bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Demonstrating software reliability using possibly correlated tests: Insights from a conservative Bayesian approach
Authors: Salako Kizito , Zhao Xingyu
Published: October 2023

This paper presents Bayesian techniques for conservative claims about software reliability, particularly when evidence suggests the software's executions are not statistically independent. We formalise informal notions of “doubting” that the executions are independent, and incorporate such doubts into reliability assessments. We develop techniques that reveal the extent to which independence assumptions can undermine conservatism in assessments, and identify conditions under which this impact is not significant. These techniques – novel extensions ofconservative Bayesian inference(CBI) approaches – give conservative confidence bounds on the software's failure probability per execution. With illustrations in two application areas – nuclear power‐plant safety and autonomous vehicle (AV) safety – our analyses reveals: (1) the confidence an assessor should possess before subjecting a system to operational testing. Otherwise, such testing is futile – favourable operational testing evidence will eventually decrease one's confidence in the system being sufficiently reliable; (2) the independence assumption supports conservative claims sometimes; (3) in some scenarios, observing a system operate without failure gives less confidence in the system than if some failureshadbeen observed; (4) building confidence in a system is very sensitive to failures – each additional failure means significantly more operational testing is required, in order to support a reliability claim.
Remote state estimator design under the round‐Robin protocol
Authors: Wu Chengwei , Chai Qingjie , Chen Yucheng , Yin Liyuan , Zhu Hongming
Published: October 2023

This paper focuses on the remote estimation problem for cyber‐physical systems under the round‐Robin protocol. A round‐Robin protocol‐based Kalman filter is deployed to estimate the real system states on the remote side. When sensor measurements are transmitted by communication networks, the round‐Robin protocol with the zero‐input‐holder strategy is adopted to determine which sensor measurements are transmitted, reducing the communication burden and risk of being attacked. Both the protocol‐based open‐loop and closed‐loop estimation scenarios are considered. The delay resulting from adopting the protocol with the zero‐input‐holder strategy is handled effectively. Corresponding filtering algorithms are proposed, and the estimation error covariance is proved to be converged. Finally, in addition to the effectiveness of the proposed round‐Robin protocol‐based filtering algorithms, simulation results are given to demonstrate that the performance of the proposed filtering algorithms can match that of the classical Kalman filter.
Achieving Ideal and Environmentally Stable n‐Type Charge Transport in Polymer Field‐Effect Transistors
Authors: Yao Ze‐Fan , Wu Hao‐Tian , Zhuang Fang‐Dong , Zhang Peng‐Fei , Li Qi‐Yi , Wang Jie‐Yu , Pei Jian
Published: October 2023

Realizing ideal charge transport in field‐effect transistors (FETs) of conjugated polymers is crucial for evaluating device performance, such as carrier mobility and practical applications of conjugated polymers. However, the current FETs using conjugated polymers as the active layers generally show certain non‐ideal transport characteristics and poor stability. Here, ideal charge transport of n‐type polymer FETs is achieved on flexible polyimide substrates by using an organic‐inorganic hybrid double‐layer dielectric. Deposited conjugated polymer films show highly ordered structures and low disorder, which are supported by grazing‐incidence wide‐angle X‐ray scattering, near‐edge X‐ray absorption fine structure, and molecular dynamics simulations. Furthermore, the organic‐inorganic hybrid double‐layer dielectric provides low interfacial defects, leading to excellent charge transport in FETs with high electron mobility (1.49 ± 0.46 cm2 V−1 s−1) and ideal reliability factors (102 ± 7%). Fabricated polymer FETs show a self‐encapsulation effect, resulting in high stability of the FET charge transport. The polymer FETs still work with high mobility above 1 cm2 V−1 s−1 after storage in air for more than 300 days. Compared with state‐of‐the‐art conjugated polymer FETs, this work simultaneously achieves ideal charge transport and environmental stability in n‐type polymer FETs, facilitating rapid device optimization of high‐performance polymer electronics.
Cost‐Effective Nanophotonic Metasurfaces with Spatially Gradient Structures for Ultrasensitive Imaging‐Based Refractometric Sensing
Authors: Li Guohua , Wen Baohua , Yang Ji , Wu Mingxi , Zhou Bin , Ye Xiangyi , Tang Hao , Zhou Jianhua , Cai Jingxuan
Published: October 2023

Nanophotonic metasurfaces are widely utilized in various domains, such as biomedical, healthcare, and environmental monitoring, benefiting from their unique advantages of label‐free, noninvasive, and real‐time response. However, nanophotonic metasurfaces usually rely on sophisticated instruments, and expensive and time‐consuming fabrication processes, which severely restricts their practical applications. Herein, a spatially gradient metasurface is integrated with an imaging‐based sensing scheme, waiving the requirement of spectrometers and achieving an ultrahigh imaging‐based sensitivity of 3321 pixels/refractive index unit superior to that characterized using conventional compact spectrometers. The metasurface is fabricated by nanoimprint lithography using a reusable cyclic olefin copolymer template featuring millions of unique nanostructures. Under the illumination of monochromatic light, the transmittance of different nanostructures on the metasurface differs, resulting in grayscale images with varied intensity distributions. Analyzing the intensity change of the metasurface's recorded image can obtain the covering medium's refractive index. Furthermore, through theory and experimentation, the high reliability of the proposed reusable and flexible template has been verified for nanophotonic metasurface fabrication which further reduces the fabrication cost of core sensing elements. Finally, with proper optimization of the metasurface structure and imaging system, this setup is expected to be applied to many emerging areas of point‐of‐care, real‐time, and on‐site biosensing.
Report of the Registration Committee
Authors: Loizeau Pierre‐André , Brinda John , Head Martin J. , Ulloa Carmen Ulloa
Published: October 2023

The Registration Committee was established at the Nomenclature Section of the XIX International Botanical Congress (IBC) in Shenzhen, China in 2017. It followed the previous Special Committee on Registration of Algal and Plant Names (including fossils). A clear majority of Registration Committee members support having named taxa associated with a unique universal digital identifier in order to secure and facilitate the exchange of information by electronic means. However, discussions within the Committee showed that mandatory referencing of a unique universal digital identifier was not a solution. The Committee recommends that authors provide nomenclatural repositories with a reference to an actual and current publication for indexing purposes, or to register voluntarily.
Effectiveness of Light Scattering Layer Using Mesoporous SiO2‐TiO2 Core‐Shell on Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Nakamoto Trang , Higuchi Kakeru , Taguchi Kozo
Published: October 2023

The photoanode of dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was investigated. P25 TiO2 nanoparticles were used to fabricate the active layer, on which a light scattering layer was coated using SiO2‐TiO2 core‐shell particles. SiO2‐TiO2 core‐shell particles with and without mesoporous (MP) surface structure were fabricated and evaluated separately for the scattering layer. MP surface helped increase the surface area and the amount of adsorbed dye. As a result, the light absorption rate of the photoanode with the MP‐SiO2‐TiO2 scattering layer increased, leading to improving the DSSC performance by about 50%. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Mapping QTL for vernalization requirement identified adaptive divergence of the candidate gene Flowering Locus C in polyploid Camelina sativa
Authors: Chaudhary Raju , Higgins Erin E. , Eynck Christina , Sharpe Andrew G. , Parkin Isobel A. P.
Published: October 2023

Vernalization requirement is an integral component of flowering in winter‐type plants. The availability of winter ecotypes among Camelina species facilitated the mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for vernalization requirement in Camelina sativa. An inter and intraspecific crossing scheme between related Camelina species, where one spring and two different sources of winter‐type habit were used, resulted in the development of two segregating populations. Linkage maps generated with sequence‐based markers identified three QTLs associated with vernalization requirement in C. sativa; two from the interspecific (chromosomes 13 and 20) and one from the intraspecific cross (chromosome 8). Notably, the three loci were mapped to different homologous regions of the hexaploid C. sativa genome. All three QTLs were found in proximity to Flowering Locus C (FLC), variants of which have been reported to affect the vernalization requirement in plants. Temporal transcriptome analysis for winter‐type Camelina alyssum demonstrated reduction in expression of FLC on chromosomes 13 and 20 during cold treatment, which would trigger flowering, since FLC would be expected to suppress floral initiation. FLC on chromosome 8 also showed reduced expression in the C. sativa ssp. pilosa winter parent upon cold treatment, but was expressed at very high levels across all time points in the spring‐type C. sativa. The chromosome 8 copy carried a deletion in the spring‐type line, which could impact its functionality. Contrary to previous reports, all three FLC loci can contribute to controlling the vernalization response in C. sativa and provide opportunities for manipulating this requirement in the crop.
Perceived enablers and barriers impacting sustainability of small‐and‐medium sized enterprises: A quantitative analysis in four European countries
Authors: Moursellas Andreas , Malesios Chrisovalantis , Skouloudis Antonios , Evangelinos Konstantinos , Dey Prasanta Kumar
Published: October 2023

Small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) often lag behind major corporations in implementing sustainability management practices, limiting their capacity to mitigate negative social and environmental impacts. A notable challenge is the lower percentage of SMEs with sustainability objectives. This research aims to examine the links among sustainability practices and performance of European SMEs. In addition, the causal relationships between enablers/barriers for sustainability practices are also examined. To achieve these objectives, a quantitative research approach was employed. Data were collected from 420 SMEs located in the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Greece using a structured questionnaire. Statistical modeling and inference were used to analyze the responses, separately for each of the four countries. The study revealed several significant findings. Strong relationships were identified between enablers/barriers and sustainability practices. The study found consistent links between supply chain sustainability practices and SME performance across all participating countries. The research highlighted similarities and differences in findings across various economies and geographical regions. The study's findings have important implications; For policymakers insights from this research can inform policy decisions aimed at promoting sustainability among SMEs, thus contributing to broader social and environmental goals. For SME owners and managers the findings offer guidance for improving sustainable performance through operational, planning, and strategic decisions. Policymakers should consider initiatives that encourage SMEs to adopt sustainability practices. SME owners and managers should prioritize supply chain sustainability and work on overcoming barriers identified in this study. Further research should explore specific strategies for enhancing sustainability practices in different regions and economies.
Sexuelle Gewalt als Denkunmöglichkeit: „weil das einfach (.) so n unding ist, und so=was einfach so gar nicht geht und sein darf“
Authors: Wittfeld Meike
Published: October 2023

Für die Orientierung der Fachkräfte wurde rekonstruiert, dass sie sich in keinster Weise in sexuelle Gewalttaten verstrickt sehen, gleichzeitig werden sie von den Medien und teilweise von der eigenen Organisation unter Generalverdacht gestellt. Daraus ergibt sich eine Inkongruez. Die nun folgenden Ergebnisse schließen genau hier an. In den Blick genommen wird hierfür, wie in den Gruppendiskussionen gesprochen wird. Dabei finden sich abermals mehr Homologien als Unterschiede zwischen den Teams. Da die Homologien eine ungewöhnlich breite gemeinsame Orientierung über alle Teams hinweg beschreiben, sind sie besonders relevant. Vor diesem Hintergrund ist dieses Kapitel auch strukturiert. Es geht zunächst (11.1) um die Sprache, die Worte und Formulierungen, die im Diskursverlauf verwendet werden. Die leitende Frage dabei lautet: Wie wird über sexuelle Gewalt gesprochen? Im zweiten Teil des Kapitels (11.2) wird deutlich werden, dass die Distanzierung der Fachkräfte von sexueller Gewalt damit einhergeht, dass sie sich sexuelle Gewalt in ihrem konkreten Arbeitsalltag nicht oder nur sehr schwer vorstellen können.
Tatverdacht und Gewalttat als Anlass der Thematisierung von sexueller Gewalt in Institutionen: „das traurige ende war das der mitarbeiter sich erhangen hat“
Authors: Wittfeld Meike
Published: October 2023

Im Folgenden wird nun auf Tatverdächtigungen gegen pädagogische Fachkräfte (9.1) und Grenzverletzungen durch pädagogische Fachkräfte (9.2) eingegangen, um diese konkreten Vorfälle als Anlass für die Thematisierung von sexueller Gewalt näher zu beleuchten.
Strategies to remove hydrological effects in continuous gravity time series
Authors: Mouyen Maxime
Published: October 2023

Multi-annual gravity time series offer a unique, noninvasive way to monitor mass redistributions within the Earth. However, for non-hydrological purposes, gravity time series must be corrected from hydrological effects to properly quantify mass redistribution involved in other geodynamic processes, such as volcanic activities or sedimentation processes. Such a hydrological correction remains challenging. The objective of this work is to investigate various ways to remove hydrological effects from a 11-years long gravity time series acquired by a superconducting gravimeter (SG) located at the Onsala Space Observatory (Sweden). For that we use hydrological loading corrections distributed by the EOST loading service, and local in situ groundwater level measurements. The most efficient approaches correct up to 89% of the seasonal component of the hydrological signal in the gravity series. On the other hand, for that specific site, we observe local water redistributions at shorter time scales, hours to few days, have a negligible influence on the gravity time series.
Making paper labels smart for augmented wine recognition
Authors: Angeli Alessia , Stacchio Lorenzo , Donatiello Lorenzo , Giacchè Alessandro , Marfia Gustavo
Published: October 2023

An invisible layer of knowledge is progressively growing with the emergence of situated visualizations and reality-based information retrieval systems. In essence, digital content will overlap with real-world entities, eventually providing insights into the surrounding environment and useful information for the user. The implementation of such a vision may appear close, but many subtle details separate us from its fulfillment. This kind of implementation, as the overlap between rendered virtual annotations and the camera’s real-world view, requires different computer vision paradigms for object recognition and tracking which often require high computing power and large-scale datasets of images. Nevertheless, these resources are not always available, and in some specific domains, the lack of an appropriate reference dataset could be disruptive for a considered task. In this particular scenario, we here consider the problem of wine recognition to support an augmented reading of their labels. In fact, images of wine bottle labels may not be available as wineries periodically change their designs, product information regulations may vary, and specific bottles may be rare, making the label recognition process hard or even impossible. In this work, we present augmented wine recognition, an augmented reality system that exploits optical character recognition paradigms to interpret and exploit the text within a wine label, without requiring any reference image. Our experiments show that such a framework can overcome the limitations posed by image retrieval-based systems while exhibiting a comparable performance.
Does the Interest Parity Puzzle Hold for Central and Eastern European Economies?
Authors: Dąbrowski Marek A. , Janus Jakub
Published: October 2023

This paper examines the uncovered interest parity puzzle in Central and Eastern European countries. Apart from investigating baseline UIP regressions, we check for structural breaks in this relationship, scrutinize deviations from the UIP, and employ different estimation methods and models augmented with various risk measures. Moreover, we offer several extensions to the common UIP testing that account for foreign-exchange interventions, the implied volatility of exchange rates, and the limited availability of data on direct measures of market expectations. The study shows that the choice of the reference currency matters for the outcome of the interest parity tests in the CEE economies. In particular, we demonstrate that inconsistencies between the results of the UIP tests vis-à-vis the euro and the US dollar that appear in CEE economies may be accounted for by the movements of the euro-dollar risk premium. This regularity has not been documented in previous studies. Additionally, we show that (a) the FX interventions in Czechia distorted the UIP, (b) the directly measured exchange rate expectations (granular survey data) in Poland do not seem to be informed by the UIP relationship, (c) the limited resilience of CEE economies to rare disasters may plausibly explain deviations from the UIP.
Towards oxidoreductase-based processes for the removal of antibiotics from wastewater
Authors: de Boer Sabrina Rose , Schäffer Andreas , Moreira Maria Teresa
Published: October 2023

The occurrence of antibiotics in surface waters is an alarming issue that can be addressed by advanced wastewater treatment technologies. Among them, enzymatic treatment is an emerging technology claimed to provide prospective benefits in terms of efficiency, controllability, and safety. This review illustrates the current state of research focused on enzyme-based approaches for pollutant abatement, specifically on the most critical classes of antibiotics (e.g. tetracyclines, sulfonamides, fluoroquinolones). In addition to providing an overview of the efficiency both in terms of compound removal as well as toxicity reduction, we critically analyze if selected reaction conditions, such as the pH, temperature and water matrix are representative for real-case scenarios. Enzyme immobilization strategies onto inorganic, organic and composite materials are analyzed in terms of their effect on enzyme stability and activity. Their feasibility to be applied in future processes was also evaluated. We found that adequate kinetic description of target compound removal by sufficiently detailed models is still scarce even though it will be key for successful conceptualization of treatment processes. Considering that only a few studies have been conducted at scales above 100 mL, we present the investigated reactor configurations which are at the forefront of further scale-up. The systematic approach presented in this manuscript, which aims to critically evaluate the feasibility to implement enzymatic processes for the removal of antibiotics, can be adapted for other types of recalcitrant compounds targeted by oxidoreductases. Intensified research in the recommended areas will contribute to the development of enzyme-based processes which can complement other advanced wastewater treatment processes.

Graphical abstract
Hinge commitments and trust
Authors: Pritchard Duncan
Published: October 2023

According to the innovative account of the structure of rational evaluation offered by Wittgenstein in his final notebooks, published as On Certainty, our rational practices necessarily presuppose arational hinge commitments. These are everyday, apparently mundane, commitments that we are optimally certain of, but which in virtue of the ‘hinge’ role that they play in our rational practices cannot themselves enjoy rational support. Granted that there are such hinge commitments, what is the nature of the propositional attitude in play? Many commentators have described this propositional attitude as a kind of trusting, on account of how our hinge commitments are effectively a groundless kind of presupposition. In contrast, I want to push back against this way of thinking about hinge commitments and argue instead that it is crucial to our understanding of Wittgenstein’s proposal especially in terms of its implications for radical scepticism to realize that hinge commitments are not presuppositions and that the hinge propositional attitude is not one of trusting.
Diagnostic delay in symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease: an Italian tertiary referral centre study
Authors: Santacroce Giovanni , Lenti Marco Vincenzo , Abruzzese Giulia Maria , Alunno Giacomo , Di Terlizzi Francesco , Frenna Carmine , Gentile Antonella , Latorre Mario Andrea , Petrucci Clarissa , Ruggeri Damiano , Soriano Simone , Aronico Nicola , Rossi Carlo Maria , De Silvestri Annalisa , Corazza Gino Roberto , Di Sabatino Antonio
Published: October 2023

The magnitude of the diagnostic delay of symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease (SUDD) is unknown; we aimed to evaluate SUDD diagnostic delay and its risk factors. SUDD patients diagnosed at a tertiary referral centre were retrospectively enrolled (2010–2022). Demographic and clinical data were retrieved. Overall, patient-, and physician-dependant diagnostic delays were assessed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were fitted to identify risk factors for diagnostic delay. Overall, 70 SUDD patients (median age 65 years, IQR 52–74; F:M ratio = 1.6:1) were assessed. The median overall diagnostic delay was 7 months (IQR 2–24), patient-dependant delay was 3 months (IQR 0–15), and physician-dependant delay was 1 month (IQR 0–6). Further, 25% of patients were misdiagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). At multivariate analysis, previous misdiagnosis was a significant risk factor for overall and physician-dependant diagnostic delay (OR 9.99, p = 0.01, and OR 6.46, p = 0.02, respectively). Also, a high educational level (> 13 years) was associated with a greater overall diagnostic delay (OR 8.74 p = 0.02), while previous abdominal surgery was significantly associated to reduced physician-dependant diagnostic delay (OR 0.19 p = 0.04). To conclude, SUDD may be diagnosed late, IBS being the most frequent misdiagnosis. Timely diagnosis is crucial to tackle the burden of SUDD on patients and healthcare.
Teacher growth in exploiting mathematics competencies through STEAM projects
Authors: Ortiz-Laso Zaira , Diego-Mantecón José-Manuel , Lavicza Zsolt , Blanco Teresa F.
Published: October 2023

This article is aimed at educators concerned with curricular initiatives that foster STE(A)M projects in secondary education to promote mathematics competencies. Research has recently reported that these projects superficially address mathematics content, hampering the development of competencies the consensus deems necessary to prepare citizens for daily life. This study shows that learning goals may be achieved when teachers receive personalised training and sustained assistance in their project experiences. We examine how two Spanish teachers, with advisors’ support, progress in exploiting mathematics competencies within the implementation of a single project each over a period of 3 years. Their evolution was not the result of minor recommendations but of continuous interactions with the advisors. These interactions intended to maintain a balance between teacher confidence and project enhancements, which required commitment and constancy. Four of the five competencies considered in the Spanish curriculum emerged powerfully after sustained refinement. The frequently mobilised competencies were intra-mathematics, representations, as well as collaborative work and positive identity, followed by modelling. The last of which was difficult to address, but when it was, the other three emerged more naturally. Computational thinking was poorly represented mainly because of the advisors’ background and its recent incorporation into the reference curriculum. The teachers’ progress was influenced by the advisor’s academic background, pedagogical expertise, ability to transfer research outcomes into teaching, and experience supporting others.
Incorporation of CEUS and SWE parameters into a multivariate logistic regression model for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant TI-RADS 4 thyroid nodules
Authors: Li Hong-Jing , Sui Guo-Qing , Teng Deng-Ke , Lin Yuan-Qiang , Wang Hui
Published: October 2023

Purpose

To investigate the diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) quantitative analysis parameters combined with shear wave elastography (SWE) quantitative parameters in the differentiation of benign and malignant ACR TI-RADS category 4 thyroid nodules and to provide a more effective reference for clinical work.

Methods

We analyzed 187 category 4 nodules, including 132 nodules in the development cohort and 55 nodules in the validation cohort, divided the development cohort into benign and malignant groups, and analyzed the differences in all CEUS and SWE quantitative parameters between the two groups. We selected the highest AUC of the two parameters, performed binary logistic regression analysis with the ACR TI-RADS score and constructed a diagnostic model. ROC curves were applied to evaluate their diagnostic efficacy.

Results

1) The diagnostic model had an AUC of 0.926, sensitivity of 87.5%, specificity of 86.8%, diagnostic threshold of 3, accuracy of 87.12%, positive predictive value of 86.15%, and negative predictive value of 88.06%. 2) The diagnostic model had an AUC of 0.890 in the validation cohort, sensitivity of 81.5%, specificity of 79.6%, and accuracy of 80.00%.

Conclusion

The combined multiparameter construction of the nodule diagnostic model can effectively improve the diagnostic efficacy of 4 types of thyroid nodules and provide a new reference index for clinical diagnostic work.
Overview of criteria to estimate aerodynamic limits of the flight envelope of a transonic aircraft based on RANS simulations
Authors: Breitenstein Christian
Published: October 2023

The aerodynamic limits of the flight envelope of an aircraft play an important role for flight characteristics and loads, so they must be estimated already in the early stages of aircraft design. However, without wind tunnel tests or costly scale-resolving simulations, it is difficult to make an accurate prediction. From a computational perspective, this problem can be split into two parts: (1) generating a valid flow solution for edge-of-the-envelope conditions and (2) extracting the exact lift limit from these computations. Not only the first point can be very challenging, but also the second point. At low Mach numbers, the lift limit may be detected relatively easily, but already at moderate Mach numbers, maximum lift and the lift limit do not necessarily coincide any more, as the actual achievable lift may be limited by the onset of transonic buffet before maximum lift is achieved. Since buffet itself can only be predicted accurately with high effort using time-resolving CFD methods, indirect criteria are required for estimating the lift limit based on steady RANS simulations. This is the focus of the present paper. For this purpose, various criteria proposed in the literature are presented, applied to a test case and comparatively evaluated. For the test case, steady RANS simulations of the generic wing-fuselage configuration LEISA at different Mach numbers and angles of attack are carried out. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of the different criteria are identified and discussed.
Decarbonization of Arthrospira platensis production by using atmospheric CO2 as an exclusive carbon source: proof of principle
Authors: Jung C. G. H. , Nghinaunye T. , Waldeck P. , Braune S. , Petrick I. , Küpper J.-H. , Jung F.
Published: October 2023

There is an urgent need to develop technologies for removing CO2 from the atmosphere to combat climate change. Microalgae and cyanobacteria, such as Arthrospira platensis (AP), have shown promise due to their high photoautotrophic biomass production. Conventional AP culture media are supplemented with high concentrations of NaHCO3 since AP utilizes $${\text{HCO}}_{3}^{ - }$$

HCO

3

-

as a carbon source. These culture conditions result in significant amounts of CO2 escaping into the atmosphere, instead of being sequestered during cultivation. Here, we investigated whether ambient air (0.042% CO2) can be used for growing AP in a culture medium lacking a fossil-based carbon source. AP was cultured in 2 L glass bioreactors containing: (1) Zarrouk medium with 16.8 g/L NaHCO3 and aeration with 0.236 vvm air with 2% CO2 (“NaHCO3/CO2-based”) to compensate carbon loss due to CO2 outgassing, and (2) Zarrouk medium without NaHCO3 and a gas flow with ambient air (0.926 vvm) as the only carbon source (“air-based”). The air-based production resulted in the biofixation of 3.78 gCO2/L during the linear growth phase. With NaHCO3/CO2-based production, a comparable amount of 3.42 gCO2/L was obtained while 659.12 g of CO2 was released into the atmosphere. Total protein, phycocyanin, chlorophyll-a, and carotenoids were present in similar or increased amounts in AP produced by the air-based method. We concluded that cultivation of AP with Zarrouk medium lacking NaHCO3 but using ambient air with atmospheric CO2 as the only carbon source is possible without reducing productivity. These results improve our understanding of how atmospheric CO2 can be reduced by culturing AP.
Association of difficulties in daily physical activities and handgrip strength with cancer diagnoses in 65,980 European older adults
Authors: Martín-Cuesta Jonathan , Calatayud Joaquín , Casaña José , Smith Lee , Pardhan Shahina , López-Sánchez Guillermo Felipe , Suso-Martí Luis , Cuenca-Martínez Ferran , López-Bueno Rubén
Published: October 2023

Background

People with cancer usually report physical deconditioning, which can limit daily activities.

Aims

Our aim was to analyze associations between daily physical activities and handgrip strength with cancer diagnoses among European older adults.

Methods

We used data from SHARE (a representative survey of individuals aged 50 years or older) wave 7, residing in 27 European countries and Israel. Participants self-reported difficulties in daily physical activities and cancer diagnoses, and handgrip strength was objectively assessed using a handheld dynamometer. Data were analyzed using binary logistic regression.

Results

Overall, 65,980 participants (average age 67.6 years (SD = 9.4)) were analyzed. Having difficulties in any daily physical activity was significantly associated with higher odds of cancer diagnoses. Lower handgrip strength was significantly associated with cancer diagnoses among participants included in the first (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.27 [95%CI = 1.11–1.45]) and the second third (AOR = 1.15 [95%CI = 1.03–1.28]) when compared with participants from the last third in the final adjusted model.

Discussion

Having difficulties in daily physical activities as well as lower levels of handgrip strength is positively associated with cancer diagnoses.

Conclusion

Adults with difficulties lifting or carrying weights over 5 kilos or having difficulties in two or more activities showed critical associations with cancer diagnosis.
Comparison of sub-grid drag laws for modeling fluidized beds with the coarse grain DEM–CFD approach
Authors: Grabowski Janna , Jurtz Nico , Brandt Viktor , Kruggel-Emden Harald , Kraume Matthias
Published: October 2023

Fluidized particulate systems can be well described by coupling the discrete element method (DEM) with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). However, the simulations are computationally very demanding. The computational demand is drastically reduced by applying the coarse grain (CG) approach, where several particles are summarized into larger grains. Scaling rules are applied to the dominant forces to obtain precise solutions. However, with growing grain size, an adequate representation of the interaction forces and, thus, representation of sub-grid effects such as bubble and cluster formation in the fluidized particulate system becomes challenging. As a result, particle drag can be overestimated, leading to an increase in average particle height. In this work, limitations of the system-to-grain ratio are identified but also a dependency on system width. To address this issue, sub-grid drag models are often applied to increase the accuracy of simulations. Nonetheless, the sub-grid models tend to have an ad hoc fitting, and thorough testing of the system configurations is often missing. Here, five different sub-grid drag models are compared and tested on fluidized bed systems with different Geldart group particles, fluidization velocity, and system-to-grain diameter ratios.
Experimental study on the slip evolution of planar fractures subjected to cyclic normal stress
Authors: Tao Kang , Dang Wengang , Liao Xian , Li Xingling
Published: October 2023

The frictional rupture mechanisms of rock discontinuities considering the dynamic load disturbance still remain unclear. This paper investigates the transitional behaviors of slip events happened on a planar granite fracture under cyclic normal stress with different oscillation amplitudes. The experimental results show that the activations of fast slips always correlate with unloading of normal stress. Besides, the intensive normal stress oscillation can weaken the shear strength which is recoverable when the normal stress return to constant. The rupture patterns are quantified by stress drop, slip length and slip velocity. With the effect of small oscillation amplitudes, the slip events show chaotic shapes, compared to the regular and predictable style under constant normal stress. When the amplitude is large enough, the big and small slip events emerge alternately, showing a compound slip style. Large amplitude of the cyclic normal stress also widens the interval differences of the slip events. This work provides experimental supports for a convincible link between the dynamic stress disturbance and the slip behavior of rock fractures.
A Population-Based Outcome-Wide Association Study of the Comorbidities and Sequelae Following COVID-19 Infection
Authors: Zhang Yuyang , Li Junhong , Feng Lan , Luo Yaxin , Pang Wendu , Qiu Ke , Mao Minzi , Song Yao , Cheng Danni , Rao Yufang , Wang Xinyi , Hu Yao , Ying Zhiye , Pu Xiaobin , Lin Shuyan , Huang Shaohui , Liu Geoffrey , Zhang Wei , Xu Wei , Zhao Yu , Ren Jianjun
Published: October 2023

Background

Immense attention has been given to the outcome of COVID-19 infection. However, comprehensive studies based on large populational cohort with long-term follow-up are still lacking. This study aimed to investigate the risk of various short-term comorbidities (within one month) and long-term sequelae (above one month) after COVID-19 infection.

Methods

In this large prospective cohort study with 14 months follow-up information based on UK biobank, we included 16,776 COVID-19-positive participants and 58,281 COVID-19-negative participants matched for comparison. The risk of each comorbidity and sequela was evaluated by multivariable logistic regression analysis and presented as hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI).

Results

COVID-19-positive individuals had a higher risk of 47 types of comorbidities within one month following COVID-19 infection, especially those who were older, male, overweight/obese, ever-smoked, with more pre-existing comorbidities and hospitalized. About 70.37% of COVID-19 patients with comorbidities had more than one co-occurring comorbidities. Additionally, only 6 high-risk sequelae were observed after one month of COVID-19 infection, and the incidence was relatively low (< 1%).

Conclusion

In addition to long-term sequelae following COVID-19 infection, plenty of comorbidities were observed, especially in patients with older age, male gender, overweight/obese, more pre-existing comorbidities and severe COVID-19, indicating that more attention should be given to these susceptible persons within this period.
A comparison of severity of illness between the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and Delta variant
Authors: Ellis Laura Peyton , Hess Olivia , Huynh Khoa Le Anh , Bearman Gonzalo , Kang Le , Doern Christopher D.
Published: October 2023

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionally affected traditionally marginalized groups. Both the Delta and Omicron variants raised concern amongst public health officials due to potentially higher infectivity rates and disease severity than prior variants. This study sought to compare disease severity between adults infected with the Omicron variant and adults infected with the Delta variant who presented to the Emergency Department at an academic, safety-net hospital in Virginia.

Methods:

This retrospective cohort study used electronic medical record data of patients who presented to the Emergency Department and received a positive SARS-CoV-2 test between September 1, 2021, and January 31, 2022. Positive tests were stratified by genotypic variant through whole genome sequencing. Participants with the Omicron variant were propensity scores matched with individuals with the Delta variant.

Results:

Among 500 Delta and 500 Omicron participants, 279 propensity score-matched pairs were identified. Participants were predominantly unvaccinated, with medical comorbidities, and self-identified as Black. Individuals infected with the Delta variant had more severe disease compared to those with the Omicron variant, regardless of vaccination status. Patients with kidney, liver, and respiratory disease, as well as cancer, are at higher risk for severe disease. Patients with 2 doses of COVID-19 immunization trended toward less severe disease.

Conclusions:

Overall, these data further support the literature regarding the disproportionate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable patient populations – such as those with limited access to care, people of color, and those with chronic medical conditions – and can be used to inform public health interventions.
Gender balance in infectious diseases and hospital epidemiology journals
Authors: Barajas-Ochoa Aldo , Ramirez-Trejo Manuel , Gradilla-Magaña Paloma , Dash Aditee , Raybould Jillian , Bearman Gonzalo
Published: October 2023

Objective:

Diversity is recognized as a driver of excellence and innovation. Women represent a significant part of the infectious diseases (ID) and hospital epidemiology (HE) workforce. We aimed to assess gender representation among editors of top ID and HE journals and explore potential correlations with the gender of first and last authors in published articles.

Methods:

Using Scimago Journal & Country Rank, we identified 40 ID and 4 HE high-ranking journals. Editorial members were categorized by decision-making influence (levels I-III). We retrieved names of first and corresponding authors from 12 ID-focused journals’ 2019 research articles. Gender assignment for editors, first authors, and last authors utilized digital galleries and manual searches.

Results:

Among 2,797 editors from 44 journals, 33% were women. Female representation varied across editorial levels: 26% at level I, 36% at level II, and 31% at level III. Gender balance disparities existed among journals. Female first authors accounted for 50%, and female last authors accounted for 36% of the 2,725 published articles. We found weak but significant correlations between the editors’ gender and the gender of the first and last authors.

Conclusion:

Gender representation among ID and HE journal editors displayed unevenness, but no overt vertical segregation was observed. A generational transition among authors may be underway. Our findings suggest that a generational transition may be occurring among authors.
Political Conflict and Development Dynamics: Economic Legacies of the Cultural Revolution
Authors: Bai Liang , Wu Lingwei
Published: October 2023

As a multi-faceted socio-political movement in twentieth-century China, the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) witnessed conflict and social upheaval. This paper investigates its economic legacies, exploiting geographic variation in revolutionary intensity, measured by the number of resulting deaths. Using a newly assembled county-level panel dataset over five decades, we find worse-affected areas performed slightly better at baseline, but were slower to industrialize. This effect was large in the early 1980s before diminishing to become insignificant by 2000. Using individual-level census data, we find more-exposed cohorts are less likely to obtain higher education degrees and to work in professional and entrepreneurial occupations.
Genomic SEM applied to explore etiological divergences in bipolar subtypes
Authors: Lawrence Jeremy M. , Breunig Sophie , Foote Isabelle F. , Tallis Connor B. , Grotzinger Andrew D.
Published: October 2023

Background

Bipolar disorder (BD) is an overarching diagnostic class defined by the presence of at least one prior manic episode (BD I) or both a prior hypomanic episode and a prior depressive episode (BD II). Traditionally, BD II has been conceptualized as a less severe presentation of BD I, however, extant literature to investigate this claim has been mixed.

Methods

We apply genomic structural equation modeling (Genomic SEM) to investigate divergent genetic pathways across BD's two major subtypes using the most recent GWAS summary statistics from the PGC. We begin by identifying divergences in genetic correlations across 98 external traits using a Bonferroni-corrected threshold. We also use a theoretically informed follow-up model to examine the extent to which the genetic variance in each subtype is explained by schizophrenia and major depression. Lastly, transcriptome-wide SEM (T-SEM) was used to identify neuronal gene expression patterns associated with BD subtypes.

Results

BD II was characterized by significantly larger genetic overlap across non-psychiatric medical and internalizing traits (e.g. heart disease, neuroticism, insomnia), while stronger associations for BD I were absent. Consistent with these findings, follow-up modeling revealed a substantial major depression component for BD II. T-SEM results revealed 35 unique genes associated with shared risk across BD subtypes.

Conclusions

Divergent patterns of genetic relationships across external traits provide support for the distinction of the bipolar subtypes. However, our results also challenge the illness severity conceptualization of BD given stronger genetic overlap across BD II and a range of clinically relevant traits and disorders.
Cell-free plasma next-generation sequencing assists in the evaluation of secondary pneumonia in patients with COVID-19: a case series
Authors: David Joshua A. , Kolipakkam Bharadhwaj , Morales Megan K. , Vissichelli Nicole C.
Published: October 2023

Secondary pneumonia occurs in 8–24% of patients with Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infection and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis of secondary pneumonia can be challenging. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of plasma microbial cell free DNA sequencing (mcfNGS) in the evaluation of secondary pneumonia after COVID-19. We performed a single-center case series of patients with COVID-19 who underwent mcfNGS to evaluate secondary pneumonia and reported the organisms identified, concordance with available tests, clinical utility, and outcomes. In 8/13 (61%) cases, mcfNGS detected 1–6 organisms, with clinically significant organisms identified in 4 cases, including Pneumocystis jirovecii, and Legionella spp. Management was changed in 85% (11/13) of patients based on results, including initiation of targeted therapy, de-escalation of empiric antimicrobials, and avoiding contingent escalation of antifungals. mcfNGS may be helpful to identify pathogens causing secondary pneumonia, including opportunistic pathogens in immunocompromised patients with COVID-19. However, providers need to carefully interpret this test within the clinical context.
Curriculum integration on student management and psychological stress relieve
Authors: Zhao Xinying , Zhang Chengming , Wang Zisong , Yu Shuaiyi
Published: October 2023

Background

The psychological pressure on college students is increasing day by day, and many universities have integrated ideological and political courses into their student management.

Subjects and Methods

The study selected college students from a university as research subjects and divided them equally into a control group and a research group. The former was subjected to routine student management, and the latter was given ideological and political treatment based on routine management. The anxiety scale was used for comparative analysis, and SPSS22.0 was used for statistical analysis.

Results

After a 4-month experiment, the score of the anxiety scale for college students in the control group changed from 62 points to 58 points. The score for the research group changed from 64 points to 45 points. In the research group, there was a significant difference in psychological stress among college students before and after the experiment (P<0.05). The experimental results indicate that integrating ideological and political education into the management of college students has a significant alleviating effect on the psychological pressure of college students.

Conclusions

The study of integrating ideological and political education into college student management has a positive impact on alleviating their psychological pressure. It also provides a reference for the student management of other university departments, promoting the innovation on student management work.

Acknowledgement

Dongying science development fund project (No. DJ2021029).