bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
8.1.3 Applying Engineering Principles to Human Components in Complex Systems
Authors: Kurstedt Harold
Published: September 2023

Systems engineers must understand the workings within and the relationships among human as well as non‐human subsystems in the larger systems they're engineering. To be systems thinkers, we must easily and comfortably integrate human subsystems into complex systems. A key to approaching the human subsystems is to incorporate solution‐focused thinking that is based on circular and mutual causality rather than cause and effect. However, systems engineers can quite well apply their engineer's laws of physical science to human subsystems. The fundamental building block for systems that include humans is the dyad (two people). When anxiety rises in a dyad, the two people will attract a third human or non‐human subsystem to form a triangle. We can diagram dyads and triangles to better analyze, design, and implement complex systems containing human subsystems.
3.2.2 System Design and Validation Through Modeling and Simulation
Authors: Garrett D.G. , Wolff Jeffrey , Johnson T.F.
Published: September 2023

This paper will discuss the methods and techniques required to successfully model and simulate modern avionics systems. Emphasis is placed on techniques to separate hardware and software models. The use of system model and simulations throughout the life cycle of a system is discussed. Several examples from the S‐3B Ada program are cited.
1.3.4 Three Types of Systems Engineering Implementation
Authors: Sheard Sarah A.
Published: September 2023

INCOSE has been bedeviled by arguments about the definition of systems engineering. Many definitions have appeared, but the only one that is widely accepted is so broad as to be almost a tautology. As a result, INCOSE has been unable to answer many questions in a way that most members can accept.

This paper claims that systems engineering can be defined in a way that leads to clean answers to many questions. This definition claims that what people have been calling “systems engineering” can be split into three basic implementations or types of systems engineering: Discovery, a discipline or specialist type that involves significant analysis, particularly of the problem space; Program Systems Engineering, a coordination or generalist type that emphasizes the solution space and technical and human interfaces; and Approach, a process type that can (and should) be performed by any engineer. Such a breakout resolves controversies and has implications on systems engineering training, research, processes, standards, and promulgation.
5.4.3 A Case Study in Modeling Company Policy Documents as a Source of Requirments
Authors: Crumpton Kathleen Marie , Gonzales Regina M. , Trauth Sharon
Published: September 2023

This paper describes an approach that was developed to produce structured models that graphically reflect the requirements contained within a text document. The document used in this research is a draft policy document governing business in a research and development environment. In this paper, we present a basic understanding of why this approach is needed, the techniques developed, lessons learned during modeling and analysis, and recommendations for future investigation.

The modeling method applied on the policy document was developed as an extension to entity relationship (ER) diagrams, which built in some structural information typically associated with object oriented techniques. This approach afforded some structure as an analysis tool, while remaining flexible enough to be used with the text document. It provided a visual representation that allowed further analysis and layering of the model to be done.
7.4.2 The Systems Engineering Started in the Middle Process
Authors: Bahill Terry , Briggs Clark
Published: September 2023

The systems engineering process often begins somewhere in the middle of a project. Naturally, the systems engineering process should be different for a project where systems engineering starts in the middle versus a project where it starts at the beginning of the project. This paper presents a consensus of senior systems engineers at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory about how systems engineering should be done when it starts in the middle.
8.4.1 One Engineering Process – Integrated!
Authors: Denny Barbara , Bennett Richard
Published: September 2023

Process definition is not new at Rockwell Collins. Processes have been documented and repeatedly updated throughout the Rockwell Collins history. Process variations have existed due to the number of disciplines, Business Units, degree of adherence, level of senior management support, customer influence, etc. During the past two years Rockwell Collins has documented an enterprise level standard engineering process framework. The resulting Engineering Technical Consistent Process (ETCP) addresses the disciplines of Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Hardware Engineering and Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC) Engineering and is one of a suite of enterprise level processes that encompass the full business lifecycle.
5.5.1 The Shangri‐La of ROI
Authors: Sheard Sarah A. , Miller Christopher L.
Published: September 2023

Many INCOSE members are dismayed that there are no hard numbers to justify implementation of systems engineering process improvement. This paper shows that: 1) There are no “hard numbers.” 2) There will be no hard numbers in the foreseeable future. 3) If there were hard numbers, there wouldn't be a way to apply them to your situation, and 4) if you did use such numbers, no one would believe you anyway.

We have to get past fantasy and find out how to make the case for implementing systems engineering process improvement without these elusive hard numbers. This paper concludes with suggestions on how to build a case for process improvement that does not rely on hard numbers.
6.6.4 Case Study in Effective Government‐Contractor Partnering
Authors: Thornton John A. , Kinsinger Heide A. , Luczak Michael A.
Published: September 2023

Any Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition program manager would argue for more funding and more schedule as a rationale for successful program execution, claiming his or her program is on a “fast track”. At the same time, the days of having relief provided due to cost overruns and schedule delays are becoming history, and such perils unquestionably increase the risk of unwanted scrutiny of programs. These realities have challenged program managers to seek new and innovative ways to manage their programs. The government and contractor program managers for the Space and Naval Warfare System Command's Advanced Deployable System (ADS) Program have responded to this challenge by developing an effective government‐laboratory‐contractor partnership, and utilizing this efficient relationship in virtually every facet of program planning and execution. The case study presented in this paper discusses how the ADS Underwater Segment (UWS) has used this partnership in planning and executing its 42 month program, which was completed on time and under budget. It provides lessons learned from this management experience for consideration by other program managers interested on embarking on such a path.
8.6.2 Systems Engineering – Consumer and Infrastructure Approaches
Authors: Kayton Myron , Ogan Ron
Published: September 2023

Systems Engineering processes increase in complexity for infrastructure applications compared with consumer. The level of testing documentation, subassembly qualification and verification of simulation tools are important for infrastructure systems but are of minimal value for consumer systems. Requirements tracking and flow‐down from the customer performance specifications are more detailed and costly for infrastructure systems. Infrastructure systems that are based upon stable technologies, such as buildings or utilities usually do not use Systems Engineering processes.
9.1 Extending EIA‐731 Systems Engineering Capability Model Appraisal Method for Safety and Tailoring the Method to Yellowstone National Park
Authors: Alessi Sam , Johnesee James A. , Plowman Catherine M. , Siler Nelson
Published: September 2023

Integrated safety management requires that safety be integrated with basic management and engineering practices. The objective of this work was to add safety to the EIA‐731 Systems Engineering Capability Model Appraisal Method and thereby gain simultaneous and integrated findings. Safety appraisal information was gleaned from the Department of Energy, the Department of Interior, the Private Sector, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and other sources. This information was cast as a series of maturity‐oriented questions and added to EIA‐731. The integrated questionnaire was then tailored for application at Yellowstone National Park and the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. Results are not available at this writing due to delays in the scheduling of the appraisal, but will be included in a follow‐up paper. The integrated Safety Systems Engineering Capability Model Appraisal incorporates general safety principles that are applicable to any industry interested in project management, systems engineering and safety.
ChatGPT in education: Transforming digital literacy practices
Authors: Ciampa Katia , Wolfe Zora M. , Bronstein Briana
Published: September 2023

As artificial intelligence (AI) technologies continue to advance, their integration into secondary and postsecondary education offers a multitude of opportunities for adolescent and adult learners. In this article, we delve into the advantages of integrating AI into literacy education, emphasizing its capacity to enhance writing skills, provide assistance to students with disabilities, foster critical thinking and media literacy abilities, and also tackle challenges associated with biases, misinformation, and an overdependence on AI tools. This article offers examples and recommendations to assist literacy educators in guiding their adolescent and adult learners toward ethical and responsible usage of AI.
Impact of dielectric constant of solvent on the formation of transition metal‐ammine complexes
Authors: Manna Debashree , Lo Rabindranath , Miriyala Vijay Madhav , Nachtigallová Dana , Trávníček Zdeněk , Hobza Pavel
Published: September 2023

The DFT‐level computational investigations into Gibbs free energies (ΔG) demonstrate that as the dielectric constant of the solvent increases, the stabilities of [M(NH3)n]2+/3+ (n = 4, 6; M = selected 3d transition metals) complexes decrease. However, there is no observed correlation between the stability of the complex and the solvent donor number. Analysis of the charge transfer and Wiberg bond indices indicates a dative‐bond character in all the complexes. The solvent effect assessed through solvation energy is determined by the change in the solvent accessible surface area (SASA) and the change in the charge distribution that occurs during complex formation. It has been observed that the SASA and charge transfer are different in the different coordination numbers, resulting in a variation in the solvent effect on complex stability in different solvents. This ultimately leads to a change between the relative stability of complexes with different coordination numbers while increasing the solvent polarity for a few complexes. Moreover, the findings indicate a direct relationship between ΔΔG (∆Gsolvent‐∆Ggas) and ΔEsolv, which enables the computation of ΔG for the compounds in a particular solvent using only ΔGgas and ΔEsolv. This approach is less computationally expensive.
Understanding professional skills in engineering education: A phenomenographic study of faculty conceptions
Authors: Beagon Una , Bowe Brian
Published: September 2023

Background

Globalization and socially complex problems will greatly affect the way engineers work in the future. Therefore, efforts to transform engineering education must focus on professional skills and engagement of faculty as key change agents.

Purpose/Hypotheses

For engineering programs to address the needs of society, graduates must have the skills to tackle future challenges. Transformation will only be successful if faculty fully engage in all curriculum design aspects; however, little is known about how faculty view professional skills. This understanding is critical if we wish to support and encourage their participation in the transformation effort. This novel study reveals the qualitatively different ways faculty conceptualize professional skills.

Design/Method

Phenomenography was selected as the most appropriate method to showcase the variations in faculty conceptions. The study selected 19 interview participants from 273 responses to an online survey.

Results

Faculty revealed their conceptions of professional skills in six ways: communication skills, technical skills, enabling skills, a combination of skills, interpersonal behaviors, and acting professionally.

Conclusions

Findings revealed a tension between technical and nontechnical skills. The study highlights that engineering education must focus on behaviors and interactions between people rather than technical skills alone. Further, there was a gendered difference in conceptions between women and men with women more likely to consider professional skills to be inclusive of behavioral aspects. The findings can help create future strategies for engineering education and can be used as a reflective tool for engineering faculty in efforts to transform engineering education.
Use of glucarpidase (carboxypeptidase‐G2) in pediatric cancer patients: 11‐year experience of a tertiary center
Authors: Vila Rocío , Rubio‐San‐Simón Alba , Zubiaur Pablo , Navares‐Gómez Marcos , Gómez‐Hernández Patricia , Arce Begoña , Madero Luis
Published: September 2023

Methotrexate is an essential drug in the treatment of childhood cancer that is not exempt from toxicities. Glucarpidase is a drug used to reduce the toxic concentration of plasma methotrexate in patients with delayed elimination or at risk of toxicity. We describe the characteristics of a cohort of pediatric patients that received glucarpidase and analyze its role in the treatment of toxicity induced by high doses of methotrexate (HDMTX).

Retrospective observational study of all pediatric cancer patients who received glucarpidase between 2012 and 2022 at a single center.

Fifteen patients were treated with a single dose of glucarpidase, eleven of them presented with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and received HDMTX at 5 g/m2 in 24‐hour infusion. In eight patients, glucarpidase was administered during the first cycle of HDMTX. The indication in thirteen cases was acute renal failure with delayed elimination of plasma methotrexate. The median maximum creatinine was 1.22 mg/dl (0.68 2.01 mg/dl), with a median increase over its baseline level of 313%. All patients normalized renal function after glucarpidase administration, with a median methotrexate excretion time of 193 hours (42–312 hours). No grade ≥2 adverse events derived from carboxypeptidase administration. Eleven patients received new doses of HDMTX in subsequent cycles, without new episodes of serious toxicity.

The use of glucarpidase is effective and safe in the treatment of acute renal failure and methotrexate elimination delay in pediatric cancer patients. Further HDMTX doses may be prescribed without additional toxicities.
Calibrated multi‐model ensemble seasonal prediction of Bangladesh summer monsoon rainfall
Authors: Acharya Nachiketa , Montes Carlo , Hassan S. M. Q. , Sultana Razia , Rashid Md. Bazlur , Mannan Md. Abdul , Krupnik Timothy J.
Published: September 2023

Bangladesh summer monsoon rainfall (BSMR), typically from June through September (JJAS), represents the main source of water for multiple sectors. However, its high spatial and interannual variability makes the seasonal prediction of BSMR crucial for building resilience to natural disasters and for food security in a climate‐risk‐prone country. This study describes the development and implementation of an objective system for the seasonal forecasting of BSMR, recently adopted by the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD). The approach is based on the use of a calibrated multi‐model ensemble (CMME) of seven state‐of‐the‐art general circulation models (GCMs) from the North American Multi‐Model Ensemble project. The lead‐1 (initial conditions of May for forecasting JJAS total rainfall) hindcasts (spanning 1982–2010) and forecasts (spanning 2011–2018) of seasonal total rainfall for the JJAS season from these seven GCMs were used. A canonical correlation analysis (CCA) regression is used to calibrate the raw GCMs outputs against observations, which are then combined with equal weight to generate final CMME predictions. Results show, compared to individual calibrated GCMs and uncalibrated MME, that the CCA‐based calibration generates significant improvements over individual raw GCM in terms of the magnitude of systematic errors, Spearman's correlation coefficients, and generalised discrimination scores over most of Bangladesh areas, especially in the northern part of the country. Since October 2019, the BMD has been issuing real‐time seasonal rainfall forecasts using this new forecast system.
Going digital: Developing social capital through online social networks in regional SMEs—An Australian study
Authors: Bosua Rachelle , Evans Nina
Published: September 2023

In an increasingly competitive and digitalized business environment, regional SMEs have multiple opportunities to extend their face‐to‐face networking activities to the digital realm. However, there is scant research on regional Australian SMEs use of online social networks (OSNs) to network and develop social capital. This paper follows an interpretive qualitative research approach to identify how 13 regional Australian SMEs from four sparsely populated regional areas use OSNs to enable knowledge sharing and the development of social capital. Our empirical findings classified regional Australian SMEs' use of OSNs into three categories: low, medium, and high, while also identifying OSN use opportunities. We propose four propositions related to OSN adoption and use to share knowledge and develop SC: (i) implementing an OSN adoption and use strategy as part of a larger digital strategy, (ii) investing in and adopting a variety of OSN channels for knowledge sharing, (iii) gradually replacing face‐to‐face knowledge sharing with OSNs, and (iv) controlling the sharing of competitive SME knowledge when using different OSN channels. These findings are significant to encourage regional Australian SMEs to adopt and use OSN to improve innovation opportunities through networking and collaboration in an increasingly digitalized realm.
Erucic acid improves the progress of pregnancy complicated with systemic lupus erythematosus by inhibiting the effector function of CD8+ T cells
Authors: Chang Yanling , Jiang Meng , Wang You , Fu Qiong , Lin Sihan , Wu Jiayue , Di Wen
Published: September 2023

Pathogenic CD8+ T cells are pivotal contributors to the onset of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Erucic acid (EA) has been proven to have anti‐inflammatory activity. However, the capacity of EA to regulate pathogenic CD8+ T cells in the context of pregnancy complicated with SLE (pSLE) remains unclear. In our investigation, we observed augmented CD8+ T cell effector function juxtaposed with diminished EA levels in pSLE patients relative to healthy pregnant controls. Significantly, plasma EA levels exhibited a negative correlation with the severity of pSLE‐associated complications. In blood from patients with pSLE, EA inhibited the effector function of CD8+ T cells, concurrently dampening the maintenance of stem cell‐like memory CD8+ T cells. Mechanistically, EA orchestrated the inhibition of CD8+ T cell effector function by impeding signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 phosphorylation and promoting ferroptosis. Moreover, EA supplementation in pregnant MRL/lpr mice manifested as the attenuation of uterine CD8+ T cell effector function, culminating in the mitigation of placental pathological damage. Our findings uncover the immune response modulatory effects of EA upon pathogenic CD8+ cells, thereby unveiling new perspectives for therapeutic strategies targeting pSLE patients.
Human prostate MRI at ultrahigh‐performance gradient: A feasibility study
Authors: Zhu Ante , Tarasek Matthew , Hua Yihe , Fiveland Eric , Maier Stephan E. , Mazaheri Yousef , Fung Maggie , Westin Carl‐Fredrik , Yeo Desmond T. B. , Szczepankiewicz Filip , Tempany Clare , Akin Oguz , Foo Thomas K. F.
Published: September 2023

Purpose

To demonstrate the technical feasibility and the value of ultrahigh‐performance gradient in imaging the prostate in a 3T MRI system.

Methods

In this local institutional review board–approved study, prostate MRI was performed on 4 healthy men. Each subject was scanned in a prototype 3T MRI system with a 42‐cm inner‐diameter gradient coil that achieves a maximum gradient amplitude of 200 mT/m and slew rate of 500 T/m/s. PI‐RADS V2.1–compliant axial T2‐weighted anatomical imaging and single‐shot echo planar DWI at standard gradient of 70 mT/m and 150 T/m/s were obtained, followed by DWI at maximum performance (i.e., 200 mT/m and 500 T/m/s). In comparison to state‐of‐the‐art clinical whole‐body MRI systems, the high slew rate improved echo spacing from 1020 to 596 μs and, together with a high gradient amplitude for diffusion encoding, TE was reduced from 55 to 36 ms.

Results

In all 4 subjects (waist circumference = 81–91 cm, age = 45–65 years), no peripheral nerve stimulation sensation was reported during DWI. Reduced image distortion in the posterior peripheral zone prostate gland and higher signal intensity, such as in the surrounding muscle of high‐gradient DWI, were noted.

Conclusion

Human prostate MRI at simultaneously high gradient amplitude of 200 mT/m and slew rate of 500 T/m/s is feasible, demonstrating that improved gradient performance can address image distortion and T2 decay–induced SNR issues for in vivo prostate imaging.
Access to prenatal exome sequencing for fetal malformations: A qualitative landscape analysis in the US
Authors: Sahin‐Hodoglugil Nuriye N. , Lianoglou Billie R. , Ackerman Sara , Sparks Teresa N. , Norton Mary E.
Published: September 2023

Objective

There is increasing evidence supporting the clinical utility of next generation sequencing for identifying fetal genetic disorders. However, there are limited data on the demand for and accessibility of these tests, as well as payer coverage in the prenatal context. We sought to identify clinician perspectives on the utility of prenatal exome sequencing (ES) and on equitable access to genomic technologies for the care of pregnancies complicated by fetal structural anomalies.

Method

We conducted two focus group discussions and six interviews with a total of 13 clinicians (11 genetic counselors; 2 Maternal Fetal Medicine/Geneticists) from U.S. academic centers and community clinics.

Results

Participants strongly supported ES for prenatal diagnostic testing in pregnancies with fetal structural anomalies. Participants emphasized the value of prenatal ES as an opportunity for a continuum of care before, during, and after a pregnancy, not solely as informing decisions about abortions. Cost and coverage of the test was the main access barrier, and research was the main pathway to access ES in academic centers.

Conclusion

Further integrating the perspectives of additional key stakeholders are important for understanding clinical utility, developing policies and practices to address access barriers, and assuring equitable provision of prenatal diagnostic testing.
Numerical simulation of disperse process of fuel‐air explosive based on the computational fluid dynamics
Authors: Ruipeng Liu , Xianzhen Jia , Wengang Qu , Wei Fang , Haichao Ren
Published: September 2023

The formation process of fuel cloud is easily affected by the material properties of fuel mixture and the structural qualities of manufacture. The spread region of fuel cloud plays an important role in the damage performance of FAE bomb. However, there are not sufficient simulation study on the disperse process, lacking a useful model for calculating the fuel cloud size due to the physical complexity in disperse process. In this work, a FAE bomb was designated at first and an experiment was carried out to measure the fuel cloud diameters. And then a computational model was established to illustrate the formation process of fuel cloud. This computational model consisted of an explosion dynamics model in the near‐field stage and a fluid dynamics model in the far‐field stage. Furthermore, multiphase turbulence flow, discrete phase and species chemical transportation were incorporated in the fluid dynamics model. The results showed that good agreements were yielded by comparison of the simulation results and experimental data for the fuel cloud diameters. The fuel cloud diameter at 220 ms was 9.11 m for simulation and 9.37 m for experiment. Additionally, it was also discussed the influence of particle size distribution on the formation process of fuel cloud. Larger particles were more likely to aggregate at the outside region of fuel cloud due to individual inertial influence. This study can provide an effective computation model for evaluation of the fuel cloud region, which can be worthwhile in understanding the physical mechanism of disperse process.
Unraveling the role of flexible coil near calcium binding site of levansucrase on thermostability and product profile via proline substitution and molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Klaewkla Methus , Wangpaiboon Karan , Pichyangkura Rath , Charoenwongpaiboon Thanapon
Published: September 2023

Due to its bioactivity and versatile applications, levan has appeared as a promising biomaterial. Levansucrase is responsible for the conversion of sucrose into levan. With the goal of enhancing levan production, the strategy for enhancing the stability of levansucrase is being intensively studied. To make proteins more stable under high temperatures, proline, the most rigid residue, can be introduced into previously flexible regions. Herein, G249, D250, N251, and H252 on the flexible coil close to the calcium binding site of Bacillus licheniformis levansucrase were replaced with proline. Mutations at G249P greatly enhance both the enzyme's thermodynamic and kinetic stability, while those at H252P improve solely the enzyme's kinetic stability. GPC analysis revealed that G249P synthesize more levan, but H252P generate primarily oligosaccharides. Molecular dynamics simulations (MD) and MM/GBSA analysis revealed that G249P mutation increased not only the stability of levansucrase, but also affinity toward fructan.
Prevalence, spatial structure and evolution of resistance to acetolactate‐synthase (ALS) inhibitors and 2,4‐D in the major weed Papaver rhoeas (L.) assessed using a massive, country‐wide sampling
Authors: Koreki Axelle , Michel Séverine , Lebeaux Caroline , Trouilh Lidwine , Délye Christophe
Published: September 2023

BACKGROUND

Corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas) is the most damaging broadleaf weed in France. Massively parallel amplicon sequencing was used to investigate the prevalence, mode of evolution and spread of resistance‐endowing ALS alleles in 422 populations randomly sampled throughout poppy's range in France. Bioassays were used to detect resistance to the synthetic auxin 2,4‐D in 43 of these populations.

RESULTS

A total of 21 100 plants were analysed and 24 mutant ALS alleles carrying an amino‐acid substitution involved or potentially involved in resistance were identified. The vast majority (97.6%) of the substitutions occurred at codon Pro197, where all six possible single‐nucleotide non‐synonymous substitutions plus four double‐nucleotide substitutions were identified. Changes observed in the enzymatic properties of the mutant ALS isoforms could not explain the differences in prevalence among the corresponding alleles. Sequence read analysis showed that mutant ALS alleles had multiple, independent evolutionary origins, and could have evolved several times independently within an area of a few kilometres. Finally, 2,4‐D resistance was associated with mutant ALS alleles in individual plants in one third of the populations assayed.

CONCLUSION

The intricate geographical mosaic of mutant ALS alleles observed is the likely result of the combination of huge population sizes, multiple independent mutation events and human‐mediated spread of resistance. Our work highlights the ability of poppy populations and individual plants to accumulate different ALS alleles and as yet unknown mechanisms conferring resistance to synthetic auxins. This does not bode well for the continued use of chemical herbicides to control poppy. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
A case series of three patients with histologically proven post COVID‐19 organizing pneumonia
Authors: Leung Cheuk Cheung Derek , Yeung Yiu Cheong
Published: September 2023

Organizing pneumonia, a form of interstitial lung disease, may occur in patients who have recovered from COVID‐19. In this article, we report three cases of post COVID‐19 organizing pneumonia, proven histologically with transbronchial biopsies showing fibroblastic plugs in the alveolar spaces. Our patients received a range of 86–166 days of continuous corticosteroid therapy and all of them made excellent recovery.
Green growth as a pathway toward sustainable development: A systems thinking on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau in China
Authors: Nyangchak Niangjijia
Published: September 2023

Green growth gained traction as a global climate change strategy and pathway toward sustainable development. China's green growth has been on the rise since the turn of the century, yet it is little understood in the context of its provinces. Previous studies focus on ranking green growth across countries and regions, not on assessing individual provinces over time. This study employs systems thinking and constructs an index framework to assess the environmental, economic, and social dimensions of green growth as a pathway toward sustainable development in Qinghai on the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau. The study finds that green growth has steadily increased between 2000 and 2021 despite a volatile growth rate. The 10th–13th Five‐Year Plans showed similar trends. Short‐term green growth performance fluctuated in its dimensions and pillars, while long‐term performance increased steadily. Qinghai is well‐positioned to achieve sustainable development and build a circular economy. The study further discusses sustainable policy implications.
A longitudinal transition imputation model for categorical data applied to a large registry dataset
Authors: Mamouris Pavlos , Nassiri Vahid , Verbeke Geert , Janssens Arne , Vaes Bert , Molenberghs Geert
Published: September 2023

Imputation of longitudinal categorical covariates with several waves and many predictors is cumbersome in terms of implausible transitions, colinearity, and overfitting. We designed a simulation study with data obtained from a general practitioners' morbidity registry in Belgium for three waves, with smoking as the longitudinal covariate of interest. We set varying proportions of data on smoking to missing completely at random and missing not at random with proportions of missingness equal to 10%, 30%, 50%, and 70%. This study proposed a 3‐stage approach that allows flexibility when imputing time‐dependent categorical covariates. First, multiple imputation using fully conditional specification or multiple imputation for the predictor variables was deployed using the wide format such that previous and future information of the same patient was utilized. Second, a joint Markov transition model for initial, forward, backward, and intermittent probabilities was developed for each imputed dataset. Finally, this transition model was used for imputation. We compared the performance of this methodology with an analyses of the complete data and with listwise deletion in terms of bias and root mean square error. Next, we applied this methodology in a clinical case for years 2017 to 2021, where we estimated the effect of several covariates on the pneumococcal vaccination. This methodological framework ensures that the plausibility of transitions is preserved, overfitting and colinearity issues are resolved, and confounders can be utilized. Finally, a companion R package was developed to enable the replication and easy application of this methodology.
Quantitative Detection of Thyroid‐Stimulating Hormone in Patient Samples with a Nanomechanical Single‐Antibody Spectro‐Immunoassay
Authors: Zheng Peng , Raj Piyush , Wu Lintong , Mizutani Takayuki , Szabo Miklos , Hanson William A. , Barman Ishan
Published: September 2023

Functional disorders of the thyroid remain a global challenge and have profound impacts on human health. Serving as the barometer for thyroid function, thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH) is considered the single most useful test of thyroid function. However, the prevailing TSH immunoassays rely on two types of antibodies in a sandwich format. The requirement of repeated incubation and washing further complicates the issue, making it unable to meet the requirements of the shifting public health landscape that demands rapid, sensitive, and low‐cost TSH tests. Herein, a systematic study is performed to investigate the clinical translational potential of a single antibody‐based biosensing platform for the TSH test. The biosensing platform leverages Raman spectral variations induced by the interaction between a TSH antigen and a Raman molecule‐conjugated TSH antibody. In conjunction with machine learning, it allows TSH concentrations in various patient samples to be predicted with high accuracy and precision, which is robust against substrate‐to‐substrate, intra‐substrate, and day‐to‐day variations. It is envisioned that the simplicity and generalizability of this single‐antibody immunoassay coupled with the demonstrated performance in patient samples pave the way for it to be widely applied in clinical settings for low‐cost detection of hormones, other molecular biomarkers, DNA, RNA, and pathogens.
Combinatorial Growth of Vertically Aligned Nanocomposite Thin Films for Accelerated Exploration in Composition Variation
Authors: Rutherford Bethany X. , Zhang Di , Quigley Lizabeth , Barnard James P. , Yang Bo , Lu Juanjuan , Kunwar Sundar , Dou Hongyi , Shen Jianan , Chen Aiping , Wang Haiyan
Published: September 2023

Combinatorial growth is capable of creating a compositional gradient for thin film materials and thus has been adopted to explore composition variation mostly for metallic alloy thin films and some dopant concentrations for ceramic thin films. This study uses a combinatorial pulsed laser deposition method to successfully fabricate two‐phase oxide–oxide vertically aligned nanocomposite (VAN) thin films of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO)‐NiO with variable composition across the film area. The LSMO‐NiO compositional gradient across the film alters the two‐phase morphology of the VAN through varying nanopillar size and density. Additionally, the magnetic anisotropy and magnetoresistance properties of the nanocomposite thin films increase with increasing NiO composition. This demonstration of a combinatorial method for VAN growth can increase the efficiency of nanocomposite thin film research by allowing all possible compositions of thin film materials to be explored in a single deposition.
Newly discovered morphology of the Silurian sea spider Haliestes and its implications
Authors: Siveter Derek J. , Sabroux Romain , Briggs Derek E. G. , Siveter David J. , Sutton Mark D.
Published: September 2023

The three‐dimensionally preserved Haliestes dasos from the Silurian (Wenlock) Lagerstätte is the most complete fossil sea spider and the oldest unambiguous pycnogonid known from the fossil record. The discovery of two new specimens to add to the holotype reveals new features including proximal annulations of the appendages and segmentation of the trunk end, critical details for comparison with pycnogonids from the Devonian (Emsian) Hunsrück Slate and for the interpretation of the evolutionary significance of Palaeozoic genera. There is some evidence of sexual dimorphism. Haliestes dasos was nektobenthic and its morphology indicates an unusual mode of feeding compared with living pycnogonids. The new morphological features of H. dasos are closely similar to those in Palaeoisopus problematicus from the Hunsrück Slate and it clearly belongs, together with that species, in stem Pycnogonida and not the crown group.
Ring kinematics‐informed conformation space exploration
Authors: Krivoshchapov Nikolai V. , Medvedev Michael G.
Published: September 2023

Conformational searches and ML‐driven geometry predictions (e.g., AlphaFold) work in the space of molecule's degrees of freedom. When dealing with cycles, cyclicity constraints impose complex interdependence between them, so that arbitrary changes of cyclic dihedral angles lead to heavy distortions of some bond lengths and valence angles of the ring. This renders navigation through conformational space of cyclic molecules to be very challenging. Inverse kinematics is a theory that provides a mathematically strict solution to this problem. It allows one to identify degrees of freedom for any polycyclic molecule, that is, its dihedral angles that can be set independently from each other. Then for any values of degrees of freedom, inverse kinematics can reconstruct the remaining dihedrals so that all rings are closed with given bond lengths and valence angles. This approach offers a handy and efficient way for constructing and navigating conformational space of any molecule using either naïve Monte‐Carlo sampling or sophisticated machine learning models. Inverse kinematics can considerably narrow the conformational space of a polycyclic molecule to include only cyclicity‐preserving regions. Thus, it can be viewed as a physical constraint on the model, making the latter obey the laws of kinematics, which govern the rings conformations. We believe that inverse kinematics will be universally used in the ever‐growing field of geometry prediction of complex interlinked molecules.

This article is categorized under:

Structure and Mechanism > Molecular Structures

Data Science > Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning

Data Science > Chemoinformatics
A Theoretical Study on the Unique Site Preference and Atomic Ordering of Hexagonal CoSn‐type Ternary Intermetallic Compound Co3Ge2Sn
Authors: Roy Nilanjan
Published: September 2023

The inclusion of Ge in hexagonal B35 type CoSn leads to the formation of a new ternary substituted ordered variant Co3Ge2Sn. The experimentally reported crystallographic site‐occupancy pattern of this compound has been fundamentally addressed by the PBE‐GGA density functional theory‐based Mulliken population analysis. The site preference of Ge in the structure of Co3Ge2Sn is governed by the rule of ‘topological charge stabilization’. It turns out that the covalent inter‐layer heteroatomic Co−Ge bonds play a profound impact on the formation and stability of the compound. The structure of Co3Ge2Sn is decided by a combined factor of site energy and bond energy.
Radiative corrections to neutron and nuclear β-decays: a serious kinematics problem in the literature
Authors: Glück Ferenc
Published: September 2023

Abstract

We report a serious kinematics problem in the bremsstrahlung photon part of the order-α outer (model independent) radiative correction calculations for those neutron (and nuclear beta) decay observables (like electron-neutrino correlation parameter measurement) where the proton (recoil particle) is detected. The so-called neutrino-type radiative correction calculations, which fix the neutrino direction in the bremsstrahlung photon integrals, use 3-body decay kinematics to connect the unobserved neutrino direction with the observed electron and proton (recoil particle) momenta. But the presence of the bremsstrahlung photon changes the kinematics from 3-body to 4-body one, and the accurate information about the recoil particle momentum is lost due to the integration with respect to the photon momentum. Therefore the application of the abovementioned 3-body decay kinematics connection for the radiative correction calculations, rather prevalent in the literature, is not acceptable. We show that the correct, so-called recoil-type radiative correction calculations, which fix the proton (recoil particle) momentum instead of the neutrino direction and use rather involved analytical, semianalytical or Monte Carlo bremsstrahlung integration methods, result usually in much larger corrections than the incorrect neutrino-type analytical methods.
Die Nutzung von Sonnenbrillen im Alltag, im Beruf und bei Sport im Freien: aktuelle Ergebnisse bundesweiter Befragungen
Authors: Görig Tatiana , Schuster Alexander K. , Breitbart Eckhard W. , Diehl Katharina
Published: September 2023

Hintergrund

Ultraviolette (UV-)Strahlung kann zu Schädigungen im und am Auge führen. Zum Schutz der Augen wird deshalb das Tragen einer geeigneten Sonnenbrille empfohlen.

Ziel der Arbeit

Mittels bundesweiter Daten sollen aktuelle Prävalenzwerte zum Tragen von Sonnenbrillen in der Allgemeinbevölkerung, bei Außenbeschäftigten, während der sportlichen Aktivität im Freien und bei Kindern vorgestellt werden.

Material und Methoden

Die Daten entstammen den Wellen 2020 und 2021 des bundesweit repräsentativen Nationalen Krebshilfe-Monitorings (NCAM). Es wurden 4000 Personen im Alter zwischen 16 und 65 Jahren zur Nutzung von Sonnenbrillen befragt, darunter 486 Außenbeschäftigte, 2081 Außensporttreibende sowie 554 Erziehungsberechtigte. Neben Prävalenzwerten werden Assoziationen mit Soziodemografika dargestellt.

Ergebnisse

Es zeigte sich, dass 50,6 % der erwachsenen Allgemeinbevölkerung, 31,0 % der Außenbeschäftigten, 44,3 % der erwachsenen Außensporttreibenden und 12,5 % der Kinder oft oder immer eine Sonnenbrille tragen, wenn sie sich länger als 10 min im Sommer im Freien aufhalten. Zu den seltenen Trägern von Sonnenbrillen zählten vornehmlich jüngere Personen, Männer sowie Personen mit niedrigerer Schulbildung.

Diskussion

Aufgrund der weiterhin defizitären Nutzung von Sonnenbrillen scheint weitere Aufklärung in verschiedenen Settings notwendig. Dazu zählen Arbeitsplatz, Kindergarten und Schule. Auch die Allgemeinbevölkerung sollte für das Thema Augenschädigungen durch UV-Strahlung sensibilisiert werden – nicht zuletzt vor dem Hintergrund des zunehmenden Klimawandels.
Epilepsy surgery in pediatric refractory status epilepticus
Authors: Borggraefe Ingo , Tacke Moritz , Kunz Mathias , Vollmar Christian , Rémi Jan
Published: September 2023

The mainstay of status epilepticus (SE) treatment is pharmacotherapy with anti-seizure medications (ASM). In refractory status epilepticus (RSE), when additional ASM are not effective, high-dose suppressive therapy with either benzodiazepines, thiopental, phenobarbitone, or propofol is used to suppress clinical and EEG seizure activity. However, in selected eligible cases of RSE or in super-refractory cases, epilepsy surgery may be the treatment of choice to terminate SE. Here, we review epilepsy surgery including deep brain stimulation (DBS) for treatment for RSE with emphasis on special aspects of presurgical evaluation, patient selection, and outcome. We focus on surgical treatment options for patients in the acute phase of RSE, who have received high-dose suppressive therapy prior to surgery in the majority of the cases.
Novel Metschnikowia yeasts from the gut of green lacewing in Japan
Authors: Yoshihashi Yuma , Degawa Yousuke
Published: September 2023

Family Chrysopidae is known to harbor specific gut yeasts. However, no studies have been conducted outside of a limited number of these green lacewing species, and the diversity of yeasts in the family as a whole is not known. Therefore, we collected 58 Chrysopidae adults (9 species, 6 genera, 2 subfamilies) in Japan and isolated yeasts from all individuals. The results showed for the first time that not only subfamily Chrysopinae but also subfamily Apochrysinae have gut yeasts. We obtained 58 yeast isolates (one from each host individual), all of which were of the genus Metschnikowia. 28S rDNA- and ITS-based phylogenetic analysis showed that the isolates were divided into three clades, designated clade I, II, and III. Clade I contains two previously described Chrysopidae gut yeasts (M. picachoensis and M. pimensis) as well as a one of our new species named M. shishimaru. Clade II is a new clade, with at least two new species named M. kenjo and M. seizan. Clade III contains the previously described species M. noctiluminum, a Chrysopidae gut yeast, and one of our isolate (We have not described it as new species). However, the phylogenetic relationship between our isolate and M. noctiluminum was unclear. These results indicate that the Japanese Chrysopidae gut yeasts consist mainly of three undescribed species and that they are more unique than those found in previous surveys. The results of this study indicate that Chrysopidae gut yeasts are more diverse than previously thought and should be investigated in various geographical regions in the future.
Daphnia magna (Crustacea: Anomopoda) in central Mexico wetlands: implications of escape from ecotoxicological laboratories
Authors: Espinosa-Rodríguez Cristian Alberto , Jiménez-Santos Marco Antonio , Martínez-Miranda Diana Meztli , Piedra-Ibarra Elías , Rivera-De la Parra Ligia , Lugo-Vázquez Alfonso
Published: September 2023

Daphnia (Ctenodaphnia) magna, a species widely used for ecotoxicological tests, was recorded for the first time in waterbodies of the Mexican protected area and RAMSAR site Ciénegas del Lerma. The identity of the species was confirmed using morphological traits and cytochrome oxidase I as a molecular marker. Haplotypes were 100% identical to cultures used in laboratory bioassays in México and Canada. Individuals analyzed are related to strains from Europe, and their sequences differed from natural populations reported from the United States of America and Canada. This Mexican wetland supports a rich community of migratory waterfowl; therefore, D. magna could quickly spread to other waterbodies and cause potential adverse effects on local Daphnia species. The utilization of non-native species in ecotoxicological tests must be undertaken with great care, to ensure escape to natural waters is prevented.