation approach and the corresponding results obtained, an algorithm to address the resilient joint sensor fault estimation and MRLP is summarized. At the end, the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is validated through conducting a set of comparisive experiments.
A vision transformer‐based robotic perception for early tea chrysanthemum flower counting in field environments
Authors: Qi Chao , Chen Kunjie , Gao Junfeng
Published: July 2024

The current mainstream approaches for plant organ counting are based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs), which have a solid local feature extraction capability. However, CNNs inherently have difficulties for robust global feature extraction due to limited receptive fields. Visual transformer (ViT) provides a new opportunity to complement CNNs' capability, and it can easily model global context. In this context, we propose a deep learning network based on a convolution‐free ViT backbone (tea chrysanthemum‐visual transformer [TC‐ViT]) to achieve the accurate and real‐time counting of TCs at their early flowering stage under unstructured environments. First, all cropped fixed‐size original image patches are linearly projected into a one‐dimensional vector sequence and fed into a progressive multiscale ViT backbone to capture multiple scaled feature sequences. Subsequently, the obtained feature sequences are reshaped into two‐dimensional image features and using a multiscale perceptual field module as a regression head to detect the overall scale and density variance. The resulting model was tested on 400 field images in the collected TC test data set, showing that the proposed TC‐ViT achieved the mean absolute error and mean square error of 12.32 and 15.06, with the inference speed of 27.36 FPS (512 × 512 image size) under the NVIDIA Tesla V100 GPU environment. It is also shown that light variation had the greatest effect on TC counting, whereas blurring had the least effect. This proposed method enables accurate counting for high‐density and occlusion objects in field environments and this perception system could be deployed in a robotic platform for selective harvesting and flower phenotyping.
IoT malware detection using static and dynamic analysis techniques: A systematic literature review
Authors: Kumar Sumit , Ahlawat Prachi , Sahni Jyoti
Published: July 2024

The Internet of Things (IoT) is reshaping the world with its potential to support new and evolving applications in areas, such as healthcare, automation, remote monitoring, and so on. This rapid popularity and growth of IoT‐based applications coincides with a significant surge in threats and malware attacks on IoT devices. Furthermore, the widespread usage of Linux‐based systems in IoT devices makes malware detection a challenging task. Researchers and practitioners have proposed a variety of techniques to address these threats in the IoT ecosystem. Both researchers and practitioners have proposed a range of techniques to counter these threats within the IoT ecosystem. However, despite the multitude of proposed techniques, there remains a notable absence of a comprehensive and systematic review assessing the efficacy of static and dynamic analysis methods in detecting IoT malware. This research work is a systematic literature review (SLR) that aims to offer a concise summary of the latest advancements in the field of IoT malware detection, specifically focusing on the utilization of static and dynamic analytic techniques. The SLR focuses on examining the present status of research, methodology, and trends in the area of IoT malware detection. It accomplishes this by synthesizing the findings from a wide range of scholarly works that have been published in well‐regarded academic journals and conferences. Additionally, the SLR highlights the significance of the empirical process that includes the role of selecting datasets, accurate feature selection and the utilization of machine learning algorithms in enhancing the detection accuracy. The study also evaluates the capability of different analysis techniques to detect malware and compares the performance of various models for IoT malware detection. Furthermore, the review concluded by addressing several open issues and challenges that the research community as a whole must address.
Advanced carbon nitride‐based single‐atom photocatalysts
Authors: Zhang Zifan , Xiang Kun , Wang Haitao , Li Xin , Zou Jing , Liang Guijie , Jiang Jizhou
Published: July 2024

Single‐atom catalysts (SACs) have rapidly become a hot topic in photocatalytic research due to their unique physical and chemical properties, high activity, and high selectivity. Among many semiconductor carriers, the special structure of carbon nitride (C3N4) perfectly meets the substrate requirements for stabilizing SACs; they can also compensate for the photocatalytic defects of C3N4 materials by modifying energy bands and electronic structures. Therefore, developing advanced C3N4‐based SACs is of great significance. In this review, we focus on elucidating efficient preparation strategies and the burgeoning photocatalytic applications of C3N4‐based SACs. We also outline prospective strategies for enhancing the performance of SACs and C3N4‐based SACs in the future. A comprehensive array of methodologies is presented for identifying and characterizing C3N4‐based SACs. This includes an exploration of potential atomic catalytic mechanisms through the simulation and regulation of atomic catalytic behaviors and the synergistic effects of single or multiple sites. Subsequently, a forward‐looking perspective is adopted to contemplate the future prospects and challenges associated with C3N4‐based SACs. This encompasses considerations, such as atomic loading, regulatory design, and the integration of machine learning techniques. It is anticipated that this review will stimulate novel insights into the synthesis of high‐load and durable SACs, thereby providing theoretical groundwork for scalable and controllable applications in the field.
Stuart Charles King
Authors: Radley Andy , Jones Gareth
Published: July 2024

A teacher and mentor to many young vets, he was a talented surgeon who set high standards and refused to accept second best. He was energetic, cheerful and enthusiastic.
Making minimally invasive procedures more sustainable: A systematic review comparing the environmental footprint of single‐use versus multi‐use instruments
Authors: Martins Russell Seth , Salar Hashim , Salar Musa , Luo Jeffrey , Poulikidis Kostantinos , Razi Syed Shahzad , Latif M. Jawad , Tafuri Kyle , Bhora Faiz Y.
Published: July 2024

Background

Healthcare systems contribute 5%–10% of the global carbon footprint. Given the detrimental impact of climate change on population health, health systems must seek to address this environmental responsibility. This is especially relevant in the modern era of minimally invasive procedures (MIP) where single‐use instruments are increasingly popular. We compared the environmental footprint of single‐use versus multi‐use instruments in MIP.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review across five databases to identify relevant original studies, following the PRISMA guidelines. We extracted environmental impact data and performed a quality assessment of included studies.

Results

We included 13 studies published between 2005 and 2024. Eight employed Life Cycle Analysis (LCAs), which is the gold standard methodology for studies evaluating environmental impact. The instruments studied included laparoscopy systems, endoscopes, cystoscopes, bronchoscopes, duodenoscopes, and ureteroscopes. Six studies, including three high quality LCAs and one fair quality LCA, showed that single‐use instruments have a significantly higher environmental footprint than their multi‐use counterparts. Six studies suggested a lower environmental footprint for single‐use instruments, and one study presented comparable results. However, these studies were of poor/fair quality.

Conclusion

Although our systematic review yielded mixed results, all high quality LCAs suggested multi‐use instruments may be more environmentally friendly than their single‐use counterparts. Our findings are limited by inter‐study heterogeneity and methodological quality. There is an urgent need for additional research employing gold standard methodologies to explore the interplay between environmental impact and operational factors such as workflow efficiency and cost‐benefit ratio to allow health systems to make more informed decisions.
The Irradiated
Authors: Höglund Johan
Published: July 2024

This chapter discusses American fiction produced during the period after WW2 to the present and reveals how it registers and rationalizes the enormous, but also notably inexpensive, violence and death that nuclear weapons made possible. The release of this violence during and after the war produced stories set in futures where the climate of the planet has clearly broken down as an effect of militarized capitalism and where the capitalist world-system is crumbling. In some of these stories, a planet damaged by nuclear violence and lingering radiation takes the form of a gigantic, monstrous, and uncontrollable security threat that demands the attention of the military. By telling such stories, the chapter argues, these narratives must be considered as the proper beginning of the American Climate Emergency Narrative.
Planosol Soil Condition Improvement Effect of a New Plow of Three-Stage Subsoil Interval Mixing
Authors: Zhang Chunfeng , Zhu Baoguo , Meng Qingying , Wang Nannan , Feng Haoyuan , Araya Ken
Published: July 2024

In this paper, a three-stage subsoil interval mixing four-gang plough (TSIMF) was manufactured to enhance the property of planosol soil in 2016. The working width is set to 2 m to obtain a low operation cost. The total draught of the TSIMF was about 100 kN, the running resistance of the tractor included. The traction force (draught) of TSIMF was determined and the soil condition improved with the TSIMF was discussed. A field test of soybean with TSIMF showed that the soil moisture was about 2% volume greater than that in the CK (subsoiler) field. The soil temperature with the TSIMF was about 1 ºC greater than the CK in the plowed layer, and the yield was 120% of the treatment of the CK. Sanjiang Plain is one of the most important commodity grain bases in China, and the albic soil accounts for about 25% of the total cultivated land. Improving the property of the albic farming land attaches great significance to the stability and increase of national grain production.
Simulation Analysis of the Effects of Liquefaction on Pile Foundations Under Seismic Response
Authors: Zhang Yaping , Zhang Yong , Xue Dongdong , Zhou Shangyou , Zhang Mingshan , Wen Hao
Published: July 2024

As a widely used structural element in construction projects, pile foundations have been subject to varying degrees of damage during major earthquakes, especially in liquefiable sites. In order to study the effects of liquefaction on pile foundations under seismic conditions, this paper relies on an actual engineering case of the Xiong’an New Area to Beijing Daxing International Airport Express Line. A numerical model of the dynamic response of pile foundations in liquefied sites under seismic actions is established using the finite difference software FLAC3D. A comparative analysis is conducted between liquefied and non-liquefied sites. The results indicate that compared to non-liquefied sites, liquefaction of the site increases the bending moment on the pile shaft, with increased values for both the maximum bending moment and axial force. The main locations where pile damage may occur are determined. Although the influence of liquefaction on the axial force of pile foundations is relatively small, overall, liquefaction has a significant impact on pile foundations, reducing their bearing capacity.
Research on the Influence of Tunnel Invert Excavation on the Rheological Deformation of Different Levels of Surrounding Rock
Authors: Gong Zhiqun , Guo Hongyu , Fu Helin , Zhao Yibo , Peng Zetong
Published: July 2024

The surrounding rock in the closed section of the inverted arch creates a bearing ring that, when combined with the upper initial support, provides stable initial support. However, excavation of the inverted arch can disrupt the original balance and significantly impact the tunnel’s stability. Using the classic Burgers creep constitutive model, we conducted numerical analyses of the construction process for tunnels with different closure and exposure distances of the inverted arch under varying levels of surrounding rock, using the three-step excavation method. We compared the maximum displacement of the arch crown to study the influence of the closure and exposure distances of the inverted arch on the stability of the initial support lining. Our results show that the displacement of the arch crown is primarily influenced by the strength of the surrounding rock; the lower the strength of the rock, the greater the displacement of the arch crown. Furthermore, the displacement of the arch crown increases as the closure distance of the inverted arch increases. Conversely, the exposure distance of the inverted arch has a minimal impact on arch displacement, and the longer the exposure distance, the greater the arch displacement. These findings can serve as a foundation for improving existing standards and adapting them to the spatial requirements of large-scale mechanized operations.
Optimization of Impact Resistant Structures with Negative Poisson’s Ratio Based on Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Zeng Qiang , Feng Shenqiang , Zhang Zhengkai
Published: July 2024

In order to enhance the blast resistance capabilities of critical structural elements in buildings, a blast-resistant honeycomb sandwich protective structure based on a negative Poisson’s ratio structure was proposed and designed. The failure mechanisms of the protective structure under distributed impulse loads were investigated. The structural parameters of the protective structure were optimized using the response surface methodology, and simulation analysis was conducted using the finite element method. The results demonstrate that the optimized negative Poisson’s ratio honeycomb sandwich protective structure exhibits excellent blast resistance performance.
Vibration and Stability Analysis of Functionally Gradient Flow Pipe with Axial Motion
Authors: Zhou Jie , Mou Haowen , Gao Junchao , Chang Xueping
Published: July 2024

The axially moving functionally graded pipe is widely used in many fields of industry, and its vibration and stability analysis is the key to its design. In this paper, the vibration characteristics and stability of functionally graded pipes with axial motion are analyzed. Based on the extended Hamilton variational principle, the dynamic equation of the pipe with internal flow velocity, material volume fraction index and axial velocity is established. The modified Galerkin method is used to solve the dynamic equation. The influence of the internal flow velocity, material volume fraction index, axial velocity and acceleration on the dynamic characteristics and stability of the system is analyzed. The characteristic curves of volume fraction index, axial velocity, acceleration and natural frequency are given. The results show that the natural frequency and critical velocity of the system increase with the increase of volume fraction index, and the designed volume fraction index can adjust the natural frequency of FGM pipeline system. When the system has axial acceleration, the greater the acceleration, the system will reach the critical value of axial instability in a short time.
Lumped Plasticity Model’s Accuracy in Estimating the Cyclic Response of Low and High-Ductile Reinforced Concrete Frames
Authors: Ee Ooi Chin , Vafaei Mohammadreza , Alih Sophia C.
Published: July 2024

The lumped plasticity model has been widely used for the nonlinear analysis of structures due to its simplicity, established guideline in seismic design codes, and less computational effort. However, it has been shown that the accuracy of the lumped plasticity model depends significantly on the plastic hinges’ properties. In this study, the nonlinear behaviors of two similar RC frames but with two different reinforcing detailing were simulated using the lumped plasticity model and the results were compared with those obtained from the conducted experiments on the frames. The effects of using two different plastic hinge models (i.e., ASCE/SEI 41–17 and moment-curvature) and effective stiffness values (i.e. ASCE/SEI 41–17 and Eurocode 8) were investigated. It was observed that the employed plastic hinge models had insignificant effect on the frames’ ultimate loads and both were able to estimate the ultimate loads accurately. However, the models underestimated the displacements corresponding to the ultimate loads of the frames. The failure modes of the frames were also estimated accurately.
Expansive Soil Subgrade: Soil Treatment Using Waste Ceramic Dust and Cement
Authors: Oruabena Bernard , Elechi Okoh
Published: July 2024

This study examines the potential application of leftover ceramic dust for stabilising expansive soil in infrastructure projects. We know that expansive soils have low strength and bearing capacity, which makes them troublesome in the natural world. Therefore, it’s crucial to level off weak or powerless soil to increase the sublevel’s bearing limit and support a suitable, long-lasting wearing course. To stabilise the soil, the poor soil was taken from Yenagoa, Bayelsa state in the South-South region of Nigeria, and mixed with varying amounts of waste ceramic dust. Standard Proctor compaction, soaked/unsoaked CBR testing, unconfined compressive strength tests, and consistency limit tests were used to evaluate the applicability of stabilised soil. The OMC appreciated at 7.5% of CD, which was utilized as an additive at 17.9 KN/m2, according to the results. From 1.72 to 1.74 KN/m2, MDD increased. From 9.3% at 0% to 16.77% (unsoaked) at 10% admixture (WCD + PLC) and 2.60% at 0%, according to the CBR test results, there was a rise. The highest (CBR) value was obtained when the mixture was soaked to 11.52%, as opposed to 16.77% when it was unsoaked. It was revealed that stabilisation in UCS improved with replacement ratios of 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10%, in that order. In conclusion, it was found that expanding soil stabilisation can be achieved without failure by using the ideal mix design.
Research on Whole-Process Cost Management of Prefabricated Building Based on BIM Technology
Authors: Wen Zhen , Zhang Hanxi , Fu Taiyu
Published: July 2024

Prefabricated building is the inevitable trend of the development of China’s construction industry. However, the problem of high construction cost of prefabricated construction projects still exists, which is also the main problem that hinders the rapid development of prefabricated construction. Because the prefabricated construction and installation needs the cooperation of all parties. The combination of BIM engineering technology design concept and assembly type is an inevitable trend of future development. This paper systematically analyzes the current situation of cost management in the whole process of prefabricated building construction, and makes use of BIM technology to fully share relevant information of all participants, and then puts forward corresponding suggestions to solve the problem of high cost management of prefabricated building.
Study of the Construction Technique of Reinforced Bar Product on Large and Variable Section Pylon
Authors: Ruan Minghua , Luo Hang , Wu Di
Published: July 2024

With the development of large span bridges, the height of the pylon is getting higher and higher, and the cross-sectional form of the pylon is getting more and more complicated, the construction of the pylon is a high-risk operation. The traditional pylon reinforcement construction uses manual asembling on the pylon, which is a labor-intensive high-altitude operation with high labor intensity, low construction efficiency, and not easy to guarantee quality. The pylon of Yanji Yangtze River Bridge is in the form of an octagonal outer cavity with a circular cross section, and the main reinforcement is arranged in four layers from outside to inside. The maximum diameter of the outer main reinforcement is 50 mm, the outer two layers and the third layer main reinforcement are connected by hoop reinforcement, and staggered arrangement of height directions. Based on the construction of the pylon of Yanji Yangtze River Bridge, the research on the construction technology of reinforcement bar was carried out for the characteristics of the pylon reinforcement, which solved the technical problems such as assembling of reinforcement parts, overall lifting and alignment docking on the pylon, which greatly reduced the labor intensity of operators, reduced the safety risk of overhead work and improved the quality of the pylon construction.
Study on Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Prefabricated Cavity Structure
Authors: Sun Lei , Zhang Zhenyu , Zhan Yong , Wang Qian , Chen Wu
Published: July 2024

In order to improve the contribution of prefabricated buildings in the field of reducing carbon emissions, a hemispherical prefabricated cavity intima structure was designed based on the prefabricated laminated floor technology, which is more in line with the development law of mechanics. From the mechanical properties and thermal properties as the research objects, the full size static loading test and the thermal test of the test house are used as the research methods, and the deflection deformation data of the cavity structure under different loading conditions and the temperature change data of the test house under different external temperatures are obtained. The final result verifies that the fabricated cavity structure has sufficient structural safety from the mechanical properties. Its performance in terms of thermal performance also proves that the prefabricated structure can maintain the thermal insulation capacity similar to that of the concrete structure with thermal insulation layer without any thermal insulation material. It provides theoretical support for further promoting the development of cavity structure.
Contribution of Green Roof in Urban Energy Saving Project
Authors: Qin Bingduo , Zou Weina , Jiang Nan , Lu Yi
Published: July 2024

In this paper, through the simulation of whether the roof greening is arranged on the top of buildings when different weather events occur in summer, it is found that roof greening can produce a local cooling effect of 0.8 ℃–1.5 ℃ and an overall cooling effect of 0.6 ℃–1.3 ℃ in summer, which has a good positive impact on urban energy supply and stability. Through energy consumption simulation, it is found that the arrangement of green roof can produce 3 W/m2/h cooling effect on the room, and the entire cooling season can reduce the simulated building energy consumption of 21772.8 KWH. It provides relevant data for the restoration of urban ecological environment and the follow-up study of urban energy conservation.
Research on Intelligent Construction of Building Information Modelling Based Air-Supported Membrane Structure for Urban Sports Arenas
Authors: Tian Zhongyuan , Zhu Lili , Shang Ming , Li Xing , Wang Sensen , Lai Wenhui , Feng Xinglun
Published: July 2024

The continuous development of Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology has propelled the traditional construction approach towards high-quality and high-efficiency intelligent construction. Air-supported membrane structures, due to their environmental friendliness, convenience, low cost, and suitability for large spans, offer an ideal solution for constructing lightweight venues in the densely populated city centers. This paper integrates BIM technology to conduct research on intelligent construction for air-supported membrane structures in urban sports arenas. By combining project cases, various aspects of intelligent construction analysis are performed, including BIM collaborative design, collision check, and construction simulation. The feasibility and applicability of BIM technology in the construction application of air-supported membrane structures are explored, providing insights for the integration of BIM technology and intelligent construction of air-supported membrane structures.
Research on the Path of Green Finance to Help Green Building Development Under the Background of “Double Carbon”
Authors: Wang An , Wang Chunli , Chu Zhijiao
Published: July 2024

Under the background of China’s “dual carbon” target, green development has become an important development direction of the construction industry. For a long time, the development of China’s green building industry mainly relies on the support of administrative means and financial funds, and the role of green finance and other market mechanisms has not been fully brought into play. This paper analyzes the current situation and problems of green finance supporting new green buildings.
Probing bad theories with the dualization algorithm. Part II.
Authors: Giacomelli Simone , Hwang Chiung , Marino Fabio , Pasquetti Sara , Sacchi Matteo
Published: July 2024

Abstract

We continue our analysis of bad theories initiated in [1], focusing on quiver theories with bad unitary and special unitary gauge groups in three dimensions. By extending the dualization algorithm we prove that the partition function of bad linear quivers can be written as a distribution, given by a sum of terms involving a product of delta functions times the partition function of a good quiver theory. We describe in detail the good quiver theories appearing in the partition function of the bad theory and discuss the brane interpretation of our result. We also discuss in detail the lift of these theories to 4d quivers with symplectic gauge groups, in which our results can be recovered by studying the Higgsing triggered by the expectation value for certain chiral operators. The paper is accompanied by a Mathematica file which implements the algorithm for an arbitrary unitary bad linear quiver.
Scalar dark matter explanation of the excess in the Belle II B+ → K++ invisible measurement
Authors: He Xiao-Gang , Ma Xiao-Dong , Schmidt Michael A. , Valencia German , Volkas Raymond R.
Published: July 2024

Abstract

Recently Belle II reported the first measurement of B+ → K+ + invisible(inv), which is 2.7σ above the standard model (SM) prediction. If confirmed, this calls for new physics beyond SM. In the SM, the invisible particles are neutrino-anti-neutrino pairs. There are more possibilities when going beyond the SM. In this work, we focus on decays to dark matter (DM) and show that the B → K + inv excess from Belle II and DM relic density can be simultaneously explained in a simple extension of the SM. The model introduces a real scalar singlet ϕ acting as a DM candidate, and two heavy vector-like quarks Q, D with the same quantum numbers as the SM left-handed quark doublet and right-handed down-type quark singlet, respectively. All these new particles are odd under a ℤ2 symmetry while the SM particles are even. The model can successfully explain the Belle II anomaly and DM relic density for TeV-scale heavy quarks with hierarchical Yukawa couplings involving b and s quarks. At the same time, it can easily satisfy other flavour physics constraints. Direct detection searches utilizing the Migdal effect constrain some of the parameter space.
Hybrid analysis of radiative corrections to neutron decay with current algebra and effective field theory
Authors: Seng Chien-Yeah
Published: July 2024

Abstract

We introduce a useful framework for high-precision studies of the neutron beta decay by merging the current algebra description and the fixed-order effective field theory calculation of the electroweak radiative corrections to the neutron axial form factor. We discuss the advantages of this hybrid method and show that it only requires a minimal amount of lattice QCD inputs to achieve a 10−4 theory accuracy for the Standard Model prediction of the neutron lifetime and the axial-to-vector coupling ratio λ, both important to the search for physics beyond the Standard Model.
Eine App als begleitendes Lehrmedium in Kursen für manuelle Medizin der MWE
Authors: Schemel Sven , Moll Horst
Published: July 2024

Zur Unterstützung der Lehre in der manuellen Medizin und zur Repetition in der klinischen Praxis hat die MWE – Dr. Karl-Sell-Ärzteseminar im Oktober 2023 eine App für iOS und Android veröffentlicht. Alle relevanten therapeutischen Griffe der MWE sind in vertonten kurzen Videos aufrufbar. Die App ist für MWE-Mitglieder kostenlos oder kann in den App-Stores erworben werden.
Assessing fecal load with ultrasound in children with colorectal pathology: ReKiSo study
Authors: Erkel Daniel , Märzheuser Stefanie , Lindert Judith
Published: July 2024

Purpose

To evaluate bowel management for children with colorectal pathology by measuring transverse rectal diameter (TRD) and assessing fecal load with transabdominal rectal ultrasound (TRU).

Methods

Prospective case–control study of children receiving bowel management (BM) between 04/2023 and 04/2024 was done. There was inclusion of patients with Hirschsprung disease (HD), anorectal malformation (ARM) and functional constipation (FC). Patients with other congenital or neurological conditions were excluded. Control group consisted of inpatients and outpatients without abdominal complaints. FC was diagnosed according to ROM-IV-criteria. For HD and ARM, we followed a list of symptoms. To assess fecal load, we visualized the TRD using the Klijn (Klijn et al. in J Urol 172:1986–1988, 2004) method. The bladder was moderately full. The fecal load was assessed retrograde from the rectum. Follow-up was at 1/3/6 months. Secondary data were collected from medical records. Sample size calculated a priori and follow-up group with new gathered data.

Results

p value for TRD in all groups significant with p < 0.05 and in grouped follow-up.

Conclusion

Ultrasound is a useful tool for assessing fecal load and helps diagnose constipation and monitor BM. Irrespective of colorectal pathology, a cut-off of 3 cm seems to discriminate between children without constipation/overload symptoms and asymptomatic patients. We present a radiation-free method for monitoring bowel management.
Identification of ASMTL-AS1 and LINC02604 lncRNAs as novel biomarkers for diagnosis of colorectal cancer
Authors: Shakeri Fariba , Mohamadynejad Parisa , Moghanibashi Mehdi
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Colorectal cancer is one of the major leading causes of death worldwide, and available treatments for advanced colorectal cancer are not successful. Therefore, early detection of colorectal cancer is essential to improve patient survival, and biomarkers are potential tools to achieve this goal. Considering the key role of lncRNAs in cancers, the aim of this study is to identify lncRNAs involved in colorectal cancer as new potential prognosis biomarkers for CRC.

Methods

In this observational study, gene expression data obtained from the TCGA database were analyzed, Identification of differentially expressed mRNAs, miRNAs, and lncRNAs was performed, and ceRNA network was drawn. Also, survival analysis of patients was performed in order to identify potential biomarkers related to the diagnosis and prognosis of colon cancer. After confirming the results using the GSE39582 dataset, the expression of target lncRNAs in colorectal tumor tissues was also investigated to confirm the bioinformatic data.

Results

Analysis of the TCGA data showed that the expression of three lncRNAs—SNHG7, ASMTL-AS1, and LINC02604—that had the highest interaction with other miRNAs and mRNAs identified based on the ceRNA network was increased in colorectal cancer. Also, based on the ceRNA network, three microRNAs, hsa-let-7d-5p, hsa-mir-92a-3p, and hsa-mir-423-5p, and eight mRNAs, including CPA4, MSI2, RRM2, IGF2BP1, ONECUT2, HMGA1, SOX4, and SRM, were associated with all three mentioned lncRNAs, the expression of microRNAs was decreased and the expression of mRNAs was increased. By enrichment analysis, it was found that the target lncRNAs are involved in the processes of cell proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis, indicating their importance in the development and malignancy of colorectal cancer. Furthermore, Kaplan–Meier analysis showed a significant increase in mortality in patients with higher expression levels of these lncRNAs. Analysis of the GSE39582 dataset, and real-time RT-PCR analysis, confirmed our bioinformatic results. Also, ROC analysis showed that SNHG7 was a relatively good promising biomarker (AUC = 0.73, p value = 0.02), while ASMTL-AS1 (AUC = 0.92, p value < 0.0001) and LINC02604 (AUC = 1.00, p value < 0.0001) emerged as excellent diagnostic biomarkers in colorectal cancer.

Conclusion

It seems that increased expression of lncRNAs ASMTL-AS1 and LINC02604 can serve as molecular biomarkers for CRC, possibly through the sponge hsa-let-7d-5p, hsa-mir-92a-3p, and hsa-mir-423 5p, which increases target mRNAs, which are effective in the carcinogenesis process.
The Big Tradeoff averted: five avenues to promote efficiency and equality simultaneously
Authors: Zeytoon-Nejad Ali
Published: July 2024

Society as a whole faces a host of economic tradeoffs, many of which emerge around economic policies. An example of tradeoffs that any society faces in many economic realms is the tradeoff between economic efficiency and income equality (aka the efficiency-equality tradeoff). This tradeoff has been called “the Big Tradeoff” by the esteemed economist Arthur Okun, who also termed it “the Double Standard of a Capitalist Democracy.” Although the efficiency-equality tradeoff is more or less an inevitable tradeoff in most societal settings and economic contexts, there are still some special circumstances in which this tradeoff can be avoided. This paper identifies five such avenues and elaborates on why and how the tradeoff between these two somewhat contradictory societal goals—efficiency and equality—can be deftly averted under the mentioned circumstances. These avenues with their transformative potential can and should be used so that a capitalist society as an integrated whole can promote both efficiency and equality at the same time under these scenarios and avoid facing the Big Tradeoff in cases where it is evitable. Static and dynamic economic models are developed, solved, and applied to facilitate the articulation and exposition of the main points of each solution with formal rigor and logical coherence. Finally, policy implications are discussed.
Stability and genetic parameters for cassava yield attributes in the tropical humid region of Brazil
Authors: Sampaio Filho Juraci Souza , de Souza Campos Marcos , de Oliveira Eder Jorge
Published: July 2024

The performance differences in cassava genotypes arising from genotype vs. environment interactions (G × E) often lead to responses that are significantly lower than expected for selection. The objective of this study was to evaluate different stability methods, both parametric and non-parametric, such as additive main-effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI), main effect of genotypes plus G × E (GGE), and weighted average of absolute scores (WAASB), in order to quantify the G × E in multi-environmental trials. A total of 12 genotypes were assessed across 12 environments using a completely randomized block design, with three replicates for traits such as fresh root yield (FRY) and dry matter content in the roots (DMC). The data were subjected to analysis of variance and the Scott Knott test (p < 0.05). The sum of squares (SQ) of genotypes, environment, and G × E effects were equally distributed for FRY, whereas for DMC, these effects accounted for 64.1%, 21.9%, and 13.8% of the SQ, respectively, indicating a lower environmental effect on this characteristic. Using the AMMI, GGE, and WAASB methods, genotypes with high agronomic performance and stability for FRY (BR11-34–41 and BR11-34–69) (> 32 t ha−1) and DMC (BRS Novo Horizonte, BR12-107–002, and BR11-24–156) (> 37%) were identified. The broad-sense heritability ($${h}^{2}$$

h

2

) for FRY and DMC was estimated to be 0.45 and 0.75, respectively. Approximately 72% of the methods identified BRS Novo Horizonte as the genotype with the highest stability and performance for DMC, while 47% identified genotypes BR11-34–41 and BR11-34–69 for FRY and intermediate DMC. Genotype BR11-24–156 exhibited high static stability according to 50% of the methods. Significant correlations were observed between stability and agronomic performance across the different methods, enabling the formation of groups based on stability concepts. Additionally, it was found that two mega-environments existed for FRY, whereas DMC displayed a single mega-environment with similar patterns, indicating an absence of G × E. We identified superior genotypes that could be promoted to national performance trials to develop stable cultivars with better yield attributes in cassava.
Investigation of the microstructural behavior of Al–Mg–Si(X)–Mn aluminum alloys based on biaxial hot tensile tests
Authors: Lypchanskyi Oleksandr , Kurri Nikhil Reddy , Korpała Grzegorz , Augustyn Bogusław , Kapinos Dawid , Prahl Ulrich
Published: July 2024

This study investigates the microstructural behavior of laboratory-produced Al–Mg–Si(X)–Mn aluminum alloys, focusing on the influence of varying Si content during biaxial hot tensile testing. Alloys with Si contents of 0.7%, 0.9%, and 1.3% were subjected to biaxial deformation at temperatures of 200 °C, 300 °C, and 400 °C. Using digital image correlation analysis, the impact of Si content on microstructural evolution under biaxial tensile loading was analyzed. Force–displacement analysis revealed a consistent inverse relationship between temperature and the maximum force required to initiate strain. At the temperature of 200 °C, the Al–Mg–Si(1.3)–Mn alloy required a maximum force of 1500 N, while at the temperature of 400 °C this force decreased to 900 N. The degree of anisotropy varied, with higher Si alloys exhibiting increased resistance to deformation in the transverse direction. In particular, the Al–Mg–Si(1.3)–Mn alloy showed pronounced strain anisotropy, with large major true strain φ1 values reaching up to 0.32 at 400 °C, compared to 0.26 at 300 °C and 0.2 at 200 °C. Microstructural analysis using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) showed minimal changes at low temperatures, while increased dislocation density and grain boundary distortion were observed at elevated temperatures. The β-Mg2Si precipitates, influenced by Si content and temperature, significantly affected the mechanical properties. In the Al–Mg–Si(0.7)–Mn alloy, precipitates were predominantly 1–3 µm in diameter, whereas in the Al–Mg–Si(1.3)–Mn alloy, precipitates grew to 4–8 µm at higher Si content. These findings provide critical insights into the mechanical response and deformation mechanisms of aluminum alloys under biaxial tensile conditions, essential for optimizing material performance in engineering applications.

Graphical abstract
Balancing Risks and Benefits: Stakeholder Perspective on Managing Non-Native Tree Species in the European Alpine Space
Authors: Hazarika Reneema , Lapin Katharina , Bindewald Anja , Vaz Ana Sofia , Marinšek Aleksander , La Porta Nicola , Detry Patricia , Berger Frédéric , Barič Darja , Simčič Anica , Vacik Harald
Published: July 2024

For centuries, non-native tree (NNT) species have been planted throughout Europe for ecosystem services including timber and urban greenery. Public interest in NNTs has recently increased due to their potential role in climate change adaptation as alternatives to vulnerable native forest tree species. However, opinions regarding the benefits and risks of European NNTs differ. Understanding stakeholder perceptions is crucial for guiding adaptive forest management, especially in sensitive ecosystems like the European Alpine Space. To assess awareness and perception, a structured questionnaire was administered to 456 respondents from six countries in the European Alpine Space. Most respondents were aware of the origin of native and NNT species in their area. NNTs and invasive-NNTs were primarily found in urban regions, with a perceived increase in their occurrence over the past 25 years. With some exceptions, such as Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, the most common NNTs were generally perceived as potentially invasive. The perception of the invasiveness of NNTs correlated with their perceived risks and benefits on ecosystem services. The respondents who were unconcerned about invasiveness believed NNTs had a positive impact on provisioning services like timber, while those concerned about invasiveness perceived their negative effects on regulating cultural ecosystem services such as native biodiversity and landscape aesthetics. Overall, most respondents were conservative, opposing the promotion of NNTs, even in biodiversity-poor areas. Most stakeholders also believe that NNT regulations should prioritize their sustainable use and management rather than focusing solely on an invasive-centric narrative.
Health system reform and path-dependency: how ideas constrained change in South Africa’s national health insurance policy process
Authors: Whyle Eleanor Beth , Olivier Jill
Published: July 2024

Path-dependency theory says that complex systems, such as health systems, are shaped by prior conditions and decisions, and are resistant to change. As a result, major policy changes, such as health system reform, are often only possible in policy windows—moments of transition or contextual crisis that re-balance social power dynamics and enable the consideration of new policy ideas. However, even in policy windows there can be resistance to change. In this paper, we consider the role of ideas in constraining change. We draw on political science theory on the dynamic relationship between foreground ideas (policy programmes and frames) and background ideas (deeply held collective cognitive and normative beliefs) to better understand how ideas exert influence independently of the contextual conditions that give rise to them or the actors that espouse them. To do so, we examine two apparent policy windows in the South African National Health Insurance policy process. The analysis reveals how ideas can become institutionalised in organisations and procedures (such as policy instruments or provider networks), and in intangible cultural norms—becoming hegemonic and uncontested ideas that shape the attitudes and perspectives of policy actors. In this way, ideas operate as independent variables, constraining change across policy windows. While health policy analysts increasingly recognise the influence of ideational variables in policy processes, they tend to conceptualise ideas as tools actors wield to drive change. This analysis reveals the importance of considering ideas (values, norms, and beliefs) as persistent features of the policy-making context that constrain actors.
Designing to support equity-as-transformation perspectives for multilingual science learners
Authors: Pierson Ashlyn , Keifert D. Teo , Daniel Bethany , Lee Sarah , Jen Tessaly , Bell Adam , Johnson Heather , Askew Rachel , Henrie Andrea
Published: July 2024

In this paper, we examine how researchers and teachers in a multi-year professional development program shifted their conceptualizations of equity. Following (Grapin et al (2023) Sci Educ 107:999–1032), we ground our analysis in two conceptualizations of equity that exist across fields: equity-as-access (learners should have access to disciplinary knowledge, practices, and career paths) and equity-as-transformation (learners should transform what it means to learn and participate in disciplines). In this study, we describe a professional development (PD) design initially intended to support equitable science teaching and learning by focusing on representations. This initial framing did not distinguish between conceptions of equity-as-access versus equity-as-transformation. As a result, the PD did not provide facilitators or teachers with resources for ideological sensemaking towards equity-as-transformation. Catalyzed by teachers’ request for PD focused on multilingual learners (MLs), we noticed aspects of our design that offered only images of equity-as-access. In response, we designed activities for teachers that offered space and resources for considering equity-as-transformation. As a case study (Yin (2014) Case study research: design and methods, SAGE) using interaction analysis (Jordan and Henderson (1995) J Learn Sci 4:39–103) of PD videos, we describe how we PD activities and facilitation strategies to integrate transformative conceptualizations of equity. These findings have implications for both research and practice. In terms of research, they demonstrate the importance of using multiple lenses to consider equity in science classrooms. In terms of practice, they underscore the importance of providing teachers with opportunities to explicitly connect new perspectives of equity with day-to-day experiences of classroom teaching.