bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Probing the Synergy of Ni(OH)2/NiO Nanoparticles Supported on rGO for Battery‐Type Supercapacitors
Authors: Hussain Muhammad Nasir , Inayat Abid , Ansir Rotaba , Naveed Abdul , Abbas Syed Mustansar , Haider Ali , Shah Syed Mujtaba
Published: December 2023

Herein, a direct hydrothermal protocol for the synthesis of nickel‐based hydroxide/oxide nanocomposites grown on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is presented. The materials are employed as a high‐performance active layer for advanced supercapacitors. Ni(OH)2/rGO and NiO/rGO nanocomposites demonstrate a high specific capacitance of 1255.12 and 636.84 F g−1 at 10 mV s−1 obtained from cyclic voltammetry curves while 1092.5 and 1070 F g−1 are estimated from galvanostatic charge–discharge at 1 A g−1, respectively. Subsequently, symmetric devices with a broad potential window of 1.4 V for both the materials are also fabricated. Symmetric devices deliver maximum specific capacitance of 115.71 and 80.28 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 with an energy density of 31. 5 and 22 Wh kg−1 at power density of 1.4 kW kg−1, which indicates the high‐rate capability of the devices. The devices have maximum capacity retention of 81% and 93%, when tested for 1000 discharge cycles at 3 A g−1, showing high cycle stability. The superlative performance of nanocomposites can be attributed to the synergistic effects they exhibit, demonstrating that they are appealing electrode materials for supercapacitor applications.
Does myo‐inositol supplementation influence oxidative stress biomarkers in patients with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease?
Authors: Rostami Somayeh , Arefhosseini Sara , Tutunchi Helda , Khoshbaten Manouchehr , Ebrahimi‐Mameghani Mehrangiz
Published: December 2023

Myo‐inositol (MI) is a carbocyclic sugar polyalcohol. MI has known to exert anti‐inflammatory, anti‐oxidant, and anti‐diabetic activities. This study aimed to investigate the effects of MI supplementation on oxidative stress biomarkers in obese patients with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In this double‐blinded placebo‐controlled randomized clinical trial, 51 newly diagnosed obese patients with NAFLD were randomly assigned to receive either MI (4 g/day) or placebo supplements accompanied by dietary recommendations for 8 weeks. Oxidative stress biomarkers, nutritional status, as well as liver enzymes and obesity indices were assessed pre‐ and post‐intervention. A total of 48 patients completed the trial. Although anthropometric measures and obesity indices decreased significantly in both groups, the between‐group differences adjusted for confounders were non‐significant for these parameters, except for weight (p = .049); greater decrease was observed in the MI group. Iron and zinc intakes decreased significantly in both groups; however, between‐group differences were non‐significant at the end of the study. No significant between‐group differences were revealed for other antioxidant micronutrients at the study endpoint. Sense of hunger, feeling to eat, desire to eat sweet and fatty foods reduced significantly in both groups (p < .05), while the feeling of satiety increased significantly in the placebo group (p = .002). No significant between‐group differences were observed for these parameters, except for desire to eat fatty foods; a greater decrease was observed in the MI group (p = .034). Serum levels of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) significantly increased in both study groups (p < .05); however, the between‐group differences were non‐significant at the end of the study. Furthermore, the between‐group differences were non‐significant for other oxidative stress biomarkers, except for serum nitric oxide (NO) level; a greater decrease was observed in the MI group. MI supplementation could significantly improve weight, desire to eat fatty foods, serum levels of NO, as well as the aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/ALT ratio.
Soy protein isolate film activated by black seed oil nanoemulsion as a novel packaging for shelf‐life extension of bulk bread
Authors: Hosseiniyeh Negin , Mohtarami Forogh , Almasi Hadi , Azizi Saeedeh
Published: December 2023

This paper investigates the addition of lecithin‐emulsified black seed oil (BSO) nanoemulsions (LNEO) and whey protein isolate‐stabilized Pickering emulsions (WPEO) to soy protein isolate (SPI)‐based films and their effect on improving the shelf life of bread slices. The half‐life of antioxidant activity, water vapor permeability, biodegradability, density, color difference, and film thickness significantly increased (p < .05) when BSO was added. However, the incorporation of BSO significantly reduced the solubility, tensile strength, strain to break (except for WPEO), and transparency (p < .05) of the samples. The interaction between SPI film and BSO‐loaded nanocarriers, as well as the morphological properties of films, was evaluated using FT‐IR and FE‐SEM. SPI‐based films containing LNEO‐5% and WPEO‐5% were selected based on their mechanical and barrier properties. The effect of films on the shelf life of bread slices was investigated for 17 days of storage. LNEO samples obtained the most acceptable results in the bread in terms of sensory evaluation and color properties. According to the results, bread slices packed in SPI film containing LNEO‐5% showed no signs of mold growth until the 17th day of storage, whereas the sample packed in a low‐density polyethylene bag began to corrupt on the 6th day. This study highlights the potential of BSO‐loaded SPI films as a novel active packaging for the bakery industry.
Surgical repair of post‐cesarean vesicouterine fistula: A systematic review and a plea for prevention
Authors: Bonavina Giulia , Busnelli Andrea , Acerboni Stefano , Martini Alberto , Candiani Massimo , Bulfoni Alessandro
Published: December 2023

Background

Vesicouterine fistula (VUF) is a iatrogenic injury in the vast majority of cases. The worldwide increase of cesarean delivery rates is expected to lead to increased complications.

Objectives

To assess current evidence on VUF pathogenesis and surgical management.

Search Strategy

Pubmed and Embase databases were searched from January 2000 to January 2023 using relevant key words.

Selection Criteria

Only original articles including either transabdominal or transvaginal surgical routes for post‐cesarean VUF repair, in English language, were included.

Data Collection and Analysis

Two authors independently screened the references for eligibility, data extraction, and assessment of methodologic quality. All available surgical outcomes were recorded.

Main Results

Of the 1160 studies retrieved, 67 were selected for analysis. Most of these were case reports, case series, or observational cohort studies including a total of 284 patients. The majority (78.6%) of patients had more than one cesarean section, and approximately 10% of them experienced an overt bladder injury and/or uterine rupture at the time of cesarean delivery. The supratrigonal part of the bladder was most commonly involved (92.5%). The majority of patients (88.8%) underwent delayed VUF repair through laparotomy. Length of stay and blood loss were significantly less in patients treated via a minimally invasive approach (P < 0.001 and P = 0.02, respectively). Most patients had double‐layer bladder repair and single‐layer uterine repair. The overall success rate was 100% on first attempt for each independent combination of different surgical approaches and techniques. Live birth following VUF repair was reported in 23 patients.

Conclusions

Paying close attention to surgical details is crucial to reduce the incidence of this complication and recurrence rates. Double‐layer bladder closure and delayed timing of repair of VUF are recommended.
The effect of ablation settings on lesion characteristics with DiamondTemp ablation system: An ex vivo experiment
Authors: Nomura Takehiro , Maeda Manabu , Kumazawa Daiki , Mizuno Yosuke , Onodera Kosuke , Toyoda Shigeru , Yamashita Kennosuke
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Creating large lesion in ablations using the DiamondTemp (DTA) ablation system may reduce the frequency of arrhythmia recurrence and allow the treatment of ventricular arrhythmias. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether power, application time, contact force (CF), and contact angle affect lesion formation in the ventricles.

Methods

Ablations were delivered to porcine myocardial preps to evaluate the lesion characteristics. Ablations were conducted with a maximum power of 50 W, target temperature of 58°C, CF of 10, 20, or 30 g, and contact angle between the catheter tip and tissue. The ablation durations were 15, 30, 60 s, 15 s × 2, or 30 s × 2.

Results

Steam pops occurred only in cases with perpendicular contact. The lesion depth was larger in all settings in the perpendicular orientation than in the parallel orientation. The temperatures were lower in all settings in the perpendicular orientation than in the parallel orientation. The lesions became larger as CF increased with perpendicular contact and duration of ≥30 s. The longer application time resulted in larger surface area, depth, and volume of the lesion. Lesion depth was greater with single application of 30 and 60 s than with 15 s × 2 and 30 s × 2, respectively.

Conclusion

It is important to perform a single prolonged application as much as possible to create deeper lesions. Parallel contact with the tissue should be maintained to take advantage of the temperature sensor's capabilities to avoid pop phenomenon.
Assessment of extreme rainfall events over the Indian subcontinent during the historical and future projection periods based on CMIP6 simulations
Authors: Suthinkumar P. S. , Varikoden Hamza , Babu C. A.
Published: December 2023

The impact of climatic change on the summer monsoon season is studied to understand the rainfall pattern towards the end of the century utilizing the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, Phase 6 (CMIP6) released by the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). The analysis of model simulations from CMIP6 was carried out using 64 years of the historical period (1951–2014) and future projections till the end of the century (2015–2100). The models are compared with observed daily rainfall data from the APHRODITE (Asian Precipitation‐Highly‐Resolved Observational Data Integration Towards Evaluation). The analysis revealed that most of the models show an overestimation in the annual cycle of rainfall in the historical period; however, a few of them underestimate the values. The majority of them capture the onset signal of the summer monsoon in early June, along with a good seasonality in the daily rainfall climatology. The simulations that are coherent with the observational data sets are selected on the basis of the Taylor diagram for future projections in four scenarios (SSP1‐2.6, SSP2‐4.5, SSP3‐7.0 and SSP5‐8.5). The projections of the aforementioned scenarios are taken from the model outputs of EC‐Earth3‐Veg‐LR, INM‐CM4‐8, INM‐CM5‐0, MIROC‐ES2L and MPI‐ESM1‐2‐HR. The selected models exhibit far greater agreement among the 30 models when it comes to the features of rainfall during the summer monsoon. We have given more emphasis on summer monsoon rainfall in the historical and future projection periods since the trends are becoming more chaotic, as reported in observational studies. Over the Indian subcontinent, all of the chosen scenarios show an increased frequency of intense rainfall events with varying decadal and multidecadal features. Central India and west coastal belts are showing positive trends in extreme rainfall events towards the end of the century. At the turn of the century, the southern peninsular region experienced a decline in monsoon precipitation, whereas central India experienced an increase. The severity of rainfall variations during the monsoon season and trends in extremes are increasing as we move from the low‐emission scenario to the high‐emission scenario.
Lead exposure aggravates glucose metabolism disorders through gut microbiota dysbiosis and intestinal barrier damage in high‐fat diet‐fed mice
Authors: Wang Nana , Gao Xue , Huo Yuan , Li Yuting , Cheng Fangru , Zhang Zengli
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

Lead (Pb) is an ancient toxic metal and is still a major public health issue. Our previous study found that Pb exposure promotes metabolic disorders in obese mice, but the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The present study explored the effects of Pb exposure on glucose homeostasis in mice fed a normal diet (ND) and high‐fat diet (HFD) from the perspective of gut microbiota.

RESULTS

Pb exposure had little effect on glucose metabolism in ND mice, but exacerbated hyperglycemia and insulin resistance, and impaired glucose tolerance in HFD mice. Pb exposure impaired intestinal tight junctions and mucin expression in HFD mice, increasing intestinal permeability and inflammation. Moreover, Pb exposure altered the composition and structure of the gut microbiota and decreased short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs) levels in HFD mice. Correlation analysis revealed that the gut microbiota and SCFAs were significantly correlated with the gut barrier and glucose homeostasis. Furthermore, the fecal microbiota transplantation from Pb‐exposed HFD mice resulted in glucose homeostasis imbalance, intestinal mucosal structural damage and inflammation in recipient mice. However, Pb did not exacerbate the metabolic toxicity in HFD mice under depleted gut microbiota.

CONCLUSION

The findings of the present study suggest that Pb induces impairment of glucose metabolism in HFD mice by perturbing the gut microbiota. Our study offers new perspectives on the mechanisms of metabolic toxicity of heavy metals and demonstrates that the gut microbiota may be a target of action for heavy metal exposure. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Residual based temporal attention convolutional neural network for detection of distributed denial of service attacks in software defined network integrated vehicular adhoc network
Authors: Karthik V. , Lakshmi R. , Abraham Salini , Ramkumar M.
Published: December 2023

Software defined network (SDN) integrated vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) is a magnificent technique for smart transportation as it raises the efficiency, safety, manageability, and comfort of traffic. SDN‐integrated VANET (SDN‐int‐VANET) has numerous benefits, but it is susceptible to threats like distributed denial of service (DDoS). Several methods were suggested for DDoS attack detection (AD), but the existing approaches to optimization have given a base for enhancing the parameters. An incorrect selection of parameters results in a poor performance and poor fit to the data. To overcome these issues, residual‐based temporal attention red fox‐convolutional neural network (RTARF‐CNN) for detecting DDoS attacks in SDN‐int‐VANET is introduced in this manuscript. The input data is taken from the SDN DDoS attack dataset. For restoring redundancy and missing value, developed random forest and local least squares (DRFLLS) are applied. Then the important features are selected from the pre‐processed data with the help of stacked contractive autoencoders (St‐CAE), which reduces the processing time of the introduced method. The selected features are classified by residual‐based temporal attention‐convolutional neural network (RTA‐CNN). The weight parameter of RTA‐CNN is optimized with the help of red fox optimization (RFO) for better classification. The introduced method is implemented in the PYTHON platform. The RTARF‐CNN attains 99.8% accuracy, 99.5% sensitivity, 99.80% precision, and 99.8% specificity. The effectiveness of the introduced technique is compared with the existing approaches.
An observational study of clinical outcome measures in patients treated with cannabis‐based medicinal products on the UK Medical Cannabis Registry
Authors: Erridge Simon , Leung Ophilia , Holvey Carl , Coomber Ross , Beri Sushil , Khan Shaheen , Weatherall Mark W. , Rucker James J. , Platt Michael W. , Sodergren Mikael H.
Published: December 2023

Introduction

While there is increasing evidence of the effects of cannabis‐based medicinal products (CBMPs) on health‐related quality of life (HRQoL), a major limitation of the current literature is the heterogeneity of studied CBMPs. This study aims to analyze changes in HRQoL in patients prescribed a homogenous selection of CBMPs.

Methods

Primary outcomes were changes in patient‐reported outcomes (PROMs) at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months from baseline. The secondary outcome was an adverse events analysis. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.050.

Results

1378 patients prescribed Adven® CBMPs (Curaleaf International, Guernsey, UK) were included in the final analysis. 581 (42.16%) participants were current users of cannabis at baseline. 641 (46.51%), 235 (17.05%), and 502 (36.43%) patients were treated with oils, dried flowers, or a combination of the two, respectively. Improvements were found in all PROMs in each route of administration at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months from baseline (p < 0.010). Those prescribed dried flower only or both oils and dried flower experienced greater improvements in GAD‐7, SQS, and EQ‐5D‐5L index values at 12 months (p < 0.050). There was no difference in outcomes between those prescribed dried flower only or dried flower with oils (p > 0.050). 3663 (265.82%) adverse events were reported by 297 (21.55%) patients.

Conclusion

There was an associated improvement in self‐reported anxiety, sleep quality, and HRQoL in patients treated with the CBMPs. Those prescribed treatment formulations including dried flower were most likely to show a clinical improvement. However, these results must be interpreted with caution given the limitations of study design.
Charge Carrier Dynamics at Carbon/Perovskite Interface: Implications on Carbon‐Based HTM‐Free Solar Cell Stability
Authors: Dileep K. Reshma , Levine Igal , Karalis Orestis , Hempel Hannes , Easwaramoorthi Reshma Dileep Koliyot , Mallick Sudhanshu , Rao Tata Narasinga , Unger Eva , Veerappan Ganapathy
Published: December 2023

Carbon‐based hole transport material (HTM)‐free perovskite solar cells (CPSCs) are an innovative device architecture that mitigates inherent challenges associated with record‐breaking perovskite solar cells (PSCs), which rely on metal/HTMs, including instability, manufacturing intricacy, and elevated costs. The photovoltaic efficiency and stability of CPSCs are profoundly influenced by the charge carrier dynamics at the interfaces. Herein, the charge carrier dynamics at the carbon(C)–perovskite interface in CPSCs and its implications on photovoltaic performances and stability, an aspect that has received limited exploration thus far are probed, are investigated using transient surface photovoltage (Tr‐SPV) and transient photoluminescence measurements. The study reveals that the C‐electrode effectively acts as a selective barrier, impeding electrons while facilitating the extraction of holes at the C–perovskite interface. This selective blocking mechanism holds significant implications for improving the performance and stability of CPSCs over HTM‐free PSCs with gold(Au) electrodes. The stability of CPSCs is evaluated by measuring shelf life, maximum power point tracking, Tr‐SPV, and X‐Ray diffraction measurements. By delving into these pivotal aspects, this work aims to contribute to the advancement and understanding of CPSCs for sustainable and efficient energy conversion.
Improving Classification of Documents by Semi-supervised Clustering in a Semantic Space
Authors: Dobša Jasminka , Kiers Henk A. L.
Published: December 2023

In the paper we propose a method for representation of documents in a semantic lower-dimensional space based on the modified Reduced k-means method which penalizes clusterings that are distant from classification of training documents given by experts. Reduced k-means (RKM) enables simultaneously clustering of documents and extraction of factors. By projection of documents represented in the vector space model on extracted factors, documents are clustered in the semantic space in a semi-supervised way (using penalization) because clustering is guided by classification given by experts, which enables improvement of classification performance of test documents. Classification performance is tested for classification by logistic regression and support vector machines (SVMs) for classes of Reuters-21578 data set. It is shown that representation of documents by the RKM method with penalization improves the average precision of classification by SVMs for the 25 largest classes of Reuters collection for about 5,5% with the same level of average recall in comparison to the basic representation in the vector space model. In the case of classification by logistic regression, representation by the RKM with penalization improves average recall for about 1% in comparison to the basic representation.
Old and New Constraints in Model Based Clustering
Authors: García-Escudero Luis A. , Mayo-Iscar Agustín , Morelli Gianluca , Riani Marco
Published: December 2023

Model-based approaches to cluster analysis and mixture modeling often involve maximizing classification and mixture likelihoods. Without appropriate constrains on the scatter matrices of the components, these maximizations result in ill-posed problems. Moreover, without constrains, non-interesting or “spurious” clusters are often detected by the EM and CEM algorithms traditionally used for the maximization of the likelihood criteria. A useful approach to avoid spurious solutions is to restrict relative components scatter by a prespecified tuning constant. Recently new methodologies for constrained parsimonious model-based clustering have been introduced which include the 14 parsimonious models that are often applied in model-based clustering when assuming normal components as limit cases. In this paper we initially review the traditional approaches and illustrate through an example the benefits of the adoption of the new constraints.
Data Clustering and Representation Learning Based on Networked Data
Authors: Labiod Lazhar , Nadif Mohamed
Published: December 2023

To deal simultaneously with both, the attributed network embedding and clustering, we propose a new model exploiting both content and structure information. The proposed model relies on the approximation of the relaxed continuous embedding solution by the true discrete clustering. Thereby, we show that incorporating an embedding representation provides simpler and easier interpretable solutions. Experiment results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm performs better, in terms of clustering, than the state-of-art algorithms, including deep learning methods devoted to similar tasks.
Towards a Bi-Stochastic Matrix Approximation of k-means and Some Variants
Authors: Labiod Lazhar , Nadif Mohamed
Published: December 2023

The k-means algorithm and some k-means variants have been shown to be useful and effective to tackle the clustering problem. In this paper we embed k-means variants in a bi-stochastic matrix approximation (BMA) framework. Then we derive from the k-means objective function a new formulation of the criterion. In particular, we show that some k-means variants are equivalent to algebraic problem of bi-stochastic matrix approximation under some suitable constraints. For optimizing the derived objective function, we develop two algorithms; the first one consists in learning a bi-stochastic similarity matrix while the second seeks for the optimal partition which is the equilibrium state of a Markov chain process. Numerical experiments on real data-sets demonstrate the interest of our approach.
Unsupervised Classification of Categorical Time Series Through Innovative Distances
Authors: López-Oriona Ángel , Vilar José A. , D’Urso Pierpaolo
Published: December 2023

In this paper, two novel distances for nominal time series are introduced. Both of them are based on features describing the serial dependence patterns between each pair of categories. The first dissimilarity employs the so-called association measures, whereas the second computes correlation quantities between indicator processes whose uniqueness is guaranteed from standard stationary conditions. The metrics are used to construct crisp algorithms for clustering categorical series. The approaches are able to group series generated from similar underlying stochastic processes, achieve accurate results with series coming from a broad range of models and are computationally efficient. An extensive simulation study shows that the devised clustering algorithms outperform several alternative procedures proposed in the literature. Specifically, they achieve better results than approaches based on maximum likelihood estimation, which take advantage of knowing the real underlying procedures. Both innovative dissimilarities could be useful for practitioners in the field of time series clustering.
Clustering and Blockmodeling Temporal Networks – Two Indirect Approaches
Authors: Batagelj Vladimir
Published: December 2023

Two approaches to clustering and blockmodeling of temporal networks are presented: the first is based on an adaptation of the clustering of symbolic data described by modal values and the second is based on clustering with relational constraints. Different options for describing a temporal block model are discussed.
Gender Equality, Climate Action, and Technological Innovation for Sustainable Development in Africa: Conclusion and Recommendations
Authors: Adeola Ogechi , Evans Olaniyi , Ngare Innocent
Published: December 2023

Existing policies in developing countries are gender-neutral and do not effectively address gender-related issues and women’s rights protections. Of the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Goal 13, climate action, specifically calls for urgent efforts to combat climate change. There are complex and intricate links between the SDGs, and the attainment of one goal is inevitably connected to the achievement of the other. Gender, represented by SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, presents one of the crucial interlinkages due to the gendered effect of climate change. Particularly in Africa, women and children are disproportionately affected by the adverse impacts of climate change. This concluding chapter presents a cohesive theme and argument based on the findings and discussions in the study, providing policy directions for Africa followed by the appropriate recommendations. The recommendations focus on how Africa can address the impacts of climate change, particularly regarding vulnerable communities, the need for response and protection plans by stakeholders, and the crucial role of technological innovation in mitigating climate effects. Finally, the recommendations in this book provide evidence-based discussions that can lead to more gender-inclusive climate change policymaking, gender integration in climate change planning, and technological innovation for climate change mitigation in Africa. By implementing these recommendations, Africa can achieve sustainable development and ensure that women and girls are not left behind.
Gender and Climate Issues in Africa
Authors: Adeola Ogechi , Evans Olaniyi , Ngare Innocent
Published: December 2023

The disproportionate impact of climate change on African communities, particularly those heavily reliant on agriculture, exacerbates the feminisation of poverty and environmental degradation. Patriarchy and gender inequality impede women’s ability to adapt to climate change, but addressing gender issues can enhance climate change efforts. This chapter provides insights into the intersection of gender, climate change, and sustainability in Africa, highlighting the need for inclusive policies that address gender disparities and the value of incorporating women’s perspectives for successful climate change initiatives in West, East, North, and Southern Africa. By incorporating gender equality and social inclusion into climate change mitigation efforts, the impact of climate change can be reduced, and sustainable solutions can be achieved.
Leveraging ICT for Climate Change Adaptation in Africa: A Focus on Women
Authors: Adeola Ogechi , Evans Olaniyi , Ngare Innocent
Published: December 2023

Information and communication technology (ICT) offers significant support for data gathering, making informed decisions, execution, and assessment in support of climate change adaptation for African women. The development and implementation of adaptive processes for the mitigation of climate change, which disproportionately affects women, can significantly benefit from the adoption of specialised technology. Emerging technologies, which could be particularly beneficial for African women, include integrated soil management practices, biotechnology, renewable energy, plant breeding, and synthetic biology. Africa must take action towards implementing effective scientific and technological measures to address the short- and long-term effects of climate change, especially as they affect women. This chapter introduces the section on technological innovation and climate change, discusses ICT-enabled energy transition for climate change mitigation, and presents recommendations on how Africa, particularly African women, can mitigate the impact of climate change through technology.
Thinking About Disability: Implications for Practice
Authors: Bigby Christine
Published: December 2023

This chapter considers the diversity of people with disabilities, highlighting their common experiences of significant social disadvantage on all social indicators. It introduces different theoretical models for understanding disability, comparing and contrasting the orientation of each and implications for providing support services for people with disabilities. It reviews the relative merits of each approach for informing practice that furthers quality of life and highlights the drawbacks of reliance on any one model. It provides an overview of the rights-based aims of contemporary disability policy and the broad contours of individualised funding models such as the NDIS, the social demographics of people with disability and the eight domains of quality of life which form the framework for the book.

It proposes the need for Both/And thinking in disability practice and the dangers of using As If as a device for obscuring difference.
Building Strong Foundations: Listening to and Learning from People with Intellectual Disabilities and Their Families
Authors: Jackson Aaron J. , Bigby Christine
Published: December 2023

This chapter explores the importance of amplifying the voices and perspectives of people with intellectual disabilities in disability policy, research and service provision. It highlights what support workers and organisations might learn from actively listening to individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families. The chapter emphasises the critical role that family members play in the lives of some service users, particularly those with severe or profound intellectual disabilities. Drawing on both published literature and unpublished data from a longitudinal study of group homes, the chapter identifies key themes and recommendations for enhancing the quality of support provided in group homes and other forms of supported accommodation services. These include prioritising effective communication, promoting a culture of accountability and teamwork, maintaining strong family relationships and fostering community engagement and social connections. By implementing these strategies, service providers can better meet the diverse support needs of people with intellectual disabilities while honouring their voices and individuality.
Healthy Lifestyles and Primary Healthcare
Authors: Tracy Jane , Iacono Teresa
Published: December 2023

Good health is important to everyone. Optimal health is central to being able to enjoy the best possible quality of life. No one can fully engage with, participate in, and contribute to their communities while in discomfort, pain, or distress in physical, oral, or mental health. For people with intellectual disabilities, however, sub-optimal health frequently occurs because of a combination of factors relating to their specific disabilities and external factors, such as where they live, who supports them, and challenges faced in accessing health systems.

This chapter provides an overview of the implications of poor health and why poor health is often experienced by people with intellectual disabilities. It then focuses on the role of disability support services and individual support staff in contributing to their optimal health through the support provided to individuals and in interactions with health systems. In this chapter, health is discussed in terms of physical, oral, and mental health because of the strong connections between them.
Consistency of the Flat Flow Solution to the Volume Preserving Mean Curvature Flow
Authors: Julin Vesa , Niinikoski Joonas
Published: December 2023

We consider the flat flow solution, obtained via a discrete minimizing movement scheme, to the volume preserving mean curvature flow starting from $$C^{1,1}$$

C

1
,
1

-regular set. We prove the consistency principle, which states that (any) flat flow solution agrees with the classical solution as long as the latter exists. In particular the flat flow solution is unique and smooth up to the first singular time. We obtain the result by proving the full regularity for the discrete time approximation of the flat flow such that the regularity estimates are stable with respect to the time discretization. Our method can also be applied in the case of the mean curvature flow and thus it provides an alternative proof, not relying on comparison principle, for the consistency between the flat flow solution and the classical solution for $$C^{1,1}$$

C

1
,
1

-regular initial sets.
Stability and guaranteed error control of approximations to the Monge–Ampère equation
Authors: Gallistl Dietmar , Tran Ngoc Tien
Published: December 2023

This paper analyzes a regularization scheme of the Monge–Ampère equation by uniformly elliptic Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equations. The main tools are stability estimates in the $$L^\infty $$

L
∞

norm from the theory of viscosity solutions which are independent of the regularization parameter $$\varepsilon $$
ε
. They allow for the uniform convergence of the solution $$u_\varepsilon $$

u
ε

to the regularized problem towards the Alexandrov solution u to the Monge–Ampère equation for any nonnegative $$L^n$$

L
n

right-hand side and continuous Dirichlet data. The main application are guaranteed a posteriori error bounds in the $$L^\infty $$

L
∞

norm for continuously differentiable finite element approximations of u or $$u_\varepsilon $$

u
ε

.
Analytical interference of intravascular contrast agents with clinical laboratory tests: a joint guideline by the ESUR Contrast Media Safety Committee and the Preanalytical Phase Working Group of the EFLM Science Committee
Authors: van der Molen Aart J. , Krabbe Johannes G. , Dekkers Ilona A. , Geenen Remy W. F. , Bellin Marie-France , Bertolotto Michele , Brismar Torkel B. , Cadamuro Janne , Correas Jean-Michel , Heinz-Peer Gertraud , Langlois Michel R. , Mahnken Andreas H. , Ozben Tomris , Quattrocchi Carlo C. , Radbruch Alexander , Reimer Peter , Roditi Giles , Romanini Laura , Sebastià Carmen , Simundic Ana-Maria , Stacul Fulvio , Clement Olivier
Published: December 2023

The Contrast Media Safety Committee of the European Society of Urogenital Radiology has, together with the Preanalytical Phase Working Group of the EFLM Science Committee, reviewed the literature and updated its recommendations to increase awareness and provide insight into these interferences.

Clinical relevance statement

Contrast Media may interfere with clinical laboratory tests. Awareness of potential interference may prevent unwanted misdiagnosis.

Key Points

• Contrast Media may interfere with clinical laboratory tests; therefore awareness of potential interference may prevent unwanted misdiagnosis.

• Clinical Laboratory tests should be performed prior to radiological imaging with contrast media or alternatively, blood or urine collection should be delayed, depending on kidney function.
Willingness to participate in combination screening for lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cardiovascular disease in four European countries
Authors: Behr Carina , Koffijberg Hendrik , IJzerman Maarten , Kauczor Hans-Ulrich , Revel Marie-Pierre , Silva Mario , von Stackelberg Oyunbileg , van Til Janine , Vliegenthart Rozemarijn
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Lung cancer screening (LCS), using low-dose computed tomography (LDCT), can be more efficient by simultaneously screening for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD), the Big-3 diseases. This study aimed to determine the willingness to participate in (combinations of) Big-3 screening in four European countries and the relative importance of amendable participation barriers.

Methods

An online cross-sectional survey aimed at (former) smokers aged 50–75 years elicited the willingness of individuals to participate in Big-3 screening and used analytical hierarchy processing (AHP) to determine the importance of participation barriers.

Results

Respondents were from France (n = 391), Germany (n = 338), Italy (n = 399), and the Netherlands (n = 342), and consisted of 51.2% men. The willingness to participate in screening was marginally influenced by the diseases screened for (maximum difference of 3.1%, for Big-3 screening (73.4%) vs. lung cancer and COPD screening (70.3%)) and by country (maximum difference of 3.7%, between France (68.5%) and the Netherlands (72.3%)). The largest effect on willingness to participate was personal perceived risk of lung cancer. The most important barriers were the missed cases during screening (weight 0.19) and frequency of screening (weight 0.14), while diseases screened for (weight 0.11) ranked low.

Conclusions

The difference in willingness to participate in LCS showed marginal increase with inclusion of more diseases and limited variation between countries. A marginal increase in participation might result in a marginal additional benefit of Big-3 screening. The amendable participation barriers are similar to previous studies, and the new criterion, diseases screened for, is relatively unimportant.

Clinical relevance statement

Adding diseases to combination screening modestly improves participation, driven by personal perceived risk. These findings guide program design and campaigns for lung cancer and Big-3 screening. Benefits of Big-3 screening lie in long-term health and economic impact, not participation increase.

Key Points

• It is unknown whether or how combination screening might affect participation.

• The addition of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cardiovascular disease to lung cancer screening resulted in a marginal increase in willingness to participate.

• The primary determinant influencing individuals' engagement in such programs is their personal perceived risk of the disease.
Zur Publikationsaktivität der akademischen Chirurgie und Anästhesiologie in Deutschland
Authors: Debus E. Sebastian , Khesrewi-Elshinnawi Nabila , Ghalib Jonas , Grundmann Reinhart T.
Published: December 2023

Fragestellung

Die publikatorischen Aktivitäten von Chef- und Oberärzten verschiedener operativer Fächer in deutschen Universitätskliniken sollen in einer Literaturübersicht vergleichend dargestellt werden. Die Leistung in der Gefäßchirurgie wird hinterfragt.

Methodik

Ermittelt wurde die Publikationsleistung der Führungsmannschaften von 38 Universitätskliniken für Allgemein- und Viszeralchirurgie, 39 unfallchirurgischen Universitätskliniken, 33 herzchirurgischen Universitätskliniken, 40 neurochirurgischen Universitätskliniken, 39 anästhesiologischen Universitätskliniken sowie der Gefäßchirurgie in 37 Universitätskliniken. Der Beobachtungszeitraum erstreckte sich über 10 Jahre. Erfasst wurden insgesamt 226 Kliniken mit 2849 Chef- und Oberärzten. Die Gesamtsumme der Publikationen betrug 19.461.

Ergebnisse

Die höchste Anzahl an Publikationen pro Mitarbeiter wurde in der Viszeralchirurgie registriert (10,6), die geringste in der Anästhesiologie (3,5). Gravierende Unterschiede zwischen publikationsstarken und -schwachen Kliniken wurden in allen Fachgebieten gesehen. Die Gefäßchirurgie schnitt mit 59,6 % publizierenden Mitarbeitern deutlich ungünstiger ab als z. B. die Neuro- (83,5 %) oder Viszeralchirurgie (79,4 %). Die kumulierten Impact-Faktoren (CIF) pro Mitarbeiter machten diese Fächerunterschiede noch deutlicher.

Folgerung

Die vorliegende Untersuchung demonstriert ein erhebliches Gefälle in der Publikationsaktivität der analysierten Kliniken, dies galt für alle Fächer gleichermaßen, und kann nur mit einer unterschiedlichen Forschungsmotivation erklärt werden. Die Gefäßchirurgie findet sich hinsichtlich der publikatorischen Aktivität in der unteren Hälfte der analysierten Fachgebiete, was aber allein auf der geringen Publikationsaktivität der untergeordneten Organisationsstrukturen beruht.
Implementation of Parenting Programs in Real-World Community Settings: A Scoping Review
Authors: Pinto Rita , Canário Catarina , Leijten Patty , Rodrigo Maria José , Cruz Orlanda
Published: December 2023

Implementing parenting programs in real-world community settings is fundamental to making effective programs widely available and consequently improving the lives of children and their families. Despite the literature acknowledging that the high-quality implementation of parenting programs is particularly challenging in real-world community settings, little is known about how the programs are implemented in these settings. This scoping review followed the methodological framework described by the Joanna Briggs Institute to map evidence on how evidence-based parenting programs have been implemented under real-world conditions. A systematic search of 12 scientific databases, gray literature, and the reference lists of the included studies identified 1918 records, of which 145 were included in the review. Fifty-three parenting programs were identified in studies documenting implementation in real-world community settings worldwide. Most studies included families in psychosocial risk engaged with family-support agencies. The qualitative synthesis identified several implementation outcomes, adaptations, barriers, and facilitators. Most studies reported a maximum of two implementation outcomes, mainly fidelity and acceptability. Providers frequently made adaptations, mainly to bring down barriers and to tailor the program to improve its fit. Findings highlight the need for a more detailed description of the implementation of programs, with greater consistency in terminology, operationalization, and measurement of implementation outcomes across studies. This will promote a more transparent, consistent, and accurate evaluation and reporting of implementation and increase the public health impact of parenting programs. Future studies should also assess the impact of adaptations and the cost-effectiveness and sustainability of programs in real-world community settings.
Unlocking potential: Systematic review the use of gamification in leadership curriculum
Authors: Hao Tianshi , Winn Jade G. , Qiang Qiang
Published: December 2023

This systematic review examines the role and efficacy of gamification in leadership education, addressing a significant void in contemporary literature. Recognizing the universally acknowledged significance of leadership in diverse sectors, this study highlights the pervasive challenges in post-secondary leadership curricula, such as unclear objectives, student motivation, lack of access and practical applications. This review dissects gamification's effectiveness, identifies key outcome determinants, and discusses the hurdles to classroom implementation, suggesting potential solutions or interventions by examining 23 peer-reviewed journal articles that are published in various locations and disciplines from 2012–2022. The results cover the roles of digital tools in facilitating gamification, recurring obstacles such as resource limitations, evaluation difficulties, and identifies the challenges in formulating a consensus of an operational definition between scholars. The paper suggests the need for future research focusing on refining gamification's definition, extending its scope, and crafting robust evaluation strategies, thereby catalyzing a transformation in pedagogical practices and should prioritize the development and implementation of robust evaluation strategies for gamified leadership training programs.
Biochemical characterisation of a PL24 ulvan lyase from seaweed-associated Vibrio sp. FNV38
Authors: Rodrigues Valerie J. , Jouanneau Diane , Fernandez-Fuentes Narcis , Onime Lucy A. , Huws Sharon A. , Odaneth Annamma A. , Adams Jessica M. M.
Published: December 2023

Ulvan is a green macroalgal cell wall polysaccharide that has tremendous potential for valorisation due to its unique composition of sulphated rhamnose, glucuronic acid, iduronic acid and xylose. Several potential applications such as production of biofuels, bioplastics and other value-added products necessitate the breakdown of the polysaccharide to oligomers or monomers. Research on ulvan saccharifying enzymes has been continually increasing over the last decade, with the increasing focus on valorisation of seaweed biomass for a biobased economy. Lyases are the first of several enzymes that are involved in saccharifying the polysaccharide and several ulvan lyases have been structurally and biochemically characterised to enable their effective use in the valorisation processes. This study investigates the whole genome of Vibrio sp. FNV38, an ulvan metabolising organism and biochemical characteristics of a PL24 ulvan lyase that it possesses. The genome of Vibrio sp. FNV38 has a diverse CAZy profile with several genes involved in the metabolism of ulvan, cellulose, agar, and alginate. The enzyme exhibits optimal activity at pH 8.5 in 100 mM Tris–HCl buffer and 30 °C. However, its thermal stability is poor with significant loss of activity after 2 h of incubation at temperatures above 25 °C. Breakdown product analysis reveals that the enzyme depolymerised the polysaccharide predominantly to disaccharides and tetrasaccharides.
Cell wall digestion of the dinoflagellate Breviolum minutum
Authors: Pairs Pranee I. , Dundon Morgan L. , Narváez-Vásquez Javier , Orozco-Cárdenas Martha L. , Xiang Tingting , Jinkerson Robert E. , Rao Masaru P.
Published: December 2023

The mitigation of coral bleaching requires adaptation of its endosymbionts to rising ocean temperatures, acidity, and ultra-violet radiation. While genetic transformation may offer a means for enhancing endosymbiont resilience to these environmental stressors, the opportunity for doing so in dinoflagellates is likely hampered, in part, by their armored cortex, which may present a formidable barrier to intracellular delivery. Here, using Breviolum minutum (Clade B Symbiodiniaceae) as a model, we show that this barrier may be moderated by first disrupting the outer plasma membrane with the detergent octyl β-D-glucopyranoside, followed by enzymatic digestion of the underlying cellulose with Cellulase RS and Macerozyme R-10. Treatment using this new protocol results in 61% reduction in calcofluor-based cell wall staining (i.e., 25% staining for protocol vs. 64% for control), thus demonstrating the ability for considerable cell wall digestion. Furthermore, protoplasts isolated thereby exhibit rapid cell wall recovery, as well as comparable PSII activity and cell growth as the control, thus suggesting that the protocol minimally affects acute- and long-term cellular function. Finally, the isolated protoplasts also show a potentially slight increase in permeability to a model exogenous cargo after electroporation with a non-optimized protocol. Collectively, this constitutes the first known successful generation of viable B. minutum protoplasts, and thus, serves as a foundation for future studies seeking to lower the barrier for transformation of these and possibly other Symbiodiniaceae.