bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phylogenetic analyses of antimicrobial resistant Corynebacterium striatum strains isolated from a nosocomial outbreak in a tertiary hospital in China
Authors: Li Yuchuan , Rong Jianrong , Gao Chunyan
Published: June 2023

Corynebacterium striatum is an emerging, multidrug-resistant pathogen that frequently causes nosocomial infections worldwide. This study aimed to investigate phylogenetic relationship and presence of genes responsible for antimicrobial resistance among C. striatum strains associated with an outbreak at the Shanxi Bethune Hospital, China, in 2021. Fecal samples were collected from 65 patients with C. striatum infection at Shanxi Bethune Hospital between February 12, 2021 and April 12, 2021. C. striatum isolates were identified by 16S rRNA and rpoB gene sequencing. E-test strips were used to examine the antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates. Whole-genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were employed to assess the genomic features and identify antimicrobial resistance genes of the isolates. Crystal violet staining was conducted to determine the ability of biofilm formation of each isolate. A total of 64 C. striatum isolates were identified and categorized into 4 clades based on single nucleotide polymorphisms. All isolates were resistant to penicillin, meropenem, ceftriaxone, and ciprofloxacin but susceptible to vancomycin and linezolid. Most isolates were also resistant to tetracycline, clindamycin, and erythromycin, with susceptibility rates of 10.77, 4.62, and 7.69%, respectively. Genomic analysis revealed 14 antimicrobial resistance genes in the isolates, including tetW, ermX, and sul1. Crystal violet staining showed that all isolates formed biofilms on the abiotic surface. Four clades of multidrug-resistant C. striatum spread in our hospitals possibly due to the acquisition of antimicrobial resistance genes.
Genomic databanks provide robust assessment of invasive mosquito movement pathways and cryptic establishment
Authors: Schmidt Thomas L. , Endersby-Harshman Nancy M. , Kurucz Nina , Pettit William , Krause Vicki L. , Ehlers Gerhard , Muzari Mutizwa Odwell , Currie Bart J. , Hoffmann Ary A.
Published: June 2023

Biosecurity strategies that aim to restrict the spread of invasive pests can benefit from knowing where incursions have come from and whether cryptic establishment has taken place. This knowledge can be acquired with genomic databanks, by comparing genetic variation in incursion samples against reference samples. Here we use genomic databanks to characterise incursions of two mosquito species within Australia, and to observe how genomic tracing methods perform when databank samples have limited genetic differentiation and were collected tens of generations ago. We used a deep learning method to trace a 2021 invasion ofAedes aegyptiin Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, to Townsville, Queensland, and to trace two years ofAe. albopictusincursions to two specific islands in the Torres Strait. Tracing had high precision despite 30–70 generations separating incursion and reference samples, and cross-validation of reference samples assigned them to the correct origin in 87% of cases. Similar precision was not achieved with PCAs, which performed particularly poorly for tracing when the invasion had been subject to strong drift effects. Targeted assays also provided additional information on the origin of the Tennant CreekAe. aegypti, in this case by comparingWolbachiainfection data and mitochondrial DNA variation. Patterns of relatedness and inbreeding indicated that Tennant Creek was likely invaded by one family ofAe. aegypti, while Torres Strait incursions were independent and indicated no cryptic establishment. Our results highlight the value of genomic databanks that remain informative over years and for a range of biological conditions.
Saproxylic beetles respond to habitat variables at different spatial scales depending on variable type and species’ mobility: the need for multi-scale forest structure management
Authors: Winiger Nathalie , Hendel Anna-Lena , Ganz Selina , Zielewska-Büttner Katarzyna , Segelbacher Gernot , Braunisch Veronika
Published: June 2023

The response of species to the environment is scale-dependent and the spatial scale at which this relationships are measured may affect conservation recommendations. Saproxylic beetles depend on decaying- and deadwood which occur in lower quantities in managed compared to natural forests. Most studies have investigated the habitat selection of saproxylic beetles at the stand scale, however depending on the species mobility, the amounts and distribution of forest attributes across the landscape may be equally important, and thus crucial to frame quantitative conservation targets. To address this gap, we evaluated the influence of environmental variables, derived from remote sensing across multiple spatial scales (50, 100, 250, 500 and 1000 m radius), on saproxylic beetles habitat selection. Focusing on four mobile and four flightless species, we hypothesized that mobile species respond to habitat variables at broader scales compared to flightless species, and that variables describing forest structure explain species presence better at smaller scales than variables describing other landscape features. Forest structure variables explained around 40% of the habitat selection, followed by variables describing forest type, topography and climate. Contrary to our expectations, mobile species responded to variables at smaller scales than flightless species. Saproxylic beetle species therefore respond to the availability of habitat features at spatial scales that are inversely related to their dispersal capacities, suggesting that less mobile species require larger areas with suitable habitat characteristics while mobile species can also make use of small, distributed patches with locally concentrated habitat features.
KASP mapping of QTLs for yield components using a RIL population in Basmati rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Ashfaq Hamza , Rani Reena , Perveen Naila , Babar Allah Ditta , Maqsood Umer , Asif Muhammad , Steele Katherine A. , Arif Muhammad
Published: June 2023

Super Basmati is an elite variety with extra-long grains and superior quality but its yield is severely affected by water stress. Recombinant inbred lines (RILs) developed from the cross of Super Basmati and IR55419-04 (a coarse grained variety with high yield potential) were used to identify and map yield-related quantitative trait loci (QTLs) under normal field conditions. Genotypes for 244 KASP markers were obtained from 188 F9 RILs and a linkage map constructed of 1369.4 cM, with average marker interval of 10.5 cM. Eleven agronomic traits were phenotyped in RILs and parents. Composite interval mapping and inclusive composite interval mapping model identified 21 common QTLs related to nine agronomic traits; of the QTLs identified, twelve mapped at novel positions. LOD scores ranged from 2.51 for number of filled grains (qFG1.1) to 16.8 for plant height (qPH1.1). Four major effect QTLs could explain 20% of variation related for plant height, hundred-grain weight and grain width. Alleles from IR55419-04 improved grain filling, grain weight and grain width, while alleles from Super Basmati contributed to longer grains, panicles and flag leaves. Putative candidate genes were identified for 18 yield-related QTLs. These results validate the use of KASP genotyping for QTL mapping of yield-related traits in a bi-parental segregating population. SNPs in the QTLs identified in this study can be used in marker assisted selection for yield components to improve Basmati rice.
Groups of convex bodies
Authors: Hepworth Richard
Published: June 2023

In this paper we introduce and study a topological abelian group of convex bodies, analogous to the scissors congruence group and McMullen’s polytope algebra, with the universal property that continuous valuations on convex bodies correspond to continuous homomorphisms on the group of convex bodies. To study this group, we first obtain a version of McMullen polynomiality for valuations that take values not in fields or vector spaces, but in abelian groups. Using this, we are able to equip the group of convex bodies with a grading that consists of real vector spaces in all positive degrees, mirroring one of the main structural properties of the polytope algebra. It is hoped that this work can serve as the starting point for a K-theoretic interpretation of valuations on convex bodies.
Focused Energy, A New Approach Towards Inertial Fusion Energy
Authors: Ditmire T. , Roth M. , Patel P. K. , Callahan D. , Cheriaux G. , Gibbon P. , Hammond D. , Hannasch A. , Jarrott L. C. , Schaumann G. , Theobald W. , Therrot C. , Turianska O. , Vaisseau X. , Wasser F. , Zähter S. , Zimmer M. , Goldstein W.
Published: June 2023

Focused Energy is a new startup company with the goal of developing laser-driven inertial fusion energy for electrical power production. The company combines the results from decades of fundamental research in inertial confinement fusion at universities and national laboratories with the flexibility and the speed of a startup company. Focused Energy has chosen the direct-drive, proton fast ignition approach to reach ignition, burn and high gain as the most promising approach. Located in Austin/US and Darmstadt/Germany, supported by the science community and private investment Focused Energy is paving the way to inertial fusion energy combining the best skill set and state-of-the-art technology from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. In this paper we discuss the details and reasoning for the approach and the technical directions we have chosen. We will outline our roadmap for getting to a fusion pilot plant in the mid to late 2030s.
Two for the GOES: Exploring Gambling Outcome Expectancies Scores Across Mixed and Offline-Only Gamblers in Relation to Problem Gambling Risk Status
Authors: Richardson Andrea C. , Flack Mal , Caudwell Kim M.
Published: June 2023

As online gambling becomes more prevalent, understanding the motives of online gamblers has become a key focus for research and practice. The aim of this study was to understand differences in gambling-related outcome expectancies between mixed (both online and offline) gamblers and offline-only gamblers, by incorporating gambling harm risk categories from the problem gambling severity index (PGSI). This study comprised a secondary data analysis of the 2015 Northern Territory Gambling Prevalence and Wellbeing Survey. A sample of 1207 individuals in the Northern Territory who had reported gambling at least once in the previous 12 months were used in the analyses. General linear and structural equation modelling were used to ascertain differences in gambling outcome expectancies, in relation to gambling modality (i.e., mixed, offline-only) and PGSI scores. Mixed gamblers tended to score higher on all outcome expectancies than their offline-only counterparts. Outcome expectancy scores were higher in individuals in higher-risk PGSI categories. The escape outcome expectancy was dependent on both modality and risk category. Invariance testing of a low and problem gambling risk subsample revealed differential relationships for both the escape and excitement outcome expectancies for mixed and offline-only gamblers. The results provide an important contribution to the existing literature regarding motivation and outcome expectancies in relation to gambling modality and problem gambling severity. The findings highlight the importance of considering both gambling outcome expectancies and modality when considering problem gambling.
Understanding Clinic and Community Member Experiences with Implementation of Evidence-Based Strategies for HPV Vaccination in Safety-Net Primary Care Settings
Authors: Tsui Jennifer , Shin Michelle , Sloan Kylie , Martinez Bibiana , Palinkas Lawrence A. , Baezconde-Garbanati Lourdes , Cantor Joel C. , Hudson Shawna V. , Crabtree Benjamin F.
Published: June 2023

HPV vaccination rates remain below target levels among adolescents in the United States, which is particularly concerning in safety-net populations with persistent disparities in HPV-associated cancer burden. Perspectives on evidence-based strategies (EBS) for HPV vaccination among key implementation participants, internal and external to clinics, can provide a better understanding of why these disparities persist. We conducted virtual interviews and focus groups, guided by the Practice Change Model, with clinic members (providers, clinic leaders, and clinic staff) and community members (advocates, parents, policy-level, and payers) in Los Angeles and New Jersey to understand common and divergent perspectives on and experiences with HPV vaccination in safety-net primary care settings. Fifty-eight interviews and seven focus groups were conducted (n = 65 total). Clinic members (clinic leaders n = 7, providers n = 12, and clinic staff n = 6) revealed conflicting HPV vaccine messaging, lack of shared motivation to reduce missed opportunities and improve workflows, and non-operability between clinic electronic health records and state immunization registries created barriers for implementing effective strategies. Community members (advocates n = 8, policy n = 11, payers n = 8, and parents n = 13) described lack of HPV vaccine prioritization among payers, a reliance on advocates to lead national agenda setting and facilitate local implementation, and opportunities to support and engage schools in HPV vaccine messaging and adolescents in HPV vaccine decision-making. Participants indicated the COVID-19 pandemic complicated prioritization of HPV vaccination but also created opportunities for change. These findings highlight design and selection criteria for identifying and implementing EBS (changing the intervention itself, or practice-level resources versus external motivators) that bring internal and external clinic partners together for targeted approaches that account for local needs in improving HPV vaccine uptake within safety-net settings.
Higher testosterone and testosterone/estradiol ratio in men are associated with decreased Pheno-/GrimAge and DNA-methylation based PAI1
Authors: Kusters Cynthia D. J. , Paul Kimberly C. , Lu Ake T. , Ferruci Luigi , Ritz Beate R. , Binder Alexandra M. , Horvath Steve
Published: June 2023

Sex hormones are hypothesized to drive sex-specific health disparities. Here, we study the association between sex steroid hormones and DNA methylation-based (DNAm) biomarkers of age and mortality risk including Pheno Age Acceleration (AA), Grim AA, and DNAm-based estimators of Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 (PAI1), and leptin concentrations. We pooled data from three population-based cohorts, the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort, the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, and the InCHIANTI Study, including 1,062 postmenopausal women without hormone therapy and 1,612 men of European descent. Sex-stratified analyses using a linear mixed regression were performed, with a Benjamini-Hochberg (BH) adjustment for multiple testing. Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) was associated with a decrease in DNAm PAI1 among men (per 1 standard deviation (SD): -478 pg/mL; 95%CI: -614 to -343; P:1e-11; BH-P: 1e-10), and women (-434 pg/mL; 95%CI: -589 to -279; P:1e-7; BH-P:2e-6). The testosterone/estradiol (TE) ratio was associated with a decrease in Pheno AA (-0.41 years; 95%CI: -0.70 to -0.12; P:0.01; BH-P: 0.04), and DNAm PAI1 (-351 pg/mL; 95%CI: -486 to -217; P:4e-7; BH-P:3e-6) among men. In men, testosterone was associated with a decrease in DNAm PAI1 (-481 pg/mL; 95%CI: -613 to -349; P:2e-12; BH-P:6e-11). SHBG was associated with lower DNAm PAI1 among men and women. Higher testosterone and testosterone/estradiol ratio were associated with lower DNAm PAI and a younger epigenetic age in men. A decrease in DNAm PAI1 is associated with lower mortality and morbidity risk indicating a potential protective effect of testosterone on lifespan and conceivably cardiovascular health via DNAm PAI1.

Graphical Abstract
Serum factors mediate changes in mitochondrial bioenergetics associated with diet and exercise interventions
Authors: Gonzalez-Armenta Jenny L. , Bergstrom Jaclyn , Lee Jingyun , Furdui Cristina M. , Nicklas Barbara J. , Molina Anthony J. A.
Published: June 2023

Mitochondrial improvements resulting from behavioral interventions, such as diet and exercise, are systemic and apparent across multiple tissues. Here, we test the hypothesis that factors present in serum, and therefore circulating throughout the body, can mediate changes in mitochondrial function in response to intervention. To investigate this, we used stored serum from a clinical trial comparing resistance training (RT) and RT plus caloric restriction (RT + CR) to examine effects of blood borne circulating factors on myoblasts in vitro. We report that exposure to dilute serum is sufficient to mediate bioenergetic benefits of these interventions. Additionally, serum-mediated bioenergetic changes can differentiate between interventions, recapitulate sex differences in bioenergetic responses, and is linked to improvements in physical function and inflammation. Using metabolomics, we identified circulating factors associated with changes in mitochondrial bioenergetics and the effects of interventions. This study provides new evidence that circulating factors play a role in the beneficial effects of interventions that improve healthspan among older adults. Understanding the factors that drive improvements in mitochondrial function is a key step towards predicting intervention outcomes and developing strategies to countermand systemic age-related bioenergetic decline.
A New full-newton step infeasible interior-point method for $$P_*(\kappa )$$-linear Complementarity problem
Authors: Lee Jong-Kyu , Cho You-Young , Jin Jin-Hee , Cho Gyeong-Mi
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we suggest a new infeasible interior-point method (IIPM) for $$P_{*}(\kappa )$$

P

∗

(
κ
)

-linear complementarity problem ($$P_{*}(\kappa )$$

P

∗

(
κ
)

-LCP) based on a new class of kernel functions with full-Newton steps. Each iteration of the algorithm consists of a feasible step and a few centering steps. The feasible step is defined by the newly proposed kernel functions, while the centering step is determined by using Newton’s method. New class of kernel functions includes a logarithmic kernel function in Roos (SIAM J Optim 16:1110–1136, 2006) and a trigonometric kernel function in Moslemi and Kheirfam (Optim Lett 13:127–157, 2019), Kheirfam and Haghighi (Commun Comb Optim 3:51–70, 2018), Fathi-Hafshejani et al. (J Appl Math Comput 48:111–128, 2015) as special cases. And we show that the proposed algorithm has the best known complexity for $$P_*(\kappa )$$

P

∗

(
κ
)

-LCP for such a method and present some numerical results.
A Review of Predictive and Contrastive Self-supervised Learning for Medical Images
Authors: Wang Wei-Chien , Ahn Euijoon , Feng Dagan , Kim Jinman
Published: June 2023

Over the last decade, supervised deep learning on manually annotated big data has been progressing significantly on computer vision tasks. But, the application of deep learning in medical image analysis is limited by the scarcity of high-quality annotated medical imaging data. An emerging solution is self-supervised learning (SSL), among which contrastive SSL is the most successful approach to rivalling or outperforming supervised learning. This review investigates several state-of-the-art contrastive SSL algorithms originally on natural images as well as their adaptations for medical images, and concludes by discussing recent advances, current limitations, and future directions in applying contrastive SSL in the medical domain.
Evaluating robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy surgeons with fully convolutional segmentation and multi-task attention networks
Authors: Wang Yihao , Wu Zhongjie , Dai Jessica , Morgan Tara N. , Garbens Alaina , Kominsky Hal , Gahan Jeffrey , Larson Eric C.
Published: June 2023

We use machine learning to evaluate surgical skill from videos during the tumor resection and renography steps of a robotic assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN). This expands previous work using synthetic tissue to include actual surgeries. We investigate cascaded neural networks for predicting surgical proficiency scores (OSATS and GEARS) from RAPN videos recorded from the DaVinci system. The semantic segmentation task generates a mask and tracks the various surgical instruments. The movements from the instruments found via semantic segmentation are processed by a scoring network that regresses (predicts) GEARS and OSATS scoring for each subcategory. Overall, the model performs well for many subcategories such as force sensitivity and knowledge of instruments of GEARS and OSATS scoring, but can suffer from false positives and negatives that would not be expected of human raters. This is mainly attributed to limited training data variability and sparsity.
Dao as a Unified Composition or Plurality: A Nihilism Perspective
Authors: Banka Rafal
Published: June 2023

This article departs from a mereological conceptualization of the Daoist metaphysical system in the Daodejing 道德經. I discuss what parthood status applies to dao 道. Whereas it is quite intuitive that you 有—the region of concrete objects—has parthood relationships and compositions (entities made from parts), the other, undifferentiated region, dao, poses a considerable problem. This problem can be characterized in the following way: (a) dao cannot be characterized as a particular composition, which entails that it does not include parts. However, (b) dao underpins compositions in you, which entails that it contains compositions or at least parts that make compositions in you. This generates a problem of how compositions are possible with an undifferentiated ontological foundation. I focus on one possible approach to this problem––mereological nihilism, according to which no composition is possible. Assuming nihilism entails dao composed of mereological simples––fundamental entities, which are not parts.
Associations between emergency call stroke triage and pre-hospital delay, primary hospital admission, and acute reperfusion treatment among early comers with acute ischemic stroke
Authors: Gude Martin F. , Valentin Jan B. , Christensen Helle C. , Mikkelsen Søren , Søvsø Morten B. , Andersen Grethe , Kirkegaard Hans , Johnsen Søren P.
Published: June 2023

To investigate the association between the Emergency Medical Service dispatcher’s initial stroke triage and prehospital stroke management, primary admission to hospitals offering revascularization treatment, prehospital time delay, and rate of acute revascularization. In an observational cohort study, patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in Denmark (2017–2018) were included if the emergency call to the Emergency Medical Dispatch Center (EMDC) was made within three hours after symptom onset. Among 3546 included AIS patients, the EMS dispatcher identified 74.6% (95% confidence interval (CI) 73.1–76.0) correctly as stroke. EMS dispatcher stroke recognition was associated with a higher rate of primary admission to a hospital offering revascularization treatment (85.8 versus 74.5%); producing an adjusted risk difference (RD) of 11.1% (95% CI 7.8; 14.3) and a higher rate of revascularization treatment (49.6 versus 41.6%) with an adjusted RD of 8.4% (95% CI 4.6; 12.2). We adjusted for sex, age, previous stroke or transient ischemic attack, and stroke severity. EMDC stroke recognition was associated with shorter prehospital delay. For all AIS patients, the adjusted difference was − 33.2 min (95% CI − 44.4; − 22.0). Among patients receiving acute revascularization treatment (n = 1687), the adjusted difference was -12.6 min (95% CI − 18.9; − 6.3). Stroke recognition by the EMS dispatcher was associated with a higher probability of primary admission to a hospital offering acute stroke treatment, and subsequently with a higher rate of acute revascularization treatment, and with an overall reduction in prehospital delay.
Trends and applications of google earth engine in remote sensing and earth science research: a bibliometric analysis using scopus database
Authors: Pham-Duc Binh , Nguyen Ho , Phan Hien , Tran-Anh Quan
Published: June 2023

Since its official establishment in 2010, Google Earth Engine (GEE) has developed rapidly and has played a significant role in the global remote sensing community. A bibliometric analysis was conducted on 1995 peer-reviewed articles related to GEE, indexed in the Scopus database up to December 2022 to investigate its trends and main applications. Our main findings are as follows: (1) The number of GEE-related articles has increased rapidly, with nearly 85% of them published in the last three years; (2) The top three domains where GEE has been extensively applied are earth and planetary sciences, environmental science, and agricultural and biological sciences. The majority of GEE-related articles were authored by scholars from China and the US, accounting for 58% of the total, with US scholars having the largest impact on the community, contributing to over 50% of the total citations; (3) Remote Sensing published the highest number of articles (26.82%), whereas Remote Sensing of Environment received the highest number of citations (30.40%); (4) The applications of GEE covered a broad range of topics, with a focus on land applications, water resource applications, climate change, and crop mapping; (5) Landsat imagery were the most popular and widely used dataset; and (6) Random forest, decision trees, support vector machines were the most commonly used machine learning algorithms in GEE. Although having a few limitations, this type of analysis should be conducted regularly to observe the development of this field on a regular basis, as the number of publications related to GEE is expected to continue to increase strongly in the coming years.
Silk Textiles Dyeing by Plant-Derived Colorant in the Presence of Chitosan and Shellac
Authors: Brudzyńska Patrycja , Sionkowska Alina , Grisel Michel
Published: June 2023

The research aimed to dye silk satin textiles with a plant-derived colorant in the presence of additives of natural origins, such as chitosan and shellac, to investigate whether they can dye silk textiles with satisfactory results. In this study, a series of mechanical properties (Young modulus, elongation at break, and tensile strength), and colorfastness following exposure to UVC irradiation and 6 months of storage of dyed silk textiles samples were tested. Colorimetric measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images were performed and FTIR spectra were registered. Results indicated that the plant-derived colorant used in this research had the potential to dye silk satin textiles with satisfactory results. Colorant with the addition of chitosan and shellac dyed silk textiles more intensely, shellac covering ensured their color stability following UVC irradiation and during storage while the addition of chitosan did not particularly affect the color stability under the influence of UVC irradiation. However, pre-treatment with low molecular weight chitosan improves colorfastness during storage. Both additives influenced the mechanical properties of dyed silk textiles.
Corrosion and passive film characteristics of 3D-printed NiTi shape memory alloys in artificial saliva
Authors: Liu Ming , Zhu Jia-Ning , Popovich V. A. , Borisov E. , Mol J. M. C. , Gonzalez-Garcia Y.
Published: June 2023

Electrochemical tests and surface analysis were applied to study the corrosion behavior and passive film characteristics of three-dimensional-printed NiTi shape memory alloys fabricated by laser-powder bed fusion (L-PBF) in artificial saliva at 37 °C. The passivity of L-PBF NiTi shows to be influenced by the process parameters and resulting morphological and physicochemical surface properties. The results show that the defects at the surface of L-PBF NiTi can promote the passivation rate in the early stages of exposure but a slowly formed passive film shows the best corrosion protection. The thickness of the passive film is positively correlated with its corrosion protective performance. The L-PBF NiTi alloy prepared at a linear energy density of 0.2 J·m−1 and volumetric energy density of 56 J·mm−3 shows the least defects and best corrosion protection. An outer Ti-rich and inner Ni-rich dense passive film could be also obtained showing higher corrosion resistance.

Graphic Abstract
Physical and mechanical properties of Ignimbrite from Arucas, Canary Islands
Authors: Valido J. A. , Cáceres J. M. , Sousa Luís M. O.
Published: June 2023

This research is a contribution to the mineralogical and physical–mechanical characterisation of the ignimbrites from Arucas (Gran Canaria Island), used as building stones under the commercial names of "Piedra de Arucas Lomo Tomás de León" and "Piedra de Arucas Rosa Silva". This stone has been used for more than five hundred years and is part of the local architectural heritage, but has also been exported to other regions of the world. To perform this characterisation, a chemical analysis was carried out using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), mineralogical and petrographic properties were obtained using polarised optical microscopy (POM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Several physical properties were determined, namely: apparent density (AP), open porosity (OP), water absorption at atmospheric pressure (WA), water absorption by capillarity (WAC), ultrasound velocity (PWV) and colour. Mechanical properties were obtained through compressive strength (UCS), bending strength (BS), point load (PLT), indirect tensile (BTS) and energy at break (IR) tests. To evaluate the durability, the samples were subjected to salt crystallisation cycles (CS), SO2 action (AS) and salt spray (SS) and the abrasion resistance (AR) was determined. The results obtained show that, although both samples share the same lithology and belong to the same geological formation (Salic Formation, trachytic-phonolitic), they show very different properties. Porosity stands out as the property with the higher difference among the two studied varieties. Therefore, the application of these ignimbrites should be done accordingly, avoiding environmental conditions that promotes the wettability and/or the salt crystallisation.
Exploring the diversity of the Malagasy Ponera (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) fauna via integrative taxonomy
Authors: Csősz Sándor , Loss Ana C. , Fisher Brian L.
Published: June 2023

The genus Ponera includes over 60 extant species worldwide. These tiny, endogeic predator ants are predominantly distributed in the Indomalaya and Australasia regions, with a few additional Holarctic species. Herein, we explore and describe the diversity of the Malagasy Ponera fauna through an integrative taxonomic approach. We obtained our morphological species hypotheses from multivariate analyses of ten continuous morphometric characters. Species boundaries and reliability of morphological clusters were tested via confirmatory Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), cross-validation (LOOCV), and analyses of a mitochondrial COI gene fragment. According to the combined application of the analyses, altogether, three species are inferred in the Malagasy region, Ponera petila Wilson (1957), P. swezeyi Wheeler (1933), and P. adumbrans Csősz & Fisher sp. n. Ponera petila and P. swezeyi belong to the Indo-Australian Ponera tenuis group; the third species, P. adumbrans sp. n., is morphologically similar to the Papua New Guinean P. clavicornis Emery (1900). Furthermore, Linear Discriminant Analysis classified the type specimens of P. bableti Perrault (1993), along with a P. petila cluster with posterior p = 1. Therefore, we propose the new junior synonymy of P. bableti with P. petila. Madagascar’s extant biodiversity is predominantly explained by colonization events from the African continent across the Mozambique channel via rafting. However, since no native Ponera species are known from the Afrotropical continent, and the closest congeners have an almost exclusively Indo-Australian distribution, the likelihood of an Indo-Australian origin of the Malagasy Ponera fauna is implied.
The STOP Program: a Hybrid Smoking Prevention and Cessation Training for Cancer Care Providers in Colombia and Peru
Authors: Tamí-Maury Irene , Tundealao Samuel , Díaz Vilma , Ochoa Elizabeth , Garcia Esperanza , Rincon Johanna , Noé-Díaz Valeri , Castañeda Carlos , Acosta Jesús , Fernández María , Vidaurre Tatiana , Crowley John
Published: June 2023

We designed and tested the feasibility of the Smoking Cessation Training Program for Oncology Practice (STOP), a hybrid (face-to-face plus web-based) educational intervention to enhance Spanish-speaking cancer care professionals’ (CCPs’) ability to provide brief smoking prevention and cessation counseling to cancer patients and survivors. Changes in the CCPs’ competencies (knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, and practices toward smoking and smoking cessation services) were assessed post-training. Sixty CCPs from one major cancer center in Colombia (n = 30) and Peru (n = 30) were invited to participate in a 4-module hybrid training program on smoking prevention and cessation. Demographic and pre- and post-test evaluation data were collected. The training’s acceptability was measured after each module. Bivariate analysis was conducted using Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare the CCPs’ competencies before and after the delivery of the STOP Program. Effect sizes were computed over time to assess the sustainability of the acquired competencies. Twenty-nine CCPs in Colombia and 24 CCPs in Peru completed the STOP Program (96.6% and 80.0% retention rates, respectively). In both countries, 98.2% of the CCPs reported that the overall structure and organization of the program provided an excellent learning experience. The pre-post-test evaluations indicated that the CCPs significantly improved their knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, and practices toward smoking, smoking prevention, and cessation services. We found that the CCPs’ self-efficacy and practices increased over time (1-, 3-, and 6-month assessments after completing the 4 educational modules). The STOP Program was effective and well-received, demonstrating remarkable changes in CCPs’ competencies in providing smoking prevention and cessation services to cancer patients.
Anthropogenic hybridization and its influence on the adaptive potential of the Sardinian wild boar (Sus scrofa meridionalis)
Authors: Fabbri Giulia , Molinaro Ludovica , Mucci Nadia , Pagani Luca , Scandura Massimo
Published: June 2023

The wild boar (Sus scrofa meridionalis) arrived in Sardinia with the first human settlers in the early Neolithic with the potential to hybridize with the domestic pig (S. s. domesticus) throughout its evolution on the island. In this paper, we investigated the possible microevolutionary effects of such introgressive hybridization on the present wild boar population, comparing Sardinian wild specimens with several commercial pig breeds and Sardinian local pigs, along with a putatively unadmixed wild boar population from Central Italy, all genotyped with a medium density SNP chip. We first aimed at identifying hybrids in the population using different approaches, then examined genomic regions enriched for domestic alleles in the hybrid group, and finally we applied two methods to find regions under positive selection to possibly highlight instances of domestic adaptive introgression into a wild population. We found three hybrids within the Sardinian sample (3.1% out of the whole dataset). We reported 11 significant windows under positive selection with a method that looks for overly differentiated loci in the target population, compared with other two populations. We also identified 82 genomic regions with signs of selection in the domestic pig but not in the wild boar, two of which overlapped with genomic regions enriched for domestic alleles in the hybrid pool. Genes in these regions can be linked with reproductive success. Given our results, domestic introgression does not seem to be pervasive in the Sardinian wild boar. Nevertheless, we suggest monitoring the possible spread of advantageous domestic alleles in the coming years.
Measuring trade flows of sintered NdFeB magnets and Li-ion batteries: reported vs. embedded US imports
Authors: Gagarin Hannah , Eggert Roderick G.
Published: June 2023

Sintered neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets and lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are essential in a number of clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles and wind turbines. The United States (US) has some manufacturing capacity for Li-ion batteries and almost no capacity for producing sintered NdFeB magnets. As a result, the US imports significant quantities of these batteries and magnets. Trade statistics on imported batteries and magnets, however, include only those materials imported in the form of batteries and magnets (referred to here as reported imports) and exclude materials embedded in intermediate and final products such as hard disk drives, electric motors, electric vehicles, and wind turbines (referred to here as embedded imports). This paper develops original estimates of embedded imports of NdFeB magnets and Li-ion batteries, leading to a more complete picture of US imports than looking at reported imports alone. It estimates that more than 90% of NdFeB magnet imports were embedded in intermediate and final products in 2021. In contrast, more than 90% of Li-ion battery imports were in the form of the batteries themselves rather than embedded in intermediate and final products.
FF-RRT*: a sampling-improved path planning algorithm for mobile robots against concave cavity obstacle
Authors: Cong Jiping , Hu Jianbo , Wang Yingyang , He Zihou , Han Linxiao , Su Maoyu
Published: June 2023

The slow convergence rate and large cost of the initial solution limit the performance of rapidly exploring random tree star (RRT*). To address this issue, this paper proposes a modified RRT* algorithm (defined as FF-RRT*) that creates an optimal initial solution with a fast convergence rate. An improved hybrid sampling method is proposed to speed up the convergence rate by decreasing the iterations and overcoming the application limitation of the original hybrid sampling method towards concave cavity obstacle. The improved hybrid sampling method combines the goal bias sampling strategy and random sampling strategy, which requires a few searching time, resulting in a faster convergence rate than the existing method. Then, a parent node is created for the sampling node to optimize the path. Finally, the performance of FF-RRT* is validated in four simulation environments and compared with the other algorithms. The FF-RRT* shortens 32% of the convergence time in complex maze environment and 25% of the convergence time in simple maze environment compared to F-RRT*. And in a complex maze with a concave cavity obstacle, the average convergence time of Fast-RRT* in this environment is 134% more than the complex maze environment compared to 12% with F-RRT* and 34% with FF-RRT*. The simulation results show that FF-RRT* possesses superior performance compared to the other algorithms, and also fits with a much more complex environment.
Reciprocal Effects of Sickness Presence, Job Satisfaction, and Health: A Six-Wave Longitudinal Study
Authors: Dietz Carolin , Zacher Hannes
Published: June 2023

Numerous cross-sectional studies have examined associations of employees’ sickness presence (i.e., working while being ill) with job satisfaction and health. However, these studies conflate between- and within-person variance and do not allow disentangling the direction of effects among these constructs. Sickness presence may have positive or negative within-person effects on job satisfaction and health, and vice versa. Based on conservation of resources theory, the effort-recovery model, and the job demands-resources model, we test a set of competing hypotheses using a six-wave longitudinal study over 15 months with N = 363 employees. Results of random-intercept cross-lagged panel modeling showed that both sickness presence spells and frequency had negative within-person effects on job satisfaction, but did not predict health. In addition, job satisfaction had a negative within-person effect on sickness presence spells, and health had a negative within-person effect on sickness presence frequency. Overall, these findings contribute to the organizational literature by providing evidence for reciprocal and negative effects among sickness presence and job satisfaction, as well as a negative effect of health on sickness presence at the within-person level. Based on the findings, organizational practitioners could implement programs to enhance job satisfaction and health and to raise awareness about the potential negative consequences of sickness presence.
Old masonary tower analysis visual inspection, NDT, and macro-modeling
Authors: Kumar Ambareesh , Pallav Kumar
Published: June 2023

A comprehensive analysis was conducted on a 106-year-old masonry tower to assess its response to gravitational forces and wind effects. Various techniques, including visual inspection, non-destructive testing, and finite element analysis (FEA), were employed in this study. Visual inspection played a vital role in evaluating the Tower’s exterior and interior components, aiming to detect signs of damage or wear at any level and comparing them to the analyzed model. Dimensioned and assembled drawings were utilized to create a detailed 3D finite element model, employing the Ansys Workbench's macro and homogeneous modeling techniques. Non-destructive testing was carried out on multiple structural parts of the tower, using techniques, such as the rebound hammer and ultrasonic pulse velocity tests, to gather the mechanical properties of the stone and brick masonry. These properties were incorporated into the finite element model to evaluate the Tower's structural responses during analysis. The tower's structural response under gravitational forces was determined using standard code regulations and guidelines, and stress and strain responses were compared to the actual structural morphology observed during the inspection. The highest stress was found in the stone elements between the connection of the dome and the drum on the second floor. Furthermore, the tower’s response to wind, including stress and deformation, was thoroughly examined at the same location, revealing the maximum response under gravity loading. This study pinpointed critical and weak areas that require retrofitting and strengthening using modern techniques to safeguard these monumental historical structures for future generations. The combined use of visual inspection, non-destructive testing, and finite element analysis proved to be an effective approach in assessing the response of the 106-year-old masonry tower to gravity loading and wind effects.
Mining Discriminative Itemsets Over Data Streams Using Efficient Sliding Window
Authors: Seyfi Majid , Nayak Richi , Xu Yue
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we present an efficient novel method for mining discriminative itemsets over data streams using the sliding window model. Discriminative itemsets are the itemsets that are frequent in the target data stream, and their frequency in the target stream is much higher in comparison to their frequency in the rest of the streams. The problem of mining discriminative itemsets has more challenges than mining frequent itemsets, especially in the sliding window model, as during the window frame sliding, the algorithms have to deal with the combinatorial explosion of itemsets in more than one data stream, for the transactions coming in and going out of the sliding window. We propose a single scan algorithm using two novel in-memory data structures for mining discriminative itemsets in a combination of offline and online sliding windows. Offline processing is used for controlling the generation of many unpromising itemsets. Online processing is used for getting more up-to-date and accurate online answers between two offline slidings. The discovered discriminative itemsets are accurately updated in the offline sliding window periodically, and the mining process is continued in the online sliding between two periodic offline slidings. The extensive empirical analysis shows that the proposed algorithm provides efficient time and space complexities with full accuracy. The algorithm can handle large, fast-speed, and complex data streams.
Friedelin and 3β-Friedelinol: Pharmacological Activities
Authors: Radi Mai Hussin , El-Shiekh Riham A. , El-Halawany Ali M. , Abdel-Sattar Essam
Published: June 2023

The interest in herbal medicine as a source of drug leads is being reinforced, especially for tackling challenging therapeutic areas such as antimicrobial resistance, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and multiple sclerosis. Friedelin and 3β-friedelinol are pentacyclic triterpenoids commonly distributed in plants and are found in edible fruits and vegetables. More than 400 naturally occurring friedelane triterpenoids have been identified. Friedelin and its derivative 3β-friedelinol are reported to have significant pharmacological potential, including antibacterial, anti-viral, and cytotoxic properties. Friedelane triterpenoids could be considered as promising candidates in drug development against human coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. The natural sources of friedelane triterpenoids have been examined, which include the families Celastraceae, Hippocrateaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Flacourtiaceae, and Guttiferae. The purpose of this review is to summarize the structural elucidation, physicochemical properties, spectroscopic data, natural origin, biosynthesis, quantification techniques, and the reported pharmacological activities of friedelin and its derivative 3β-friedelinol. The review explores the potential beneficial effects of these bioactive triterpenes and discusses ways to enhance their pharmacological significance.

Graphical Abstract
Exploring causality from observational data: An example assessing whether religiosity promotes cooperation
Authors: Major-Smith Daniel
Published: June 2023

Causal inference from observational data is notoriously difficult, and relies upon many unverifiable assumptions, including no confounding or selection bias. Here, we demonstrate how to apply a range of sensitivity analyses to examine whether a causal interpretation from observational data may be justified. These methods include: testing different confounding structures (as the assumed confounding model may be incorrect), exploring potential residual confounding and assessing the impact of selection bias due to missing data. We aim to answer the causal question ‘Does religiosity promote cooperative behaviour?’ as a motivating example of how these methods can be applied. We use data from the parental generation of a large-scale (n = approximately 14,000) prospective UK birth cohort (the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children), which has detailed information on religiosity and potential confounding variables, while cooperation was measured via self-reported history of blood donation. In this study, there was no association between religious belief or affiliation and blood donation. Religious attendance was positively associated with blood donation, but could plausibly be explained by unmeasured confounding. In this population, evidence that religiosity causes blood donation is suggestive, but rather weak. These analyses illustrate how sensitivity analyses can aid causal inference from observational research.