bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validation of stability‐indicating LC method, degradation study, and impact on antioxidant and antifungal activities of Eugenia uniflora leaves extract
Authors: dos Santos Ewelyn Cintya Felipe , Andrade de Lima Juliana Morais , Barbosa Machado Janaína Carla , Assunção Ferreira Magda Rhayanny , Lira Soares Luiz Alberto
Published: August 2023

The aim of this study is to demonstrate the stability‐indicating capacity of an analytical method for Eugenia uniflora, enhance understanding of the stability of myricitrin, and assess the effect of degradation of spray‐dried extract (SDE) on antioxidant and antifungal activities. Validation of the stability‐indicating method was carried out through a forced degradation study of SDE and standard myricitrin. The antioxidant and antifungal activities of SDE were evaluated both before and after degradation. The quantification method described was found to be both accurate and precise in measuring myricitrin levels in SDE from E. uniflora, with excellent selectivity that confirmed its stability‐indicating capability. The forced degradation study revealed that the marker myricitrin is sensitive to hydrolysis, but generally stable under other stress conditions. By contrast, the standard myricitrin displayed greater susceptibility to degradation under forced degradation conditions. Analysis of the antioxidant activity of SDE before and after degradation showed a negative impact in this activity due to degradation, while no significant effect was observed on antifungal activity. The method described can be a valuable tool in the quality control of E. uniflora, and the findings can assist in determining the optimal conditions and storage of products derived from this species.
Highly Effective B@g‐C3N4/Polyaniline Nanoblend for Photoelectrocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to Methanol
Authors: Tarek Mostafa , Atta Mahmoud , Shukor Muhd Zahiruddin , Abdullah Hamidah , Khan Maksudur Rahman
Published: August 2023

Photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) conversion of CO2 has been extensively investigated as it uses solar energy to combine CO2 and water to produce hydrocarbons. In the present work, B@graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C3N4)/polyaniline (PANI) nanoblend was synthesized by in situ polymerization of aniline in the presence of B@g‐C3N4 for PEC CO2 reduction. The catalyst was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, UV‐Vis absorption spectroscopy, photoluminescence, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Mott‐Schottky analysis. The PEC activity was evaluated by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and chronoamperometry. XRD revealed the formation of g‐C3N4, while B doping was confirmed by XPS. The presence of PANI was visualized by FESEM. A remarkable cathodic current associated with CO2 reduction was observed during LSV from an onset potential of –0.01 V vs. normal hydrogen electrode (NHE), which is more positive than that of B@g‐C3N4 (–0.82 V vs. NHE), and the positive shift is attributed to the slow charge recombination kinetics of B@g‐C3N4/PANI as evidenced by PL results. The mechanism of PEC CO2 reduction was investigated and discussed on the basis of the Mott‐Schottky results. In conclusion, B@g‐C3N4/PANI opens a new avenue to develop photoelectrocatalysts for PEC CO2 reduction to methanol.
Tunable Chromic Properties of Viologen‐Metal Polymers Modulated by Coordination Modes for Inkless Erasable Printing
Authors: Zhang Yan‐Yan , Wang He‐Chong , Jin Xin‐Xin , Li Run‐Jie , Li Qian‐Ge , Sun Rong , Li Peng , Wang Bing‐Wu , Wang Lin , Sui Qi
Published: August 2023

Inkless and erasable printing (IEP) based on chromic materials holds great promise to alleviate environmental and sustainable problems. Metal–organic polymers (MOPs) are bright platforms for constructing IEP materials. However, it is still challenging to design target MOPs with excellent specific functions rationally due to the intricate component‐structure‐property relationships. Herein, an effective strategy was proposed for the rational design IEP‐MOP materials. The stimuli‐responsive viologen moiety was introduced into the construction of MOPs to give it potential chromic behaviors and two different coordination models (i. e. bilateral coordination model, M1; unilateral coordinated model, M2) based on the same viologen ligand were designed. Aided by theoretical calculations, model M1 was recommended secondarily as a more suitable system for IEP materials. Along this line, two representative viologen‐ZnII MOPs 1 and 2 with models M1 and M2 were synthesized successfully. Experiments exhibit that 1 does have quicker stimuli response, stronger color contrast and longer radical lifetime compared to 2. Significantly, the obtained 1‐IEP media brightly inherits the excellent chromic characteristics of 1 and the flexibility of the paper at the same time, which achieves most daily printing requirements, as well as enough resolution and durability to be used in identification by smart device.
p(thyme oil) and p(clove oil) organo‐particles with biocompatible, anticancer, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties against Capan‐1 and L‐929 cells
Authors: Alpaslan Duygu , Ersen Dudu Tuba , Moran Bozer Busra , Aktas Nahit , Turk Mustafa
Published: August 2023

The synthesis of p(ClO) and p(TO) organo‐particles from clove oil and thyme oil is the first in the literature. The particles were tested against the L‐929 cell line for cell viability/cytotoxicity. The anticancer activity was studied against the Capan‐1 pancreatic cancer cell line. p(ClO) and p(TO) organo‐particles were featured by thermogravimetry (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), particle size (DLS), and particle charge (zeta potential, Zeta) analyses. Antioxidant, biocompatible, antimicrobial, and in vitro cytotoxicity specialties were investigated. p(ClO) and p(TO) organo‐particles were found to be effective on the L‐929 fibroblast cell line and Capan‐1 pancreatic cancer cell line in research on Capan‐1 and L‐929 cell lines. Additionally, it was shown that large dosages of p(ClO) organo‐particles were not hazardous to L‐929 cell lines. A difference was found between the rates of cell viability and apoptosis and necrosis when the MTT study findings of p(ClO) and p(TO) organo‐particles were studied in Capan‐1 cell line. The p(TO) organo‐particle had the highest % apoptosis rate. At the 100 g mL−1 concentration, the fibroblast cell viability of p(ClO) and p(TO) organo‐particles was 176.46% and 107.78%, respectively. The IC50 value derived for the decrease in viability was determined as (2.22 mg mL−1) and it was calculated that it would kill the pancreatic cancer cells by 50% when doxorubicin and p(ClO) were administered combined.
Engineering Coordination Environment of Cobalt Center in Molecular Catalysts for Improved Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction
Authors: Wang Yuchen , Zhang Jihong , Yang Wei , Tao Weixue , Tao Keying , Deng Jihua , Shi Wenjie , Zhong Dichang , Lu Tongbu
Published: August 2023

Comprehensive Summary

The creation of effective and inexpensive catalysts is essential for photocatalytic CO2 reduction. Homogeneous molecular catalysts, possessing definite crystal structures, are desirable to study the relationship between catalytic performance and coordination microenvironment around catalytic center. In this report, we elaborately developed three Co(II)‐based molecular catalysts with different coordination microenvironments for CO2 reduction, named [CoN3O]ClO4, [CoN4]ClO4, and [CoN3S]ClO4, respectively. The optimal [CoN3O]ClO4 photocatalyst has a maximum TON of 5652 in photocatalytic reduced CO2 reduction, which is 1.28 and 1.65 times greater than that of [CoN4]ClO4 and [CoN3S]ClO4, respectively. The high electronegativity of oxygen in L1 (N,N‐bis(2‐pyridylmethyl)‐N‐(2‐hydroxybenzyl)amine) provides the Co(II) catalytic centers with low reduction potentials and a more stable *COOH intermediate, which facilitates the CO2‐to‐CO conversion and accounts for the high photocatalytic activity of [CoN3O]ClO4. This work provides researchers new insights in development of catalysts for photocatalytic CO2 reduction.
Role of Dipolar Organic Cations on Light‐triggered Charge Transfer at TiO2/CH3NH3PbI3 Interfaces
Authors: Zhang Mingfang , Feng Qingjie , Li Sheng , Nan Guangjun
Published: August 2023

The TiO2/MAPbI3 (MA=CH3NH3) interfaces have manifested correlation with current‐voltage hysteresis in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) under light illumination conditions, but the relations between the photo‐induced charge transfer and the collective polarization response of the dipolar MA cations are largely unexplored. In this work, we adopt density functional theory (DFT) and time‐dependent DFT approach to study the light‐triggered charge transfer across the TiO2/MAPbI3 interfaces with MAI‐ and PbI‐exposed terminations. It is found that regardless of the surface exposure of the MAPbI3, the photo‐induced charge transfer varies when going from the ground‐state geometries to the excited‐state configurations. Besides, thanks to the electrostatic interactions between the ends of MA cations and the photogenerated electrons, the photo‐induced charge transfer across the interfaces is enhanced (weakened) by the negatively (positively) charged CH3 (NH3) moieties of the MA species. Resultantly, the positively charged iodine vacancies at the TiO2/MAPbI3 interfaces tend to inhibit the charge transfer induced by light. Combining with the energy level alignment which is significantly modulated by the orientation of the MA species at the interfaces, the dipolar MA cations might be a double‐edge sword for the hysteresis in PSCs with the TiO2/MAPbI3 interfaces.
Acceptor‐Induced Fluorescence of Phenolic Polymers Based on Triphenylamine Derivatives
Authors: Kakuta Takahiro , Miyazaki Rise , Shinjo Yukiyo , Ueno Yukiko , Yamagishi Tada‐aki
Published: August 2023

Conductive polymers facilitate the electrical current flow through the transfer of electrons and holes. They show promise for novel photo‐functional materials in photovoltaics. However, substantial electrostatic interactions between electron donors and acceptors induce polymer aggregation, limiting moldability and conductivity. In this study, robust donor polymers with high heat resistance were synthesized by bonding triphenylamine (TPA) derivatives and formaldehyde to phenolic groups. Resulting TPA‐based phenolic polymers exhibited flexible structures and fluorescence due to charge transfer with acceptor molecules. Furthermore, TPA‐based phenolic polymers’ capacity to distinguish acceptor molecule sizes correlated with their molecular weight, reflecting upon donor‐acceptor interactions. This novel optical trait in phenolic polymers holds potential for electronic components and conductive materials.
Characterization of the VO2 thin films grown on glass substrates by MOD
Authors: Wada Hideo , Fukawa Taito , Toyota Kazuaki , Koyama Masatoshi , Hiroshiba Nobuya , Koike Kazuto
Published: August 2023

This paper describes the deposition of Nb doped vanadium dioxide (VO2) films on a glass substrate by metal organic decomposition (MOD) and their thermochromic properties. The difference in thermochromic properties of VO2 thin films on a glass substrate was investigated with and without a buffer layer of Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO). The phase transition temperature of VO2 thin film successfully reduced from 83°C to 43°C on a glass substrate with a buffer layer of HZO. Without a buffer layer of HZO, the thermochromic properties of VO2 thin films deteriorated comparing with a buffer layer of HZO. HZO buffer layer effectively suppresses the miniaturization of VO2 crystallite size of thin film due to Nb doping. Moreover, it would block out the diffusion of Al, Na, and Ca impurity ions from a glass substrate and the partial oxidation of VO2 thin films judging from XPS O1s spectra and XPS depth profile analysis. We conclude that the insertion of the HZO buffer layer is a useful technique for controlling the transition temperature of VO2 for the smart window applications by MOD.
Efficiency Enhancement of Biophotovoltaic Solid‐State Solar Cells
Authors: Amjadian Saeid , Esmaeilzadeh Mahdi , Ajeian Rasul , Riazi Gholamhossein , Ramakrishna Seeram
Published: August 2023

Biophotovoltaic solid‐state solar cells are new environmentally friendly solar cells inspired by photosynthesis phenomena. Photosystem I, a complex protein located in the chloroplast of the plant leaves that has a principal role in light absorption, is the most common light absorber used in biophotovoltaic solid‐state solar cells. Low efficiency and low current density are the main challenges in this kind of solar cell. Herein, to vacillate the motion of electrons and holes, carbon nanotubes and tyrosine are used as transfer layers and to increase light absorbance, a solution of Photosystem I with silver nanoparticles as an absorber layer is used. It is shown that the short circuit current density and the efficiency can be enhanced to 6.61 mA cm−2and 0.83%, respectively which are the highest values for current density and efficiency reported for this kind of solar cell. These enhancements are due to the high electrical conductivity of carbon nanotubes, proper porosity of tyrosine, and the localized surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoparticles induced under light irradiation. The results can illuminate hopes and dreams for biophotovoltaic solid‐state solar cells with higher current density and higher efficiency.
Retracted: Clinical and genetic evaluations of rare childhood epilepsies in Turkey's national cohort
Authors: Ünalp Aycan , Güzin Yiğithan , Ünay Bülent , Tosun Ayşe , Çavuşoğlu Dilek , Tekin Hande Gazeteci , Kurul Semra Hız , Arhan Ebru , Edizer Selvinaz , Öztürk Gülten , Yiş Uluç , Yılmaz Ünsal ,   Turkish Rare Epilepsies Study Group
Published: August 2023

Aycan Ünalp, Yiğithan Güzin, Bülent Ünay, Ayşe Tosun, Dilek Çavuşoğlu, Hande Gazeteci Tekin, Semra Hız Kurul, Ebru Arhan, Selvinaz Edizer, Gülten Öztürk, Uluç Yiş, Ünsal Yılmaz, Turkish Rare Epilepsies Study Group, Clinical and genetic evaluations of rare childhood epilepsies in Turkey's national cohort, Epileptic Disorders, 2023, (https://doi.org/10.1002/epd2.20150)

The above article, published online on 16 August 2023 on Wiley Online Library (www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com), has been retracted by agreement between the authors, the Editor‐in‐Chief, Sándor Beniczky, and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. The authors asked for a retraction based on an experimental error which would alter the results of the study if corrected.
Durability Variation Among Medical Gloves Made from Existing and New Elastomers Poses a Risk to Public Health
Authors: Herkins Ashley , Cornish Katrina
Published: August 2023

Despite being an essential line of defense in preventing the spread of diseases, medical glove durability is neither measured routinely nor has standard specifications. In this study, a new glove durability assessment device is used to objectively compare the durability of gloves made of a variety of elastomers from different manufacturers. Results are related to several mechanical tests, including stress relaxation, tensile and tear tests. Overall, natural latex gloves far outperformed those made of synthetic elastomers, and there is great disparity among the different brands of nitrile gloves, some of which do not meet nitrile glove performance requirements. The study includes prototype gloves made from guayule latex, a domestic source of alternative natural rubber latex, currently under commercial development. The guayule gloves outperformed all other gloves tested, including those made from Hevea latex, without posing allergy risks. Mechanical analysis demonstrated that the guayule gloves are as strong as the best alternatives, are softer and more elastic, have better tear strength, and have such low stress relaxation that they cause very little hand fatigue during use. Guayule latex can address the need for domestic production of gloves to resolve supply chain and quality issues and encourage a shift back to natural latex gloves, which will significantly diversify the natural rubber supply.
Effect of fertigation levels on fertilizer use efficiency, yield, quality and economics of Robusta coffee
Authors: Mote Kishor Jalindar , Gokavi Nagaraj , Babou Codandabani , Mukharib Dharmapura Shamshudheen , Rudragouda  , Govindappa Madarakallu , Jayakumar Manickam , Chandrashekar Nagappa , Gopinandhan Thirukonda Nannier , Niranjan
Published: August 2023

Robusta coffee production largely depends upon irrigation and nutrition management practices. These factors determine the increase in productivity and quality of coffee. Therefore, restrictions of Robusta coffee production due to soil nutrient deficiencies can be removed by applying the right quantities of fertilizers at the right time with the right method. A long‐term experiment was conducted to study the impact of different fertigation levels on the yield, nutrient use efficiency and quality of Robusta coffee. The present experiment was conducted on a randomized block design consisting of six treatments with four replications over a period of 5 years from 2017 to 2021 at the Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI), Balehonnuru, India. The results revealed that among different fertigation levels, fertigation with 75% and 100% of the recommended dose of fertilizer resulted in significantly higher yields (2117 kg ha−, 1821 kg ha−1) and yield attributing parameters, namely, total number of nodes/branches (49.1, 44.1), number of bearing nodes/branches (35.0, 29.4) and number of fruits/branches (758, 679) in Robusta coffee, based on the pooled mean (2017–2021). Therefore, adoption of the fertigation level with 75% of the recommended dose of fertilizers not only increased the productivity of Robusta coffee but also ensured a higher efficiency of nutrients (25%–30%) and cost–benefit ratio (1:2.48).
Are vertebrates constrained to two sets of paired appendages? The morphology, development, and evolution of pre‐pelvic claspers in the Holocephali
Authors: Jones Riley C. , Hall Kayla , Crow Karen D.
Published: August 2023

Holocephalans exhibit auxiliary appendages called pre‐pelvic claspers (PPCs) that are located anterior to the pelvic fins, while pelvic claspers are pelvic fin modifications located posteriorly as modified metapterygia. Articulation points of the PPCs have not previously been imaged or evaluated in a comparative context, therefore, they may represent modified pelvic fin structures if they articulate with the propterygium. Alternatively, they could represent the only example of an independent third set of paired appendages in an extant taxon, if they articulate independently from any pelvic fin basal cartilages, challenging the current paradigm that extant jawed vertebrates are constrained to two sets of paired appendages. Two extinct groups, including Placoderms and Acanthodians, exhibit variation in the number of paired appendages, suggesting this may be a plesiomorphic trait. We evaluated PPC developmental growth rates, morphology, and articulation points in spotted ratfish (Hydrolagus Colliei, Holocephali). We also compared variation in PPC morphology among representatives of the three extant holocephalan families. Both, the pre‐pelvic and pelvic claspers exhibit a dramatic surge in growth at sexual maturity, and then level off, suggesting synchronous development via shared hormonal regulation. While mature females are larger than males, pelvic fin growth and development is faster in males, suggesting a selective advantage to larger fins with faster development. Finally, microcomputed tomography scans revealed that PPCs are not modified propterygia, nor do they articulate with the propterygium. They articulate with the anterior pre‐pelvic process on the anterior puboischiadic bar (or pelvic girdle), suggesting that while they are associated with the pelvic girdle, they may indeed represent a third, independent set of paired appendages in extant holocephalans.
Effect of applied shading during fruit ripening on tannin structure–activity relationships of grape skin extracts
Authors: Campbell James R. , Thomas Will , Waterhouse Andrew L. , Kennedy James A.
Published: August 2023

BACKGROUND

Historically, the effect of wine grape shading on flavonoids has investigated the impact of light incidence on proanthocyanidin (PA), flavonol, or anthocyanin concentration. In addition to concentration, the current experiment was designed to look at changes in PA composition, size and tannin activity through ripening. Tannin activity is a methodology for assessing the impact of structure and size on the affinity of tannin towards a hydrophobic surface and is considered to be a proxy for predicted astringency descriptive quality. In 2016 a shade cloth study was imposed on Cabernet Sauvignon on Mt Veeder, within the larger Napa Valley viticultural area. A control, which was unshaded, and two treatments consisting of 40% and 80% shade were applied at the onset of veraison.

RESULTS

Results showed significant differences in the composition and concentration of anthocyanins throughout ripening. Compositional differences in PA were also observed, where shaded treatments had a significantly higher proportion of galloylated subunits. The molecular mass of the extracted tannin was significantly lower in the unshaded control than in the 80% shade treatment. These factors led to a lower measured tannin activity in extracts from exposed fruit.

CONCLUSION

This work suggests that manipulation of canopy architecture, such as artificial shading, leads to changes in berry pigmentation, tannin composition and activity. These results show that the astringency and mouthfeel characteristics of a wine may be altered by vineyard management practices. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
A retrospective analysis of COVID‐19 tracheostomies: Early versus late tracheostomy
Authors: Bui Roger , Kasabali Ahmad , Dewan Karuna
Published: August 2023

Objectives

To assess the impact of early tracheostomy (ET) versus late tracheostomy (LT) placement on mortality and decannulation rates of COVID patients.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed of all patients infected with COVID‐19 who underwent tracheostomy tube placement in an Ochsner‐affiliated hospital from March 2020 to May 2022. Patients were identified using the electronic medical record and data was collated using the “Epic SlicerDicer” tool. Descriptive statistics were gathered and compared between patients who underwent ET placement and those who underwent LT placement. Patient demographics, previous medical history, tracheostomy procedural details, arterial blood gases, complications, and outcomes including time to wean from the ventilator, and time to decannulation were recorded.

Results

Two‐hundred nineteen patients were included in the study. There were no statistically significant differences in liberation from mechanical ventilation rates between early and LT (62% vs. 55%, p = .19), or in decannulation rates (40% vs. 32%, p = .14). The mean duration of time to liberation from mechanical ventilation for early trach was 13.88 versus 18.17 days for late trach, however, no statistically significant difference was found (p = .12). Similarly, mean duration of time to decannulation was 41.17 days for early versus 47.72 for late trach (p = .15).

Conclusion

Contrary to some studies in the literature, the results presented here suggest ETs are not associated with hastened liberation from mechanical ventilation or increased decannulation rates. Further prospective studies may be warranted in assessing the impact of early versus LT in the COVID patient population.

Level of Evidence

III.
Nanocomposite Solid Polymer Electrolytes with Polymer Blend (PVDF‐HFP/Pluronic) as Matrix and GO as Nanofiller: Preparation, Structural Characterization, and Lithium‐Ion Conductivity Analysis
Authors: Arwish Sajal , Manzoor Rimsha , Khan Khizar Hayat , Shah Syed Mujtaba , Ahmad Iqbal , Hussain Hazrat
Published: August 2023

Nanocomposite solid polymer electrolytes (NSPEs) with PVDF‐HFP/Pluronic as blend polymer matrix, graphene oxide (GO) as nanofiller, and LiClO4 are reported. FTIR spectroscopy reveals the crystal phase transformation of PVDF‐HFP from nonpolar α phase to electroactive γ phase upon salt addition that suggests the ion‐dipole interaction between the salt and the matrix. Further, Pluronic not only hinders the PVDF crystallization that increases the amorphous character of the matrix but also interacts with the salt and hence assists in salt dissociation in the blend matrix. The dc conductivity of PVDF‐HFP/Pluronic/LiClO4 blend SPE improves with increasing the Pluronic content reaching 0.73 × 10−6 Scm−1 at room temperature with 60 wt.% Pluronic. The dispersion of GO in the same blend SPE leads to a significant jump in room temperature ion conductivity (≈1.2 × 10−6 Scm−1) with 0.4% GO. Temperature‐dependent ion conductivity of the NSPEs reveals an Arrhenius type thermally activated process. The dc polarization data indicates that the conductivity is predominantly due to ions. Impedance plots exhibit a distorted semicircle at higher frequency and a tilted spike at lower frequency. The spike is an indication of ion diffusion and electrode polarization effect. Further, GO also has enhanced the mechanical properties of the fabricated NSPEs.
Daily Habits in Parkinson's Disease: Validation of the Daily Habit Scale
Authors: Georgiev Dejan , Torkmani Asma , Song Ruifeng , Limousin Patricia , Jahanshahi Marjan
Published: August 2023

Objective

The objective of the study was to validate a new scale for assessing habitual behavior—the Daily Habit Scale in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Background

Parkinson's disease patients are impaired in habit learning and skill acquisition. Despite repeated practice, they have difficulty developing habitual responses.

Methods

One hundred seventy‐nine patients (Median (Mdn) = 69 [64–76], 65 females) participated in the study. Corrected item‐to‐total correlations were calculated to assess the item‐convergent and item discriminant validity. Confirmatory factor analysis and assessment of internal consistency were also carried out. Concurrent validity in respect to measures of anxiety and depression, apathy, impulsivity, personality, multidimensional health locus of control, and health‐related quality of life was also calculated. To determine the test–retest reliability of the scale, 30 patients (Mdn = 69 [66–73], 9 females) completed a second copy of the scale 6 months after the first.

Results

Twenty‐nine items (76%) and 9 items (24%) of the 38‐item scale, respectively, showed a very good and good convergent validity. All the items discriminated between their own factor and the other factors. The comparative fit index of 0.932 indicated an acceptable model fit of the data, whereas the root mean square error of approximation of 0.06 moderate model fit. The scale had a good internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.792), and a moderate test–retest reliability (0.57). Females had higher scores on two factors compared to men (Factor 3: household activities and Factor 8: sleep‐related activities).

Conclusions

The Daily Habit Scale is a reliable and valid tool to measure daily habits in Parkinson's disease.
Second‐order difference scheme for the time fractional mixed diffusion‐wave equation with initial weak regularity
Authors: Du Rui‐lian , Shen Jinye
Published: August 2023

An L1‐type difference scheme on graded meshes for time fractional mixed diffusion‐wave equation with two Caputo derivatives of fractional order
and
is established and analyzed. In particular, the solution of governing equation typically exhibits a weak regular behavior at an initial time. A fully discrete numerical scheme based on finite difference method is proposed and detailed theoretical analysis for the scheme is also investigated. The novelty of this paper is to show that the L1‐type difference scheme for the model problem under consideration is temporal second‐order accurate over graded meshes. Numerical tests are presented to support our theoretical results.
A tabu search with geometry‐based sparsification methods for angular traveling salesman problems
Authors: Cavagnini Rossana , Schneider Michael , Theiß Alina
Published: August 2023

The angular‐metric traveling salesman problem (AngleTSP) aims to find a tour visiting a given set of vertices in the Euclidean plane exactly once while minimizing the cost given by the sum of all turning angles. If the cost is obtained by combining the sum of all turning angles and the traveled distance, the problem is called angular‐distance‐metric traveling salesman problem (AngleDistanceTSP). In this work, we study the symmetric variants of these problems. Because both the AngleTSP and AngleDistanceTSP are NP‐hard, multiple heuristic approaches have been proposed in the literature. Nevertheless, a good tradeoff between solution quality and runtime is hard to find. We propose a granular tabu search (GTS) that considers the geometric features of the two problems in the design of starting solutions and sparsification methods. We further enrich the GTS with components that guarantee both intensification and diversification during the search. The computational results on benchmark instances from the literature show that (i) for the AngleTSP, our GTS lies on the Pareto frontier of the best performing‐heuristics, and (ii) for the AngleDistanceTSP, our GTS provides the best solution quality across all existing heuristics in competitive runtimes. In addition, new best‐known solutions are found for most benchmark instances for which an optimal solution is not available.
The Long-Term Safety of Topical Corticosteroids in Atopic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Harvey Jane , Lax Stephanie J. , Lowe Alison , Santer Miriam , Lawton Sandra , Langan Sinead M. , Roberts Amanda , Stuart Beth , Williams Hywel C. , Thomas Kim S.
Published: August 2023

Background

Topical corticosteroids (TCS) are a first-line treatment for eczema, but there are concerns about their safety when used long-term.

Objectives

To systematically review adverse effects associated with longer-term use of TCS for eczema.

Methods

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cohort and case-control studies reporting adverse effects of TCS (comparators: no TCS treatment, other topicals) in patients with eczema were identified. Included studies had greater than one year of follow-up, minimum cohort size of 50 participants, or minimum 50 per arm for RCTs. Evidence was GRADE-assessed. Prospero registration CRD42021286413.

Results

We found seven studies (two randomised, five observational); two RCTs (n = 2570, including 1288 receiving TCS), two cohort (all received TCS n = 148) and three case-control studies (cases n = 10 322, controls n = 12 201). Evidence from two RCTS (n = 2570, children, three and five years' duration) comparing TCS to topical calcineurin inhibitors found intermittent TCS use probably results in little to no difference in risk of growth abnormalities, non-skin infections, impaired vaccine response and lymphoma/non lymphoma malignancies. The five-year RCT reported only one episode of skin atrophy (n = 1213 TCS arm; mild/moderate potency), suggesting TCS use probably results in little to no difference in skin thinning when used intermittently to treat flares. No cases of clinical adrenal insufficiency were reported in 75 patients using mild/moderate TCS in the three-year RCT. Small associations between TCS and type-2 diabetes and lymphoma were identified in two case-control studies compared to no TCS, but the evidence is very uncertain. No long-term studies concerning topical steroid withdrawal or eye problems were identified.

Conclusion

This review provides some reassuring data on growth and skin thinning when TCS are used intermittently for up to 5 years, but many knowledge gaps remain.
Efficient Visible‐Light‐Assisted Synthesis of Dimethyl Carbonate from CO2 and Methanol by Ce–Metal Organic Framework‐Derived CeO2 Nanoparticles
Authors: Guan Xiushuai , Zhang Xiaochao , Zhang Changming , Li Rui , Liu Jianxin , Wang Yunfang , Wang Yawen , Fan Caimei , Li Zhong
Published: August 2023

The conversion of carbon dioxide to dimethyl carbonate (DMC) is an attractive process, but thermodynamic limitations of the reaction hinder its further development. Herein, a simple solution coprecipitation strategy for the synthesis of a series of Ce–metal organic framework (MOF)‐derived CeO2 nanoparticles is proposed to rapidly break the thermodynamic equilibrium and achieve highly efficient activation of CO2/CH3OH under photothermal system. The CeO2–M–5, Ce(NO3)3·6H2O/2‐methylimidazoles molar ratio of 1:5, exhibits the highest DMC yield of 2.52 mmolDMC g−1cat under photothermal system, higher 3.26 times than CeO2–C (nanoparticle by high‐temperature calcination). Moreover, the DMC yield of CeO2–M–5 nanoparticles increases by 10% under the photothermal synergistic system compared to thermocatalytic system. This superior catalytic performance is attributed to the abundant Lewis acid–base sites, excellent light absorption capacity, and hydrophobicity. Besides, in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy demonstrates that Ce–MOF‐derived CeO2 nanoparticles can effectively activate CO2/CH3OH to enhance the formation of the key intermediate methyl carbonate upon light irradiation. Finally, combining characterization and experimental results, the reaction mechanism of photothermal catalysis of CO2/CH3OH for DMC synthesis over Ce–MOF‐derived CeO2 nanoparticles is proposed. This work would provide new insights into the rational design of an effective catalyst for CO2 to produce high value‐added chemicals.
Proposed variable sampling interval maximum EWMA and distance EWMA charts with unknown process parameters
Authors: Parvin Rehana , Khoo Michael B. C. , Saha Sajal , Teoh Wei Lin
Published: August 2023

The variable sampling interval (VSI) exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) chart which varies the chart's sampling interval according to the value of the current plotting statistic increases the speed of the standard EWMA chart in detecting shifts. Joint monitoring schemes use a single combined statistic for the mean and variance in process monitoring. To simultaneously monitor the mean and variance of a process from the normal distribution, two VSI EWMA schemes with unknown process parameters, based on (i) Maximum (Max) and (ii) Distance (Dis) type combining functions, are proposed in this paper. Each of these schemes uses a single plotting statistic. The effects of parameter estimation on the performance of the proposed VSI Max EWMA and VSI Dis EWMA schemes, in terms of the average time to signal, standard deviation of the time to signal, expected average time to signal and median time to signal criteria, are studied using Monte Carlo simulation. The results show that the proposed schemes can identify process shifts quicker than the existing Max/Dis Shewhart (SH), Max/Dis cumulative sum (CUSUM) and Max/Dis EWMA schemes. The implementation of the proposed schemes is demonstrated using a commercial dataset.
Privacy Perception and Behavior in Safety-Critical Environments
Authors: Steinbrink Enno , Biselli Tom , Linsner Sebastian , Herbert Franziska , Reuter Christian
Published: August 2023

When considering privacy, context, and environmental circumstances can have a strong influence on individual decisions and user behavior. Especially in crises or threatening situations, privacy may conflict with other values, such as personal safety and health. In other cases, personal or public safety can also be dependent on privacy: the context of flight shows how, for those affected, the value of data protection can increase as a result of an increased threat situation. Thus, when individual sovereignty—the autonomous development of one’s own will—or safety is highly dependent on information flows, people tend to be more protective of their privacy in order to maintain their information sovereignty. But also, the context of agriculture, as part of the critical infrastructure, shows how privacy concerns can affect the adoption of digital tools. With these two examples, flight and migration as well as agriculture, this chapter presents some exemplary results that illustrate the importance of the influence of situational factors on perceived information sovereignty and the evaluation of privacy.
Generic Consents in Digital Ecosystems: Legal, Psychological, and Technical Perspectives
Authors: Steffes Bianca , Salemi Simone , Feth Denis , Groen Eduard C.
Published: August 2023

Consent is an important authorization basis for the processing of personal data. According to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), consents must be as specific and unambiguous as possible. In practice, however, this leads to users being overwhelmed by the large number of consent requests, which can ultimately be detrimental to freedom of choice. What the overwhelming number of requests for consent can lead to is reflected by the so-called cookie fatigue problem: users have become accustomed to accepting cookies on websites only to get rid of cookie banners as quickly as possible. As cookies do not always lead to the collection of personal data, the cookie fatigue problem cannot be transferred entirely to the problem we would like to address in this chapter. It only serves as an example for the consequences of overloading a data subject with requests for consent. As the GDPR demands that consent be informed and given freely, the current strategy of consent handling cannot be in the spirit of the data protection legislation. In this chapter, we present our vision of how consent can be integrated in the context of digital ecosystems from three perspectives: (1) achieving legal compliance according to data protection law, (2) demonstrating technical feasibility, and (3) assuring user-friendliness by adding cognition to the equation. Our approach aims to enable “generic consents” within a clearly defined scope and context. Although generic consents that serve as a “catch-all” are generally not allowed, we leverage the specific characteristics of digital ecosystems to impose limitations that can justify their use in this particular context. We will also detail the legal implications and present implementation options.
From the Privacy Calculus to Crossing the Rubicon: An Introduction to Theoretical Models of User Privacy Behavior
Authors: Gerber Nina , Stöver Alina
Published: August 2023

Several theories and behavioral models aiming to explain user privacy behavior, including the privacy paradox, have been proposed in the literature. In this chapter, we give an introduction to the behavioral models that are most frequently used in privacy research, as well as those that originate in other contexts but nevertheless have the potential to make a meaningful contribution to explaining user privacy behavior. We further discuss to what extent the behavioral models help us to explain and predict privacy behaviors. The renowned privacy calculus model, for example, falls short in this respect since it remains unclear which consequences are evaluated by the user, whereas other models such as the theory of planned behavior can offer novel insights when combined with models such as HAPA or COM-B that are so far unfathomed in the context of privacy research.
Privacy Nudges and Informed Consent? Challenges for Privacy Nudge Design
Authors: Zimmermann Verena
Published: August 2023

Privacy nudges aim to support the “wise” choice concerning digital privacy decisions. Examples include nudges to encourage privacy-friendly app choices or to discourage unintended location disclosure. Yet, a general nudge criticism concerns the potential manipulation of users by targeting automatic and perhaps unaware cognitive processes. This calls for guidance in designing ethically favorable and transparent nudges. Therefore, this chapter first reviews and presents guidelines for designing ethical privacy nudges. Second, encouraging users to make the “wise” privacy choice is not easy. Initially, the more privacy-friendly choice for the user appears to be clear in many cases. However, with regard to privacy, the choice is less clear when considering legal requirements. Current EU regulations depart from generally favoring the more privacy-friendly option and instead suggest enabling users to make an informed decision. This is not necessarily the most privacy-preserving option but for some users might be a trade-off considering convenience or other factors. Apart from “privacy-preserving” nudges, this chapter thus discusses options for and challenges associated with designing privacy nudges that can support users in making informed privacy decisions. This includes nudges that target reflective thinking, interventions based on the users’ preferences, or a combination of nudges with other approaches.
The Hows and Whys of Dark Patterns: Categorizations and Privacy
Authors: Kitkowska Agnieszka
Published: August 2023

When people interact with digital technologies, their choices are often driven in a specific direction, mainly through user interface designs—e.g., specific layout or content. Such guiding practices might be useful. They may help find desired information quicker or proceed with a given task more efficiently. Ultimately, they may contribute to improved usability and satisfaction that users experience during the interaction. However, some of such designs can mislead, manipulate, or trick users into choices that are beneficial to service providers but not necessarily to users. These designs are known as dark patterns, and their success relies on psychological characteristics, particularly exploiting decision-making processes’ weaknesses. The applicability of dark patterns is traditionally associated with e-commerce or marketing strategies aiming to increase sales. However, research shows that dark patterns also extend to online privacy, resulting in harms reaching beyond economic loss and exploiting the vulnerabilities of individuals. This chapter reviews research on dark patterns and explains some of the psychological bases that dark patterns rely on. The chapter focuses on privacy issues and discusses possible ways of preventing the detrimental effects of dark patterns, including their effects on business.
Generalized Linear Models
Authors: Salinas Ruíz Josafhat , Montesinos López Osval Antonio , Hernández Ramírez Gabriela , Crossa Hiriart Jose
Published: August 2023

In the generalized linear model (GLM) (which is not highly general) y = Xβ + ϵ, the response variables are normally distributed, with constant variance across the values of all the predictor variables, and are linear functions of the predictor variables. Transformations of data are used to try to force the data into a normal linear regression model or to find a non-normal-type response variable transformation (discrete, categorical, positive continuous scale, etc.) that is linearly related to the predictor variables; however, this is no longer necessary. Instead of using a normal distribution, a positively skewed distribution with values that are positive real numbers can be selected. Generalized linear models (GLMs) go beyond linear mixed models, taking into account that the response variables are not of continuous scale (not normally distributed), GLMs are heteroscedastic, and there is a linear relationship between the mean of the response variable and the predictor or explanatory variables.
Generalized Linear Mixed Models for Non-normal Responses
Authors: Salinas Ruíz Josafhat , Montesinos López Osval Antonio , Hernández Ramírez Gabriela , Crossa Hiriart Jose
Published: August 2023

Generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) have been recognized as one of the major methodological developments in recent years, which is evidenced by the increased use of such sophisticated statistical tools with broader applicability and flexibility. This family of models can be applied to a wide range of different data types (continuous, categorical (nominal or ordinal), percentages, and counts), and each is appropriate for a specific type of data. This modern methodology allows data to be described through a distribution of the exponential family that best fits the response variable. These complex models were not computationally possible up until recently when advances in statistical software have allowed users to apply GLMMs (Zuur et al. 2009; Stroup 2012; Zuur et al. 2013). Researchers in fields other than statistical science are also interested in modeling the structure of data. For example, in the social sciences there have been applications in the field of education when several tests are applied to students; in longitudinal personality studies when the occurrence of an emotion is repeatedly observed over time over a set of people; and in surveys to investigate the political preference of a population, among others.
Generalized Linear Mixed Models for Proportions and Percentages
Authors: Salinas Ruíz Josafhat , Montesinos López Osval Antonio , Hernández Ramírez Gabriela , Crossa Hiriart Jose
Published: August 2023

In this chapter, we will review generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) whose response can be either a proportion or a percentage. For proportion and percentage data, we refer to data whose expected value is between 0 and 1 or between 0 and 100. For the remainder of this book, we will refer to this type of data only in terms of proportion, knowing that it is possible to change it to a percentage scale only when multiplying it by 100. Proportions can be classified into two types: discrete and continuous. Discrete proportions arise when the unit of observation consists of N distinct entities, of which individuals have the attribute of interest “y. ”N must be a nonnegative integer and “y” must be a positive integer; here, y ≤ N. Therefore, the observed proportion must be a discrete fraction, which can take values $$ \frac{0}{N},\frac{1}{N},\cdots, \frac{N}{N} $$

0
N

,

1
N

,
⋯
,

N
N

. A binomial distribution is the sum of a series of m independent binary trials (i.e., trials with only two possible outcomes: success or failure), where all trials have the same probability of success. For binary and binomial distributions, the target of inference is the value of the parameter such that $$ 0\le E\left(\frac{y}{N}\right)=\pi \le 1 $$
0
≤
E

y
N

=
π
≤
1
. Continuous proportions (ratios) arise when the researcher measures responses such as the fraction of the area of a leaf infested with a fungus, the proportion of damaged cloth in a square meter, the fraction of a contaminated area, and so on. As with the binomial parameter π, the continuous rates (fractions) take values between 0 and 1, but, unlike the binomial, the continuous proportions do not result from a set of Bernoulli tests. Instead, the beta distribution is most often used when the response variable is in continuous proportions. In the following sections, we will first address issues in modeling when we have binary and binomial data. When the response variable is binomial, we have the option of using a linearization method (pseudo-likelihood (PL)) or the Laplace or quadrature integral approximation (Stroup 2012).
Time of Occurrence of an Event of Interest
Authors: Salinas Ruíz Josafhat , Montesinos López Osval Antonio , Hernández Ramírez Gabriela , Crossa Hiriart Jose
Published: August 2023

In studies such as biological sciences, animal science, and agronomy, a common outcome of interest is the time at which an event of interest occurs. The main characteristic of these data is that the subjects/experimental units are usually observed for different periods of time until the event of interest occurs. These events of interest may be adverse events such as the death of an experimental unit and the cessation of lactation, or positive events such as the conception of a female’s offspring from a particular treatment and the onset of estrus in a female undergoing hormone treatment, among others. Because of the characteristics of these response variables, a “normal” distribution is often a poor choice for modeling the time at which the event of interest occurs. Exponential, log-normal, gamma, Weibull, and other more complex distributions that tend to be more common and are better choices for modeling these phenomena.