bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrating intellectual capital disclosure in an integrated thinking perspective
Authors: Tonelli Alberto , Rizzato Fabio , Busso Donatella , Devalle Alain
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to verify whether the disclosure of intellectual capital (IC) positively affects the level of integration of financial and sustainability information.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample of the analysis relies on European public companies. The data were gathered from Refinitiv, focussing on a multi-year observation from 2013 to 2021 and performing a fixed-effect regression. According to the extant literature, the authors developed the Intellectual Capital Score and the Integrated Thinking and Reporting Score.

Findings

The more disclosure of IC, the more financial and sustainability information is integrated. Indeed, the results confirm that the disclosure of IC enhances the level of integration of financial and sustainability information.

Research limitations/implications

The study enriches academic knowledge about IC in conjunction with integrated reporting (IR) and integrated thinking by highlighting its relevance in the value-creation process and acting as a trait d’union of the disciplines.

Practical implications

For standard setters, the research may be framed to redefine the guidelines explaining the information on IC to be disclosed. Moreover, it could be helpful for practitioners when identifying the IC information that deserves to be disclosed, other than being exploitable to conduct enterprises geared towards adopting integrated reports.

Originality/value

This study answers the call for further research on the relationship between financial information and sustainability information to highlight their joint perspectives quantitatively.
Social media and professional growth: the rhetoric of educator professional development
Authors: Wilson Beth
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The professional development (PD) of teachers is vital to student learning, yet PD continues to be plagued by positivist assumptions and low teacher buy-in. Because PD is based on persuasion, and because the roles of PD providers and receivers are not as discrete as they appear, rhetorical theory offers a valuable framework for understanding teacher PD. This study applied rhetorical theory to educator PD to elucidate the complex roles that educators take on as the event unfolds, whether in person or on social media.

Design/methodology/approach

This collective instrumental case study used a holistic design structure to examine how educators embrace, resist or otherwise respond to the roles they are given in PD in person and using social media; and how educators use the affordances of X (formerly Twitter) to shift rhetorical roles in X-based PD activities. A taxonomy was developed to apply the theory accurately and consistently. Data collection included semi-structured interviews and participants’ PD-related X use. Interviews were analyzed using descriptive coding by theme. X data was analyzed in three dimensions by use type, topic and rhetorical move.

Findings

The participants exhibited enthusiasm about both receiving and providing PD. Analysis of the participants’ perceptions of their PD and of their PD-related X use revealed shifting and layered ways they embrace, resist and otherwise engage with the roles they are given in PD, as well as the complex ways they used the affordances of X to engage with all of the available roles online.

Originality/value

In examining teacher PD using an ecological model of the rhetorical situation, this case study demonstrated the usefulness of rhetoric as a framework for PD that recognizes the nuanced and powerful roles teachers fulfill in their own PD activities in person and on social media.
Adopting AI teammates in knowledge-intensive crowdsourcing contests: the roles of transparency and explainability
Authors: Wang Ziheng , Wang Jiachen , Tian Chengyu , Ali Ahsan , Yin Xicheng
Published: May 2024

Purpose

As the role of AI on human teams shifts from a tool to a teammate, the implementation of AI teammates into knowledge-intensive crowdsourcing (KI-C) contest teams represents a forward-thinking and feasible solution to improve team performance. Since contest teams are characterized by virtuality, temporality, competitiveness, and skill diversity, the human-AI interaction mechanism underlying conventional teams is no longer applicable. This study empirically analyzes the effects of AI teammate attributes on human team members’ willingness to adopt AI in crowdsourcing contests.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire-based online experiment was designed to perform behavioral data collection. We obtained 206 valid anonymized samples from 28 provinces in China. The Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) model was used to test the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

We find that the transparency and explainability of AI teammates have mediating effects on human team members’ willingness to adopt AI through trust. Due to the different tendencies exhibited by members with regard to three types of cognitive load, nonlinear U-shaped relationships are observed among explainability, cognitive load, and willingness to adopt AI.

Originality/value

We provide design ideas for human-AI team mechanisms in KI-C scenarios, and rationally explain how the U-shaped relationship between AI explainability and cognitive load emerges.
Treatment patterns and clinical outcomes of resectable clinical stage III non‐small cell lung cancer in a Japanese real‐world setting: Surgery cohort analysis of the SOLUTION study
Authors: Tsuboi Masahiro , Murakami Haruyasu , Harada Hideyuki , Sobue Tomotaka , Kato Tomohiro , Atagi Shinji , Tokito Takaaki , Mio Tadashi , Adachi Hirofumi , Kozuki Toshiyuki , Sone Takashi , Seike Masahiro , Toyooka Shinichi , Kitagawa Hiroshi , Koto Ryo , Yamazaki Satoshi , Horinouchi Hidehito
Published: May 2024

Background

To elucidate the treatment and surgery outcomes with or without perioperative therapies in Japanese patients with clinical stage III non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in real‐world settings.

Methods

We performed subset analyses of the SOLUTION study, a multicenter, noninterventional, observational study of Japanese patients diagnosed with clinical stage III NSCLC, for those who started first‐line treatment (surgery±perioperative therapy) between January 2013 and December 2014 (study registration: UMIN000031385). Follow‐up data were obtained using medical records from diagnosis to March 1, 2018.

Results

Of 149 eligible patients, 67 underwent surgery alone (median age 71 years) and 82 underwent surgery+perioperative therapy (median age 63 years). Lung resection was performed in 137 patients and the others underwent exploratory thoracotomy or other procedures. Perioperative therapies included adjuvant therapy only (n = 41), neoadjuvant therapy only (n = 24), and neoadjuvant+adjuvant therapy (n = 17). The median overall survival (OS) and 3‐year OS rate were 29.3 months and 44.0%, respectively, in patients who underwent surgery alone, and not reached and 61.1%, respectively, in patients who underwent surgery+perioperative therapy. The 3‐year progression‐free survival (PFS) and disease‐free survival (DFS) rates were 42.4% and 47.1%, respectively, in patients who underwent surgery+perioperative therapy and 28.5% and 28.9%, respectively, in patients who underwent surgery alone. In multivariable Cox regression, perioperative therapy was associated with improved OS (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] 0.49 [0.29–0.81]), PFS (0.62 [0.39–0.96]), and DFS (0.62 [0.39–0.97]) versus surgery alone.

Conclusions

Our study suggested that perioperative therapy may be associated with better survival among patients undergoing surgical treatment of clinical stage III NSCLC.
Is wedge resection equivalent to segmentectomy in pathological stage IA (≤2 cm) non‐small cell lung cancers?
Authors: Zhang Zhirong , Li Feng , Chen Shuo , Hu Bin
Published: May 2024

Background

Sublobar resection (wedge resection and segmentectomy) has been established as an oncologically equivalent option to lobectomy for early‐stage patients with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) ≤ 2 cm. However, the optimal approach of sublobar resection remains subject to debate. In the present study we aimed to compare the oncological outcomes of wedge resection and segmentectomy in these patients.

Methods

We identified patients with pT1a‐bN0M0 NSCLC who underwent wedge resection and segmentectomy from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database between 2010 and 2020. A Cox regression model and propensity‐score matching (PSM) analysis were used. Overall survival (OS) and lung cancer‐specific survival (LCSS) were compared using the Kaplan–Meier method.

Results

A total of 4190 patients met our selection criteria, including wedge resection in 3137 and segmentectomy in 1053. Patients undergoing wedge resection were less likely to have total lymph nodes resected (4 vs. 7, p < 0.001). Before PSM, patients undergoing segmentectomy had a higher 5‐year OS rate (87.75% vs. 82.72%; p = 0.0023), while exhibiting a similar LCSS rate (93.45% vs. 92.73%; p = 0.32). After PSM, segmentectomy consistently demonstrated significantly better OS and there was no statistically significant difference in LCSS. Analysis of causes of death revealed that a higher incidence of deaths related to other causes among patients undergoing wedge resection compared to those undergoing segmentectomy.

Conclusions

Both wedge resection and segmentectomy yield comparable oncological outcomes for patients with NSCLC ≤ 2 cm, although segmentectomy exhibits superior OS due to less death related to other causes.
Are we just talking in circles? Impact of psychoeducation on disease knowledge and relapse in severe alcohol use disorder
Authors: Maurage Pierre , Boudehent Céline , Ferrié Louise , Cabé Nicolas , Pitel Anne‐Lise
Published: May 2024

Background

Psychoeducation constitutes a routine therapeutic practice in most treatment settings for severe alcohol use disorder (sAUD). This technique is considered an efficient way to help patients to learn more about their disease and achieve therapeutic objectives. However, this approach capitalizes on three untested assumptions: namely, that (1) patients with sAUD possess insufficient knowledge about sAUD at treatment entry; (2) patients with sAUD have the cognitive resources to learn new information and benefit from psychoeducation; and (3) psychoeducation positively impacts clinical outcomes.

Methods

We tested these assumptions in two experimental studies. In the first experiment in 66 recently detoxified patients with sAUD and 102 matched healthy controls, we measured baseline knowledge on sAUD through self‐reported questionnaires, determined whether an up‐to‐date psychoeducation program can improve this knowledge, explored the role of cognitive abilities in such learning, and established the impact of psychoeducation on relapse rates. In a second experiment in 23 patients and 17 healthy controls, we examined whether the increased knowledge following psychoeducation is alcohol specific, and whether the motivation to change influences the relation between psychoeducation and clinical outcomes.

Results

At treatment entry, patients with sAUD presented with more sAUD‐related knowledge than healthy controls, and were able to increase this knowledge following psychoeducation, independently of their cognitive status. However, psychoeducation did not impact either the motivation to change or relapse rates.

Conclusions

Psychoeducation can increase patients' knowledge about sAUD, but it does not increase the likelihood of abstinence or controlled low consumption after discharge. Thus, clinicians should question whether psychoeducation should occupy a central position in the therapeutic programs and reconsider what can be expected from psychoeducation in terms of achieving therapeutic objectives.
Monitoring disease progression in metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease
Authors: Noureddin Nabil , Copur‐Dahi Nedret , Loomba Rohit
Published: May 2024

Background

Metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease. Its prevalence is increasing with the epidemic of obesity and metabolic syndrome. MASLD progression into metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and advanced fibrosis may lead to decompensated cirrhosis and development of liver‐related events, hepatocellular carcinoma and death. Monitoring disease progression is critical in decreasing morbidity, mortality, need for transplant and economic burden. Assessing for treatment response once FDA‐approved medications are available is still an unmet clinical need.

Aims

To explore the most up‐to‐date literature on testing used for monitoring disease progression and treatment response

Methods

We searched PubMed from inception to 15 August 2023, using the following MeSH terms: ‘MASLD’, ‘Metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease’, ‘MASH’, ‘metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatohepatitis’, ‘Non‐Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease’, ‘NAFLD’, ‘non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis’, ‘NASH’, ‘Biomarkers’, ‘clinical trial’. Articles were also identified through searches of the authors' files. The final reference list was generated based on originality and relevance to this review's broad scope, considering only papers published in English.

Results

We have cited 101 references in this review detailing methods to monitor MASLD disease progression and treatment response.

Conclusion

Various biomarkers can be used in different care settings to monitor disease progression. Further research is needed to validate noninvasive tests more effectively.
Relapse after glofitamab, a novel unmet medical need with high rates of CD20 loss
Authors: Carlo‐Stella Carmelo
Published: May 2024

The prognosis of r/r DLBCL has changed substantially over the past decade due to the introduction of T‐cell‐activating therapies. Besides generating a new curative perspective for a proportion of r/r DLBCL, chimeric antigen receptor T‐cell therapy and bispecific antibodies are generating new unmet needs. The report by Grigg and colleagues now shows that glofitamab‐refractory, CD20‐negative patients represent a new unmet medical need requiring therapeutic targets other than CD20 and novel therapies to reduce the risk of CD20 loss.

Commentary on: Grigg et al. Relapse after glofitamab has a poor prognosis, and rates of CD20 loss are high. Br J Haematol 2024;205:122–126.
CEO and CFO Stock Options and Trading Activity Around Bank Loans
Authors: Khayati Amine , Tompkins James , Bray David , Clampit Jack
Published: May 2024

Research Question/Issue

When firms make major bank loan agreements, stock prices, on average, react positively. This creates an incentive for executives to time both stock trading and the dating of option grants relative to the announcement of such agreements.

Research Findings/Insights

We find evidence that both CEOs and CFOs time bank loan agreement announcements after option grant dates, significantly increase the stock purchased prior to (and the stock sold after) the announcement. Our results support management strategically timing of the bank loan agreement announcement as opposed to influencing the compensation committee to time the option grant date for the benefit of management. While these findings complement prior research on the proven CEOs opportunistic behavior around corporate events, they offer a new conspicuous evidence of CFOs opportunistic behavior.

Theoretical/Academic Implications

This study contributes to the literature on opportunistic managerial behavior around corporate events by examining the stock option grants, exercises, and stock trades surrounding a major bank loan agreement and the relational interplay between the CEOs and CFOs. While concurrently testing and confirming the expected CEOs opportunistic behavior, the study augments the literature with strong evidence of CFOs opportunistic behavior coinciding with the announcement of bank loan agreements.

Practitioner/Policy Implications

Our results are of value to the board of directors when formulating executive pay and in support of the heightened regulatory requirements on the executive compensation disclosure. Overall, our evidence calls out the Security and Exchange Commission laxity in monitoring loan‐related disclosures and lends support to the SEC (2006) amended disclosure rules on CFO compensation. Complete and timely disclosures are useful to investors and analysts to assess managerial expectations and mitigate aggressive timing of corporate events.
Thinking Educationally about Psychology in Education:1 Gert Biesta's Critique Reconsidered
Authors: Sæther Jostein
Published: May 2024

Learning and development are well established as concepts in educational psychology. Gert Biesta has used terms such as “learnification” and “developmentalism” to describe a tendency that, in his view, removes existential qualities from teaching and education. Although important in the right contexts, the concepts do not represent the core of what education should be about, he claims. Jostein Sæther notes that in many ways he shares Biesta's view on the most fundamental quality of education, i.e., helping young people exist as independent subjects in confrontation with their own will, responsibility, and freedom. In this paper, he addresses the overarching question of whether it is possible and desirable to think educationally about psychology in educational theory, specifically through relating Biesta's critique to selected handbooks, reviews, and metaliterature. Sæther does not propose integrating educational psychology into Biesta's existential theory but rather hopes to open a dialogue on different points of view that challenge each other in fruitful ways. The process of discussing certain principles, problems, and examples should yield a certain kind of “unclean” educational psychology, one that is relevant to “subjectification.” There are problems related to eclecticism and the tension between essence and existence, yet, in this context, Sæther sees a dialogical project as the only way forward.
Temporal dynamics of Grime's CSR strategies in plant communities during 60 years of succession
Authors: Zhang Yan‐song , Meiners Scott J. , Meng Yani , Yao Qi , Guo Kun , Guo Wen‐Yong , Li Shao‐peng
Published: May 2024

Grime's competitive, stress‐tolerant, ruderal (CSR) theory predicts a shift in plant communities from ruderal to stress‐tolerant strategies during secondary succession. However, this fundamental tenet lacks empirical validation using long‐term continuous successional data. Utilizing a 60‐year longitudinal data of old‐field succession, we investigated the community‐level dynamics of plant strategies over time. Our findings reveal that while plant communities generally transitioned from ruderal to stress‐tolerant strategies during succession, initial abandonment conditions crucially shaped early successional strategies, leading to varied strategy trajectories across different fields. Furthermore, we found a notable divergence in the CSR strategies of alien and native species over succession. Initially, alien and native species exhibited similar ruderal strategies, but in later stages, alien species exhibited higher ruderal and lower stress tolerance compared to native species. Overall, our findings underscore the applicability of Grime's predictions regarding temporal shifts in CSR strategies depending on both initial community conditions and species origin.
Characterization of patients with atopic dermatitis based on flare patterns and severity of disease: A Danish population‐based study
Authors: Nielsen Mia‐Louise , Nymand Lea K. , Domenech Pena Arnau , Du Jardin Kristian G. , Kasujee Ismail , Thomsen Simon F. , Egeberg Alexander , Thein David
Published: May 2024

Background

Flare patterns are not routinely considered in the severity classification or in clinical decision‐making of atopic dermatitis (AD), but frequent or severe flares may contribute considerably to the disease burden.

Objectives

To characterize patients with AD in relation to their flare pattern and compare flare patterns to disease severity, life quality and treatment satisfaction.

Methods

Patients with AD from the Danish Skin Cohort were included if they had active AD with and available data on number of flare‐ups within the last 12 months. Categorical variables were presented as frequencies and percentages, whereas numerical variables were presented as median and interquartile ranges (IQR). Between‐group differences were tested with chi‐squared tests.

Results

A total of 1557 patients were included, with 57 reporting 0 flares, 698 (1–5 flares), 324 (6–10 flares) and 478 reporting >10 flares during the past 12 months. Both the severity measured by PO‐SCORAD and the impairment of life quality measured by DLQI were higher among patients with more flares (median [IQR] PO‐SCORAD: 13.0 [5.6–22.3], 29.7 [20.8–40.6], 36.3 [26.7–47.6]and 42.9 [30.7–55.6], respectively for the four flares strata, and median [IQR] DLQI: 1.0 [0.0–2.0], 3.0 [1.0–7.0], 4.0 [1.8–9.0] and 7.0 [3.0–11.0]). Satisfaction with the current treatment was generally higher among patients with no flares. However, 36.8%, 24.6% and 23.7% of patients with 1–5, 6–10 and >10 flares reported being extremely or very satisfied with their current treatment.

Conclusions

Patients with many flares often report a higher severity and impairment of life quality compared to patients with fewer flares. Information on flaring could benefit treatment decisions, thereby decreasing undertreatment of patients with mild AD but severe flaring.
Resolving fusilier puzzles: The identity of Squamosicaesio marri and Pterocaesio flavifasciata, and a new record of Flavicaesio suevica from the Western Indian Ocean
Authors: Kar Chinmay , Raghavan Rajeev , Ummath Ameen , Puthiyaalikom Naseeba , Idreesbabu Konham Kakkada , Sureshkumar Sivanpillai
Published: May 2024

A phylogenetic analysis incorporating mitochondrial cox1 gene sequences of members of the family Caesionidae revealed the conspecificity of Pterocaesio flavifasciata and Squamosicaesio marri, which was also supported by the absence of any clear morphological diagnostic characters and meristic counts to separate the two species. Additionally, we provide the first record of the Suez fusilier, Flavicaesio suevica, from outside the Red Sea, based on specimens collected from the Laccadive archipelago, Western Indian Ocean. Together, these results show that the taxonomy, diversity, and distribution of members of the family Caesionidae continue to be poorly known, necessitating a comprehensive range‐wide study.
Antibacterial and gut health effects of Amomum tsao‐ko in aquatic feed: A sustainable alternative to chemical antibiotics
Authors: Peng Weiyao , Liao Guohui , Wu Lianzhang , Zhang Jian , He Juncai , Gao Penghui , Cha Yunsheng , You Shengjun , Huang Mei , Zhou Jilan , He Yuqiu , Yang Yi , Li Ping , Yan Jian
Published: May 2024

Amomum tsao‐ko Crevost et Lemarie (Zingiberaceae), an aromatic plant, has been considered to have diverse medicinal values and economic significance. It has been reported to possess antibacterial, antioxidant, and antidiabetic effects. With the increasing risk of diseases in aquaculture, there is a need for alternative solutions to chemical antibiotics. Plant extracts have shown promise as natural feed additives for aquatic animals. In this study, the antibacterial effect of Amomum tsao‐ko crude extracts was evaluated using the Oxford cup method. The extracts exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis. Furthermore, the addition of Amomum tsao‐ko to fish feed resulted in notable changes in the gut structure of zebrafish and tilapia. The length and morphology of intestinal villi were enhanced, promoting improved digestion. Analysis of the gut microbial community revealed that Amomum tsao‐ko supplementation induced key changes in the gut microbial community composition of both zebrafish and tilapia. Notably, a 1% inclusion of Amomum tsao‐ko resulted in a marked rise in Proteobacteria levels in zebrafish, which diminished at 10% dosage. The supplement elicited mixed reactions among other bacterial phyla like Actinobacteria and Verrucomicrobiota. Fluctuations were also observed at the genus level, pointing to the concentration of Amomum tsao‐ko playing a pivotal role in influencing the structure of intestinal bacteria. The findings of this study suggest that Amomum tsao‐ko has antibacterial properties and can positively influence the gut health of fish. The potential use of Amomum tsao‐ko as a natural feed additive holds promise for improving aquaculture practices and reducing reliance on chemical antibiotics. Further research is needed to explore the full potential and applications of Amomum tsao‐ko in fish feed development.
Actual versus perceived noise levels among critical care nurses and their related adverse effects: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Dwairi Tamer Abdullah Taleb , Hassan Eman Arafa , Beshay Bassem Nashaat , Attia Amal Kadry Nicola
Published: May 2024

Background

Critical care nurses should help in reducing noise to improve the well‐being of patients and health care providers.

Aim/s

To measure actual noise levels in intensive care units, identify nurses' perceived irritation levels of noise sources and examine the impact of noise on nurses' work performance and well‐being.

Study design

This cross‐sectional study was conducted from January to April 2023 at a teaching hospital's six intensive care units. It involved three phases: mapping locations for noise measurement, actual noise measurements in decibels and a cross‐sectional survey to identify nurses' perceptions and the adverse effects of noise. Actual noise was measured between patients' beds, nursing stations and beside 16 noise sources for 7 days 24 h a day. For nurse perceptions, the mean of perceived irritation levels by a Likert scale for each noise source was calculated to present perceived noise levels. Ranking of noise sources according to the actual measured and perceived irritation by nurses was done based on mean values. Curve estimation regression test was used to predict the relationship between actual and perceived noise and stepwise multiple linear regression identified factors associated with noise adverse effects.

Results

The mean noise level in the intensive care units was 65.55 dB. Nurses perceived mechanical ventilator alarms as the most irritating noise. However, the mean noise measurements showed that conversations among colleagues were the primary source of noise. There was no significant predictive relationship between the actual and perceived noise. Nurses reported feeling distressed, irritable, fatigued and less productive due to noise.

Conclusions

There was a discrepancy between actual and perceived noise levels by nurses. Perceived noise levels had more impact on nurses than actual noise.

Relevance to clinical practice

By incorporating both objective measurements and subjective perceptions into efforts aimed at reducing noise, health care providers can create quieter intensive care units.
What's Good for the Land is Good for the Farmer: Investigating Conservation‐Related Variables as Predictors of Farmers' Job Satisfaction☆
Authors: Gao Lijing , Arbuckle J. G.
Published: May 2024

Rising stress, mental health issues, and suicide rates among farmers highlight the need to understand factors influencing their job satisfaction. Farming presents distinct challenges with its unique mix of positive and negative characteristics. This study utilized dual‐factor theory to investigate how various factors, such as economic dynamics, farm financial health, stewardship views, experience with extreme weather, and climate change concerns, influence farmers' job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Data from a 2020 survey of Iowa farmers were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression. Financial health, stewardship motivations, and perceived adequacy of conservation practices emerged as significant predictors of both job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Farmers' extreme weather events experiences were positively associated with job satisfaction, indicating successful coping enhances contentment. Conversely, climate change concern was negatively associated with job satisfaction. As a revenue protection strategy, faith in crop insurance was negatively related to job dissatisfaction. In summary, besides the anticipated positive impact of farm financial health, the findings show that job satisfaction in farming is linked to stewardship motivations and perceived adequacy of conservation practices on the farm. The results suggest an opening for policies and programs aligning financial and conservation goals, potentially enhancing long‐term farmer well‐being and sustainable agricultural practices.
Transferring compactness
Authors: Benhamou Tom , Zhang Jing
Published: May 2024

We demonstrate that the technology of Radin forcing can be used to transfer compactness properties at a weakly inaccessible but not strong limit cardinal to a strongly inaccessible cardinal. As an application, relative to the existence of large cardinals, we construct a model of set theory in which there is a strongly inaccessible cardinal that is ‐‐stationary for all but not weakly compact. This is in sharp contrast to the situation in the constructible universe , where being ‐‐stationary is equivalent to being ‐indescribable. We also show that it is consistent that there is a cardinal such that is ‐stationary for all and , answering a question of Sakai.
Effects of Intermediate Pressure and Split Ratio on Supercritical Modified Recompression Cycles Performance
Authors: Tatli Akif Eren , You Dongchuan , Metghalchi Hameed
Published: May 2024

Engineers and scientists are continuously in search of higher power system efficiencies. Among new ones, supercritical recompression carbon dioxide power cycle has been promising. In addition to the simple recompression cycle, modified versions of supercritical recompression carbo have been introduced. These modified versions are Recompression Reheating cycle, Recompression Partial Cooling cycle, Recompression Partial Cooling with Reheating cycle, Recompression Intercooling cycle, and Recompression Intercooling with Reheating cycle. This paper investigates performances of the modified recompression cycles by developing an extensive thermodynamic model for this purpose. For these analyses, many parameters such as isentropic efficiencies of compressors and turbines, effectiveness of energy exchangers, maximum and minimum pressures, and temperatures within the cycle have been kept constant. It is also assumed that the temperature of the source of energy is 600 °C. This temperature selection is based on the operational temperatures typical of current solar thermal, nuclear, and biomass/waste energy generation technologies. Parametric studies using intermediate pressure and split ratio have been done to determine the optimum values resulting in the maximum efficiencies of these cycles. The solution of the thermodynamic model requires solving simultaneous energy, entropy, and exergy balance equations. The results show three cycles have very close maximum efficiency. These are Recompression Reheating cycle, Recompression Intercooling with Reheating cycle, and Recompression Intercooling cycle having thermal efficiencies of 39.61%, 39.57%, and 39.49%, respectively. The Recompression Intercooling with Reheating cycle has the highest net-work among the above cycles when operating at their maximum thermal efficiencies.
Uncertainty Separation Method for Simulation With Image and Numerical Data
Authors: Du Xiaoping
Published: May 2024

Image-based simulation plays a pivotal role in diverse engineering applications, integrating both image and numerical variables as inputs to predict design performance, understand system behaviors, and drive discovery. Uncertainty, inherent in these simulations, must be quantified and managed as it arises in numerical variables due to randomness in materials, manufacturing processes, and operations. Similarly, images exhibit uncertainty stemming from the inherent variability of the quantities they represent and the involved image processing. Addressing image uncertainty presents a unique challenge, primarily due to the high dimension and the limited availability of image samples, imposing constraints on conventional uncertainty quantification (UQ) techniques. To overcome this challenge, this study introduces a new concept—uncertainty separation, designed to disentangle the impacts of uncertainties associated with image and numerical inputs, particularly in scenarios with limited image samples. The proposed method decomposes a simulation model into two distinct submodels: one handling image inputs and the other managing numerical inputs. While image samples directly inform the analysis of the image submodel, existing uncertainty quantification approaches are applied to assess the submodels with numerical input. This concept has proven to be efficient, achieving satisfactory accuracy through two practical examples, demonstrating its potential to enhance engineering analysis and design in scenarios involving image and numerical uncertainties.
Boron carbide films with reduced nodular defect density deposited by full-face erosion radio-frequency magnetron sputtering
Authors: Taylor G. V. , Bayu Aji L. B. , Shin S. J. , Bae J. H. , Engwall A. M. , Kucheyev S. O.
Published: May 2024

Boron carbide coatings deposited by sputtering with conventional planar magnetrons exhibit nodular growth defects. Here, we demonstrate that the density of nodular defects in B4C films can be greatly reduced by using a full-face-erosion magnetron source that achieves a more uniform target erosion by sweeping the confining magnetic field over the target surface. We systematically study properties of B4C films deposited on substrates with different tilt angles and demonstrate deposition of ultrathick films with compressive residual stress below 200 MPa.
Microstructural features, martensitic transformation, and functional properties of multicomponent Ti–Ni based shape memory alloys
Authors: Wang Haizhen , Liu Xinnuo , Jiang Bowen , Cao Xinjian , Gao Zhiyong , Yi Xiaoyang
Published: May 2024

The present study investigated the microstructure, phase transformation behavior, and functional characteristics of the multicomponent Ti–Ni–Cu–Al–V shape memory alloys with the different annealing treatments. The results indicated that the multicomponent Ti–Ni–Cu–Al–V alloy annealed at 673 K/5 min was primarily composed of the B2 parent phase and Ti2(Ni,Cu) type precipitates distributing along the grain boundaries. As the annealing temperature increased and the annealing time extended, the chemical composition of the matrix changed slightly due to the precipitation of the Ti2(Ni,Cu) phase. Consequently, the martensitic phase (B19) gradually appeared and the volume friction of the martensite phase gradually increased. The phase constituents of the present Ti–Ni–Cu–Al–V shape memory alloy evolved from a B2 austenite phase to a B19 martensite phase with the annealing temperature/time increasing. Additionally, as the annealing temperature and time increased, the grain size also increased. The increment in annealing temperature and the prolongation of annealing time resulted in an increase of martensitic transformation temperatures as a result of the comprehensive effect of chemical composition, grain size, defects’ density, etc. Both yield strength and fracture strength decreased, while the elongation significantly increased (reaching 28% at 1123 K/60 min) with the annealing temperature rising and annealing time prolonging. Under the successively applied prestrain to 8% condition, the recoverable strain decreased from 4.2% to 1.7% for the annealed Ti–Ni–Cu–Al–V shape memory alloy with the annealing temperature/time increasing.
Hearing the seas
Sing Like Fish: How Sound Rules Life Under Water
Amorina Kingdon
Crown, 2024. 336 pp.
Authors: Rice Aaron N.
Published: May 2024

Rich underwater soundscapes await those who listen closely
Breaking down microdroplet chemistry
Authors: Cooks R. Graham , Holden Dylan T.
Published: May 2024

Charged microdroplets accelerate mineral disintegration
Compound interest
Authors: Service Robert F.
Published: May 2024

Practical uses for quantum computers are emerging in chemistry, promising to speed the development of materials, catalysts, and drugs
Strong antagonism of an endophyte of
Fraxinus excelsior
towards the ash dieback pathogen,
Hymenoscyphus fraxineus
, is mediated by the antifungal secondary metabolite PF1140
Authors: Demir Özge , Schulz Barbara , Rabsch Laura , Steinert Michael , Surup Frank
Published: May 2024

Ash dieback, caused by the fungal pathogen
Hymenoscyphus fraxineus
(Helotiales, Ascomycota)
,
is threatening the existence of the European ash,
Fraxineus excelsior
. During our search for biological control agents for this devastating disease, endophytic fungi were isolated from healthy plant tissues and co-cultivated with
H. fraxineus
to assess their antagonistic potential. Among the strains screened,
Penicillium
cf.
manginii
DSM 104493 most strongly inhibited the pathogen. Initially
,
DSM 104493 showed promise
in planta
as a biocontrol agent. Inoculation of DSM 104493 into axenically cultured ash seedlings greatly decreased the development of disease symptoms in seedlings infected with
H. fraxineus
. The fungus was thus cultivated on a larger scale in order to obtain sufficient material to identify active metabolites that accounted for the antibiosis observed in dual culture. We isolated PF1140 (1) and identified it as the main active compound in the course of a bioassay-guided isolation strategy. Furthermore, its derivative 2, the mycotoxin citreoviridin (3), three tetramic acids of the vancouverone type (4–6), and penidiamide (7) were isolated by preparative chromatography. The structures were elucidated mainly by NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), of which compounds 2 and 6 represent novel natural products. Of the compounds tested, not only PF1140 (1) strongly inhibited
H. fraxineus
in an agar diffusion assay but also showed phytotoxic effects in a leaf puncture assay. Unfortunately, both the latent virulent attributes of DSM 104493 observed subsequent to these experiments
in planta
and the production of mycotoxins exclude strain
Penicillium
cf.
manginii
DSM 104493 from further development as a safe biocontrol agent.

IMPORTANCE

Environmentally friendly measures are urgently needed to control the causative agent of ash dieback,
Hymenoscyphus fraxineus
. Herein, we show that the endophyte DSM 104493 exhibits protective effects
in vitro
and
in planta
. We traced the activity of DSM 104493 to the antifungal natural product PF1140, which unfortunately also showed phytotoxic effects. Our results have important implications for understanding plant-fungal interactions mediated by secondary metabolites, not only in the context of ash dieback but also generally in plant-microbial interactions.
IDO1 promotes CSFV replication by mediating tryptophan metabolism to inhibit NF-κB signaling
Authors: Zhao Feifan , Huang Yaoyao , Ji Junzhi , Liu Xueyi , Li Xiaowen , Zou Linke , Wu Keke , Liu Xiao di , Zeng Sen , Wang Xinyan , Hu Wenshuo , Song Yiwan , Lu Zhimin , Zhou Bolun , Li Peng , Wang Weijun , Zhao Mingqiu , Chen Jinding , Yi Lin , Fan Shuangqi
Published: May 2024

Tryptophan metabolism plays a crucial role in facilitating various cellular processes essential for maintaining normal cellular function. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) catalyzes the conversion of tryptophan (Trp) into kynurenine (Kyn), thereby initiating the degradation of Trp. The resulting Kyn metabolites have been implicated in the modulation of immune responses. Currently, the role of IDO1-mediated tryptophan metabolism in the process of viral infection remains relatively unknown. In this study, we discovered that classical swine fever virus (CSFV) infection of PK-15 cells can induce the expression of IDO1, thereby promoting tryptophan metabolism. IDO1 can negatively regulate the NF-κB signaling by mediating tryptophan metabolism, thereby facilitating CSFV replication. We found that silencing the IDO1 gene enhances the expression of IFN-α, IFN-β, and IL-6 by activating the NF-κB signaling pathway. Furthermore, our observations indicate that both silencing the IDO1 gene and administering exogenous tryptophan can inhibit CSFV replication by counteracting the cellular autophagy induced by Rapamycin. This study reveals a novel mechanism of IDO1-mediated tryptophan metabolism in CSFV infection, providing new insights and a theoretical basis for the treatment and control of CSFV.

IMPORTANCE

It is well known that due to the widespread use of vaccines, the prevalence of classical swine fever (CSF) is shifting towards atypical and invisible infections. CSF can disrupt host metabolism, leading to persistent immune suppression in the host and causing significant harm when co-infected with other diseases. Changes in the host’s metabolic profiles, such as increased catabolic metabolism of amino acids and the production of immunoregulatory metabolites and their derivatives, can also influence virus replication. Mammals utilize various pathways to modulate immune responses through amino acid utilization, including increased catabolic metabolism of amino acids and the production of immunoregulatory metabolites and their derivatives, thereby limiting viral replication. Therefore, this study proposes that targeting the modulation of tryptophan metabolism may represent an effective approach to control the progression of CSF.
Supplemental Material: Geological context and significance of the clay-sulfate transition region in Mount Sharp, Gale crater, Mars: An integrated assessment based on orbiter and rover data
Authors: Meyer Melissa J. , al. et
Published: May 2024

This study includes additional clarifying supplementary information, including examples of target classifications, raw data descriptions, additional supplementary figures, mapping shapefile results, and unmarked and unannotated versions of main text figures.
Within and post-trial effects of an intensive lifestyle intervention on kidney disease in adults with overweight or obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus: a secondary analysis of the Look AHEAD clinical trial
Authors: Knowler William C , Chen Haiying , Bahnson Judy L , Kahn Steven E , Lewis Cora E , Nathan David M , Nelson Robert G , Pilla Scott J , Bantle John P
Published: May 2024

Introduction

The Look AHEAD randomized clinical trial reported that an 8-year intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) compared with diabetes support and education (DSE) in adults aged 45–76 years with type 2 diabetes and overweight/obesity delayed kidney disease progression. Here, we report long-term post-intervention follow-up for the trial’s secondary outcome of kidney disease.

Research design and methods

We examined effects of ILI (n=2570) versus DSE (n=2575) on decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) to <45 mL/min/1.73 m2or need for kidney replacement therapy (KRT: dialysis or kidney transplant) during intervention and post-intervention follow-up (median 15.6 years overall).

Results

Incidence of eGFR <45 mL/min/1.73 m2was lower in ILI during the intervention (HR=0.80, 95% CI=0.66 to 0.98) but not post-intervention (HR=1.03, 0.86 to 1.23) or overall (HR=0.92, 0.80 to 1.04). There were no significant treatment group differences in KRT. In prespecified subgroup analyses, age×treatment interactions were significant over total follow-up: p=0.001 for eGFR <45 mL/min/1.73 m2and p=0.01 for KRT. The 2205 participants aged >60 years at baseline had benefit in both kidney outcomes during intervention and overall (HR=0.75, 0.62 to 0.90 for eGFR <45 mL/min/1.73 m2; HR=0.62, 0.43 to 0.91 for KRT). The absolute treatment effects were greater post-intervention: ILI reduced the rate of eGFR <45 mL/min/1.73 m2by 0.46 and 0.76 cases/100 person-years during and post-intervention, respectively; and reduced KRT by 0.15 and 0.21 cases/100 person-years. The younger participants experienced no such post-intervention benefits.

Conclusions

ILI reduced kidney disease progression during and following the active intervention in persons aged ≥60 years. ILI should be considered for reducing kidney disease incidence in older persons with type 2 diabetes.
Plasma angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a marker for renal outcome of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) (U-CARE study 3)
Authors: Ueno Asami , Onishi Yasuhiro , Mise Koki , Yamaguchi Satoshi , Kanno Ayaka , Nojima Ichiro , Higuchi Chigusa , Uchida Haruhito A , Shikata Kenichi , Miyamoto Satoshi , Nakatsuka Atsuko , Eguchi Jun , Hida Kazuyuki , Katayama Akihiro , Watanabe Mayu , Nakato Tatsuaki , Tone Atsuhito , Teshigawara Sanae , Matsuoka Takashi , Kamei Shinji , Murakami Kazutoshi , Shimizu Ikki , Miyashita Katsuhito , Ando Shinichiro , Nunoue Tomokazu , Wada Jun
Published: May 2024

Introduction

ACE cleaves angiotensin I (Ang I) to angiotensin II (Ang II) inducing vasoconstriction via Ang II type 1 (AT1) receptor, while ACE2 cleaves Ang II to Ang (1–7) causing vasodilatation by acting on the Mas receptor. In diabetic kidney disease (DKD), it is still unclear whether plasma or urine ACE2 levels predict renal outcomes or not.

Research design and methods

Among 777 participants with diabetes enrolled in the Urinary biomarker for Continuous And Rapid progression of diabetic nEphropathy study, the 296 patients followed up for 9 years were investigated. Plasma and urinary ACE2 levels were measured by the ELISA. The primary end point was a composite of a decrease of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) by at least 30% from baseline or initiation of hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. The secondary end points were a 30% increase or a 30% decrease in albumin-to-creatinine ratio from baseline to 1 year.

Results

The cumulative incidence of the renal composite outcome was significantly higher in group 1 with lowest tertile of plasma ACE2 (p=0.040). Group 2 with middle and highest tertile was associated with better renal outcomes in the crude Cox regression model adjusted by age and sex (HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.99, p=0.047). Plasma ACE2 levels demonstrated a significant association with 30% decrease in ACR (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.044 to 2.035, p=0.027) after adjusting for age, sex, systolic blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c, and eGFR.

Conclusions

Higher baseline plasma ACE2 levels in DKD were protective for development and progression of albuminuria and associated with fewer renal end points, suggesting plasma ACE2 may be used as a prognosis marker of DKD.

Trial registration number

UMIN000011525.