bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alterations in the expression of homologous recombination repair (HRR) genes in breast cancer tissues considering germline BRCA1/2 mutation status
Authors: Laczmanska Izabela , Matkowski Rafal , Supplitt Stanislaw , Karpinski Pawel , Abrahamowska Mariola , Laczmanski Lukasz , Maciejczyk Adam , Czykalko Ewelina , Iwaneczko Ewelina , Kasprzak Piotr , Szynglarewicz Bartłomiej , Sasiadek Maria
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Homologous recombination (HR) is a crucial DNA-repair mechanism, and its disruption can lead to the accumulation of mutations that initiate and promote cancer formation. The key HR genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, are particularly significant as their germline pathogenic variants are associated with a hereditary predisposition to breast and/or ovarian cancer.

Materials and methods

The study was performed on 45 FFPE breast cancer tissues obtained from 24 and 21 patients, with and without the germline BRCA1/2 mutation, respectively. The expression of 11 genes: BRCA1, BRCA2, ATM, BARD1, FANCA, FANCB, FANCI, RAD50, RAD51D, BRIP1, and CHEK2 was assessed using Custom RT2 PCR Array (Qiagen), and results were analysed using R.

Results

Cancer tissues from patients with BRCA1 or BRCA2 germline mutations displayed no significant differences in the expression of the selected HR genes compared to BRCA1 or BRCA2 wild-type cancer tissues. In BRCA1mut cancer tissues, BRCA1 expression was significantly higher than in BRCA2mut and BRCA wild-type cancer tissues.

Conclusions

In cancer tissues harbouring either BRCA1 or BRCA2 germline mutations, no significant differences in expression were observed at the mRNA level of any tested HR genes, except BRCA1. However, the significant differences observed in BRCA1 expression between germline BRCA1mut, germline BRCA2mut and BRCA1/2wt tissues may indicate a compensatory mechanism at the mRNA level to mitigate the loss of BRCA1 function in the cells.
Engaging students in higher education with educational technology
Authors: Godsk Mikkel , Møller Karen Louise
Published: August 2024

There is a widespread agenda of improving teaching and learning in higher education by engaging students with educational technology. Based on a large-scale literature review, the article presents 61 specific, research-based recommendations for realising the engagement potential of eight types of educational technologies in higher education. These recommendations can be used, for example, by educators to incorporate specific, available educational technologies into their teaching or as an educational development method to enhance particular forms of student engagement. Based on the evidence, the article points out that some educational technologies have a more documented and sometimes also broader potential to engage the students behaviourally, affectively, and/or cognitively than others and that this likely is related to the extent the technology supports structure, active learning, communication, interaction, and activities on the higher levels on the learning taxonomies.
Artificial intelligence applications in education: Natural language processing in detecting misconceptions
Authors: Kökver Yunus , Pektaş Hüseyin Miraç , Çelik Harun
Published: August 2024

This study aims to determine the misconceptions of teacher candidates about the greenhouse effect concept by using Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithm instead of human experts. The Knowledge Discovery from Data (KDD) process model was preferred in the study where the Analyse, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate (ADDIE) instructional design cycle was used. The dataset obtained from 402 teacher candidates was analysed by Natural Language Processing (NLP) methods. Data was classified using Machine Learning (ML), one of the AI tools, and supervised learning algorithms. It was concluded that 175 teacher candidates did not have sufficient knowledge about the concept of greenhouse effect. It was found that the AI algorithm with the highest accuracy rate and used to predict teacher candidates’ misconceptions was Multilayer Perceptron (MLP). Furthermore, through the Enhanced Ensemble Model Architecture developed by researchers, the combination of ML algorithms has achieved the highest accuracy rate. The kappa (κ) value was examined in determining the significant difference between the AI algorithm and the human expert evaluation, and it was found that there was a significant difference, and the strength of agreement was significant according to the research findings. The findings of the current study represent a significant alternative to the prevailing pedagogical approach, which has increasingly come to rely on information technologies in the process of improving conceptual understanding through the detection of conceptual misconceptions. In addition, recommendations were made for future studies.
Foreign Direct Investment and Technology Licensing in a Polluting Industry
Authors: Cao Jiyun , Mukherjee Arijit
Published: August 2024

We consider a firm’s incentive for foreign direct investment (FDI) and international technology licensing in a polluting industry. We explain the rationale and the welfare implications of complementarity between FDI and licensing, i.e., the firm’s strategy of “FDI and licensing” (FL), which is empirically relevant but ignored in the literature. When the environmental tax cannot be committed, the firm adopts the licensing strategy if the pollution intensity is not high, and the licensing strategy may create lower consumer surplus and welfare compared to both FDI and FL. However, if the pollution intensity is high, the firm undertakes FL, which provide higher consumer surplus and welfare compared to both licensing and FDI. When the government can commit to the environmental tax, the firm always prefers FL. The host-country welfare is higher but the consumer surplus and world welfare may be lower under the committed tax policy compared to the non-committed tax policy. These results hold under Cournot competition and Stackelberg competition. We further show that FL can be the equilibrium strategy of the foreign firm if there is fixed-fee licensing instead of a two-part tariff licensing, which is considered in the main analysis.
Green Innovation and Energy Efficiency: Moderating Effect of Institutional Quality Based on the Threshold Model
Authors: Chen Chaoyi , Pinar Mehmet , Román-Collado Rocío
Published: August 2024

Recent studies demonstrated that green innovation and environment-related technologies reduce energy intensity and improve energy efficiency, contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions. However, the existing studies employ linear estimation methods to examine the relationship between green innovation and energy intensity and do not consider the indirect implications of institutional quality for the effect of green technology on energy intensity. Institutional quality is found to be an essential driver of innovation, and countries may need to achieve at least a minimum level of institutional quality to promote green innovation and improve their energy intensity. To test this hypothesis, this paper examines the relationship between energy intensity and green innovation using a panel dataset from 72 countries between 1996 and 2017 and a panel threshold model when institutional quality is considered a threshold variable. The findings highlight that green innovation reduces the energy intensity if and only if countries surpass a certain threshold of institutional quality. Therefore, countries need to improve their institutional quality to promote green innovation and benefit from green technologies in improving their energy intensity.
The algebraic learning of middle school students’ evolution during a school year: a statistical large-scale study based on results in mathematics didactics
Authors: Grugeon-Allys Brigitte , Pilet Julia
Published: August 2024

This large-scale study characterizes the algebraic learning of a cohort of nearly 800 French students during the last year of middle school (9th grade, 14–15 years old) and examines their evolution in relation to the composition of the classes to which the students belong. Based on the Anthropological Theory of the Didactic (ATD), the study is founded both on a reference model of elementary algebra and on technological-theoretical levels characterizing the students’ reasoning and their knowledge regarding institutional expectations. These are used to code the data and define the statistical variables on which multivariate descriptive analyses are carried out. Students’ learning is analyzed through Pépite, an algebra test given at the beginning and at the end of the year. A cluster analysis resulted in three distinct clusters of similar classes and of similar students both at the beginning and end of the grade 9 school year. They are interpreted didactically and could be useful for a teacher who has to manage the heterogeneity of learning in a class. Some classes and students move from one cluster to another between the beginning and the end of the year, showing a wide variety of ways in which students’ algebra learning progresses or regresses over a school year.
Vocal differences in note, sequence and great call sequence among three closely related Nomascus gibbon species
Authors: Han Pu , Ma Hai-gang , Wang Zi-di , Fan Peng-lai , Fan Peng-fei
Published: August 2024

The vocal structure of gibbons has long been believed to be under strong genetic control and consistent with phylogeny. Gibbon vocalizations show hierarchical structures and song coordination behaviors, which may have different functions and convey distinct information compared to basic notes. However, previous studies have not compared vocalizations at multiple levels across species. We compared the vocal structures of three Nomascus species in the wild in South China, namely the western black gibbon (Nomascus concolor), Cao vit gibbon (N. nasutus), and Hainan gibbon (N. hainanus) at the levels of note (six features of four types of notes), male sequence (eight features), and song coordination (four features of the overlap pattern between male and female songs). We selected 15 recordings for each species: N. concolor (six groups, 2006 to 2021), N. nasutus (seven groups, 2008 to 2021), and N. hainanus (six groups, 2020 to 2021). We used permuted random forest analysis to test for species differences in vocal structure and the contribution of acoustic features to species differences at each level. We used acoustic features to construct a hierarchical clustering tree, and compared it with phylogenetic relationships. We found significant differences at all levels except the boom note. Acoustic similarity did not match genetic similarity in boom and pre-modulated notes, suggesting that genetic differences are not the only factor leading to species differences in vocal structures. We also found different contributions of acoustic features to differentiation in vocal structure at different levels. Our study suggests that we need to compare gibbon vocalizations at different levels to understand their differentiation and evolution.
Two Finite Element Approaches for the Porous Medium Equation That Are Positivity Preserving and Energy Stable
Authors: Vijaywargiya Arjun , Fu Guosheng
Published: August 2024

In this work, we present the construction of two distinct finite element approaches to solve the porous medium equation (PME). In the first approach, we transform the PME to a log-density variable formulation and construct a continuous Galerkin method. In the second approach, we introduce additional potential and velocity variables to rewrite the PME into a system of equations, for which we construct a mixed finite element method. Both approaches are first-order accurate, mass conserving, and proved to be unconditionally energy stable for their respective energies. The mixed approach is shown to preserve positivity under a CFL condition, while a much stronger property of unconditional bound preservation is proved for the log-density approach. A novel feature of our schemes is that they can handle compactly supported initial data without the need for any perturbation techniques. Furthermore, the log-density method can handle unstructured grids in any number of dimensions, while the mixed method can handle unstructured grids in two dimensions. We present results from several numerical experiments to demonstrate these properties.
The Digital Witness: Exploring Gestural Misinformation in Tele-Forensic Interviews with 5-8-Year-Old Children
Authors: Johnstone Kirsty L. , Martin Chris , Blades Mark
Published: August 2024

Child abuse is a major concern worldwide. While live-link interviews have been successful in legal and medical contexts, its potential for eyewitness interviews remains insufficiently studied, particularly in terms of non-verbal misinformation. This study explored tele-forensic interviewing (tele-FI), where video-conferencing software such as Zoom or Skype are used to conduct forensic interviews, as an alternative to face-to-face interviews. Focus was given to the susceptibility of eyewitness memory to the gestural misinformation effect (GME) where post-event information in the form of gesture can distort recall of a witnessed incident. Forty-seven children were recruited ranging in age from 5- to 8-years-old (M = 6 years 11 months). Comparisons were made to face-to-face conditions from prior published work by the authors (N = 63, M = 7 years 2 months) using the same methodology, video, and question sets. Results find support for the GME during tele-FI, with 1.23 misinformation details recorded on average and tele-FI showing a similar response pattern as face-to-face interviews. Accuracy was shown to be comparable in tele-FI (M = 16.21) compared to face-to-face interviews (M = 14.02), with a notable increase in the amount of relevant information provided in the tele-FI condition. Developmental age showed significant increases in the quality and quantity of data. This study provides evidence for tele-FI as a viable alternative to face-to-face interviews, and represents the first exploration of the GME in tele-FI, to the best of our knowledge. Discussion focuses on the benefits of tele-FI and the implications for police interview guidelines.
A Ramsey-Type Equilibrium Model with Spatially Dispersed Agents
Authors: Frerick Leonhard , Müller-Fürstenberger Georg , Schmidt Martin , Späth Max
Published: August 2024

We present a spatial and time-continuous Ramsey-type equilibrium model for households and firms that interact on a spatial domain to model labor mobility in the presence of commuting costs. After discretization in space and time, we obtain a mixed complementarity problem that represents the spatial equilibrium model. We prove existence of equilibria using the theory of finite-dimensional variational inequalities and derive a tailored diagonalization method to solve the resulting large-scale instances. Finally, we present a case study that highlights the influence of commuting costs and show that the model allows to analyze transitory effects of industrial agglomeration that emerge and vanish over time as in the real economy.
Research paper recommendation system based on multiple features from citation network
Authors: Kanwal Tayyaba , Amjad Tehmina
Published: August 2024

With tremendous growth in the volume of published scholarly work, it becomes quite difficult for researchers to find appropriate documents relevant to their research topic. Many research paper recommendation approaches have been proposed and implemented which include collaborative filtering, content-based, metadata, link-based and multi-level citation network. In this research, a novel Research paper Recommendation system is proposed by integrating Multiple Features (RRMF). RRMF constructs a multi-level citation network and collaboration network of authors for feature integration. The structure and semantic based relationships are identified from the citation network whereas key authors are extracted from collaboration network for the study. For experimentation and analysis, AMiner v12 DBLP-Citation Network is used that covers 4,894,081 academic papers and 45,564,149 citation relationships. The information retrieval metrices including Mean Average Precision, Mean Reciprocal Rank and Normalized Discounted Cumulative Gain are used for evaluating the performance of proposed system. The research results of proposed approach RRMF are compared with baseline Multilevel Simultaneous Citation Network (MSCN) and Google Scholar. Consequently, comparison of RRMF showed 87% better recommendations than the traditional MSCN and Google Scholar.
Promoting Data Sharing: The Moral Obligations of Public Funding Agencies
Authors: Wendelborn Christian , Anger Michael , Schickhardt Christoph
Published: August 2024

Sharing research data has great potential to benefit science and society. However, data sharing is still not common practice. Since public research funding agencies have a particular impact on research and researchers, the question arises: Are public funding agencies morally obligated to promote data sharing? We argue from a research ethics perspective that public funding agencies have several pro tanto obligations requiring them to promote data sharing. However, there are also pro tanto obligations that speak against promoting data sharing in general as well as with regard to particular instruments of such promotion. We examine and weigh these obligations and conclude that all things considered funders ought to promote the sharing of data. Even the instrument of mandatory data sharing policies can be justified under certain conditions.
Iron Overloading Potentiates the Antitumor Activity of 5-Fluorouracil by Promoting Apoptosis and Ferroptosis in Colorectal Cancer Cells
Authors: Rah Bilal , Shafarin Jasmin , Karim Asima , Bajbouj Khuloud , Hamad Mawieh , Muhammad Jibran Sualeh
Published: August 2024

Resistance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) remains a significant challenge in colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment. Ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) is commonly used as an iron supplement due to its food-fortification properties; however, its potential role as a chemosensitizer in cancer therapy has not been studied. In this study, we explored the ability of FAC to sensitize CRC cells and increase their susceptibility to 5-FU-mediated anticancer effects. We assessed cell viability, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, ferroptosis, and iron metabolism-related protein expression using two CRC cell lines. Additionally, we conducted in silico analyses to compare iron markers in normal colon and CRC tumor tissues. Compared to controls, CRC cells pretreated with FAC and then treated with 5-FU exhibited significantly reduced growth and viability, along with increased ROS-mediated ferroptosis. Mechanistically, FAC-pretreated then 5-FU-treated CRC cells showed enhanced apoptosis, increased Bak/Bax expression, MMP depolarization, and decreased antiapoptotic protein levels (Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL). This combined treatment also led to G2/M cell cycle arrest, upregulation of p21 and p27, and downregulation of cyclin D1, c-Myc, survivin, and GPX4. Analysis of human colon tumor tissue revealed decreased expression of IRP-1, HMOX-1, and FTH1 but increased HAMP expression. In contrast, FAC-pretreated/5-FU-treated CRC cells exhibited a reverse pattern, suggesting that FAC-induced chemosensitization enhances 5-FU-mediated anticancer activity in CRC by disrupting iron homeostasis. These findings highlight the potential of iron overload as a chemosensitization strategy for improving CRC chemotherapy.
Urban Agriculture’s ‘Invisible’ Short Food Value Chain: How Small-scale Farming Contributes to Johannesburg Food Security
Authors: Zivhave Morgen , Kornienko Kristen
Published: August 2024

Urbanisation into poverty in cities of the global South gives impetus to urban agriculture (UA) as a strategy to improve food security for low-income residents. This study disputes that UA is a trivial sector by arguing through the invisible short food value chain lens that it contributes to food security in local communities. The study adopted the extended case method that immersed researchers for more than a year to understand the practices of 11 farming entities and 20 of their customers in Johannesburg. Open-ended interview guides were administered to key informants from the city, provincial government, and non-governmental organisations. Findings show that UA increases food availability in local communities through the short food value chain. However, the local economy is undocumented and invisible to city stakeholders, negatively affecting their land use planning decisions for the sector. Though stakeholder consensus on UA is still lacking, the City of Johannesburg recognised UA’s potential and allocated both temporary and permanent land access arrangements for farming. Small-scale farmers lack the capacity to supply formal institutions, which can be overcome by intermediaries, such as civil society facilitation. The limitations of UA manifest in its inability to attract labour and keep records which inhibits its potential and support at the city level.
Exploring different technology addiction types in young adults: a latent profile analysis
Authors: Ağirkan Murat , Haspolat Namık Kemal , Çelik Oğuzhan
Published: August 2024

This study aimed to examine the different latent profiles of technology addiction in young adults, and the criteria for belonging to these profiles, in relation to sociodemographic factors (gender and SES) and technology use status (daily social network usage time, daily instant messaging usage time, daily online gaming usage time, daily website usage time, and connection location). Data were collected from a sample of 1,431 young adults [988 (69.1%) female, 443 (30.9%) male]. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was used to identify the latent profiles, and Multinomial Regression Analysis was employed to examine the relationships between the latent profiles and sociodemographic and technology use. The LPA revealed four latent profiles of technology addiction in young adults: “Non-Addicts (NA)”, “Moderate Technology Addicts-Gamers (MTAG)”, “High Technology Addicts-Non-Gamers (HTANG)”, and “High Technology Addicts-Gamers (HTAG)”. The criteria for belonging to these four profiles were statistically significantly related to sociodemographic and technology use factors, except for connection location, and age. These findings provided further support for our knowledge about planning programs or multi-layered intervention models to prevent technology addiction in young adults.
Effect of deposition cycle and annealing on the structural, optical, electrical, and photoluminescence properties of SnS films obtained from rapid S-SILAR technique
Authors: Kumar Pawan , Rao Gowrish K.
Published: August 2024

In this paper, we present an optimized procedure for depositing SnS thin films using the rapid S-SILAR technique. We also analyze the effects of deposition cycles and post-deposition annealing on various film properties. XRD analysis indicates the presence of orthorhombic and cubic phases in the films. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis confirms near-optimal stoichiometry. SEM images depict the growth of closely spaced spherical granules. High optical absorption is observed in the mid-visible to NIR region, with the absorption edge shifting towards the NIR region after annealing. The bandgap values range from 1.6 eV to 1.9 eV, which is ideal for photovoltaic applications. PL spectra show three clusters of peaks corresponding to red and green emissions. Hall measurements confirm that both the as-deposited and annealed SnS films exhibit p-type conductivity, with a hole concentration on the order of 1015 cm−3.
Investigation of the Dewatering Process with Geotextile Tubes by Sedimentation, One- and Two-Dimensional Filtration Test Methods
Authors: Bulut Abdulkadir , Sengul Tayfun
Published: August 2024

Dewatering applications are carried out with geotextile tubes for the disposal or reuse of industrial wastes with high water content. Class F Seyitomer thermal power plant fly ash, an industrial waste, was selected in this study. Turbidity, sedimentation and filtration experiments were carried out using anionic and cationic polymers and polypropylene synthetic fiber to investigate the effect of polymers and fibers on the dewatering of fly ash. The use of polymers was determined to significantly accelerate filtration and soil sedimentation speed while leading to a slight increase in the volume of the filter cake. When effective polymer and dosage are used, slurry filtration time can be reduced up to one-eighth of the time and dewatering can be achieved much faster. The addition of synthetic fiber accelerated the sedimentation of the slurry and increased the filtration in the vertical direction, while it did not show a significant effect on the total filtration in two-dimensional filtration. In geotextile tube applications, although one-dimensional filtration experiments might give misleading results in terms of estimating the effectiveness of the polymers used in solid–liquid separation and dewatering times, the jar test, sedimentation and two-dimensional filtration experiments were determined to give compatible and more realistic results. In two-dimensional filtration experiments, approximately 75% of the filtration occurred in the radial direction and the dewatering time was approximately 21–55% of the time estimated by one-dimensional filtration experiment. Geotextile tube dewatering design can be made more predictable and cost-effective in the field by performing small-scale laboratory experiments with the two-dimensional filtration test system designed for this study and various dewatering applications.
Experimental investigation of junction growth of rough contacts using X-ray computed tomography
Authors: Wang Runliang , Liu Jianhua , Liu Bo , Jia Duo , Ding Xiaoyu
Published: August 2024

The real contact area (RCA) of randomly rough contacts has received a great deal of attention because it correlates strongly with friction, lubrication, sealing, and conductivity. Simulations have revealed that the RCA associated with deterministic normal squeezing loads increases when tangential loads are also applied, in a phenomenon called junction growth. However, experimental investigations of the junction growth of randomly rough contacts are rare. Here, we used X-ray computed tomography (CT) to measure junction growth when two aluminum alloy surfaces were in contact. A high-resolution experimental setup was used to apply loads and observe contact behaviors at a resolution of 4 µm. The RCA and average contact gaps were computed using a three-dimensional (3D) geometric model constructed from gray CT images using the Otsu thresholding method. The results showed that the RCA increased as the normal load increased. The RCA increased by 22.67% after a tangential load was applied (junction growth), and the average gap decreased by 14.01% after a tangential load was applied. Thus, X-ray CT accurately measured the junction growth as a novel quantitative method.
Maximal Pearson’s correlation coefficient between Likert items from the viewpoint of Hitchcock’s transportation problem
Authors: Shojima Kojiro
Published: August 2024

When two variables are Likert-type items and their marginal distributions differ, the coefficient values of$$\pm \,$$±1 in Pearson’s product-moment correlation are untenable. To address this issue, this study proposes a new method for estimating the maximal and minimal Pearson’s correlations between two Likert items whose numbers of categories are$$R$$Rand$$C$$Cwhen their marginal distributions are fixed. First, we demonstrate that the maximizing/minimizing correlation problem is identical to Hitchcock’s transportation problem, which is a classic linear programming problem. Second, we prove the necessary and sufficient condition under which the northwest corner rule, which is frequently used to find an initial solution to the transportation problem, provides the optimal solution to the correlation problem. Finally, the results of two simulation studies conducted with$$5\times 5$$5×5and$$5\times 7$$5×7contingency tables reveal the extent to which the range of Pearson’s correlation shrinks.
Mechanical and thermal properties of composite carbonized briquettes developed from cassava (Manihot esculenta) rhizomes and groundnut (Arachis hypogea. L.) stalks with jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) waste as binder
Authors: Owino Cynthia Awuor , Lubwama Michael , Yiga Vianney Andrew , Were Faridah , Bongomin Ocident , Serugunda Jonathan
Published: August 2024

Composite briquettes from agricultural residues are a potential sustainable domestic solid fuel resource. This study aimed to develop and characterize composite briquettes developed from cassava rhizomes and groundnut stalks with jackfruit waste binder as an alternative sustainable fuel for domestic cooking applications. Cassava rhizomes and groundnuts stalks feedstock were carbonized in a step-down kiln under slow pyrolysis conditions at temperatures between 400 and 500 ℃. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to determine the proximate and thermal properties of the developed composite briquettes. Bomb calorimetry was used to determine their heating values. Relaxed density, drop strength and compressive strength results were used to determine the mechanical properties of the developed briquettes. Design of Experiments (Box Behnken design) was used to evaluate the effect of factors (biochar amount, jackfruit waste binder amount, and amount of water) on the mechanical and thermal properties of the developed composite briquettes. The Coats-Redfern kinetic model was used to determine the activation energy for the developed briquettes. Calorific values and drop strength of developed composite briquettes ranged from 18.1 to 24.0 MJ/kg and 92–99%, respectively. Combustion performance results indicated that ignition temperature increased from 155.1 to 184 $$^\circ{\rm C}$$

∘

C

, when heating rate was increased from 10 to 15 $$^\circ{\rm C}$$

∘

C

/min. However, burnout temperature decreased from 618.1 to 453 $$^\circ{\rm C}$$

∘

C

/min with a similar corresponding increase in heating rate. Optimum biochar amount, amount of water, and jackfruit waste binder amount for optimal mechanical and thermal properties were 89.3%, 893.0 ml, and 29.5 g, respectively. Composite briquettes developed from cassava rhizomes and groundnut stalks with jackfruit waste as binder are suitable potential domestic cooking fuels.
Investigation of alite hydration in the presence of low- and high-silica zeolites
Authors: Styczeń Joanna , Radlińska Aleksandra , Stępień Piotr , Fronczyk Joanna , Franus Wojciech
Published: August 2024

Synthetic zeolites that are obtained from the hydrothermal reaction of NaOH with fly ash have a well-defined pore structure and pozzolanic properties. This work examines the effect of the low-silica (Na-A) and high-silica (ZSM-5) zeolite structure on the kinetics of alite hydration and mineralogical characteristics of the reaction products. The addition of the Na-A and ZSM-5 zeolites reduced the rate of heat release during the hydration reaction, which is typical for commonly used pozzolanic additives. The ZSM-5 zeolite had a much higher Si/Al ratio relative to the Na-A zeolite, which translated into a higher pozzolanic activity and resulted in greater stability of the hydration reaction kinetics. The addition of zeolites caused the heat of hydration to decrease compared to the reference pastes (the alite reference paste—206 J/g): Na-A 15%—148.9 J/g; ZSM-5 15%—149.9 J/g. The concentration of calcium ions in the alite solution and the content of active silica were identified as the most important parameters affecting the kinetic, morphological, and structural characteristics of the C–S–H phase. The addition of zeolites increased the amount of C–S–H gel phases formed. At the same time, the proportion of portlandite in the hydration products of the alite–zeolite systems decreased. Pozzolans reduced the ratio of CaO/SiO2 in the C–S–H phase, which for pastes with the addition of the Na-A ranged from 1.61 to 1.37, and for the ZSM-5 from 1.91 to 0.47. This ratio decreased with the dosage and the age of alite paste. In summary, this research has shown that synthetic zeolites are a viable pozzolanic additives.
Guilt and Guilty Pleas
Authors: LITTLE ANDREW T. , SIMPSON HANNAH K.
Published: August 2024

Plea bargaining figures heavily in criminal justice systems in the United States and, increasingly, around the globe. Conventional wisdom holds that plea bargaining generates efficiency gains for all parties, while sorting the guilty from the innocent. We build a series of formal models to consider the relationship between a defendant’s guilt and her likelihood of pleading guilty. In an inversion of the conventional wisdom, we show that under a range of empirically plausible scenarios—for example, if criminals are more risk-seeking than the wrongfully accused, or if prosecutors derive a career benefit from trial wins—the innocent are more likely than the guilty to plea bargain.
Zur Validität des Münsteraner Screenings für die Erfassung von Prädiktoren des Schriftspracherwerbs
Authors: Kulakow Stefan , Mahlau Kathrin , Blumenthal Stefan
Published: August 2024

Zusammenfassung: Das Münsteraner Screening (MÜSC, Mannhaupt, 2016 ) ist ein zur Identifizierung von Schulanfängern mit unzureichenden Lernvoraussetzungen vielfach in Forschung und Praxis eingesetztes Verfahren. Aussagen zur Testgüte sind jedoch in der Literatur nur wenige zu finden, und wenn, dann lassen sie Zweifel an der Güte des Verfahrens aufkommen ( Marx & Lenhard, 2010 ). Die vorliegende Studie prüft daher die Skalenstruktur des MÜSC und klärt Fragen zu dessen Validität. Dazu werden die Daten zu schriftsprachlichen Kompetenzen von N = 384 Grundschulkindern zu Beginn und zum Ende der 1. Klasse analysiert. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die angenommene Faktorenstruktur des MÜSC nicht repliziert werden konnte, was wiederum Zweifel an der strukturellen Validität des Testinstruments nährt und große Bedeutung für die schulische Praxis hat. Dagegen verweisen die weiteren psychometrischen Kennwerte auf eine hohe Qualität des Testverfahrens.
Summer Monsoon Drying Accelerates India's Groundwater Depletion Under Climate Change
Authors: Mishra Vimal , Dangar Swarup , Tiwari Virendra M. , Lall Upmanu , Wada Yoshihide
Published: August 2024

Groundwater in north India remains a vital food and water security resource for more than one billion people. Both summer monsoon drying, and winter warming pose considerable challenges for rapidly declining groundwater. However, their impacts on irrigation water demands and groundwater storage under the observed and projected future climate remain unexplored. Using in situ observations, satellite data, and a hydrological model that considers the role of irrigation and groundwater pumping, we show that summer monsoon drying and winter warming accelerate groundwater depletion in north India during the observed climate, which will continue in the projected future climate. Summer monsoon precipitation has significantly (P‐value = 0.04) declined (∼8%) while winters have become warmer in north India during 1951–2021. Both satellite (GRACE/GRACE‐FO) and hydrological model‐based estimates show a rapid groundwater depletion (∼1.5 cm/year) in north India with a net loss of 450 km3 of groundwater during 2002–2021. The summer monsoon drying followed by winter warming cause a substantial reduction in groundwater storage due to reduced groundwater recharge and enhanced pumping to meet irrigation demands. Summer monsoon drying and winter warming will continue to affect groundwater storage in north India in the future. For instance, summer monsoon drying (10%–15% deficit for near‐far periods) followed by substantial winter warming (1–4°C) in the future will further accelerate groundwater depletion by increasing (6%–20%) irrigation water demands and reducing groundwater recharge (6%–12%). Groundwater sustainability measures including reducing groundwater abstraction and enhancing the groundwater recharge during the summer monsoon seasons are needed to ensure future agricultural production.
Unveiling the Dominant Factors Controlling the Long‐Term Changes in Northwest Pacific Tropical Cyclone Intensification Rates
Authors: Song Kexin , Zhan Ruifen , Wang Yuqing
Published: August 2024

Tropical cyclones (TCs), especially intense TCs, pose serious threats to life and property particularly in the affected coastal regions. Understanding the factors determining the TC intensification rate (IR) remains a great challenge. This study identifies the dominant factors responsible for the observed significant increase in TC IR over the western North Pacific in recent decades using the energetically based dynamical system model of TC intensification. It is found that the environmental dynamical efficiency mainly contributed by vertical wind shear and upper‐level divergence is responsible for the long‐term changes in TC IR during the strong TC stage, but it played a secondary role in the long‐term changes in IR during the weak TC stage. The latter were primarily contributed by the maximum potential intensity, which is primarily determined by sea surface temperature. Results also strongly suggest that global warming is the primary driver of the long‐term changes in TC IR.
Large‐Scale Drivers of Tropical Extreme Precipitation Events: The Example of French Overseas Territories
Authors: Cornillault Erwan , Peyrille Philippe , Couvreux Fleur , Roehrig Romain
Published: August 2024

Due to their severity and lack of predictability, understanding and forecasting extreme precipitation events (EPEs) is critical for disaster risk reduction. The present work documents the large‐scale environment of tropical EPEs based on a 42‐year data set combining dense rain‐gauge networks that cover several tropical small islands and coastal regions. Approximately 10%–30% of EPEs are associated with a tropical storm or cyclone (TC), except for Reunion, for which its high topography makes it reach 55%. TCs multiply the EPE probability by a factor of 4–15, especially during TCs of category 1 or higher. A composite analysis demonstrates that the remaining large part of EPEs occurs within large‐scale and strong moist, convective, and cyclonic wind anomalies resulting from the superimposition of intraseasonal, seasonal‐to‐annual, and interannual timescales. These intense anomalies come essentially from intraseasonal variability, and lower frequencies improve the effect of intraseasonal events in creating a favorable environment for EPEs.
Assessing the Impacts of Reservoirs on Riverine Dissolved Organic Matter: Insights From the Largest Reservoir in the Pearl River
Authors: Yi Yuanbi , Li Si‐Liang , Zhong Jun , Wang Kai , Merder Julian , Bao Hongyan , Qi Yulin , He Ding , Xu Sheng , Dittmar Thorsten , Liu Cong‐Qiang
Published: August 2024

Extensive reservoir construction has fragmented more than 70% of the world's rivers, significantly impacting river connectivity and carbon cycling. However, the response of riverine dissolved organic matter (DOM) to reservoir influence and its potential downstream effects remains unclear. In this study, we employed multiple analytical techniques, including Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry, radiocarbon dating, and environmental factor analysis, to investigate the dynamic changes in DOM and its controlling factors under different hydrological management regimes in the LongTan Reservoir, the largest reservoir in the Pearl River, which is the second largest river in China by water discharge. Our results indicate that the molecular diversity of riverine DOM is reduced in the reservoir. Oxygen‐rich and heteroatomic compounds, such as those containing nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus, are preferentially removed through enhanced photo‐ and biodegradation processes in the reservoir, particularly during the storage period. This leads to DOM that is enriched with oxygen‐poor compounds and shows a biodegraded Δ14C value downstream. This study highlights that the composition of riverine DOM is significantly altered by the reservoir, but these effects could potentially be mitigated by optimizing the outlet location.
Metalenses phase characterization by multi-distance phase retrieval
Authors: Liu Bowen , Cheng Jialuo , Zhao Maoxiong , Yao Jin , Liu Xiaoyuan , Chen Shaohu , Shi Lei , Tsai Din Ping , Geng Zihan , Chen Mu Ku
Published: August 2024

Metalens, characterized by their unique functions and distinctive physical properties, have gained significant attention for their potential applications. To further optimize the performance of metalens, it is necessary to characterize the phase modulation of the metalens. In this study, we present a multi-distance phase retrieval system based on optical field scanning and discuss its convergence and robustness. Our findings indicate that the system is capable of retrieving the phase distribution of the metalens as long as the measurement noise is low and the total length of the scanned light field is sufficiently long. This system enables the analysis of focal length and aberration by utilizing the computed phase distribution. We extend our investigation to measure the phase distribution of the metalens operating in the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum and identify the impact of defects in the sample on the phase. Additionally, we conduct a comparative analysis of the phase distribution of the metalens in air and ethanol and observe the variations in the phase modulation of the metalens in different working mediums. Our system provides a straightforward method for the phase characterization of metalens, aiding in optimizing the metalens design and functionality.
A promising anti-tumor targeting on ERMMDs mediated abnormal lipid metabolism in tumor cells
Authors: Pang Mingshi , Yu Liuchunyang , Li Xiaoyu , Lu Cheng , Xiao Cheng , Liu Yuanyan
Published: August 2024

The investigation of aberrations in lipid metabolism within tumor has become a burgeoning field of study that has garnered significant attention in recent years. Lipids can serve as a potent source of highly energetic fuel to support the rapid growth of neoplasia, in where the ER-mitochondrial membrane domains (ERMMDs) provide an interactive network for facilitating communication between ER and mitochondria as well as their intermembrane space and adjunctive proteins. In this review, we discuss fatty acids (FAs) anabolic and catabolic metabolism, as well as how CPT1A-VDAC-ACSL clusters on ERMMDs participate in FAs transport, with a major focus on ERMMDs mediated collaborative loop of FAO, Ca2+ transmission in TCA cycle and OXPHOS process. Here, we present a comprehensive perspective on the regulation of aberrant lipid metabolism through ERMMDs conducted tumor physiology might be a promising and potential target for tumor starvation therapy.
scTab: Scaling cross-tissue single-cell annotation models
Authors: Fischer Felix , Fischer David S. , Mukhin Roman , Isaev Andrey , Biederstedt Evan , Villani Alexandra-Chloé , Theis Fabian J.
Published: August 2024

Identifying cellular identities is a key use case in single-cell transcriptomics. While machine learning has been leveraged to automate cell annotation predictions for some time, there has been little progress in scaling neural networks to large data sets and in constructing models that generalize well across diverse tissues. Here, we propose scTab, an automated cell type prediction model specific to tabular data, and train it using a novel data augmentation scheme across a large corpus of single-cell RNA-seq observations (22.2 million cells). In this context, we show that cross-tissue annotation requires nonlinear models and that the performance of scTab scales both in terms of training dataset size and model size. Additionally, we show that the proposed data augmentation schema improves model generalization. In summary, we introduce a de novo cell type prediction model for single-cell RNA-seq data that can be trained across a large-scale collection of curated datasets and demonstrate the benefits of using deep learning methods in this paradigm.
Magnetic resonance imaging insights from active surveillance of women with ductal carcinoma in situ
Authors: Greenwood Heather I. , Maldonado Rodas Cristian K. , Freimanis Rita I. , Glencer Alexa C. , Miller Phoebe N. , Mukhtar Rita A. , Brabham Case , Yau Christina , Rosenbluth Jennifer M. , Hirst Gillian L. , Campbell Michael J. , Borowsky Alexander , Hylton Nola , Esserman Laura J. , Basu Amrita
Published: August 2024

New approaches are needed to determine which ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is at high risk for progression to invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). We retrospectively studied DCIS patients who declined surgery (2002–2019), and received endocrine therapy (ET) and breast MRI. Baseline MRI and changes at 3 months and 6 months were analyzed by recursive partitioning to stratify IDC risk. Sixty-two patients (63 DCIS; 1 bilateral) with a mean follow-up of 8.5 years were included. Fifty-one percent remained on active surveillance (AS) without evidence of IDC, with a mean duration of 7.6 years. A decision tree based on MRI features of lesion distinctness and background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) at baseline and change after 3 months of ET stratified patients into low, intermediate, and high risk for progression to IDC. MRI imaging features in patients treated with ET and undergoing AS, may help determine which DCIS lesions are at low versus high risk for IDC.
Investigation of the phytochemical profiling and antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and MDA-MB-231 cell line antiproliferative potentials of extracts from Ephedra alata Decne
Authors: Al Jaafreh Ahmad M.
Published: August 2024

Ephedra is one of the many medicinal herbs that have been used as folk/traditional medicine in Jordan and other countries to cure various illnesses. Plants of this genus are well known for their antioxidant and antibacterial properties. In this study, three different solvents were used to obtain Ephedra extracts. When evaluated, the Ephedra alata Decne ethanolic extract reportedly had the greatest levels of total phenolic compounds (TPC) and total flavonoid compounds (TFC). The aqueous extracts displayed the highest antioxidant activity in the DPPH and ABTS assays, demonstrating their considerable capacity to neutralize free radicals. However, when evaluated using the FRAP method, the acetone extracts showed the strongest antioxidant activity, indicating their high reducing power. LC–MS/MS, a potent method of analysis that combines the liquid chromatographic separation properties with mass spectrometry detection and identification capabilities, was used in this study to detect and measure phytochemical content of a total of 24 phenolic compounds and 16 terpene compounds present in the extracts of Ephedra alata Decne. Various concentrations of these chemicals were found in these extracts. The extracts’ inhibitory effects on albumin denaturation and alpha-amylase activity were also assessed; the findings demonstrated the potentials of these extracts as anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic medicines, with the acetone extract having the lowest IC50 values in the concomitant tests (306.45 µg/ml and 851.23 µg/ml, respectively). Furthermore, the lowest IC50 value (of 364.59 ± 0.45 µg/ml) for the 80% ethanol extract demonstrated that it has the strongest antiproliferative impact regarding the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. This finding indicates that this particular extract can be potentially used to treat cancer.