bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Attitudes towards people with disabilities across different healthcare undergraduate students: A cluster analysis approach
Authors: Bania Theofani A. , Gianniki Maria , Charitaki Garyfalia , Giannakoudi Sofia , Andreas Velaoras I. , Farantou Charikleia , Aliki Velaora I. , Billis Evdokia A.
Published: July 2023

Background and Purpose

Negative attitudes towards disability amongst healthcare professionals endanger social inclusion of people with disabilities (PwD). This study aimed to investigate the attitude of undergraduate healthcare students of various disciplines towards PwD, including specific aspects of their attitude.

Methods

We assessed the attitudes of university students, including physiotherapy, speech therapy, nursing, social work and medical students, through the Greek Interaction with Disabled Person Scale (IDPS) in a survey. Data were analysed using a two‐step clustering technique.

Results

Four hundred‐eighty undergraduate healthcare students (21.4 ± 5.3 years‐old; 135 males, 345 females) were recruited. Two‐step cluster analysis identified three homogenous subgroups labelled Least positive attitude (42.3%), Moderately positive attitude (26.9%), and Most positive attitude (30.8%) groups. Τhe main differences in healthcare students' attitudes between the three distinct groups appeared to be in feelings of sympathy, fear and susceptibility towards disability, suggesting that these aspects of attitude needed to be primarily addressed. Results also revealed that females, being in higher semester/year of studies, having completed a clinical module with PwD and having frequent contact with PwD were related to more positive attitudes.

Conclusion

Taking into account that the majority of the healthcare students' sample yielded least and moderately positive attitudes, towards PwD, further actions should be taken for promoting more positive attitudes towards disability. A social model in teaching to increase student's awareness of PwD and skills to work with these people, having PwD themselves teaching such modules, focussing on positive experiences and reminding the students of the benefits of having positive attitudes towards PwD, as well as promoting ways to increase the contact of healthcare students with PwD (such as teaching in co‐operation with organisations of PwD or finding alternative clinical placements with PwD), can be beneficial in promoting more positive attitudes towards disability.
Event‐triggered model‐free adaptive fractional order sliding mode I/O constrained control for a class of nonlinear systems
Authors: Zhang Weiming , Xu Dezhi , Jiang Bin , Shi Peng
Published: July 2023

To tackle the trajectory tracking issue of nonlinear systems with unknown dynamics and input/output (I/O) constraints, a novel model‐free adaptive constrained control (MFACC) scheme is first proposed with improvement of tracking precision and reduction of computation cost. The system model is processed via the compact form dynamic linearization approach. Then, an event‐triggered observer‐based pseudo partial derivative (PPD) estimation algorithm is proposed to implement the data‐driven modeling information, which relieves the computation burden of modeling. Relying on the reconfigured data model, an improved prescribed performance control (PPC) approach with asymmetric predefined boundaries and the fractional order sliding mode control strategy are both exploited and integrated with MFACC for high‐precision and robustness assurance. Moreover, a novel prescribed‐boundary‐based event‐triggered mechanism is proposed to implement MFACC scheme so that the remarkable balance between tracking precision and computation cost can be maintained, and the I/O constraints can be handled via the proposed PPD‐based anti‐windup compensator and PPC technique. Finally, the stability analysis and contrast simulation are pursued which verifies the validity of proposed scheme.
Green Solvent Ethanol‐Based Inks for Industrially Applicable Deposition of High‐Quality Perovskite Films for Optoelectronic Device Applications
Authors: Rezaee Ehsan , Kutsarov Dimitar I. , Zhang Jing , Koutsourakis George , Li Bowei , Castro Fernando A. , Silva S. Ravi P.
Published: July 2023

Incontrovertibly there is an increasing demand for the development of benign inks suitable for fabrication of high‐performing perovskite‐based thin film functional layers. Nevertheless, most reported perovskite precursors rely on the use of highly toxic solvents such as acetonitrile, 2‐methoxyethanol, dimethylformamide, and many others. Hence, there is a strong imperative for the development of novel and greener inks, which will facilitate smoother commercialization of technologies based on functional perovskite films. Therefore, four perovskite precursors are studied, some of which consist of up to 90% ethanol. All inks are developed to fulfill the requirements of a high‐throughput deposition compatible with roll‐to‐roll techniques at room temperature, assisted by an air knife for instant solvent removal. Two of the inks are particularly suitable for the fabrication of high‐quality and densely packed multi‐crystalline (CH3NH3)PbI3 layers, as confirmed by numerous nanoscale spectroscopic and material characterization techniques. Additionally, large‐area photoluminescence (PL) imaging is demonstrated to improve the quality of the deposited perovskite films, with a route to enhance deposition uniformity when upscaling for manufacture. The genuine potential of the developed greener perovskite inks is demonstrated with the fabrication of solar cells with power conversion efficiencies above 19.5%.
Vacuum Brazing of 18MAR300 Nickel Maraging Steel Joints Based on Additively Manufactured and Conventional Material Grades
Authors: Tillmann Wolfgang , Henning Tim , Wojarski Lukas , Bültena Julia
Published: July 2023

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) processes offer the best possible design options for the production of highly complex components with unique functionalities. Although the development of additive manufacturing processes is progressing impressively and build rates have already been significantly increased, the economic production of high‐volume components is still particularly truncated. Comparatively expensive powders, machine‐hour rates, and a limited construction space demonstrate a high demand for joining LPBF components to conventionally manufactured parts. Vacuum brazing is an excellent technology for manufacturing and simultaneous heat treatment of such hybrid components. The aim of this study is to investigate the brazeability and the joint properties of ultrahigh‐strength nickel maraging steel 18MAR300 (1.2709, X3NiCoMoTi18‐9‐5) using BVAg‐30 (Ag68Cu27Pd5) as brazing filler metal. For this purpose, the effect of nickel‐plated surfaces on the wettability and the microstructure of the joint is studied for conv./conv.‐, LPBF/conv.‐, and LPBF/LPBF joints. Furthermore, the quasi‐static and quasi‐dynamic joint strength is evaluated. The results prove that nickel‐plated surfaces are vital to achieve a sufficient process control. The coating assures a deoxidized and sealed surface which favors the formation of NiCu(Fe,Pd,Ag) phases within the braze metal thus enhancing the joint strength. In addition, LPBF/LPBF joint features have significantly higher tensile strength than conv./conv. joints (825–627 MPa).
Long‐Term Corrosion Behavior Study of Aluminum‐Alloy/Stainless‐Steel Inertia Friction–Welded Tank Storing N2O4
Authors: Yao Xiuquan , Li Cao , Wen Lei , Li Dan , Huang Feifei , Cai Shuangyu , Yu Zhigang , Jin Ying
Published: July 2023

In this work, the materials from different positions of 2219 aluminum‐alloy/304 stainless‐steel inertia friction–welded tank with long‐term storage of N2O4 are studied. The results show that the corrosion product layer composed of Fe3O4 and FeCr2O4 is covered on the surface of stainless steel. The corrosion product layer on the surface of stainless steel can effectively improve the protection effect. Severe corrosion occurred in both the sidewall and bottom aluminum alloy, with intergranular corrosion depths of about 30–50 μm observed in the cross section, accompanied by typical exfoliation corrosion. A Fe–Al‐dominated intermetallic compound layer is formed at the weld. A dynamic recrystallization zone and thermomechanical‐affected zone are included on the aluminum‐alloy side with intergranular corrosion depths of 4.3 and 13.3 μm, respectively. The granular Al matrix can be seen on the peeling surface of the aluminum alloy. Combining scanning Kelvin probe and potentiodynamic polarization curve results, the high potential of the stainless steel can further promote the corrosion of the aluminum alloy.
Cooling Capacity Evolution of Steel Strip during Oscillatory Feeding Process in Slab Continuous Casting
Authors: Zhang Rui , Li Hua-Bing , Zhu Hong-Chun , Jiang Zhou-Hua , Feng Hao , Zhang Shu-Cai
Published: July 2023

To comprehensively understand the effect of oscillation on cooling capacity of steel strip, a mathematical model is proposed to investigate the distribution of temperature fields in continuous cast slabs, taking into account the oscillatory feeding process. Strip oscillation results in a periodic variation of nearby molten steel flow. It intensifies the turbulence of surrounding molten steel and enhances the interfacial heat transfer. During the feeding process, the morphology of strip undergoes three stages: upheaval, fluctuation, and disappearance. As the strip oscillation frequency increases, the maximum cross‐sectional area of the strip gradually decreases during the upheaval stage, the fluctuation stage gradually disappears, and the strip disappearance speed gradually increases during the disappearance stage. These observations suggest that an increase in the oscillation frequency accelerates the melting of the strip, which is caused by the enhanced heat transfer between the strip and molten steel. This results in a gradual growth of strip's cooling capacity and a decrement in the liquid fraction of molten steel surrounding the strip. In addition, feeding strip is advantageous in preventing the jet from impinging onto narrow surfaces of slab. The blocking effect initially increases and then remains almost unchanged as the strip oscillation frequency increases.
Survey of intestinal parasites in swine farms raised in Western Nepal
Authors: Chaudhary Barshat , Parajuli Rajendra Prasad , Dhakal Pitambar
Published: July 2023

Background

Pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus), an important domestic livestock, are generally affected by helminth and protozoan parasites. Rearing pigs in rural regions in Nepal is a common practice for subsistence farming. A cross‐sectional survey was conducted to determine the occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites (GIPs) in pigs raised in Western Nepal.

Methods

A total of 200 faecal samples from commercial and smallholder farms were examined by wet mounts, flotation, sedimentation and staining techniques.

Results

The results revealed that overall 86.5% of samples were found shedding oocysts or eggs of one or more GIPs. Three species of protozoa [Eimeriasp. (26%),Entamoeba coli(25.5%) andCoccidia(29%)] and nine species of helminths parasites (Ascaris suum(32.5%),Trichuris suis(30%), strongyle‐type nematode (27.5%), hookworm (26%),Fasciolasp. (17.5%),Physalopterasp. (17.5%),Strongyloidessp. (17.5%),Metastrongylussp. (8%) andOesophagostomumsp. (5.5%)] were identified. Female pigs were found to have higher protozoan infection than males, but such a difference was not noticed with regard to helminth parasites. Strongyles andOesophagostomuminfection were higher in commercial farms compared to smallholder farms, whereas the prevalences ofE. coliand other protozoans were higher in smallholder farms. Among the contextual factors evaluated for association, weight and gender of pigs, and annual income and gender of managers/caretakers were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with the prevalence of GIPs in pigs. The overall prevalence of certain helminths such as strongyle‐type nematode andA. suumwas significantly (p < 0.05) associated with the weight of pigs after adjusting other contextual factors.

Conclusions

This study detected relatively high prevalence of intestinal parasites in domestic pig facilities. Molecular epidemiological studies are essential to verify the exact zoonotic potential of parasites carried by pigs in the region. An effective periodic monitoring of GIPs of pigs needs to be carried out to minimize their further dissemination.
Nonsimilar forced convection analysis of maxwell nanofluid flow over an exponentially stretching sheet with convective boundary conditions
Authors: Razzaq Raheela , Farooq Umer , Mirza Hasan Raza
Published: July 2023

This proposed work aims to describe nonsimilar forced convection analysis for the flow of Maxwell nanofluids. The forced flow is commenced due to the stretching surface (SS) at an exponential rate. Heat and mass transmission is tackled with convective and zero mass flux at the surface. The fundamental laws of conservation governing the present flow problem are expressed mathematically in the form of a nonlinear partial differential system. The differential system is then remodeled into a system of nonlinear dimensionless partial differential equations (PDEs) under the implementation of suitable nonsimilar transformations. The resulting nonsimilar system is analytically approximated by applying local nonsimilarity (LNS) and then using the finite‐difference based bvp4c algorithm, it is numerically simulated to ascertain the influences of the various parameters—including the; Deborah number, Biot number, Schmidt number, Brownian diffusion parameter, Prandtl number, and thermophoresis diffusion parameters, on velocity and temperature. The reduced Nusselt numbers and the conduct of velocity and thermal distribution for varying parameters are illustrated graphically. The reduction of the boundary layer (BL) thickness is measured because‐of the Biot number while an increase is observed with an elevation in Deborah number. The velocity configuration is reduced with expanding Deborah number. It is remarked that as the values of the thermophoresis and Brownian motion parameter rise, the thermal BL thickness expands, and at the surface, the temperature gradient demises. An excellent comparison is noticed between present works with the already published article. The novelty of this article is that most of realworld BL flow problems are nonsimilar in nature, while many research have neglected this fact and treated the problem as similar. Therefore, we talked about the Maxwell problem's nonsimilar analysis here. The author's observations indicate that the analysis of the topic under discussion has not yet been declared in published literature.
Applying the HIV Prevention Cascade to an Evaluation of a Large-Scale Combination HIV Prevention Programme for Adolescent Girls and Young Women in South Africa
Authors: Bergh Kate , Toska Elona , Duby Zoe , Govindasamy Darshini , Mathews Catherine , Reddy Tarylee , Jonas Kim
Published: July 2023

Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in South Africa are at a three times higher risk of acquiring HIV than their male counterparts. The HIV prevention cascade is a tool which can be used to measure coverage of HIV prevention services, although there is limited empirical evidence to demonstrate its application in low-resourced settings. The unifying framework is a conceptualisation of the HIV prevention cascade which theorises that both motivation and access are required for an individual to effectively use an HIV prevention method. We applied this framework to data from a random sample of 127,951 beneficiaries of a combination HIV prevention programme for AGYW aged 15–24 in South Africa to measure the steps to, and identify key barriers to, effective use of male condoms and oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among this vulnerable population. Barriers to each step were analysed using univariate and multivariable logistic regression. Among self-reported HIV-negative AGYW who had sex in the past 6 months, effective use of condoms (15.2%), access to PrEP (39.1%) and use of PrEP (3.8%) were low. AGYW were: less likely to be motivated to use condoms if they believed that they had a faithful partner (aOR 0.44, 95% CI 0.22–0.90) or disliked condoms (aOR 0.26, 95% CI 0.11–0.57), less likely to access condoms if the place where AGYW accessed them was far away (aOR 0.25, 95% CI 0.10–0.64), more likely to effectively use condoms if they received counselling on how to use them (aOR 2.24, 95% CI 1.05–4.76), less likely to be motivated to use PrEP if they did not believe PrEP was efficacious (aOR 0.35, 95% CI 0.17–0.72), more likely to be motivated if they felt confident that they could use PrEP, and more likely to have access to PrEP if they had ever been offered PrEP (aOR 2.94, 95% CI 1.19–7.22). This combination HIV prevention programme and similar programmes should focus on risk-reduction counselling interventions for AGYW and their male partners to improve effective use of condoms and ensure easy access to condoms and PrEP by making them available in youth-friendly spaces. Our findings demonstrate that the application of HIV prevention cascades can inform AGYW HIV prevention programming in low-resourced settings.
Integrative analysis of genes reveals endoplasmic reticulum stress-related immune responses involved in dilated cardiomyopathy with fibrosis
Authors: Li Wanpeng , Liu Peiling , Liu Huilin , Zhang Fuchun , Fu Yicheng
Published: July 2023

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has been implicated in the mechanisms underlying the fibrotic process in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and results in disease exacerbation; however, the molecular details of this mechanism remain unclear. Through microarray and bioinformatic analyses, we explored genetic alterations in myocardial fibrosis (MF) and identified potential biomarkers related to ER stress. We integrated two public microarray datasets, including 19 DCM and 16 control samples, and comprehensively analyzed differential expression, biological functions, molecular interactions, and immune infiltration levels. The immune cell signatures suggest that inflammatory immune imbalance may promote MF progression. Both innate and adaptive immunity are involved in MF development, and T-cell subsets account for a considerable proportion of immune infiltration. The immune subtypes were further compared, and 103 differentially expressed ER stress-related genes were identified. These genes were mainly enriched in neuronal apoptosis, protein modification, oxidative stress reaction, glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, and NOD-like receptor signaling pathways. Furthermore, the 15 highest-scoring core genes were identified. Seven hub genes (AK1, ARPC3, GSN, KPNA2, PARP1, PFKL, and PRKC) might participate in immune-related mechanisms. Our results offer a new integrative view of the pathways and interaction networks of ER stress-related genes and provide guidance for developing novel therapeutic strategies for MF.
Spectral Laplace Transform of Signals on Arbitrary Domains
Authors: Patané Giuseppe
Published: July 2023

The Laplace transform is a central mathematical tool for analysing 1D/2D signals and for the solution to PDEs; however, its definition and computation on arbitrary data is still an open research problem. We introduce the Laplace transform on arbitrary domains and focus on thespectral Laplace transform, which is defined by applying a 1D filter to the Laplacian spectrum of the input domain. The spectral Laplace transform satisfies standard properties of the 1D and 2D transforms, such as dilation, translation, scaling, derivation, localisation, and relations with the Fourier transform. The spectral Laplace transform is enough general to be applied to signals defined on different discrete data, such as graphs, 3D surface meshes, and point sets. Working in the spectral domain and applying polynomial and rational polynomial approximations, we achieve a stable computation of the spectral Laplace Transform. As main applications, we discuss the computation of the spectral Laplace Transform of functions defined on arbitrary domains (e.g., 2D and 3D surfaces, graphs), the solution of the heat diffusion equation, and graph signal processing.
The Boundary Problem in Democratic Theory: A Methodological Approach
Authors: Magaña Pablo
Published: July 2023

How should political power and influence be allocated in democratic systems? That is, roughly, the core of the boundary problem in democratic theory. As of late, some authors have begun paying increased attention to the methodological aspects of this dispute. This paper attempts to make a twofold contribution to this ‘methodological turn’. On the one hand, it identifies and analyzes five desiderata of a successful principle of democratic inclusion. Any such principle, I argue, must be grounded in a clearly identifiable set of values, must provide a clear standard of inclusion, must specify the relevant modalities of inclusion, must provide sound bridging principles, and must be extensionally adequate. In the first half of the paper, these desiderata are developed and critically scrutinized. On the other hand, I also extract three lessons from the previous discussion. First, that a unique answer to the boundary problem (i.e. one grounded in one single principle) is unlikely. Second, that a satisfactory answer to the boundary problem need not necessarily appeal, as some have argued, to distinctively democratic values. And third, that intuitions about political exclusion (i.e. those requiring or permitting the exclusion of some individuals) should be treated with special caution.
Youth and Parent Perspectives on Sexual Health Education for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Colarossi Lisa , Riquelme Marlene O. , Collier Kate L. , Pérez Siana , Dean Randa
Published: July 2023

Youth with intellectual disabilities face barriers to receiving sex education including the lack of educational tools accessible for multiple cognitive and emotional learning styles. We conducted exploratory research to gather input from a diverse group of youth with disabilities and their guardians about needed learning modalities and sexual health content areas. Three focus groups were conducted with youth ages 17–28 years (n = 14) and three with parents (n = 16). An applied thematic analysis of the transcripts resulted in three structural codes related to topics of greatest interest for youth sexuality education, teaching tools and methods, and needs for ancillary parent education and support to help youth access information and health care. We identified a total of ten themes associated with the three structural codes. Next steps will be to create educational resource prototypes that are responsive to focus group input for testing in further research.
The SWAP Filter: A Simple Azimuthally Varying Radial Filter for Wide-Field EUV Solar Images
Authors: Seaton Daniel B. , Berghmans David , Bloomfield D. Shaun , De Groof Anik , D’Huys Elke , Nicula Bogdan , Rachmeler Laurel A. , West Matthew J.
Published: July 2023

We present the SWAP Filter: an azimuthally varying, radial normalizing filter specifically developed for EUV images of the solar corona, named for the Sun Watcher with Active Pixels and Image Processing (SWAP) instrument on the Project for On-Board Autonomy 2 (PROBA2) spacecraft. We discuss the origins of our technique, its implementation and key user-configurable parameters, and highlight its effects on data via a series of examples. We discuss the filter’s strengths in a data environment in which wide field-of-view observations that specifically target the low signal-to-noise middle corona are newly available and expected to grow in the coming years.
Utilisation of a Delphi study to understand effective entrepreneurship education in schools
Authors: Hardie Bethany , Lee Kerry , Highfield Camilla
Published: July 2023

Research into how teachers and leaders successfully implement effective entrepreneurship education is vital to developing student’s entrepreneurial mindsets to navigate opportunities in a post-COVID environment. Identifying professional practice that supports the effective implementation of an engaging entrepreneurial curriculum in schools is critical to the success of programmes. Recent studies have rarely consulted stakeholders, school leaders, or entrepreneurs in determining the characteristics for entrepreneurship education. This study describes the investigation of the literature on the contemporary methodologies of entrepreneurial education research and proposes the use of Delphi techniques to harness the collective knowledge of experts to efficiently define current key indicators of effective entrepreneurship education in primary and secondary schools. We justify the rationale for a Delphi study because, in such unstable economic times across the globe, establishing a localised and contemporary entrepreneurship research framework will support the interrogation and identification of effective school programmes.
The influence of buoyancy upon pollution trapping and dispersal in the wake of a backward-facing step
Authors: Charlwood Samuel , Frank Daria , Davies Wykes Megan
Published: July 2023

The importance of buoyancy relative to free-stream flow is described using an adapted Froude number

$Fr' = U/f_0^{1/3}$

, where

$U$

is the flow speed and

$f_0$

is the exhaust buoyancy flux per unit length. We varied

$Fr'$

by changing the free-stream flow rate, the exhaust flow rate and the buoyancy of the exhaust. We have experimentally identified two flow regimes, depending on the value of

$Fr'$

. For high

$Fr'$

(low buoyancy), dispersion is driven by inertial forces in the wake and the amount of a pollutant in the wake is independent of

$Fr'$

. For moderate

$Fr'$

, a wall plume develops up the back of the step, directly feeding the pollutant into the shear layer, but without altering the shape of the wake. This wall plume reduces the amount of pollutant trapped behind the step. We developed an analytic model to describe the quantity of pollutant trapped behind the step. The model predicts the transition from buoyancy being negligible to being the dominant transport mechanism within the wake. We have hypothesised and observed some evidence of a third regime at low

$Fr'$

, when the buoyancy is sufficient to distort the macrostructure of the shear layer and wake.
Wg/Wnt1 and Erasp link ER stress to proapoptotic signaling in an autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa model
Authors: Park Jung-Eun , Lee Jiyoun , Ok Soonhyuck , Byun Seunghee , Chang Eun-Ju , Yoon Sung-Eun , Kim Young-Joon , Kang Min-Ji
Published: July 2023

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a subcellular organelle essential for cellular homeostasis. Perturbation of ER functions due to various conditions can induce apoptosis. Chronic ER stress has been implicated in a wide range of diseases, including autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (ADRP), which is characterized by age-dependent retinal degeneration caused by mutant rhodopsin alleles. However, the signaling pathways that mediate apoptosis in response to ER stress remain poorly understood. In this study, we performed an unbiased in vivo RNAi screen with a Drosophila ADRP model and found that Wg/Wnt1 mediated apoptosis. Subsequent transcriptome analysis revealed that ER stress-associated serine protease (Erasp), which has been predicted to show serine-type endopeptidase activity, was a downstream target of Wg/Wnt1 during ER stress. Furthermore, knocking down Erasp via RNAi suppressed apoptosis induced by mutant rhodopsin-1 (Rh-1P37H) toxicity, alleviating retinal degeneration in the Drosophila ADRP model. In contrast, overexpression of Erasp resulted in enhanced caspase activity in Drosophila S2 cells treated with apoptotic inducers and the stabilization of the initiator caspase Dronc (Death regulator Nedd2-like caspase) by stimulating DIAP1 (Drosophila inhibitor of apoptosis protein 1) degradation. These findings helped identify a novel cell death signaling pathway involved in retinal degeneration in an autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa model.
The contribution of morbidity and unemployment for the reduced labor market participation of individuals with neurofibromatosis 1 in Finland
Authors: Kallionpää Roope A. , Johansson Edvard , Böckerman Petri , Peltonen Juha , Peltonen Sirkku
Published: July 2023

Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is a multisystem disorder associated with, for example, a high risk for cancer, a variety of behavioral and cognitive deficits, low educational attainment and decreased income. We now examined the labor market participation of individuals with NF1. We analyzed the numbers of days of work, unemployment, and sickness allowance among 742 Finnish individuals with NF1 aged 20–59 years using nationwide register data from Statistics Finland and the Social Insurance Institution of Finland. The individuals with NF1 were compared with a control cohort of 8716 individuals matched with age, sex, and the area of residence. Individuals with NF1 had a significantly lower number of working days per year than the controls (rate ratio [RR] 0.93, 95% CI 0.91–0.95). Unemployment (RR 1.79, 95% CI 1.58–2.02), and sickness absence (RR 1.44, 95% CI 1.25–1.67) were more frequent in the NF1 than in the control group. The causes of sickness allowances were highly concordant with the previously reported morbidity profile of NF1 including neoplasms, cardiovascular disease, mental and behavioral diseases, and neurological diseases. In conclusion, NF1 significantly interferes with labor market participation via both unemployment and morbidity. Unemployment seems to cause more days of not working than sickness absence.
Retrospective analysis of 261 autopsies of penetrating cardiac injuries with emphasis on sociodemographic factors
Authors: Isaza-Restrepo Andres , Donoso-Samper Andrea , Benitez Elkin , Martin-Saavedra Juan Sebastian , Toro Asdhar , Ariza-Salamanca Daniel Felipe , Arredondo Nora , Molano-Gonzales Nicolas , Pinzon-Rondon Angela Maria
Published: July 2023

Penetrating cardiac injuries (PCIs) are highly lethal and several factors are related to its incidence and mortality. While most studies focus on characterizing patients who arrived at a medical facility alive and exploring the relationship between the degree of heart compromise and mortality, our study delved deeper into the topic. This study analyzed 261 autopsy reports from 2017 in Bogotá, Colombia, and characterized the factors surrounding PCI incidence and mortality while emphasizing the role of sociodemographic variables. Of these cases, 247 (94.6%) were males with a mean age of 29.19 ± 9.7 years. Weekends, holidays, and late hours had the highest incidence of PCIs. The victims' deaths occurred at the scene in 66 (25.3%) cases, and 65.1% of the victims died before receiving medical care. Upon admission, patients with vital signs were more likely to have been transported by taxi or a private vehicle. Two or more compromised cardiac chambers, increased time of transportation, trauma occurred in the city outskirts, and gunshot wounds were related to increased mortality. Our data is valuable for surgeons, health system managers, and policy analysts as we conducted a holistic assessment of the anatomical and sociodemographic factors that are closely associated with mortality following a PCI. Surgeons must recognize that PCIs can occur even when the entrance wound is outside the cardiac box. Reinforcing hospital infrastructure in the outskirts and improving the availability, accuracy, and response time of first responders may lead to improved patient mortality rates.
Human blood neutrophils generate ROS through FcγR-signaling to mediate protection against febrile P. falciparum malaria
Authors: Ofori Ebenezer Addo , Garcia-Senosiain Asier , Naghizadeh Mohammad , Kana Ikhlaq Hussain , Dziegiel Morten Hanefeld , Adu Bright , Singh Subhash , Theisen Michael
Published: July 2023

Blood phagocytes, such as neutrophils and monocytes, generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a part of host defense response against infections. We investigated the mechanism of Fcγ-Receptor (FcγR) mediated ROS production in these cells to understand how they contribute to anti-malarial immunity. Plasmodium falciparum merozoites opsonized with naturally occurring IgG triggered both intracellular and extracellular ROS generation in blood phagocytes, with neutrophils being the main contributors. Using specific inhibitors, we show that both FcγRIIIB and FcγRIIA acted synergistically to induce ROS production in neutrophils, and that NADPH oxidase 2 and the PI3K intracellular signal transduction pathway were involved in this process. High levels of neutrophil ROS were also associated with protection against febrile malaria in two geographically diverse malaria endemic regions from Ghana and India, stressing the importance of the cooperation between anti-malarial IgG and neutrophils in triggering ROS-mediated parasite killing as a mechanism for naturally acquired immunity against malaria.
Roles of inter- and intramolecular tryptophan interactions in membrane-active proteins revealed by racemic protein crystallography
Authors: Lander Alexander J. , Mercado Laura Domínguez , Li Xuefei , Taily Irshad Maajid , Findlay Brandon L. , Jin Yi , Luk Louis Y. P.
Published: July 2023

Tryptophan is frequently found on the surface of membrane-associated proteins that interact with the lipid membrane. However, because of their multifaceted interactions, it is difficult to pinpoint the structure-activity relationship of each tryptophan residue. Here, we describe the use of racemic protein crystallography to probe dedicated tryptophan interactions of a model tryptophan-rich bacteriocin aureocin A53 (AucA) by inclusion and/or exclusion of potential ligands. In the presence of tetrahedral anions that are isosteric to the head group of phospholipids, distinct tryptophan H-bond networks were revealed. H-bond donation by W40 was critical for antibacterial activity, as its substitution by 1-methyltryptophan resulted in substantial loss of activity against bacterial clinical isolates. Meanwhile, exclusion of tetrahedral ions revealed that W3 partakes in formation of a dimeric interface, thus suggesting that AucA is dimeric in solution and dissociated to interact with the phosphate head group in the presence of the lipid membrane. Based on these findings, we could predict the tryptophan residue responsible for activity as well as the oligomeric state of a distant homologue lacticin Q (48%).
Reforestation policies around 2000 in southern China led to forest densification and expansion in the 2010s
Authors: Tong Xiaowei , Brandt Martin , Yue Yuemin , Zhang Xiaoxin , Fensholt Rasmus , Ciais Philippe , Wang Kelin , Liu Siyu , Zhang Wenmin , Mao Chen , Jepsen Martin Rudbeck
Published: July 2023

Forest expansion has been observed in China over the past decades, but the typically applied coarse resolution satellite data does not reveal spatial details about China’s forest transition. By using three decades of satellite observations at a 30-m spatial resolution, we reveal here the complex spatiotemporal patterns of individual forest stands forming the forest return history of southern China. We calculate forest age, forest densification rates, and annual forest fragmentation and show that the observed forest area surge around 2010 is a result of trees planted after 2000 that formed dense forests about a decade later. We document that old forests in the 1980s were mostly fragmented into scattered patches located on mountain tops, but forests rapidly expanded downhill by 729,540 km2 and alleviated the clear-cut and logging pressure from old forests. Our study provides a detailed documentation of forest densification and expansion for a country that had been largely deforested three decades ago.
Highly sensitive and selective SERS substrates with 3D hot spot buildings for rapid mercury ion detection
Authors: Li Jia , Peng Wei , Wang An , Wan Mingjie , Zhou Yadong , Zhang Xia-Guang , Jin Shangzhong , Zhang Fan-Li
Published: July 2023

The 3D hot spots fabricated in capillary provide an ideal platform for achieving rapid and on-site Hg2+ detection in SERS.
Tuning humidity sensing properties via grafting fluorine and nitrogen-containing species on single-walled carbon nanotubes
Authors: Sysoev Vitalii I. , Gurova Olga A. , Fedoseeva Yuliya V. , Gusel’nikov Artem V. , Makarova Anna A. , Okotrub Alexander V. , Bulusheva Lyubov G.
Published: July 2023

A schematic mechanism of humidity sensing by SWCNT films showing the influence of sidewall covalent modification.
Transition from Schottky to ohmic contacts in the C31 and MoS2 van der Waals heterostructure
Authors: Xu Lijun , Zhan Guohui , Luo Kun , Lu Fei , Zhang Shengli , Wu Zhenhua
Published: July 2023

Ohmic contact formed by a heterojunction composed of C31/MoS2.
Industry-oriented method for the aqueous phase oxidation of crude 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA)
Authors: Lokhande Priya , Sonone Kalyani , Dhepe Paresh L.
Published: July 2023

Oxidation of crude HMF to FDCA with a yield of 90% was achieved over a recyclable catalyst. The purity of the isolated FDCA was >99%.
Efficient binder-free electrode with a derivative synthesis of a four-leaf clover cobalt oxide from a metal organic framework on nickel foam as an energy storage device
Authors: Chiu Yu-Hsuan , Subbiramaniyan Kubendhiran , Huang Hsiao-Wen , Kongvarhodom Chutima , Chen Hung-Ming , Yougbaré Sibidou , Saukani Muhammad , Lin Lu-Yin
Published: July 2023

A new oxidized zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 with the four-leaf clover morphology is synthesized on Ni foam without binder as the active material for energy storage. At 500 W kg−1, the device shows a maximum energy density of 23.1 W h kg−1.
Optimization of TiO(acac)2 for efficient catalytic alcoholysis of waste PET using response surface methodology
Authors: Wen Ruiyang , Shen Guoliang , Zhai Jinmiao , Meng Linghui , Bai Yunlong
Published: July 2023

Acetylacetone titanium oxide (TiO(acac)2) was synthesized from acetylacetone and isopropyl titanate via a one-pot method.
Prussian blue nanozymes: progress, challenges, and opportunities
Authors: He Hongliang , Long Mengmeng , Duan Yifan , Gu Ning
Published: July 2023

Prussian blue nanozymes: unlocking new horizons in catalysis and biomedicine – a comprehensive review of the progress, addressing challenges, and exploring limitless opportunities.
Two-dimensional bismuth oxyselenide quantum dots as nanosensors for selective metal ion detection over a wide dynamic range: sensing mechanism and selectivity
Authors: Paul Sumana , Nandi Sanju , Das Mandira , Bora Abhilasha , Hossain Md Tarik , Ghosh Subhradip , Giri P. K.
Published: July 2023

Bismuth oxyselenide (Bi2O2Se) quantum dots, a new 2D non-van der Waals nanomaterial having unique semiconducting properties, could be favorable for various sensing applications.
Report on the 24th Fukushima Dialogue “Creating the Future of Fukushima Together With The Next Generation”
Authors: Ando R. , Koyama Y. , Kobayashi T. , Sasaki D. , Akimoto N. , Schneider T. , Lochard J. , Kanai Y.
Published: July 2023

The 24th Fukushima Dialogue, a stakeholder meeting to discuss the future of the recovery phase in Fukushima Prefecture among the younger generation, was held in the town of Naraha in the Futaba district of the Fukushima Prefecture, in November 2022. Following a series of presentations, participants to the meeting aged 18 to 35 discussed the current challenges of the reconstruction activities in the Fukushima Prefecture and what is needed to improve the situation. The Dialogue revealed that the younger generation has difficulty in grasping what is meant by reconstruction and readily distinguishes between the “large” reconstruction of authorities and the “small” one of individuals. It also revealed that the Fukushima accident had a strong impact on the sense of belonging of its inhabitants to the region and that they now aspire to build a new identity by regaining control of their lives, even if it is sometimes a painful process. Finally, the Dialogue brought to light that the younger generation is willing and ready to engage in the decision-making process related to the recovery phase in the Fukushima Prefecture.
Combined Endovascular Treatment of Complex Aortic Pathologies
Authors: Mavioglu Levent , Iscan Hakki Zafer , Askin Goktan , Mola Serkan , Tumer Naim Boran , Unal Ertekin Utku
Published: July 2023

Aim Multisegmented aortic pathologies present challenging issues independent of the treatment chosen. Whether open or endovascular, staged, or simultaneous, every treatment modality has its own pros and cons. We revealed our patients retrospectively with early and midterm results who had simultaneous endovascular thoracic and abdominal aortic repair for thoracic aortic pathologies and infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (iAAA) as a single-center experience.

Materials and Methods Between January 2016 and January 2021, 16 patients were diagnosed with thoracic aortic pathology and iAAA was simultaneously repaired in an endovascular manner. All patients were operated on with the same cardiovascular surgeon team.

Results The average age of the patients were 76.9 ± 6.2 (64–86) years. There was no early mortality. The technical success was 100%. In total, 18 thoracic endografts were deployed in 16 patients for thoracic aortic pathologies. Follow-up period was 21.85 ± 8.96 months, and in the follow-up period, two patients had a secondary intervention. One cardiac and one coronavirus disease 2019 mortality was detected in the follow-up period. There was no aneurysm-related mortality. The postoperative first-year survival was 84.6 ± 10.0.

Conclusion Simultaneous endovascular solution for complex multisegmented aortic pathologies provides a rapid, less-invasive approach with successful early and midterm morbidity, mortality with short intensive care unit period, and length of hospital stay. A combination of endovascular aortic aneurysm repair and thoracic endovascular aortic repair where anatomic suitability exists is a strong alternative over staged and hybrid therapies. Contrast-induced nephropathy, postimplantation syndrome, and spinal cord ischemia should be carefully monitored with this strategy.
Well-Being and Resilience among Undergraduate Students at a Selected University
Authors: Vineesha Vineesha , Monteiro Renita Flavia , Prasad Viji
Published: July 2023

Introduction Today's students of healthcare professional courses are the pillars of future healthcare delivery system. Research studies have found that they are affected with psychological disorders.

Objectives The objectives of the study were to assess the levels of well-being, resilience, and its relationship.

Materials and Methods A descriptive correlational research design was adopted to assess the well-being and resilience among undergraduate students. A total of 135 participants studying in all levels of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS), Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT), Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.Sc Nursing), and Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) were selected by disproportionate stratified random sampling technique. The tools used for data collection were demographic Proforma, Connor Davidson Resilience Scale, and positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment (PERMA) scale. The reliability of the tool was tested by using Cronbach's alpha formula that was found to have a score of 0.925 for Connor Davidson Resilience Scale and a score of 0.916 for PERMA Scale. Pilot study was conducted to find out the feasibility of the study.

Statistical Analysis The data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS version 20.0.

Results The mean well-being and resilience of the study participants were 160.34 and 73.67, respectively. Majority (49.6%) had normal level of well-being and greater resilience (77%). The correlation was 0.237 and it was statistically significant (p < 0.05).

Conclusion There was an association between level of well-being and selected demographic variables such as age, education, level of study, religion, and residence, whereas level of resilience had significant association with education, religion, and socioeconomic status. Students' resilience can be promoted by implementing educational strategies and creating a supportive environment.
A magnetoelectric memory device based on pseudo-magnetization
Authors: Shen Tingting , Hassan Orchi , Dilley Neil R. , Datta Supriyo , Camsari Kerem Y. , Appenzeller Joerg
Published: July 2023

We propose a new type of magnetoelectric memory device that stores magnetic easy-axis information or pseudo-magnetization, rather than a definite magnetization direction, in magnetoelectrically coupled heterostructures. Theoretically, we show how a piezoelectric/ferromagnetic (PE/FM) combination can lead to non-volatility in pseudo-magnetization exhibiting overall ferroelectric-like behavior. The pseudo-magnetization can be manipulated by extremely low voltages especially when the FM is a low-barrier nano-magnet. Using a circuit model benchmarked against experiments, we determine the switching energy, delay, switching probability and retention time of the envisioned 1T/1C memory device in terms of magnetic and circuit parameters and discuss its thermal stability in terms of a key parameter called back-voltage vm which is an electrical measure of the strain-induced magnetic field. Taking advantage of ferromagnetic resonance measurements, we experimentally extract values for vm in CoFeB films and circular nano-magnets deposited on Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)0.7Ti0.3O3 which agree well with the theoretical values. Our experimental findings indeed indicate the feasibility of the proposed novel device and confirm the assumed parameters in our modeling effort.
Ranking cliques in higher-order complex networks
Authors: Zhao Yang , Li Cong , Shi Dinghua , Chen Guanrong , Li Xiang
Published: July 2023

Traditional network analysis focuses on the representation of complex systems with only pairwise interactions between nodes. However, the higher-order structure, which is beyond pairwise interactions, has a great influence on both network dynamics and function. Ranking cliques could help understand more emergent dynamical phenomena in large-scale complex networks with higher-order structures, regarding important issues, such as behavioral synchronization, dynamical evolution, and epidemic spreading. In this paper, motivated by multi-node interactions in a topological simplex, several higher-order centralities are proposed, namely, higher-order cycle (HOC) ratio, higher-order degree, higher-order H-index, and higher-order PageRank (HOP), to quantify and rank the importance of cliques. Experiments on both synthetic and real-world networks support that, compared with other traditional network metrics, the proposed higher-order centralities effectively reduce the dimension of a large-scale network and are more accurate in finding a set of vital nodes. Moreover, since the critical cliques ranked by the HOP and the HOC are scattered over a complex network, the HOP and the HOC outperform other metrics in ranking cliques that are vital in maintaining the network connectivity, thereby facilitating network dynamical synchronization and virus spread control in applications.