bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High incidence of medial meniscus root/radial tears and extrusion in 253 patients with subchondral insufficiency fractures of the knee
Authors: Clark Sean C. , Pareek Ayoosh , Hevesi Mario , Okoroha Kelechi R. , Saris Daniel B. F. , Camp Christopher L. , Krych Aaron J.
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The demographic and radiological risk factors of subchondral insufficiency fractures of the knee (SIFK) continue to be a subject of debate. The purpose of this study was to associate patient‐specific factors with SIFK in a large cohort of patients.

Methods

Inclusion criteria consisted of patients with SIFK as verified on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). All radiographs and MRIs were reviewed to assess characteristics such as meniscus tear presence and type, subchondral oedema presence and location, location of SIFK, mechanical limb alignment, osteoarthritis as assessed by Kellgren–Lawrence grade and ligamentous injury. A total of 253 patients (253 knees) were included, with 171 being female. The average body mass index (BMI) was 32.1 ± 7.0 kg/m2.

Results

SIFK was more common in patients with medial meniscus tears (77.1%, 195/253) rather than tears of the lateral meniscus (14.6%, 37/253) (p < 0.001). Medial meniscus root and radial tears of the posterior horn were present in 71.1% (180/253) of patients. Ninety‐one percent (164/180) of medial meniscus posterior root and radial tears had an extrusion ≥3.0 mm. Eighty‐one percent (119/147) of patients with SIFK on the medial femoral condyle and 86.8% (105/121) of patients with SIFK on the medial tibial plateau had a medial meniscus tear. Varus knees had a significantly increased rate of SIFK on the medial femoral condyle in comparison to valgus knees (p = 0.016).

Conclusion

In this large cohort of patients with SIFK, there was a high association with medial meniscus root and radial tears of the posterior horn, meniscus extrusion ≥3.0 mm as well as higher age, female gender and higher BMI. Additionally, there was a particularly strong association of medial compartment SIFK with medial meniscus tears. As SIFK is frequently undiagnosed, identifying patient‐specific demographic and radiological risk factors will help achieve a prompt diagnosis.

Level of Evidence

Level IV.
Reference ecosystem construction and adaptive restoration effect evaluation: A case study of a small watershed in the loess hilly region
Authors: Li Qiang , Shi Xueyi , Zhao Zhongqiu , Wu Qingqing
Published: May 2024

The loess hilly region is one of the most fragile areas in China. Many ecological restoration projects in this region are equivalent to simple afforestation and grass planting, with large investment and low benefits. Based on the concept of reference ecosystem, this study uses remote sensing data and vegetation community survey of Wanhuigou catchment, and applies methods such as redundancy analysis and GeoDetector to explore the characteristics of topography, soil, and vegetation of reference ecosystem, so as to provide restoration standards for damaged or degraded ecosystems in a small watershed. Thirteen typical and representative areas are selected to evaluate the degree of ecosystem damage and resilience, and divided into four categories according to the evaluation results and characteristics of ecosystems. Corresponding restoration measures such as protection and conservation, natural restoration, auxiliary regeneration, and ecological reconstruction are adopted for ecosystems under different scenarios with reference ecosystems as the target, and the effectiveness of implementation is assessed. The results show that the combination conditions of elevation and slope have a very important influence on the distribution of ecosystems. In the process of ecological restoration, it is necessary to deeply grasp the characteristics of soil and species diversity within the same community and among different communities, as well as their interrelationships. Adaptive restoration measures for ecosystems in different situations are conducive to the sustainability and effectiveness of ecosystem restoration. Given the complexity and diversity of habitat conditions and plant community types in Wanhuigou catchment, the results have certain universality, which can provide reference for the comprehensive management of other small watersheds in the loess hilly region, so as to achieve sustainable construction and restoration of ecosystems as well as harmonious development between humans and nature.
Separating Charge Centers of Chain Segments in Dielectric Elastomer through Steric Hindrance Engineering
Authors: Chen Yifu , Wu Siwu , Guo Baochun , Jin Binjie , Yang Haixin , Chen Jialiang , Wu Wenjie , Zhang Liqun
Published: May 2024

Theoretically, separating the positive and negative charge centers of the chain segments of dielectric elastomers (DEs) is a viable alternative to the conventional decoration of chain backbone with polar handles, since it can dramatically increase the dipole vector and hence the dielectric constant (ε′) of the DEs while circumvent the undesired impact of the decorated polar handles on the dielectric loss (tan δ). Herein, a novel and universal method is demonstrated to achieve effective separation of the charge centers of chain segments in homogeneous DEs by steric hindrance engineering, i.e., by incorporating a series of different included angle‐containing building blocks into the networks. Both experimental and simulation results have shown that the introduction of these building blocks can create a spatially fixed included angle between two adjacent chain segments, thus separating the charge center of the associated region. Accordingly, incorporating a minimal amount of these building blocks (≈5 mol%) can lead to a considerably sharp increase (≈50%) in the ε′ of the DEs while maintaining an extremely low tan δ (≈0.006@1 kHz), indicating that this methodology can substantially optimize the dielectric performance of DEs based on a completely different mechanism from the established methods.
Identification of a new mutation in the ACTL9 gene in men with unexplained infertility
Authors: Sinaei Roya , Eslami Maryam , Dadfar Mohammadreza , Saberi Alihossein
Published: May 2024

Background

Infertility is defined as the failure to achieve pregnancy after one year of unprotected intercourse within a marital relationship. Approximately 10%–15% of couples worldwide experience infertility issues, with nearly half of these cases attributed to male factors. Among men with unexplained infertility, genetic mutations have been identified as a potential cause. Studies have indicated that mutations affecting the function of the protein encoded by the ACTL9 gene may play a role in male infertility.

Methods

The purpose of this research was to identify mutations in the ACTL9 gene associated with male infertility in a sample of 40 infertile men with unknown causes. Genomic DNA extraction and PCR amplification were carried out on samples from each individual. The genetic material was then analyzed using Sanger sequencing, followed by bioinformatics and segregation analysis to determine the potential effects of the observed variations.

Result

A novel genetic variant, c.376G>A (p.Glu126Lys), was identified in an infertile male individual, representing a previously unreported finding that was validated through segregation analyses. This specific variant induces a change from glutamate to lysine at the amino acid level by replacing the nucleotide G with A in the genomic DNA sequence, consequently impacting the secondary structure and function of the protein.

Conclusions

The conclusive analysis of the procedure indicated that this alteration has the potential to interfere with the process of fertilization, ultimately resulting in the complete failure of fertilization (TFF) and causing male infertility.
A hybrid one‐step leapfrog ADI‐FDTD and subgridding approach based on a heterogeneous computing platform
Authors: Liu Chenran , Feng Jian , Xu Ke , Deng Xuesong , Fang Ming
Published: May 2024

The finite‐difference time‐domain (FDTD) method often demands numerous grids for fine structure analysis, leading to high computational costs. To address this challenge, a subgridding scheme emerges as an attractive solution. However, the explicit nature of the FDTD subgrid method, constrained by Courant–Friedrichs–Lewy (CFL) conditions, can lead to inefficiencies with complex structures. In response, the leapfrog alternating‐direction implicit (ADI)‐FDTD method, exhibiting unconditional stability, has been developed to overcome CFL limitations. This paper presents a hybrid approach merging the one‐step leapfrog ADI‐FDTD method with a subgridding scheme using heterogeneous computing. By optimizing hardware usage and leveraging different device performances, this approach maximizes throughput in heterogeneous systems. Central processing units and graphics processing units handle workloads to minimize system latency. Simulation results on heterogeneous platforms demonstrate superior efficiency over single processor setups while maintaining simulation accuracy, especially in analyzing electromagnetic scattering from multiscale structures.
A high‐power and high‐efficiency low‐profile aperture converter array
Authors: Xu Zhihui , Li Meiling , Xia Zhen‐Xing , Yi Zixuan , Yang Xue‐Xia
Published: May 2024

For a phased‐array antenna system, position mismatches in spacing distances between source's output and antenna arrays’ input ports are common. At present, flexible radiofrequency cables are always utilized to electrically connect those two parts, which will result in the reduced integration. To tackle this problem, a low‐profile aperture converter array (ACA) is first proposed, which is applied between a microwave source and antenna arrays. Each stripline‐structured channel of the ACA is composed of the signal lines with different routing shapes to achieve nearly the same phase shift. In this study, a high‐power and high‐efficiency 16‐channel ACA is designed, fabricated and measured at X‐band. Experimental results show that it meets the requirement of 5‐kW pulse wave input, and the power transfer efficiency of each channel is more than 93.8%. Furthermore, its profile is only 0.42  at 9 GHz, which is favorable to transforming the integration of the whole system.
Loss of KANSL3 leads to defective inner cell mass and early embryonic lethality
Authors: Chander Ashmita , Mager Jesse
Published: May 2024

e–Lysine acetylation is a prominent histone mark found at transcriptionally active loci. Among many lysine acetyl transferases, nonspecific lethal complex (NSL) members are known to mediate the modification of histone H4. In addition to histone modifications, the KAT8 regulatory complex subunit 3 gene (Kansl3), a core member of NSL complex, has been shown to be involved in several other cellular processes such as mitosis and mitochondrial activity. Although functional studies have been performed on NSL complex members, none of the four core proteins, including Kansl3, have been studied during early mouse development. Here we show that homozygous knockout Kansl3 embryos are lethal at peri‐implantation stages, failing to hatch out of the zona pellucida. When the zona pellucida is removed in vitro, Kansl3 null embryos form an abnormal outgrowth with significantly disrupted inner cell mass (ICM) morphology. We document lineage‐specific defects at the blastocyst stage with significantly reduced ICM cell number but no difference in trophectoderm cell numbers. Both epiblast and primitive endoderm lineages are altered with reduced cell numbers in null mutants. These results show that Kansl3 is indispensable during early mouse embryonic development and with defects in both ICM and trophectoderm lineages.
Transaction fee mechanisms with farsighted miners
Authors: Leth Hougaard Jens , Pourpouneh Mohsen , Han Haiting
Published: May 2024

We investigate the recent fee mechanism EIP1559 of the Ethereum network. Whereas previous studies have focused on myopic miners, we here focus on strategic miners in the sense of miners being able to reason about the future blocks. We derive expressions for optimal miner behavior (in terms of setting block sizes) in the case of two‐block foresight and varying degrees of hashing power. Results indicate that a sufficiently large mining pool will have enough hashing power to gain by strategic foresight. We further use a simulation study to examine the impact of both two‐block and three‐block foresight. In particular, the simulation study indicates that for realistic levels of hashing power, mining pools do not gain from being able to reason more than two blocks ahead. Moreover, even though the presence of strategic miners increases the variation in block sizes and potentially empty blocks, overall system throughput tends to increase slightly compared with myopic mining. We further analyze the effect of varying the base fee updating rule.
Real emotional experience of family members of patients transported within hospital in neurosurgical intensive care unit: A descriptive qualitative study
Authors: Xuan Guo , Juan Ding , Xurui Zeng , Fei Liu
Published: May 2024

Aim

To understand the real experience of family members of patients in neurosurgical intensive care unit (NICU) during intra‐hospital transport (IHT), explore their inner needs and provide effective intervention measures for the construction of standardized IHT plan.

Design

A descriptive qualitative study.

Methods

For the purposes of this study, 10 family members of IHT patients were included using a purposive sampling method. Semi‐structured in‐depth interviews were used to collect the data, Nvivo 11 software was used to organize the data, and Colaizzi's 7‐step descriptive phenomenology method was used to analyse the data.

Results

A total of three themes and nine subthemes were extracted, namely: Experience of emotional changes at different stages (uncertainty before transfer, complex internal activity during transit, ambivalence after transfer); Perception of problems in IHT (poor doctor–patient communication, weak awareness of risk assessment, deficiencies in the transfer procedure); Consciousness of the real needs (emotional respect and closeness, stay informed of the progression of the disease, greater social support).

Conclusion

Family members of patients in the NICU have complex internal experiences and multiple support needs during IHT, reflecting the need for further standardization of the transport process. In the future, we should improve the mode of safe IHT involving doctors, nurses and family members of patients, ensure the safety of patient transport, meet the social support needs of family members and improve the experience of IHT and the medical satisfaction of family members.
Adaptive event‐triggered control and observer design for discrete‐time nonlinear Markov jump systems with DoS attacks using policy iteration‐based adaptive dynamic programming
Authors: Lu Hongqian , Xing Haobo , Zhou Wuneng
Published: May 2024

This article addresses adaptive event‐triggered discrete‐time nonlinear Markov jump systems (MJs) with DoS attacks, where the introduced DoS attacks are considered as more general stochastic models with fixed trigger frequency and duration. To solve the optimal control problem, we use an adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) algorithm based on policy iteration (PI). The approximate process is as follows: the performance index function (PIF) is first updated by the iteration policy in advance, and the control policy is obtained from the PIF. Subsequently, an approximate estimation of the optimal PIF and the optimal control policy is made using the actor‐critic structure obtained through neural network techniques. In order to reduce the occupied communication resources required for control policy iteration, we introduce an adaptive event triggering mechanism with an adaptive triggering threshold, which reduces the conservatism of resource occupation by the PIF compared to the fixed‐threshold ETM. In addition, an observer identifying the unknown dynamics part of the system is designed. Finally, using the Lyapunov function, it is shown that the designed control policy ensures the stability and convergence of the MJS, and the designed observer is effective. Simulation examples are given to verify the feasibility of the controller and the observer.
Tracheostomy stomal seeding following tongue cancer resection: A case report
Authors: Sawadaishi Rei , Yamagata Kenji , Fukuzawa Satoshi , Takaoka Shohei , Uchida Fumihiko , Ishibashi‐Kanno Naomi , Bukawa Hiroki
Published: May 2024

Background

The tracheostomy site seeding following oral cancer surgery is extremely rare and carries poor prognosis.

Case Presentation

We present the case of the 62‐year‐old man with clinical T4bN2bM0 tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The tracheostomy was planned before cancer resection under general anesthesia, but oral intubation was not possible because of bleeding from tongue cancer. Thus, tracheostomy was performed under local anesthesia. He underwent a total glossectomy with segmental mandibulotomy, bilateral neck dissection with rectus abdominis muscle free flap reconstruction and postoperative radiotherapy. The pathological diagnosis was SCC (pT4bN0M0) with close margin. He underwent adjuvant radiotherapy of 66 Gy that targeted the primary tumor site and upper neck. The mass at the tracheostomy site from seeding was detected 4 months after surgery and treated with 60 Gy of radiotherapy. The patient was died from bleeding and airway obstruction about 7 months from detection of the seeding of tracheostomy site.

Conclusion

Tracheostomy site seeding after temporally tracheostomy for oral cancer is very rare. The pathological mechanisms suspected the tumor seeding. The prognosis of the seeding of tracheostomy site was extremely poor. Possible method to prevent these includes awake tracheostomy without oral intubation for predicting bleeding from bulky tumor with trismus.
The impact of boron carbide in soft and hard body armor: A comprehensive evaluation on Kevlar and UHMWPE fabrics
Authors: Makaoui Ramzi , Mehelli Oussama , Tria Djelel Eddine , Hemmouche Larbi , Habes Abdelmalek , Derradji Mehdi
Published: May 2024

In this research, an investigation was conducted to ascertain the impact of boron carbide (B4C) microparticles on soft and hard armor configurations, utilizing two distinct high‐performance fabrics namely, Kevlar and Ultra‐high Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE), also this work discerned the optimal fabric for protection against dagger attacks and 9 mm full metal jacket (FMJ) projectiles. Initially, rheological tests on four shear thickening fluid (STF) samples revealed that 70% of nano‐silicate (SiO2) content was the optimal ratio. Besides, scanning electronic microscope (SEM) tests showed that B4C affected the nano‐silicate dispersion. Hence, the use of STF as a matrix, led to complete protection in low‐velocity stab test and behavior improvement when subjected to NIJ ballistic test for both fabric types. On the other hand, the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) of the thermosetting epoxy resin‐based composites reinforced by B4C indicated that the 10% ratio offered maximum rigidity, resulting in improved ballistic performance. This study revealed that Kevlar fabrics exhibit superior behavior in soft protection, while UHMWPE hard composite display further rigidity against high‐velocity impacts. Overall, this work contributes novel insights into the efficiency of B4C integration within soft and hard armor configurations using two ballistic fabrics, highlighting their performance characteristics in ballistic shielding.

Highlights

Investigation of B4C microparticles: The research examines the impact of B4C microparticles on soft and hard armor configurations.

High‐performance fabrics: Kevlar and UHMWPE uses.

The use of STF as a matrix for soft and thermosetting epoxy resin for hard armor: enhanced composite performance.

Low‐velocity and high‐velocity impact tests investigations; microparticles B4C incorporation: superior mechanical characteristics.

Remarkable energy absorption: promising shielding uses.
The (complex) effect of internet voting on turnout: Theoretical and methodological considerations
Authors: Stockemer Daniel , Wigginton Michael
Published: May 2024

The adoption of remote internet voting can be a rather complex reform. In theory and praxis, geographical units can either decide to adopt or not to adopt i‐voting. Those that adopt it can differ in the mode of i‐voting adoption (i.e., internet‐only voting, or also in‐person voting), and the timing of adoption (i.e., some geographical units might adopt it earlier than others). How does the decision to adopt internet voting, the mode of adoption and the timing of adoption influence turnout? Using data spanning the municipal elections in Ontario, Canada from 2000 to 2018, we try to answer these research questions. Generally, we find that allowing internet voting, regardless of the availability of in‐person voting, does not influence turnout over the long term. However, we do find a temporal pattern, in that some of the most participatory municipalities adopted internet voting the earliest. We also detect a novelty effect; a sizable increase in turnout during the first ever election in which internet voting was introduced, which vanished in following elections.
Multi‐stimuli‐responsive hypercrosslinked microporous polymeric adsorbent
Authors: Huang Wen , Cai Lifeng , Zheng Xiaoli , Zeng Junkui , Quan Luna , Wu Dingcai , Cai Zhaopeng , Zheng Bingna
Published: May 2024

It is challenging but of practical meaning to provide adsorbents with multiple responsive properties. Here, we report an intelligent microporous polymeric adsorbent constructed by block copolymer‐grafted microporous polymer nanospheres. With its multi‐stimuli‐responsive functions, the adsorbent shows rapid fluorescent response to temperature, pH, and organic reagents. Moreover, it also demonstrates super‐fast adsorption of pollutants in water, enabling efficient treatment of wastewater.
Rheology of polyborazanes with various molecular structures and dynamic transformation process
Authors: Du Yiang , Wang Bing , Wang Fuwen , Li Wei , Liu Tao , Zhang Songhe , Zhang Yunbo , Tan Shixiang , Wang Yingde
Published: May 2024

The molecular structure of polymer precursors significantly affects their rheological properties, thermal stability, and ceramic conversion rates. For the first time, we revealed the effects of polyborazane molecular structure on rheology and molecular configuration dynamic transformation process. The systems studied are polyborazane precursors with rigid six‐membered ring structures. We synthesized precursors with different molecular structures, including polyborazanes with varying degrees of branching and molecular chain flexibility, and investigated how molecular structure affects viscosity under different conditions of temperature, time, and shear rates. The results indicate that decreasing the branching degree enhances thermal stability and reduces both zero‐shear viscosity and infinite‐shear viscosity. Increasing the flexibility of molecular chains notably reduces infinite‐shear viscosity, while having minimal impact on zero‐shear viscosity and thermal stability. In conclusion, the ideal molecular structure should aim to increase the flexibility of the molecular chains while maintaining a certain degree of branching, such as a dendritic molecular configuration. By correlating viscosity data with molecular structure, we constructed a dynamic transition process of molecular chain entanglement, disentanglement, and crosslinking. This research is essential for understanding polymer rheology and its applications in industry, particularly in designing and synthesizing precursor structures for producing various ceramic fibers through Polymer‐Derived Ceramics.
Innovation in plant and soil sciences to tackle critical global challenges
Authors: Field Katie J. , Carrillo Yolima , Campbell Stuart A. , Ton Jurriaan , Frew Adam
Published: May 2024

Innovations in plant and soil sciences are revolutionising our approach to sustainability, offering solutions with broad societal impacts. Discoveries in these fields hold great potential for combatting, mitigating and adapting to climate change; enhancing food security; and revitalising urban environments. By harnessing the power of plants and the soils they grow in, it is possible to cultivate resilience in the face of environmental challenges, informing policy and practice, and thereby guiding us towards a more sustainable future.
Quadricuspid pulmonary valve: A rare cause of pulmonary artery aneurysm
Authors: Tekinhatun Muhammed
Published: May 2024

A 17‐year‐old male presented to our hospital from an external center with complaints of chest pain and shortness of breath, referred with preliminary diagnoses of pulmonary stenosis and pulmonary artery dilation. Echocardiography revealed moderate pulmonary regurgitation and mild pulmonary stenosis. Coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography showed normal coronary arteries and no presence of a patent ductus arteriosus, but an aneurysmal dilation of up to 4 cm was observed in the pulmonary artery. The patient was found to have a quadricuspid (QPV) pulmonary valve, while the aortic valve appeared normal. No phenotypic anomalies or accompanying aortic or lung abnormalities were detected in this case. Our case represents the first in the pediatric age group diagnosed via CT scan. Our study contributes insights into the relationship between QPV anomaly and pulmonary artery aneurysm, aiding in the diagnosis and management of these rare conditions. Furthermore, our findings highlight the importance of evaluating the possibility of QPV in patients with pulmonary valve stenosis, regurgitation, or artery aneurysm, emphasizing the significance of coronary CT angiography in the diagnostic process.
A model‐assisted design for partially or completely ordered groups
Authors: Celum Connor , Conaway Mark
Published: May 2024

This paper proposes a trial design for locating group‐specific doses when groups are partially or completely ordered by dose sensitivity. Previous trial designs for partially ordered groups are model‐based, whereas the proposed method is model‐assisted, providing clinicians with a design that is simpler. The proposed method performs similarly to model‐based methods, providing simplicity without losing accuracy. Additionally, to the best of our knowledge, the proposed method is the first paper on dose‐finding for partially ordered groups with convergence results. To generalize the proposed method, a framework is introduced that allows partial orders to be transferred to a grid format with a known ordering across rows but an unknown ordering within rows.
Extending a dry‐environment convection parameterization to couple with moist turbulence and a baseline evaluation in the GRIST model
Authors: Li Xiaohan , Chu Wenchao , Zhang Yi , Wang Yiming
Published: May 2024

This study presents an extension of a dry‐environment convection scheme (Tiedtke–Bechtold) to couple with a boundary‐layer moist turbulence scheme. The deep and shallow convective updraught is modified to develop in a moist environment and the large‐scale budget of cloud condensate takes account of the influence of compensation subsidence. An ambiguous layer is introduced in the sub‐cloud layer transport of shallow convection to mimic the non‐local transport that is ignored in the moist local turbulence scheme. Long‐term global simulation suggests that the modified convection and moist turbulence improve low cloud and short‐wave cloud radiative forcing. This includes a more realistic climatological structure of stratocumulus‐to‐cumulus transition and ameliorated biases in liquid water path. For short to mid‐term hindcasts in June 2021, the modified convection coupled with moist turbulence mitigates some regional over‐forecasts of precipitation. They improve the forecast ability for light and moderate precipitation. The modified model still retains the capability to capture the diurnal features of continental rainfall.
Stability analysis of switched stochastic time‐varying delay neural networks with asynchronous switching aperiodic intermittent control
Authors: Fan Lina , Zhu Quanxin , Karimi Hamid Reza
Published: May 2024

This paper is dedicated to studying the mean square exponential stability of switched stochastic time‐varying delay neural networks with asynchronous switching aperiodic intermittent control. By utilizing the Halanay‐type inequality and designing appropriate asynchronous switching aperiodic intermittent control, several novel stability criteria of switched stochastic delay neural networks with asynchronous aperiodic intermittent control are presented under the Lyapunov function method and Lyapunov functional method. Among them, asynchronous switching aperiodic intermittent controllers are more practical and flexible compared to state feedback controllers. Finally, we provide two examples to verify the effectiveness of the theoretical results.
Does dam construction increase the biotic homogenization of riparian vegetation along a regulated river?
Authors: Li Jiayu , Cao Yu , Pattison Zarah , Fu Wenlong , Sun Junyao
Published: May 2024

Dam construction in natural rivers alters the intensity and frequency of water level fluctuations in reservoirs and their downstream river reaches, leading to the biotic homogenization of riparian communities. Although the intensity of dam‐induced water level fluctuations is often described qualitatively, quantitative analysis of its effects on riparian vegetation remains inadequate. This study compared riparian species dissimilarity between the natural Chishui River (as a control) and the regulated Wujiang River (with cascade reservoirs) to assess the level of biotic homogenization under different regulation types and in zones with different riverbank characteristics using the Bray–Curtis dissimilarity index. The reservoirs along the Wujiang River were classified into four different regulation types according to the water retention time, which were daily (0–7 days), weekly (7–30 days), seasonally (30–90 days), and yearly (>365 days). Results showed significant species dissimilarity in riparian vegetation along the Wujiang River compared to that along the Chishui River in the inundation, transitional, and unflooded zones. Furthermore, the species composition and dissimilarity patterns differed in the reservoirs and downstream rivers of the cascade dams in terms of regulation type and zone. For different regulation types, there was high species dissimilarity in both the upstream and downstream inundation zone of the daily reservoirs, while species dissimilarity was lower in both upstream and downstream of the yearly reservoir (Bray–Curtis index <0.5). This study provides a quantitative measure of how dam construction perturbs riparian vegetation communities, emphasizing the importance of the balance between the riparian ecosystem conservation and the economic demands of dam construction.
Inequity in unmet health care needs of women and children in India: A barrier to sustainable development goals in health
Authors: Kumar Raj , Chowdhury Indrani Roy
Published: May 2024

Despite progress in maternal and child health, significant gap and high inequity persist in unmet health needs, creating a barrier to universal health coverage. Previous studies have analysed inequity of health outcomes and healthcare availability, but limited research is available on delayed or not‐seeking treatment. Research conducted on unmet treatment lacks emphasis on vulnerable groups; women and children. The objective is to fill this research gap by estimating the contribution of socio‐economic factors to inequality in the unmet health needs of women and children. This study uses the concentration index, concentration curve and horizontal inequity index to estimate inequality. A decomposition analysis is conducted to estimate the contribution of each socio‐economic factor to inequality. The need‐adjusted index shows the inequity due to non‐need factors. The unmet health needs are significantly higher among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. In addition to wealth, factors such as caste (4.43% and 7.23%), education (7.27% and 13.05%), media exposure (3.88% and 6.39%) and distance problem (5.35% and 14.61%) contribute to the inequity for both women and children. A negative horizontal inequity index confirms that non‐need factors are major contributors to inequity. Findings add new theoretical insights on healthcare accessibility and inform policymakers on factors creating disadvantages in treatment‐seeking. Action plans for universal health coverage need to incorporate social and institutional factors in policy and budgetary allocations. Further, health‐card system, health‐record‐keeping practices and community‐health officer/clinic can improve treatment seeking.
External representations in strategic decision‐making: Understanding strategy's reliance on visuals
Authors: Csaszar Felipe A. , Hinrichs Nicole , Heshmati Mana
Published: May 2024

Research Summary

External representations, particularly visuals, are important in strategic decision‐making. However, their pervasiveness and impact are not well understood in the strategy literature. Based on cognitive science research, we identify four cognitive functions crucial to strategic decision‐making that benefit from using external representations. We also propose a conceptual model and propositions that explain how the quality of strategic decision‐making depends on the interactions among task environment, external representations, and managers. We show that external representations influence in predictable ways the boundedly rational process of searching for new strategies. Key determinants include the manager's representational capability and the usability and malleability of the external representation. We discuss implications for users, designers, and teachers of external representations in strategy, as well as suggest avenues for future research.

Managerial Summary

This research points to the pivotal role of external representations, especially visuals, in strategic decision‐making. Drawing from cognitive science, this study identifies four critical cognitive functions that benefit from these external representations—working memory, long‐term memory, pattern recognition, and knowledge transfer. Further, the study highlights that external representations significantly influence the process of strategic decision‐making in predictable ways. Finally, we show that not all external representations are alike in their ease of use and a managers' ability to operate on an external representation, referred to as representational capability, greatly affects the decision‐making quality. The implications extend to users, designers, and educators of external representations, urging attention to the design and use of external representations for improved decision outcomes.
High‐efficiency Lithium Metal Stabilization and Polysulfide Suppression in Li‐S Battery Enabled by Weakly Solvating Solvent
Authors: Pham Thuy Duong , Bin Faheem Abdullah , Kim Junam , Ma Seung‐Hyeok , Kwak Kyungwon , Lee Kyung‐Koo
Published: May 2024

Lithium‐sulfur batteries (LSBs) are considered a highly promising next‐generation energy storage technology due to their exceptional energy density and cost‐effectiveness. However, the practical use of current LSBs is hindered primarily by issues related to the “shuttle effect” of lithium polysulfide (LiPS) intermediates and the growth of lithium dendrites. In strongly solvating electrolytes, the solvent‐derived solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) lacks mechanical strength due to organic components, leading to ineffective lithium dendrite suppression and severe LiPS dissolution and shuttling. In contrast, the weakly solvating electrolyte (WSE) can create an anion‐derived SEI layer which can enhance compatibility with lithium metal anode, and restricting LiPS solubility. Herein, a WSE consisting of 0.4 м LiTFSI in the mixture of 1,4‐dioxane (DX):dimethoxymethane (DMM) is designed to overcome the issues associated with LSB. Surface analyses confirmed the formation of a beneficial SEI layer rich in LiF, enabling homogeneous lithium deposition with an average Coulombic efficiency CE exceeding 99% over 100 cycles. Implementing the low‐concentration WSE in Li||SPAN cells yielded an impressive initial specific capacity of 671 mAh g−1. This research highlights the advantages of WSE and offers the pathway for cost‐effective electrolyte development, enabling the realization of high‐performance LSBs.
Multifunctional Applications Enabled by Fluorination of Hexagonal Boron Nitride
Authors: Salpekar Devashish , Serles Peter , Colas Guillaume , Ma Li , Yadav Shwetank , Hamidinejad Mahdi , Khabashesku Valery N , Gao Guanhui , Swaminathan Venkataraman , Vajtai Robert , Singh Chandra Veer , Park Chul , Filleter Tobin , Meiyazhagan AshokKumar , Ajayan Pulickel M.
Published: May 2024

2D materials exhibit exceptional properties as compared to their macroscopic counterparts, with promising applications in nearly every area of science and technology. To unlock further functionality, the chemical functionalization of 2D structures is a powerful technique that enables tunability and new properties within these materials. Here, the successful effort to chemically functionalize hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), a chemically inert 2D ceramic with weak interlayer forces, using a gas‐phase fluorination process is exploited. The fluorine functionalization guides interlayer expansion and increased polar surface charges on the hBN sheets resulting in a number of vastly improved applications. Specifically, the F‐hBN exhibits enhanced dispersibility and thermal conductivity at higher temperatures by more than 75% offering exceptional performance as a thermofluid additive. Dispersion of low volumes of F‐hBN in lubricating oils also offers marked improvements in lubrication and wear resistance for steel tribological contacts decreasing friction by 31% and wear by 71%. Additionally, incorporating numerous negatively charged fluorine atoms on hBN induces a permanent dipole moment, demonstrating its applicability in microelectronic device applications. The findings suggest that anchoring chemical functionalities to hBN moieties improves a variety of properties for h‐BN, making it suitable for numerous other applications such as fillers or reinforcement agents and developing high‐performance composite structures.
Developing organs‐on‐chips for biomedical applications
Authors: Sun Lingyu , Chen Hanxu , Xu Dongyu , Liu Rui , Zhao Yuanjin
Published: May 2024

In recent years, organs‐on‐chips have been arousing great interest for their bionic and stable construction of crucial human organs in vitro. Compared with traditional animal models and two‐dimensional cell models, organs‐on‐chips could not only overcome the limitations of species difference and poor predict ability but also be capable of reappearing the complex cell‐cell interaction, tissue interface, biofluid and other physiological conditions of humans. Therefore, organs‐on‐chips have been regarded as promising and powerful tools in diverse fields such as biology, chemistry, medicine and so on. In this perspective, we present a review of organs‐on‐chips for biomedical applications. After introducing the key elements and manufacturing craft of organs‐on‐chips, we intend to review their cut‐edging applications in biomedical fields, incorporating biological analysis, drug development, robotics and so on. Finally, the emphasis is focused on the perspectives of organs‐on‐chips.
Ultrathin Flexible Indium Tin Oxide‐Free Organic Solar Cells with Gradient Bilayer Electron Transport Materials
Authors: Xia Zezhou , Lei Xinyu , Hu Yuwei , Liu Xiujun , Ji Yitong , Zhang Dongyang , Cheng Yingying , Liu Xiangda , Xu Zhuozheng , Yang Xueyuan , Zhong Jie , Huang Wenchao
Published: May 2024

Ultrathin flexible organic solar cells (OSCs) have garnered widespread attention in wearable electronic devices for their lightweight and excellent conformability. Silver nanowires (AgNWs) are one of the most widely used bottom electrodes because of their high conductivity and transmittance. However, the high roughness of AgNWs on the flexible substrate exerts adverse effects on device performance. To address this critical issue, a bilayer electron‐transport‐materials (ETMs) strategy consisting of an indium‐doped zinc oxide (IZO) and a pristine ZnO is developed. The IZO is utilized as the first layer of ETM, which can effectively fill voids in AgNWs to form a high‐conductive composite electrode. The ZnO is used as the second layer of ETM, facilitating charge extraction. The ultrathin flexible OSCs prepared based on the gradient bilayer ETMs can achieve a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.1%, associated with improved mechanical stability, showing a PCE retention of 93% after 10 000 bending cycles (R = 1 mm) and 82% under 1000 compression (30%)‐release cycling test. To the best of knowledge, it's one of the highest efficiency for ultrathin (less than 10 μm) flexible OSCs based on the solution‐processed electrodes. This work will provide a new avenue for fabricating high‐performance and mechanically robust ultraflexible ITO‐free OSCs.
Kafka‐Shield: Kafka Streams‐based distributed detection scheme for IoT traffic‐based DDoS attacks
Authors: Shukla Praveen , Krishna C. Rama , Patil Nilesh Vishwasrao
Published: May 2024

With the rapid proliferation of insecure Internet of Things (IoT) devices, the security of Internet‐based applications and networks has become a prominent concern. One of the most significant security threats encountered in IoT environments is a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. This attack can severely disrupt critical services and prevent smart devices from functioning normally, leading to severe consequences for businesses and individuals. It aims to overwhelm victims' resources, websites, and other services by flooding them with massive attack packets, making them inaccessible to legitimate users. Researchers have developed multiple detection schemes to detect DDoS attacks. As technology advances and other facilitating factors have increased, it is a challenge to identify such powerful attacks in real‐time. In this paper, we propose a novel distributed detection scheme for IoT network traffic‐based DDoS attacks by deploying it in a Kafka Streams processing framework named Kafka‐Shield. The Kafka‐Shield comprises two stages: design and deployment. Firstly, the detection scheme is designed on the Hadoop cluster employing a highly scalable H2O.ai machine learning platform. Secondly, a portable, scalable, and distributed detection scheme is deployed on the Kafka Streams processing framework. To analyze the incoming traffic data and categorize it into nine target classes in real time. Additionally, Kafka‐Shield stores each network flow with significant input features and the predicted outcome in the Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS). It enables the development of new models or updating current ones. To validate the effectiveness of the Kafka‐Shield, we performed critical analysis using various configured attack scenarios. The experimental results affirm Kafka‐Shield's remarkable efficiency in detecting DDoS attacks. It has a detection rate of over 99% and can process 0.928 million traces in nearly 3.027 s.
Hierarchical modeling of irregularly spaced financial returns
Authors: Anantharaman Sreeram , Ravishanker Nalini , Basu Sumanta
Published: May 2024

Volatility modeling is crucial in finance, especially when dealing with intraday transaction‐level asset returns. The irregular and high‐frequency nature of the data presents unique challenges. While stochastic volatility (SV) models are widely used for understanding patterns in volatility of daily stock returns which constitute regularly spaced time series, new classes of models must be introduced for analyzing volatility in irregularly spaced intraday data. Specifically these models must accommodate the random gaps between successive transactional events. By modeling the gaps using autoregressive conditional duration (ACD) models, we describe a hierarchical irregular SV autoregressive conditional duration (IR‐SV‐ACD) model for estimating and forecasting intertransaction gaps and the volatility of log‐returns. We carry out the analysis in the Bayesian framework via the Hamiltonian Monte Carlo (HMC) algorithm with No‐U‐turn sampler (NUTS) in R using the cmdstanr package. The fits and forecasts are obtained using Monte Carlo averages based on the posterior samples. We illustrate this approach using simulation studies and real data analysis for intraday prices available at microseconds level of health stocks traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The log‐returns and gaps are calculated for the stocks and are used for modeling.
Clinical simulation: An evolving teaching pedagogy for the education of entry‐level health care students
Authors: Brown Melissa , Carp Stephen , Ehrhardt Kathleen , Gilroy Melissa , Konzelmann Jason
Published: May 2024

The aim of this chapter is to provide the reader with a broad overview of clinical simulation using case examples to highlight the evolving multidomain teaching pedagogy in healthcare professional programs.
The application of UDL and SoTL to health care education
Authors: Ciolfi Michael , Howard Loretta
Published: May 2024

In this chapter, we use the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) to explore the application of universal design for learning (UDL) (CAST 2018) to health care education. We begin by setting a historical context of health care education. Next, we provide an overview of UDL, a review of the literature of UDL in health care education, and then discuss one institution's exploration of applying UDL in health science and other program teaching practices, arguing that UDL's main concepts can be effectively applied to health care education to create inclusive and effective learning experiences.
Building on the critical skills framework of top crime scene examiners to recruit high‐caliber crime scene investigation candidates
Authors: Kelty Sally F. , Joshua Phoebe R. , Robertson James
Published: May 2024

Crime scene investigation is challenging and demands highly skilled crime scene examiners. Mistakes occurring during the processing of a crime scene have been associated with higher risk of ineffective investigations where poor quality, missed, or contaminated forensic samples are relied on by police to inform which suspects to charge and can lead to miscarriages of justice and wrongful imprisonments. Hiring new crime scene examiners with the potential to develop into top performers can result in enhanced crime scene investigation and reduce the risk of errors at crime scenes. A series of papers between 2012 and 2023 identified a cluster of seven critical skills and attributes that set top crime scene examiners apart from their lesser performing peers. These seven skills and attributes clusters are as follows: approach to work, life, and stress management; cognitive abilities; communication and interpersonal skills; holistic knowledge base; life and work experience; and professional demeanor. In this perspective paper, we present strategies for developing a recruitment program to target these skill sets which involve the use of appropriate psychometric testing, collaborative team‐based recruitment, team hiring panels, and crime scene observational assessment tasks at interview stage. We also discuss the costs and logistics associated with psychological testing (in Australian dollars). We finish by exploring the potential challenges of attracting younger people (generation Z and Y) to forensic science roles, including crime scene investigation.

This article is categorized under:

Crime Scene Investigation > Crime Scene Examination

Crime Scene Investigation > Crime Scene Reconstruction

Crime Scene Investigation > Education and Formation