bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Public service innovation to fight corruption: metrics and policy in Mexico 2019–2022
Authors: Corona-Treviño Leonel
Published: November 2023

The purpose is to identify and analyze some innovations in public services, PSI, between 2019 and 2022 to evaluate their attempts to deter corruption in a context where the current government’s Mexican public sector has been improving its capacity to fight corruption as the most critical problem. The research is designed to describe 12 PSI selected from the national level. Their innovativeness is measured through an INDICO index adapted from technology firms, which mainly has added a perception of its public value besides their use value. Corruption is measured based on the neo-institutional approach on three axes: public–private relations, its organization, and the agents’ behavior. The question is to measure the impact of the innovations in deterring corruption, which is estimated by the difference in magnitude between the current and the previous one.

The findings are:

The neo-institutional theory highlights corruption-related aspects rooted in public–private relations, however, complemented with social and management approaches.

The INDICO index measures, based on a pre-established 10-point quantitative maximum scale distributed between components on capacity -knowledge of the service, training, design, peer evaluation through external links- and on innovation results in public services—its legitimization through public value, and its possible replication (diffusion), which an expert in the field of innovation qualitatively evaluates.

The impact of the selected Public Service Innovations shows that there is a positive effect in reducing the level of corruption. The more systemic or institutionalized corruption is, the more difficult it is to develop effective strategies proving their long-term value.

The PSIs have been managed by the government’s leadership founded on legitimate authority, secured from the victory in the 2018 elections in Mexico, enabling it to put forward its top-to-bottom anti-corruption program. A more extended period, a group of experts, and more cases are desirable to assess PSI sustainability. However, the methodology could be extended to other contexts for policymakers or practitioners in public services and corruption.
Neuronal and synaptic adaptations underlying the benefits of deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease
Authors: Xu Wenying , Wang Jie , Li Xin-Ni , Liang Jingxue , Song Lu , Wu Yi , Liu Zhenguo , Sun Bomin , Li Wei-Guang
Published: November 2023

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a well-established and effective treatment for patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD), yet its underlying mechanisms remain enigmatic. Optogenetics, primarily conducted in animal models, provides a unique approach that allows cell type- and projection-specific modulation that mirrors the frequency-dependent stimulus effects of DBS. Opto-DBS research in animal models plays a pivotal role in unraveling the neuronal and synaptic adaptations that contribute to the efficacy of DBS in PD treatment. DBS-induced neuronal responses rely on a complex interplay between the distributions of presynaptic inputs, frequency-dependent synaptic depression, and the intrinsic excitability of postsynaptic neurons. This orchestration leads to conversion of firing patterns, enabling both antidromic and orthodromic modulation of neural circuits. Understanding these mechanisms is vital for decoding position- and programming-dependent effects of DBS. Furthermore, patterned stimulation is emerging as a promising strategy yielding long-lasting therapeutic benefits. Research on the neuronal and synaptic adaptations to DBS may pave the way for the development of more enduring and precise modulation patterns. Advanced technologies, such as adaptive DBS or directional electrodes, can also be integrated for circuit-specific neuromodulation. These insights hold the potential to greatly improve the effectiveness of DBS and advance PD treatment to new levels.
Individual-level patterns of resource selection do not predict hotspots of contact
Authors: Yang Anni , Boughton Raoul , Miller Ryan S. , Snow Nathan P. , Vercauteren Kurt C. , Pepin Kim M. , Wittemyer George
Published: November 2023

Contact among animals is crucial for various ecological processes, including social behaviors, disease transmission, and predator–prey interactions. However, the distribution of contact events across time and space is heterogeneous, influenced by environmental factors and biological purposes. Previous studies have assumed that areas with abundant resources and preferred habitats attract more individuals and, therefore, lead to more contact. To examine the accuracy of this assumption, we used a use-available framework to compare landscape factors influencing the location of contacts between wild pigs (Sus scrofa) in two study areas in Florida and Texas (USA) from those influencing non-contact space use. We employed a contact-resource selection function (RSF) model, where contact locations were defined as used points and locations without contact as available points. By comparing outputs from this contact RSF with a general, population-level RSF, we assessed the factors driving both habitat selection and contact. We found that the landscape predictors (e.g., wetland, linear features, and food resources) played different roles in habitat selection from contact processes for wild pigs in both study areas. This indicated that pigs interacted with their landscapes differently when choosing habitats compared to when they encountered other individuals. Consequently, relying solely on the spatial overlap of individual or population-level RSF models may lead to a misleading understanding of contact-related ecology. Our findings challenge prevailing assumptions about contact and introduce innovative approaches to better understand the ecological drivers of spatially explicit contact. By accurately predicting the spatial distribution of contact events, we can enhance our understanding of contact based ecological processes and their spatial dynamics.
Dispersion and agglomeration of carbon nanoclusters in 4-(trans-4′-hexylcyclohexyl)-isothiocyanatobenzene media on ITO and graphene surfaces: role of surface effect
Authors: Singh Archana Kumari , Singh Satya Pal
Published: November 2023

We have synthesized carbon nanoparticles using mandarin juice via green synthesis rout. We have doped carbon nanoparticles in liquid crystal media and studied the surface effect on self-assembly of carbon nanoclusters on ITO coated glass surface and on graphene sheet. The purpose of this study is to construct uniform nano-micro droplets for novel applications and to understand and explore the underlying science behind molecular scale reorganization in the presence of functional surfaces like graphene. We have used density functional theory approach to confirm that the carbon nanoparticles in globular structures are dispersed in presence of graphene sheet due to chemical interaction of carbon rings (or say carbon nanoparticles) with graphene carbon atoms. In order to minimize the free energy, the carbon nanoparticles leave the carbon globular structures and are dispersed to form rectangular structures in presence of LC media at graphene surface. The carbon nanoparticles are dispersed to increase contact area with graphene surface. The results are useful in construction of desired nano-micro structures for possible novel purposes in medical field since carbon nanoparticles are biocompatible. Optical microscopy, FESEM, NMR and UV spectra verifies the droplet formation and its effect on the surface and electronic properties of carbon nanoparticles.
Chemical constituents from the medicinal herb-derived fungus Chaetomium globosum Km1226
Authors: Chang Chia-Hao , Hsiao George , Wang Shih-Wei , Yen Juei-Yu , Huang Shu-Jung , Chi Wei-Chiung , Lee Tzong-Huei
Published: November 2023

Background

Endophytic fungi have proven to be a rich source of novel natural products with a wide-array of biological activities and higher levels of structural diversity.

Results

Chemical investigation on the liquid- and solid-state fermented products of Chaetomium globosum Km1226 isolated from the littoral medicinal herb Atriplex maximowicziana Makino resulted in the isolation of compounds 1–14. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis as three previously undescribed C13-polyketides, namely aureonitol C (1), mollipilins G (2), and H (3), along with eleven known compounds 4–14. Among these, mollipilin A (5) exhibited significant nitric oxide production inhibitory activity in LPS-induced BV-2 microglial cells with an IC50 value of 0.7 ± 0.1 µM, and chaetoglobosin D (10) displayed potent anti-angiogenesis property in human endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) with an IC50 value of 0.8 ± 0.3 µM.

Conclusions

Three previously unreported compounds 1–3 were isolated and identified. Mollipilin A (5) and chaetoglobosin D (10) could possibly be developed as anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic lead drugs, respectively.
Successful treatment of post COVID-19 neurogenic dysphagia with botulinum toxin
Authors: Canta Riccardo , Vestito Lucilla , Castellini Paola , Trompetto Carlo , Mori Laura , De Giovanni Anna , Puce Luca , Marinelli Lucio
Published: November 2023

Introduction: Dysphagia in post COVID-19 patients could be caused by several factors, including reduced pharyngolaryngeal coordination due to SARS-CoV-2 tropism to the central and/or peripheral nervous system. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of COVID-19-related dysphagia successfully treated with botulinum toxin type A injection. Case description: We report the case of a patient with severe oropharyngeal dysphagia due to COVID-19 confirmed by fibre endoscopy. As a result, the patient required an enteral feeding tube. After two months of traditional swallowing therapies, there was only limited improvement. An electrophysiologic evaluation of the cricopharyngeal muscle was performed and showed a normal inhibition of the cricopharyngeal muscle, followed by a hypertonic rebound. Based on this result, we decided to perform a unilateral laryngeal injection of botulinum toxin type A. After the injection, the patient’s swallowing function improved significantly, allowing him to return to oral feeding. Discussion: Newly diagnosed oropharyngeal dysphagia was found in 35.3% of hospitalised patients with COVID-19. There are several possible causes of COVID-19-associated dysphagia, including stroke, encephalitis, critical illness neuropathy, Guillain-Barré syndrome and skeletal muscle injury. In our case, since stroke was excluded by brain MRI, cranial nerve injury was a possible explanation for the difficult recovery of swallowing despite daily swallowing therapy. Conclusion: We suggest that electrophysiology is a valid tool for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia.
Macro-vitamin B12 as cause of falsely elevated cobalamin levels
Authors: Belkhouribchia Jamal
Published: November 2023

Introduction: High blood concentrations of vitamin B12 are often caused by over-supplementation. However, there are instances in which augmented vitamin B12 levels are seen in the absence of supplements. Macro-vitamin B12 is an underrated cause of supra-physiological cobalamin plasma levels. Case description: A 70-year-old man was referred to an ambulatory internal medicine centre because of high vitamin B12 levels yet he denied taking supplements. An X-ray showed a tumour in the right upper lobe of the lung, which triggered further examinations. An MRI scan of the brain came back normal as well as a CT scan of the abdomen, and colonoscopy. The pulmonologist requested a PET-CT scan, which showed an isolated 18-FDG uptake in the area of the lung mass that was detected earlier. The patient underwent surgery with adjuvant cis-platinum and gemcitabine and is still making good progress. The vitamin B12 levels persisted after successful treatment of lung adenocarcinoma; determination of vitamin B12 after PEG (polyethylene glycol) precipitation showed normal concentrations. Discussion: A high vitamin B12 plasma concentration in the absence of vitamin supplementation can be a daunting diagnostic problem for the internist, as there are several possible underlying causes. In this case the diagnosis of lung carcinoma was made, the patient was treated appropriately, yet this pathology had no correlation with the cobalamin levels. Conclusion: A high vitamin B12 concentration can be the impetus of thorough medical inquiries. Internists should be careful not to forget macro-vitamin B12 as a possible source of falsely elevated vitamin B12 values.
Enhancing Research Connections through Metadata: A Case Study with AGU and CHORUS by Tara Packer, Kristina Vrouwenvelder, Shelley Stall
Authors:   CHORUS, Packer Tara , rouwenvelder Kristina , Stall Shelley ,   AGU
Published: November 2023

This poster was presented by Tara Packer, Kristina Vrouwenvelder, Shelley Stall at #Crossref2023 annual meeting and board election.
Work on through the storm
Authors: Kambouri Nelli , Spencer Neil H. , Walsh Tracy
Published: November 2023

Drawing on quantitative and qualitative research in England, and more specifically in London, this article sheds light on trends in platform work during the COVID-19 crisis. While the number of platform workers grew, the proportion of their income it contributed to fell, making up less than a quarter of total earnings. Interviews with driving and delivery platform workers in London (Europe’s largest platform market) shed light on these puzzling trends. New recruitment by the platforms and adjustment of their algorithms during the lockdown led to downward pressure on earnings, poorer working conditions, extended waiting times, longer working hours and negative impacts on work–life balance, health and well-being. The article concludes that the pandemic provided platforms with an opportunity to consolidate their market position, but this was achieved at the cost of growing power asymmetry in the platform labour market, with workers’ attempts to organise and improve conditions undermined by over-recruitment.
Searching for a better job
Authors: Novianto Arif , Dessi Wulansari Anindya , Keban Yeremias T.
Published: November 2023

The conditions of gig workers, such as platform drivers, differ sharply between countries in central and peripheral capitalism. Working conditions with long working hours, low incomes and lack of social protection tend to be more severe for gig workers in peripheral than in central capitalism. This article draws on a survey of 290 drivers working for ride-hailing, food-delivery and courier platforms in one of the peripheral capitalist countries, namely Indonesia. It examines the precariousness of their working conditions in relation to the International Labour Organization’s Decent Work Indicators and concludes that of the ten decent work indicators, platform drivers only receive two. However, this decent work agenda has limitations: first, the decent work indicators have not been able to protect specific forms of work in digital labour; second, the minimum wage in decent work in Indonesia does not represent a living wage, so is rejected by many platform drivers; and third, the concept of decent work cannot be extended to cover future working conditions that are fair and without exploitation.
Alienated Species and Unsettled Ecologies: Locating “Redneck” Conservation in the Racial Discourse of “Asian” Carp Invasion
Authors: Fink Lisa
Published: November 2023

Abstract: Science studies scholars identify parallels between anti-immigrant and anti-invasive species rhetoric but have yet to consider how this linked racial discourse of invasion functions as part of a settler colonial project or what alternative forms of conservation arise through this confluence. Looking at this confluence through the lens of settler colonialism and Indigenous studies scholarship demonstrates how a form of environmental practice that I term “redneck” conservation reveals the racial and colonial logics of dominant invasive species discourses and practices. I propose the term alienated species to highlight these interconnections. Further, through a case study of “Asian” carp that explores social media, news media, and popular culture alongside Indigenous approaches, I argue that self-identified “redneck” settlers operationalize this discourse—alongside militaristic, masculinist embodiment—to position the “alien” as a foil against which they define whiteness and nativity while perpetuating Indigenous erasure. In this way, erasures of indigeneity and attacks against Asianness jointly produce the white male settled subject. In contrast, Indigenous communities engage a range of alternative responses to the carp and other alienated species within both formal land management strategies and everyday practices, such as harvesting. These responses reveal an Indigenous ethic of belonging that animates different ways of living on and providing care for the land, including the humans forced to live together.
“Everything Everywhere All At Once”: Social Media, Marketing/Algorithmic Culture, and Activism in Southeast Asia
Authors: Lim Merlyna
Published: November 2023

Abstract: This article delves into the intricate relationship between social media and politics, specifically concerning the dynamics of activism in Southeast Asia. It reveals that regional and domestic political conditions, the logic of marketing, and the prevalence of algorithmic culture affect the salience of this relationship. The article highlights that in today’s social media landscape, civil society operates against growing state control and repression while simultaneously navigating the emergence of algorithmic politics often characterized by binary populist frameworks and the expansion of the cyber-propaganda industry. In closing, this article calls for efforts to cultivate deep deliberation spheres needed to sustain long-term civic engagement and preserve democratic activism in the region.
Application of Machine Learning Techniques to Detect and Understand the Impacts of Global Warming on Southeast Australia
Authors: Speer Milton S. , Leslie Lance M.
Published: November 2023

Abstract: Australia is adversely affected by global warming (GW), as its well-known cycles of droughts, floods, and extreme weather events are increasingly amplified by GW. Here, the focus is the impacts of GW on populous southeast Australia. Machine Learning attribution techniques have been applied to identify the main drivers of these impacts. This article presents the detection examples of the most relevant drivers, individually and in combination, responsible for observed trends in precipitation and temperature due to GW.
“Injustice Everywhere”: Confronting Race and Racism in Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises
Authors: Miller D. Quentin
Published: November 2023

Abstract: The Sun Also Rises contains troubling depictions of African-American characters framed by a vile racial epithet. Although critics have addressed this topic using the familiar contexts of Hemingway’s life, his iceberg theory, or intertextuality, this article argues that a fluid, combinatory context is necessary in the twenty-first century classroom. Acknowledging Toni Morrison’s important intervention in Playing in the Dark , this essay seeks neither to dismiss or ignore the novel’s racist content nor to banish the novel from the canon, but rather to engage the novel in a complex ongoing dialogue about race and racism in American culture and literature.
Evidence and Models of Linguistic Relations: Subgroups, Linkages, Lexical Innovations, and Borneo
Authors: Smith Alexander D.
Published: November 2023

Abstract: Several recent studies place the languages of Borneo into one of two large groups, the Greater North Borneo subgroup and the Barito–Basap linkage. These same studies place both Greater North Borneo and Barito–Basap with the Western Indonesian subgroup, a large subgroup which is claimed to be a primary branch of Malayo-Polynesian. This paper demonstrates that the exclusively lexical evidence used to justify such subgroups is invalid as subgrouping evidence. Instead, it is shown that the languages of Borneo developed a small number of Bornean-only lexical items through contact, borrowing, and early innovations within the first Proto-Malayo-Polynesian-speaking settlers of the island. To support these claims, a detailed description of both the methods of lexical innovation evaluation as well as the types of linguistic relations that such lexical innovations support is undertaken in this paper. A new standard for the use of lexical evidence in subgrouping arguments is established, with wide-ranging implications for not only the classification of Bornean languages but of western Malayo-Polynesian languages in general.
Non-diffracting polarization features around far-field zeros of electromagnetic radiation
Authors: Vernon Alex J. , Kille Andrew , Rodríguez-Fortuño Francisco J. , Afanasev Andrei
Published: November 2023

Light from any physical source diffracts over space, as spherical wavefronts grow and energy density is spread out. Diffractive effects pose fundamental limits to light-based technologies, including communications, spectroscopy, and metrology. Polarization becomes paraxial in the far-field limit, and, by ignoring longitudinal field components, the rich physics of non-paraxial fields that exist in near-fields or a beam’s tight focus is lost. The longitudinal field cannot, however, be ignored when transverse field components vanish (in a transverse field zero) and carry a small non-paraxial region to infinity. We show that a transverse field zero is always accompanied by non-diffracting polarization structures, whose geometries are independent of the distance to the source, including an enclosing intensity ratio tube, and parallel, non-diverging polarization singularities. We illustrate these features in multipole radiation and in double-slit interference, two examples that have time-fixed transverse field zeros. Non-diffracting structures with a changing position are coupled to time-varying zeros, which are present in all far-field radiation.
Fluctuations in auxin levels depend upon synchronicity of cell divisions in a one-dimensional model of auxin transport
Authors: Bellows Simon , Janes George , Avitabile Daniele , King John R. , Bishopp Anthony , Farcot Etienne
Published: November 2023

Auxin is a well-studied plant hormone, the spatial distribution of which remains incompletely understood. Here, we investigate the effects of cell growth and divisions on the dynamics of auxin patterning, using a combination of mathematical modelling and experimental observations. In contrast to most prior work, models are not designed or tuned with the aim to produce a specific auxin pattern. Instead, we use well-established techniques from dynamical systems theory to uncover and classify ranges of auxin patterns as exhaustively as possible as parameters are varied. Previous work using these techniques has shown how a multitude of stable auxin patterns may coexist, each attainable from a specific ensemble of initial conditions. When a key parameter spans a range of values, these steady patterns form a geometric curve with successive folds, often nicknamed a snaking diagram. As we introduce growth and cell division into a one-dimensional model of auxin distribution, we observe new behaviour which can be explained in terms of this diagram. Cell growth changes the shape of the snaking diagram, and this corresponds in turn to deformations in the patterns of auxin distribution. As divisions occur this can lead to abrupt creation or annihilation of auxin peaks. We term this phenomenon ‘snake-jumping’. Under rhythmic cell divisions, we show how this can lead to stable oscillations of auxin. We also show that this requires a high level of synchronisation between cell divisions. Using 18 hour time-lapse imaging of the auxin reporter DII:Venus in roots of Arabidopsis thaliana, we show auxin fluctuates greatly, both in terms of amplitude and periodicity, consistent with the snake-jumping events observed with non-synchronised cell divisions. Periodic signals downstream of the auxin signalling pathway have previously been recorded in plant roots. The present work shows that auxin alone is unlikely to play the role of a pacemaker in this context.
Challenges Experienced and Observed during the Implementation of Leprosy Strategies, Sidama Region, Southern Ethiopia: An inductive thematic analysis of qualitative study among health professionals who working with leprosy programs
Authors: Betru Kebede Tefera , Makua Thuledi
Published: November 2023

Background

Prompt diagnosis and treatment of leprosy are crucial for preventing the disease’s spread as well as for avoiding negative medical and social effects and reducing the disease’s burden. The likelihood of nerve damage and subsequent disability rises as the length of the diagnostic delay. We aimed to explore the challenges of health professionals faced regarding their involvement in early leprosy case detection strategies.

Methods

The study employed a qualitative, descriptive and phenomenological explorative research design to answer the research questions. By the use of non-probability purposive sampling, research participants were identified. During the study, in-depth interviews were conducted to gather information regarding the experiences of health workers (medical doctors, public health officers, clinical nurses, health centre heads and regional and Woreda district health office technical and programme experts) and health extension workers. To analyse the qualitative data, inductive thematic analysis techniques were used. For analysis, open code software version 4.0 was used. The data transcription, coding, display, reduction (theme) and interpretation of the discovered results were the processes undertaken for the analysis.

Result

The findings of the study revealed that leprosy prevention and control programmes are still problematic. Themes that emerged from the data gleaned from the health workers included: lack of the existence of practice-oriented training, Integration of TB and leprosy training, lack of focus or other competing health priorities, Inadequate supportive supervision of health facilities, Multiple tasks for health workers, poor coordination and communications, lack of motivation in health workers, disruption in treatment, and Importance of training related to leprosy.

Conclusion

Strengthening comprehensive leprosy training for health workers, carrying out efficient and thorough contact tracing, enhancing monitoring, supervision, assessment and surveillance, boosting managerial skills, lobbying political commitment, and motivating healthcare workers may help in early detection of leprosy cases strategies.
Effects of facial skin pigmentation on social judgments in a Mexican population
Authors: Martínez-Ramírez Jaaziel , Puts David , Nieto Javier , G-Santoyo Isaac
Published: November 2023

People quickly and involuntarily form impressions of others based on their facial physical attributes, which can modulate critical social interactions. Skin pigmentation is one of the most variable and conspicuous facial traits among human populations. Empirical evidence suggests that these variations reflect ancestral ecological selective pressures balancing cutaneous vitamin D synthesis with the protection of the dermis from ultraviolet radiation. Nevertheless, skin pigmentation may currently be subject to additional selective pressures. For instance, the colonial era in Central and South America developed a highly stratified society based on ethnic origins, and light skin pigmentation became associated with higher social status and deference. This association could have originated through historical social learning that promoted favorable social perceptions towards individuals with lighter skin color and unfavorable perceptions towards individuals with darker skin color, which could still be present in the perception of current populations. Facial skin pigmentation is also sexually dimorphic, with males tending to exhibit darker skin than females, a difference that could be driven by sexual selection. To explore whether social learning and sexual selection represent additional selective pressures on skin pigmentation, we tested how this facial trait influences fundamental social perceptions in a Mexican population (N = 700, 489 female). We sampled facial images of eight European American males with natural lighter facial skin and eight males from an indigenous pre-Columbian community from Mexico, the Me’Phaa, with natural darker facial skin. We produced stimuli from these images by varying the skin pigmentation while preserving the facial shape. Stimuli were rated on attractiveness, trustworthiness, perceived health, dominance, aggressiveness, and femininity/masculinity. We found that the natural light-skinned faces were perceived as more attractive, trustworthy, and healthy but less dominant than the natural dark faces. Furthermore, by varying the facial skin color in these original groups, we altered the perceptions of them, mainly their attractiveness. These results partially support the hypothesis that dark facial skin color may help males compete for mates. Also, the results strongly support the view that lighter facial skin color became associated with social benefits through social learning in this Mexican population. Our findings, when viewed through the lens of cultural evolution, align with previous research in social psychology and anthropology. They hold the potential to offer a comprehensive understanding of the origin of this social phenomenon of cultural transmission, which currently plays a role in the formation of racial attitudes, stereotyping, and racial inequality in Mexican and other Latin American populations.
Does digital transformation enhance the core competitiveness?—Quasi-natural experimental evidence from Chinese traditional manufacturing
Authors: Zhang LiuYang , Qiu PingQian , Cao Peng
Published: November 2023

In the era of the digital economy, building an internationally competitive manufacturing industry with intelligent manufacturing as its main focus is the only way to promote the transformation of a country into a manufacturing power and achieve high-quality economic development. To explore whether Digital transformation can improve the core competitiveness of traditional manufacturing enterprises, and what factors affect this process, this study establishes the core competitiveness system of enterprises through the principal component analysis(PCA) method and discusses the above issues through the construction of a double difference model. The results of this research from China’s traditional manufacturing industry are as follows. (i) The digital transformation of enterprises has significantly improved their core competitiveness and has a certain time lag effect. (ii) In the process of enterprise digital transformation, enterprise management capabilities, environmental uncertainty, and enterprise operational efficiency will positively enhance the results of enterprise digital transformation. (iii) The enhancement of core competitiveness caused by digital transformation is more significant for the market leaders and laggards. (iv) Compared with non-state-owned enterprises, the Digital Transformationn of state-owned enterprises has a more obvious effect on promoting their core competitiveness. (v) In comparison with enterprises with low government subsidies, the Digital Transformation of enterprises with high government subsidies plays a more significant role in promoting their core competitiveness. In addition, this study proposes policy guidance and practical guidance for digital transformation to accelerate the promotion of core competitiveness of traditional manufacturing industry.
Extended Kalman Filter design for sensorless sliding mode predictive control of induction motors without weighting factor: An experimental investigation
Authors: Chebaani Mohamed , Mahmoud Mohamed Metwally , Tazay Ahmad F. , Mosaad Mohamed I. , Nouraldin Noura A.
Published: November 2023

Due to their simplicity, cheapness, and ease of maintenance, induction motors (IMs) are the most widely used motors in the industry. However, if they are not properly controlled, the load torque and motor speed will fluctuate in an unsatisfactory fashion. To effectively control the load torque and speed of these IMs, it is necessary to use specialized drives. The entire system (IMs + Drives) will experience uncertainty, nonlinearities, and disruptions, which calls for an outstanding performance control structure. The sensorless sliding mode predictive torque control (SSM-PTC) for both AC-DC converter and DC-AC inverter, which are utilized for feeding the IM, is investigated in this work. The AC-DC converter is controlled using the SSM-PTC method in order to follow the DC-link reference voltage throughout any changes in the operating point of the IM. While the DC-AC inverter is controlled using a sensorless predictive power control (SPPC). Within a unity power factor, this SPPC regulates the reactive power flow between the motor and the supply to account for the undesirable harmonic components of the grid current. In addition, an experimental performance improvement of SSM-PTC of IM supplied by a 5-leg AC-DC-AC power converter using extended Kalman filter (EKF) without weighting factor (WF) is also studied in this work. Design and implantation of the suggested control systems are performed using a dSPACE 1104 card. The experimental results of the proposed converter control demonstrate that the suggested approach effectively regulated the DC link, reducing load torque and speed fluctuations. In the context of inverter control, a prompt active power response yields a motor current waveform that resembles a sinusoidal pattern, exhibiting minimal levels of harmonic distortion.
Dynamic prediction of survival via Landmark method using the asthma prevention trial in young children
Authors: Faiz Nosheen , Gardiwal Atal Khan , Khan Muhammad Asif , Iftikhar Soofia
Published: November 2023

This paper focuses on the applications of Landmark method for obtaining dynamic predictions of survival by using Landmark approach to the data of asthma prevention trial in young children. This work focuses on the different ways to model recurrent events by considering various time scales according to how subjects in the dataset experienced multiple events. Landmark models can be used to dynamically estimate the effect of treatments effects whilst also taken into consideration the history of previous asthma attacks. Our analysis show that the treatment effect should be modelled with a time varying effect and the effect of the previous attack reduces with the passage of time.
Theory-practice gap: Nursing students’ self-reported depth of understanding of bioscience and its relevance to clinical practice
Authors: Rafferty Bronwynne , Mthimunye Katlego , Bimerew Million
Published: November 2023

Background

Bioscience subjects are essential as they allow nurses to have a clear understanding of the patient’s condition and ultimately allow them to provide appropriate and timeous care. However, these subjects remain a significant problem in the endeavour to produce highly competent nurses.

Aim

The study aimed to investigate the nursing students’ self-reported depth of understanding of bioscience and its relevance to clinical practice.

Methods

A quantitative research approach using a descriptive survey design was employed. The sample (n = 211) included second-, third- and fourth-year undergraduate nursing students. A three-part self-administered questionnaire was adapted and used to collect the data. Data were analysed using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 25.0 (IBM SPSS-25). Descriptive statistics and Chi-squared test were performed to describe the relationship among the study variables.

Results

Participants rated their understanding of the application of Human Biology (n = 86, 40.76%) and Pharmacology (n = 88, 41.71%) as good, while Physics (n = 80, 37.91%) and Chemistry (n = 85, 40.28%) were rated as adequate. Most participants rated Human Biology (n = 175, 83.73%) and Pharmacology (n = 181, 86.19%) as essential, while Physics (n = 129, 61.72%) and Chemistry (n = 133, 63.64%) were rated as relevant to clinical practice. Physics (n = 112, 60.54%; n = 95, 50.53%) and Chemistry (n = 126, 68.85%; n = 113 61.41%) were rated as not relevant to monitoring a patient’s heart rate and blood pressure. Participants’ perception of the relevance of Chemistry in monitoring a patient’s blood pressure was statistically significant (χ2= 6.871 (df 2), p<0.05). Most participants (n = 57, 41.91%) performed at Task specific on Akinsanya’s Bionursing model, suggesting an overall understanding of the foundational concepts and principles of bioscience.

Conclusion

The findings of the study provided evidence of the students’ self-reported depth of understanding and perception of the relevance of bioscience and indicate a need for more emphasis on the importance of bioscience integration in clinical practice.
Notes on correctness of p-values when analyzing experiments using SAS and R
Authors: Al-Sarraj Razaw , Forkman Johannes
Published: November 2023

It is commonly believed that if a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) is carried out in R, then reportedp-values are correct. This article shows that this is not always the case. Results can vary from non-significant to highly significant, depending on the choice of options. The user must know exactly which options result in correctp-values, and which options do not. Furthermore, it is commonly supposed that analyses in SAS and R of simple balanced experiments using mixed-effects models result in correctp-values. However, the simulation study of the current article indicates that frequency of Type I error deviates from the nominal value. The objective of this article is to compare SAS and R with respect to correctness of results when analyzing small experiments. It is concluded that modern functions and procedures for analysis of mixed-effects models are sometimes not as reliable as traditional ANOVA based on simple computations of sums of squares.
Enhancing lithic analysis: Introducing 3D-EdgeAngle as a semi-automated 3D digital method to systematically quantify stone tool edge angle and design
Authors: Schunk Lisa , Cramer Anja , Bob Konstantin , Calandra Ivan , Heinz Guido , Jöris Olaf , Marreiros João
Published: November 2023

In stone tool studies, the analysis of different technological and typological features is known to provide distinct but interrelated information on the design and use of artefacts. The selection of these features can potentially influence the understanding and reconstruction of past human technological behaviour across time. One feature frequently part of a standard lithic analysis is the measurement of edge angles. The angle of an edge, unmodified or shaped by retouch and an integral part of the overall tool design, is certainly a parameter that influences the interpretation of an artefact. The acuteness of an edge angle is often linked to aspects such as cutting, carving, or scraping efficiency and durability and thus, tool performance. Knowing the actual edge angle of a stone tool can therefore have important implications for its interpretation. In the case of edge angle analyses, manual measuring techniques have been established for many years in lithic studies. Here, we introduce a new method for accurate and precise edge angle measurements based on 3D data (hereafter 3D-EdgeAngle). 3D-EdgeAngle consists of a script-based, semi-automated edge angle measuring method applicable to 3D models. Unlike other methods, 3D-EdgeAngle illustrates an objective way of measuring the edge angle at cross sections along the entire tool edge in defined steps and, moreover, allows measurements at different distances perpendicular to the edge by controlling three involved parameters. Thus, with this method, the edge angle can be measured at any point in a high resolution and scale of analysis. Compared to measurements taken manually, with this method random and systematic errors can be reduced significantly. Additionally, all data are reproducible and statistically evaluable. We introduce 3D-EdgeAngle as a standard method to calculate edge angles with a highly accurate and systematic approach. With this method, we aim to improve the process of studying lithics and thus to increase the understanding of past human tool design.
Evaluation of arsenic metabolism and tight junction injury after exposure to arsenite and monomethylarsonous acid using a rat in vitro blood–Brain barrier model
Authors: Yamauchi Hiroshi , Hitomi Toshiaki , Takata Ayako
Published: November 2023

Experimental verification of impairment to cognitive abilities and cognitive dysfunction resulting from inorganic arsenic (iAs) exposure in children and adults is challenging. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of arsenite (iAsIII; 1, 10 and 20 μM) or monomethylarsonous acid (MMAIII; 0.1, 1 and 2 μM) exposure on arsenic metabolism and tight junction (TJ) function in the blood–brain barrier (BBB) using a rat in vitro-BBB model. The results showed that a small percentage (~15%) of iAsIII was oxidized or methylated within the BBB, suggesting the persistence of toxicity as iAsIII. Approximately 65% of MMAIII was converted to low-toxicity monomethylarsonic acid and dimethylarsenic acid via oxidation and methylation. Therefore, it is estimated that MMAIII causes TJ injury to the BBB at approximately 35% of the unconverted level. TJ injury of BBB after iAsIII or MMAIII exposure could be significantly assessed from decreased expression of claudin-5 and decreased transepithelial electrical resistance values. TJ injury in BBB was found to be significantly affected by MMAIII than iAsIII. Relatedly, the penetration rate in the BBB by 24 h of exposure was higher for MMAIII (53.1% ± 2.72%) than for iAsIII (43.3% ± 0.71%) (p < 0.01). Exposure to iAsIII or MMAIII induced an antioxidant stress response, with concentration-dependent increases in the expression of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 in astrocytes and heme oxygenase-1 in a group of vascular endothelial cells and pericytes, respectively. This study found that TJ injury at the BBB is closely related to the chemical form and species of arsenic; we believe that elucidation of methylation in the brain is essential to verify the impairment of cognitive abilities and cognitive dysfunction caused by iAs exposure.
Transcultural validation of the “revised sport motivation scale” (SMS‐II) in Arabic language: Exploratory study on motivation in sport for a sample of Tunisian Athletes
Authors: Baaziz Mohamed , Aloui Ali , Tayech Amel , Stults-Kolehmainen Matthew , Mejri Mohamed Arbi , Ben Abderrahman Abderraouf
Published: November 2023

Background

Sports performance is the result of an interaction of several variables, such as physical, technical, and psychological. The ability of athletes to use motivation, is an important predictor to achieve high performance in sport. SMS‐II comprised 18 elements to measure six behavioral control factors.

Aim

This study aims to validate an Arabic version of the revised sports motivation scale‐II (SMS‐II) and measure the psychometric properties of factorial structure, internal reliability, construct validity, and sensitivity.

Methods

A total of 780 athletes from different disciplines (432 men, 348 women; mean age = 18.97 years) participated in this study. Athletes voluntarily responded to the version of SMS‐II. Factorial validity was established by principal component analysis. Both exploratory (EFA; N = 390; males: 52.6%; females: 47.4%; [13–18] = 172; [19–30] = 218) and confirmatory (CFA; N = 390; males: 58.2%; females: 41.8%; [13–18] = 247; [19–30] = 143) analyses were examined.

Results

The 18 SMS-II items revealed perfect reliability (McDonald’s omega = 0.841, Cronbach’s α = 0.858, Gutmann’s λ6 = 0.952) and good temporal stability (ICC = 0.960, 95% CI = 0.915–0.980; r = 0.935, 95% CI = 0.889–0.963 at p < 0.001) over 4-week period. The CFA adjustment indices were perfect.

Conclusion

The results tended to clarify all indices as perfect adjustments to the theoretical model, ensuring the confirmation of factor structure and construction validity regarding the Tunisian sports workforce.
Preferential selection of viral escape mutants by CD8+ T cell ‘sieving’ of SIV reactivation from latency
Authors: Docken Steffen S. , McCormick Kevin , Pampena M. Betina , Samer Sadia , Lindemuth Emily , Pinkevych Mykola , Viox Elise G. , Wu Yuhuang , Schlub Timothy E. , Cromer Deborah , Keele Brandon F. , Paiardini Mirko , Betts Michael R. , Bar Katharine J. , Davenport Miles P.
Published: November 2023

HIV rapidly rebounds after interruption of antiretroviral therapy (ART). HIV-specific CD8+ T cells may act to prevent early events in viral reactivation. However, the presence of viral immune escape mutations may limit the effect of CD8+ T cells on viral rebound. Here, we studied the impact of CD8 immune pressure on post-treatment rebound of barcoded SIVmac293M in 14 Mamu-A*01 positive rhesus macaques that initiated ART on day 14, and subsequently underwent two analytic treatment interruptions (ATIs). Rebound following the first ATI (seven months after ART initiation) was dominated by virus that retained the wild-type sequence at the Mamu-A*01 restricted Tat-SL8 epitope. By the end of the two-month treatment interruption, the replicating virus was predominantly escaped at the Tat-SL8 epitope. Animals reinitiated ART for 3 months prior to a second treatment interruption. Time-to-rebound and viral reactivation rate were significantly slower during the second treatment interruption compared to the first. Tat-SL8 escape mutants dominated early rebound during the second treatment interruption, despite the dominance of wild-type virus in the proviral reservoir. Furthermore, the escape mutations detected early in the second treatment interruption were well predicted by those replicating at the end of the first, indicating that escape mutant virus in the second interruption originated from the latent reservoir as opposed to evolving de novo post rebound. SL8-specific CD8+ T cell levels in blood prior to the second interruption were marginally, but significantly, higher (median 0.73% vs 0.60%, p = 0.016). CD8+ T cell depletion approximately 95 days after the second treatment interruption led to the reappearance of wild-type virus. This work suggests that CD8+ T cells can actively suppress the rebound of wild-type virus, leading to the dominance of escape mutant virus after treatment interruption.
Development of a bispecific nanobody conjugate broadly neutralizes diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants and structural basis for its broad neutralization
Authors: Yang Jing , Lin Sheng , Chen Zimin , Yang Fanli , Guo Liyan , Wang Lingling , Duan Yanping , Zhang Xindan , Dai Yushan , Yin Keqing , Yu Chongzhang , Yuan Xin , Sun Honglu , He Bin , Cao Yu , Ye Haoyu , Dong Haohao , Liu Xianbo , Chen Bo , Li Jian , Zhao Qi , Lu Guangwen
Published: November 2023

The continuous emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants with increased transmissibility and profound immune-escape capacity makes it an urgent need to develop broad-spectrum therapeutics. Nanobodies have recently attracted extensive attentions due to their excellent biochemical and binding properties. Here, we report two high-affinity nanobodies (Nb-015 and Nb-021) that target non-overlapping epitopes in SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD. Both nanobodies could efficiently neutralize diverse viruses of SARS-CoV-2. The neutralizing mechanisms for the two nanobodies are further delineated by high-resolution nanobody/S-RBD complex structures. In addition, an Fc-based tetravalent nanobody format is constructed by combining Nb-015 and Nb-021. The resultant nanobody conjugate, designated as Nb-X2-Fc, exhibits significantly enhanced breadth and potency against all-tested SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Omicron sub-lineages. These data demonstrate that Nb-X2-Fc could serve as an effective drug candidate for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection, deserving further in-vivo evaluations in the future.