bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Boesenbergia kalakadensis sp. nov. (Zingiberaceae) from southern Western Ghats, India
Authors: Santharam Saravanan Thokuluva , Kaliamoorthy Seventhilingam
Published: August 2024

Boesenbergia kalakadensis (Zingiberaceae), a new species from Kalakad‐Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR), Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu, India is described and illustrated. Boesenbergia kalakadensis is closely allied to B. rotunda Mansf., and B. tiliifolia (Baker) Kuntze, but differs from them in its rhizome, leaves, inflorescence, length of flowers, glabrous nature of bract and bracteoles, length of calyx and corolla tube, size and shape of the corolla lobes, size, colour and margins of lateral staminodes, broader, orbicular, flat labellum, sessile, glandular hairy, crested anther, and length of style. A key to species of Boesenbergia in Peninsular India is provided.
Nothing to lose? Neural correlates of decision, anticipation, and feedback in the balloon analog risk task
Authors: Schmidt Stephanie N. L. , Sehrig Sarah , Wolber Alexander , Rockstroh Brigitte , Mier Daniela
Published: August 2024

Understanding the subprocesses of risky decision making is a prerequisite for understanding (dys‐)functional decisions. For the present fMRI study, we designed a novel variant of the balloon‐analog‐risk task (BART) that measures three phases: decision making, reward anticipation, and feedback processing. Twenty‐nine healthy young adults completed the BART. We analyzed neural activity and functional connectivity. Parametric modulation allowed assessing changes in brain functioning depending on the riskiness of the decision. Our results confirm involvement of nucleus accumbens, insula, anterior cingulate cortex, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in all subprocesses of risky decision‐making. In addition, subprocesses were differentiated by the strength of activation in these regions, as well as by changes in activity and nucleus accumbens‐connectivity by the riskiness of the decision. The presented fMRI‐BART variant allows distinguishing activity and connectivity during the subprocesses of risky decision making and shows how activation and connectivity patterns relate to the riskiness of the decision. Hence, it is a useful tool for unraveling impairments in subprocesses of risky decision making in people with high risk behavior.
Factors contributing to stillbirth in young hyper‐prolific sows in a tropical free‐farrowing system
Authors: Ngo CongBang , Boonprakob Rafa , Tummaruk Padet
Published: August 2024

The present study investigated factors associated with the incidence of stillbirth in young hyper‐prolific sows within free farrowing systems in tropical environments. A total of 714 live‐born and 54 stillborn piglets from 57 Landrace × Yorkshire sows, with an average parity of 2.7 ± 1.0 (range: 1 – 4), were comprehensively investigated. Reproductive variables of the sows, including gestation length, farrowing duration, the total number of piglets born per litter, and the birth order and status of each piglet, were recorded. Differences in the physiological characteristics of live‐born and stillborn piglets, such as birth interval, cumulative birth interval, body weight at birth, crown‐rump length, body mass index (BMI), ponderal index (PI), meconium staining score, and the percentage of piglets with a broken umbilical cord, were analysed. Piglets were divided into four groups based on the quartiles of birth order (Q1–Q4). On average, the duration of farrowing was 173.3 ± 85.9 min, and the total number of piglets born and number of piglets born alive‐per litter were 14.1 ± 3.8 and 12.5 ± 3.5, respectively. The incidence of stillbirth was 6.7% (54/801 piglets). The higher percentages of stillbirths were detected in sows with large litter sizes (≥17 piglets, 10.9%) compared to those with small (≤13 piglets, 6.1%) and moderate (14 – 16 piglets, 2.8%) litter sizes (p < .001). The incidences of stillbirth in Q3 and Q4 of the litters were higher than in Q1 and Q2 (p < .001). Compared to live‐born piglets, stillborn piglets had higher cumulative birth interval (103.0 ± 3.71 vs. 142.4 ± 9.35 min, p < .001), BMI (17.1 ± 0.15 vs. 18.4 ± 0.39 kg/m2, p = .002), PI (63.7 ± 0.59 vs. 70.8 ± 1.59 kg/m3, p < .001), meconium staining scores (1.78 ± 0.04 vs. 2.04 ± 0.10, p = .021), and the percentage of piglets born with a ruptured umbilical cord (45.2% vs. 66.0%, p = .004). An increase in the incidence of stillbirth was detected at 60, 120, 150, 180, and ≥ 210 min after the first piglet was born, compared to those born within the first 30 min of farrowing (p < .05). In conclusion, the study found that stillbirths in young, hyper‐prolific sows were linked to several factors: large litter sizes (≥17 piglets per litter), prolonged cumulative birth intervals (142.4 min), elevated BMI of 18.4 kg/m2, high PI values of 70.8 kg/m3, increased meconium staining scores, and a higher occurrence of ruptured umbilical cords. To reduce the risk of stillbirth, particularly among piglets with high body indices born later in the birthing process, it is recommended to enhance farrowing supervision for young sows, starting at a cumulative birth interval of 60 min.
Reply to ‘Home oxygen guidelines: We do not know enough about LTOT’
Authors: Miller Belinda R. , McDonald Christine F. , Khor Yet Hong
Published: August 2024

See related editorial
The Reliability of Contraceptive Discontinuation Reporting in Burkina Faso, Kenya, and Uganda
Authors: Sarnak Dana , Magalona Sophia , Anglewicz Phil
Published: August 2024

Family planning researchers have been studying the discontinuation of contraception—the prevalence and reasons for it—for decades, as it has implications for contraceptive prevalence, total fertility, and unintended fertility. However little is known about the reliability of contraceptive discontinuation reporting: only two studies have examined the reliability of reported discontinuation in low‐resource contexts. We use longitudinal and overlapping data from reproductive calendars to test the reliability of women's reporting of contraceptive discontinuation in Burkina Faso, Kenya, and Uganda. We test whether recent discontinuations reported at baseline are reported one year later, and if the same reason for discontinuation is reported. Results reveal moderate reliability at the aggregate level of reporting of the index discontinuation; however, reliability is low when the timing of discontinuation is considered. There is variability across the reliability of reasons for discontinuation; discontinuation due to desired pregnancy is reported reliably while other reasons are less reliably reported. Our findings have important implications for the field, particularly in how the data are used and interpreted; we urge caution around event‐level analyses of contraceptive discontinuation and reasons for discontinuation, given low reliability.
Gender differences in the determinants of choking under pressure: Evidence from penalty kicks in soccer
Authors: Santos Ricardo Manuel
Published: August 2024

Objective

In this article, we aim to determine whether there are gender differences about the importance of psychological pressure at the time of the penalty kick event in soccer. Soccer is a formidable framework because it is easier to disentangle the psychological aspects from clearly observable actions, strategies, and outcomes. We are interested in identifying whether there is choking under pressure, a phenomenon characterized by individuals performing worse than they would under the absence of factors that trigger stress.

Methods

Four different pressure mechanisms are considered and tested using data from all 494 penalty kicks in the top male and female soccer tournament.

Results

Our findings show that the stress mechanisms considered affect scoring rates; however, we fail to identify statistically significant differences by gender.

Conclusion

Therefore, the design of programs aimed to help choking‐prone individuals should not over‐emphasize gender differences in this setting.
A simple predictor for donor‐specific anti‐HLA antibody desensitisation in haploidentical haematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Li Jia‐Ming , Zhang Zi‐Lu , Zhao Jia‐Lu , Wang Yu‐Qing , Gong Song‐Song , Lei Hang , Wang Xue‐Feng , Hu Xiao‐Xia , Cai Xiao‐Hong
Published: August 2024

Donor‐specific HLA antibody (DSA) has been recognised as an independent risk factor for graft failure in patients undergoing haploidentical haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HID HSCT). Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), as a first‐line strategy for DSA desensitisation, can promptly reduce serum DSA levels. This study aimed to investigate DSA characteristics and identify a biomarker predicting the efficacy of DSA desensitisation in patients proceeding to HID HSCT. We retrospectively enrolled 32 patients with DSA from April 2021 to January 2024, and analysed the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) value of DSA at the different time points of desensitisation treatment. Compared with baseline DSA level before TPE, the median MFI of HLA class I DSA was reduced from 8178.6 to 795.3 (p < 0.001), and HLA class II DSA decreased from 6210.9 to 808.8 (p < 0.001) after TPE. The DSA level in 1:16 diluted pre‐TPE serum correlated well with DSA value in post‐TPE serum (class I, r = 0.85, p < 0.0001; class II, r = 0.94, p < 0.0001), predicting TPE efficacy in 84.4% of patients. Based on the degree of DSA reduction after TPE, patients were divided into complete responders (decreased by >70%), partial responders (decreased by 30 to 70%) and non‐responders (decreased by <30%) and the percentages were 43.8%, 25% and 31.2%, respectively. Non‐responders receiving aggressive immunotherapy had longer overall survival compared to those receiving standard strategies (p < 0.05). The 1:16 diluted pre‐TPE serum may predict the efficacy of TPE and allow for more rational immunotherapy strategy for patients with DSA proceeding to HID HSCT.
Description of three new HLA‐B alleles: HLA‐B*15:689, HLA‐B*35:603 and HLA‐B*49:01:25
Authors: Loginova Maria , Paramonov Igor
Published: August 2024

HLA‐B*15:689, HLA‐B*35:603 and HLA‐B*49:01:25, three novel HLA class I alleles detected by next‐generation sequencing.
Arabidopsis VILLIN5 bundles actin filaments using a novel mechanism
Authors: Zhuang Yuhui , Wang Yingjie , Jiao Cuixia , Shang Zhonglin , Huang Shanjin
Published: August 2024

Being a bona fide actin bundler, Arabidopsis villin5 (VLN5) plays a crucial role in regulating actin stability and organization within pollen tubes. Despite its significance, the precise mechanism through which VLN5 bundles actin filaments has remained elusive. Through meticulous deletion analysis, we have unveiled that the link between gelsolin repeat 6 (G6) and the headpiece domain (VHP), rather than VHP itself, is indispensable for VLN5‐mediated actin bundling. Further refinement of this region has pinpointed a critical sequence spanning from Val763 to Ser823, essential for VLN5's actin‐bundling activity. Notably, the absence of Val763‐Ser823 in VLN5 results in decreased filamentous decoration within pollen tubes and a diminished ability to rescue actin bundling defects in vln2vln5 mutant pollen tubes compared to intact VLN5. Moreover, our findings highlight that the Val763‐Ser823 sequence harbors a binding site for F‐actin, suggesting that this linker‐based F‐actin binding site, in conjunction with the F‐actin binding site localized in G1–G6, enables a single VLN5 to concurrently bind to two adjacent actin filaments. Therefore, our study unveils a novel mechanism by which VLN5 bundles actin filaments.
Blood Neutrophil‐to‐Lymphocyte Ratio as a Potential Prognostic Marker in Dogs ≤10 kg With Multicentric Lymphoma
Authors: Park SoYoung , Kim Sehoon , Hong Yeon‐Jung , Park Jung‐Hoon , Han Mangil , Lee Younghee , Ryu Min‐Ok , Youn Hwa‐Young , Seo KyoungWon
Published: August 2024

Canine lymphoma, the most prevalent haematopoietic tumour in dogs, presents significant challenges in veterinary oncology. This study investigates the prognostic value of the neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in small‐sized dogs (≤10 kg) with multicentric lymphoma. In this retrospective study, we examined medical records and haematological data from 35 dogs to assess the association between NLR and two key outcomes: time‐to‐progression (TTP) and lymphoma‐specific survival (LSS) using Cox proportional hazards models. Our findings revealed a significant correlation between elevated NLR and a worse prognosis, as evidenced by TTP (p = 0.005) and LSS (p = 0.001). NLR is linked to increased hazard ratios (HRs) for the time‐to‐progression rate (TTPR) at 180, 360 and 540 days (p = 0.001, p = 0.003 and p = 0.005, respectively) and the lymphoma‐specific survival rate (LSSR) at the same intervals (p = 0.016, p = 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). Cutoff value of 3.764 for NLR was established, above which there is a significantly increased risk of early disease progression and decreased survival. Additionally, our analysis indicates that dogs with substage b exhibited earlier progression than those with substage a, evident in overall (p = 0.026) and TTPR at 180 days (p = 0.004), 360 days (p = 0.018), 540 days (p = 0.026) and LSSR at 180 days (p = 0.033). The results underscore the potential of NLR as a prognostic marker in cases of dogs ≤10 kg with multicentric lymphoma, suggesting that higher NLR is associated with a poorer prognosis.
Galois invariants of finite abelian descent and Brauer sets
Authors: Creutz Brendan , Pajwani Jesse , Voloch José Felipe
Published: August 2024

For a variety over a global field, one can consider subsets of the set of adelic points of the variety cut out by finite abelian descent or Brauer–Manin obstructions. Given a Galois extension of the ground field, one can consider similar sets over the extension and take Galois invariants. In this paper, we study under which circumstances the Galois invariants recover the obstruction sets over the ground field. As an application of our results, we study finite abelian descent and Brauer–Manin obstructions for isotrivial curves over function fields and extend results obtained by the first and last authors for constant curves to the isotrivial case.
Localized Manipulation of Martensite Transformation in Double-Sided Incremental Forming by Varying the Deformation Path
Authors: Darzi Shayan , Tulung Enrico , Kinsey Brad L. , Ha Jinjin
Published: August 2024

Incremental sheet metal forming is known for its high flexibility, making it suitable for fabricating low-batch, highly customized complex parts. In this article, a localized multipass toolpath referred to as localized reforming, with reverse forming in a region of interest, is employed within the double-sided incremental forming (DSIF) process to manipulate the mechanical properties of a truncated pyramid formed from austenitic stainless steel sheet, SS304, through deformation-induced martensite transformation. DSIF forms a clamped sheet through localized deformations by two opposing tools. The toolpath effect in localized reforming is examined in terms of martensite transformation, geometrical accuracy, and thickness distribution. The results are compared with a conventional toolpath, i.e., forming in a single pass. The results show that varying toolpaths lead to different martensite transformation levels, while final geometry and thickness remain similar. The study demonstrates that localized reforming significantly increases martensite transformation in the specified region, i.e., the center of the pyramid wall, to ∼70%, with a martensite fraction remaining around 25% elsewhere. In comparison, using a single pass forming toolpath leads to a decreasing martensite fraction from the base of the pyramid toward the apex, due to the heat generated, with values <10% along the entire wall. Through finite element simulation, it is shown that the increase in martensite transformation of the region of interest is with the plastic deformation accumulation during the reverse pass. These findings highlight the potential to tailor mechanical properties in specific areas using a reforming toolpath in DSIF.
FF-RRT*: A Sampling-Based Planner for Multirobot Global Formation Path Planning
Authors: Borate Suraj , Rana Rwik , Venkatesh Praveen , Vadali Madhu
Published: August 2024

This article presents a collision-free global path planning approach for multirobot systems called flexible formation—rapidly exploring randomized trees* (FF-RRT*). The algorithm is based on RRT* and provides a flexible and efficient representation of the formation geometry independent of the number of robots. It is designed to generate optimal paths for multirobot systems in a five-dimensional configuration space comprising the formation centroid, orientation, and scaling. An affine transformation is used to convert the path in the configuration space to the workspace of the robots. The proposed method employs a new distance function that eliminates the need for tuning weights and a sampling scheme for scaling factors to avoid inter-robot collisions. FF-RRT* is experimentally demonstrated using nonholonomic wheeled mobile robots and is effective in planning the collective motion of the robots. Robots could collectively reach goals by squeezing through narrow gaps and splitting and merging around large obstacles.
Thermal Investigations of Solar Panel Deployment Angles for a 3U CubeSat Orbiting at LEO
Authors: Atar Cihan , Aktaş Metin , Sözbir Nedim , Çamdalı Ünal
Published: August 2024

Designing and manufacturing of CubeSats have a rapidly growing interest lately as they can serve in a wide range of space missions. To ensure that they are safe, stable, and functional in harsh space environment, thermal studies are very important. New design approaches have been introduced to manufacture more efficient and long-lasting satellites, and deploying solar panels is one of them aiming to harness more solar energy. In the literature, however, the studies focusing on CubeSats with deployed solar panels at different angles are very limited. Due to this reason, we investigated the thermal influences of solar panel deployment angle for a 3U CubeSat at low Earth orbit in this study. With this aim, the solar panel deployment angles of 75, 60, 45, 30, 15, 0, −15, −30, −45, −60, and −75 deg were modeled and simulated thermally. Besides, various orbital positions corresponding to different Earth days were examined for the 3U CubeSat with fully deployed solar panels. In addition, the heat absorbed by CubeSat structural panels and its solar panels were analyzed in detail. The results showed that solar panel deployment angles are highly influential on the satellite heating, and hence, maximum heat input occurs at the deployment angle of 15 deg. It can be here noted that our results of this study may give rise to valuable contribution for optimizing the design and energy budget of CubeSats. Furthermore, the available energy harnessed by solar panels can be maximized accordingly.
Fluid Flow and Thermal Characteristics of an Obtuse-Angled Trapezoidal Solar Air Heater Channel With Corner Modifications and Ribs on Absorber Plates
Authors: Dara Rambabu , Muvvala Pullarao
Published: August 2024

In the ongoing research, an endeavor is made to discover the thermal and flow behavior of air flowing through an isosceles obtuse-angled trapezoidal solar air heater (SAH) channel by integrating a couple of geometrical amendments in the flow passage. By amending one or two bottom corners of the simple channel (model 1) from regular sharp to curvatures, two channels, i.e., model 2 and model 3 are generated. Out of models 1–3, the better model is discovered to be model 3, according to the rise in air bulk temperature value. The effect of the corner radius of curvature (5–20 mm) is also investigated in these three models. On the better model 3, rectangular ribs are deployed on few or all absorber plates, consequently, five channels, i.e., models 4–8 are generated. In these models, the rib parameters are adjusted, and advance inquiries are accomplished. 3D computational studies are operated by employing the ansys fluent. Furthermore, experiments are steered to justify the computational findings. The investigations are conceded over Reynolds numbers: 5000–28,000. The impact of operational factors on Nusselt number, friction factor, and channel exit air temperature is examined. The foremost goal of the SAH is to heat the air to a larger extent while passing through the channel. It is identified that the SAH channel model 4 (bottom two corners with a curvature of 20 mm and rectangular ribs on top absorber plate with relative rib height 0.04) is the supreme possibility, displaying temperature augmentation of 32.32% in contrast to the simple trapezoidal channel.
Modeling and Numerical Simulation of a Parabolic Trough Solar Collector Connected to a Solar Tracker
Authors: Sebbar E.H. , Labtira A. , Hmimou A. , El Rhafiki T.
Published: August 2024

The Earth's atmosphere receives approximately 1353 W m−2 of energy emitted by the Sun, is the primary source of radiation, and provides most of the energy available to life on Earth. The aim of this research is to study the optical and thermal performance of parabolic trough solar collectors (PTSC), considering internal parameters and meteorological conditions. A three-dimensional numerical model was developed and approved. An in-depth parametric analysis was conducted on the numerous factors influencing the thermal behavior of the collector. To perfect the absorber tube's exposure to solar radiation throughout the day, we have developed an electrical circuit that enables the PTSC to track the sun. All solar flux received by the concentrator is efficiently directed to the absorber surface, maximizing solar energy capture. Our system is thus both cost-effective and efficient in maximizing the use of the solar energy received. The behavior of this circuit was simulated using isis software to verify its functionality. Using the finite volume method with the ansys fluent 3D CFD tool, we conducted a complete analysis and resolution of the system of equations. We evaluated the performance of the PTSC as a function of mass flowrate and type of heat transfer fluid. When the mass flowrate increases from 0.001 kg s−1 to 0.003 kg s−1, energy production rises from 4.0555 kWh to 4.1309 kWh over 23 h. As far as the heat transfer fluid is concerned, the thermal oil is an efficient heat transfer fluid, with an energy output of 4.8972 kWh.
An Investigation of Secondary Cooling Effect on the Endwall Surface With Vane Trailing Edge Coolant Injection
Authors: Yang Xi , He Wenbin , Lei Jiang , Luo Ding , Chen Wenbin , Hao Xusheng
Published: August 2024

Considering the adequate use of coolant, the secondary cooling effect of trailing edge coolant injection on the downstream endwall surface is investigated in this study. Distributions of adiabatic cooling effectiveness on the endwall surface are obtained through pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) technique in a linear cascade at four mass flowrate ratios (MFR = 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) and two density ratios (DR = 1.0 and 1.5). The configurations of trailing edge pressure-side cutback (PC) and central cutback (CC) with three compound angles (β = 15 deg, 30 deg, and 45 deg) are implemented in this study. Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulations are performed to present the flow field. Results show that the geometry of the cutback slot has a significant effect on the endwall cooling performance. As the compound angle increases, the coolant coverage is expanded in width. A higher density ratio leads to a decrease in the area of coolant coverage, while the distribution is more uniform. Generally, with a higher mass flow ratio, the coolant coverage is greatly improved in area and value, which almost covers the entire downstream endwall surface.
Fabrication of hollow silicon microneedles using grayscale lithography and deep reactive ion etching
Authors: Zhang Dong , Hu Wenhan , Cui Bo
Published: August 2024

Microneedles are a promising technology for drug delivery. They are minimally invasive, painless, and easy to use for various applications. In this paper, a process for fabricating hollow microneedles on a silicon substrate using maskless direct writing grayscale lithography and deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) is investigated. During the process, two approaches are employed to smoothen the needle tip and reduce the roughness of the needle bevel. First, a grayscale lithography process is used to create a 3D photoresist structure with discrete height steps. This structure is then transferred into silicon using DRIE. An SF6 isotropic etching process is utilized to create a smooth surface on the upper portion of microneedles by smoothing out the steplike structures. Alternatively, after grayscale lithography, resist thermal reflow is used to smooth out the resist structures. The resist patterns are then transferred into silicon microneedles using the DRIE technique. The morphology of the microneedles can be adjusted by varying the etching selectivity of silicon over the resist. Hollow microneedles with a height of 360 μm are produced, which offers numerous practical applications.
Nanostructured bi-metallic Pd–Ag alloy films for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy-based sensing application
Authors: Das Niladri Mohan , Chauhan Avantika , Bharati M. S. S. , Bera Kousik , Kumar Satani Sampath , Soma Venugopal Rao , Chawla Amit Kumar , Rath Shyama , Avasthi Devesh Kumar
Published: August 2024

In the present work, thin films of bimetallic palladium–silver (Pd50Ag50 and Pd70Ag30) alloy on silicon substrates are deposited by direct current magnetron cosputtering in a vacuum chamber at a pressure of 10−7 Torr. The formation of the alloy is confirmed by the shift of x-ray diffraction peaks as compared to the pure phases of the metals. The films are subjected to rapid thermal annealing at 500 °C for 120 s. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is performed for low level detection of two analytes: crystal violet (dye) and tetryl (an explosive). The SERS signals are observed only in the case of the rapid thermal annealed films. The lowest concentration of the dye detected with Pd50Ag50 is 100 μM. In comparison, it is 250 μM for Pd70Ag30, indicating that a higher content of silver in the alloy is desirable from a SERS perspective due to its more robust plasmonic activity.
Spectrin mediates 3D-specific matrix stress-relaxation response in neural stem cell lineage commitment
Authors: Qiao Eric , Baek Jieung , Fulmore Camille , Song Myoung , Kim Taek-Soo , Kumar Sanjay , Schaffer David V.
Published: August 2024

While extracellular matrix (ECM) stress relaxation is increasingly appreciated to regulate stem cell fate commitment and other behaviors, much remains unknown about how cells process stress-relaxation cues in tissue-like three-dimensional (3D) geometries versus traditional 2D cell culture. Here, we develop an oligonucleotide-crosslinked hyaluronic acid–based ECM platform with tunable stress relaxation properties capable of use in either 2D or 3D. Strikingly, stress relaxation favors neural stem cell (NSC) neurogenesis in 3D but suppresses it in 2D. RNA sequencing and functional studies implicate the membrane-associated protein spectrin as a key 3D-specific transducer of stress-relaxation cues. Confining stress drives spectrin’s recruitment to the F-actin cytoskeleton, where it mechanically reinforces the cortex and potentiates mechanotransductive signaling. Increased spectrin expression is also accompanied by increased expression of the transcription factor EGR1, which we previously showed mediates NSC stiffness-dependent lineage commitment in 3D. Our work highlights spectrin as an important molecular sensor and transducer of 3D stress-relaxation cues.
Earth-Moon dynamics from cyclostratigraphy reveals possible ocean tide resonance in the Mesoproterozoic era
Authors: Zhou Maoyang , Wu Huaichun , Hinnov Linda A. , Fang Qiang , Zhang Shihong , Yang Tianshui , Shi Meinan
Published: August 2024

Cyclostratigraphy is an important observational window into the history of the Earth-Moon system. However, there is limited information from the Mesoproterozoic era (1.0 to 1.6 billion years ago); accordingly, only weak constraints on Earth-Moon separation and tidal dissipation are available for this time. To close this knowledge gap, we analyze cyclostratigraphy from the Yemahe Formation (~1.2 billion years ago), Wumishan Formation (~1.5 billion years ago), and Chuanlinggou Formation (~1.6 billion years ago) in China. We use a Bayesian inversion method to analyze the three cyclostratigraphic sections. We combine previous results with these three estimates to construct an updated Earth-Moon system evolution and tidal dissipation history after 2.5 billion years ago. The results show a tidal dissipation peak that is consistent with the model predictions within the error range but also that there may be an additional resonance fluctuation in the Mesoproterozoic era.
Recruited atypical Ly6G
+
macrophages license alveolar regeneration after lung injury
Authors: Ruscitti Cecilia , Abinet Joan , Maréchal Pauline , Meunier Margot , de Meeûs Constance , Vanneste Domien , Janssen Pierre , Dourcy Mickael , Thiry Marc , Bureau Fabrice , Schneider Christoph , Machiels Benedicte , Hidalgo Andres , Ginhoux Florent , Dewals Benjamin G. , Guiot Julien , Schleich Florence , Garigliany Mutien-Marie , Bellahcène Akeila , Radermecker Coraline , Marichal Thomas
Published: August 2024

The lung is constantly exposed to airborne pathogens and particles that can cause alveolar damage. Hence, appropriate repair responses are essential for gas exchange and life. Here, we deciphered the spatiotemporal trajectory and function of an atypical population of macrophages after lung injury. Post–influenza A virus (IAV) infection, short-lived monocyte-derived Ly6G-expressing macrophages (Ly6G
+
Macs) were recruited to the alveoli of lung perilesional areas. Ly6G
+
Macs engulfed immune cells, exhibited a high metabolic potential, and clustered with alveolar type 2 epithelial cells (AT2s) in zones of active epithelial regeneration. Ly6G
+
Macs were partially dependent on granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-4 receptor signaling and were essential for AT2-dependent alveolar regeneration. Similar macrophages were recruited in other models of injury and in the airspaces of lungs from patients with suspected pneumonia. This study identifies perilesional alveolar Ly6G
+
Macs as a spatially restricted, short-lived macrophage subset promoting epithelial regeneration postinjury, thus representing an attractive therapeutic target for treating lung damage.
Public health case for microbiome-sparing antibiotics and new opportunities for drug development
Authors: McDonald L. Clifford , Young Vincent B. , Wilcox Mark H. , Halpin Alison Laufer , Chaves Ricardo L.
Published: August 2024

Although antibiotics remain a cornerstone of modern medicine, the issues of widespread antibiotic resistance and collateral damage to the microbiome from antibiotic use are driving a need for drug developers to consider more tailored, patient-directed products to avoid antibiotic-induced perturbations of the structure and function of the indigenous microbiota. This perspective summarizes a cascade of microbiome health effects that is initiated by antibiotic-mediated microbiome disruption at an individual level and ultimately leads to infection and transmission of multidrug-resistant pathogens across patient populations. The scientific evidence behind each of the key steps of this cascade is presented. The interruption of this cascade through the use of highly targeted, microbiome-sparing antibiotics aiming to improve health outcomes is discussed. Further, this perspective reflects on some key clinical trial design and reimbursement considerations to be addressed as part of the drug development path.
Supplemental Material: Cretaceous magnetostratigraphy of the southern Simao Basin, SE Tibetan Plateau, and its paleogeographic implications
Authors: Zhang Dawen , Yan maodu , al. et
Published: August 2024

Tables S1–S3 and Figures S1–S8.
Supplemental Material: Body-size reductions in dacryoconarid tentaculitoids during Late Devonian warming
Authors: Prow-Fleischer Ashley N. , et al.
Published: August 2024

Figure S1: Log-transformed adult volume distributions for each sampled interval. Figure S2: Log-transformed initial chamber volume distributions for each sampled bed. Figure S3: Evolutionary trajectory modeling. Figure S4: Family-level stratigraphic trends in mean log-transformed initial chamber volumes (A), adult volumes (B), and adult to initial chamber ratio (C). Figure S5: Geochemical proxy data for nutrient availability (A–C) and redox conditions (D–E) relevant interval spanning the upper West River Formation through the punctata zonation of the lower Rhinestreet Formation from Akzo core 9455.
Is precarious employment an occupational hazard? Evidence from Ontario, Canada
Authors: Shahidi Faraz Vahid , Liao Qing , Landsman Victoria , Mustard Cameron , Robson Lynda S , Biswas Aviroop , Smith Peter M
Published: August 2024

Objectives

To examine the association between precarious employment and risk of occupational injury or illness in Ontario, Canada.

Methods

We combined accepted lost-time compensation claims from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board with labour force statistics to estimate injury and illness rates between January 2016 and December 2019. Precarious employment was imputed using a job exposure matrix and operationalised in terms of temporary employment, low wages, irregular hours, involuntary part-time employment and a multidimensional measure of ‘low’, ‘medium’, ‘high’ and ‘very high’ probabilities of exposure to precarious employment. Negative binomial regression models examined exposure to precarious employment in relation to risk of occupational injury or illness.

Results

After adjusting for age, sex and year, all indicators of precarious employment were associated with increased risk of injury or illness. Workers with ‘high’ and ‘very’ high’ exposure to precarious employment presented a nearly threefold risk of injury or illness (rate ratio (RR): 2.81, 95% CI 2.73 to 2.89; RR: 2.82, 95% CI 2.74 to 2.90). Further adjustment for physical demands and workplace hazards attenuated associations, though a statistically and substantively significant exposure–outcome relationship persisted for workers with ‘high’ and ‘very high’ exposures to precarious employment (RR: 1.65, 95% CI 1.58 to 1.72; RR: 2.00, 95% CI 1.92 to 2.08).

Conclusions

Workers exposed to precarious employment are more likely to sustain a lost-time injury or illness in Ontario, Canada. Workplace health and safety strategies should consider the role of precarious employment as an occupational hazard and a marker of work injury risk.
Longyearbyen CO2 lab project—from a vision of a CO2-neutral Svalbard to a geoscience data eldorado
Authors: Senger Kim , Betlem Peter , Braathen Alvar , Olaussen Snorre , Sand Gunnar
Published: August 2024

The Longyearbyen CO2 lab project was initiated in 2006 by the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) to establish whether subsurface storage of locally produced CO2 is feasible. Over a decade of drilling operations and geoscientific research concluded that the subsurface was suitable for storing the CO2 generated from the local power plant. The geological ingredients for successful CO2 storage are in place, comprising a ca. 300 m thick, sandstone-dominated reservoir rock capped by an impermeable mudstone-dominated succession. No CO2 was ever injected for storage in Svalbard for economic and political reasons. However, the project generated a wealth of new data, some of which proved critical for studies related to CO2 storage elsewhere. The data were also key to the characterization of fluid flow and geothermal potential in Svalbard, deciphering past climatic changes, unravelling past tectonic events, some of relevance for understanding the plate tectonic evolution of the Arctic, as well as updating the global geological timescale. In this contribution, we briefly outline the history and main achievements of the Longyearbyen CO2 lab project, before describing, categorizing and openly sharing the publicly available data from the project, including peer-reviewed publications (123 so far) and theses (18 PhD and 34 MSc).
Disjointness of inertial KMS states and the role of Lorentz symmetry in thermalization
Authors: Passegger Albert Georg , Verch Rainer
Published: August 2024

For any local, translation-covariant quantum field theory on Minkowski spacetime, we prove that two distinct states that are invariant under the inertial time evolutions in different inertial reference frames are disjoint, i.e. neither state is a perturbation of the other, if the states are primary, have separating Gelfand–Naimark–Segal (GNS) vectors, and satisfy a timelike cluster property called the mixing property. These conditions are fulfilled by the inertial Kubo–Martin–Schwinger (KMS) states of the free scalar field, thus showing that a state satisfying the KMS condition relative to one inertial frame is far from thermal equilibrium relative to other inertial frames. We review the property of return to equilibrium (RTE) in open quantum systems theory and discuss the implications of disjointness on the asymptotic behavior of detector systems coupled to states of a free massless scalar field. We argue that the coupled system of an Unruh–DeWitt detector moving with constant velocity relative to the field in a KMS state, or an excitation thereof, cannot thermalize under generic conditions. This leads to an illustration of the physical differences between heat baths in inertial systems and the alleged “heat bath” of the Unruh effect. This paper also sketches the construction and RTE property of the quantum dynamical system of an Unruh–DeWitt detector coupled to a massless scalar field in a KMS state relative to the inertial rest frame of the detector.
R&D status of FARICH option for PID
Authors: Barnyakov A. Yu. , Bobrovnikov V. S. , Buzykaev A. R. , Chepelev A. V. , Danilyuk A. F. , Katcin A. A. , Kravchenko E. A. , Kononov S. A. , Kuyanov I. A. , Ovtin I. V. , Petrukhin K. G. , Porosev V. V. , Podgornov N. A. , Shalygin A. S.
Published: August 2024

The Super Charm-Tau Factory project is a future electron–positron colliding beam experiment with unprecedented high luminosity of 10[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]cm[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]s[Formula: see text] at the center of mass energy range from 3 to 7[Formula: see text]GeV. To perform the broad physics program, the high-performance universal detector is proposed. One of the main detector subsystems is the FARICH (Focusing Aerogel RICH) detector. The proposed FARICH scheme combined with abilities of tracking system will provide the excellent [Formula: see text]-separation for the whole operation momentum range and [Formula: see text]-separation up to momentum of 1.5[Formula: see text]GeV/c. In 2023 two multilayer focusing aerogel samples with record overall sizes [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]mm were produced in Novosibirsk. The results of the beam tests of these aerogel samples and comparison with simulation are presented. Conceptual design and some technical issues of the dedicated particle identification system based on FARICH technique are discussed as well.
Selecting Third-Party Libraries: The Web Developers’ Perspective
Authors: Tabassum Mehreen , Butt Wasi Haider , Muzaffar Abdul Wahab , Lashari Saima Anwar
Published: August 2024

Web developers use third-party libraries to enhance the performance and effectiveness of web development process. There may be different libraries to perform each task, and they have a significant impact on a project’s timelines and success; therefore, library selection is crucial. Many factors influence library selection, making it challenging for a web developer to choose the best library to utilize. Researchers have found out the factors that data scientists and software developers consider when selecting a third-party library. This research determines the factors that web developers consider when selecting a library by conducting a survey of web developers using the same 26 factors (used for software developers and data scientists). This work highlights the top-ranked library selection factors based on the ratings by web developers and identifies new factors influencing web developers’ choice of libraries. This research also compares the top-ranked library selection factors highlighted by web developers with the ones identified by software developers and data scientists. It also discusses the factors that these two communities and web developers score differently. This study finds out that web developers rate 14 factors differently from software developers and there are 12 factors that web developers rate differently from data scientists.
Failure Prediction of an Airfoil-Type Crack in Thermoelectric Coupling Materials
Authors: Chao Ching-Kong , Liao Yi-Lun , Ma Chien-Ching , Shen Ming-Ho
Published: August 2024

Airfoil-type cracks with curved surfaces and sharp tips are frequently encountered in modern engineering applications and the aerospace industry. However, such cracks significantly threaten structures due to stress concentration and further cause damage. This study investigates the theoretical analysis and failure prediction of airfoil-type cracks within thermoelectric coupling materials under the interaction of remote mechanical loads, heat flux and electric current density. By employing complex variable theory, conformal mapping methods, and the analytic continuation theorem, the full-field stress and stress intensity factors of an airfoil-type crack were determined under three different loading conditions. The results indicate that when the airfoil-shaped crack tip is subjected to horizontal compression, vertical tensile mechanical load, and both heat flux and current density parallel to the crack, the crack tip would reach a dangerous state. Additionally, the full-field stress distribution reveals stress concentration around the crack tip, which explains variations in SIFs under different external forces and shape factors. Four critical situations suppressing crack propagation under mixed loading conditions are proposed. Furthermore, using an acrylic plate and bismuth telluride alloy as examples, the critical values of external loading for the mixed-mode fracture are determined based on the strain energy density criterion. These critical values can be used to predict failure initiation, thus reducing the risk of structural failure due to airfoil cracks within thermoelectric coupling materials.
Fractional Model for Blood Flow in a Stenosed Artery Under MHD Effect Through a Porous Medium
Authors: Shit Abhijit , Bora Swaroop Nandan
Published: August 2024

This paper presents a fractional approach as a substitute to the integer-order model, describing the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) effect of blood flow in a stenosed artery. We not only obtain an analytical solution for the fractional governing equation but also present an expression for the wall-shear stress. After the successful verification of our model with established models, we carry out a two-step validation with the experimental data existing in literature. Then, we analyze the obtained plots by using the analytic expression. We exhibit how fractional model (FM) is helpful for controlling the blood flow through a stenosed artery. This study also indicates that magnetic field intensity significantly controls the flow velocity and wall-shear stress to a great extent. We also show that the external magnetic field, along with the fractional order of the governing equation, plays a pivotal role in the solution of the problem involving the treatment of stenosis. Finally, we conduct some experimental data approximation by the solution to establish the credibility of the proposed fractional-order model.
LLMs: Their Past, Promise, and Problems
Authors: Luger George F.
Published: August 2024

Transformer-based large language models are currently at the forefront of modern artificial intelligence. Their prominence followed from the seminal paper Attention is All You Need [1]. Vaswani and his colleagues suggested placing attention mechanisms within the encoder and decoder modules of autoencoders rather than using them to focus between these two modules. In this paper we present first the seminal insights of early AI that lead to deep learning. We then describe the mathematical tools necessary for understanding the current generation of LLMs and follow this with a brief description of the transformer architecture. We then provide examples of LLMs in action and conclude with some observations of their promise and problems.
Radical transversal screen pseudo-slant lightlike submersions from indefinite Sasakian manifolds onto lightlike manifolds
Authors: Shukla S. S. , Singh Vipul
Published: August 2024

As a generalization of transversal and radical transversal screen slant lightlike submersions, we introduce the notion of radical transversal screen pseudo-slant lightlike submersions from indefinite Sasakian manifolds onto lightlike manifolds with examples. We obtain an existence theorem for such lightlike submersions and study the geometry of distributions involved in the definition.
Eco-Friendly Synthesis of Novel and Potential Anisylation Adduct and Its DFT Study
Authors: Ravula Shivakumar , Shivunapuram Mahesh , Shaik Khaja Samiuddin , Kothakapu Sridhar Reddy , Laxmi Somarapu Vijaya
Published: August 2024

This work describes the preparation of [DMAPAS][Formula: see text]Cl− using an eco-friendly approach. Third, fourth, sixth, and seventh green chemical principles were executed in this optimization process. About 99% of yield was obtained by using 1.0 equivalents of 4-methoxybenzenesulfonyl chloride and N, N-dimethylpyridin-4-amine (DMAP) at r.t., in EtOAc (class 3 solvent) under inert atmosphere free and column chromatography free conditions. DFT comparison studies of three regioisomeric anisylation reagents such as [DMAPpAS][Formula: see text]Cl−, [DMAPmAS][Formula: see text]Cl−, and [DMAPoAS][Formula: see text]Cl− were carried out to understand the stability and reactivity of [DMAPpAS][Formula: see text]Cl− adduct. It also gives scope to develop novel protecting groups like O-tosylation and to prepare novel sulfonates and sulphonamides.
WORLDWIDE RESEARCH ON HALAL TOURISM: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS
Authors: JAFAR AHMAD , QADRI AHMED QASIM , HUSNA ANIS
Published: August 2024

The growth of halal tourism has attracted attention globally, with numerous countries expanding their tourism infrastructure to support economic development. Despite the increasing interest in halal tourism, the existing literature primarily comprises theoretical background research found in online databases. It is crucial to evaluate the extent of research on halal tourism and the most productive sources, affiliations, countries, and authors that contribute to halal tourism research and trends. This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of halal tourism research based on the Scopus database. Bibliometric analysis has been recognized as a significant method. This technique offers a systematic and transparent examination of the field, enabling researchers to understand the current state of affairs, identify core topics, and explore existing relationships within this domain. The top three jurisdictions of halal tourism, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, and Turkey, were selected for the study. The bibliometric analysis was conducted using Scopus analyzer, RStudio VOSviewer version 1.6.17, and Microsoft Excel. The analysis covered 90 documents published between 2010 and 2021. The study’s findings reveal the research’s nature and direction over the past decade, highlighting dominant jurisdictions, journals, authors, and co-occurrence networks. However, limitations exist in using a single database source, indicating the need for additional databases in future research. This research provides academicians and practitioners with comprehensive insights into the concept and implementation of halal tourism, facilitating the development of strategic initiatives to enhance the satisfaction of Muslim tourists and travelers.