bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Water Budget Input Linked to Atmospheric Rivers in British Columbia's Nechako River Basin
Authors: Sobral Bruno S. , Déry Stephen J.
Published: October 2024

This study explores the contribution of atmospheric rivers (ARs) to the water budget input of the Nechako River Basin (NRB) in British Columbia (BC), western Canada. The study quantifies the fraction of precipitation, rainfall, snowfall, and snow water equivalent (SWE) associated with ARs at multiple scales and tests for trends using the Mann–Kendall (MK) test. AR‐related totals for 1950–2021 were created by linking AR events to water budget input variables of the ERA5‐Land reanalysis product on a daily scale. Associations with different phases of the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) climate pattern and AR‐related contributions to the NRB are also investigated. Results indicate an increasing fractional contribution of rain in ARs landfalling in the NRB in the last two decades (2000–2019). Moreover, 21% of the total annual precipitation in the NRB is associated with ARs, with decreasing contributions from west to east. October has higher AR‐related total precipitation than other months, while March, May and June are the least affected. ARs contribute disproportionately more to mid‐ and high‐intensity daily precipitation totals, and provide up to 45% and 24% of the seasonal rainfall and snowfall, respectively. AR‐related SWE is relatively higher in autumn due to the increased frequency and intensity of ARs, resulting in a greater fractional contribution of ARs to the snowpack compared to winter. ARs influence snowpack accumulation during fall (18%) and winter (13%) but also increase the risk of natural hazards. The MK test for AR‐related water budget variables on the annual scale identified no significant trends. However, AR‐related snowfall shows decreasing trends in the NRB, more specifically in the Upper Nechako, Lower Nechako and Stellako sub‐basins during the summer. Over the study period, ARs consistently contribute up to one‐fifth of the annual input to the NRB's water budget. This study provides the first quantitative assessment and trend analyses of AR contributions to the water budget input of a reservoir‐regulated watershed in north‐central BC, yielding valuable information for hydropower production, ecological flows, irrigation, domestic and industrial water use.
Germline variants of homology‐directed repair or mismatch repair genes in cervical cancer
Authors: Kokemüller Lara , Ramachandran Dhanya , Schürmann Peter , Geffers Robert , Jentschke Matthias , Böhmer Gerd , Strauß Hans‐Georg , Hirchenhain Christine , Schmidmayr Monika , Müller Florian , Fasching Peter A. , Luyten Alexander , Häfner Norman , Hillemanns Peter , Dörk Thilo
Published: October 2024

While cervical cancer is associated with a persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, the progression to cancer is influenced by genomic risk factors that have remained largely obscure. Pathogenic variants in genes of the homology‐directed repair (HDR) or mismatch repair (MMR) are known to predispose to diverse tumour entities including breast and ovarian cancer (HDR) or colon and endometrial cancer (MMR). We here investigate the spectrum of HDR and MMR germline variants in cervical cancer, with particular focus on the HPV status and histological subgroups. We performed targeted next‐generation sequencing for 5 MMR genes and 12 HDR genes on 728 German patients with cervical dysplasia or invasive cancer. In total, 4% of our patients carried a pathogenic germline variant, based on ClinVar classifications and additional ESM1b and AlphaMissense predictions. These included 15 patients with truncating variants in HDR genes (BARD1, BRCA1, BRCA2, BRIP1, FANCM, RAD51D and SLX4). MMR‐related gene variants were less prevalent and mainly of the missense type. While MMR‐related gene variants tended to associate with adenocarcinomas, HDR gene variants were commonly observed in squamous cancers. While one patient with HPV‐negative cancer carried a pathogenic MMR gene variant (in MSH6), the HDR germline variants were found in patients with HPV‐positive cancers and tended to associate with HPV18. Taken together, our study supports a potentially risk‐modifying role of MMR and HDR germline variants in cervical cancer but no association with HPV‐negative status. These variants may be exploitable in future therapeutic managements.
Enhancing Ischemic Stroke Evaluation by a Model‐Based Photoacoustic Tomography Algorithm
Authors: Li Yuanyuan , Lin Yi , Li Boyi , Feng Ting , Li Dan , Li Ying , Wu Yi , Ta Dean
Published: October 2024

Ischemic stroke (IS) is characterized by the sudden interruption of blood supply to the brain, resulting in neurological impairments and even mortality. Photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) integrates the high contrast of optical imaging and the penetration of ultrasound imaging, enabling non‐invasive IS evaluation. However, the image reconstruction quality significantly affects the oxyhemoglobin saturation (sO2) estimation. This study investigates a model‐based with total variation minimized by augmented Lagrangian and alternating direction (MB‐TVAL3) approach and compared it with the widely used back‐projection (BP) and delay‐and‐sum (DAS) algorithms. Both simulations and in vivo experiments are conducted to validate the performance of the MB‐TVAL3 algorithm, showing a higher sO2 estimation accuracy and sensitivity in detecting infarct area compared to BP and DAS. The findings of this study emphasize the impact of acoustic inverse problem on the accuracy of sO2 estimation and the proposed approach offers valuable support for IS evaluation and cerebrovascular diagnosis.
Real‐time monitoring of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) by in vivo flow cytometry
Authors: Zhang Fuli , Lu Xin , Zhu Xi , Yu Ziwen , Xia Weiliang , Wei Xunbin
Published: October 2024

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are vesicular structures comprised of a bilayer lipid membrane, released by living cells. There is a growing body of evidence for their functionality, indicating that small EVs (sEVs) can mediate specific forms of intercellular communication. The future applications of sEVs hold great promise, not only as diagnostic markers but also as therapeutic agents. However, the greatest difficulty in the clinical translation of sEVs is that they are currently poorly understood, especially concerning their in vivo behaviour. In this study, we provide a novel method for monitoring sEVs in blood circulation based on in vivo flow cytometry (IVFC). We have demonstrated that the height of the IVFC signal baseline is proportional to the concentration of sEVs. Moreover, we have found out that the peaks in the IVFC signal are generated by the aggregation or cellular uptake of sEVs. In vivo monitoring of sEVs clearance from the blood indicates that PEGylated sEVs have a longer residence time and exhibit less aggregation in circulation compared to non‐PEGylated sEVs. These studies reveal that IVFC enables real‐time in vivo monitoring of circulating sEVs, which can provide valuable insights into the pharmacokinetics and cellular targeting capabilities of sEVs.
Separation of small extracellular vesicles (sEV) from human blood by Superose 6 size exclusion chromatography
Authors: Nouvel Jerome , Bustos‐Quevedo Gonzalo , Prinz Tony , Masood Ramsha , Daaboul George , Gainey‐Schleicher Tanja , Wittel Uwe , Chikhladze Sophia , Melykuti Bence , Helmstaedter Martin , Winkler Karl , Nazarenko Irina , Pütz Gerhard
Published: October 2024

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are valuable targets for liquid biopsy. However, attempts to introduce EV‐based biomarkers into clinical practice have not been successful to the extent expected. One of the reasons for this failure is the lack of reliable methods for EV baseline purification from complex biofluids, such as cell‐free plasma or serum. Because available one‐step approaches for EV isolation are insufficient to purify EVs, the majority of studies on clinical samples were performed either on a mixture of EVs and lipoproteins, whilst the real number of EVs and their individual specific biomarker content remained elusive, or on a low number of samples of sufficient volume to allow elaborate 2‐step EV separation by size and density, resulting in a high purity but utmost low recovery. Here we introduce Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography (FPLC) using Superose 6 as a matrix to obtain small EVs from biofluids that are almost free of soluble proteins and lipoproteins. Along with the estimation of a realistic number of small EVs in human samples, we show temporal resolution of the effect of the duration of postprandial phase on the proportion of lipoproteins in purified EVs, suggesting acceptable time frames additionally to the recommendation to use fasting samples for human studies. Furthermore, we assessed a potential value of pure EVs for liquid biopsy, exemplarily examining EV‐ and tumour‐biomarkers in pure FPLC‐derived fractions isolated from the serum of patients with pancreatic cancer. Consistent among different techniques, showed the presence of diseases‐associated biomarkers in pure EVs, supporting the feasibility of using single‐vesicle analysis for liquid biopsy.
Natural history of valve disease in patients with mucopolysaccharidosis II and the impact of enzyme replacement therapy
Authors: Kampmann Christoph , Lampe Christina , Wiethoff Christiane M. , Arash‐Kaps Laila , Mengel Eugen , Reinke Joerg , Beck Michael , Hennermann Julia B. , Abu‐Tair Tariq
Published: October 2024

Mucopolysaccharidosis II (MPS II, Hunter syndrome) is a rare, X‐linked lysosomal storage disease caused by reduced activity of iduronate‐2‐sulfatase (I2S), with subsequent cellular accumulation of the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), heparan sulfate, and dermatan sulfate (DS). DS is a major component of the extracellular matrix of heart valves, which can be affected in MPS II. We investigated the natural history of valve disease in MPS II and the impact of long‐term intravenous enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with recombinant I2S (idursulfase). In total, 604 cardiac examinations were assessed from serial follow‐up of 80 male patients (49 neuronopathic). Valve disease was classified according to standard practice from hemodynamic features evident from echocardiography. The natural history group comprised 48 patients (up to 14.8 years of follow‐up; median, 2.6 years; 24 patients started ERT during the study); 56 patients were treated (up to 14.2 years of follow‐up; median, 6.2 years). Lifetime GAG burden (calculated from urinary GAG measurements) correlated significantly with the degree of valve disease. Onset of moderate‐to‐severe valve disease was significantly delayed in treated (median age at onset, 29.1 ± 2 [95% CI: 25.2–32.9] years; Kaplan–Meier estimation) versus untreated patients (17.6 ± 1 [95% Cl: 15.8–19.4] years; p < 0.0001). Cox regression modeling found that long‐term ERT reduced the probability of developing severe valve disease (χ2, 32.736; significant after 5 years of ERT). Overall, this study found that valve disease severity in MPS II correlates with GAG burden and that progression is delayed by long‐term ERT.
Peanut‐Colonized Piriformospora indica Enhanced Drought Tolerance by Modulating the Enzymes and Expression of Drought‐Related Genes
Authors: Gao Jie , Wang Chen , Tian Pei‐Cong , Liu Chuang , Ahsan Taswar , Wei Yi , Huang Yu‐Qian , Zhang Shi‐Hong
Published: October 2024

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important cash and oil seed crop, mostly distributed in arid and semi‐arid areas. In recent years, due to the influence of atmospheric circulation anomalies and other factors, drought has become frequent and increasingly serious in China. This has posed serious challenges to peanut production. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of the endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica to form a symbiotic relationship with peanut plants and to evaluate the drought tolerance of P. indica‐colonized peanut plants subjected to a simulated drought stress treatment using 20% polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG6000). The endophytic fungus P. indica affected the physiological characteristics of the host plant by colonizing the plant roots, thereby conferring greater resistance to drought stress. This fungus strongly colonized the roots of peanuts and was found to enhance root activity after 24 h of P. indica colonization under PEG6000. Catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activities were increased at 24 h in peanut leaves colonized with P. indica. Expression of drought‐related genes, such as AhNCED1, AhP5CS, and DREB2A was upregulated at 24 h of P. indica colonization. In addition, after PEG6000 treatment, proline, soluble protein, and abscisic acid (ABA) concentrations in plants were increased, while the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was decreased in P. indica colonized peanut. In conclusion, P. indica mediated peanut plant protection against the detrimental effects of drought resulted from enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities, and the upregulated expression of drought‐related genes for lower membrane damage.
Arsenic Stress Mitigation Using a Novel Plant Growth‐Promoting Bacterial Strain Bacillus mycoides NR5 in Spinach Plant (Spinacia oleracea L.)
Authors: Sarim Khan M. , Shukla Renu , Bhoyar Manish S. , Kaur Baljeet , Singh Dhananjay P.
Published: October 2024

Present study aimed to identify arsenic (As)‐resistant bacterial strains that can be used to mitigate arsenic stress. A bacterium Bacillus mycoides NR5 having As tolerance limit of 1100 mg L−1 was isolated from Nag River, Maharashtra, India. It was also equipped with plant growth‐promoting (PGP) attributes like phosphate solubilization, siderophores, ammonia, and nitrate reduction, with added antibiotic tolerance. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron micrograph (TEM) suggested biosorption as possible mechanisms of arsenic tolerance. A strong peak in FTIR spectra at 3379.0 corresponding to amine in As‐treated NR5 also indicated metal interaction with cell surface protein. Amplification of arsenic reductase gene in NR5 further suggested intracellular transformation of As speciation. Moreover, As tolerance capability of NR5 was shown in spinach plants in which the bacterium effectively mitigated 25 ppm As by producing defense‐related proline molecules. Evidence from SEM, TEM, and FTIR, concluded biosorption possibly the primary mechanism of As tolerance in NR5 along with the transformation of arsenic. B. mycoides NR5 with PGP attributes, high As tolerance, and antibiotic resistance mediated enhanced As tolerance in spinach plants advocated that the strain can be a better choice for As bioremediation in contaminated agricultural soil and water.
Legacy effect of 25 years reduced atmospheric sulphur deposition on spruce tree nutrition
Authors: Zethof Jeroen H. T. , Julich Stefan , Feger Karl‐Heinz , Julich Dorit
Published: October 2024

Background

Since the mid‐1990s, sulphur (S) pollution was drastically reduced in Central Europe. Over time, this has led to a distinct reduction in S availability for Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.), which is still the most important timber species in Central European forestries.

Aims

Determination of the Norway spruce nutritional status of former strongly affected areas by S pollution (Saxony) with different degrees of liming by assessing their foliar element contents and comparing them to regions remote from historical high S deposition.

Methods

Sites were selected based on levels of S deposition in the 1970–1990s with historical high deposition in Saxony (NE Germany), low deposition at Schluchsee (SW Germany) and Davos (Switzerland) as a clean air reference. Needles were sampled in late autumn 2019/2020 and elemental contents determined. Additional historical data on foliar S contents were available.

Results

Historical data showed a clear decrease in foliar S contents in the Saxonian sites over the last 25 years, independent of liming. No difference between all study sites was found in the most recent sampling, whereas S together with other macronutrients strongly indicates deficiencies for forest growth and health.

Conclusions

After 25 years of reduced S deposition, S nutrition became low for Norway spruce trees in Saxony, whereas soil parent material determines the overall tree nutritional status with respect to other nutrients. As such, no difference between sites with historical high, low or no S deposition was found. Further studies should focus on the mineralization of organic S in the topsoil to understand if S is effectively recycled within the forest ecosystem and on the effect of other diminishing nutrients such as Mg and P.
The Stability of Manganese Oxides Under Laser Irradiation During Raman Analyses: I. Compact Versus Channel Structures
Authors: Bernardini Simone , Ventura Giancarlo Della , Mihailova Boriana , Sodo Armida
Published: October 2024

Manganese oxides/oxyhydroxides (MnOx) are based on Mnn+O6 and Mnn+O4 polyhedra arranged such as to form compact, channel or layered structures. In geology, they are precious archives of past redox conditions for palaeoclimatic reconstructions; in material sciences, they are used for a variety of applications, from pigments to environmental remediation and energy storage. Thus, the fast, remote and non‐destructive identification of MnOx is critical in several disciplines. Micro‐Raman spectroscopy is often used for this purpose, although a systematic characterization of their stability under the laser beam is still lacking. In this work, we present our results on the behaviour of the most common MnOx having compact and channel structures when a 532‐nm laser with intensity between ~23 μW/μm2 and ~36.8 mW/μm2 is used. The compact structures of manganosite (NaCl‐like) and hausmannite (spinel‐like) are stable up to ~36.8 mW/μm2. The stability of oxides with channel structures depends on channel size, charge of channel cations and valence state of Mn. Hausmannite is the final degradation product of all MnOx with channel structures, irrespective of the starting phase. Pyrolusite, manganite, hollandite and romanéchite are relatively stable under the laser beam, and the transition to the spinel structure occurs above 2.5 mW/μm2 while the degradation of cryptomelane and todorokite starts ~226 μW/μm2. The analysis of MnOx thus needs very accurate experimental conditions to avoid misleading and incorrect phase identifications. Based on our data, we propose an analytical protocol for a proper characterization of these minerals via Raman spectroscopy.
Preparation, identification and α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity of a high‐methoxyl HG‐type pectin from Liangping pomelo (Citrus maxima cv. Liangpin Yu) peel
Authors: Gu Xin , Gao Tao , Liu Mengya , Hou Yakun , Jiang Zhonggui , Zhang Yuhao
Published: October 2024

BACKGROUND

The peel from Liangping pomelo (Citrus maxima cv. Liangpin Yu) is generally discarded as waste during post‐harvest handling and process, resulting in environmental pollution and waste. Pectin is the major component in pomelo peels and yields significant economic advantages. Thus, developing pomelo peel pectin (PPs) might be a feasible strategy to reduce environmental pollution caused by pomelo peel.

RESULTS

The optimized PPs yield was 156.5 ± 2.5 g kg−1 under the inoculum size of 100 mg g−1, liquid–solid ratio of 31 mL g−1, fermentation time of 64 h, and fermentation temperature of 39 °C. PPs‐6Aa, a pectin fraction from PPs purified with DEAE‐52 cellulose, Sephadex G‐100 and Sephadex G‐75 column chromatography, showed higher α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity, with an IC50 of 0.12 ± 0.03 mg mL−1. It was a high‐methoxyl HG‐type pectin of 42.8 kDa, and its repeat unit was →4)‐α‐GalpA‐6‐OMe‐(1→4)‐α‐GalpA‐6‐OMe‐(1→. Additionally, its α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity might be related to hydrogen bonds formed with Lys‐156, Glu‐277, His‐280, Asp‐307, Arg‐315, Asn‐350, Asp‐352 and Glu‐411, and to hydrophobic interactions formed with Ser‐157, Tyr‐158, Asp‐233, Gln‐239, Ser‐240, Phe‐303, Thr‐306, Leu‐313, Phe‐314, Gln‐353 and Arg‐442.

CONCLUSION

These findings provide structural and bioactivity information on pectin from Liangping pomelo peel, which could be beneficial for the development of functional foods and pharmaceuticals. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Unveiling the low‐temperature oxidation chemistry of dipropyl carbonate
Authors: Li Lincheng , Zhou Chao , Yang Guofeng , Huang Zhen , Han Dong
Published: October 2024

Dialkyl carbonates (DACs) own an environmentally friendly synthesis route, making them potential candidates as alternative fuels. However, for DACs to be widely accepted as an alternative fuel, a comprehensive understanding of their combustion behavior is essential. Dipropyl carbonate (DPrC) represents a transition from short‐chain to mid‐chain carbonates, understanding its combustion behaviors holds significance in unraveling the combustion chemistry of carbonates. In this study, the oxidation of DPrC was investigated with the initial fuel mole fraction of 0.5% at three equivalence ratios of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 within a temperature range of 550–1100 K in a jet‐stirred reactor for the first time. Gas chromatography was utilized for the quantitative detection of reactants, intermediates, and products. A detailed DPrC mechanism was first developed, and good agreements between measurements and simulations were obtained. A notable negative temperature coefficient (NTC) behavior was first observed in the oxidation of DACs. Such NTC phenomenon occurred at fuel‐lean conditions in the temperature range of 620–660 K, while only a weak low‐temperature consumption was observed at the stoichiometric condition. Kinetic modeling studies showed that this unique low‐temperature chemistry of DPrC can be attributed to the differences in the RO2 isomerization reactions between DPrC and short‐chain DACs. The RO2 isomerization via a six‐member ring transition state could happen in DPrC oxidation but not in dimethyl carbonate and diethyl carbonate oxidation, due to the different fuel molecular structure. Therefore, the subsequent reaction pathways via QOOH → O2QOOH → HO2Q = O + OH → OQ = O + OH were promoted and two OH radicals were released in this process. Moreover, it is conceivable that mid or long‐chain DACs could also exhibit an NTC phenomenon due to the increased potential for RO2 isomerization via a six‐ or seven‐member ring transition state, thereby increasing the likelihood of RO2 isomerization occurrence.
A temperature tipping point in hypoxic zone size
Authors: Turner R. Eugene , Rabalais Nancy N. , Glaspie Cassandra N.
Published: October 2024

Temperature increases will have ubiquitous effects on aquatic food webs, from microbes to consumers, and affect the quality and quantity of carbon flows within and between water layers. A decline in the biological pump moving carbon from surface to lower layers is anticipated. We reviewed 37 years of data on hypoxic zone size and water quality in the northern Gulf of Mexico to determine if air and bottom water temperature increases (0.5°C decade−1) are significantly related to variations in its areal size. There was no significant decline in important river water quality in the 24 years since the national Hypoxia Action Plan was developed to reduce its size. Changes in the ratio of km2 hypoxia per 1000 mt nitrate loading from the Mississippi River from 2000 to 2023 reveals a tipping point in the hypoxic zone size that is driven by ocean warming. Biological factors varying with temperature such as ectotherm growth rates, zooplankton grazing, cell sinking rates, and diatom sequestration of Si or N are apparently more important influences on recent hypoxic zone size than variations in physical factors. This tipping point may be common to similarly warmed and eutrophic coastal waters where warming will likely result in diminished oxygen deficiency (< 2 mgO2 L−1). Hypoxia and food web models assuming a stationary equipoise of nutrient loadings, ratios and food webs will be deficient as coastal waters warm further, coastal storm and hurricane frequency increase and land uses in the watershed are altered with climate change.
External Factors Modulating Pain and Pain‐Related Functional Impairment in Cervical Dystonia
Authors: Martino Davide , Achen Beatrice M.C. , Morgante Francesca , Erro Roberto , Fox Susan H. , Edwards Mark J. , Schrag Anette , Stamelou Maria , Appel‐Cresswell Silke , Defazio Giovanni , Ray‐Chaudhuri Kallol , Poplawska‐Domaszewicz Karolina , Richardson Sarah Pirio , Jinnah Hyder A. , Bruno Veronica A.
Published: October 2024

Background

Little is known about factors modulating pain and pain‐related functional impairment in isolated cervical dystonia (CD).

Objective

The aim was to assess the prevalence and interrelationship between pain‐modulating factors and pain‐related determinants of functional impairment and quality of life in CD.

Methods

We analyzed pain‐aggravating and pain‐relieving external factors, the degree of pain‐related functional impact on routine activities, and the relationship between these and pain severity, using cross‐sectional data collected using the Pain in Dystonia Scale (PIDS) from 85 participants with CD. Pairwise correlation analyses and age‐ and sex‐adjusted linear regression models estimated the relationship between pain‐modulating factors and pain severity, and the impact of pain severity, dystonia severity, and psychiatric symptoms on pain‐related functional impairment and disease‐specific quality of life (measured using the Craniocervical Dystonia Questionnaire‐24).

Results

Stress and prolonged fixed position were the most frequent and impacting pain triggers, with women reporting larger impact. The average impact of pain‐relieving factors was lower than that of pain triggers. Physical exercise and social gatherings were the most impacted activities by pain in CD. The intensity of external modulating factors was a predictor of pain severity. Severity of pain, CD, and psychiatric symptoms independently predicted pain‐related functional impairment, whereas quality of life was predicted by pain severity, pain‐related functional impairment, and psychiatric symptom severity, but not dystonia severity.

Conclusion

The PIDS provides insight into external modulation and functional impact of pain in CD. The pattern of external modulation of pain in CD is in line with a multifactorial modulation and complex physiology.
Optimizing Pricing Strategies for Product Lines and Value‐Added Services: Accounting for Reference Prices and Network Effects
Authors: Qi Wei , Li Ziwei , Ma Yongfeng , Liu Xuwang
Published: October 2024

Customer choice behavior is increasingly influenced by the reference price effect and negative network effect as customers become more rational and personalized. This study, considering customers as pivotal stakeholders for enterprise development, employs the multinomial logit (MNL) model and develops pricing and strategy optimization models for pure bundling and mixed bundling strategies of an enterprise's product line. The main focus is to analyze how these effects impact optimal pricing and strategy selection. The results indicate that stronger effects lead to lower enterprise profits, and ignoring them can cause substantial losses. Generally, mixed bundling strategies yield higher profits.
Trace Ratio Based Manifold Learning With Tensor Data
Authors: Bouallala Mohammed , Dufrenois Franck , Jbilou Khalide , Ratnani Ahmed
Published: October 2024

In this article, we propose an extension of trace ratio based Manifold learning methods to deal with multidimensional data sets. Based on recent progress on the tensor‐tensor product, we present a generalization of the trace ratio criterion by using the properties of the t‐product. This will conduct us to introduce some new concepts such as Laplacian tensor and we will study formally the trace ratio problem by discussing the conditions for the existence of solutions and optimality. Next, we will present a tensor Newton QR decomposition algorithm for solving the trace ratio problem. Manifold learning methods such as Laplacian eigenmaps, linear discriminant analysis and locally linear embedding will be formulated in a tensor representation and optimized by the proposed algorithm. Finally, we will evaluate the performance of the different studied dimension reduction methods on several synthetic and real world data sets.
Planning policies to restrict fast food and inequalities in child weight in England: a quasi‐experimental analysis
Authors: Xiang Huasheng , Goffe Louis , Albani Viviana , Akhter Nasima , Lake Amelia A. , Brown Heather
Published: October 2024

Objective

England has one of the highest childhood obesity rates in Europe. To promote a healthier food environment in 2015, Gateshead Council in North East England introduced planning guidelines effectively banning any new fast‐food outlets. Our aim was to investigate whether this policy led to any reductions in childhood overweight and obesity prevalence and the inequalities in these outcomes.

Methods

We used data from the National Child Measurement Programme, the Food Standards Agency Food Hygiene Rating Scheme data, and the Office of National Statistics between 2012 and 2020. We estimated a difference‐in‐differences model employing propensity score matching to identify a control group.

Results

We found no significant change in population‐level childhood overweight and obesity in Gateshead compared with control areas. In subgroup analysis by area‐level deprivation, we found that the quintile of deprivation with the highest proportion of fast‐food outlets had a statistically significant reduction of 4.8% in the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity compared with control areas.

Conclusions

Restricting fast‐food outlets in areas with a high concentration of such outlets as part of a package of policies to reduce childhood obesity may help to reduce prevalence and inequalities in childhood overweight and obesity.
Using the reverse geometry method for warpage compensation on changing meshes with interpolation methods
Authors: Tillmann Steffen , Schwan Sebastian , Fritsche Daniel C. , Kahve Cemi E. , Elgeti Stefanie , Hopmann Christian
Published: October 2024

In the manufacturing process of injection molding, the geometric accuracy of the produced part is affected by shrinkage and warpage. To support efforts to compensate for these effects, this paper presents an extension of the numerical compensation approach known as the reverse geometry method. The reverse geometry method is based on the numerical forward simulation of the displacement field resulting from shrinkage and warpage. It is an iterative method that performs node‐based compensation in each step. The mention of node‐based compensation already indicates that the method is associated with a computational mesh. In particular, in its basic version, it is linked to a specific mesh that must be kept identical during all iteration steps. This requirement is not always compatible with commercial simulation tools for injection molding, which enforce automatic remeshing between simulations. We present an interpolation method that allows to handle changing meshes and illustrate the method with two practical examples.
More than rapid identification—Free plant identification apps can also be highly accurate
Authors: Rzanny Michael , Bebber Anke , Wittich Hans Christian , Fritz Alice , Boho David , Mäder Patrick , Wäldchen Jana
Published: October 2024

Hart et al. (2023) conducted a study to evaluate the accuracy of five plant identification apps based on snapshot images as used in practice by field ecologists. Their results revealed varying accuracies per app, ranging from 86.9% to 46.4%. We explore the reasons why apps failed to deliver the expected result.

We re‐evaluated the image dataset using another plant identification app (Flora Incognita) in order to understand the discrepancies between ground truth and app predictions. We found that mismatches between the given and returned labels can arise due to incorrect app prediction, incorrect ground truth, multiple species per image or taxonomical inconsistencies.

For some images depicting early developmental plant stages, the ground truth could not be verified, resulting in some cases where both the ground truth and the app predictions could neither be confirmed nor refuted. After accounting for these aspects, Flora Incognita reached an accuracy of 98.8% on the same image dataset.

Our results highlight the untapped potential of plant ID apps, as they can be highly accurate. As shown here, one area of application could be spotting misidentifications in scientific image collections, especially if multiple apps disagree with the given label.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Oral history methods can reveal drivers of landscape transformation: Understanding land‐use legacies with local and traditional knowledge in Central Europe
Authors: Biró Marianna , Molnár Krisztina , Öllerer Kinga , Szilágyi Réka , Babai Dániel , Molnár Csaba , Molnár Zsolt
Published: October 2024

Ecosystems and landscapes shaped by the intricate relationship between people and their natural environment embody the impact of many different past land‐use practices and historical events. However, in some regions, classical historical records of landscape change do not exist or are insufficiently detailed. Local communities' ecological memory can play an important role in filling this gap by reconstructing the socio‐ecologically relevant indirect drivers and their interactions, as well as identifying vegetation characteristics that are legacies of previous land‐use practices.

We studied a rapidly transforming cultural landscape in Transylvania (Romania) by conducting 144 oral history interviews covering the last 70 years (before, during and after collective farming).

The interviews revealed complex interactions of indirect drivers. Country‐scale political and economic changes affected the landscape with crop outflow during the collective system (1962–1989), resulting in labour outflow to cities from the 1960s. The latter reduced the time and attention devoted to haymaking and affected population ageing. Together with other drivers, this demographic change led to a major transformation of the traditional landscape by the 2010s. We identified 47 vegetation characteristics as land‐use legacies related to grasslands and classified them into general legacy types.

Our results support that there was an opportunity to innovatively revive the traditional cultural landscape after the fall of communism, when local knowledge, and willingness to manage the landscape were still present, but financial assets and government support were lacking. The indirect driver interactions led to the abandonment of traditional hay meadow management, resulting in a homogenising landscape with simplified land use dominated by sheep grazing and increasingly dependent on agricultural subsidies.

We found that many vegetation characteristics of the studied species‐rich grasslands are only legacies of former land‐use activities, still known by locals but no longer applied. By creating knowledge partnerships, we can still learn about the past management and the functioning of such biodiversity‐rich cultural landscapes from the people who actively maintained them. We argue that this type of knowledge is essential to revive and adapt practices for protecting and managing species‐rich habitats across European cultural landscapes and for supporting the planning of appropriate conservation management and subsidy schemes.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Sex differences in LDL‐C reduction response to evolocumab: A propensity score matching analysis
Authors: He Ye‐Qian , Wei Yu‐Qing , Huang Guang‐Ming , Liu Guo‐Ping , Lin Zhong‐Qiu , Liu Tao‐Tao , Jiang Xia , Lu Jie‐Jiu
Published: October 2024

Background

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors (PCSK9i) have been shown to improve cardiovascular outcomes by reducing low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C). However, sex differences in the efficacy of evolocumab remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate sex differences in the efficacy of evolocumab using real‐world data.

Method

Data were collected from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University. A total of 416 eligible patients were selected from 1463 patients treated with evolocumab for secondary prevention. Clinical data, including individual characteristics and lipids profiles, were recorded. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to control for potential confounders, with covariates including age, body mass index, smoking status, and diabetes. All eligible participants were propensity‐matched 1:1 for female versus male with a match tolerance of 0.02. The efficacy of evolocumab in females and males was compared by PSM‐adjusted analysis.

Results

In the PSM analysis, a significant difference was found in the relative percentage reduction of LDL‐C between females and males (−42.7% vs. −54.4%, p < 0.001). In addition, the absolute LDL‐C reduction was lower in females compared to males (interquartile range: −1.5 [−2.2, −0.8] mmol/L vs. −1.9 [−2.5, −1.0] mmol/L, p = 0.018). The rate of target LDL‐C attainment was lower in females than in males after treatment with evolocumab (21.6% vs. 39.8%, p = 0.009).

Conclusion

These results suggest that males have a better response to evolocumab in term of LDL‐C reduction compared to females.
The Clinical Concurrence of Migraine and Transient Global Amnesia: Case Series of ‘Migramnesia’?
Authors: Fratalia Lauren , Larner Andrew J.
Published: October 2024

Complaint of transient impairment or loss of memory as an attendant feature in some migraine attacks has long been recognised. In some cases, migraine may be a trigger or precipitating factor for the syndrome of transient global amnesia (TGA); however, the exact frequency of this concurrence is unknown. Here, the authors present three cases of TGA in the context of migraine headache, consider possible reasons why this concurrence might be under‐recognised, review possible shared pathogenetic mechanisms and suggest a new terminology—‘migramnesia’—which may encourage clinicians to address the possible significance of migraine in the context of an episode of TGA.
Monte‐Carlo Study on Temperature Effect on Scanning Electron Microscopy Contrast for One Spherical Nanoparticle in Multiframe Stacking Mode
Authors: Zhang Peng
Published: October 2024

Modern scanning electron imaging (SEM) has become an essential tool in various fields. In order to obtain high‐quality images with minimal vibration and drift, the multi‐frame stacking technique is commonly used. However, one aspect that has been overlooked in this process is the electron beam‐induced temperature effect. This study aims to explore the impact of the temperature effect on SEM contrast for a single spherical nanoparticle, specifically a gold nanosphere on a carbon substrate. Through Monte‐Carlo simulation, we investigated how the number of frames in multi‐frame stacking mode affects two types of electron signals: secondary electrons (SE) and backscattering electrons (BSE). Our findings revealed that the SEM contrast is indeed sensitive to the number of frames used in the stacking process. It is observed that the SE contrast decreases while the BSE contrast increases compared to cases without considering temperature effects. It is also found that when using the large primary electron beam energy, the impact of temperature effect was less significant. The electron‐solid interaction theory was utilized to systematically explain the underlying mechanism. This study not only sheds light on how temperature effects can influence SEM imaging but also provides valuable insights for optimizing image acquisition techniques.
First−Principle Study on Electronic Structure and Magnetism in Doped Boron Phosphide Nanosheet
Authors: Liu Yaxuan , Han Yilin , Wang Min , Liu Peimeng , Lu Jing , Ren Jie , Zhou Tiege
Published: October 2024

Based on the first‐principles calculation of density‐functional theory, the electronic structure and magnetic properties of hexagonal boron phosphide (h‐BP) with doping and applying strain to the transition‐metal (TM = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni) elements are investigated. After the TM elements are introduced, the magnetism is induced. The magnetic moments are 3.00, 3.87, 1.00, 1.99, and 1.00 μB, respectively, which mainly contributed by the 3d orbitals of TM elements. In the case of magnetic coupling, Cr–Cr are mainly coupled antiferromagnetically at different distances. In addition, Fe–Fe performs a ferromagnetic state, and Co–Co represents an antiferromagnetic state with the distance of 3.213 Å. After applied strain, Co doped of the system shows the characteristics of semimetals under the application of 4% strain. It can be added that for h‐BP systems, doping Co and Mn increases its conductivity, which is beneficial to the study of spintronic materials.
An efficient surrogate model for system reliability with multiple failure modes
Authors: Xu Zhaohui , Gao Lining , Wang Shinian , Cui Yi , Qiao Xinqi
Published: October 2024

The failure modes of complex systems are often highly dependent. Aiming at the reliability analysis of engineering systems with multiple failure modes, an efficient surrogate model for system reliability with multiple failure modes is proposed, namely, the Copula Adaptive Kriging surrogate model (CAKSM). First, the initial Kriging model is established based on the initial samples. In order to select more effective added samples to update the Kriging model, a new learning function, namely, Copula Unites with Expected Improvement Function (CUEIF), is established. The function can make a reasonable sample selection by considering the failure correlation. Then, based on the optimal Copula function, the reliability data of each failure mode are coupled and analyzed. In order to adapt to various computing scales, regularization is introduced to improve the prediction speed of the surrogate model, and the probability density function of each performance function is obtained by introducing nonparametric kernel density estimation. Finally, the effectiveness of the CAKSM method and the learning function CUEIF is verified through four examples.
Bioremediation Using Fruit Waste to Remove Lead From Water
Authors: González‐Guadarrama María de Jesús , Armienta‐ Hernández María Aurora
Published: October 2024

The application of biomaterials in the remediation of contaminated water requires studies that support their use, involving physical, chemical, and/or biological treatments. This study aimed to physicochemically characterize the adsorption process of biomaterials created from orange peels, tamarind seeds, and avocado seeds when they interact with lead to remove it from water. Additionally, we compared the adsorption efficiency between materials subjected to physical processes and chemical processes (polymerized with polyanilines). Our results indicate that orange peel is the best option for Pb(II) concentrations lower than 100 mg L−1, whereas avocado seeds offer better adsorption results for higher concentrations, followed by tamarind seeds. The results show that Freundlich isotherms best describe the adsorption process. The Fourier Transform Infrared spectra indicate that chemisorption is the dominant mechanism. This is supported by comparing the adsorption capacity of the biomaterial with that of the biomaterial polymerized with polyanilines; this process reduces adsorption by up to 40% due to the diminution of active sites. The optimal pH for orange peel and tamarind seeds is 4.5, whereas for avocado it is 6.0, which coincides with the pKa of carboxyl groups. The infrared spectra suggest that the interaction occurs in the carboxyl groups.
Adaptive Predefined‐Time Fuzzy Control for Nonlinear Systems Subject to Unknown Control Direction and Mismatched Disturbances Based on Command Filter Technique
Authors: Jiang Yaling , Su Yakun , Wang Huanqing
Published: October 2024

This article proposes an adaptive predefined‐time event triggered fuzzy tracking control strategy for strict‐feedback nonlinear systems with unknown control direction and mismatched disturbances by applying command filters. The Nussbaum‐type function is employed to tackle the unknown control direction problem, and the fuzzy logic systems (FLSs) are applied to model the nonlinear functions. And then, command filters are adopted to deal with the problems of complexity explosion, and the event‐triggered technique is exploited to conserve communication resources. With the help of backstepping mechanism and predefined‐time stability theory, the constructed adaptive control scheme is proposed to ensure all signals in the closed‐loop system are bounded and that the tracking error converges to a residual set. Finally, a simulation example proves the validity of presented control mechanism.
Advancing effective methods for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from rice (Oryza sativa L.) fields
Authors: Yadav Shubh Pravat Singh , Ghimire Netra Prasad , Paudel Prava , Mehata Dipesh Kumar , Bhujel Sangita
Published: October 2024

The implications of global warming present significant threats to both crop productivity and environmental sustainability. The global population greatly depends on rice as a staple food, contributing significantly to global warming and agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Agricultural soils play a crucial role in the release and uptake of essential GHGs, including methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and carbon dioxide (CO2), serving as both sources and sinks within the agricultural ecosystem. Notably, rice fields alone account for approximately 30% and 11% of global CH4 and N2O emissions from agricultural activities, respectively. As the demand for rice is expected to rise in the future, it becomes increasingly critical to address GHG emissions and minimise the detrimental environmental effects associated with rice production. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of the available data regarding the influence of different crop management practices on GHG emissions in rice fields. We recognise the substantial potential for reducing GHG emissions through modifications in traditional crop management systems. Our analysis evaluates various options, such as adjustments in cropping practices, regulation of organic and fertiliser inputs, management of tillage techniques and irrigation strategies, and the selection of suitable cultivars, all of which can contribute to GHG emission reduction. It is crucial to consider that changes in management practices may have simultaneous and sometimes contradictory effects on different gases through various mechanisms. Therefore, our comprehensive evaluation aims to assess the potential global warming impact of each approach, considering the magnitude of their effects on all gases. This assessment seeks to identify suitable crop management practices that effectively reduce GHG emissions in rice cultivation while considering the overall environmental impact.
“I don't think I can help you anymore.” Sex workers' experiences of accessing mental health services in Ireland
Authors: Ryan Paul , McGarry Kathryn , Leacy Becky , Leahy Patricia
Published: October 2024

This paper is based on a study funded by the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP), exploring sex worker mental health through a qualitative study of eighteen sex workers living and working in the Republic of Ireland and with participants from service provider organizations. This paper utilizes and adapts the concept of minority stress to explain how it is the social world that contributes to difficulties in managing mental health, not just for the LGBTQ+ community but explicitly for sex workers, through intersectional stigma and discrimination. Ireland introduced the Criminal Law Amendment Act (2017) based on the Nordic model of client criminalization, which sought to prosecute those that purchase sex while reducing the legal culpability of sex workers. The paper explores how the mental health of sex workers living and working under the law is impacted and the difficulties negotiating access to mental health services once participants disclose their sex work.