bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An exploratory study of green‐lean‐six sigma motivators for environmental sustainability: Managerial insights from a developed and developing economy
Authors: Farrukh Amna , Mathrani Sanjay , Sajjad Aymen
Published: March 2023

Increasingly, companies are embracing the green‐lean‐six sigma (GLSS) approach to managing their environmental impacts. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of studies that examined the underlying motivations behind GLSS deployment in manufacturing organizations. Accordingly, this study investigates the GLSS motivators in a developed and developing economy context through multiple case studies in which semi‐structured interviews are conducted with senior corporate managers in the flexible packaging manufacturing industry. Drawing on the natural resource‐based view (NRBV) and institutional theory‐based view (ITBV), our analysis revealed various operational, organizational, and environmental factors as internal motivators and factors related to the state, society, and market as external motivators. To the best of our knowledge, it is one of the early comparative studies investigating the GLSS motivators in both developed and developing economies, which can guide future researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in understanding the salient factors influencing the GLSS adoption for environmental sustainability.
Surfaceome Profiling Identifies Basigin‐Chaperoned Protein Clients
Authors: Vilen Zak , Joeh Eugene , Lee Elizabeth , Huang Mia L.
Published: March 2023

The surface proteome or “surfaceome” is a critical mediator of cellular biology, facilitating cell‐to‐cell interactions and communication with extracellular biomolecules. Constituents of the surfaceome can serve as biomarkers for changing cell states and as targets for pharmacological intervention. While some pathways of cell surface trafficking are well characterized to allow prediction of surface localization, some non‐canonical trafficking mechanisms do not. Basigin (Bsg), a cell surface glycoprotein, has been shown to chaperone protein clients to the cell surface. However, understanding which proteins are served by Bsg is not always straightforward. To accelerate such identification, we applied a surfaceome proximity labeling method that is integrated with quantitative mass spectrometry‐based proteomics to discern changes in the surfaceome of hepatic stellate cells that occur in response to the genetic loss of Bsg. Using this strategy, we observed that the loss of Bsg leads to corresponding reductions in the cell surface expression of monocarboxylate transporters MCT1 and MCT4. We also found that these relationships were unique to Bsg and not found in neuroplastin (Nptn), a related family member. These results establish the utility of the surfaceome proximity labeling method to determine clients of cell surface chaperone proteins.
Electrocoagulation for the Treatment of Metals Machining Plants Effluents: Experimental and Modeling Study
Authors: Kilany Ahmed Y. , Abdel-Aziz Mohamed Helmy , Nosier Shaaban A. , Hussein Mohamed , Sedahmed Gomaa H.
Published: March 2023

Treatment of effluents discharged from mechanical machining of copper and copper alloys for removal of cutting oils and toxic copper ions by electrocoagulation was studied using a cell containing two steel electrodes and a built‐in heat transfer facility. Current density, initial pH of the solution, temperature, starting pollutants' concentrations, amount of NaCl supportive electrolyte, and the impact of gas sparging were investigated. Response surface methodology was used to correlate % oil removal, % copper removal, and electrical energy consumption to the affecting variables. The results imply that the cubic model fits well with the experimental results. The electrocoagulation of oil and copper from waste solutions was optimized using the response optimizer. The simultaneous removal of oil and Cu2+ in the same cell could lower the operational and capital expenses of wastewater treatment.
Inactivation of Pathogenic Microorganisms on Polymeric Materials through Ozonation
Authors: Nunes Keila Guerra Pacheco , de Carvalho Costa Letícia Reggiane , del Vecchio Paola , Merker Gabriela , Mosena Ana Cristina Sbaraini , Correia Ricardo Rego Bordalo , Pereira Altair Soria , Siqueira Franciele Maboni , Canal Cláudio Wageck , Féris Liliana Amaral
Published: March 2023

Ozone‐based technologies have been evaluated to inactivate the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) on surfaces. However, the vast diversity of information makes it difficult to establish common ground for determining the best practices for using this technology. The objective of this work is to evaluate the success of N95 mask decontamination by ozonation, determining the specific parameters for process control. To quantify the effectiveness of the process, a disinfection protocol was initially developed based on two bacterial species (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius), followed by another disinfection assay using the murine hepatitis coronavirus (MHV‐3), in a laboratory‐scale prototype. Ozone is an effective candidate for use against SARS‐CoV‐2 or other viruses to disinfect personal protection equipment (PPE).
Insight into the Structural and Emissive Behavior of a Three‐Dimensional Americium(III) Formate Coordination Polymer
Authors: Nicholas Aaron D. , Arteaga Ana , Ducati Lucas C. , Buck Edgar C. , Autschbach Jochen , Surbella Robert G.
Published: March 2023

We report the structural, vibrational, and optical properties of americium formate (Am(CHO2)3) crystals synthesized via the in situ hydrolysis of dimethylformamide (DMF). The coordination polymer features Am3+ ions linked by formate ligands into a three‐dimensional network that is isomorphous to several lanthanide analogs, (e. g., Eu3+, Nd3+, Tb3+). Structure determination revealed a nine‐coordinate Am3+ metal center that features a unique local C3v symmetry. The metal–ligand bonding interactions were investigated by vibrational spectroscopy, natural localized molecular orbital calculations, and the quantum theory of atoms in molecules. The results paint a predominantly ionic bond picture and suggest the metal‐oxygen bonds increase in strength from Nd−O<Eu−O<Am−O. The optical properties were probed using diffuse reflectance and photoluminescence spectroscopies. Notably, the rarely reported 5D1′→7F0′ emission band is observed and dominates the emission spectrum. This behavior is unusual and is attributed to the C3v coordination environment of the metal center.
Breaking the DFT Energy Bias Caused by Intramolecular Hydrogen‐Bonding Interactions with MESSI, A Structural Elucidation Method Inspired by Wisdom of Crowd Theory**
Authors: Marcarino Maribel O. , Passaglia Lucas , Zanardi María M. , Sarotti Ariel M.
Published: March 2023

The use of quantum‐based NMR methods to complement and guide the connectivity and stereochemical assignment of natural and unnatural products has grown enormously. One of the unsolved problems is related to the improper calculation of the conformational landscape of flexible molecules that have functional groups capable of generating a complex network of intramolecular H‐bonding (IHB) interactions. Here the authors present MESSI (Multi‐Ensemble Strategy for Structural Identification), a method inspired by the wisdom of the crowd theory that breaks with the traditional mono‐ensemble approach. By including independent mappings of selected artificially manipulated ensembles, MESSI greatly improves the sense of the assignment by neutralizing potential energy biases.
A class of space‐filling designs with low‐dimensional stratification and column orthogonality
Authors: Li Pengnan , Sun Fasheng
Published: March 2023

Strong orthogonal arrays are suitable designs for computer experiments because of stratification in low‐dimensional projections. However, strong orthogonal arrays may be very expensive for a moderate number of factors. In this article, we develop a method for constructing space‐filling designs with more economical run sizes. These designs are not only column‐orthogonal but also enjoy a large proportion of low‐dimensional stratification properties that strong orthogonal arrays ought to have. Moreover, a class of proposed designs can be 3‐orthogonal. In addition, some theoretical results on regular fractional factorial designs are obtained as a by‐product.
Fluorescence in situ hybridization for ETV6 gene rearrangements on destained cytological smears: Role in diagnosis of secretory carcinoma of salivary gland
Authors: Mahendru Ria , Sarma Chetna , Kakkar Aanchal , Kumar Rajeev , Kaur Kavneet , Thakar Alok
Published: March 2023

Background

Fine‐needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is the first‐line diagnostic procedure for salivary gland masses. Secretory carcinoma (SC) is characterized by ETV6 and RET rearrangements detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) or reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction optimized for paraffin‐embedded and fresh‐frozen tissue, respectively. The authors performed FISH on cytological material to assess its role in the diagnosis of SC.

Methods

FNACs with SC as a diagnostic consideration and cases diagnosed as SC on histology with a corresponding FNAC with any diagnosis were evaluated for ETV6 rearrangement by FISH. If acinic cell carcinoma (ACC) was a differential diagnosis and ETV6 rearrangement was absent, NR4A3 FISH was performed. FISH results were compared with those on histological specimens, where available.

Results

Fifteen cases were included. FISH initially performed on three cell blocks did not yield good results, was then performed on direct smears, and was interpretable in 14 cases (93.3%). An ETV6 rearrangement was identified in seven cases (50%), and an NR4A3 rearrangement was identified in three cases (21.4%), providing a confirmatory diagnosis in 10 of 15 cases (66.7%). The Milan System for Reporting Salivary Gland Cytopathology category was altered in two cases (6.7%). Complete correlation (100%) was seen with FISH on corresponding histological specimens.

Conclusions

With minor modifications, the FISH procedure can be optimized for FNAC smears with results comparable to those on histological specimens. ETV6 FISH testing on cytological smears in cases suspected as SC improves the diagnostic accuracy of FNAC and can help lower the proportion of the Milan categories salivary gland neoplasm of uncertain malignant potential and suspicious for malignancy, maximizing diagnostic information from less invasive samples and aiding in patient management.
Novel segmentation and classification algorithm for detection of tomato leaf disease
Authors: Raja Kumar R. , Athimoolam Jegadeesh , Appathurai Ahilan , Rajendiran Surendiran
Published: March 2023

The prevalence of tomato leaf diseases should be diagnosed in early‐stage to prevent spoilage of the entire field. Manually checking tomato diseases consumes more time and is labor‐intensive. In modern agriculture, machine and deep learning‐based disease identification techniques have been developed to effectively classify diseases. Most of the existing methods are inappropriate for horticulture due to their incompetence in handling the complex backgrounds of the image. In this article, a novel segmentation and classification algorithm is proposed for detecting tomato leaf diseases with complex background interference based on leaf segmentation fuzzy CNN (LSFCNN) and ant colony‐based mask RCNN (AC‐MRCNN). Foremostly the collected images are annotated and enhanced for further processing. Then the novel LSFCNN is implemented to separate the tomato leaf in a complex background. For classification, AC‐MRCNN is developed, which masks the disease spot and recognizes the diseases. Herein ant colony optimization algorithm is utilized to optimize the mask RCNN to increase the flow of information and gradients of the network. Over 14,817 uniform and complex background images are collected to train the model. The proposed method is profoundly effective for quite challenging background leaf disease classification, with an accuracy of 97.66% of eight diseases and one healthy class.
Facile Preparation of Large‐Sized Columnar α‐HH Crystal via a NaCl Salt Bath Method
Authors: Nie Zexin , Wei Zhishun , Yang Yisong , Guo Xinghang , Chang Ying , Yi Guoqiang
Published: March 2023

Alpha high‐strength hemihydrate gypsum (CaSO4·0.5H2O, α‐HH) with a large‐size columnar crystal (average size: 135.31 µm, maximum size: 500 µm) is successfully prepared via a NaCl salt bath method using salt gypsum as a raw material. The effects of preparation condition (salt solution concentration, salt bath time) on the crystalline phase and crystal grain size of the α‐HH and on the strengths of the cement bulks from α‐HH are investigated. Furthermore, to explore the formation mechanism of the large‐size columnar crystal of the α‐HH, the samples obtained by varying the salt bath time of the reaction system are characterized with field‐emission scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and laser particle size analysis. Based on the characterization results, a formation mechanism of the large‐sized α‐HH is proposed. That is, NaCl self‐diffusion creates a local high‐concentration salt solution environment, which is conducive to the recombination of small‐size HH crystals formed by dihydrate gypsum dissolution and HH recrystallization to grow into large‐sized α‐HH crystals.
Geostatistical techniques to account for the heterogeneity ofFusariumwilt inoculum distribution in upland cotton field screening studies
Authors: Parris Stephen , Huang Whitney , Jones Don , Bridges William , Olvey James , Olvey Mike , Saski Christopher
Published: March 2023

Variable and uncontrollable environmental factors have a wide range of influence on crop field screening programs, with the potential to cause significant experimental errors in phenotypic data collection. These factors can be additive and negatively confound genetic studies. When field screening upland cotton for genetic resistance toFusariumwilt caused byFusarium oxysporumf. sp.vasinfectumrace 4 (FOV4), the distribution and concentration of fungal inoculum in the field directly impact the disease severity, affecting the results of these studies. Variability among FOV4 screening fields and protocols has influenced the search for durable genetic resistance. To account for this spatial variability, rigorous use of check plots with predictable responses to FOV4 were planted throughout a screening nursery in Clint, TX, and scored for percent survival within each plot. The scores and locations were used to generate a predicted surface via kriging interpolation and conditional simulation, which estimate FOV4 inoculum pressure at every plot location in the field. These predictions created FOV4 pressure‐adjusted disease severity ratings in F3generations of bi‐parental crosses between FOV4‐resistant and susceptible upland cotton lines. Environment‐adjusted phenotypes allow breeders to consider the environmental variance associated with the heterogenous distribution of the pathogen in the field. The techniques presented here are transferrable to any field screening program that needs to account for spatial variation of environmental factors.
Endemic crop wild relatives in Chile towards the end of the 21st century: Protected areas and agricultural expansion
Authors: Jensen Magdalena , Pliscoff Patricio
Published: March 2023

Climate change is expected to change weather patterns in Chile significantly. Preserving the taxonomic and genetic diversity of crop wild relatives (CWR) is critical to ensure the availability of crops for future human food. However, many CWR are threatened in their natural habitats and underrepresented in gene banks. This research aimed to analyze the current and future climatic suitability under climate change of Chilean endemic CWR, the role of protected areas in their conservation, and possible conflicts of land use with agricultural production. The climatic suitability of 30 species was modeled with present and future bioclimatic variables using a species distribution modeling approach. The climatically suitable areas of all endemic CWR species analyzed are projected to change; 26 increased their suitable areas in the future and four decreased (Ribes integrifoliumPhil.,Dioscorea fastigiataGay,Solanum chilense(Dunal) Reiche,Lupinus oreophilusPhil.). Specific conflict with agricultural land use is projected to occur between Valparaiso and Biobio regions, where zones not in protected areas with more than 15 CWR species intersect with those that will be more suitable to produce food crops. Careful and informed planning is required to protect the future distribution of endemic CWR in Chile, especially for species whose climatically suitable area decreases. This effort should comprise a coordinated approach that includes both in situ and ex situ conservation strategies to preserve genetic diversity.
An Integrated Plasma–Photocatalytic System for Upcycling of Polyolefin Plastics
Authors: Jiang Yuting , Zhang Huiyan , Hong Longfei , Shao Jingjing , Zhang Bowen , Yu Jiajun , Chu Sheng
Published: March 2023

Nondegradable polyolefin plastics, which account for >60 % of total plastic waste, trigger severe global concerns and thus demand effective management technologies. However, owing to the chemical inertness of non‐polar C−C backbones in the polyolefin structure, efficient upcycling of polyolefin plastics under ambient conditions remains a great challenge. This study introduces an integrated plasma–photocatalytic technology, coupling plasma treatment with solar‐driven reforming under mild conditions, for the efficient upcycling of polyolefin plastics into value‐added hydrogen and gaseous fuels. The first plasma step grafts oxygenated groups, such as −OH, O−C=O, and C=O, onto the polyolefin chains, which leads to the formation of a polar and hydrophilic polymer that facilitates the subsequent reforming in the photocatalytic step. Therefore, high hydrogen production activity with a benchmark efficiency of >100 μmol g−1 h−1was achieved. Moreover, the integrated process also demonstrates high versatility in upcycling different polyolefin plastics including polyethylene, polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride. The findings provide a new avenue for plastic upcycling in an efficient and sustainable way.
Ternary SRAM circuit designs with CNTFETs
Authors: Abdelrahman Doaa K. , Fouda Mohammed E. , Alouani Ihsen , Said Lobna A. , Radwan Ahmed G.
Published: March 2023

Static random‐access memory (SRAM) is a cornerstone in modern microprocessors architecture, as it has high power consumption, large area, and high complexity. Also, the stability of the data in the SRAM against the noise and the performance under the radian exposure are main concern issues. To overcome these limitations in the quest for higher information density by memory element, the ternary logic system has been investigated, showing promising potential compared with the conventional binary base. Moreover, carbon nanotube field effect transistor (CNTFET) is a new alternative device with proper features like low power consumption and threshold voltage dependency on diameter. This paper proposes a new design for ternary SRAM using CNTFET and its evaluation by comparing it against two other designs in many aspects. Moreover, we investigated the static noise margin for the three designs to discuss their stability. Furthermore, we studied the reliability of the designs by evaluating the soft errors effect.
Structure optimization: Configuring optimum performance of randomly distributed mixed carbon nanotube bundle interconnects
Authors: Sharma Ritika , Rai Mayank Kumar , Khanna Rajesh
Published: March 2023

This paper presents an efficient optimization strategy based on the Stoyan and Yaskov algorithm to maximize the tube density of randomly distributed mixed carbon nanotube bundles (RMCBs) for configuring optimum performance of on‐chip interconnects. Optimizing tube density has proposed eight different RMCB (RMCB1–RMCB8) structures of a varying number of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), where RMCB1 has the maximum CNTs. Moreover, the ABCD technique adequately analyzes the temperature‐dependent frequency and stability characteristics of a three‐line RMCB interconnect placed on smooth and rough substrates (SiC, BN, and SiO2). The smooth substrate material has the best 3‐dB bandwidth compared with rough SiC substrate, followed by BN and SiO2 for all RMCB structures, and among all structures, the RMCB8 has the best 3‐dB bandwidth. The relative stability of RMCB1 is improved by 134.2% and 22.7% w.r.t. RMCB8 placed on a smooth and rough SiC substrate, respectively. Whereas bandwidth of the RMCB1 is reduced by 26% and 88.5% w.r.t. RMCB8 placed on a smooth and rough substrate, respectively. Hence, there is a tradeoff between the bandwidth and the relative stability as the number of CNT increases. Therefore, RMCB3 placed on a smooth substrate and RMCB4 placed on a rough SiC substrate are considered the best‐optimized RMCB interconnects to maintain a balance between the two.
Health status across major subgroups of patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction
Authors: Siddiqi Tariq Jamal , Anker Stefan D. , Filippatos Gerasimos , Ferreira João Pedro , Pocock Stuart J. , Böhm Michael , Brueckmann Martina , Chopra Vijay K. , Iwata Tomoko , Januzzi James , Piña Ileana L. , Ponikowski Piotr , Senni Michele , Vedin Ola , Verma Subodh , Zhang Yuhui , Zannad Faiez , Packer Milton , Butler Javed
Published: March 2023

Aims

There are limited data on health status and changes in it over time across major subgroups of patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), including ejection fraction spectrum, age, sex, region, body mass index (BMI), and comorbidities including diabetes, chronic kidney disease (CKD), anaemia, and atrial fibrillation/flutter.

Methods and results

In the EMPEROR‐Preserved trial, the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) was assessed at baseline, 12, 32 and 52 weeks. Determinants of baseline KCCQ score and change over time, and the impact of empagliflozin on KCCQ scores were studied in specified subgroups. A Cox model was used to assess the association between 5‐ and 10‐point increase and 5‐point decrease in KCCQ score from baseline to week 12 and later outcomes. Among 2979 participants in the placebo arm, mean KCCQ clinical summary score (CSS) was 70.7 (20.8). Older age, female sex, BMI, anaemia, and a history of diabetes, and CKD were associated with worse scores. KCCQ‐CSS score improved during follow‐up; patients with atrial fibrillation/flutter at enrollment (p trend = 0.014) and CKD (p trend < 0.001) had less improvement. A 5‐point increase in KCCQ‐CSS at week 12 was associated with lower risk of cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalization (5%), cardiovascular death (8%), and first heart failure hospitalization (4%) subsequently. A similar trend was seen with KCCQ total symptom score (TSS) and overall summary score (OSS). Empagliflozin improved KCCQ‐CSS, ‐TSS and ‐OSS scores similarly across subgroups studied except for greater improvement in patients with the highest BMI (p trend = 0.153, 0.08 and 0.078, respectively).

Conclusion

Health status in patients with HFpEF is impaired, especially in elderly, women, and those with obesity and comorbidities. Empagliflozin improved health status among all key subgroups studied with a greater effect in obese patients.
Impact of left ventricular ejection fraction phenotypes on healthcare resource utilization in hospitalized heart failure: a secondary analysis of REPORT‐HF
Authors: Farmakis Dimitrios , Tromp Jasper , Marinaki Smaragdi , Ouwerkerk Wouter , Angermann Christiane E. , Bistola Vasiliki , Dahlstrom Ulf , Dickstein Kenneth , Ertl Georg , Ghadanfar Mathieu , Hassanein Mahmoud , Obergfell Achim , Perrone Sergio V. , Polyzogopoulou Eftihia , Schweizer Anja , Boletis Ioannis , Cleland John G.F. , Collins Sean P. , Lam Carolyn S.P. , Filippatos Gerasimos
Published: March 2023

Aim

Evidence on healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) for hospitalized patients with heart failure (HF) and reduced (HFrEF), mildly reduced (HFmrEF) and preserved (HFpEF) ejection fraction is limited.

Methods and results

We analysed HCRU in relation to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) phenotypes, clinical features and in‐hospital and 12‐month outcomes in 16 943 patients hospitalized for HF in a worldwide registry. HFrEF was more prevalent (53%) than HFmrEF (17%) or HFpEF (30%). Patients with HFmrEF and HFpEF were older, more often women, with milder symptoms and more comorbidities, but differences were not pronounced. HCRU was high in all three groups; two or more in‐ and out‐of‐hospital services were required by 51%, 49% and 52% of patients with HFrEF, HFmrEF and HFpEF, respectively, and intensive care unit by 41%, 41% and 37%, respectively. Hospitalization length was similar (median, 8 days). Discharge prescription of neurohormonal inhibitors was <80% for each agent in HFrEF and only slightly lower in HFmrEF and HFpEF (74% and 67%, respectively, for beta‐blockers). Compared to HFrEF, 12‐month all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality were lower for HFmrEF (adjusted hazard ratios 0.78 [95% confidence interval 0.59–0.71] and 0.80 [0.70–0.92]) and HFpEF (0.64 [0.59–0.87] and 0.63 [0.56–0.71]); 12‐month HF hospitalization was also lower for HFpEF and HFmrEF (21% and 20% vs. 25% for HFrEF). In‐hospital mortality, 12‐month non‐cardiovascular mortality and 12‐month all‐cause hospitalization were similar among groups.

Conclusions

In patients hospitalized for HF, overall HCRU was similarly high across LVEF spectrum, reflecting the subtle clinical differences among LVEF phenotypes during hospitalization. Discharge prescription of neurohormonal inhibitors was suboptimal in HFrEF and lower but significant in patients with HFpEF and HFmrEF, who had better long‐term cardiovascular outcomes than HFrEF, but similar risk for non‐cardiovascular events.
Hydrogen generation from the hydrolysis of ethylenediamine bisborane using Ni/NixByZr and Pd‐Ni/NixByZr as highly active catalysts
Authors: Murathan Hatice Begüm , Özkan Gülay , Özkan Göksel
Published: March 2023

Ethylenediamine bisborane (EDAB), containing 11.49% hydrogen by weight, ranks third among notable amine boranes in terms of hydrogen content and has some advantages due to the limit the practical use of AB for the applications of hydrogen storage. In this work, EDAB was synthesized and its catalytic hydrolysis was studied for the hydrogen production. For this purpose, Ni/NixByZr and PdNi/NixByZr catalysts were prepared by using the co‐precipitation with NaBH4 and impregnation method. XRD, XPS, SEM–EDX, and multi‐point BET were used to characterize catalysts. Reusability test, kinetic analyses were done. It has been observed that both Ni/ NixByZr and PdNi/ NixByZr catalysts enhance the hydrogen production yield and reduces the reaction time. The highest hydrogen production yield and the shortest reaction time of EDAB hydrolysis were reached as 99.67% and 215 s at 55°C with PdNi/NixByZr catalyst. The catalytic efficacy of PdNi/NixByZr catalyst is 115.58 mL min−1 g−1, for the hydrolysis of EDAB at 298 K. Activation energy for Pd‐Ni/NixByZr and Ni/NixByZr catalysts were reported as 27.04 and 53.81 kJ.mol−1.
On‐ and off‐site erosion impacts of restoration measures in a tropical karst watershed
Authors: Fonseca Maria Rita S. , Chaves Henrique M. L. , Uagoda Rogério E. S.
Published: March 2023

Karst areas are vulnerable landscapes which, if unprotected, could be permanently degraded. To bridge the gap existing in the reduction of on‐ and off‐site impact of restored tropical karst areas, this study was carried out in a 3.5 ha karst watershed of the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado). Precipitation, surface runoff, and soil loss were measured in representative runoff plots (22.1 × 1.84 m), used to assess the watershed erosion and sediment yield to a downstream sinkhole. The study was carried out during three hydrologic years, between September 2018 and May 2020. The predominant soils in the watershed were Lithic entisol and Quartzsamment, and the original land covers were natural savanna, seasonal forest, and degraded pastureland (Andropogon gayanus). The latter was restored with native savanna species, in the lower part of the watershed, and with a reformed pastureland, in the upper part. The USLE rainfall erosivity (R), soil erodibility (K), and soil cover (C) factors, runoff, soil loss, and the original soil and sediment textures were obtained from the runoff plots. The watershed soil loss and sediment yield were obtained by the USLE and GIS. Precipitation and rainfall erosivity ranged from 936 to 1223 mm, and from 6694 to 7746 MJ mm ha−1 h−1, in the period, respectively. Although the ecological watershed restoration reduced mean soil loss from 11.6 to 5.8 Mg ha−1 year−1, and sediment yield from 29.2 to 14.6 Mg year−1, on‐ and off‐site soil loss tolerances were still exceeded in 29 and 61% of the basin area, respectively. Ecological restoration also reduced the sand and clay content of the sediment entering the underground caves and river downstream, contributing to their hydrologic sustainability.
TVSR‐OR: Tile‐based 360‐degree video streaming over real time streaming protocol with optimized read
Authors: Zeng Qimiao , Yin Zhifan , Pan Qing , Ma Yunxiao , Yu Yuan , Zhuang Yirong , Liang Jie , Yang Shujie , Xiao Han
Published: March 2023

Among video application use cases and scenarios, 360‐degree video applications gradually become significant. The state‐of‐the‐art solution for 360‐degree video streaming is field of view (FOV) transmission, whose quality of experience highly depends on system processing speed and network latency. The extant 360‐degree video FOV transmission profiles transmit multiple video tile streams to the client over either Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP). The client needs to merge all different tile streams after receiving them, which may cause a data synchronization problem of waiting for each tile to sync in the presents of packet losses. Therefore, we propose a system to select and merge tile streams on the Content Delivery Network (CDN) server and transmit the merged stream to the client. During the streaming service, the client can send a viewport switch request through RTSP signaling, and the server will subsequently deliver the merged video stream of the new viewport to the client after receiving the request. Also, to reduce disk overhead from parallel reads, we optimize the system with a file prefetch strategy to reduce unorganized, random, and parallel reads into serialized reads of large data trunks. We evaluate its performance through user request simulation experiments. Compared with the extant transmission solution, our system provides slightly lower video transmission latency, lower central processing unit (CPU) usage, and better disk performance under heavy service load.
Incorporation of fresh leaves of wormwood (Artemisia herba alba) and/or rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) in the diet of rams: Effect on testicular function, sexual behavior, and blood parameters
Authors: Khnissi Samia , Bomboi Giovanni , Khémiri Ikram , Salem Imen Ben , Dattena Maria , Sai Salma , Mustapha Souha Ben , Cabiddu Andrea , Lassoued Narjess
Published: March 2023

This study aimed to investigate the effect of wormwood and rosemary supplementation on some reproductive traits of Barbarine rams. The experiment lasted 2 months. Twenty‐four adult rams were divided into four groups (n = 6) balanced for the weight (53.3 ± 1.2 kg body weight [BW] ± SD). All rams received 1200 g of straw and 600 g of barley. Control rams (C) without aromatic medicinal plant (AMP), while experimental rams received 20 g of fresh rosemary leaves (R), 20 g of fresh wormwood leaves (A), and 10 g of fresh rosemary leaves plus 10 g of fresh wormwood leaves (RA). The results revealed that the live weight of all rams increased (p < .05) in the RA group compared to the C, A, and R groups. Scrotal circumference increased in the R rams when compared to the controls rams (p < .05). For sperm parameters we showed that the A rams had higher sperm concentrations (p < .05). But, the sperm volume decreased in the R rams (p > .05). However, when the rams received rosemary plus wormwood, their sperm volume increased (p > .05). The sperm mass motility was higher for the A, R and AR rams in comparison to the C rams (p = .05). On the other hand, biochemical analysis of the seminal fluid showed no effect of diets on calcium and total proteins concentration. But the measurement of glucose and seminal insulin showed a decrease (p < .05) in these two biochemical markers in group A rams and a decrease (p < .05) in insulin without modification of the glucose concentration in R rams. Blood glucose and insulin decreased in the animals on AMP diet compared to the other groups (p < .05) while aspartate aminotransferase (AST) increased (p < .05). Rosemary leaves (R and RA groups) increased (p < .05) plasma cortisol compared to the other groups. It can be concluded that the addition ofRosmarinus officinalisand/orArtemisia herba albain ram diet can have a positive effect on the reproductive function by increasing the concentration and motility of sperm, plasma testosterone, and sexual behavior.
Response to induction chemotherapy in sinonasal malignancies: A single‐institutional experience
Authors: Nyirjesy Sarah C. , Fenberg Rachel , Heller Margaret A. , Judd Ryan T. , Li Michael M. , Koch Brandon , Bonomi Marcelo , Carrau Ricardo L. , VanKoevering Kyle K.
Published: March 2023

Background

Sinonasal malignancy (SNM) is a heterogeneous group of diseases for which induction chemotherapy (IC) may reduce tumor burden. The purpose of this study was to characterize the response to IC in SNM as a prognostic factor through its effect on survival.

Methods

Retrospective cohort of patients undergoing IC for SNM between 2010 and 2019 at our quaternary referral center.

Results

Forty‐two patients with advanced SNM were included in the analysis. Patients with a favorable response to IC had higher survival rates than those who had an unfavorable response (5‐year OS: 66.8% vs. 9.7%; p < 0.001; PFS: 56.8% vs. 0%; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Response to IC in our patient cohort was a prognostic indicator of overall response to treatment. Further elucidation of predictors of response is needed for appropriate patient selection.
Reap while you sleep: Consolidation of memories differs by how they were sown
Authors: Antony James W. , Schechtman Eitan
Published: March 2023

Newly formed memories are spontaneously reactivated during sleep, leading to their strengthening. This reactivation process can be manipulated by reinstating learning‐related stimuli during sleep, a technique termed targeted memory reactivation. Numerous studies have found that delivering cues during sleep improves memory for simple associations, in which one cue reactivates one tested memory. However, real‐life memories often live in rich, complex networks of associations. In this review, we will examine recent forays into investigating how targeted sleep reactivation affects memories within complex paradigms, in which one cue can reactivate multiple tested memories. A common theme across studies is that reactivation consequences do not merely depend on whether memories reside in complex arrangements, but on how memories interact with one another during acquisition. We therefore emphasize how intricate study design details that alter the nature of learning and/or participant intentions impact the outcomes of sleep reactivation. In some cases, complex networks of memories interact harmoniously to bring about mutual memory benefits; in other cases, memories interact antagonistically and produce selective impairments in retrieval. Ultimately, although this burgeoning area of research has yet to be systematically explored, results suggest that the fate of reactivated stimuli within complex arrangements depends on how they were learned.
Classroom ethnic diversity, teacher support, and peer victimization: Evidence from four European countries
Authors: Spiegler Olivia , Zingora Tibor , Jugert Philipp
Published: March 2023

We investigated how classroom ethnic diversity is associated with peer victimization, effects of ethnic minority/majority status, and if individual teacher support can buffer potentially negative effects of ethnic diversity. Using two theoretical perspectives (balance of power, ethnic competition), we hypothesized that (1) victimization is more prevalent at intermediate ethnic diversity and less prevalent at lower and higher ethnic diversity, (2) this curvilinear link is stronger for ethnic majority than minority students, and (3) peer victimization at intermediate levels of ethnic diversity is lower when teacher support is high. We conducted multilevel analyses based on the first wave of the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Survey in Four European Countries (CILS4EU). The analytical sample included 17,882 students, nested in 882 classrooms. Although our hypotheses received no support, the findings showed that diversity was linked to less victimization for ethnic minority student. Teacher support was linked to less victimization for ethnic minority students at every level of classroom diversity but especially when diversity was low and to less victimization for ethnic majority students in classrooms with intermediate to high ethnic diversity. We discuss our findings in light the theoretical approaches and underscore the role of teachers as a protective resource.
Income distribution, financial liberalisations and banking stability: Theory and international evidence
Authors: Wang Shengquan , Luo Rong
Published: March 2023

Motivated by Rajan's study and existing economic reform theories (especially the lobby theory), we highlight income inequality as a driver of financial liberalisations. However, no evidence yet supports this idea. To verify this liberalisation‐induced‐by‐inequality hypothesis, the nexus of income inequality and financial liberalisations is formalised and empirically investigated in this paper. We utilise an ordered logit model with two‐way fixed effects and panel data from 91 countries to conduct the analyses. The baseline empirical results indicate that income inequality is a positive and significant determinant of financial liberalisations in aggregate and three component indicators. The results for three component indicators remain stable after a series of robustness checks, including mitigating the potential endogeneity via IV‐2SLS, Lewbel instrumental variable technique and difference within group, assessing the bias from the unobservable variables, considering the persistent and learning effects of liberalisations and the interaction effects, alternating the measures of income inequality, reducing business cycle, and using financial reforms rather financial liberalisation as independent variable. The results for aggregate liberalisations are slightly unstable in models with persistent and learning effects. Thus, liberalisation‐induced‐by‐inequality hypothesis is generally confirmed. In addition, the impacts of income inequality on financial liberalisations are widely heterogeneous across countries, the rate of change in income inequality and wealth inequality could also predict the occurrence of financial liberalisations, and the evidence that income inequality makes the poor easier access credits (i.e., Rajan's hypothesis) is found. Finally, the role is investigated of financial liberalisations in shaping banking stability, and we find that financial liberalisations can enhance growth and lower financial risks.
iLABMED, why now and how in the future?
Authors: Lu Hongzhou
Published: March 2023

Nowadays, public health is facing many challenges, mainly including non‐communicable diseases and communicable diseases. Communicable diseases, particularly emerging infectious diseases, have also attracted attention due to their enormous impact on public health and the global economy. The most prominent example is the current global Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. The unprecedented and ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic has highlighted the necessity for readily available, accurate, and rapid laboratory medicine (LM) practices. Nevertheless, current LMs and journals in particular have a window for improvement. First, there are limited numbers of professionals available in this field compared to the other disciplines. The current status quo is that most LM manuscripts must be submitted to comprehensive journals or other journals related to the research disease. Second, most LM journals are run by laboratory personnel who are often more concerned with technical advances than with clinical needs. Lastly, several young LM scientists expressed their desire to have a dedicated platform to discuss, communicate, and publish their works on LM. We were therefore motivated to launch iLABMED, an international public forum dedicated to LMs. The establishment of iLABMED adopts the “four I” strategy, namely “Innovation,” “Intelligence,” “Integration,” and “International.” We are attempting to establish a top‐tier journal in the field of LM.
Technology for resilience amidCOVID‐19 pandemic: Narratives from small business owners in Kenya
Authors: Ndiege Joshua Rumo Arongo , Mwaura Leah Mutanu , Christopher Foster
Published: March 2023

The COVID‐19 pandemic has changed many aspects of the economy. The situation has notably been more challenging for small businesses in developing countries which tend to operate with limited funding and a lack of social and human capital. In these contexts, technology has been argued to be an important resource to allow businesses to adapt and recover from the crisis. In line with this narrative, the pandemic has been linked to growing technology adoption within small firms in developing countries. However, little is known about how small businesses are using such technology as part of strategies: to survive, reposition themselves in the market and potentially “spring back” from the pandemic to thrive in a fundamentally changed environment. In this study, to fill this gap we look to the concept of resilience to examine how technology was adopted to help build resilience. The study focused on small businesses in Kenya and uses in‐depth qualitative analysis to unpack the processes of adoption and use. The study findings suggest that the pandemic created an incentive for many small businesses to engage with digital technology, enabling them to stay operational. The study evidenced specific coping strategies that incorporated technology to support resilience, including exploiting demand, acquiring new capabilities, expanding existing capacities, making data‐driven decisions, fostering social networks and freezing operations. Consequently, we argue for the need to unpack the processes of technology adoption and the links between technology and economic growth in such settings. During the pandemic, small businesses have typically adopted technology to build resilience appropriate to their context.
LINC01376 promotes nasopharyngeal carcinoma tumorigenesis by competitively binding to the SP1/miR‐4757/IGF1 axis
Authors: Peng Yi , Zhang Yujie , Liu Yatian , Dong Zhen , Wang Tingting , Peng Fanyu , Di Wenyi , Zong Dan , Du Mingyu , Zhou Hongping , He Xia
Published: March 2023

The long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA)–microRNA (miRNA) interaction network plays a crucial part in the pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Here, we discovered a relationship between LINC01376 and miR‐4757 in NPC tumor development. First, LINC01376 was abnormally overexpressed in NPC tissues and cells, and its elevated expression was associated with advanced clinical stage and shorter distant metastasis‐free survival time. Moreover, biological experiments showed that LINC01376 facilitated the proliferative, invasive, and migratory abilities of NPC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, bioinformatics and RT‐qPCR assays revealed that LINC01376 knockdown upregulated the expression level of downstream miR‐4757, including miR‐4757 primary transcript (pri‐miR‐4757) and mature miR‐4757. Furthermore, LINC01376 competitively sponged the transcription factor SP1 and reduced its enrichment in the upstream promoter region of miR‐4757 to repress miR‐4757 expression. Finally, insulin‐like growth factor 1(IGF1) was identified as the target of miR‐4757. Rescue experiments indicated that LINC01376 accelerated NPC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion through the miR‐4757‐5p/IGF1 axis. In conclusion, the SP1/miR‐4757/IGF1 axis, which is regulated by LINC01376 in NPC deterioration and metastasis, is expected to provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of NPC carcinogenesis.
Comparative effectiveness and safety of a pharmacist‐managed protocol for the transition from intravenous to subcutaneous insulin
Authors: Gerhardt Jenna M. , Dine Serena A. , Foster David R. , Lodolo Andrew C. , McIntire Allyson M. , Peters Michael J. , Rhew Taylor A. , Walroth Todd A.
Published: March 2023

Purpose

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a pharmacist‐managed protocol for transitioning critically ill patients from intravenous (iv) to subcutaneous insulin compared with a provider‐managed process.

Methods

This single‐center, retrospective, observational study included patients admitted to the medical or surgical/trauma intensive care unit who received a continuous infusion of iv insulin from January 2019 to April 2021. Patients were excluded if they were less than 18 years of age, pregnant, incarcerated, or received iv insulin for the diagnosis of diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state, calcium channel blocker or beta blocker overdose, or hypertriglyceridemia. The primary outcome was the percentage of blood glucose (BG) concentrations within the target range of 70–150 mg/dL from 0 to 48 h following transition to subcutaneous insulin. Secondary outcomes included percentage of BG concentrations within goal range following transition at 0–12 h and 12–24 h, incidence of hypo‐ and hyperglycemia, and percentage of patients requiring dose adjustments after initial transition.

Results

A total of 110 unique patients were included with 70 patients in the provider‐managed group and 40 patients in the pharmacist‐managed group. On average, pharmacists transitioned patients to 63% basal insulin based on their 24‐h total day dose of insulin. The pharmacist‐managed group achieved glycemic control in 53% of transitions at 12 h, 40% at 24 h, and 47% from 0 to 48 h, while the provider group achieved glycemic control in 25% of transitions at 12 h, 12% at 24 h, and 18% from 0 to 48 h (p < 0.001 for all time points). As for safety end points, the pharmacist‐managed group demonstrated lower rates of hypoglycemia (p = 0.001), severe hypoglycemia (p = 0.332), hyperglycemia (p < 0.001), and severe hyperglycemia (p < 0.001) compared with the provider‐managed group.

Conclusions

Pharmacists can effectively and safely transition critically ill patients from iv to subcutaneous insulin utilizing a standardized protocol.
The involvement of Aurora‐A and p53 in oxaliplatin‐resistant colon cancer cells
Authors: Chen Mei‐Chih , Yang Bing‐Ze , Kuo Wei‐Wen , Wu Shih‐Hsin , Wang Tso‐Fu , Yeh Yu‐Lan , Chen Ming‐Cheng , Huang Chih‐Yang
Published: March 2023

Resistance to chemotherapy is the deadlock in cancer treatment. In this study, we used wild‐type LOVO (LOVOWT), a human colon cancer cell line, and the oxaliplatin‐resistant sub‐clone LOVOOR cells to investigate the molecular mechanisms of the development of drug resistance in colon cancer. Compared with LOVOWT cells, LOVOOR cells had a high proliferation capacity and a high percentage on the G2/M phase. The expression and activation of Aurora‐A, a critical kinase in G2/M phase, were higher in LOVOOR cells than in LOVOWT cells. The results from immunofluorescence indicated an irregular distribution of Aurora‐A in LOVOOR cells. To evaluate the importance of Aurora‐A in oxaliplatin‐resistant property of LOVOOR cells, overexpression of Aurora‐A in LOVOWT cells and otherwise knockdown of Aurora‐A in LOVOOR cells were performed and followed by administration of oxaliplatin. The results indicated that Aurora‐A might contribute to the resistance of LOVOOR cells to oxaliplatin treatment by depressing p53 signaling. The specific findings in this study provide a possibility that targeting Aurora‐A might be a solution for patients who have failed oxaliplatin treatment.