bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Digitale Teilhabe in der Hochaltrigkeit
Authors: Reissmann Marcella , Oswald Veronica , Zank Susanne , Tesch-Römer Clemens
Published: July 2023

Zwischen November 2020 und April 2021 wurde im Rahmen der bundesweit repräsentativen Studie „Hohes Alter in Deutschland“ eine schriftliche Befragung von mehr als 10.000 Personen ab 80 Jahren zu deren Lebenssituation und Lebensqualität durchgeführt. Hiervon beantworteten 3233 Personen bis Dezember 2021 in einem zusätzlichen telefonischen Interview detaillierte Fragen zu ihrer Internet- und Techniknutzung. Auf dieser Grundlage stellt der vorliegende Kurzbericht dar, wie hochaltrige Menschen in Deutschland moderner Technik wie dem Internet und digitalen Geräten gegenüber eingestellt sind und ob, wie häufig und wofür sie diese nutzen.
Signatures and detection prospects for sub-GeV dark matter with superfluid helium
Authors: You Yining , Smolinsky Jordan , Xue Wei , Matchev Konstantin , Saab Tarek , Gunther Keegan , Lee Yoonseok
Published: July 2023

Abstract

We explore the possibility of using superfluid helium for direct detection of sub-GeV dark matter (DM). We discuss the relevant phenomenology resulting from the scattering of an incident dark matter particle on a Helium nucleus. Rather than directly exciting quasi-particles, DM in this mass range will interact with a single He atom, triggering an atomic cascade which eventually also includes emission and thermalization of quasi-particles. We present in detail the analytical framework needed for modeling these processes and determining the resulting flux of quasi-particles. We propose a novel method for detecting this flux with modern force-sensitive devices, such as nanoelectro-mechanical system (NEMS) oscillators, and derive the sensitivity projections for a generic sub-GeV DM detection experiment using such sensors.
Toric 2-group anomalies via cobordism
Authors: Davighi Joe , Lohitsiri Nakarin , Debray Arun
Published: July 2023

Abstract

2-group symmetries arise in physics when a 0-form symmetry G[0] and a 1-form symmetry H[1] intertwine, forming a generalised group-like structure. Specialising to the case where both G[0] and H[1] are compact, connected, abelian groups (i.e. tori), we analyse anomalies in such ‘toric 2-group symmetries’ using the cobordism classification. As a warm up example, we use cobordism to study various ’t Hooft anomalies (and the phases to which they are dual) in Maxwell theory defined on non-spin manifolds. For our main example, we compute the 5th spin bordism group of B|𝔾| where 𝔾 is any 2-group whose 0-form and 1-form symmetry parts are both U(1), and |𝔾| is the geometric realisation of the nerve of the 2-group 𝔾. By leveraging a variety of algebraic methods, we show that $$ {\varOmega}_5^{\textrm{Spin}}\left(B\left|\mathbbm{G}\right|\right)\cong \mathbb{Z}/m $$

Ω
5
Spin

B

G

≅
ℤ
/
m
where m is the modulus of the Postnikov class for 𝔾, and we reproduce the expected physics result for anomalies in 2-group symmetries that appear in 4d QED. Moving down two dimensions, we recap that any (anomalous) U(1) global symmetry in 2d can be enhanced to a toric 2-group symmetry, before showing that its associated local anomaly reduces to at most an order 2 anomaly, when the theory is defined with a spin structure.
The O(N)-flavoured replica twist defect
Authors: Rousu Alexander Söderberg
Published: July 2023

Abstract

Replica twist defects are of codimension two and enter in quantum information when finding the Rényi entropy. In particular, they generate n replicas of the bulk conformal field theory. We study the monodromy of such defect and learn how a global O(N)-symmetry is broken. By applying the equation of motion to the bulk-defect operator-product expansion we are able to extract the anomalous dimension of defect-local fields.

All of the results in this paper was first presented in my thesis [1], and they generalize previous results on an O(N)-flavoured monodromy twist defect.
Investigation of Groundwater Occurrences Along the Nile Valley Between South Cairo and Beni Suef, Egypt, Using Geophysical and Geodetic Techniques
Authors: Mansour Khamis , Gomaa M. , Taha Ayman I. , Radwan Ali M. , Emam A. El , Rashwan Mohamed
Published: July 2023

Water is becoming one of the most critical strategic challenges for any country. Egypt has numerous water resources, the most notable being the Nile River. Egypt must seek alternative resources because the development of an Ethiopian dam has reduced the Nile's water flow. Underground water is a source of available water. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the variables governing the flow of subsurface water in Egypt. The primary objective of this study is to examine the hydrological water flow along the Nile Valley between southern Cairo and Beni Suef, Egypt. Applying integrated geophysical and geodetic methods can improve our understanding of the hydrological regime. Fault and stress regimes have a direct effect on underground water flow. Aeromagnetic data were used to determine the main faults in the study area, and four geoelectrical long profiles were measured crossing the Nile Valley. Global navigation satellite system (GNSS) measurements observed along geodetic points covered the study area. The magnetic results show that two faults hit the area, both of which have a pronounced magnetic pattern in the ENE–WSW direction, and two faults in the NW–SE direction. For the geoelectrical results, we observed that the second geoelectrical unit represents the main groundwater aquifer in this region, and it is regulated in the NW–SE direction. The obtained GNSS results demonstrate that compression forces in the south and north influence the hydrological system in the Nile Valley. Faults detected from geological maps and magnetic observations are also influenced by compression forces from the north and south, while the middle section displays tension forces. This geodynamic regime causes the water to flow toward the Nile Valley in the Southwestern of the study regions, whereas water flows outside the Nile Valley in the northeastern part.
Surface smoothing of additively manufactured Ti-6Al-4V alloy by combination of grit blasting and large-area electron beam irradiation
Authors: Shinonaga Togo , Kobayashi Hiroya , Okada Akira , Tsuji Toshiya
Published: July 2023

Additively manufactured (AMed) titanium products are typically produced by electron beam melting (EBM), since oxidation of titanium alloy surface can be suppressed in vacuum environment. The surface roughness of AMed titanium products becomes more than 200 µm Rz, and the very rough surface would lead to reduction in fatigue strength. Therefore, a post surface finishing process is required. Abrasive blasting is one of the common surface smoothing processes of AMed metal products. Large surface roughness can be decreased, and compressive residual stress can be introduced to the surface. However, there is a limitation to reduction of surface roughness to several µm Rz. On the other hand, it was recently found that AMed metal surface produced by powder bed fusion with laser beam could be smoothed by large-area electron beam (LEB) irradiation. However, it is difficult to smooth surface with large initial surface roughness, and a tensile residual stress may be generated on the surface. In this study, surface smoothing and change in residual stress of AMed titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4 V) were proposed by combination of grit blasting and LEB irradiation. Surface roughness of AMed Ti-6Al-4 V alloy significantly decreases from 265 to about 2.0 µm Rz by combination of grit blasting and LEB irradiation. Reduction rate of surface roughness by LEB irradiation linearly increases with decreasing mean width of blasted surface. Influence of the mean width on smoothing effect by LEB irradiation can be explained by thermo-fluid analysis. Moreover, tensile residual stress caused by LEB irradiation can be reduced when LEB is irradiated to blasted surface.
Asymmetric majority pillage games
Authors: Kerber Manfred , Rowat Colin , Yoshihara Naoki
Published: July 2023

We study pillage games (Jordan in J Econ Theory 131(1):26–44, 2006), which model unstructured power contests. To enable empirical tests of pillage game theory, we relax a symmetry assumption that agents’ intrinsic contributions to a coalition’s power is identical. We characterise the core for all n. In the three-agent game: (i) only eight configurations are possible for the core, which contains at most six allocations; (ii) for each core configuration, the stable set is either unique or fails to exist; (iii) the linear power function creates a tension between a stable set’s existence and the interiority of its allocations, so that only special cases contain strictly interior allocations. Our analysis suggests that non-linear power functions may offer better empirical tests of pillage game theory.
Biopharmaceutical applications of Opuntia ficus-indica: bibliometric map, bioactivities and extraction techniques
Authors: Guedes Beatriz N. , Fathi Faezeh , Silva Amélia M. , Santini Antonello , Oliveira M. Beatriz P. P. , Souto Eliana B.
Published: July 2023

Opuntia ficus-indica(OFI), widely recognized as prickly pear, is a native species from Mexico, being also widely distributed in many other geographical regions worldwide. OFI is a plant with numerous beneficial properties, provide that it is a source of dietary fibres, vitamins and many other bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic and antimicrobial properties. Various parts of this plant including the fruit pulp and peel, cladode, and seeds are scientifically proven to have therapeutic potentials and are safe for human use. The bibliometric map of the works published since 2020 dealing with all aspects of OFI in the field of pharmacology, toxicology and pharmaceutics was generated, depicting the network of publications covering its ethnopharmacology, pharmacological properties, besides the extensive chemical characterization of the extracts, human and non-human uses, in vitro and in vivo studies, besides in silico tools. In this work, we review the scientific literature on the qualitative nutritional composition and bioactive compounds of prickly pear and its constituents, as well as its main biological activities and applications, also summarizing examples of extraction techniques commonly applied to different parts of the plant.
Topology optimization of a benchmark artifact with target stress states using evolutionary algorithms
Authors: Mauersberger Michael , Hauffe Andreas , Hähnel Falk , Dexl Florian , Markmiller Johannes F. C.
Published: July 2023

Additive manufacturing enables extended freedom in designing structural components. In order to reduce manufacturing costs, the product quality has to be assessed early in the process. This can be done by benchmark artifacts which represent critical quality measures of the part in production. As yet there is no integral approach to design a benchmark artifact that characterizes the quality of additively manufactured components based on structural properties. As a first investigation, this study introduces a method to optimize the topology of a benchmark artifact that represents pre-defined critical stresses. In this way, structural properties of an additively manufactured part can be efficiently characterized. The approach includes a basic example with trivial target stresses for which a reference solution is a priori known. Non-trivial target stresses were investigated to present structural solutions close to application. Evolutionary optimization algorithms were used for solving the multi-objective formulation of the problem. An appropriate formulation of the optimization problem was identified to generate plausible solutions robustly. It included additional constraints to the variation of stresses in the neighborhood of the pre-defined stresses as well as a scaling factor of all element densities. A comparative optimization with gradient methods exhibited solutions inferior to the proposed approach.
Centromeric and pericentric transcription and transcripts: their intricate relationships, regulation, and functions
Authors: Zhu Jing , Guo Qiao , Choi Minjun , Liang Zhoubin , Yuen Karen Wing Yee
Published: July 2023

Centromeres are no longer considered to be silent. Both centromeric and pericentric transcription have been discovered, and their RNA transcripts have been characterized and probed for functions in numerous monocentric model organisms recently. Here, we will discuss the challenges in centromere transcription studies due to the repetitive nature and sequence similarity in centromeric and pericentric regions. Various technological breakthroughs have helped to tackle these challenges and reveal unique features of the centromeres and pericentromeres. We will briefly introduce these techniques, including third-generation long-read DNA and RNA sequencing, protein-DNA and RNA–DNA interaction detection methods, and epigenomic and nucleosomal mapping techniques. Interestingly, some newly analyzed repeat-based holocentromeres also resemble the architecture and the transcription behavior of monocentromeres. We will summarize evidences that support the functions of the transcription process and stalling, and those that support the functions of the centromeric and pericentric RNAs. The processing of centromeric and pericentric RNAs into multiple variants and their diverse structures may also provide clues to their functions. How future studies may address the separation of functions of specific centromeric transcription steps, processing pathways, and the transcripts themselves will also be discussed.
The value of intraoperative dynamic liver function test ICG in predicting postoperative complications in patients undergoing staged hepatectomy: a pilot study
Authors: Horisberger Karoline , Rössler Fabian , Oberkofler Christian E. , Raptis Dimitri , Petrowsky Henrik , Clavien Pierre-Alain
Published: July 2023

Purpose

To assess the predictive value of intraoperative indocyanine green (ICG) test in patients undergoing staged hepatectomy.

Methods

We analyzed intraoperative ICG measurements of future liver remnant (FLR), preoperative ICG, volumetry, and hepatobiliary scintigraphy in 15 patients undergoing associated liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS). Main endpoints were the correlation of intraoperative ICG values to postoperative complications (Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI®)) at discharge and 90 days after surgery, and to postoperative liver function.

Results

Median intraoperative R15 (ICG retention rate at 15 min) correlated significantly with CCI® at discharge (p = 0.05) and with CCI® at 90 days (p = 0.0036). Preoperative ICG, volumetry, and scintigraphy did not correlate to postoperative outcome. ROC curve analysis revealed a cutoff value of 11.4 for the intraoperative R15 to predict major complications (Clavien-Dindo ≥ III) with 100% sensitivity and 63% specificity. No patient with R15 ≤ 11 developed major complications.

Conclusion

This pilot study suggests that intraoperative ICG clearance determines the functional capacity of the future liver remnant more accurately than preoperative tests. This may further reduce the number of postoperative liver failures, even if it means intraoperative abortion of hepatectomy in individual cases.
How does it feel? Passage of time judgments in speeded RT performance
Authors: Bratzke Daniel , Hansen Arne
Published: July 2023

The relationship between duration perception and the feeling of time passing (passage of time) is not yet understood. In the present study, we assessed introspective reaction times (RT) and passage of time judgments in a speeded RT task. Task difficulty was manipulated in a numerical comparison task by numerical distance (distance from the number 45) and notation (digit vs. word). The results showed that both effects were reflected in introspective RTs, replicating previous results. Moreover, passage of time judgments showed a very similar pattern, with slower passage of time for more difficult comparisons. These results suggest that in the millisecond range judgments of duration and passage of time largely mirror each other when participants introspect about their own RT performance.
Position paper of the Italian Association of Medical Diabetologists (AMD), Italian Society of Diabetology (SID), and the Italian Study Group of Diabetes in pregnancy: Metformin use in pregnancy
Authors: Sciacca Laura , Bianchi Cristina , Burlina Silvia , Formoso Gloria , Manicardi Elisa , Sculli Maria Angela , Resi Veronica
Published: July 2023

Objective

This document purpose is to create an evidence-based position statement on the role of metformin therapy in pregnancy complicated by obesity, gestational diabetes (GDM), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and in women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART).

Methods

A comprehensive review of international diabetes guidelines and a search of medical literature was performed to identify studies presenting data on the use of metformin in pregnancy. The document was approved by the councils of the two scientific societies.

Results

In condition affecting the fertility, as PCOS, metformin use in pre-conception or early in pregnancy may be beneficial for clinical pregnancy, even in ART treatment, and in obese-PCOS women may reduce preterm delivery. In obese women, even in the presence of GDM or T2DM, metformin use in pregnancy is associated with a lower gestational weight gain. In pregnancy complicated by diabetes (GDM or T2DM), metformin improves maternal glycemic control and may reduce insulin dose. Neonatal and infant outcomes related to metformin exposure in utero are lacking. Metformin use in women with GDM or T2DM is associated with lower birth weight. However, an increased tendency to overweight–obesity has been observed in children, later in life.

Conclusions

Metformin may represent a therapeutic option in selected women with obesity, PCOS, GDM, T2DM, and in women undergoing ART. However, more research is required specifically on the long-term effects of in utero exposition to metformin.
Variability of sampling adjustment factors for extreme rainfall in Germany
Authors: Pöschmann Judith , Kronenberg Rico , Bernhofer Christian
Published: July 2023

The sampling adjustment factor (SAF) can correct the underestimation of fixed time interval maxima (F-Maxima) relative to maxima of moving time windows (M-Maxima) as a direct consequence of temporal discretization of time series. Radar data can help to understand the significance of using moving window aggregation rather than fixed window. Here, we investigate SAFs for two gridded radar quantitative precipitation estimates from the German Meteorological Service (RADKLIM-RW and RADKLIM-YW, DWD 2018) with different temporal resolutions (5 min and hourly) and a spatial resolution of 1 km $$\times $$
×
 1 km from 2001 to 2016. For each grid cell’s time series within Germany, the overall maximum intensities per chosen duration were derived with (1) moving and (2) fixed window aggregation. Correction factors (SAF) from fixed to moving window were retrieved. The findings of this study partly match previous findings, more for the 5-min product than for the hourly product. No clear dependency on topography or season could be derived from the analysis. It showed that high SAF are usually related to high(er) actual rainfall values. The study emphasises the probabilistic nature of the rainfall maxima correction and shows that it is important to not only consider average SAFs, but also take an in-depth look at the distribution when correcting maxima. As a consequence, design precipitation as used, e.g., in context of flash or urban floods could profit from spatially adjusted or uniform scaling, depending on the characteristics found in the spatial distribution of the SAFs.
Rhizosphere frame system enables nondestructive live-imaging of legume-rhizobium interactions in the soil
Authors: Nishida Hanna , Shimoda Yoshikazu , Win Khin Thuzar , Imaizumi-Anraku Haruko
Published: July 2023

Most plants interact with various soil microorganisms as they grow through the soil. Root nodule symbiosis by legumes and rhizobia is a well-known phenomenon of plant–microbe interactions in the soil. Although microscopic observations are useful for understanding the infection processes of rhizobia, nondestructive observation methods have not been established for monitoring interactions between rhizobia and soil-grown roots. In this study, we constructed Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens strains that constitutively express different fluorescent proteins, which allows identification of tagged rhizobia by the type of fluorophores. In addition, we constructed a plant cultivation device, Rhizosphere Frame (RhizoFrame), which is a soil-filled container made of transparent acrylic plates that allows observation of roots growing along the acrylic plates. Combining fluorescent rhizobia with RhizoFrame, we established a live imaging system, RhizoFrame system, that enabled us to track the nodulation processes with fluorescence stereomicroscope while retaining spatial information about roots, rhizobia, and soil. Mixed inoculation with different fluorescent rhizobia using RhizoFrame enabled the visualization of mixed infection of a single nodule with two strains. In addition, observation of transgenic Lotus japonicus expressing auxin-responsive reporter genes indicated that RhizoFrame system could be used for a real-time and nondestructive reporter assay. Thus, the use of RhizoFrame system is expected to enhance the study of the spatiotemporal dynamics of plant–microbe interactions in the soil.
A shift in the paradigm? A male-specific lactone increases the response of both sexes of the olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae to the food lure ammonium bicarbonate
Authors: López Sergio , Acín Patricia , Gómez-Zubiaur Alberto , Corbella-Martorell Clàudia , Quero Carmen
Published: July 2023

The olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a key pest species of wild and cultivated olive trees worldwide. Contrarily to most tephritid flies, in which males release the sex pheromone, in B. oleae the female is the sex responsible of attracting the opposite sex. However, and even though vast research has been done during the last decades, we are still far from understanding the chemical signals involved in the sexual communication of this species, including those produced by males. Here, we report for the first time the presence of two male-specific volatile compounds, namely γ-hexalactone and δ-hexalactone, with the former exerting a significant attraction upon both sexes under laboratory and field conditions. Volatile collections conducted on laboratory-reared virgin individuals of both sexes revealed the presence of these two compounds only in males, regardless of their age. In double-choice behavioral assays, γ-hexalactone resulted to be attractive for virgin males and females (7–14 days old), with no attractiveness reported for δ-hexalactone. Finally, in field assays traps baited with the binary blend of ammonium bicarbonate and γ-hexalactone yielded significantly more catches per week of both sexes than those baited with ammonium bicarbonate and ammonium bicarbonate plus 1,7-dioxaspiro[5.5]undecane, the major sex pheromone component. Altogether, our results shed light on the chemical ecology of the species and represent a promising experimental basis for the development of more innovative and effective mass trapping tools based on the use of γ-hexalactone.
Review of Modelling of Pyrolysis Processes with CFD-DEM
Authors: Attanayake Don Dasun , Sewerin Fabian , Kulkarni Shreyas , Dernbecher Andrea , Dieguez-Alonso Alba , van Wachem Berend
Published: July 2023

In a pyrolysis reactor, organic polymers from biomass or plastic waste are thermally decomposed into volatile gases, condensable vapours (tar or bio-oil) and solid residues (char). Since these products may serve as building blocks for downstream chemical refinement or form the basis of bio-derived fuels, pyrolysis is thought to be instrumental in our progress towards a circular economy. A pyrolysis reactor constitutes a multiphase reactive system whose operation is influenced by many chemical and physical phenomena that occur at different scales. Because the interactions and potential reinforcements of these processes are difficult to isolate and elucidate experimentally, the development of a predictive modelling tool, for example, based on the CFD-DEM (discrete element method) methodology, is attracting increasing attention, particularly for pyrolysis reactors operated with biomass as feedstock. By contrast, CFD-DEM descriptions of plastic pyrolysis remain a challenge at present, mainly due to an incomplete understanding of their melting behaviour. In this article, we provide a blueprint for describing a pyrolysis process within the scope of CFD-DEM, review modelling choices made in past investigations and detail the underlying assumptions. Furthermore, the influence of operating conditions and feedstock properties on the key metrics of the process, such as feedstock conversion, product composition and residence time, as determined by past CFD-DEM analyses is surveyed and systematised. Open challenges that we identify pertain to the incorporation of particle non-sphericity and polydispersity, the melting of plastics, particle shrinkage, exothermicity on part of the gas-particle chemistry and catalytic effects.
‘Grew Up with a Silver Spoon in My Mouth, But it Ended Up the Nose’: The Stigma and Labelling of Injection Drug Use in an Affluent Beachside Community
Authors: Dertadian George Christopher , Caruana Theresa , Maher Lisa
Published: July 2023

Criminological scholarship has long grappled with the roles that stigma and labelling play in drug use in disadvantaged communities. While stigma leads to marginalisation, less is known about the way stigma impacts the structurally advantaged, or those from communities of relative affluence. Our research involved fieldwork and 18 qualitative interviews with people who inject drugs in the affluent coastal community of Sydney’s Northern Beaches. We find that even when people occupy the ‘ideal’ class position, internalised stigma was present, but did not readily translate into labels involving a criminal self-concept. We also found that while the capacity to resist crime-related labelling processes and other forms of state intervention were limited by social positionality, some participants still had to contend with intersecting forms of gendered and racialized stigma. However, for white male participants, their status and that of the area were experienced as protective of their criminalisation, actively limiting criminal labelling processes.
Computer-Assisted Proofs of Hopf Bubbles and Degenerate Hopf Bifurcations
Authors: Church Kevin , Queirolo Elena
Published: July 2023

We present a computer-assisted approach to prove the existence of Hopf bubbles and degenerate Hopf bifurcations in ordinary and delay differential equations. We apply the method to rigorously investigate these nonlocal orbit structures in the FitzHugh–Nagumo equation, the extended Lorenz-84 model and a time-delay SI model.
A Time of Great Change: How Parents, Friends, and Classmates Shape Adolescents’ Attitudes towards the Gender Division of Labor
Authors: Sánchez Guerrero Laia , Schober Pia S. , van der Vleuten Maaike
Published: July 2023

Parents are crucial in the construction of their children’s attitudes towards the gender division of labor. However, little is known about the extent to which parents’ influences on their children’s attitudes weaken in favor of peers during adolescence. This study explores how gender beliefs of parents, friends, and classmates shape adolescents’ attitudes towards the gender division of labor in Sweden, Germany, England, and the Netherlands. It extends previous research which predominantly examined parent-child transmission. The analysis draws on 4645 children (at wave 1:Mage = 14.9, SDage = 0.67, females = 50%) of the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Survey in Four European Countries. Regression analyses of within-person changes in attitudes show that adolescents on average become more egalitarian from age 15 to 16 and significantly adapt their own beliefs to those of their parents, friends, and classmates. In cases of opposing beliefs, adolescents tended to adapt more strongly to whoever held more egalitarian views, possibly aligning with more widespread norms of egalitarianism. The findings show great similarity in adaptation processes across countries and align well with a multi-layered conceptualization of gender as a social structure that shapes gender attitudes.
Dynamic interplay between corticosteroid treatment and the role of SRC-1 gene dysregulation in the progression of WHO-Grade 4 Astrocytoma
Authors: Kurdi Maher , Fadul Motaz M , Addas Bassam M. J. , Faizo Eyad , Alkhayyat Shadi , Bamaga Ahmed K. , Alsinani Taghreed , Katib Yousef , Okal Fahad , Maghrabi Yazid , Sabbagh Abdulrahman J. , Moshref Rana , Albalawi Sultan , Alkhotani Alaa , Halawa Taher F. , Mulla Nasser , Hakamy Sahar , Baeesa Saleh
Published: July 2023

Background

Corticosteroid is commonly used before surgery to control cerebral oedema in brain tumours and is frequently continued throughout treatment. Its long-term effect of on the recurrence of WHO-Grade 4 astrocytoma remains controversial. The interaction between corticosteroid, SRC-1 gene and cytotoxic T-cells has never been investigated.

Methods

A retrospective cohort of 36 patients with WHO-Grade 4 astrocytoma were examined for CD8 + T-cell and SRC-1 gene expressions through IHC and qRT-PCR. The impact of corticosteroid on CD8+T-cells infiltration, SRC-1 expression, and tumour recurrence was analyzed.

Results

The mean patients age was 47-years, with a male to female ratio 1.2. About 78% [n = 28] of the cases showed reduced or no CD8+T-cell expression while 22% [n = 8] of cases have showed medium to high CD8+T-cell expression. SRC-1 gene was upregulated in 5 cases [14%] and 31 cases [86%] showed SRC-1 downregulation. The average of total days and doses of administered corticosteroid from the preoperative period to the postoperative period was at range of 14–106 days and 41–5028 mg, respectively. There was no significant statistical difference in RFI among tumours expressing high or low CD8+T-cells when corticosteroid was administered in recommended or exceeded doses [p-value = 0.640]. There was a significant statistical difference in RFI between CD8+T-Cell expression and SRC-1 gene dysregulation [p-value = 002]. Tumours with high CD8+T T-cell expression and SRC-1 gene downregulation had late recurrence.

Conclusions

Corticosteroid treatment can directly affect the SRC-1 gene regulation but does not directly influence cytotoxic T-cells infiltration or tumor progression. However, SRC-1 gene downregulation can facilitate late tumor recurrence.
By-Products as Sustainable Source of Bioactive Compounds for Potential Application in the Field of Food and New Materials for Packaging Development
Authors: Messinese Edmondo , Pitirollo Olimpia , Grimaldi Maria , Milanese Daniel , Sciancalepore Corrado , Cavazza Antonella
Published: July 2023

The global economy growth requires a sustainable management of agro-industrials and by-products, as they represent a source of bioactive compounds (BCs) (such as antioxidants and carbohydrates) with relevant biotechnological and nutritional value. Their use is potentially applicable to different fields, as it can provide an added value to food products, such as shelf-life improvement. Moreover, according to the “Zero” principles, the residual matrices can be also employed to obtain innovative and eco-friendly bio-composite materials. The review gives an overview of the different uses of extracts derived from renewable sources and proposed as food ingredients for the development of new functional foods with improved oxidative stability. It also focuses on the exploitation of by-products in the field of packaging, showing applications regarding the formulations of active films, and their use as fillers for the development of innovative materials. Besides, a remarkable note about safety assessment is important to underline the need for analytical controls to ensure health matters.
Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (SHBG) Maintains Proper Equine Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells (ASCs)’ Metabolic Functions and Negatively Regulates their Basal Adipogenic Potential
Authors: Bourebaba Lynda , Zyzak Magdalena , Sikora Mateusz , Serwotka-Suszczak Anna , Mularczyk Malwina , Al Naem Mohamad , Marycz Krzysztof
Published: July 2023

Background

Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) deteriorated expression has been recently strongly correlated to increased level of circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines and insulin resistance, which are typical manifestations of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). Despite previous reports demonstrated the potential therapeutic application of SHBG for liver-related dysfunctions, whether SHBG might modulate equine adipose-derived stem/stromal cells (EqASCs) metabolic machinery remains unknown. Therefore, we evaluated for the first time the impact of SHBG protein on metabolic changes in ASCs isolated from healthy horses.

Methods

Beforehand, SHBG protein expression has been experimentally lowered using a predesigned siRNA in EqASCs to verify its metabolic implications and potential therapeutic value. Then, apoptosis profile, oxidative stress, mitochondrial network dynamics and basal adipogenic potential have been evaluated using various molecular and analytical techniques.

Results

The SHBG knockdown altered the proliferative and metabolic activity of EqASCs, while dampening basal apoptosis via Bax transcript suppression. Furthermore, the cells treated with siRNA were characterized by senescent phenotype, accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide, as well as decreased mitochondrial potential that was shown by mitochondrial membrane depolarization and lower expression of key mitophagy factors: PINK, PARKIN and MFN. The addition of SHBG protein reversed the impaired and senescent phenotype of EMS-like cells that was proven by enhanced proliferative activity, reduced apoptosis resistance, lower ROS accumulation and greater mitochondrial dynamics, which is proposed to be related to a normalization of Bax expression. Crucially, SHBG silencing enhanced the expression of key pro-adipogenic effectors, while decreased the abundance of anti-adipogenic factors namely HIF1-α and FABP4. The addition of exogenous SHBG further depleted the expression of PPARγ and C/EBPα and restored the levels of FABP4 and HIF1-α evoking a strong inhibitory potential toward ASCs adipogenesis.

Conclusion

Herein, we provide for the first time the evidence that SHBG protein in importantly involved in various key metabolic pathways governing EqASCs functions, and more importantly we showed that SHBG negatively affect the basal adipogenic potential of tested ASCs through a FABP4-dependant pathway, and provide thus new insights for the development of potential anti-obesity therapeutic approach in both animals and humans.

Graphical Abstract
Biochar-based nanocomposites for industrial wastewater treatment via adsorption and photocatalytic degradation and the parameters affecting these processes
Authors: Amdeha Enas
Published: July 2023

The preparation of biochar (BC) as a useful substance generated from biomass valorization via pyrolysis has attracted much attention in recent years. Moreover, widespread worries about water pollution and the issues brought on by producing and releasing massive volumes of industrial effluents have sparked research initiatives to examine practical and affordable solutions to these problems. Dyes, heavy metals, and pharmaceutical compounds are the main hazardous pollutants in industrial wastewater. As a result, biochar (BC)/biochar (BC)-based nanocomposites have been presented as a potential alternative to handle wastewater pollution with both adsorption and photocatalytic degradation processes. Such nanocomposite materials benefit from the synergistic effect of adsorption and photocatalysis to attain improved removal of pollutants from industrial wastewater. Therefore, this review aims to describe different preparation methods for biochar and biochar-based nanocomposites. Furthermore, the differences between the adsorption and photocatalytic degradation processes are discussed. BC-based nanocomposites have emerged as promising adsorbents and photocatalysts for wastewater treatment applications. To maximize the efficiency of these processes, an overview of the parameters affecting pollutants removal from wastewater via adsorption and photocatalytic degradation processes is reviewed, where biochar dose, initial pollutant concentration, pH, temperature, time, the presence of different anions, and recycling are discovered to have a significant impact on their performance. Finally, future recommendations and research directions are provided to help shape the applications of BC-based nanocomposites for wastewater treatment applications. This review offers a comprehensive evaluation of the use of biochar as a new environmental material capable of removing pollutants from wastewater.

Graphical Abstract
Toward a Dimensional Contextual Model of Moral Injury: A Scoping Review on Healthcare Workers
Authors: Griffin Brandon J. , Weber Marcela C. , Hinkson Kent D. , Jendro Ashlyn M. , Pyne Jeffrey M. , Smith Andrew J. , Usset Timothy , Cucciare Michael A. , Norman Sonya B. , Khan Amanda , Purcell Natalie , Maguen Shira
Published: July 2023

Purpose of Review

Healthcare workers (HCWs) may be exposed to potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) while on the job and consequently experience acute, functional moral distress to prolonged, impairing moral injury.

Recent Findings

We reviewed 185 articles on moral distress and/or injury among HCWs. This included 91 empirical studies (approximately 50% of the retained articles), 68 editorials (37%), 18 reviews (10%), and 8 protocol papers (4%). Themes were explored using bibliometric network analysis of keyword co-citation. Empirical studies found evidence of PMIE exposure among a considerable proportion of HCWs. Greater moral distress severity was associated with worse mental and occupational health outcomes, especially among women (vs. men), younger HCWs (vs. older), nurses (vs. physicians), those who worked more hours, and HCWs with less experience. Programs to prevent and treat moral injury among HCWs lack empirical evidence.

Efforts to maintain the well-being and effectiveness of HCWs should consider the potential impact of moral injury. To that end, we introduce a dimensional contextual model of moral injury in healthcare settings and discuss recommendations for prevention and treatment.
The Role of Leadership in Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Constantinides Michalis , Eleftheriadou Sofia
Published: July 2023

This article is a systematic literature review aimed at providing a comprehensive overview of the implementation of the Kāhui Ako | Communities of Learning policy in Aotearoa New Zealand. This policy seeks to improve student outcomes through collaborative networks of schools emphasising the importance of network leadership in initiating and co-ordinating systemic change. This review examines the available evidence on the ways in which these school networks operate and how network leadership responds to local needs and environments. Review data included a total of 16 studies from the empirical literature resulting in four main organisational processes and patterns of interaction: (1) relationships building focusing on trust; (2) press for system-wide coherence; (3) knowledge exchange; and (4) collaborative work. Our findings suggest that achieving high levels of alignment and coherence within the Kāhui Ako policy is a key factor for meaningful implementation, challenging to achieve, and requires ongoing attention.
Re-interpreting rules interpretability
Authors: Adilova Linara , Kamp Michael , Andrienko Gennady , Andrienko Natalia
Published: July 2023

Trustworthy machine learning requires a high level of interpretability of machine learning models, yet many models are inherently black-boxes. Training interpretable models instead—or using them to mimic the black-box model—seems like a viable solution. In practice, however, these interpretable models are still unintelligible due to their size and complexity. In this paper, we present an approach to explain the logic of large interpretable models that can be represented as sets of logical rules by a simple, and thus intelligible, descriptive model. The coarseness of this descriptive model and its fidelity to the original model can be controlled, so that a user can understand the original model in varying levels of depth. We showcase and discuss this approach on three real-world problems from healthcare, material science, and finance.
Understanding cirrus clouds using explainable machine learning
Authors: Jeggle Kai , Neubauer David , Camps-Valls Gustau , Lohmann Ulrike
Published: July 2023

Cirrus clouds are key modulators of Earth’s climate. Their dependencies on meteorological and aerosol conditions are among the largest uncertainties in global climate models. This work uses 3 years of satellite and reanalysis data to study the link between cirrus drivers and cloud properties. We use a gradient-boosted machine learning model and a long short-term memory network with an attention layer to predict the ice water content and ice crystal number concentration. The models show that meteorological and aerosol conditions can predict cirrus properties with R2 = 0.49. Feature attributions are calculated with SHapley Additive exPlanations to quantify the link between meteorological and aerosol conditions and cirrus properties. For instance, the minimum concentration of supermicron-sized dust particles required to cause a decrease in ice crystal number concentration predictions is 2 × 10−4 mg/m3. The last 15 hr before the observation predict all cirrus properties.
OCTOPOD: single-bunch tomography for angular-spectral characterization of laser-driven protons
Authors: Reimold M. , Assenbaum S. , Beyreuther E. , Bodenstein E. , Brack F.-E. , Eisenmann C. , Englbrecht F. , Kroll F. , Lindner F. , Masood U. , Pawelke J. , Schramm U. , Schneider M. , Sobiella M. , Umlandt M. E. P. , Vescovi M. , Zeil K. , Ziegler T. , Metzkes-Ng J.
Published: July 2023

Laser–plasma accelerated (LPA) proton bunches are now applied for research fields ranging from ultra-high-dose-rate radiobiology to material science. Yet, the capabilities to characterize the spectrally and angularly broad LPA bunches lag behind the rapidly evolving applications. The OCTOPOD translates the angularly resolved spectral characterization of LPA proton bunches into the spatially resolved detection of the volumetric dose distribution deposited in a liquid scintillator. Up to 24 multi-pinhole arrays record projections of the scintillation light distribution and allow for tomographic reconstruction of the volumetric dose deposition pattern, from which proton spectra may be retrieved. Applying the OCTOPOD at a cyclotron, we show the reliable retrieval of various spatial dose deposition patterns and detector sensitivity over a broad dose range. Moreover, the OCTOPOD was installed at an LPA proton source, providing real-time data on proton acceleration performance and attesting the system optimal performance in the harsh laser–plasma environment.
On the evolution of scalar iso-surface area density in a turbulent mixing layer
Authors: Blakeley Brandon C. , Olson Britton J. , Riley James J.
Published: July 2023

In this study, the transport equation for scalar iso-surface area density (

$\varSigma$

) in a turbulent, temporally developing mixing layer is examined. Exploring the spatial and temporal evolution of the terms in the

$\varSigma$

transport equation is vital to improving our understanding of turbulent flows characterized by distinct interfaces, e.g. the flame surface or the turbulent/non-turbulent interface. Previous work reported by the authors identified that

$\varSigma$

exhibits self-similar behaviour consistent with the development of the temporal mixing layer (Blakeley et al., J. Fluid Mech., vol. 951, 2022, A44). Accordingly, each of the terms in the

$\varSigma$

transport equation is found to behave in a self-similar manner, though there are notable differences in the self-similar behaviours for each term. Based on the results presented herein, it is suggested that the rate of change of

$\varSigma$

(

$\partial \varSigma /\partial t$

) and the advection term scale with

$h\lambda _\varPhi /\Delta U$

, where

$h$

is the width of the mixing layer,

$\lambda _\varPhi$

is the scalar Taylor length scale and

$\Delta U$

is the velocity difference. The production and destruction terms are found to scale with an additional factor

$({Re}\,Sc)^{1/2}$

. In contrast, the molecular diffusion term is found to scale with a factor

$({Re}\,Sc)^{-1/2}$

compared to

$\partial \varSigma /\partial t$

. Importantly, it is found that the difference between the production and destruction terms, or net surface ‘stretch’, scales with the same factor as

$\partial \varSigma /\partial t$

and the advection term, which may have a significant impact on how the evolution of

$\varSigma$

is understood and modelled in turbulent flows.
What makes policy complex?
Authors: Senninger Roman
Published: July 2023

Previous research finds that policy complexity affects important political processes including legislative delegation and policy diffusion. However, policy complexity is not directly observable and the search for a reasonable proxy constitutes a major challenge for scholars. This research note presents a concise and measurable definition of complex policy based on two aspects: a policy's textual sophistication and its ties to other rules and regulations. Using crowdsourcing and a pairwise comparison framework it is shown that the proposed defining features are crucial for humans’ understanding of policy text. The proposed definition is then operationalized using a large corpus of European Union rules and is shown to outperform alternative operationalizations of policy complexity in predicting the level of legislative delegation.
German Lessons: Comparative Constitutionalism, States’ Rights, and Federalist Imaginaries in Interwar India
Authors: Pillai Sarath
Published: July 2023

This article reveals the hold that German history and constitutionalism had on Indian federalists in the interwar period. A range of federalists from Indian princely states and British provinces, eager to see India become a federation rather than a unitary state fashioned on the English model, looked to Imperial Germany for constitutional lessons. They saw in German history and constitutionalism a federal solution to the so-called “Indian problem,” wherein the rights of the states would be primary over those of individuals or groups. This German-inspired federal tradition, I argue, departed not only from political pluralism and association-based federalism, but also from the nationalist vision of placing individual rights over state rights. This article presents an alternative genealogy of comparative constitutional thought in India, and examines a post-national worldview that sidestepped the nation-states. By bringing a comparative approach to bear on political and constitutional histories, it escapes the national insularity that often characterizes such histories in colonial India, and places them in the comparative and global context of the interwar circulation of federalist ideas. German-inspired federal ideas of the period offer a counterpoint to corralling futuristic visions of India, and its founding, on the twin axes of anticolonial nationalism and popular sovereignty to the exclusion of state-centric ideas articulated by the princely states.