bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Temperature Rise on Crop Growth and Productivity
Authors: Chaudhary K. B. , Trivedi A. P. , Macwan S. J. , Barvaliya Parita P.
Published: January 2025

The present study highlights the effect of temperature rise on crop growth and productivity. Improving crop resilience to temperature stress is a vital step towards ensuring global food and fuel demands are met. Temperature is a critical meteorological determinant of crop development and function. Essential physiological processes including carbon assimilation and leaf chlorophyll content are very sensitive to high temperature extremes. High-temperature stress occurs when morpho-physiological and biochemical attributes of plant development are altered. Flowering optimum temperature was 25-30 °C. higher temperature (both max. and min.) and low diurnal variation in temperature are more conducive for early flowering rice variety. Advances in molecular techniques now allow for swift identification of beneficial traits in wild varieties. It is crucial to adopt advanced agricultural practices worldwide to mitigate the impact of rising global temperatures. This includes implementing climate-smart strategies and employing high-throughput phenotyping  methods to identify and utilize resilient traits, thereby safeguarding future food security.
Impact of Nitrogen Variability on Yield Dynamics and Economics Viability of Transplanted and Direct Seeded Rice
Authors: Chowdhury Manojit , Khura Tapan Kumar , Parray Roaf Ahmad , Upadhyay Pravin Kumar , Kushwaha H. L. , Lama Achal , Chaudhary Shubham , Ansh Abhishek Kumar
Published: January 2025

Efficient nitrogen (N) management plays a critical role in optimizing rice yield and ensuring economic sustainability. This study evaluates the impact of variable nitrogen levels on the yield dynamics and economic viability of transplanted rice (TPR) and direct seeded rice (DSR). Field experiments were conducted in research farm of ICAR-IARI, New Delhi in the year 2022 and 2023 in randomised complete block design with seven N treatments (0, 40, 80, 120, 160, 200 and 240 kg N/ha) applied in a split application method. Key yield components like grain and straw yields were recorded. Economic analysis included cost of cultivation, gross return, net return, and benefit-cost ratio (BCR). Results showed that nitrogen significantly influenced yield in both TPR and DSR systems, with optimal N levels identified as 160 kg N/ha for TPR and DSR. Beyond these levels, yields declined, highlighting the importance of precise N management. TPR recorded higher grain and straw yields but incurred greater production costs due to labor-intensive practices and higher water requirements. In contrast, DSR offered lower input costs and higher economic returns at comparable yield levels, achieving a maximum BCR as 2.00 at 120 kg N/ha. This study emphasizes the importance of tailoring N application rates to specific crop establishment methods to optimize yield and economic returns. The findings offer practical insights for sustainable rice production, reducing input costs while minimizing environmental N losses. Further research on real-time N management strategies for DSR is recommended to enhance its efficiency and adaptability.
Penambahan Katup Pulsasi pada Nozzle Injeksi untuk memperbaiki Karakteristik dari Aliran Jet Turbulen
Authors: Pratomo Hariyo Priambudi Setyo , Tumbelaka Hanny Hosiana
Published: January 2025

Desain sistem injector bahan bakar untuk motor pembakaran dalam merupakan salah satu faktor krusial dalam duniaotomotif yang mana hal ini langsung berhubungan dengan kinerja mesin dan bahkan merupakan upaya mengurangi emisi CO2dari pembakaran bahan bakar. Kinerja mesin ini bergantung erat pada karakteristik aliran jet turbulen yang dihasilkan olehnozzle injeksi. Studi ini oleh karena itu berfokuskan pada solusi permasalahan pada aliran jet turbulen yang kurang menyebaryang keluar dari nozzle sirkular tanpa eksitasi. Solusi dilakukan dengan menambahkan pasangan katup pulsasi pada nozzle untukmengeksitasi aliran jet turbulen dari udara bertekanan. Aliran intermittent yang sangat berdampak pada penyebaran danentrainment dari jet diukur dengan constant temperature hot-wire anemometer. Aliran jet turbulen terpulsasi ini dihasilkan dalamrentang angka Reynolds dari 12000 - 38000 dan angka Strouhal sebesar 0,0068 - 0,0072. Hasil-hasil pengukuran mengkonfirmasipenemuan-penemuan terkini dan sebelumnya bahwa eksitasi yang ditambahkan menghasilkan penyebaran dan entrainment jetterpulsasi yang lebih baik daripada yang dihasilkan oleh nozzle injeksi tanpa eksitasi. Namun demikian, jet turbulen yang kurangmenyebar dihasilkan oleh angka Reynolds yang lebih tinggi dan tren yang saling berlawanan terhadap frekuensi pulsasi yangberubah ditunjukkan pada mass flow rate rendah dan tinggi.
Analisis Faktor-faktor Keterlambatan Waktu pada Proyek Konstruksi Gedung Bertingkat di Indonesia terhadap Profesionalisme dan Etika Kerja
Authors: Kuncoro Bernadette Mega Claudia , Octavia Tanti
Published: January 2025

Salah satu indikator proyek konstruksi berhasil adalah ketepatan waktu penyelesaian proyek sesuai dengan perencanaan. Namun, keterlambatan pada proyek konstruksi saat ini telah menjadi hal yang umum terjadi. Banyak kontraktor yang tidak mengetahui penyebab keterlambatan waktu dan sulit memprediksi keterlambatan waktu yang akan terjadi. Sehingga, keterlambatan pada proyek konstruksi tidak dapat dihindari. Dampak terbesar dari keterlambatan waktu adalah kerugian biaya untuk berbagai pihak yang terlibat pada proyek. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui faktor-faktor yang berpengaruh signifikan dan hubungan antar faktor dalam keterlambatan waktu pada proyek konstruksi gedung bertingkat di Indonesia. Pengambilan data dilakukan dengan penyebaran kuesioner. Responden pada penelitian ini berjumlah lima belas ahli yang telah berpengalaman pada bidang konstruksi. Faktor-faktor penyebab keterlambatan waktu pada penelitian ini yang akan dianalisis berdasarkan prinsip profesionalisme dan etika dalam bekerja. Faktor-faktor penyebab keterlambatan waktu terdiri dari dua puluh faktor. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode analisis Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM). ISM adalah metode yang dapat menggambarkan struktur sistem yang kompleks melalui grafik dan kata-kata. Melalui analisis data ditemukan faktor-faktor yang paling berpengaruh signifikan dalam keterlambatan proyek konstruksi di Indonesia. Faktor-faktor yang menjadi penyebab paling berpengaruh adalah cuaca buruk, keadaan memaksa, kondisi lokasi sulit, dan akses meuju lokasi sulit. Melalui hasil yang ditunjukan keterlambatan waktu pada proyek konstruksi di Indonesia dapat dicegah dengan profesionalisme dan etika kerja, diantaranya dengan melakukan perencanaan kerja yang baik, dan memiliki tenaga ahli berpengalaman.
Crystal‐Structure Simulation of Methylthiolated Peri‐Condensed Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons for Identifying Promising Molecular Semiconductors: Discovery of 1,3,8,10‐tetrakis(methylthio)peropyrene Showing Ultrahigh Mobility
Authors: Bulgarevich Kirill , Horiuchi Shingo , Takimiya Kazuo
Published: July 2023

The crystal structures of molecular semiconductors critically affect their carrier‐transport properties. One of the promising crystal structures that afford high carrier mobility is a brickwork structure recently reported for 1,3,6,8‐tetrakis(methylthio)pyrene (MT‐pyrene) showing ultrahigh mobility. However, such ultrahigh mobility is not realized in other methylchalocogenolated pyrenes, owing to subtle differences in the molecular positions in their crystal structures. This means that, for developing superior molecular semiconductors, it is desirable to simulate the crystal structure with sufficient quality before time‐consuming and labor‐intensive synthetic trials. To realize this, a new computational approach is developed to simulate crystal structures of all methylchalocogenolated pyrenes, which is then applied to MT‐pyrene‐related methylthiolated peri‐condensed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons including perylene, peropyrene, and terrylene derivatives. Among these, 1,3,8,10‐tetrakis(methylthio)peropyrene (MT‐peropyrene) is expected to show high mobility based on the simulated crystal structures. Thus, MT‐peropyrene is chosen as the synthetic target, and a new peropyrene synthesis method is developed. Thus synthesized MT‐peropyrene has virtually the same crystal structure as the simulated one, and its single‐crystal field‐effect transistors show mobility as high as 30 cm2 V−1 s−1 and band‐like transport behaviors. These results indicate that the present crystal‐structure simulation is a powerful tool for exploring promising molecular semiconductors.
Therapeutic cyproheptadine regimen in serotonin syndrome: Complications after cardiovascular surgery
Authors: Nagy Ahmed , Nasir Aishah , Haque Mahfujul , Judge Ramzan , Lee Joseph
Published: July 2023

Key Clinical Message

Serotonin syndrome can be a life‐threatening condition that occurs from the overactivity of serotonin in the central nervous system. This report describes the use of cyproheptadine for the management of serotonin syndrome in a patient taking fluoxetine and bupropion, who received methylene blue for vasoplegia syndrome. A 61‐year‐old female taking fluoxetine and bupropion preoperatively was given a total of three doses of methylene blue 100 mg IV within a brief time frame during and after a planned coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Postoperatively, the patient was not following commands, was agitated and confused, febrile with diaphoresis, tachycardic, had muscle rigidity, and horizontal ocular clonus. The patient's presentation was most consistent with serotonin syndrome due to a drug–drug interaction. Cyproheptadine and supportive care were used successfully to treat serotonin syndrome, and the patient was discharged home 14 days postoperatively. Based on the literature, there is no standardized method of weaning cyproheptadine when used for serotonin syndrome. The patient in our case received a total of 188 mg of cyproheptadine over the course of 10 days and did not experience any side effects. This case highlights a potential dosing regimen that can be used for other patients.
The effect of anthocyanin from Dioscorea alata L. after purification, identification on antioxidant capacity in mice
Authors: Qiu Pingfei , Chen Junpu , Wu Junlong , Wang Qin , Hu Yanrong , Li Xiaochun , Shi Huiyu , Wang Xuemei
Published: July 2023

Increasing findings devote to searching for natural active compositions as additives to ameliorate health status. Anthocyanin, water‐soluble natural pigment, has been concerned due to its favorable antioxidant activity. In this study, we purified anthocyanin from Dioscorea alata L., identified its compounds, and evaluated its antioxidant properties. The results indicated that the purity of anthocyanin increased to 39.59 ± 1.56%, 60.18 ± 1.97%, and 81.08 ± 1.97% after purification via AB‐8 macroporous resin, Sep‐Pak C18 solid phase, and LH‐20 Sephadex stepwise. Ultra‐performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometer results indicated that paeoniflorin‐3,5‐O‐dihexoside, petunin‐3‐O‐feruloyl‐glucoside‐5‐O‐glucoside, cyanidin‐3‐O‐feruloyl glucoside‐5‐O‐glucoside, cyanidin‐3‐O‐sophoroside, and petunin‐3,5‐O‐dihexoside were the major compounds. The purified anthocyanin exhibited stronger antioxidant activity than the unpurified extract and ascorbic acid, whereas weaker than that of cyanidin‐3‐O‐glucoside in general, which was assessed using DPPH, ABTS, and Fe3+ reducing capacity methods. Moreover, the purified anthocyanin increased GSH‐Px, total antioxidant capacity, and superoxide dismutase activities and decreased malondialdehyde concentration on serum in mice after administering lipopolysaccharide for 24 h (p < .05). To summarize, the purified anthocyanin boasts more outstanding antioxidant properties than that of crude extracts. These results provide a reference with source of anthocyanin and it is conducive to use Dioscorea alata L. resources.
Investigation of the changes in gelation properties of hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate‐surimi gel under different gelation‐freezing treatments
Authors: Zhang Xinxin , Mao Min , Zhang Shutong , Wang Zhufen , Liu Siqi , Yang Wenge , Gao Yuanpei , Jia Ru
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND

Frozen storage often leads to quality deterioration of surimi‐based products. At present, most of the research focuses on improving the quality of surimi products by adding cryoprotectants, and there are few studies available on preparation technology. Therefore, the effects of different gelation‐freezing treatments, high temperature heating‐freezing treatment (HF), low temperature heating‐high temperature heating‐freezing treatment (LHF) and low temperature heating‐freezing‐high temperature heating treatment (LFH) on the quality changes of surimi gels containing hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate (HPDSP) during frozen storage were investigated.

RESULTS

With the extension of frozen storage time, the quality of surimi gel in all groups decreased, but the quality of surimi gel with HPDSP was better than that of surimi gel without HPDSP. Compared with HF and LHF, the change range of breaking force, hardness, gumminess, whiteness and disulfide bond content of HPDSP‐surimi gel treated with LFH was the least during the frozen storage. In the reheating process of LFH, HPDSP could absorb the water lost during freezing. Therefore, the change in the transverse relaxation time of HPDSP‐surimi gels treated with LFH was smaller, with more immobile water and less free water and P22 of 96.81% and P23 of 0% at 16 weeks. In addition, the breaking deformation, cohesiveness, resilience, springiness and protein composition of surimi gels with and without HPDSP treated with HF, LHF and LFH did not change significantly during frozen storage.

CONCLUSION

The combination of LFH and HPDSP could effectively reduce the quality change of surimi gel during frozen storage. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Comprehensive reversed‐phase×chiral two‐dimensional liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry with post‐first dimension flow splitting for untargeted enantioselective amino acid analysis
Authors: Karongo Ryan , Horak Jeannie , Lämmerhofer Michael
Published: July 2023

This work describes a comprehensive achiral × chiral two‐dimensional liquid chromatography separation for enantioselective amino acid analysis coupled to electrospray ionization‐tandem mass spectrometry detection using data‐independent acquisition. Flow splitting after the first and second dimension separation was utilized for volumetric flow reduction and for enabling a multi‐detector approach (with ultraviolet, fluorescence, charged aerosol, and MS detection), respectively. Derivatization with 6‐aminoquinolyl‐N‐hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate provided a chromophore, a fluorophore, and an efficient mass tag for efficient ionization in positive electrospray ionization‐mass spectrometry. Chiral columns often have limitations in terms of their chemoselectivity, which may be a problem when complex sample mixtures with structurally related compounds need to be separated. It can be alleviated by a reversed‐phase×chiral two‐dimensional‐liquid chromatography setup, in which the first dimension provides the chemoselectivity and a chiral tandem column constituted of quinine‐carbamate derived weak anion‐exchanger and zwitterionic ion‐exchanger in the second dimension separation of D‐ and L‐amino acid enantiomers. The method was used to control the stereointegrity of the therapeutic peptide octreotide. After hydrolysis, all amino acid constituents were detected with the correct configuration and composition. Some options for flow splitting and integration of destructive detectors in the first dimension separation are outlined.
Micro‐mechanical analysis of one‐dimensional compression of clay with DEM
Authors: Wang Pei , Yin Zhen‐Yu , Hicher Pierre‐Yves , Cui Yu‐Jun
Published: July 2023

In order to clarify the micro‐mechanics of clay during compression, the behavior of clay subjected to one‐dimensional compression is investigated at the particle scale using discrete element method (DEM). The flaky clay particles in the simulation are approximated by clumps made of spheres. A new contact model is implemented to account for the double‐layer repulsive force, the van der Waals attractive force and the mechanical contact force. The effect of sphere arrangement in the particle clump is discussed. The DEM model is validated against experimental observations in terms of macroscopic compressibility, particle dip angle as well as the over consolidated behavior. Thee‐logσvcurve shows a concave‐to‐linear shape. The evolution of dip angle of clay particles indicates that particles tend to have an anisotropy with a preferential orientation towards horizontal direction. The increase of preconsolidation pressure decreases the initial compressibility due to the increase the number of mechanical contacts. The evolution of average coordination and sphere‐sphere contact shows that the majority of mechanical contacts are generated before the compressive stress reaches 100 kPa. Evolution of soil fabric is presented and discussed.
Maximizing the throughput of a rotating Seru with nonpreemptive discrete stations
Authors: Gai Yin , Yin Yong , Li Dongni , Zhang Yaoxin , Tang Jiafu
Published: July 2023

Seru production systems are an effective way to respond to ever‐changing market demand. This article focuses on maximizing the throughput of rotating serus with nonpreemptive stations, where a worker's operations cannot be disrupted. We analyze the effects of unbalanced worker velocities on non‐value‐added idle times. Through the use of dynamical system theories, we explicate the mechanism and dynamics of rotating serus, and identify the rules used to coordinate workers and distribute work content among stations to achieve the highest throughput. These findings provide practical guidelines for managers in floor shops for optimizing rotating seru design and maximizing throughput. Additionally, we explore the chaotic characteristics of rotating serus and simulate the effect of various factors on throughput. Finally, our comparative analysis demonstrates that the rotating seru offers a viable alternative to existing production systems to adapt to fluctuating demand.
Why diffusion‐based preconditioning of Richards equation works: Spectral analysis and computational experiments at very large scale
Authors: Bertaccini Daniele , D'Ambra Pasqua , Durastante Fabio , Filippone Salvatore
Published: July 2023

We consider here a cell‐centered finite difference approximation of the Richards equation in three dimensions, averaging for interface values the hydraulic conductivity , a highly nonlinear function, by arithmetic, upstream and harmonic means. The nonlinearities in the equation can lead to changes in soil conductivity over several orders of magnitude and discretizations with respect to space variables often produce stiff systems of differential equations. A fully implicit time discretization is provided by backward Euler one‐step formula; the resulting nonlinear algebraic system is solved by an inexact Newton Armijo–Goldstein algorithm, requiring the solution of a sequence of linear systems involving Jacobian matrices. We prove some new results concerning the distribution of the Jacobians eigenvalues and the explicit expression of their entries. Moreover, we explore some connections between the saturation of the soil and the ill conditioning of the Jacobians. The information on eigenvalues justifies the effectiveness of some preconditioner approaches which are widely used in the solution of Richards equation. We also propose a new software framework to experiment with scalable and robust preconditioners suitable for efficient parallel simulations at very large scales. Performance results on a literature test case show that our framework is very promising in the advance toward realistic simulations at extreme scale.
Nursing students' experiences of communication in a multilingual and multicultural clinical environment: A qualitative study
Authors: Ashipala Daniel Opotamutale , Matundu Maujarukua
Published: July 2023

Aim

The aim of this study was to investigate nursing students' experiences of communication in a multilingual and multicultural clinical environment.

Background

Effective communication in a healthcare setting plays a crucial role in patient care. Yet, since universities, globally, have experienced an increase in the enrolment of both local and international students in various degree programmes, student populations have become increasingly multilingual and multicultural. This study was conducted in a multilingual country where many languages are not spoken by all citizens, which results in nursing students experiencing varied outcomes.

Design

A qualitative, explorative, descriptive research design was used.

Methods

Sixteen nursing students enrolled in either the Bachelor of Nursing Science (Clinical, Honours) or the Diploma in Nursing Science. Data were collected by means of in‐depth, semi‐structured interviews with a sample of 16 nursing students who were selected through convenience sampling. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

The study revealed four themes: aspects that complicate communication; interesting aspects about communication; the need for communication assistance; and the need for policy intervention, which is key to addressing challenges in multilingual clinical environments.
Flight After Stapes Surgery: An Evidence‐Based Recommendation
Authors: Akhal Taim , Bassim Marc
Published: July 2023

Objective

Recommendations for air travel after stapes surgery, specifically stapes surgery, vary, with no standard recommendation to guide patients and surgeons. According to our search, no previous article has explored the physics of middle ear changes during flight and its effects on poststapedectomy patients in a systematic way. The aim of this study is to bring together 2 arms of expertise, otology, and aviation, to produce an evidence‐based recommendation for flight after stapes surgery.

Data Sources

The database MEDLINE was searched during August 2022. The search strategy had the goal of identifying studies that discovered the effects of flying on stapes surgery patients and the effects of atmospheric pressure on middle ear structures.

Review Methods

The articles yielded from the search strategy were transferred to the online citation manager Rayyan. Included in the review were those studies reporting patient outcomes after flying following ear surgery; additional studies included those reporting pressure changes in the middle ear and ossicular chain displacement whether in experimental or animal conditions.

Conclusion

Modern‐day commercial air travel is safe for patients who have undergone stapedotomy surgery, even very shortly after hospital discharge if they have to.

Implications for Practice

If stapedotomy patients wish to fly after hospital discharge, otologists are to reassure them that it is safe to do so. Patients are to be reminded to perform a gentle Valsava maneuver about every 4 minutes during airplane descent.
Public sector transparency and sustainable development: A focus on Sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Erin Olayinka , Adegboye Alex , Uwuigbe Uwalomwa
Published: July 2023

This study empirically addresses the relevance of public transparency in promoting sustainable development in Sub‐Saharan Africa. Using the generalized method of moments techniques in order to account for concerns of endogeneity and simultaneity, the study utilizes a panel of forty‐eight (48) countries in Sub‐Saharan African countries for the period 2000‐2019. We then establish the subsequent findings. Public transparency maintains overall positive net effects on both the human development index (i.e., social sustainability); adjusted net national income growth (i.e., economic sustainability), and renewal energy consumption (i.e., environmental sustainability). Overall, we establish that public transparency enhances sustainable development. This study recommends that policymakers should ensure that public transparency processes are enhanced in order to achieve the post‐2015 agenda.
Dual natural antioxidant‐loaded chitosan‐graft‐oleic acid micelles by ultrasound‐assisted self‐assembly: Potential additives for antioxidant active packaging
Authors: Ge Wenjiao , Yu Han , Wang Xiaohui
Published: July 2023

Natural antioxidants are beneficial additives for active packaging due to their ability to resist oxidative damage. Polymeric micelles are effective in delivering natural antioxidants in aqueous environments. However, individual encapsulation of a single antioxidant may not be sufficient to meet the needs of modern food packaging. A dual natural antioxidant‐loaded micellar system (i.e., vitamin E [VE] and curcumin [Cur]) was developed to achieve combined functionality and high loading concentration. Chitosan‐graft‐oleic acid (CSOA) micelles were employed as carriers to co‐encapsulate VE and Cur through a facile ultrasound‐assisted self‐assembly method. The prepared VE and Cur co‐loaded micelles (CSOA/VE/Cur) exhibited a uniform spherical structure with an average particle size of 210.6 nm and a zeta potential of +29.5 mV. Moreover, the co‐encapsulation of VE and Cur showed a significant enhancement in both entrapment efficiency, loading capacity and stability as compared to the individual encapsulation of either VE or Cur. In addition, the CSOA/VE/Cur micelles showed improved antioxidant activity than free VE/Cur at the same concentrations, as evidenced by 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. Moreover, the micellar materials were utilized to fabricate regenerated cellulose (RC) films with antioxidant properties, highlighting their potential as additives for antioxidant active packaging.
Overview and Perspective for High‐Efficiency Single‐Junction Solar Cells
Authors: Yamaguchi Masafumi , Ohshita Yoshio , Shibata Hajime , Tampo Hitoshi , Nagai Takehiko
Published: July 2023

Photovoltaic energy conversion is expected to contribute to creation of a clean energy society and high‐performance solar cells are very attractive for realizing such a vision. The development of high‐performance solar cells offers a promising pathway toward achieving high power per unit cost for many applications. Although state of the art of some of single‐junction solar cells are approaching the Shockley–Queisser limit of 32–33%, further improvements in efficiencies of solar cell and modules are thought to be possible. Herein, efficiency improvements in various single‐junction solar cells are overviewed in this article and several losses of high‐efficiency single‐junction solar cells are discussed about. Perspective of single‐junction solar cells from the viewpoint of practically feasible efficiency based on scientific and technological arguments is also presented. In addition, problems to be solved for solar cell modules are discussed.
Optimal non‐circular designs for total effects under interference models
Authors: Kong Xiangshun , Fu Jie , Zheng Wei
Published: July 2023

In block designs, the responses of plots are potentially influenced by the treatments of neighbouring plots and the surrounding environment. Many researchers use two guarding plots next to the edge plots, for which we apply certain treatments to control these environmental effects. Thus, a design is presented as a collection of treatment sequences. For the estimation of total effects, existing results consider circular designs, whose constraints are unnecessary in common applications. In this paper, we construct optimal or highly efficient non‐circular designs under interference models. It is observed that the optimal non‐circular designs for the total effects outperform the optimal circular designs in many instances. In fact, a design containing a circular sequence cannot be optimal for .
Interactions of dietary wheat cultivars and NSP‐degrading enzyme on productive performance and egg quality traits
Authors: Seyedoshohadaei SeyedKamyar , Torki Mehran , Yaghoubfar Akbar , Abdolmohammadi Alireza
Published: July 2023

Context

The nutritional value of enzyme‐supplemented wheat‐contained diets can be influenced by interactions between wheat cultivar and exogenous enzyme, which in turn cause various effects on the performance of poultry.

Aims

The effects of diets including various wheat cultivars with or without enzyme on productive performance and egg quality characteristics were evaluated.

Methods

A total of 270 58‐week‐old Lohmann LSL‐Lite were allocated to 9 experimental dietary groups with 5 replicate cages and 6 birds per each cage. Based on a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatment, nine iso‐caloric and iso‐nitrogenous experimental diets, including four wheat cultivars (Sardari, Azar 2, Pishgam and Sirvan) with and without enzymes plus a corn‐based control diet, were tested in a completely randomized design during an 8‐week trial period.

Key results

From weeks 58 to 63 and 63 to 67 of age, the hens fed with Sardari‐included diet showed the lowest feed intake compared to other groups (p < 0.05). Egg production (EP), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and egg mass (EM) were not influenced by the experimental diets. At the age of 62 weeks, the effect of adding enzyme on egg shape index was significant. Moreover, in sampling week 67, increased eggshell weight (%) was detected in enzyme‐supplemented diets compared to diets with no enzyme (10.03 vs. 9.37, respectively). Besides, the shell thickness was the highest in the group fed with Azar 2, and the lowest in the group fed with Sirvan at the age of 67 weeks (p < 0.05). Albumen weights (%) were also significant in some cases. The highest albumen weight was observed in Sirvan‐included diet without enzyme on week 62. Reduced yolk weight was detected in enzyme‐supplemented Pishgam‐included diet on 62 weeks of age (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The inclusion of the diets of laying hens with the four tested Iranian wheat cultivars has no negative impact on most productive performance and egg quality indices. Moreover, supplementing the wheat‐included diets with non‐starch polysaccharidase enzyme (beta‐endopower) improved eggshell weight on week 67.
“We Shouldn’t Let Academia Exhaust Ourselves Anymore!”: Pandemic Practices and the Changing Psychological Contract in Twenty-First-Century Academia
Authors: Nokkala Terhi , Aarnikoivu Melina , Saarinen Taina
Published: July 2023

This chapter explores how academics construe the relationship between work and their universities during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The data consist of several rounds of semi-structured group interviews, conducted on Zoom with three groups of academics based in Europe and North America. The first group consisted of four early-career academics, the second group of a mixture of both early-career and established researchers, and the third group of three established academics. Drawing on the concepts of responsive and adaptive pandemic practices, we analyse individual responses to both short- and long-term institutional practices of universities. We utilise the notion of academic psychological contract to specifically focus on the micro-level constituents of academics’ relationships with their work and their university. Based on our analysis, we argue that academics’ reactions to their universities’ pandemic practices were, on the one hand, marked by disillusionment, frustration, and conflict, and on the other hand, by feelings of contentment and satisfaction, being cared for and caring for people.
University-Civic Engagement in the Time of the Pandemic
Authors: Charles David
Published: July 2023

The arrival of a global pandemic would seem to demand a wide-ranging response from universities committed to contributing to society and to their local areas. The nature of COVID-19 impacted all the domains in which universities take an active part in civic society. In the UK the pandemic arrived at a time when universities were developing civic engagement agreements with their host cities. These new civic partnerships, in some cases involving more than one university in a city, had a remit encompassing health as well as economic and social development. These plans were swiftly repositioned to deal with COVID-19 as part of city-wide emergency plans to manage the immediate effects of the pandemic and the economic shutdown. This chapter explores the responses made by the two universities in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, working with local partners. It examines the nature of the relationships developed and the steps taken. In both universities there were a variety of local responses addressing both the immediate health needs and the long-term economic revival of the city. Working together the universities developed a city-wide partnership to support ongoing engagement within the framework of a civic university agreement.
The role of filler wire and scanning strategy in laser welding of difficult-to-weld aluminum alloys
Authors: Liverani Erica , Ascari Alessandro , Fortunato Alessandro
Published: July 2023

Laser welding of dissimilar aluminum alloys has gained interest over recent years, especially for the production of lightweight components. Pore and crack formation is one of the most critical factors to be taken into consideration for such applications, in particular when one or more parts are produced by die casting or additive manufacturing (AM). Current laser systems offer several methods for defect reduction and process control, while optimized process strategies must be correlated to key factors influencing welding outcomes. In light of these aspects, the current paper investigates the welding of AA6082 sheets with AlSi10Mg parts produced by AM in a lap-joint configuration typical of battery housings in the e-mobility industry. Both laser welding with and without filler wire are investigated, along with the potential advantages of using a wobbling scanning strategy, in order to understand the impact of process strategies on weld bead quality. The importance of process parameter optimization is highlighted for all of the employed strategies, with special emphasis on defects, weld bead chemical composition, joint morphology, and dilution between the materials involved. The findings demonstrate that by introducing filler wire and employing active wobbling, highly reflective alloys can be welded correctly (porosity below 1%, equivalent ultimate strength up to 204 MPa) with good tolerance to variations in process parameters, while filler wire can be excluded in high-productivity welding where linear scanning is employed and detailed optimization of process parameters is performed (porosity below 2%, equivalent ultimate strength up to 190 MPa).
Establishment of a prognostic model based on m6A regulatory factors and stemness of hepatocellular carcinoma using RNA-seq data and scRNA-seq data
Authors: Liang Yan , Chen Sen , Xie Jinghe , Yan Guanrong , Guo Tingting , Li Tianyang , Liu Shoupei , Zeng Weiping , Zhang Shuai , Ma Keqiang , Chen Honglin , Ou Yimeng , Wang Bailin , Gu Weili , Duan Yuyou
Published: July 2023

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with high incidence and mortality is one of the most common malignant cancers worldwide. Increasing evidence has reported that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification has been considered as a major contribution to the occurrence and development of tumors.

Method

In our study, we comprehensively analyzed the connection between m6A regulatory factors and cancer stem cells (CSCs) of HCC to establish a clinical tool for predicting its outcome. First, we concluded that the expression level of m6A regulatory factors was related with the stemness of hepatocellular carcinoma. Subsequently, we gained a ten hub regulatory factors that were associated with prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma by overall survival (OS) analysis using ICGC and TCGA datasets, and these regulatory factors included YTHDF1, IGF2BP1, METTL3, IGF2BP3, HNRNPA2B1, IGF2BP2, RBM15B, HNRNPC, RBMX, and LRPPR. Next, we found that these ten hub m6A regulatory factors were highly expressed in CSCs, and CSCs related pathways were also enriched by the gene set variation analysis (GSVA). Then, correlation, consensus clustering and PCA analysis were performed to reveal potential therapeutic benefits of HCC. Moreover, univariate Cox regression (UNICOX), LASSON and multivariate Cox regression (MULTICOX) analyses were adopted to establish HCC prognosis prediction signature.

Results

Four regulatory factors RBM15B, LRPPRC, IGF2BP1, and IGF2BP3 were picked as valuable prognostic indicators.

Conclusion

In summary, these ten hub regulatory factors would be useful therapeutic targets for HCC treatment, and RBM15B/LRPPRC/IGF2BP1/IGF2BP3 prognostic indicators can be used to guide therapy for HCC patients.
Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes—more show than substance?
Authors: Ormrod Beth , Ehler Elisabeth
Published: July 2023

Cardiomyocytes that are derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-CM) are an exciting tool to investigate cardiomyopathy disease mechanisms at the cellular level as well as to screen for potential side effects of novel drugs. However, currently their benefit is limited due to their fairly immature differentiation status under conventional culture conditions. This review is mainly aimed at researchers outside of the iPSC-CM field and will describe potential pitfalls and which features at the level of the myofibrils would be desired to make them a more representative model system. We will also discuss different strategies that may help to achieve these.
Do Tobacco Treatment Trials Address Disparities in Smoking Outcomes Among Black and Hispanic Cancer Patients? A Systematic Review of Smoking Cessation Interventions for Black and Hispanic Patients Diagnosed with Cancer
Authors: Perez Giselle K. , Rabin Julia T. , Tandon Megha , Strauss Nicole M. , Irwin Kelly , Philpotts Lisa , Ostroff Jamie , Park Elyse R.
Published: July 2023

Objective

To characterize the representation of Black and Hispanic cancer patients in tobacco treatment trials, and to offer recommendations for future research.

Methods

We conducted two systematic searches of the literature (2018, 2021) using 5 databases (MEDLINE via EBSCO, Pubmed, PsycInfo, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE)) to examine the prevalence of tobacco trials that included Black or Hispanic cancer patients. Two coders independently screened all articles at title, abstract, and full-text to identify eligible trials. Information about the proportion of Black and Hispanic patients included, trial design features, and whether the authors analyzed outcomes for Black and Hispanic patients were documented.

Results

Of 4682 identified studies, only 10 published trials included and reported on the rates of Black or Hispanic cancer patients enrolled in their tobacco trial. The proportion of enrolled Black cancer patients ranged from 2 to 55.6%. Only our studies documented enrollment rates for Hispanics, and rates were less than 6%. None of the studies offered strategies to promote or the accrual of Black or Hispanic patients.

Discussion

There remains a large gap in the literature regarding the reach and efficacy of tobacco treatment for Black and Hispanic cancer patients. Black and Hispanic cancer patients remain largely under-represented in tobacco cessation trials, limiting the applicability of existing, evidence-based treatments. To optimize intervention generalizability, future studies should emphasize the targeted recruitment and engagement of these patients in tobacco trials.
Cutaneous vascular calcifications in patients with chronic kidney disease and calcific uremic arteriolopathy: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Røndbjerg Anne Kristine , Gyldenløve Mette , Krustrup Dorrit , Rix Marianne , Vejborg Ilse , Lonn Lars , Jørgensen Niklas Rye , Pasch Andreas , Skov Lone , Hansen Ditte
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Calcific uremic arteriolopathy is a life-threatening cutaneous condition in patients with chronic kidney disease. Often, clinical diagnosis is accompanied by histopathologic evaluations demonstrating vascular calcium deposits. We aimed to investigate the presence of cutaneous calcifications in non-lesional tissue in patients with chronic kidney disease, and the relation to systemic vascular calcification.

Methods

We investigated the presence of cutaneous vascular calcifications in non-lesional skin biopsies from patients with current or previous calcific uremic arteriolopathy and patients with different stages of chronic kidney disease without calcific uremic arteriolopathy, and explored their association with vascular calcification in other vascular beds. Systemic vascular calcification was examined by mammography and lumbar X-ray.

Results

Thirty-nine adults were enrolled (current or previous calcific uremic arteriolopathy, n = 9; end-stage chronic kidney disease, n = 12; chronic kidney disease stage 3b-4, n = 12; healthy controls, n = 6). All calcific uremic arteriolopathy patients had end-stage kidney disease. Cutaneous vascular calcifications were not present in any of the non-lesional skin punch biopsies. Breast arterial calcification was demonstrated in patients with calcific uremic arteriolopathy (75%) and chronic kidney disease (end-stage 67% and stage 3b-4 25%, respectively), but in none of the controls. All chronic kidney disease patients had systemic calcification on lumbar X-ray (median score 21, 22, and 15 in patients with calcific uremic arteriolopathy, end-stage kidney disease and chronic kidney disease stage 3b-4). The serum calcification propensity was significantly different between groups.

Discussion

Despite a high burden of systemic vascular calcification, cutaneous calcium deposits in non-lesional tissue could not be demonstrated histopathologically in patients with chronic kidney disease (with or without current or previous calcific uremic arteriolopathy). Further studies to determine whether these findings are representative or attributed to other factors are warranted.

Graphical abstract
Relationship between programming stress and residual strain in FDM 4D printing
Authors: Cerbe Ferdinand , Mahlstedt Dominik , Sinapius Michael , Hühne Christian , Böl Markus
Published: July 2023

4D printing with fused deposition modeling (FDM) enables the production of smart structures using smart materials that can change their shape over time. During the printing process, stresses are introduced into the structure that are relieved when exposed to an external stimulus, in this case, when raising the temperature above the glass-transition temperature $${T}_{Trans}$$

T

Trans

. This article investigates the relationship between stress and strain during 4D printing. We mounted the print platform on load cells to measure the forces in x-direction during printing. Flat hinges made of PLA are printed and are activated by immersion in hot water, which causes bending of the hinge areas. We varied nozzle temperature, print speed, and melt zone length to investigate their influence on programming force and post-activation curvature. Programming force and curvature translate into stress and strain, when specimen geometry is taken into account. The results are approximated by a linear relationship between programming stress and recovery strain. However, these gradients are different for each printing parameter. Lower nozzle temperature, shorter melt zone and higher print speed all result in higher forces and higher curvatures. However, increasing the forces by raising print speed results in a smaller increase in curvature than when the same increase in force is applied by lowering nozzle temperature. This is partly due to the heating and cooling process of the structure, which in turn depends on the printing parameters.
Influence of print settings on conductivity of 3D printed elastomers with carbon-based fillers
Authors: Glogowsky Alexandra , Korger Michael , Rabe Maike
Published: July 2023

Flexible, elastomeric materials for 3D printing have attracted considerable interest due to their potential application in clothing, shoe manufacturing and orthopedics. At the same time, smart clothing is also moving closer to more mainstream applications; as such, it is of considerable interest to combine both the structural and smart functions 3D printing offers in one material. While smart functionalities may be incorporated in a textile in a variety of ways (e.g. using shape-memory polymers), the use of electronic components such as sensors and actuators allow smart response to a multitude of stimuli. This necessitates the use of conductive and flexible materials that offer reliable conductivity after printing and provide optically attractive results. It is known that print conditions influence electrical properties, but while the print parameters are well researched for hard materials, there is not as much research for flexible compounds. Here, we show the influence of print speed, temperature, infill orientation, layer thickness and print mode (i.e. time between printing of successive layers). It was found that the most influential parameters are print mode, infill orientation and print temperature. The differences in electrical properties between the three materials used in this test may be explained by differences in filler content. A preliminary study into the optimization of the shape of a printed conductive line on elastic textile shows that the overall length of the printed path needs to be adapted to the maximum stretch of the textile, while shape has little influence on conductivity.
“How will God hear us?”: Sonic and linguistic difference among Kinshasa’s Églises des Noirs
Authors: Luyckfasseel Margot
Published: July 2023

This article studies how anti-Christian, ‘traditionally African’ organizations, locally known as Églises des Noirs, navigate religious competition in the Congolese capital through sonic and linguistic strategies. It focuses on the understudied Mpadist community, a ‘dissident’ branch of the better known Kimbanguist church. Mpadists mobilize diverging appreciations and meanings of sound and language to set themselves apart from the dominant Lingalaphone Pentecostal loudness of the city. In doing so, they pursue a delicate balance between Kongo traditionalism, the source of their spiritual legitimacy, rooted in colonial prophetic movements, and tactics of ‘modern’ community making in order to remain competitive within Kinshasa’s prolific religious setting. The article argues that ideologies of sound and language should be analysed within the same nexus, for they operate and are operationalized in similar ways. It therefore proposes to expand the sociolinguistic notion of indexicality to incorporate elements of the volume and modalities of sound making. The article also shows that sonic and linguistic ideologies are bound by context. In Kinshasa’s ‘low-fi’ soundscape, the indexical values of the languages Kikongo and Lingala, and of unamplified and amplified sound production, share similar features, yet they are evaluated differently in rural ‘hi-fi’ sonic environments.