bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Selenium deficiency as a model of experimental pre-eclampsia in rats
Authors: Vanderlelie J , Venardos K , Perkins A V
Published: October 2004

Epidemiological studies andin vitroanalysis demonstrate correlations between selenium status and human pre-eclampsia (PET). Selenium is an essential component in the anti-oxidant proteins glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin reductase, which are produced in lower amounts in pre-eclamptic placenta. This study examined the effect of modulating dietary selenium content in pregnant rats. Rats were fed diets containing no selenium, 239 μg/kg selenium or 1000 μg/kg selenium, four weeks prior to and following conception. Significant pregnancy-specific increases in systolic blood pressure (116.4 ± 5.2 mmHg vs 108 ± 6.8 mmHg vs 111.4 ± 4.7 mmHg) and proteinuria (9.68 ± 2.12 μg/ml vs 5.93 ± 1.59 μg/ml vs 4.43 ± 0.96 μg/ml) were demonstrated in animals fed a selenium free-diet when compared with normal or high selenium diets. Placental weight and pup number were not affected by selenium deprivation, however a significant decrease in the pup weight was evident. Selenium deprivation caused dose-dependent decreases in liver glutathione peroxidase (28.55 ± 3.82 mmoles/min/mg vs 34.68 ± 8.64 mmoles/min/mg) and thioredoxin reductase (2.37 ± 1.25 U/mg vs 6.68 ± 1.82 U/mg) activity, whereas superoxide dismutase activity remained constant. Placental activity of these enzymes also decreased leading to oxidative stress as measured by increased lipid peroxides (17.92 ± 1.78 μmoles/mg vs 8.30 ± 5.52 μmoles/mg) and protein carbonyls in tissue extracts from selenium-free animals. These results suggest that selenium deficiency in pregnant rats leads to symptoms similar to those seen in human PET and may provide an experimental model for studying this complex disease.
Anti-inflammatory and proliferative responses in human and ovine ovarian surface epithelial cells
Authors: Gubbay O , Guo W , Rae M T , Niven D , Howie A F , McNeilly A S , Xu L , Hillier S G
Published: October 2004

The majority of ovarian cancers (>90%) are believed to derive from the ovarian surface epithelium (OSE); a single layer covering the entire surface of the ovary. At ovulation, the OSE cell layer undergoes an inflammatory response, involving cell death and growth, in order to overcome ovarian surface rupture. Abnormalities during these processes are believed to contribute to the development of tumours. Using primary cultures of OSE cells, we have compared anti-inflammatory and proliferative responses directly between human and ovine OSE cells to further establish the use of ovine OSE cells as a suitable model system for the study of human OSE cells. In order to compare effects of inflammatory stimulation, expression and activity of 11βhydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11βHSD) type 1 was measured in OSE cells in response to interleukin (IL)-1α. As previously identified in human OSE cells, treatment of ovine OSE cells with IL-1α stimulated a concomitant increase of 11βHSD type 1 mRNA (31-fold;P< 0.05) and oxoreductase activity, indicating an increased production of anti-inflammatory cortisol. To compare the growth of human and ovine OSE cells, OSE cell number was measured in response to treatment with gonadotropins or growth factors. In the presence of FSH, LH or human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), ovine and human OSE cell growth was similarly stimulated >1.2-fold (P< 0.05). In the presence of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and more significantly insulin growth factor I (IGF-I), human and ovine OSE cell growth was also similarly stimulated >1.2-fold (P< 0.05) and >1.5-fold (P< 0.01), respectively. The induction of both human and ovine OSE cell growth by IGF-I or hCG was further shown to be dependent on activation of the MAP kinase/extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway. Stimulation of ovine OSE cell growth by hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) was similarly shown to be ERK-dependent; however, for human OSE cells, HGF only mildly stimulated ERK phosphorylation and failed to stimulate OSE cell growth. The demonstration that human and ovine OSE cells share similarities at the level of cell signalling, gene expression and cellular growth supports the use of ovine OSE cells as a suitable model for the study of human OSE cells.
Impaired fertility in T-stock female mice after superovulation
Authors: Zudova Dagmar , Wyrobek Andrew J. , Bishop Jack , Marchetti Francesco
Published: October 2004

Superovulation of female mice with exogenous gonadotrophins is routinely used for increasing the number of eggs ovulated by each female in reproductive and developmental studies. We report an unusual effect of superovulation on fertilization in mice.In vivomatings of superovulated T-stock females with B6C3F1 males resulted in a two-fold reduction (P< 0.001) in the frequencies of fertilized eggs compared with control B6C3F1 matings. In addition, approximately 22 h after mating, only 15% of fertilized eggs recovered in T-stock females had reached the metaphase stage of the first cleavage division versus 87% in B6C3F1 females (P< 0.0001). Matings with T-stock males did not improve the reproductive performance of T-stock females. To investigate the possible cause(s) for the impaired fertilization and zygotic development, the experiments were repeated usingin vitrofertilization. Under these conditions, the frequencies of fertilized eggs were not different in superovulated T-stock and B6C3F1 females (51.7 ± 6.0 and 64.5 ± 3.8%,P= 0.10). There was a seven-fold increase in the frequencies of fertilized eggs that completed the first cell cycle of development afterin vitroversusin vivofertilization in T-stock females. These results rule out an intrinsic deficiency of the T-stock oocyte as the main reason for the impaired fertility afterin vivomatings, and suggest that superovulation of T-stock females may induce a hostile oviductal and uterine environment with dramatic effects on fertilization and zygotic development.
Apresentação de um novo dispositivo para mensuração do ângulo de torção da perna
Authors: Lawand Sérgio José , Ramalho Júnior Amâncio , Smith Ricardo Luiz
Published: October 2004

Variações rotacionais dos membros inferiores no plano transverso são responsáveis por um grande número de doenças que acometem crianças e indivíduos adultos. Nas crianças, podemos citar como exemplo, um quadro comum, a marcha com os "pés para dentro" ("toeing in") e nos indivíduos adultos, a incapacitante artrose degenerativa dos joelhos. Enquanto as alterações ósseas localizadas no plano transverso são difíceis de serem avaliadas, as deformidades presentes nos planos frontal e sagital podem ser avaliadas facilmente através, por exemplo, de simples radiografias. Neste contexto, dentre os métodos disponíveis para o estudo rotacional da perna, não há procedimento clínico ou de imagem que reúna as características de precisão, praticidade e baixo custo. Com o intuito de preencher esta lacuna, os autores apresentam um dispositivo para aferição clínica indireta do ângulo de torção da perna para indivíduos adultos e crianças. Neste artigo, procedeu-se a avaliação e a análise de 40 membros inferiores de cadáveres adultos humanos.
Avaliação do efeito do Risedronato Sódico na consolidação de fraturas: estudo experimental em ratos
Authors: Oliveira Luiz Antonio Alcântara de , Guarniero Roberto , Rodrigues Consuelo Junqueira , Santana Paulo José de , Batista Marco Antonio
Published: October 2004

Realizou-se um estudo experimental com 40 ratos da raça Lewis visando-se avaliar a influência do risedronato sódico na consolidação de fraturas em animais submetidos à dieta aprotéica e dieta protéica, divididos aleatoriamente em quatro grupos, com 10 animais em cada grupo, assim constituídos: grupo I, com dieta protéica, sem risedronato (grupo controle); grupo II, dieta protéica, com risedronato; grupo III, dieta aprotéica, sem risedrionato; grupo IV, dieta aprotéica, com risedronato. Os ratos foram submetidos a fraturas semelhantes, no 15º dia e à eutanásia no 43º dia do experimento. As variáveis analisadas incluíram a evolução ponderal, avaliação radiográfica, densitometria óssea, avaliação histomorfométrica do calo ósseo, dosagens sanguíneas de cálcio, fósforo, fosfatase alcalina, proteínas totais, albumina e osteocalcina. Concluiu-se que o risedronato exerceu influência positiva no processo de consolidação de fraturas em ratos nutridos e desnutridos, e aumentou a densidade mineral óssea. O risedronato ocasionou a formação de tecido ósseo maduro de melhor qualidade e morfologia.
Osteossíntese de fratura diafisária do úmero com placa em ponte: apresentação e descrição da técnica
Authors: Livani Bruno , Belangero William Dias
Published: October 2004

Os autores descrevem o método cirúrgico inédito para o tratamento das fraturas da diáfise do úmero, com placa colocada por técnica minimamente invasiva. Após estudos anatômicos, foram identificadas três acessos cirúrgicos pelos quais se pode introduzir uma placa na face anterior do úmero, sem risco de lesão vásculo nervosa. O acesso proximal se faz entre os múculos deltóide, lateralmente, e bíceps braquial, medialmente. Nas fraturas do terço médio o acesso distal é feito entre os músculos bíceps braquial e braquial com a placa introduzida de proximal para distal. Nas fraturas distais do úmero o acesso proximal é o mesmo, mas o acesso distal é o descrito por Kocher, com a placa introduzida de distal para proximal e fixada na face anterior da coluna lateral do úmero. O método aqui apresentado vem sendo utilizado desde junho de 2001, principalmente nos pacientes politraumatizados e polifraturados, por ser rápida, segura e por permitir que o paciente possa ser operado em decúbito dorsal horizontal. Além disso, não há necessidade de intensificador de imagem, ou mesmo aparelho de radiografia. Até o momento não foram observadas complicações vásculo nervosas nos 22 pacientes tratados.
Use of Professional Interpreters for Patients With Limited English Proficiency Undergoing Surgery
Authors: Cevallos Jenny , Lee Carmen , Bongiovanni Tasce
Published: February 2024

This cohort study examines measures of hospital interpreter usage for surgical patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) undergoing common general operations.
Massless fermions and superconductivity of string-wall composites
Authors: Eto Minoru , Suzuki Yuito
Published: February 2024

Abstract

An axion cosmic string is known to be a chiral superconductor when the axion couples to an electrically charged fermion. After the QCD phase transition, a QCD axion string is attached by N domain walls. We would like to elucidate the fate of massless fermions on a global string after domain walls attached not only in the axion model but also in general models having string-wall composites. We investigate the Dirac equation under various string-wall composite backgrounds both in the axion(-like) models and in the $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 supersymmetry inspired Abelian-Higgs models. We give an answer to the elementary question of whether massless fermions exist, and if so, where they are localized. The answer depends on fermion/boson masses in the models, and the massless fermion can be localized either on the string, on one of the domain walls, or in one of the vacua. We find analytic solutions for the fermion zero mode function by which we prove the existence of the massless fermion on the string-wall composites. We also show supercurrents flowing along the string-wall composites and anomalous electric currents flowing in from outside.
Constraints on a generalization of geometric quantum mechanics from neutrino and B0-$$ \overline{B^0} $$ oscillations
Authors: Bhatta Nabin , Minic Djordje , Takeuchi Tatsu
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Nambu Quantum Mechanics, proposed in Phys. Lett. B536, 305 (2002), is a deformation of canonical Quantum Mechanics in which the manifold over which the “phase” of an energy eigenstate time evolves is modified. This generalization affects oscillation and interference phenomena through the introduction of two deformation parameters that quantify the extent of deviation from canonical Quantum Mechanics. In this paper, we constrain these parameters utilizing atmospheric neutrino oscillation data, and B0-$$ \overline{B^0} $$

B
0

¯

oscillation data from Belle. Surprisingly, the bound from atmospheric neutrinos is stronger than the bound from Belle. Various features of Nambu Quantum Mechanics are also discussed.
Hypocalcaemia upon arrival (HUA) in trauma patients who did and did not receive prehospital blood products: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Rushton Timothy J. , Tian David H. , Baron Aidan , Hess John R. , Burns Brian
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Hypocalcaemia upon arrival (HUA) to hospital is associated with morbidity and mortality in the trauma patient. It has been hypothesised that there is an increased incidence of HUA in patients receiving prehospital transfusion as a result of citrated blood products. This research aimed to determine if there was a difference in arrival ionised calcium (iCa) levels in trauma patients who did and did not receive prehospital transfusion.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of patients with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) > / = 15 and an iCa measured on hospital arrival. We then derived mean iCa levels and attempted to compare between-group variables across multiple study cohorts.

Results

Nine studies reported iCa on arrival to ED, with a mean of 1.08 mmol/L (95% CI 1.02–1.13; I2 = 99%; 2087 patients). Subgroup analysis of patients who did not receive prehospital transfusion had a mean iCa of 1.07 mmol/L (95% CI 1.01–1.14; I2 = 99%, 1661 patients). Transfused patients in the 3 comparative studies had a slightly lower iCa on arrival compared to those who did not receive transfusion (mean difference − 0.03 mmol/L, 95% CI − 0.04 to − 0.03, I2 = 0%, p = 0.001, 561 patients).

Conclusion

HUA is common amongst trauma patients irrespective of transfusion. Transfused patients had a slightly lower initial iCa than those without transfusion, though the clinical impact of this remains to be clarified. These findings question the paradigm of citrate-induced hypocalcaemia alone in trauma. There is a need for consensus for the definition of hypocalcaemia to provide a basis for future research into the role of calcium supplementation in trauma.
Exploring benthic habitat assessments on coral reefs: a comparison of direct field measurements versus remote sensing
Authors: Lutzenkirchen Lucas L. , Duce Stephanie J. , Bellwood David R.
Published: February 2024

Coral reefs are spatially variable ecosystems that form biogenic structures ranging in size from 10 to 1000s of meters. Their changes in response to anthropogenic stress are occurring across increasingly broad scales, yet our ability to detect, understand and respond to these changes at relevant scales is limited. Traditional in-water observation-based coral reef ecology and remote sensing-based methods both offer valuable insights into benthic change, but their relative scalability and use to-date must be understood to inform optimal future research approaches. We conducted a systematic literature review comparing the approaches used to quantify benthic habitat, through traditional in-water ecological studies and remote sensing studies, with respect to: (a) their geographic distribution, (b) reef zone selection, and c) their focal questions. Among the 199 studies reviewed, traditional ecological studies primarily concentrated on community composition (89%), using high-detail direct measurements, especially from the reef slope (80%). By contrast, remote sensing studies provided spatially explicit datasets at coarser spatial and thematic resolutions, with a predominant focus on benthic mapping (72%) across entire reef systems. Only 3% of studies integrated both approaches, combining comprehensive in-situ observations with broadscale remote sensing. As anthropogenic stressors continue to increase in scale, bridging these scientific disciplines offers a promising way to upscale observations to entire reef-scape scales. We identify steps to harness the strengths of both fields and integrate multiple tools at various levels of resolution and scale. Such bridging approaches offer a way forward in understanding and managing coral reef functioning in the Anthropocene.
3D isogeometric indirect BEM solution based on virtual surface sources on the boundaries of Helmholtz acoustic problems
Authors: Shaaban Ahmed Mostafa , Trevelyan Jon , Rabczuk Timon
Published: February 2024

A solution for 3D Helmholtz acoustic problems is introduced based on an indirect boundary element method (indirect BEM) coupled with isogeometric analysis (IGA). The novelty of this work arises from using virtual surface sources placed directly on the scatterer boundaries, producing robust results. These virtual surface sources are discretized by the same Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines (NURBS) approximating the scatterer CAD model. This allows modeling of general irregular geometries. The proposed solution has the same features of BEM approaches, which do not need any domain discretization or truncation boundaries at the far-field. It shows an additional merit by arranging the linear system of equations directly depending on a single coefficient matrix, consuming less computational time compared to other BEM methods. A Greville abscissae collocation scheme is proposed with offsets at $$C^0$$

C
0

-continuities. This collocation scheme allows for easy evaluation for both free-terms and normals at the collocation points. The performance of the proposed solution is discussed on 3D numerical exterior problems and compared against other BEM methods. Then, the practical interior muffler problem with internal extended thin tubes is studied and the obtained results are compared against other numerical methods in addition to the available experimental data, showing the capability of the proposed solution in handling thin-walled geometries.
Circulating osteoprotegerin as a cardiac biomarker for left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease: the KNOW-CKD study
Authors: Suh Sang Heon , Oh Tae Ryom , Choi Hong Sang , Kim Chang Seong , Bae Eun Hui , Ma Seong Kwon , Oh Kook-Hwan , Jung Ji Yong , Hyun Young Youl , Kim Soo Wan ,   the Korean Cohort Study for Outcomes in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease (KNOW-CKD) Investigators
Published: February 2024

Background

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a major cause of mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and diagnosis is challenging. Moreover, no specific biomarker for HFpEF has been validated in patients with CKD. The present study aimed to investigate the association between serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels and the risk of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD), a surrogate of HFpEF, in patients with pre-dialysis CKD.

Methods

A total of 2039 patients with CKD at stage 1 to pre-dialysis 5 were categorized into quartiles (Q1 to Q4) by serum OPG levels, and were cross-sectionally analyzed. The study outcome was LVDD, which was operationally defined as the ratio of early transmitral blood flow velocity to early diastolic velocity of the mitral annulus (E/e’) > 14.

Results

In the analysis of baseline characteristics, higher serum OPG levels were clearly related to the risk factors of HFpEF. A scatter plot analysis revealed a moderate correlation between serum OPG levels and E/e’ (R = 0.351, P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the risk of LVDD in Q3 (adjusted odds ratio 2.576, 95% confidence interval 1.279 to 5.188) and Q4 (adjusted odds ratio 3.536, 95% confidence interval 1.657 to 7.544) was significantly higher than that in Q1.

Conclusions

Elevated serum OPG levels are associated with the risk of LVDD in patients with pre-dialysis CKD. The measurement of serum OPG levels may help the diagnosis of LVDD, which is an important echocardiographic feature of HFpEF.

Graphical Abstract
Population affinity estimation using pelvic measurements based on computed tomographic data acquired from Japanese and Western Australian populations
Authors: Torimitsu Suguru , Nakazawa Akari , Flavel Ambika , Swift Lauren , Makino Yohsuke , Iwase Hirotaro , Franklin Daniel
Published: February 2024

The present study analyzes morphological differences in the pelvis of Japanese and Western Australian individuals and investigates the feasibility of population affinity classification based on computed tomography (CT) data. The Japanese and Western Australian samples comprise CT scans of 207 (103 females; 104 males) and 158 (78 females; 80 males) adult individuals, respectively. Following volumetric reconstruction, a total of 19 pelvic landmarks were obtained on each sample, and 11 measurements, including two angles, were calculated. Machine learning methods (random forest modeling [RFM] and support vector machine [SVM]) were used to classify population affinity. Classification accuracy of the two-way models was approximately 80% for RFM: the two-way sex-specific and sex-mixed models for SVM achieved > 90% and > 85%, respectively. The sex-specific models had higher accurate classification rates than the sex-mixed models, except for the Japanese male sample. The classification accuracy of the four-way sex and population affinity model had an overall classification accuracy of 76.71% for RFM and 87.67% for SVM. All the correct classification rates were higher in the Japanese relative to the Western Australian sample. Our data suggest that pelvic morphology is sufficiently distinct between Japanese and Western Australian individuals to facilitate the accurate classification of population affinity based on measurements acquired in CT images. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the feasibility of population affinity estimation based on CT images of the pelvis, which appears as a viable supplement to traditional approaches based on cranio-facial morphology.
Phase Analysis and Measurement of Local Carbon Contents in Hypoeutectic Alloys in the System Fe-C-B-Cr-W
Authors: Schaefer Hendric , Weber Sebastian , Lentz Jonathan
Published: February 2024

Cold work tool steels of the Fe‑0.4C-1B-Cr alloy system use the element boron (B) for hard phase formation. B should facilitate a reduction in the contents of carbide-forming elements and carbon (C) to the extent that C is used exclusively for martensitic hardening, while allowing the practical utilization of hard borides as hard phases. The formation of carboborides stands in the way of this concept. To further develop the alloying system, an interaction of the alloying elements tungsten (W) and C during solid-state microstructure formation during heat treatment is investigated. The main objective is to investigate the influence of hardening as well as solution annealing on the solution state of C in the martensitic matrix in different W‑alloyed high B‑content cold work tool steels. For this purpose, two laboratory melts of Fe‑0.4C-1B‑2.5Cr‑W are cast with a W content of 2 and 9 mass%, swaged, austenitized at 1100 °C for varying time steps, and quenched. A microstructure and phase analysis is carried out by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Furthermore, the local C contents of the martensitic matrix and hard phases are measured by wavelength dispersive X‑ray spectroscopy (WDS). The results are discussed considering thermodynamic equilibrium calculations. It is shown that the addition of W leads to the eutectic formation of W‑rich carboborides, which are thermodynamically stable at austenitization temperature. However, high B contents in the carboborides lead to a significant reduction in the boride content of these alloys, which results in significant differences to the thermodynamic calculations.
Review of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy methods for lithium-ion battery diagnostics and their limitations
Authors: Nováková Kateřina , Papež Václav , Sadil Jindřich , Knap Václav
Published: February 2024

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is a measurement method widely used for non-destructive analysis and diagnostics in various electrochemical fields. From the measured dependence of the battery impedance on the frequency, it is possible to determine the parameters of various equivalent electrical circuit models of the battery. The conventional method of battery measurement using single-sine EIS is currently one of the most widely used methods for the analysis of lithium-ion batteries. However, its most significant disadvantage is the relatively long measurement time. For this reason, there is a growing demand for faster methods using fast-Fourier transform or pseudo-random sequences. A description of various EIS methods applications is provided in this paper.

Graphical abstract
How Fast are Elastic Domino Waves?
Authors: Ding Daniel , Lau Clement , Westerhof Jorrit , Hoeven Lotte van der , Kampstra Lieke , Beek Patrick van der , Ostanin Igor
Published: February 2024

The paper is concerned with the problem of toppling propagation velocity in elastic, domino-like mechanical systems. We build on the work of Efthimiou and Johnson, who developed the theory of perfectly elastic collisions of thin rigid dominoes on a frictional foundation. This theory has been criticised for the lack of correspondence with the experimental observations, in particular, prediction of infinite propagation velocity for zero spacing between dominoes, as well as the inability to represent the collective nature of collisions in real domino systems. In our work we consider a more realistic scenario of dominoes of finite stiffness and obtain a theory of fast elastic domino waves, taking into account a limit velocity of the perturbation propagation in the system of dominoes. Moreover, finite collision time allows to extract dynamic quantities of collisions and establish upper and lower borders for domino separations where the theory could still be applied. Our discrete element simulations support our theoretical findings and shed light on the nature of collective interactions in the nearly-elastic domino chains.

Graphical abstract
Photocatalysis of low-density polyethylene using FKMW-ZnO NPs: optimization and predication model using a radial basis function neural network ensemble system
Authors: Noman Efaq Ali , Al-Gheethi Adel Ali , Alzaeemi Shehab Abdulhabib , Mohamed Radin Maya Saphira Radin , Gaik Tay Kim
Published: February 2024

The present study aimed to investigate the efficiency of biosynthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles in fungal supernatant grown in kitchen wastewater with microelectronic sludge (FKMW-ZnO NPs) to be used in the degradation low-density polyethylene (LDPE) in aqueous solution. The photocatalysis process was optimized using response surface methodology as a function of four independent factors included LDPE concentrations $$\left( {x_{1} } \right)$$

x
1

(100–500 mg/100 mL), FKMW-ZnO NPs concentrations $$\left( {x_{2} } \right)$$

x
2

(10–100 mg/100 mL), time $$\left( {x_{3} } \right)$$

x
3

(1–6 h) and pH $$\left( {x_{4} } \right)$$

x
4

(4–9). The maximum photocatalysis of LDPE was 45.43% optimized with 229.96 mg LDPE/100 mL, 100 mg FKMW-ZnO NPs/100 mL at pH 7 and after one hour with R2 is 0.7377. Microstructure and chemical structure analysis showed a significant change in the chemical structure of the photocatalysis of LDPE because of FKMW-ZnO NPs. The mathematical predication model using a radial basis function neural network ensemble system (RBFNNES) provided more accurate prediction model 89.2857% with R2 = 0.8688. However, RBFNNES revealed that FKMW-ZnO NPs and LDPE have unstable behaviour towards the investigated factor and the interaction between these factors where the error was increasing with the increasing the time of neural network which indicates that the obtained efficiency in the optimization study might be not applicable in the large scales or in different environmental factors. More optimization with a wide range of factors is required to understand the applicability of FKMW-ZnO NPs in remediation of LDPE in the environment.

Graphical Abstract
Machine learning for membrane design in energy production, gas separation, and water treatment: a review
Authors: Osman Ahmed I. , Nasr Mahmoud , Farghali Mohamed , Bakr Sara S. , Eltaweil Abdelazeem S. , Rashwan Ahmed K. , Abd El-Monaem Eman M.
Published: February 2024

Membrane filtration is a major process used in the energy, gas separation, and water treatment sectors, yet the efficiency of current membranes is limited. Here, we review the use of machine learning to improve membrane efficiency, with emphasis on reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, pervaporation, removal of pollutants, pathogens and nutrients, gas separation of carbon dioxide, oxygen and hydrogen, fuel cells, biodiesel, and biogas purification. We found that the use of machine learning brings substantial improvements in performance and efficiency, leading to specialized membranes with remarkable potential for various applications. This integration offers versatile solutions crucial for addressing global challenges in sustainable development and advancing environmental goals. Membrane gas separation techniques improve carbon capture and purification of industrial gases, aiding in the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
Moss removal facilitates decomposition and net nitrogen loss of monospecific and mixed-species litter in a boreal peatland
Authors: Zhang Xinhou , Chen Wei , Chen Weixiang , Wang Xianwei , Mao Rong
Published: February 2024

Litter decomposition plays an important role in biogeochemical cycling in boreal peatlands, where mosses, especially Sphagnum species, are a determinant. In recent decades, these peatlands have experienced a decline in moss cover due to abrupt climate warming and atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition. To reveal the effect of the reduction in moss cover on litter decomposition, we adopted a field living moss removal experiment (with the senesced tissues remaining) in a Sphagnum-dominated boreal peatland, and investigated litter mass loss and net N loss of three deciduous woody species decomposing in monocultures and mixtures over 3 years. Based on the observed and predicted mass loss and net N loss of litter mixtures, we divided litter mixing effects into additive (no significant difference), synergistic (observed value greater than predicted value), and antagonistic (observed value lower than predicted value) effects. Across 3 years of decomposition, moss removal increased litter mass loss and net N loss, irrespective of single- or mixed-species compositions. Moss removal generally changed litter mixing effects on mass loss from antagonistic to additive effects in the initial 2 years, but from synergistic to additive effects after 3 years of decomposition. Regarding net N loss of litter mixtures, moss removal often resulted in a shift from additive to synergistic effects or from antagonistic to additive effects after 2 and 3 years of decomposition. Our observations suggest that the declines in living moss cover can accelerate litter decomposition and nutrient release, and highlight that living moss loss makes litter mixture decomposition predictable by reducing non-additive effects in boreal peatlands. Given the widespread occurrence of reduced moss cover in boreal peatlands, the mechanisms explaining living moss controls on litter decomposition and N cycling should receive significant attention in further studies.
Cadmium transport by mammalian ATP-binding cassette transporters
Authors: Thévenod Frank , Lee Wing-Kee
Published: February 2024

Cellular responses to toxic metals depend on metal accessibility to intracellular targets, reaching interaction sites, and the intracellular metal concentration, which is mainly determined by uptake pathways, binding/sequestration and efflux pathways. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are ubiquitous in the human body—usually in epithelia—and are responsible for the transfer of indispensable physiological substrates (e.g. lipids and heme), protection against potentially toxic substances, maintenance of fluid composition, and excretion of metabolic waste products. Derailed regulation and gene variants of ABC transporters culminate in a wide array of pathophysiological disease states, such as oncogenic multidrug resistance or cystic fibrosis. Cadmium (Cd) has no known physiological role in mammalians and poses a health risk due to its release into the environment as a result of industrial activities, and eventually passes into the food chain. Epithelial cells, especially within the liver, lungs, gastrointestinal tract and kidneys, are particularly susceptible to the multifaceted effects of Cd because of the plethora of uptake pathways available. Pertinent to their broad substrate spectra, ABC transporters represent a major cellular efflux pathway for Cd and Cd complexes. In this review, we summarize current knowledge concerning transport of Cd and its complexes (mainly Cd bound to glutathione) by the ABC transporters ABCB1 (P-glycoprotein, MDR1), ABCB6, ABCC1 (multidrug resistance related protein 1, MRP1), ABCC7 (cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator, CFTR), and ABCG2 (breast cancer related protein, BCRP). Potential detoxification strategies underlying ABC transporter-mediated efflux of Cd and Cd complexes are discussed.
Biomechanical properties of articular cartilage in different regions and sites of the knee joint: acquisition of osteochondral allografts
Authors: Ma Yongsheng , Lin Qitai , Wang Xueding , Liu Yang , Yu Xiangyang , Ren Zhiyuan , Zhang Yuanyu , Guo Li , Wu Xiaogang , Zhang Xiangyu , Li Pengcui , Duan Wangping , Wei Xiaochun
Published: February 2024

Osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation involves grafting of natural hyaline cartilage and supporting subchondral bone into the cartilage defect area to restore its biomechanical and tissue structure. However, differences in biomechanical properties and donor-host matching may impair the integration of articular cartilage (AC). This study analyzed the biomechanical properties of the AC in different regions of different sites of the knee joint and provided a novel approach to OCA transplantation. Intact stifle joints from skeletally mature pigs were collected from a local abattoir less than 8 h after slaughter. OCAs were collected from different regions of the joints. The patella and the tibial plateau were divided into medial and lateral regions, while the trochlea and femoral condyle were divided into six regions. The OCAs were analyzed and compared for Young’s modulus, the compressive modulus, and cartilage thickness. Young’s modulus, cartilage thickness, and compressive modulus of OCA were significantly different in different regions of the joints. A negative correlation was observed between Young's modulus and the proportion of the subchondral bone (r =  − 0.4241, P < 0.0001). Cartilage thickness was positively correlated with Young’s modulus (r = 0.4473, P < 0.0001) and the compressive modulus (r = 0.3678, P < 0.0001). During OCA transplantation, OCAs should be transplanted in the same regions, or at the closest possible regions to maintain consistency of the biomechanical properties and cartilage thickness of the donor and recipient, to ensure smooth integration with the surrounding tissue. A 7 mm depth achieved a higher Young's modulus, and may represent the ideal length.
Is moral status done with words?
Authors: Gorr Miriam
Published: February 2024

This paper critically examines Coeckelbergh’s (2023) performative view of moral status. Drawing parallels to Searle’s social ontology, two key claims of the performative view are identified: (1) Making a moral status claim is equivalent to making a moral status declaration. (2) A successful declaration establishes the institutional fact that the entity has moral status. Closer examination, however, reveals flaws in both claims. The second claim faces a dilemma: individual instances of moral status declaration are likely to fail because they do not conform to established moral discourse conventions, and reliance on declarations becomes both unnecessary and implausible for explaining widespread collective recognition of moral status. As for the first claim, accepting it undermines the potential for meaningful moral disagreement. As a remedy, this paper proposed a shift in perspective: interpreting moral status claims as assertions rather than declarations. This refined perspective provides a more plausible framework for understanding moral status and avoids the pitfalls associated with the performative view.
Combinatoriality and Compositionality in Everyday Primate Skills
Authors: Gontier Nathalie
Published: February 2024

Human language, hominin tool production modes, and multimodal communications systems of primates and other animals are currently well-studied for how they display compositionality or combinatoriality. In all cases, the former is defined as a kind of hierarchical nesting and the latter as a lack thereof. In this article, I extend research on combinatoriality and compositionality further to investigations of everyday primate skills. Daily locomotion modes as well as behaviors associated with subsistence practices, hygiene, or body modification rely on the hierarchical nesting of different behavioral and cognitive actions into complex skills. I introduce a scheme which uses hierarchical organization to differentiate combinatorial from compositional skills. Combinatorial skills are defined either as aggregational or linearly hierarchical depending on whether the skill occurs momentarily in space or unfolds sequentially over time. Compositional skills are defined either as nested or interactionally hierarchical depending on whether the skill results in new constructs or in new interactions between existing constructs. The methodology I propose combines epistemological hierarchy theory with data from primatological field research and experimental and comparative psychological research and provides a means to integrate current constructionist and extended views on cognition and action with older research on behavioral logics in psychology and operational chain thinking in anthropology. The approach furthermore synchronizes with ongoing research on teleonomy, intentionality, and creativity.
Calibration of Static Errors and Compensation of Dynamic Errors for Cable-driven Parallel 3D Printer
Authors: Qian Sen , Jiang Xiao , Qian Pengfei , Zi Bin , Zhu Weidong
Published: February 2024

As rigid robots suffer from the higher inertia of their rigid links, cable-driven parallel robots (CDPRs) are more suitable for large-scale three-dimensional (3D) printing tasks due to their outstanding reconfigurability, high load-to-weight ratio, and extensive workspace. In this paper, a parallel 3D printing robot is proposed, comprising three pairs of driving cables to control the platform motion and three pairs of redundant cables to adjust the cable tension. To improve the motion accuracy of the moving platform, the static kinematic error model is established, and the error sensitivity coefficient is determined to reduce the dimensionality of the optimization function. Subsequently, the self-calibration positions are determined based on the maximum cable length error in the reachable workspace. A self-calibration method is proposed based on the genetic algorithm to solve the kinematic parameter deviations. Additionally, the dynamic errors are effectively reduced by compensating for the elastic deformation errors of the cable lengths. Furthermore, an experimental prototype is developed. The results of dynamic error compensation after the self-calibration indicate a 67.4% reduction in terms of the maximum error along the Z-axis direction. Finally, the developed prototype and proposed calibration and compensation methods are validated through the printing experiment.
Experimental investigation of compressive behavior and vibration properties of layered hybrid foam formed by aluminum foam/EPS-filled syntactic foam
Authors: Çıbıkçı Kübra Çağla , Yaman Mustafa
Published: February 2024

Hybrid foams are a type of composite material created by combining two foam materials. They are preferred in many applications due to their lightweight, high strength, and ability to absorb more energy. In this research, a new hybrid foam was designed for use in sandwich cores of structural materials. The hybrid foam was formed by combining closed-cell aluminum foam and expanded polystyrene (EPS)-filled syntactic foam. The EPS-filled syntactic foams were produced with the conventional mold casting technique. Uniaxial compressive behaviors (0.5 mm/min) of layered hybrid foams consisting of EPS-filled syntactic foam with three different densities and closed-cell aluminum foam were investigated experimentally and compared with conventional single-foamed materials. These results exhibited that in general, layered hybrid foams outperform conventional single-foamed materials in terms of compressive strength. Moreover, the natural frequency and damping ratio of the layered hybrid foams were investigated by vibration tests under clamped-free and free-free boundary conditions and compared to conventional single-foamed materials. It was established that the vibration damping capacity of the layered hybrid foams improved compared to the closed-cell aluminum foam. Additionally, the microstructure of the conventional single-foamed materials was examined by SEM. In the outcome of the research, the experimental results showed that layered hybrid foam provides an opportunity to design lightweight cellular materials with effective mechanical properties.
Savouring the Present to Better Recall the Past
Authors: Colombo Desirée , Pavani Jean-Baptiste , Quoidbach Jordi , Baños Rosa M. , Folgado-Alufre María , Botella Cristina
Published: February 2024

So far, there is evidence showing that the use of specific emotion regulation strategies in response to negatively-valenced stimuli shapes the way people subsequently remember them. However, still little is known about the potential effects of savouring positive events on the associated memories. The aim of the current study was to test whether upregulating positive emotions in response to daily positive events could make participants’ memories more salient and positively-valenced over time. To do so, we conducted an ecological momentary assessment study in order to identify the occurrence of positive events and provide participants with different emotion regulation strategies in real-time. To explore memory phenomenology, a surprise recall task for each event was performed one week after. Compared to the control condition, the manipulation of savouring led to recall the events with greater salience (i.e., more vivid, coherent, accessible, full of sensory details, first-person recalled memories) which, in turn, led to retrieve the memory more positively. Furthermore, the findings indicated that each strategy uniquely affected different phenomenological dimensions of memory. Together, we suggest that differences in the use of savouring strategies might impact memory, leading to the recall of events with higher salience and to the maintenance of their positivity over time.
Prompt gamma rays of terbium induced by inelastic scattering of fission neutrons
Authors: Ophoven Niklas , Ilic Zeljko , Mauerhofer Eric , Randriamalala Tsitohaina H. , Vezhlev Egor , Stieghorst Christian , Révay Zsolt , Jolie Jan , Strub Erik
Published: February 2024

Prompt gamma rays of terbium emitted after (n,nʹγ) inelastic scattering reactions induced by irradiation of a terbium(III) hexahydrate (TbCl3·6H2O) sample with a beam of fission neutrons were investigated with the instrument FaNGaS (Fast Neutron-induced Gamma-ray Spectrometry) at an angle of 90° between neutron beam and detector. At sample position, the fast-neutron flux was 1.13 × 108 cm−2 s−1and the neutron beam has an average energy of 2.30 MeV. We identified 124 prompt gamma lines from the159Tb(n,nʹγ)159Tb reaction. Presence of prompt gamma rays from oxygen and chlorine was used for a concise verification of recently published results. Relative gamma-ray intensities, effective cross sections and fast-neutron spectrum-averaged partial production cross sections of the gamma lines are given including comparisons with available literature data. We found a reasonable agreement and the multitude of unreported lines adds decisive value to nuclear spectroscopy. Additionally, we estimated the detection limit of terbium as 1 mg for a counting time of 12 h.
Gated Fusion Adaptive Graph Neural Network for Urban Road Traffic Flow Prediction
Authors: Xiong Liyan , Yuan Xinhua , Hu Zhuyi , Huang Xiaohui , Huang Peng
Published: February 2024

Accurate prediction of traffic flow plays an important role in maintaining traffic order and traffic safety, which is a key task in the application of intelligent transportation systems (ITS). However, the urban road network has complex dynamic spatial correlation and nonlinear temporal correlation, and achieving accurate traffic flow prediction is a highly challenging task. Traditional methods use sensors deployed on roads to construct the spatial structure of the road network and capture spatial information by graph convolution. However, they ignore that the spatial correlation between nodes is dynamically changing, and using a fixed adjacency matrix cannot reflect the real road spatial structure. To overcome these limitations, this paper proposes a new spatial-temporal deep learning model: gated fusion adaptive graph neural network (GFAGNN). GFAGNN first extracts long-term dependencies on raw data through stacking expansion causal convolution, Then the spatial features of the dynamics are learned by adaptive graph attention network and adaptive graph convolutional network respectively, Finally the fused information is passed through a lightweight channel attention to extract temporal features. The experimental results on two public data sets show that our model can effectively capture the spatiotemporal correlation in traffic flow prediction. Compared with GWNET-conv model on METR-LA dataset, the three indexes in the 60-minute task prediction improved by 2.27%,2.06% and 2.13%, respectively.
Subsurface characterization by active and passive source geophysical methods after the 06 February 2023 earthquakes in Turkey
Authors: Karslı Hakan , Babacan Ali Erden , Akın Özgenç
Published: February 2024

Two large earthquakes (Mw = 7.7 and Mw = 7.6) that occurred in Turkey on February 6, 2023, affected a very extent region and caused a lot of loss of life and property. This paper presents preliminary results from geophysical measurements (Seismic Refraction Tomography-SRT, Multi-Channel Surface Wave Analysis-MASW and Microtremor-MT) on eight profiles in four provinces (Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Malatya, Gaziantep) to understand the relationship between subsurface properties and the destruction that occurs immediately after earthquakes. By analyzing the geophysical data, the dynamic-elastic properties of ground and the soil classification according to Vs30 were determined. It is generally understood that the near-surface (< ~ 10–15 m) units in the measurement areas are very loose, and the deeper ones (≥ ~ 15–20 m) have a very porous/fractured structure. Soil classes were defined as ZD (Malatya-1, Hatay-1 and Kahramanmaraş-1) and ZC (Malatya-2, Hatay-2, Gaziantep-1,2 and Kahramanmaraş-2). In addition, by evaluating the information of strong ground motion station closest to the measurement profiles, it is observed that the PGA values versus epicenter distances are higher at stations in the zone parallel to the direction of both faults than those in the perpendicular zones. This leads directivity effect in the propagation of earthquake waves. The results indicate that one of the basic reasons for the damages is that the earthquake-ground-structure relationship has not been fully and accurately reflected in building designs. Therefore, future researches involving more geophysical data and PGA values will provide more information about the structural, physical and geotechnical properties of subsurface and definitive results.