bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multifunctional solar‐blind ultraviolet photodetectors based on p‐PCDTBT/n‐Ga2O3 heterojunction with high photoresponse
Authors: Wang Yifei , Lin Zhenhua , Ma Jingli , Wu Yongyi , Yuan Haidong , Cui Dongsheng , Kang Mengyang , Guo Xing , Su Jie , Miao Jinshui , Shi Zhifeng , Li Tao , Zhang Jincheng , Hao Yue , Chang Jingjing
Published: November 2023

Solar‐blind ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors based on p‐organic/n‐Ga2O3 hybrid heterojunctions have attracted extensive attention recently. Herein, the multifunctional solar‐blind photodetector based on p‐type poly[N‐9′‐heptadecanyl‐2,7‐carbazole‐alt‐5,5‐(4′,7′‐di‐2‐thienyl‐2′,1′,3′‐benzothiadiazole)] (PCDTBT)/n‐type amorphous Ga2O3 (a‐Ga2O3) is fabricated and investigated, which can work in the phototransistor mode coupling with self‐powered mode. With the introduction of PCDTBT, the dark current of such the a‐Ga2O3‐based photodetector is decreased to 0.48 pA. Meanwhile, the photoresponse parameters of the a‐Ga2O3‐based photodetector in the phototransistor mode to solar‐blind UV light are further increased, that is, responsivity (R), photo‐detectivity (D*), and external quantum efficiency (EQE) enhanced to 187 A W–1, 1.3 × 1016 Jones and 9.1 × 104 % under the weak light intensity of 11 μW cm–2, respectively. Thanks to the formation of the built‐in field in the p‐PCDTBT/n‐Ga2O3 type‐II heterojunction, the PCDTBT/Ga2O3 multifunctional photodetector shows self‐powered behavior. The responsivity of p‐PCDTBT/n‐Ga2O3 multifunctional photodetector is 57.5 mA W–1 at zero bias. Such multifunctional p‐n hybrid heterojunction‐based photodetectors set the stage for realizing high‐performance amorphous Ga2O3 heterojunction‐based photodetectors.

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Hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis with nickel foam electrodes: influence mechanism of surface oxidation
Authors: Zhao Tianhe , Ding Yiwen , Zhu Zhaolian , Huang Qiyuan , Ji Liya , Han Xinyu , Gao Yan
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND

Nickel foam (NF) is widely used as battery electrode matrix and electrochemical process cathode. However, the surface of NF is prone to oxidation, which may affect its ability to reduce oxygen and produce H2O2, but the influence mechanism is still unclear. In this paper, surface oxidation of the NF was regulated by pickling and drying pretreatment, and the surface oxides were characterized by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometry (EDS). The NF was used as the substrate, graphite powder as the catalyst, and PTFE as the binder to prepare graphite‐coated NF composite electrodes. The effect of NF surface oxidation on their ability to generate H2O2 was investigated.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated that after pickling and drying, the NF surface generated a large amount of NiO, which increased the charge transfer resistance of the NF by 20.3%, and accelerated further reduction decomposition of H2O2. The rotating ring‐disk electrode (RRDE) tests further confirmed that NiO can reduce the two‐electron oxygen reaction selectivity, which was detrimental to H2O2 electrosynthesis. The graphite‐coated NF composite electrode with pristine NF as the substrate can produce 869.1 mg L−1 of H2O2 and maintain relatively good reusability.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the surface oxidation of NF is not conducive to H2O2 electrosynthesis, and it is necessary to prevent oxidation during electrode preparation. This study provides a valuable reference for the preparation of NF electrodes and can promote the further study of in situ H2O2 electrosynthesis. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Indeno[1,2‐b]pyridin‐5‐one derivatives containing azo groups and their hydrazonal precursors: Synthesis, antimicrobial profile, DNA gyrase binding affinity, and molecular docking
Authors: Kassab Refaie M. , Muhammad Zeinab A. , Al‐Hussain Sami A. , Zaki Magdi E. A. , Ibrahim Mona H. , Alsaedi Amani M. R. , Farghaly Thoraya A.
Published: November 2023

The prevalence of germs that are resistant to many antibiotics is rising rapidly the world over. There is a large group of researchers actively looking for better medicines. Here, we designed two series of hydrazonal and indeno[1,2‐b]pyridin‐5‐one bearing hydrazone and azo‐groups to test their antimicrobial activity. Molecular structures of all derivatives were assured based on their spectral data and elemental analyses. Results of the antimicrobial activity of the tested hydrazone and azo compounds showed promising potential for several derivatives. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of hydrazones 4a‐h and 6a‐g displayed good antibacterial reactivities with a range of 3.91–250 μg/mL and moderate antifungal activity with a range of 15.6–500 μg/mL. The most promising hydrazone 4f and azo‐6a compounds demonstrated MIC values against Streptococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli equal to 3.91 and 7.81 μg/mL, respectively. Moreover, azo compound 6a showed MIC value equal to 3.91 μg/mL against Enterobacter cloacae species. Additionally, derivative 4f exhibited a significant inhibitory profile against the E. coli gyrase A enzyme (IC50 = 5.53 μg/mL). On the other hand, compound 6a (IC50 14.05 μg/mL) exhibited the lowest DNA gyrase inhibitory activity as compared to compounds 4f and reference standard drug novobiocin, IC50 5.53 and 1.88 μg/mL, respectively. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles and molecular docking studies for the two most promising molecules 4f and 6a were computed and revealed that both compounds have good ADME profiles and high binding affinity to DNA gyrase binding site.
Structure‐based improvement of the binding affinity and recognition specificity of peptide competitors to target pediatric IL‐5R/IL‐5 interaction by gluing halogen bonds at their complex interface
Authors: Chu Peipei , Sheng Yeping , Shen Chentao , Xia Yalin , Kong Lingjun , Sun Jiefan
Published: November 2023

Human interleukin‐5 (IL‐5) cytokine mediates the development of eosinophils and is involved in a variety of immune inflammatory responses that play a major role in the pathogenesis of childhood asthma, leukemia, and other pediatric allergic diseases. The immunomodulatory cytokine functions by binding to its cognate cell surface receptor IL‐5R in a sheet‐by‐sheet manner, which can be conformationally mimicked and competitively disrupted by a double‐stranded cyclic AF18748 peptide. In this study, we systematically examined the co‐crystallized complex structure of human IL‐5R with AF18748 peptide and rationally designed a halogen bond to glue at the protein–peptide complex interface by substituting the indole moiety of AF18748 Trp13 residue with a halogen atom (X = F, Cl, Br, or I). High‐level theoretical calculations imparted presence of the halogen bond between the oxygen atom (O) of IL‐5R Glu58 backbone and the halogen atom (X) of AF18748 Trp13 side chain. Experimental assays confirmed that the halogen bond can promote peptide binding moderately or considerably. More importantly, the halogen bond not only enhances peptide affinity to IL‐5R, but also improves peptide selectivity for its cognate IL‐5R over other noncognate IL‐R proteins. As might be expected, the affinity and selectivity conferred by halogen bond increase consistently in the order: H < F < Cl < Br < I. Structural modeling revealed that the halogen bond plus its vicinal π–cation–π stacking co‐define a ringed noncovalent system at the complex interface, which involves a synergistic effect to effectively improve the peptide binding potency and recognition specificity.
The Psychological, Physiological, and Behavioral Responses of Patients to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Madl Janika E.M. , Nieto Alvarez Isabel , Amft Oliver , Rohleder Nicolas , Becker Linda
Published: November 2023

Background

MRI is generally well‐tolerated although it may induce physiological stress responses and anxiety in patients.

Purpose

Investigate the psychological, physiological, and behavioral responses of patients to MRI, their evolution over time, and influencing factors.

Study Type

Systematic review with meta‐analysis.

Population

181,371 adult patients from 44 studies undergoing clinical MRI.

Assessment

Pubmed, PsycInfo, Web of Science, and Scopus were systematically searched according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines. Quality appraisal was conducted with the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. Meta‐analysis was conducted via Meta‐Essentials workbooks when five studies were available for an outcome. Psychological and behavioral outcomes could be analyzed. Psychological outcomes were anxiety (State–Trait‐Anxiety Inventory, STAI‐S; 37) and willingness to undergo MRI again. Behavioral outcomes included unexpected behaviors: No shows, sedation, failed scans, and motion artifacts. Year of publication, sex, age, and positioning were examined as moderators.

Statistical Tests

Meta‐analysis, Hedge's g. A P value <0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance.

Results

Of 12,755 initial studies, 104 studies were included in methodological review and 44 (181,371 patients) in meta‐analysis. Anxiety did not significantly reduce from pre‐ to post‐MRI (Hedge's g = −0.20, P = 0.051). Pooled values of STAI‐S (37) were 44.93 (pre‐MRI) and 40.36 (post‐MRI). Of all patients, 3.9% reported unwillingness to undergo MRI again. Pooled prevalence of unexpected patient behavior was 11.4%; rates for singular behaviors were: Failed scans, 2.1%; no‐shows, 11.5%; sedation, 3.3%; motion artifacts, 12.2%. Year of publication was not a significant moderator (all P > 0.169); that is, the patients' response was not improved in recent vs. older studies. Meta‐analysis of physiological responses was not feasible since preconditions were not met for any outcome.

Data Conclusion

Advancements of MRI technology alone may not be sufficient to eliminate anxiety in patients undergoing MRI and related unexpected behaviors.

Level of Evidence

1

Technical Efficacy

Stage 5
The 20th century and its new colours: Investigating the molecular structures of historical synthetic dyes using Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Ciccola Alessandro , McClure Kathryn Raeburn , Serafini Ilaria , Vincenti Flaminia , Montesano Camilla , Gentili Alessandra , Curini Roberta , Favero Gabriele , Postorino Paolo
Published: November 2023

Characterising synthetic dyes on heritage textiles represents a relatively recent research frontier, which aims to obtain new information about the evolution of textile manufacturing and industrial chemistry. Whilst spectral enhancement or amplification methods are often considered a requirement for the Raman analysis of textile dyes, this work highlights the potential of standard Raman spectroscopy for the non‐invasive analysis of synthetically dyed fibres. In this research, Raman spectroscopy was used for the chemical characterisation of early 20th century synthetic dyes, in both powder form and on dyed fibres. The dyes were produced by the Italian company Azienda Coloranti Nazionali e Affini (ACNA) and housed in the Sapienza University Museum of Chemistry. The investigation first employed literature research into the ACNA's commercial nomenclature. This information was used to hypothesise likely molecular structures of the dyes, pointing towards the azo dye class. The application of Raman spectroscopy confirmed these hypotheses and the high‐quality spectra collected provided structural information about the dye molecules. Spectral features of azo‐groups, aromatic moieties, and substituents were observable in spectra. Comparison with a Raman spectrum of wool allowed confident dye signal attribution, and some spectra displayed features linked to changes in the fibre during the dyeing process. Combining literature research and Raman vibrational information proved a powerful non‐invasive approach for the characterisation of synthetic dyes, allowing molecular identification of some colorants and structural information for most. Standard Raman spectroscopy may provide a widely applicable, non‐invasive method for acquiring information about synthetically dyed historical and artistic textiles in future research.
Investigation of slip characteristics and contact area evolution of rough rock discontinuity under impact shear load
Authors: Fan Lifeng , Li Han , Xi Yan , Wang Meng
Published: November 2023

This study investigated theshear slip behavior and contact area evolution of rough rock discontinuities with impact shear load. First, the dynamic impact shear numerical simulation of rock samples with real rough rock discontinuities was carried out. Subsequently, the variety rule of slip displacement and velocity of rock discontinuity with impact velocity, confining stress and joint roughness coefficient (JRC) was studied. The variation in contact area and shear stress of rock discontinuity during shear was assessed. Finally, the effect of frictional force on the slip displacement and velocity and the effect of contact area and frictional force on the shear stress distribution were analyzed. The results showed that the slip displacement, velocity and shear stress are rate dependent. The slip displacement and velocity increase as the impact velocity increases and decrease as the confining stress and JRC increase. The contact area and shear stress distribution range of rock discontinuities decrease slightly as the impact velocity increases but increase significantly as the confining stress and JRC increase. The shear stress distribution range of rock discontinuities closely correlates with the contact area. The shear stress in the non‐contact area is zero. The shear stress distribution range increases as the contact area increases. The average shear stress increases as the frictional force increases. Moreover, the slip displacement and velocity of rock discontinuities decrease linearly as the frictional force increases.
Investigating the origin of the 13C lactate signal in the anesthetized healthy rat brain in vivo after hyperpolarized [1‐13C]pyruvate injection
Authors: Zhu Minjie , Jhajharia Aditya , Josan Sonal , Park Jae Mo , Yen Yi‐Fen , Pfefferbaum Adolf , Hurd Ralph E. , Spielman Daniel M. , Mayer Dirk
Published: November 2023

The goal of this study was to investigate the origin of brain lactate (Lac) signal in the healthy anesthetized rat after injection of hyperpolarized (HP) [1‐13C]pyruvate (Pyr). Dynamic two‐dimensional spiral chemical shift imaging with flow‐sensitizing gradients revealed reduction in both vascular and brain Pyr, while no significant dependence on the level of flow suppression was detected for Lac. These results support the hypothesis that the HP metabolites predominantly reside in different compartments in the brain (i.e., Pyr in the blood and Lac in the parenchyma). Data from high‐resolution metabolic imaging of [1‐13C]Pyr further demonstrated that Lac detected in the brain was not from contributions of vascular signal attributable to partial volume effects. Additionally, metabolite distributions and kinetics measured with dynamic imaging after injection of HP [1‐13C]Lac were similar to Pyr data when Pyr was used as the substrate. These data do not support the hypothesis that Lac observed in the brain after Pyr injection was generated in other organs and then transported across the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Together, the presented results provide further evidence that even in healthy anesthetized rats, the transport of HP Pyr across the BBB is sufficiently fast to permit detection of its metabolic conversion to Lac within the brain.
Influence of polymer solution composition on the microstructure and thermal and mechanical characteristics of polycaprolactone films
Authors: Sawalha Hassan , van de Ven Theo G. M.
Published: November 2023

This study investigates the effects of addition of oils and alkanes to the polymer solution on the properties of polycaprolactone (PCL) films. The films were prepared by casting films onto a mold and evaporation in air. Films made without oils showed a dense microstructure. Most of the oils generated porous films, except for cyclohexane and castor oil. The neat PCL and cyclohexane films were stronger than other films, with a tensile strength of about ~11.5 MPa, followed by terpenes (~6.5 MPa) and the weakest films were obtained with hexadecane (~3.5 MPa). The elastic modulus was highest with limonene (~350 MPa), followed by cyclohexane (~150 MPa), and the lowest modulus (~65 MPa) was obtained with castor oil and hexadecane. All films showed high elongation at break (>400%). The degree of crystallinity was the highest with terpenes, whereas the lowest crystallinity was obtained with hexadecane. No significant effect of the oils on the thermal transition temperatures of the films could be observed. In summary, the microstructure and mechanical properties of the PCL films could be effectively fine‐tuned for various applications through the addition of oils and alkanes to the polymer solution.

Highlights

Oils and alkanes were added to polycaprolactone (PCL) casting solution.

PCL films were prepared by casting films onto a mold and evaporation in air.

Oils affected the microstructure and mechanical properties of the films.

Addition of oils provides a flexible tool to tailor the film properties.

PCL films with varying properties could be fabricated for different fields.
A Multi‐Class Quantum Kernel‐Based Classifier
Authors: Pillay Shivani Mahashakti , Sinayskiy Ilya , Jembere Edgar , Petruccione Francesco
Published: November 2023

Multi‐class classification problems are fundamental in many varied domains in research and industry. A popular strategy for solving multi‐class classification problems involves first transforming the problem into many binary classification problems. However, this requires the number of binary classification models that need to be developed to grow with the number of classes. Recent work in quantum machine learning has seen the development of multi‐class quantum classifiers that circumvent this growth by learning a mapping between the data and a set of label states. This work presents the first multi‐class SWAP‐Test classifier inspired by its binary predecessor and the use of label states in recent work. With this classifier, the cost of developing multiple models is avoided. In contrast to previous work, the number of qubits required, the measurement strategy, and the topology of the circuits used is invariant to the number of classes. In addition, unlike other architectures for multi‐class quantum classifiers, the state reconstruction of a single qubit yields sufficient information for multi‐class classification tasks. Both analytical results and numerical simulations show that this classifier is not only effective when applied to diverse classification problems but also robust to certain conditions of noise.
Activated Carbon from Cashew Nut Husk and Cashew Nut Shell Wastes: Synthesis, Characterization, and Adsorption Studies
Authors: Anchan Harshitha N. , Jadhav Snehal , Dutta Saikat
Published: November 2023

Activated carbon (AC) is a key material in numerous industrial applications, including wastewater treatment, catalysis, personal care products, and pharmaceutical industry. Producing AC from waste biomass is of much interest since the environmental footprint is low and the economics are favorable for most applications. Cashew nut husk (CNH) and cashew nut shell (CNS) are typically considered wastes in the cashew nut processing industry. Synthesis of AC from CNH and CNS allows value addition of these materials and improves the economic prospects of the cashew nut processing industry. Herein, we report the production of AC by carbonization of CNH and CNS using orthophosphoric acid as the activating agent. The results showed that 700 °C is a suitable activation temperature for CNH, whereas 500 °C was enough for activating CNS. The AC samples were extensively characterized by FTIR, PXRD, BET, and FESEM‐EDX analysis. The AC produced from CNH at 700 °C (H‐700) exhibited a very high specific surface area and iodine number of 1511 m2/g and 961 mg/g, respectively. Therefore, H‐700 was used for adsorbing methylene blue from water as a model for wastewater treatment. The H‐700 sample showed an adsorption capacity of 520 mg/g with good recyclability up to five cycles.
Jamming of Miscible Liquids via Electrostatic Repulsion Between Polystyrene‐Modified Gold Nanorods and Toluene
Authors: Hu Tonghua , Zhao Peng , Cai Xiaoyi , Li Yuanyuan , Momanyi Nyachieo Kennedy , Sun Ningfei , Zhang Shuolei , Xue Xiaobo , Guo Chuanfei , Liu Limin , Xie Yong
Published: November 2023

Structured liquids in miscible fluids, due to ineffective resistance to withstand particle self‐diffusion, differ from that in immiscible liquids because of interfacial interactions. Here, a kind of structured liquid, jammed by thiol‐terminated polystyrene‐modified gold nanorods (GNRs) within tetrahydrofuran and toluene (TOL), is developed by introducing electrostatic repulsion to counterbalance the self‐diffusion of GNRs. First‐principle calculations reveal charge transfer between the GNRs and TOL, resulting in the electrostatic repulsion. The structured liquids can be regarded as mimic “loading vehicles” to controllably carry and transport matter under electric or magnetic fields, where release rate can be adjusted by changing the concentration of the soluble matter for slow release and using the photothermal effect of the assembled GNRs for fast release. This work has developed a new assembly mechanism to form structured liquids, allowing the construction of a flexible and robust droplet platform with possible applications in microreactors, biomimetic permeable membranes, and functional liquid robots.
Object counting in remote sensing via selective spatial‐frequency pyramid network
Authors: Chen Jinyong , Gao Mingliang , Guo Xiangyu , Zhai Wenzhe , Li Qilei , Jeon Gwanggil
Published: November 2023

The integration of remote sensing object counting in the Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) environment is of crucial significance and practical value. However, the presence of significant background interference in remote sensing images poses a challenge to accurate object counting, as the results are easily affected by background noise. Additionally, scale variation within remote sensing images presents a further difficulty, as traditional counting methods face challenges in adapting to objects of different scales. To address these challenges, we propose a selective spatial‐frequency pyramid network (SSFPNet). Specifically, the SSFPNet consists of two core modules, namely the pyramid attention (PA) module and the hybrid feature pyramid (HFP) module. The PA module accurately extracts target regions and eliminates background interference by operating on four parallel branches. This enables more precise object counting. The HFP module is introduced to fuse spatial and frequency domain information, leveraging scale information from different domains for object counting, so as to improve the accuracy and robustness of counting. Experimental results on RSOC, CARPK, and PUCPR+ benchmark datasets demonstrate that the SSFPNet achieves state‐of‐the‐art performance in terms of accuracy and robustness.
Current practice for the chemical immobilisation of non‐domestic feline species: An online survey study
Authors: Walker Ryan , Cope Iain , d'Ovidio Dario , Adami Chiara
Published: November 2023

Background

Safe chemical immobilisation of wild felids is essential for both conservational management and clinical purposes. However, little is known about drug protocols and current practice.

Methods

This study was designed as an online survey based on a questionnaire. Descriptive/correlation statistics and analysis of proportions were used for data analysis.

Results

The preferred immobilisation technique was the use of darts (37% of the respondents), while the most popular drug combination was a mixture of benzodiazepines, alpha‐2 adrenoreceptor agonists and dissociative anaesthetics (27%). The inclusion of ketamine in the drug mixture was associated with a quicker anaesthetic onset, as estimated by the participants (p < 0.001). Common complications were prolonged recovery (46%), bradycardia (35%), hypoventilation (32%), hypothermia (26%) and arousal (26%). Commonly encountered problems were inappropriate equipment (39%), lack of suitable drugs (27%) and inadequate knowledge of species‐specific pharmacology (29%) and physiology (24%).

Limitations

Incomplete adherence to the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E‐Surveys is acknowledged.

Conclusions

Drug protocols including both alpha‐2 adrenoreceptor agonists and dissociative anaesthetics are preferred in wild felids, and the inclusion of ketamine may be useful to achieve a quick onset. Equipment/drug availability and species‐specific knowledge are potential areas of improvement to improve wild felid anaesthesia.
A New Kind of Sharing
Authors: Zhao Yingmin , Hanson Arthur
Published: November 2023

In the late 1970s, when the world community began to build a modern, comprehensive approach to emerging environment and development (E&D) issues, China was still in the early stage of its “reform and opening up.” A decade later, when many Western economy nations had already formed specialized environmental organizations to address rising pollution and other risks, China, like most other developing nations, was struggling with how to address these new problems.
CCICED Inputs to China’s E&D Actions
Authors: Zhao Yingmin , Hanson Arthur
Published: November 2023

Decisions regarding CCICED research work have been influenced by both demand- and supply-side considerations. This has never been an easy task for several reasons, including the four that follow. First, it has been vital to stay in tune with major shifts on the part of China’s leaders and the changing nature of China’s development needs and external drivers.
Observations and Memories from CCICED Members and Others
Authors: Zhao Yingmin , Hanson Arthur
Published: November 2023

Ideally, the supply side of CCICED shapes and carries out research initiatives and creates policy recommendations, while the demand side focuses on how to implement the advice received and on defining future needs and priorities.
Conclusion: Advancing Ecological Civilization and Sustainable Development
Authors: Zhao Yingmin , Hanson Arthur
Published: November 2023

The long struggle for a successful societal green transformation will not be over soon.
Befragung zum Vorhandensein palliativmedizinischen Wissens sowie palliativmedizinischer Strukturen in deutschen Notaufnahmen
Authors: Böhm Lennert , Schwartz Jacqueline , Michael Mark , Diehl-Wiesenecker Eva , Bernhard Michael , Neukirchen Martin
Published: November 2023

Patienten mit lebenslimitierenden/palliativen Erkrankungen stellen eine Herausforderung für die Klinische Akut- und Notfallmedizin dar, denn trotz zunehmend ausgebauter Strukturen der spezialisierten ambulanten Palliativversorgung (SAPV) ist die Notaufnahme bei Symptomexazerbationen oder Überlastung der Angehörigen häufig erste Anlaufstelle. Da hier ebenso lebenslimitierende Erkrankungen erstdiagnostiziert und Therapieziele angepasst werden, scheint eine frühzeitige Anbindung von Notfallpatient:innen an palliativmedizinische Strukturen prognostisch günstig. Ziel der vorliegenden Untersuchung war die Erhebung einer Istanalyse zur Verfügbarkeit palliativmedizinischer Basiskenntnisse sowie palliativmedizinischer Strukturen in der Klinischen Akut- und Notfallmedizin. Hierzu wurde über notfallmedizinische Blogs eine Online-Befragung an in Notaufnahmen tätige Ärzt:innen adressiert. Insgesamt konnten 383 vollständig ausgefüllte Fragebogen ausgewertet werden. Es zeigte sich, dass die Befragten häufig palliative Krankheitssituationen erleben und behandeln. Ambulante und stationäre Ressourcen sind hingegen nicht flächendeckend verfügbar, und dort, wo z. B. Konsildienste verfügbar sind, herrscht Uneinigkeit darüber, wann sie in Anspruch genommen werden sollten. Strukturen für den unmittelbaren Sterbeprozess sind größtenteils vorhanden, allerdings fehlen häufig die Ressourcen Zeit und Personal. Es besteht ein Interesse an palliativmedizinischer Fort- und Weiterbildung. Fazit: Da Notaufnahmen die entscheidende Schnittstelle zwischen der ambulanten und stationären Versorgung sind, können hier durch einen interdisziplinären und ganzheitlichen Ansatz frühzeitig Weichen für die weitere Versorgung gestellt werden, von dem Patient:innen mit Palliativbedarf profitieren können.
The effect of the SAFE intervention on post-discharge suicidal behavior: a quasi-experimental study using propensity score matching
Authors: Madsen Trine , Erlangsen Annette , Egilsdottir Eybjørg , Andersen Per Kragh , Nordentoft Merete
Published: November 2023

Objectives

The risk of suicidal behavior after discharge from psychiatric admission is high. The aim of this study was to examine whether the SAFE intervention, an implementation of a systematic safer discharge procedure, was associated with a reduction in suicidal behavior after discharge.

Methods

The SAFE intervention was implemented at Mental Health Center Copenhagen in March 2018 and consisted of three systematic discharge procedures: (1) A face-to-face meeting between patient and outpatient staff prior to discharge, (2) A face-to-face meeting within the first week after discharge, and (3) Involvement of relatives. Risk of suicide attempt at six-month post-discharge among patients discharged from the SAFE intervention was compared with patients discharged from comparison mental health centers using propensity score matching.

Results

7604 discharges took place at the intervention site, which were 1:1 matched with discharges from comparison sites. During the six months of follow-up, a total of 570 suicide attempts and 25 suicides occurred. The rate of suicide attempt was 11,652 per 100,000 person-years at the SAFE site, while it was 10,530 at comparisons sites. No observable difference in suicide attempt 1.10 (95% CI: 0.89–1.35) or death by suicide (OR = 1.27; 95% CI:0.58–2.81) was found between sites at 6-month follow-up.

Conclusion

No difference in suicidal behavior between the sites was found in this pragmatic study. High rates of suicidal behavior were found during the 6-months discharge period, which could suggest that a preventive intervention should include support over a longer post-discharge period than the one-week follow-up offered in the SAFE intervention.
Cut-paste image generation for instance segmentation for robotic picking of industrial parts
Authors: Dirr Jonas , Bauer Johannes C. , Gebauer Daniel , Daub Rüdiger
Published: November 2023

Vision-based robotic picking enables automation of commissioning and sortation of disordered parts. To locate parts for grasping, state-of-the-art approaches rely on convolutional neural networks for instance segmentation in 2D images. However, this requires sufficiently large training datasets, which are expensive to capture and annotate. Therefore, training with synthetic data is promising as the data can be generated automatically. We present an approach for the cut-paste method to create synthetic images for industrial use cases. With this approach, an end-user first prepares the image generation with just a smartphone and about 20 minutes of manual effort. Then, a versatile dataset with instance segmentation labels is generated automatically. In addition, a procedure for grasp pose computation is applied to enable robotic picking based on instance segmentation. For evaluation, training data is generated for a wide range of rigid parts and deformable linear objects. Testing with real-world data and practical experiments demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed cut-paste method for industrial applications.
Microstructural and mechanical characterization of additively manufactured parts of maraging 18Ni300M steel with water and gas atomized powders feedstock
Authors: Peinado Gabriel , Carvalho Cauê , Jardini André , Souza Eduardo , Avila Julián Arnaldo , Baptista Carlos
Published: November 2023

The demand for manufacturing components with complex geometries, good mechanical properties, and material efficiency has surged across various industries, encompassing aerospace, military, nuclear, and naval sectors. Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), as an additive manufacturing (AM) process, has emerged as a promising method for producing ultra-high mechanical strength alloys, like maraging 300 steel (18Ni300M). However, in numerous studies in the literature concerning the effects of processing parameters on the properties of 18Ni300M steel parts fabricated through LPBF, limited attention has been given to the influence that powder atomization methods may exert on the final properties of these parts. This article investigated the effect of gas atomization (GA) and water atomization (WA) processes on the microstructure of 18Ni300M steel powders and the mechanical properties, microstructure, and chemical composition of LPBF-produced parts. The results revealed significant distinctions in the morphology, aggregation degree, and particle size distribution between the GA and WA powders, which directly influenced the microstructure and affected the amount of defects in LPBF-produced parts. Despite the similar mechanical response found in the WA and GA specimens in the elastic region, the samples produced with the WA batch presented a brittle behavior with a ductility of only 4.06%, whereas the GA parts had an elastoplastic behavior with an elongation of 11.52%. The bulks from the WA batch produced in the LPBF process were compromised due to powder contamination with oxygen, which increased gas porosity and effected fragile oxide particles visible on the fracture surface.
The effect of SMS nudges on higher education performance
Authors: Brandt Alicia , Oskorouchi Hamid R. , Sousa-Poza Alfonso
Published: November 2023

Driven by higher education’s challenges in maintaining student motivation and achievement during the recent pandemic-induced shift to online learning, we investigate the effectiveness of text messages as a nudging tool to increase academic performance. To do so, we use a nonplacebo randomized controlled trial in which the treatment group directly receives SMS texts that review lecture content and give deadline reminders, while the control group only has access to the same information on the course page. Our findings suggest that the reception of motivating SMS messages per se, rather than the content review, has a positive effect on examination outcomes.
HER2 copy number determination in breast cancer using the highly sensitive droplet digital PCR method
Authors: Alinger-Scharinger Beate , Kronberger Cornelia , Hutarew Georg , Hitzl Wolfgang , Reitsamer Roland , Frederike Klaassen-Federspiel , Hager Martina , Fischer Thorsten , Sotlar Karl , Jaksch-Bogensperger Heidi
Published: November 2023

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER)-positive breast cancer (BC) is characterized by an aggressive clinical course. In the case of HER2 overexpression/amplification, patients benefit from HER2-targeting therapies. Standardized diagnostic HER2 assessment includes immunohistochemistry (IHC) and/or in situ hybridization (ISH). The aim of this study was to compare this “gold standard” with the Droplet Digital™ polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR), a method that allows sensitive and precise detection of copy number variations (CNV) in FFPE (formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded) DNA samples. Partitioning of the PCR reaction into 20,000 droplets enables a precise quantitative “CN” discrimination also in heterogeneous samples. FFPE breast cancer samples (n = 170) with routinely assessed HER2 status by IHC/ISH were retrospectively analyzed using the ddPCR CNV ERBB2 assay. Comparison of HER2 status assessment by the two methods revealed concordant results in 92.9% (158/170) of the cases. Discrepant cases were verified and interpreted. For ddPCR, a cut off value of 3 HER2 copies was set to distinguish between HER2-negative and HER2-positive BC. Results obtained with the ddPCR CNV ERBB2 assay were consistent and reproducible, and serial dilutions demonstrated a high stability and sensitivity of the method. The ddPCR CNV ERBB2 assay may be a specific and convenient tool to quantify HER2 copy numbers in BC samples. In our study, this method showed high reproducibility in accuracy of HER2 assessment compared to IHC/ISH analysis.
An ensemble of CNNs with self-attention mechanism for DeepFake video detection
Authors: Omar Karima , Sakr Rasha H. , Alrahmawy Mohammed F.
Published: November 2023

The availability of large-scale facial datasets with the rapid progress of deep learning techniques, such as Generative Adversarial Networks, has enabled anyone to create realistic fake videos. These fake videos can potentially become harmful when used for fake news, hoaxes, and identity fraud. We propose a deep learning bagging ensemble classifier to detect manipulated faces in videos. The proposed bagging classifier uses the convolution and self-attention network (CoAtNet) model as a base learner. CoAtNet model is vertically stacking depthwise convolution layers and self-attention layers in such a way that generalization, capacity, and efficiency are improved. Depthwise convolution captures local features from faces extracted from video then pass these features to the attention layers to extract global information and efficiently capture long-range dependencies of spatial details. Each learner is trained on a different subset randomly taken of training data with a replacement then models’ predictions are combined to classify the video either as real or fake. We also use CutMix data augmentation on the extracted faces to enhance the generalization and localization performance of the base learner model. Our experimental results show that our proposed method achieves higher efficiency compared to state-of-the-art methods with AUC values of 99.70%, 97.49%, 98.90%, and 87.62% on the different manipulation techniques of the FaceForensics++ dataset (DeepFakes (DF), Face2Face (F2F), FaceSwap (FS), and NeuralTextures (NT)), respectively, and 99.74% on the Celeb-DF dataset.
‘Should we laugh?’ Acoustic features of (in)voluntary laughters in spontaneous conversations
Authors: Krepsz Valéria , Horváth Viktória , Huszár Anna , Neuberger Tilda , Gyarmathy Dorottya
Published: November 2023

Laughter is one of the most common non-verbal features; however, contrary to the previous assumptions, it may also act as signals of bonding, affection, emotional regulation agreement or empathy (Scott et al. Trends Cogn Sci 18:618–620, 2014). Although previous research agrees that laughter does not form a uniform group in many respects, different types of laughter have been defined differently by individual research. Due to the various definitions of laughter, as well as their different methodologies, the results of the previous examinations were often contradictory. The analysed laughs were often recorded in controlled, artificial situations; however, less is known about laughs from social conversations. Thus, the aim of the present study is to examine the acoustic realisation, as well as the automatic classification of laughter that appear in human interactions according to whether listeners consider them to be voluntary or involuntary. The study consists of three parts using a multi-method approach. Firstly, in the perception task, participants had to decide whether the given laughter seemed to be rather involuntary or voluntary. In the second part of the experiment, those sound samples of laughter were analysed that were considered to be voluntary or involuntary by at least 66.6% of listeners. In the third part, all the sound samples were grouped into the two categories by an automatic classifier. The results showed that listeners were able to distinguish laughter extracted from spontaneous conversation into two different types, as well as the distinction was possible on the basis of the automatic classification. In addition, there were significant differences in acoustic parameters between the two groups of laughter. The results of the research showed that, although the distinction between voluntary and involuntary laughter categories appears based on the analysis of everyday, spontaneous conversations in terms of the perception and acoustic features, there is often an overlap in the acoustic features of voluntary and involuntary laughter. The results will enrich our previous knowledge of laughter and help to describe and explore the diversity of non-verbal vocalisations.
The continuous stochastic gradient method: part I–convergence theory
Authors: Grieshammer Max , Pflug Lukas , Stingl Michael , Uihlein Andrian
Published: November 2023

In this contribution, we present a full overview of thecontinuous stochastic gradient(CSG) method, including convergence results, step size rules and algorithmic insights. We consider optimization problems in which the objective function requires some form of integration, e.g., expected values. Since approximating the integration by a fixed quadrature rule can introduce artificial local solutions into the problem while simultaneously raising the computational effort, stochastic optimization schemes have become increasingly popular in such contexts. However, known stochastic gradient type methods are typically limited to expected risk functions and inherently require many iterations. The latter is particularly problematic, if the evaluation of the cost function involves solving multiple state equations, given, e.g., in form of partial differential equations. To overcome these drawbacks, a recent article introduced the CSG method, which reuses old gradient sample information via the calculation of design dependent integration weights to obtain a better approximation to the full gradient. While in the original CSG paper convergence of a subsequence was established for a diminishing step size, here, we provide a complete convergence analysis of CSG for constant step sizes and an Armijo-type line search. Moreover, new methods to obtain the integration weights are presented, extending the application range of CSG to problems involving higher dimensional integrals and distributed data.
Saturation-Based Boolean Conjunctive Query Answering and Rewriting for the Guarded Quantification Fragments
Authors: Zheng Sen , Schmidt Renate A.
Published: November 2023

Query answering is an important problem in AI, database and knowledge representation. In this paper, we develop saturation-based Boolean conjunctive query answering and rewriting procedures for the guarded, the loosely guarded and the clique-guarded fragments. Our query answering procedure improves existing resolution-based decision procedures for the guarded and the loosely guarded fragments and this procedure solves Boolean conjunctive query answering problems for the guarded, the loosely guarded and the clique-guarded fragments. Based on this query answering procedure, we also introduce a novel saturation-based query rewriting procedure for these guarded fragments. Unlike mainstream query answering and rewriting methods, our procedures derive a compact and reusable saturation, namely a closure of formulas, to handle the challenge of querying for distributed datasets. This paper lays the theoretical foundations for the first automated deduction decision procedures for Boolean conjunctive query answering and the first saturation-based Boolean conjunctive query rewriting in the guarded, the loosely guarded and the clique-guarded fragments.
Residential satisfaction in student housing: an empirical study in Stockholm, Sweden
Authors: Gong Anqi , Söderberg Bo
Published: November 2023

Despite the widely-recognized importance of student housing in educational settings, the housing experience of university students remains understudied. This study attempts to assess the residential satisfaction in student housing in Stockholm, Sweden and the indicators which predict residential satisfaction in this context. Moreover, it explores whether residential satisfaction varies between different socio-demographic groups. A list of satisfaction indictors was identified through reviewing literature and a number of semi-structured interviews, thereafter data was collected from a questionnaire survey with simple random sampling. The responses were analysed through descriptive analysis, stepwise regression, t-test and analysis of variance. The results show that the current occupants are generally satisfied with the student housing in Stockholm. Seven indicators appear to be predictors of satisfaction, among which the strongest ones are kitchen facilities, cleanliness and accessibility to public transport stations. In terms of socio-demographic characteristics, those with a shorter residential duration are found to be more satisfied. Furthermore, studio residents are more satisfied than corridor-room residents.
H2 Production from NH3 in a BaTiO3 Moderated Ferroelectric Packed-Bed Plasma Reactor
Authors: Ruiz-Martín M. , Marín-Meana S. , Megías-Sánchez A. , Oliva-Ramírez M. , Cotrino J. , González-Elipe A. R. , Gómez-Ramírez A.
Published: November 2023

Plasma decomposition reactions are used for various gas phase chemical processes including the decomposition of ammonia. In this work we show that pure ammonia can be effectively decomposed at atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature using a packed-bed plasma reactor moderated with BaTiO3 ferroelectric pellets without catalyst. The decomposition rate and energy efficiency of this ferroelectric barrier discharge reactor have been monitored as a function of applied voltage (up to a maximum value of 2.5 kV) and flow rate. For each operating condition reaction efficiencies have been correlated with the parameters defining the electrical response of the reactor. It is found that plasma current and volume inside the reactor and hence the energy efficiency of the process and the decomposition rate vary with the applied voltage and the flow of ammonia (a maximum decomposition rate of 14% and an energy efficiency of 150 LH2/kWh has been determined under optimized operation conditions). The role of back reactions (i.e. N2 + 3H2 → 2NH3) in decreasing reactor performance is another key effect affecting the overall efficiency for the ammonia decomposition. The possibilities of ferroelectric barrier discharge reactors to induce the decomposition of ammonia and the importance of keeping the operating temperature below the Curie temperature of the ferroelectric material are highlighted.
Phasing-out ‘coal tradition’ in favour of ‘renewable colonialism’: how the press contributes to the discursive (de)legitimization of coal and renewables in a coal region in transition
Authors: Biddau Fulvio , Rizzoli Valentina , Sarrica Mauro
Published: November 2023

This article examines the Sulcis coal region in Italy and illustrates how discursive dynamics can impede energy transition by delegitimizing coal decline and the diffusion of renewable energies. Combining quantitative analyses of textual data and argumentative discourse analysis, we analyze newspaper articles published between 2011 and 2021 in the national, regional, and local press. Our findings reveal that shifts in topic salience and storylines reflect different transition phases (coal legitimacy, regime destabilization, and reconfiguration). Throughout the analyzed period, newspapers have cultivated a discursive environment that weakens efforts to phase out coal and promote low-carbon energy by amplifying particular storylines endorsed by competing discourse coalitions. Media discourse consistently portrays decarbonization and coal phase-out as threatening, anticipating disruption to regional livelihoods and traditions. Over time, renewable energies are marginalized or hindered by storylines promoting regime stability (coal legitimacy), soft transformation (coal-to-gas transition), and, finally, a reconfiguration (utility-scale renewable transition) promoted by incumbents and resisted by locally based discourse coalitions perceiving it as a form of colonialism. This study sheds light on the interplay between discourse dynamics and the complexities and challenges of the destabilization–reconfiguration pathway of coal regions. It contends that approaches combining both build-up and break-down dynamics into the analysis of transitions can offer a more nuanced, politically sensitive understanding and practical insights to instigate and navigate more equitable destabilization–reconfiguration pathways.