bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
No role for standard imaging workup of patients with clinically evident necrotizing soft tissue infections: a national retrospective multicenter cohort study
Authors: Brands Sanne R. , Nawijn Femke , Foppen Wouter , Hietbrink Falco
Published: January 2024

Purpose

To assess the diagnostic contribution of different imaging studies to diagnose necrotizing soft tissue infections (NSTIs) and the time to surgery in relation to imaging with the hypothesis that imaging studies may lead to significant delays without being able to sufficiently dismiss or confirm the diagnosis since a NSTI is a surgical diagnosis.

Methods

A retrospective multicenter cohort study of all NSTI patients between 2010 and 2020 was conducted. The primary outcome was the number of cases in which imaging contributed to or led to change in treatment. The secondary outcomes were time to treatment determined by the time from presentation to surgery and patient outcomes (amputation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, length of ICU stay, hospital stay, and mortality).

Results

A total of 181 eligible NSTI patients were included. The overall mortality was 21% (n = 38). Ninety-eight patients (53%) received imaging in the diagnostic workup. In patients with a clinical suspicion of a NSTI, 81% (n = 85) went directly to the operating room and 19% (n = 20) underwent imaging before surgery; imaging was contributing in only 15% (n = 3) by ruling out or determining underlying causes. In patients without a clinical suspicion of a NSTI, the diagnosis of NSTI was considered in 35% and only after imaging was obtained.

Conclusion

In patients with clinically evident NSTIs, there is no role for standard imaging workup unless it is used to examine underlying diseases (e.g., diverticulitis, pancreatitis). In atypical presenting NSTIs, CT or MRI scans provided the most useful information. To prevent unnecessary imaging and radiation and not delay treatment, the decision to perform imaging studies in patients with a clinical suspicion of a NSTI must be made extremely careful.
3D-assisted corrective osteotomies of the distal radius: a comparison of pre-contoured conventional implants versus patient-specific implants
Authors: Oldhoff Miriam G. E. , Assink Nick , Kraeima Joep , de Vries Jean-Paul P. M. , ten Duis Kaj , Meesters Anne M. L. , IJpma Frank F. A.
Published: January 2024

Purpose

There is a debate whether corrective osteotomies of the distal radius should be performed using a 3D work-up with pre-contoured conventional implants (i.e., of-the-shelf) or patient-specific implants (i.e., custom-made). This study aims to assess the postoperative accuracy of 3D-assisted correction osteotomy of the distal radius using either implant.

Methods

Twenty corrective osteotomies of the distal radius were planned using 3D technologies and performed on Thiel embalmed human cadavers. Our workflow consisted of virtual surgical planning and 3D printed guides for osteotomy and repositioning. Subsequently, left radii were fixated with patient-specific implants, and right radii were fixated with pre-contoured conventional implants. The accuracy of the corrections was assessed through measurement of rotation, dorsal and radial angulation and translations with postoperative CT scans in comparison to their preoperative virtual plan.

Results

Twenty corrective osteotomies were executed according to their plan. The median differences between the preoperative plan and postoperative results were 2.6° (IQR: 1.6–3.9°) for rotation, 1.4° (IQR: 0.6–2.9°) for dorsal angulation, 4.7° (IQR: 2.9–5.7°) for radial angulation, and 2.4 mm (IQR: 1.3–2.9 mm) for translation of the distal radius, thus sufficient for application in clinical practice. There was no significant difference in accuracy of correction when comparing pre-contoured conventional implants with patient-specific implants.

Conclusion

3D-assisted corrective osteotomy of the distal radius with either pre-contoured conventional implants or patient-specific implants results in accurate corrections. The choice of implant type should not solely depend on accuracy of the correction, but also be based on other considerations like the availability of resources and the preoperative assessment of implant fitting.
An experimental assessment and optimisation of hole quality in Al2024-T3 aluminium alloy during abrasive water jet machining
Authors: Shi Hang , Giasin Khaled , Barouni Antigoni , Zhang Zhongyi
Published: January 2024

Owing to its outstanding properties such as corrosion resistance, low density, relatively low cost, and stiffness, Al2024-T3 aluminium alloy has been widely applied in aircraft manufacturing. To perfectly assemble an aircraft, numerous high-quality holes are drilled into its structures employing conventional drilling processes. Conventional drilling poses some challenges such as thermal distortions, burr formations, and tool wear. Alternatively, abrasive water jet drilling (AWJD) is a thermal-free machining process that can be employed as an alternative to conventional drilling of aeronautical structures. Hence, in this work, the effect of abrasive water jet parameters, namely stand-off distance, water jet pressure, and abrasive mass flow rate, on hole-quality parameters was evaluated at traverse speed = 10 mm/min. Three parameters were stand-off distance = 1, 2, and 3 mm, abrasive mass flow rate = 200, 250, and 300 g/min, and water jet pressure = 1800, 2100, and 2600 bar. Using a 6 mm circular-movement diameter of the nozzle tip, optimal stand-off distance, water jet pressure, and abrasive mass flow rate obtained by multi-objective optimization were 2 mm, 250 g/min, and 2600 bar, respectively. The corresponding hole-quality parameters were Diameter = 6.232 mm, Kerf angle = 0.018°, Cylindricity = 0.051 mm, Perpendicularity = 0.033 mm, Circularity = 0.0041 mm and Surface roughness Ra = 2.909 µm. The results showed that water jet pressure had the greatest influence on Perpendicularity, Circularity; stand-off distance had the highest effect on Kerf angle; and abrasive mass flow rate has the largest influence on Hole diameter, Cylindricity and Surface roughness Ra, and Rz at the given value of traverse speed. The adopted optimization process for abrasive water jet of Al2024-T3 aluminium alloy was successfully verified through confirmation runs, clearly illustrating its benefits.
Expression analysis of lymphocyte subsets and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio: reveling immunosuppression and chronic inflammation in breast cancer
Authors: Zhang Hao , Li Yan , Liu Gang , Chen Xin
Published: January 2024

Objective

To explore the immune status and chronic inflammation of breast cancer patients, this study aims to analyze the diagnostic value of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets (CD3+T, CD4+T, CD8+T, CD3+CD4−CD8−T, CD19+B, and NK cells) and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) for breast cancer. Furthermore, it seeks to examine the correlation between these subsets and LMR with clinicopathological features.

Methods

A total of 100 breast cancer patients were selected as the experimental group, while 55 patients with benign breast diseases were included in the control group. Statistical analysis, including the Wilcoxon test, Kruskal–Wallis test and the receiver operating characteristic curve, was employed to investigate the association between these serum indexes and the clinicopathological characteristics of the patients.

Results

The levels of CD3+T cells, CD4+T cells, CD8+T cells, CD4+/CD8+ ratio, NK cells, CD3+CD4−CD8−T cells, and LMR were found to be related to the occurrence of breast cancer when analyzing data from patients with benign and malignant breast diseases. Among these biomarkers, CD3+T cells, CD4+T cells, CD4+/CD8+ ratio, CD3+CD4−CD8−T cells, and LMR were identified as independent risk factors for breast cancer development, and the AUCs were 0.760, 0.750, 0.598, 0.697, and 0.761 (P < 0.05), respectively. Furthermore, we observed varying degrees of differences in the expression of CD3+T cells, CD4+T cells, CD8+T cells, CD4+/CD8+ ratio, and LMR in lymph node metastasis, clinical staging, molecular typing, Ki-67 level (P < 0.05). However, statistical differences in histologic grade and pathology type were not found (P ≥ 0.05).

Conclusion

Lymphocyte subsets and LMR reflect the immune status and chronic inflammation of the body, respectively. They have certain value in the diagnosis of benign and malignant breast diseases, and correlate with lymph node metastasis, clinical staging, molecular typing and other clinicopathological features of breast cancer. Therefore, monitoring the expression of lymphocyte subsets and LMR in the body may help the auxiliary diagnosis and condition analysis of breast cancer in the clinic.
Designing a 3D gestural interface to support user interaction with time-oriented data as immersive 3D radar charts
Authors: Reski Nico , Alissandrakis Aris , Kerren Andreas
Published: January 2024

The design of intuitive three-dimensional user interfaces is vital for interaction in virtual reality, allowing to effectively close the loop between a human user and the virtual environment. The utilization of 3D gestural input allows for useful hand interaction with virtual content by directly grasping visible objects, or through invisible gestural commands that are associated with corresponding features in the immersive 3D space. The design of such interfaces remains complex and challenging. In this article, we present a design approach for a three-dimensional user interface using 3D gestural input with the aim to facilitate user interaction within the context of Immersive Analytics. Based on a scenario of exploring time-oriented data in immersive virtual reality using 3D Radar Charts, we implemented a rich set of features that is closely aligned with relevant 3D interaction techniques, data analysis tasks, and aspects of hand posture comfort. We conducted an empirical evaluation $$(n=12)$$

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, featuring a series of representative tasks to evaluate the developed user interface design prototype. The results, based on questionnaires, observations, and interviews, indicate good usability and an engaging user experience. We are able to reflect on the implemented hand-based grasping and gestural command techniques, identifying aspects for improvement in regard to hand detection and precision as well as emphasizing a prototype’s ability to infer user intent for better prevention of unintentional gestures.
Predicting the spatio-temporal dynamics of Popillia japonica populations
Authors: Gilioli Gianni , Sperandio Giorgio , Simonetto Anna , Ciampitti Mariangela , Cavagna Beniamino , Bianchi Alessandro , Battisti Andrea , Mori Nicola , De Francesco Andrea , Gervasio Paola
Published: January 2024

We developed a reaction–diffusion model to describe the spatio-temporal dynamics of the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica Newman), based on adult abundance data collected by the Regional Phytosanitary Service during the monitoring activities in the infested area in Lombardy (northern Italy), from 2015 to 2021. The model simulated the abundance of the pest, with a discrete time step of one year along linear trajectories departing from an initial point of establishment. The model allowed the determination of the rate of expansion (i.e. the speed at which the leading edge of a population wave moves over time) of the pest along 13 different trajectories, ranging from 4.5 to 13.8 km/y, with a mean value of 8.2 km/y. Finally, we developed a land suitability index that summarises the effect of land use on the trajectory-specific rate of expansion of P. japonica. Specifically, the model revealed an increase in the rate of expansion of 260 m per year for each additional percentage point in the land suitability index. The model presented and the knowledge acquired in this work represent an important step forward in the comprehension of P. japonica population dynamics, and they represent important elements for the development of a decision support tool for pest risk managers to design and implement scientifically driven management actions.
To Use or Not to Use: Exploring Therapists’ Experiences with Pre-Treatment EMA-Based Personalized Feedback in the TheraNet Project
Authors: Hall Mila , Lappenbusch Lisa M. , Wiegmann Emily , Rubel Julian A.
Published: January 2024

Background: Using idiographic network models in psychotherapy has been a growing area of interest. However, little is known about the perceived clinical utility of network models. The present study aims to explore therapists’ experiences with network model-based feedback within the context of the TheraNet Project. Methods: In total, 18 therapists who had received network-based feedback for at least 1 patient at least 2 months prior were invited to retrospective focus groups. The focus group questions related to how participation in the study influenced the therapeutic relationship, how the networks were used, and what might improve their clinical utility. The transcribed focus groups were analyzed descriptively using qualitative content analysis. Results: Most therapists mentioned using the feedback to support their existingtheir case concept, while fewer therapists discussed the feedback directly with the patients. Several barriers to using the feedback were discussed, as well as various suggestions for how to make it more clinically useful. Many therapists reported skepticism with regards to research in the outpatient training center in general, though they were also all pleasantly surprised by being involved, having their opinions heard, and showing a readiness to adapt research to their needs/abilities. Conclusions: This study highlights the gap between researchers’ and therapists’ perceptions about what useful feedback should look like. The TheraNet therapists’ interest in adapting the feedback and building more informative feedback systems signals a general openness to the implementation of clinically relevant research. We provide suggestions for future implementations of network-based feedback systems in the outpatient clinical training center setting.
Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment framework for Uganda: a stochastic event-based modelling approach
Authors: Oleng Morris , Ozdemir Zuhal , Pilakoutas Kypros
Published: January 2024

Uganda lies between the eastern and western arms of the East African Rift System, the largest seismically active rift above sea level. With increasing population, urbanisation and rapid construction, seismic risk in the country is escalating fast and is compounded by the high vulnerability of the building stock and inadequate disaster prevention and mitigation strategies. Hence, there is an urgent need to assess Uganda’s resilience against seismic risks. This paper presents a Monte-Carlo based probabilistic seismic hazard model for Uganda, as the first step towards the development of a seismic risk and resilience assessment framework for the country. In addition to fault segment data, earthquake catalogues are compiled for the period between 1900 and 2022 to estimate recurrence parameters for source zones in the area of interest. Area source zones incorporating focal mechanisms are used to stochastically model a national hazard framework for Uganda. A logic tree approach is applied to implement four ground motion prediction equations for both stable continental and active shallow crust geologies. Mean hazard curves, uniform hazard spectra, earthquake disaggregation and spectral pseudo-accelerations for major Ugandan cities are derived in addition to hazard maps for the country. The findings are largely consistent with previous regional studies and confirm that western Uganda is exposed to the highest level of seismicity. The model presented herein can be used to kick-start the update and continuous improvement of Uganda Seismic Design Code and the National Policy for Disaster Preparedness and Management.
Decoding Single and Paired Phonemes Using 7T Functional MRI
Authors: Vitória Maria Araújo , Fernandes Francisco Guerreiro , van den Boom Max , Ramsey Nick , Raemaekers Mathijs
Published: January 2024

Several studies have shown that mouth movements related to the pronunciation of individual phonemes are represented in the sensorimotor cortex. This would theoretically allow for brain computer interfaces that are capable of decoding continuous speech by training classifiers based on the activity in the sensorimotor cortex related to the production of individual phonemes. To address this, we investigated the decodability of trials with individual and paired phonemes (pronounced consecutively with one second interval) using activity in the sensorimotor cortex. Fifteen participants pronounced 3 different phonemes and 3 combinations of two of the same phonemes in a 7T functional MRI experiment. We confirmed that support vector machine (SVM) classification of single and paired phonemes was possible. Importantly, by combining classifiers trained on single phonemes, we were able to classify paired phonemes with an accuracy of 53% (33% chance level), demonstrating that activity of isolated phonemes is present and distinguishable in combined phonemes. A SVM searchlight analysis showed that the phoneme representations are widely distributed in the ventral sensorimotor cortex. These findings provide insights about the neural representations of single and paired phonemes. Furthermore, it supports the notion that speech BCI may be feasible based on machine learning algorithms trained on individual phonemes using intracranial electrode grids.
Family Intensive Treatment for Child Welfare Involved Caregivers with Substance Misuse Issues: Safety, Permanency and Well-Being Outcomes
Authors: Yampolskaya Svetlana , Sowell Cathy , Walker-Egea Connie , Hanak-Coulter Jessica , Pecora Peter J.
Published: January 2024

The Family Intensive Treatment (FIT) team model provides intensive team-based, family-focused, comprehensive services to families in the child welfare system with parental substance misuse issues. The current evaluation study examined the effect of FIT on child safety, permanency, and parental wellbeing. A longitudinal quasi-experimental design with a two-group comparison using propensity score matching was used. Compared to a group of similar parents/caregivers receiving child welfare services (N = 2976), parents/caregivers who received FIT (N = 3025) were less likely to have new allegations of child maltreatment within 6 and 12 months after participating in the FIT program. There was no significant association between FIT receipt and recurrence of verified (i.e., substantiated) maltreatment: the rates of verified maltreatment were very similar for the parents/caregivers in the FIT group and the parents/caregivers in the comparison group. Similarly, no significant differences were found when the rates for foster care reentry were examined. In contrast, children of parents/caregivers who received FIT achieved permanency faster and at a greater rate compared to their counterparts. In addition, participation in the FIT program predicted improvement in parental/caregiver emotional protective capacity and overall protective capacity and showed a positive tendency in improvement of parental/caregiver behaviors related to their protective role. Finally, parents/caregivers who received FIT demonstrated significant improvements over time in several wellbeing domains including Daily Living Activities, Mental Health and Addiction, and Adult and Adolescent Parenting.
Unraveling the attributions of digital literacy skills and knowledge gap in Ghana’s higher education: Undergraduate students voices in a phenomenological study
Authors: Nkansah Jacob Oppong , Oldac Yusuf Ikbal
Published: January 2024

Any undergraduate student lacking the knowledge and skills for digital technology will find it challenging to succeed academically and thrive in the 21st -century higher education setting. This study employed a novel conceptual framework built from ecological theory to investigate the attributions of the knowledge and skill gap in digital literacy among Ghanaian undergraduate students. A phenomenological qualitative design with a purposive sampling technique was implemented to collect data from 16 undergraduates in a large public university in Ghana in a four-months period. The findings show several factors responsible for students’ digital literacy knowledge and skills gap. Undergraduates have ascribed these reasons to various macro and micro factors. The students attributed their skills gap to personal, parental, institutional, and government factors, pointing to the need for concerted action from national and international policymakers and educators alike. This paper argues that university lecturers, administrators, the Ministry of Education, and policymakers in Ghana should collaboratively redesign comprehensive, persuasive, and integrated digital literacy approaches to benefit undergraduate students at all levels.
An empirical study on the usage of mocking frameworks in Apache software foundation
Authors: Xiao Lu , Zhao Gengwu , Wang Xiao , Li Keye , Lim Erick , Wei Chenhao , Yu Tingting , Wang Xiaoyin
Published: January 2024

Mocking frameworks provide convenient APIs, which create mock objects, manipulate their behavior, and verify their execution, for the purpose of isolating test dependencies in unit testing. This study contributes an in-depth empirical study of whether and how mocking frameworks are used in Apache projects. The key findings and insights of this study include: First, mocking frameworks are widely used in 66% of Apache Java projects, with Mockito, EasyMock, and PowerMock being the top three most popular frameworks. Larger-scale and more recent projects tend to observe a stronger need to use mocking frameworks. This underscores the importance of mocking in practice and related future research. Second, mocking is overall practiced quite selectively in software projects—not all test files use mocking, nor all dependencies of a test target are mocked. It calls for more future research to gain a more systematic understanding of when and what to mock to provide formal guidance to practitioners. On top of this, the intensity of mocking in different projects shows different trends in the projects’ evolution history—implying the compound effects of various factors, such as the pace of a project’s growth, the available resources, time pressure, and priority, etc. This points to an important future research direction in facilitating best mocking practices in software evolution. Furthermore, we revealed the most frequently used APIs in the three most popular frameworks, organized based on the function types. The top five APIs in each functional type of the three mocking frameworks usually take the majority (78% to 100%) of usage in Apache projects. This indicates that developers can focus on these APIs to quickly learn the common usage of these mocking frameworks. We further investigated informal methods of mocking, which do not rely on any mocking framework. These informal mocking methods point to potential sub-optimal mocking practices that could be improved, as well as limitations of existing mocking frameworks. Finally, we conducted a developer survey to collect additional insights regarding the above analysis based on their experience, which complements our analysis based on repository mining. Overall, this study offers practitioners profound empirical knowledge of how mocking frameworks are used in practice and sheds light on future research directions to enhancing mocking in practice.
Beyond ‘All or Some’: Reframing the Debate Between Local and Global Expressivists
Authors: Zhu Bojin
Published: January 2024

Local expressivism is the idea that some kinds of sentences express mental states other than beliefs. Global expressivism is the idea that all sentences are similarly expressive (of attitudes) instead of representational. They appear to disagree, but due to the vagueness of these big-picture ideas, the disagreement between them has not yet been clearly pinned down and has been suspected to be empty. This paper fixes this problem and shows not only how and where they disagree, but also that their disagreement is more profound than it has usually been conceived as. I first show that local and global expressivism have very different conceptual origins and thus that we should not think of them as carrying the same project to different extents. I then show their disagreement: global expressivists think that the meaning of all kinds of sentences is primarily inferential, and the meaningfulness of language is to be primarily explained by our trying to agree with our peers, while local expressivists think that the meaning of some kinds of sentences is primarily representational, and the meaningfulness of language is to be primarily explained by our trying to agree with the environment. An important upshot of this reframing of the debate is that global expressivists’ arguments to convince local expressivists are not successful.
Critical geopolitics in the era of identitarian populism
Authors: Kurfürst Jaroslav , Solik Martin , Baar Vladimir , Baarová Barbara , Graf Jan
Published: January 2024

The transformation of the current world paradigm is generating new, strong stimuli for geopolitical knowledge. The sharpened geopolitical competition grows from colorful mix of postmodern instruments, modern motivation, premodern and hybrid methods, clearly territorialized and deterritorialized threats, state-centric and diffusion processes. Identitarian populism, which restores the boundaries that have been pushed out of the political space by integration and globalization, is getting in the forefront of geopolitical discourse. In international relations, the clash of identities, their instrumentalization and revival of imperial dreams extend the area of critical geopolitics, which has instruments for exploring geographic permanence of power as well as identity discourse, and whose cognitive apparatus is therefore an attractive analysis tool. The article contributes to a debate about options for greater usability of sub-discipline in the new context, proposes arguments for depoliticization of critical geopolitics in the right-left plane, discusses possibilities for complementary, synthetic deployment of neoclassical and critical geopolitics in exploring new context and argues in favour of even closer cooperation with the international relations theory.
Comment on: Criteria for Strong and Weak Random Attractors
Authors: Crauel Hans , Geiss Sarah , Scheutzow Michael
Published: January 2024

In the article ’Criteria for Strong and Weak Random Attractors’ necessary and sufficient conditions for strong attractors and weak attractors are studied. In this note we correct two of its theorems on strong attractors.
Feeling Important, Feeling Well. The Association Between Mattering and Well-being: A Meta-analysis Study
Authors: Paradisi Monica , Matera Camilla , Nerini Amanda
Published: January 2024

Perception of mattering, the feeling of being important to others (Rosenberg & McCullogh in Community Ment Health J 2:163–182, 1981), is receiving increasing attention as a factor that promotes well-being. Individual well-being has been defined in different ways, such as hedonic, as in a deep satisfaction with life (Diener & Lucas in Well-being: Foundations of Hedonic Psychology 213, 1999), eudaimonic, as in the realization of the true self (Ryff in Curr Dir Psychol Sci 4(4):99–104, 1995), and holistic, which is satisfaction across all domains of life (Prilleltensky et al., in J Community Psychol 43(2):199–226, 2015). The present study aims to systematize this body of literature on mattering and well-being to clarify whether the two constructs are linked independently from their conceptualization; to this end, a meta-analysis of 30 studies, following the PRISMA framework, was conducted. A significant medium effect size emerged between mattering and well-being (r = 0.41*** [95% CI 0.33, 0.49]), with eudaimonic well-being showing a higher effect size in association with mattering (r = 0.55*** [95% CI 0.46, 0.64]). The results indicate that mattering is a relevant construct when studying the positive functioning of individuals; in particular, mattering was found to be a key factor in the process of defining one’s sense of worth and purpose in life.
The Situational Meaning in Life Evaluation (SMILE): Development and Validation Studies
Authors: Zambelli Michela , Tagliabue Semira
Published: January 2024

The present multi-study work presents a new self-report measure of meaning in life in the context of situational life experiences. Study 1 presents the development of the Situational Meaning in Life Evaluation (SMILE), a six-item measure that integrates the three content-dimensions (comprehension, significance and purpose) and the two process-dimensions (presence and search) of meaning in life. The scale is provided with a situational anchor that can be easily adapted to different event- and time-related situations. Two empirical studies examined the psychometric properties of the SMILE measure. Study 2 involved an Italian representative sample of 3035 individuals (51.6% female; Mage= 48.3, range= 18-91, SD= 14.03). Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported the theorized structure of the scale and provided evidence of good internal consistency collected with McDonald’s Omega, generalizability across gender and age was established by measurement invariance, and criterion validity evidence was obtained by correlations with measures of well-being. Study 3 was conducted on a sample of 283 Italian emerging and young adults (76% female; Mage= 26; range= 19-36; SD= 4.09). Results confirmed the SMILE’s structure and internal consistency and added evidence of convergent and incremental validity by conducting a series of hierarchical regressions to test the predictive power of the SMILE over the Meaning in Life Questionnaire on well-being measures. Findings provided evidence of the psychometric properties of the SMILE as a valid and reliable measure of situational meaning in life. Suggestions for future research are discussed.
A New Tripodal Zwitterionic Ligand-Based Cationic Manganese(II) Metal-Organic Framework: Synthesis, Characterization and Photochromic Property
Authors: Çiftçi Esengül , Arıcı Mürsel , Wriedt Mario , Yeşilel Okan Zafer
Published: January 2024

A new flexible tripodal 1,1′,1′′-(((1,3,5-triazin-2,4,6-triyl)tris(benzene-4,1-diyl))tris(methylene))tris(3-carboxypyridin-1-ium) bromide (H3taznaBr3) ligand and its new Manganese(II) compound, namely {[Mn(µ6-tazna)]Cl2·4H2O}n(OGU − 1, OGU: Osmangazi University), were synthesized and structurally characterized by IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, X-ray single-crystal and powder diffraction techniques. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the OGU − 1 is 3D framework, possessing 1D channels along the b-axis with dimensions of 9.39 × 13.63 Å2, in which 1D channels are filled with chloride ions and lattice water molecules. The OGU − 1 displayed a 6,6-connected net with a point symbol of {48.66.8}{49.66}. Furthermore, thermal (TG, DTA and DTA) and photochromic properties of the OGU − 1 were investigated and it exhibited color change under 365 nm UV light.
Scaling up tree growth to assess forest resilience under increasing aridity: the case of Iberian dry-edge pine forests
Authors: Zavala Miguel A. , Angulo Óscar , de la Parra Rafael Bravo , Moreno-Fernández Daniel , Madrigal-González Jaime
Published: January 2024

Context

Mediterranean managed dry-edge pine forests maintain biodiversity and supply key ecosystem services but are threatened by climate change and are highly vulnerable to desertification. Forest management through its effect on stand structure can play a key role on forest stability in response to increasing aridity, but the role of forest structure on drought resilience remains little explored.

Objectives

To investigate the role of tree growth and forest structure on forest resilience under increasing aridity and two contrasting policy-management regimes. We compared three management scenarios; (i) “business as usual”-based on the current harvesting regime and increasing aridity—and two scenarios that differ in the target forest function; (ii) a “conservation scenario”, oriented to preserve forest stock under increasing aridity; and (iii), a “productivity scenario” oriented to maintain forest yield under increasingly arid conditions.

Methods

The study site is part of a large-homogeneous pine-covered landscape covering sandy flatlands in Central Spain. The site is a dry-edge forest characterized by a lower productivity and tree density relative to most Iberian Pinus pinaster forests. We parameterized and tested an analytical size-structured forest dynamics model with last century tree growth and forest structure historical management records.

Results

Under current management (Scenario-i), increasing aridity resulted in a reduction of stock, productivity, and maximum mean tree size. Resilience boundaries differed among Scenario-ii and -Scenario-iii, revealing a strong control of the management regime on resilience via forest structure. We identified a trade-off between tree harvest size and harvesting rate, along which there were various possible resilient forest structures and management regimes. Resilience boundaries for a yield-oriented management (Scenario-iii) were much more restrictive than for a stock-oriented management (Scenario-ii), requiring a drastic decrease in both tree harvest size and thinning rates. In contrast, stock preservation was feasible under moderate thinning rates and a moderate reduction in tree harvest size.

Conclusions

Forest structure is a key component of forest resilience to drought. Adequate forest management can play a key role in reducing forest vulnerability while ensuring a long-term sustainable resource supply. Analytical tractable models of forest dynamics can help to identify key mechanisms underlying drought resilience and to design management options that preclude these social-ecological systems from crossing a tipping point over a degraded alternate state.
The role of GammaTile in the treatment of brain tumors: a technical and clinical overview
Authors: Garcia Michael A. , Turner Adam , Brachman David G.
Published: January 2024

Malignant and benign brain tumors with a propensity to recur continue to be a clinical challenge despite decades-long efforts to develop systemic and more advanced local therapies. GammaTile (GT Medical Technologies Inc., Tempe AZ) has emerged as a novel brain brachytherapy device placed during surgery, which starts adjuvant radiotherapy immediately after resection. GammaTile received FDA clearance in 2018 for any recurrent brain tumor and expanded clearance in 2020 to include upfront use in any malignant brain tumor. More than 1,000 patients have been treated with GammaTile to date, and several publications have described technical aspects of the device, workflow, and clinical outcome data. Herein, we review the technical aspects of this brachytherapy treatment, including practical physics principles, discuss the available literature with an emphasis on clinical outcome data in the setting of brain metastases, glioblastoma, and meningioma, and provide an overview of the open and pending clinical trials that are further defining the efficacy and safety of GammaTile.
Model order reduction and stochastic averaging for the analysis and design of micro-electro-mechanical systems
Authors: Bonnin Michele , Song Kailing , Traversa Fabio L. , Bonani Fabrizio
Published: January 2024

Electro-mechanical systems are key elements in engineering. They are designed to convert electrical signals and power into mechanical motion and vice-versa. As the number of networked systems grows, the corresponding mathematical models become more and more complex, and novel sophisticated techniques for their analysis and design are required. We present a novel methodology for the analysis and design of electro-mechanical systems subject to random external inputs. The method is based on the joint application of a model order reduction technique, by which the original electro-mechanical variables are projected onto a lower dimensional space, and of a stochastic averaging technique, which allows the determination of the stationary probability distribution of the system mechanical energy. The probability distribution can be exploited to assess the system performance and for system optimization and design. As examples of application, we apply the method to power factor correction for the optimization of a vibration energy harvester, and to analyse a system composed by two coupled electro-mechanical resonators for sensing applications.
Keratinocyte Exosomes for Topical Delivery of Tofacitinib in Treatment of Psoriasis: an In Vitro/ In Vivo Study in Animal Model of Psoriasis
Authors: Dehghani Pouya , Varshosaz Jaleh , Mirian Mina , Minaiyan Mohsen , Kazemi Mohammad , Bodaghi Mahdi
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles in the range of 40-150 nm released from the cell membrane. Exosomes secreted by keratinocytes can communicate with other keratinocytes and immune cells with specific biomarkers at their surface, which may be effective on inflammation of psoriasis and its pathogenesis.

Objective

The present study aimed to formulate and study effectiveness of an exosomal delivery system of tofacitinib (TFC).

Methods

TFC was loaded by different methods in exosomes and then characterized for particle size, zeta potential, drug loading efficiency, and release efficiency. By comparing these parameters, the probe sonication method was chosen to load TFC into exosomes. The MTT assay was used to compare the cytotoxicity of the free drug with the TFC-loaded exosomes (TFC-Exo), and Real-time PCR was used to determine the expression levels of several genes involved in psoriasis expressed in the A-431 keratinocyte and their suppression after treatment. Animal model of psoriasis was induced in BALB/c mice by imiquimod and the efficacy of free TFC, and TFC-Exo were studies on macroscopic appearance and histopathological symptoms.

Results

Exosomes encapsulating TFC showed lower cytotoxicity in MTT assay, higher suppression the expression of TNF-a, IL-23, IL-6, and IL-15 genes in real-time PCR and better therapeutic effect on animal models compered to free TFC.

Conclusions

This method of drug delivery for TFC may be effective on enhancing its therapeutic effects and reduction its side effects favorably in chronic administration.

Graphical abstract
Response of vegetative and reproductive organs of Cucurbita pepo L. Subsp pepo ‘Allegria’ exposed to aged dieldrin contamination in regards to soil concentration and plant development
Authors: Colin Félix , Cohen Grégory J. V. , Affholder Marie-Cécile , Delerue Florian , Atteia Olivier
Published: January 2024

Aims

Dieldrin is an Organochlorine Pesticides (OCPs) which, due to its persistence in agricultural soils, continues to be a source of contamination for crops, especially Cucurbita pepo L. subsp pepo (C. pepo L.). The latter are able to absorb dieldrin from contaminated soils and transfer it from the roots to the shoots. However, dieldrin allocation has been partially studied, especially in the shoots. This study aims at characterizing dieldrin distribution in the different plant organs according to soil contamination and plant growth.

Methods

This was achieved by growing C. pepo L. ‘Allegria’ in soil mixtures presenting 5 levels of dieldrin concentration (< 1 to 145 µg kg−1) and by harvesting them after different exposure periods (30, 90 and 140 d after transplant).

Results

The results showed (i) the predominance of the root impregnation path, (ii) that dieldrin concentration in the vegetative organs of C. pepo L. ‘Allegria’ increased with soil concentration while (iii) it stabilized for reproductive organs at soil concentrations exceeding 50 µg kg−1 DW. The bioconcentration factors (BCFs) for vegetative organs were classified as follows: stems (70) > roots (47) > leaves (19). Furthermore, the mass distribution of dieldrin was more dependent on variations in organ mass fraction with plant development than variations of dieldrin concentration in the different organs.

Conclusions

These results are of main importance for (i) the identification of dieldrin contaminated agricultural plots using phytoscreening methods as well as for (ii) their phytomanagement providing crucial allocation information for phytoextraction purposes.
Mother’s Instinct? Biological Essentialism and Parents’ Involvement in Work and Childcare
Authors: Gaunt Ruth , Deutsch Francine M.
Published: January 2024

Despite wide public support for gender equality in work and caregiving, family responsibilities are still divided predominantly along traditional gender lines. This study examined the role of biological essentialism in the division of family roles using a nationally representative sample of British parents with young children (N = 5,605). Both mothers’ and fathers’ essentialist beliefs about men’s and women’s innate ability to care for children were associated with a more traditional division of childcare tasks, more hours of childcare provided by the mother, and fewer hours of childcare provided by the father. When gender role attitudes were considered together with biological essentialism, only essentialism was a significant predictor of involvement in childcare. Finally, the results supported our predictions that the effect of biological essentialism is mediated through parents’ work hours, and that essentialism affects mothers’ and fathers’ involvement in work and childcare in opposite directions. Taken together, the findings suggest that essentialist beliefs are a key hindrance to greater gender equality because they motivate parents to divide roles according to traditional gender norms. These findings may be of particular interest to practitioners and policy makers interested in increasing fathers’ involvement in childcare, mothers’ participation in the labor force, and overall gender equality.
Pharmacokinetic Analysis of [18F]FES PET in the Human Brain and Pituitary Gland
Authors: Ghazanfari Nafiseh , Doorduin Janine , van der Weijden Chris W. J. , Willemsen Antoon T. M. , Glaudemans Andor W. J. M. , van Waarde Aren , Dierckx Rudi A. J. O. , de Vries Erik F. J.
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Estrogen receptors (ER) are implicated in psychiatric disorders. We assessed if ER availability in the human brain could be quantified using 16α-[18F]-fluoro-17β-estradiol ([18F]FES) positron emission tomography (PET).

Procedures

Seven post‑menopausal women underwent a dynamic [18F]FES PET scan with arterial blood sampling. A T1-weighted MRI was acquired for anatomical information. After one week, four subjects received a selective ER degrader (SERD), four hours before the PET scan. Pharmacokinetic analysis was performed using a metabolite-corrected plasma curve as the input function. The optimal kinetic model was selected based on the Akaike information criterion and standard error of estimated parameters. Accuracy of Logan graphical analysis and standardized uptake value (SUV) was determined via correlational analyses.

Results

The reversible two-tissue compartment model (2T4k) model with fixed K1/k2 was preferred. The total volume of distribution (VT) could be more reliably estimated than the binding potential (BPND). A high correlation of VT with Logan graphical analysis was observed, but only a moderate correlation with SUV. SERD administration resulted in a reduced VT in the pituitary gland, but not in other regions.

Conclusions

The optimal quantification method for [18F]FES was the 2T4k with fixed K1/k2 or Logan graphical analysis, but specific binding was only observed in the pituitary gland.
Recent advances in transesterification for sustainable biodiesel production, challenges, and prospects: a comprehensive review
Authors: Farouk Sabah Mohamed , Tayeb Aghareed M. , Abdel-Hamid Shereen M. S. , Osman Randa M.
Published: January 2024

Biodiesel, a renewable and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, has garnered significant attention as a potential solution to the growing energy crisis and environmental concerns. The review commences with a thorough examination of feedstock selection and preparation, emphasizing the critical role of feedstock quality in ensuring optimal biodiesel production efficiency and quality. Next, it delves into the advancements in biodiesel applications, highlighting its versatility and potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. The heart of the review focuses on transesterification, the key process in biodiesel production. It provides an in-depth analysis of various catalysts, including homogeneous, heterogeneous, enzyme-based, and nanomaterial catalysts, exploring their distinct characteristics and behavior during transesterification. The review also sheds light on the transesterification reaction mechanism and kinetics, emphasizing the importance of kinetic modeling in process optimization. Recent developments in biodiesel production, including feedstock selection, process optimization, and sustainability, are discussed, along with the challenges related to engine performance, emissions, and compatibility that hinder wider biodiesel adoption. The review concludes by emphasizing the need for ongoing research, development, and collaboration among academia, industry, and policymakers to address the challenges and pursue further research in biodiesel production. It outlines specific recommendations for future research, paving the way for the widespread adoption of biodiesel as a renewable energy source and fostering a cleaner and more sustainable future.
How to Read How to Do Things with Words: On Sbisà’s Proof by Contradiction
Authors: Wanderer Jeremy , Townsend Leo
Published: January 2024

Midway through How to Do Things With Words, J.L. Austin’s announces a “fresh start” in his efforts to characterize the ways in which speech is action, and introduces a new conceptual framework from the one he has been using up to that point. Against a common reading that portrays this move as simply abandoning the framework so far developed, Marina Sbisà contends that the text takes the argumentative form of a proof by contradiction, such that the initial framework plays an instrumental role as part of a proof in favour of the subsequent one. Despite agreeing with Sbisà’s broad instrumentalist approach, we argue that her regimentation of Austin’s narrative into a proof by contradiction ultimately fails - both as a proof and as an interpretation of Austin. Instead, we suggest that a better way of interpreting the peculiar structure of How to Do Things With Words is as a pedagogical exercise whose point is to bring a concealed alternative into view in a manner that also explains its initial concealment, and that this approach provides richer resources for supporting Sbisà’s own conventionalist understanding of illocution than that afforded by reading the text as a proof by contradiction.
Mechanochemical enhancement in electrode materials via silver-embedded reduced graphene oxide and cobalt oxide nanostructure for supercapacitor applications
Authors: Abdelfattah Aliaa , Ahmed Fatma M. , Mohamed Lamiaa Z. , Selim Ahmed M.
Published: January 2024

This study delves into the intricate domain of mechanochemical synthesis, employing a developed approach for the fabrication of electrode materials. The method involves the incorporation of silver nanoparticles into a two-dimensional matrix of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) combined with cobalt oxide nanostructures, yielding a zero-dimensional cobalt oxide@RGO.Ag nanocomposite. A comprehensive suite of material characterization techniques, including XRD, SEM, EDX, TEM, XPS, and BET, was used to investigate the synthesized materials. Concurrently, extensive electrochemical investigations, incorporating cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanic charge–discharge (GCD), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and retention analyses, are applied to the constructed electrochemical cell. The resulting RGO.Ag@Co3O4 nanocomposite exhibits a remarkable specific capacitance of 371.2 F g−1 at a scan rate of 5 mV s−1. In addition, energy density (Ed) and power density (Pd) values of 21.6 Wh/kg and 997 W/kg, respectively, are achieved at a current density (Cd) of 0.5 A g−1.