bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structure and heterogeneity of a highly cargo-loaded encapsulin shell
Authors: Kwon Seokmu , Andreas Michael P. , Giessen Tobias W.
Published: July 2023

Encapsulins are self-assembling protein nanocompartments able to selectively encapsulate dedicated cargo enzymes. Encapsulins are widespread across bacterial and archaeal phyla and are involved in oxidative stress resistance, iron storage, and sulfur metabolism. Encapsulin shells exhibit icosahedral geometry and consist of 60, 180, or 240 identical protein subunits. Cargo encapsulation is mediated by the specific interaction of targeting peptides or domains, found in all cargo proteins, with the interior surface of the encapsulin shell during shell self-assembly. Here, we report the 2.53 Å cryo-EM structure of a heterologously produced and highly cargo-loaded T3 encapsulin shell fromMyxococcus xanthusand explore the systems’ structural heterogeneity. We find that exceedingly high cargo loading results in the formation of substantial amounts of distorted and aberrant shells, likely caused by a combination of unfavorable steric clashes of cargo proteins and shell conformational changes. Based on our cryo-EM structure, we determine and analyze the targeting peptide-shell binding mode. We find that both ionic and hydrophobic interactions mediate targeting peptide binding. Our results will guide future attempts at rationally engineering encapsulins for biomedical and biotechnological applications.
How cell penetrating peptides behave differently from pore forming peptides: structure and stability of induced transmembrane pores
Authors: Alimohamadi Haleh , de Anda Jaime , Lee Michelle W. , Schmidt Nathan W. , Mandal Taraknath , Wong Gerard C. L.
Published: July 2023

Peptide induced trans-membrane pore formation is commonplace in biology. Examples of transmembrane pores include pores formed by antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) in bacterial membranes and eukaryotic membranes, respectively. In general, however, transmembrane pore formation depends on peptide sequences, lipid compositions and intensive thermodynamic variables and is difficult to observe directly under realistic solution conditions, with structures that are challenging to measure directly. In contrast, the structure and phase behavior of peptide-lipid systems are relatively straightforward to map out experimentally for a broad range of conditions. Cubic phases are often observed in systems involving pore forming peptides; however, it is not clear how the structural tendency to induce negative Gaussian curvature (NGC) in such phases is quantitatively related to the geometry of biological pores. Here, we leverage the theory of anisotropic inclusions and devise a facile method to estimate transmembrane pore sizes from geometric parameters of cubic phases measured from small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and show that such estimates compare well with known pore sizes. Moreover, our model suggests that whereas AMPs can induce stable transmembrane pores for membranes with a broad range of conditions, pores formed by CPPs are highly labile, consistent with atomistic simulations.
Epigenetic characterization of housekeeping core promoters and their importance in tumor suppression
Authors: Loza Martin , Vandenbon Alexis , Nakai Kenta
Published: July 2023

There has been extensive research on describing cell type-specific (CTS) regulatory interactions, especially between enhancers and promoters. However, constitutively active interactions between CREs have been less studied. In this research, we elucidate the presence of around 11,000 housekeeping CREs (HK-CREs) and describe their main characteristics. Most of the HK-CREs are located in promoter regions, but contrary to expectations, they are not only the promoters of housekeeping genes and are involved in a broader role beyond housekeeping gene regulation. HK-CREs are conserved regions rich in unmethylated CpG sites. Their distribution across chromosomes highly correlates with that of protein-coding genes, and they interact with a large number of target genes in long-distance interactions. In the context of cancer, we observed a reduction in the activity of a subset of HK-CREs, particularly those located at the end of chromosome 19 and associated with zinc finger genes. We investigated the effect of these genes on samples from diverse cancer subtypes, observing a significant reduction in their expression due to aberrant methylation of their core promoters. Finally, an analysis of more than 5,000 patients from 17 cancer subtypes showed an increase in the survival probability of patients with higher expression of these genes, suggesting them as housekeeping tumor suppressor genes. Overall, our work unravels the presence of ubiquitously active CREs indispensable for the maintenance and stability of cells.
Silicon-nitride-based entrance slit design for the high-power-density monochromator in TPS 45A
Authors: Hsu Ming-Ying , Fu Huang-Wen , Fung Hok-Sum , Hua Chih-Yu , Huang Liang-Jen , Tsai Huang-Ming
Published: July 2023

Details of the design and operational status of the silicon-nitride-based entrance slit installed in the Taiwan Photon Source (TPS) 45A beamline are given. The slit is a diamond blade edge etched onto a copper slit part, which is in thermal contact with the silicon nitride base. A stable slit opening smaller than 4 µm is achieved in TPS 45A. The beam size at the slit has a full width at half-maximum of 3 µm in the vertical direction with a power of 20 W. Additionally, a hard stop made of invar is incorporated to control the thermal expansion displacement. The slit reduces the size and increases the stability of the source of the monochromator. Consequently, a higher energy resolution and excellent beamline stability are achieved.
Development of a versatile electrochemical cell for in situ grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction during non-aqueous electrochemical nitrogen reduction
Authors: Blair Sarah J. , Nielander Adam C. , Stone Kevin H. , Kreider Melissa E. , Niemann Valerie A. , Benedek Peter , McShane Eric J. , Gallo Alessandro , Jaramillo Thomas F.
Published: July 2023

In situ techniques are essential to understanding the behavior of electrocatalysts under operating conditions. When employed, in situ synchrotron grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction (GI-XRD) can provide time-resolved structural information of materials formed at the electrode surface. In situ cells, however, often require epoxy resins to secure electrodes, do not enable electrolyte flow, or exhibit limited chemical compatibility, hindering the study of non-aqueous electrochemical systems. Here, a versatile electrochemical cell for air-free in situ synchrotron GI-XRD during non-aqueous Li-mediated electrochemical N2 reduction (Li-N2R) has been designed. This cell not only fulfills the stringent material requirements necessary to study this system but is also readily extendable to other electrochemical systems. Under conditions relevant to non-aqueous Li-N2R, the formation of Li metal, LiOH and Li2O as well as a peak consistent with the α-phase of Li3N was observed, thus demonstrating the functionality of this cell toward developing a mechanistic understanding of complicated electrochemical systems.
Design thinking in business, management and accounting: a bibliometric review and future research directions
Authors: Fatima Shaista , Singh Anurag Bhadur
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The current study gives a quantitative analysis DT literature over the past ten years in domain of management and business where the field has witnessed a proliferation in studies. The study's primary areas of concentration were analyzing historical trends and identifying prospective future research opportunities in the field. Due of the way, it approaches innovation and problem-solving, design thinking has garnered a lot of interest from both academics and practitioners. Promoters and detractors, however, tend to have quite different perspectives on the program's core qualities, practicality and results.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a bibliometric approach to a systematic literature review, where the analyses and visualizations are carried out using R Studio (Biblioshiny package) and VosViewer software. The study was conducted on 518 documents extracted from the Scopus database. To identify past research trends in the field, performance analysis based on productivity and/or impact of the research constituents was carried out to understand the intellectual structure of the field.

Findings

The study's findings indicated that few areas have received the most attention, which are presented as seven themes. While the emerging themes in the field include areas such as service design, service innovation, customer experience, innovation management, project management and 21st-century skills.

Practical implications

The studies are going deeper by breaking down concepts or processes and analyzing one aspect at a time, codesign and prototyping are such subareas within the realm of service or new product design and development.

Originality/value

This study is the first of its kind where a literature review has been conducted covering design thinking in the area of business management and accounting.
A hybrid approach to solve a raw material collecting vehicle routing problem
Authors: Tiwari Anurag , Mohapatra Priyabrata
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to formulate a new class of vehicle routing problem with an objective to minimise the total cost of raw material collection and derive a new approach to solve optimization problems. This study can help to select the optimum number of suppliers based on cost.

Design/methodology/approach

To model the raw material vehicle routing problem, a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) problem is formulated. An interesting phenomenon added to the proposed problem is that there is no compulsion to visit all suppliers. To guarantee the demand of semiconductor industry, all visited suppliers should reach a given raw material capacity requirement. To solve the proposed model, the authors developed a novel hybrid approach that is a combination of block and edge recombination approaches. To avoid bias, the authors compare the results of the proposed methodology with other known approaches, such as genetic algorithms (GAs) and ant colony optimisation (ACO).

Findings

The findings indicate that the proposed model can be useful in industries, where multiple suppliers are used. The proposed hybrid approach provides a better sequence of suppliers compared to other heuristic techniques.

Research limitations/implications

The data used in the proposed model is generated based on previous literature. The problem derives from the assumption that semiconductor industries use a variety of raw materials.

Practical implications

This study provides a new model and approach that can help practitioners and policymakers select suppliers based on their logistics costs.

Originality/value

This study provides two important contributions in the context of the supply chain. First, it provides a new variant of the vehicle routing problem in consideration of raw material collection; and second, it provides a new approach to solving optimisation problems.
Engaging chronically ill employees at work: the relationship between bundles of HR practices, perceived illness discrimination and work engagement
Authors: Innocenti Laura , Profili Silvia , Sammarra Alessia
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the role that four distinct bundles (developmental, utilisation, maintenance and accommodative) of HRM practices play in enhancing work engagement among chronically ill employees, and to analyse whether perceptions of discrimination on the grounds of illness can affect these relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected through a quantitative survey using a sample of 669 chronically ill employees of a major Italian company.

Findings

This study's findings confirm the importance of discerning between positive, insignificant and negative effects of distinct HR bundles on chronically ill employees' work engagement. Furthermore, this study's results suggest that the positive effect of utilisation practices (i.e. practices aimed at enabling employees to make full use of existing, but not yet necessarily utilised, individual resources) on engagement is greater when chronically ill employees perceive a discrimination-free work environment.

Research limitations/implications

This study's findings confirm the importance of discerning between positive, no, and negative effects of distinct HR bundles on chronically ill employees' work engagement. Furthermore, this study's results suggest that the positive effect of utilisation practices (i.e. practices aimed at enabling employees to make full use of existing but not necessarily applied individual resources) on engagement is greater when chronically ill employees perceive a discrimination-free work environment.

Originality/value

The study highlights those HR bundles that have the capacity to positively affect the work engagement of chronically ill employees, a minority group rarely considered in HRM studies. Furthermore, the research identifies perceived discrimination on the grounds of illness as a contextual condition that may hinder the otherwise positive effect of HRM practices on the engagement of workers suffering from a chronic illness.
“Learn from barbarians to control barbarians”: what role has international education played in China's nation building?
Authors: Liu Wei , Huang Cen
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The goal is to explore the role of international education in a developing country's nation building in a mostly indigenous process.

Design/methodology/approach

This study reviews China's history of international education set in the larger context of different nation building tasks in the past two centuries.

Findings

The unique case of China with dramatic ups and downs in national fortunes in the past two hundred years serves to show that an open attitude to and an active engagement in international education are contributing factors for national prosperity. The case of China also serves to show that a self-determined agenda is of paramount importance in international education as a tool for nation building.

Originality/value

Few studies so far have paid attention to the specific relationship between the internationalization of higher education and nation building, so the topic of the paper is an important one and a necessary addition to the existing literature. What has been the role of international education in China's national transformation? What contributions has international education made to China's achievement of nation building goals at different stages of this transformation process? What implications can other developing nations draw from China's case with regard to the role of international education in nation building? These are the questions the researchers hope to answer in this study.
Mitigating destructive deviance in organisations: assessing the role of perceived HRM practices and perceived organisational support
Authors: Malik Pooja , Malik Parul
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to empirically examine how the seven human resource management (HRM) practises, namely, leadership development, professional investment, egalitarian practises, developmental appraisals, family-friendly practises, engagement practises and generous benefits, are associated with perceived organisational support (POS) and destructive deviance in the context of Indian organisational culture.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 265 middle-level IT personnel provided the study's data. To test the suggested study hypotheses, confirmatory factor analysis and PROCESS Macros were used.

Findings

Results show that putting in place leadership development, professional investment, egalitarian practises, developmental appraisal, family-friendly practises, engagement practises and generous benefits generates POS that, in turn, significantly contributes to reducing destructive deviance. Additionally, POS was found to partially mediate the relationship between perceived HRM practises and destructive deviance.

Research limitations/implications

The results would help firms reduce detrimental employee deviation. To do this, managers must develop and put into effect the seven HRM practises, which demonstrate to workers that the organisation appreciates their contributions and cares about their well-being, thereby lowering disruptive deviance. In essence, IT businesses should carefully plan and implement the HRM practises they expressly want to use rather than mindlessly copying those of rival organisations. Furthermore, to adapt to the workforce's evolving needs, these HRM practises must be properly matched with both individual and organisational goals.

Originality/value

By including destructive deviance as a result of POS, this study adds to the body of research on organisational support theory. The literature on POS and negative behaviours will take a new turn with such a focus on destructive deviance. Additionally, this study encourages academics to investigate an underlying mechanism that accounts for how HRM practises affect employees' conduct. This study also adds to the sparse body of knowledge on POS for non-Western workers. The study's findings confirm that POS is a crucial concept for both Asian and Western workers.
Circular building adaptability in adaptive reuse: multiple case studies in the Netherlands
Authors: Hamida Mohammad B. , Remøy Hilde , Gruis Vincent , Jylhä Tuuli
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The application of circular building adaptability (CBA) in adaptive reuse becomes an effective action for resource efficiency, long-lasting usability of the built environment and the sped-up transition to a circular economy (CE). This paper aims to explore to which extent CBA-related strategies are applied in adaptive reuse projects, considering enablers and obstacles.

Design/methodology/approach

A stepwise theory-practice-oriented approach was followed. Multiple-case studies of five circular adaptive reuse projects in The Netherlands were investigated, using archival research and in-depth interviews. A cross-case analysis of the findings was deductively conducted, to find and replicate common patterns.

Findings

The study revealed that configuration flexibility, product dismantlability and material reversibility were applied across the case studies, whereas functional convertibility and building maintainability were less applied. Low cost of material reuse, collaboration among team members and organisational motivation were frequently observed enabling factors. Lack of information, technical complexities, lack of circularity expertise and infeasibility of innovative circular solutions were frequently observed obstacles to applying CBA.

Practical implications

This paper provides practitioners with a set of CBA strategies that have been applied in the real world, facilitating the application of CBA in future adaptive reuse projects. Moreover, this set of strategies provides policymakers with tools for developing supportive regulations or amending existing regulations for facilitating CE through adaptive reuse.

Originality/value

This study provides empirical evidence on the application of CBA in different real-life contexts. It provides scholars and practitioners with a starting point for further developing guiding or decision-making tools for CBA in adaptive reuse.
Italy: Political Developments and Data in 2022
Authors: RUSSO LUANA , SANDRI GIULIA , SEDDONE ANTONELLA
Published: July 2023

The year 2022 was (again) a year of intense political change in Italy. The President of the Republic was (re)elected in January, Prime Minister Mario Draghi resigned in July, and new elections were held in September, amidst energy and economic crises, growing inflation and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The electoral victory of the centre‐right coalition, and in particular the success of Brothers of Italy, not only marked the rise to power of a prominent European far‐right party but also led to the nomination of the first female Prime Minister of the Italian Republic. The fall of Draghi's government and the formation of the first Meloni Cabinet raised questions about Italy's relationship with EU institutions, NATO and the transatlantic partnership.
Sinomenine regulates circTRPM7‐related pathway to inhibit gastric cancer cell growth and metastasis
Authors: Yan Jingwei , Yang Jingqing , Shen Huifen , Gao Rong , Lv Shilong
Published: July 2023

Sinomenine has been found to have antitumor effects in a variety of cancers, including gastric cancer. Circular RNA (circRNA) is an important regulator of gastric cancer progression. However, it is not known whether Sinomenine mediates gastric cancer processes by regulating circRNA‐related pathways. Quantitative real‐time PCR was used to measure the expression of circTRPM7, microRNA‐145‐5p (miR‐145‐5p), and pre‐B‐cell leukemia homeobox 3 (PBX3). MTT assay, colony formation assay, EdU assay, transwell assay, wound‐healing assay, and flow cytometry were used to detect cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. The expression of related proteins was detected by Western blot. Mechanically, the interaction of miR‐145‐5p with circTRPM7/PBX3 was validated by dual‐luciferase reporter assay and RIP assay. Our study showed that circTRPM7 expression was reduced in Sinomenine‐treated gastric cancer cells. Moreover, overexpression of circTRPM7 upregulated the growth and metastasis of Sinomenine‐treated gastric cancer cells. CircTRPM7 could sponge miR‐145‐5p, and miR‐145‐5p reversed the effect of circTRPM7 on the growth and metastasis of Sinomenine‐treated gastric cancer cells. PBX3 was the target of miR‐145‐5p, and knockdown of PBX3 could restore the in‐miR‐145‐5p promotion effect on the malignant behavior of Sinomenine‐treated gastric cancer cells. To sum up, our data indicated that Sinomenine played an antitumor role in gastric cancer cells via circTRPM7/miR‐145‐5p/PBX3 axis.
Proximity, wholeness, and animality: The case of Little Sorrel's repatriation
Authors: Landau Jessica
Published: July 2023

Frederic Webster, chief preparator at the Carnegie Museum (CM) from 1897 to 1907, is credited by some for “rescuing” Lion Attacking a Dromedary (LAD) from destruction by the American Museum of Natural History. Webster's work on LAD was not his only involvement with the preparation and display of controversial bones, however. Webster mounted the hide and bones of Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson's war horse, Little Sorrel and displayed the skeleton at CM. In 1949, Little Sorrel's skeleton were returned to Virginia, where it was eventually cremated and interred under a statue of Jackson in a public ceremony in 1997. This article compares the return and reburial of the bones of a Confederate horse to the continued display of the remains of a person of unknown origin in LAD to highlight the very differing treatment of these human and equine individuals. By considering the return of Little Sorrel's remains to be a repatriation, I argue that the horse was transformed from a museum specimen into a monument, leveling him as a symbol of the Lost Cause and further cementing the status of the individual contained within LAD as a specimen. Through a displayed proximity to animals, Jackson (and his horse) become more human, while the person whose remains remain on display in LAD is treated as less than human.
Falling incidence of Parkinson's disease in Germany
Authors: Dammertz Lotte , Schrag Anette , Bohlken Jens , Heuer Joachim , Kohring Claudia , Schorlemmer Julia , Akmatov Manas K. , Bätzing Jörg , Holstiege Jakob
Published: July 2023

Background and purpose

Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is strongly associated with age. The aim of the present study was to describe current sex‐ and age‐specific trends and regional differences in the incidence of IPD diagnosed in older people in Germany.

Methods

This study was based on nationwide outpatient claims and drug prescription data from the German Statutory Health Insurance, covering approximately 87% of the general population. We conducted a cohort study in patients aged 50 years or older with observation time of at least 4 years. To assess the robustness of nationwide annual IPD incidence trends from 2013 to 2019, three case definitions with varying levels of stringency regarding coded outpatient diagnoses and drug prescriptions were applied.

Results

In 2019, the population at risk comprised 30,575,726 persons. Using the primary and most specific case definition, annual age‐ and sex‐standardized cumulative IPD incidence decreased stepwise from 137 (2013) to 106 (2019) new cases per 100,000 persons. The decline in incidence was seen in both sexes, in all age groups and in the majority of German regions. The relative decrease (2013–2019) in the annual age‐ and sex‐standardized IPD incidence varied from 23% to 28% among case definitions.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate a nationwide decline in the age‐ and sex‐standardized incidence of IPD from 2013 to 2019 in Germany. This trend was consistent using different case definitions. Further research is needed to elucidate the factors underlying this trend.
ACCOUNTING FOR SOCIAL SECURITY CLAIMING BEHAVIOR
Authors: Pashchenko Svetlana , Porapakkarm Ponpoje
Published: July 2023

We study why Social Security benefit claiming is concentrated at two ages, 62 and the full retirement age, and provide three main findings. First, we show that claiming behavior can be well explained by a parsimonious life‐cycle model with fully rational agents. The two key mechanisms are (i) the strong unwillingness to hold annuities and (ii) the effects of the earnings test. Second, we show that current rules distort claiming and labor supply decisions, and eliminating these distortions results in large welfare gains. Finally, we show that claiming decisions can be used to sharpen the identification of important preference parameters.
Biodiversity and elevation gradients: Insights on sampling biases across worldwide mountains
Authors: Costa Fernanda Vieira da , Viana‐Júnior Arleu Barbosa , Aguilar Ramiro , Silveira Fernando A. O. , Cornelissen Tatiana G.
Published: July 2023

Aim

Identifying macroecological patterns and biases in species distribution is a challenging but essential task in biodiversity‐oriented studies. Despite extensive attempts to find consistent species richness elevation (SRE) patterns, the topic remains controversial owing to widespread conflicting, idiosyncratic and non‐generalizable underlying mechanisms. We used a meta‐analytical review to answer why patterns of species‐richness in elevation gradients remain elusive, a long‐standing, central but contentious macroecological and biogeographical question.

Location

Global elevation gradients.

Taxon

Major terrestrial taxa (invertebrates, vertebrates and plants).

Methods

We tested the effect of elevation on species richness using multilevel mixed‐effects meta‐analytical models. Data from 127 studies spawning almost one century of research were integrated to test the effect of elevation across distinct (1) SRE models, (2) quality of primary data (e.g. mountain sampling coverage), (3) biogeographic realms, (4) studied taxa and (5) organism mobility.

Results

The linear negative pattern showed the strongest model fit followed by the hump‐shaped and the linear positive models. Studies with higher sampling sizes showed a consistent decrease in the strength of SRE patterns. Further, the larger the mountain coverage and sampled range, the stronger the detection of some SRE patterns. Overall, the elevational effect on species richness was consistent across biogeographical realms, taxonomic groups and organism mobility.

Main Conclusions

This study indicates a bias in the detection of SRE patterns, driven mostly by mountain comprehensiveness, namely the number of sampling units, sampled range and mountain sampling coverage. These results call attention to the evidence that undersampled elevation gradients may bias our understanding on the complex relationships between elevation and biodiversity, thus impairing a broad understanding on the ecology, evolution, biogeography and conservation of mountain biota.
Titin as a potential novel therapeutic target in colorectal cancer
Authors: Wei Hongyun , Ren Keyu , Zhang Qian , Jin Yanchun , Cao Bin , Tian Zibin , Mao Tao , Ren Linlin
Published: July 2023

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is identified as a primary cause of death around the world. The current chemotherapies are not cost‐effective. Therefore, finding novel potential therapeutic target is urgent. Titin (TTN) is a muscle protein that is critical in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. However, its role in CRC is not well understood. The study focused on exploring the possible role of TTN in CRC carcinogenesis. TTN mRNA and protein expression levels presented an obvious downregulation in CRC tissue samples, relative to normal control (p < 0.05). TTN expression significantly correlated with the clinical stage (normal vs. Stage 1, p < 0.05; normal vs. Stage 4, p < 0.05), node metastasis (normal vs. N1, p < 0.05; N1 vs. N2, p < 0.05), histological type (normal vs. adenocarcinoma, p < 0.05), race (Caucasian vs. Asian, p < 0.05; African‐American vs. Asian, p < 0.05) and TP53 mutation (normal vs. TP53 mutation, p < 0.05), considering The Cancer Genome Atlas database. However, for patients who had higher TTN expression, the overall survival was remarkably shorter than patients who had low TTN expression. Furthermore, TTN was lowly expressed in four CRC cell lines. TTN overexpression facilitated CRC cells in terms of the proliferation, metastasis and invasion. Based on gene set enrichment analysis, the ERB pathway might be responsible for TTN‐related CRC. Besides, TTN was involved in the response to azacitidine. Overall, TTN might serve as a potential novel therapeutic target for treating and overcoming chemotherapy resistance in CRC.
Modifiable factors for benign salivary gland neoplasms: A Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Gao Yan , Chen Huihong , Liu Yong , Zhang Xin , Qiu Yuanzheng , Huang Donghai
Published: July 2023

Background

Observational studies have found associations between smoking, alcohol, radiation, body mass index (BMI), periodontitis, and the hazard of benign salivary gland neoplasms (BSGNs). Nevertheless, the etiology of BSGNs remains unclear. This study aims to assess the causal association between these modifiable factors and the BSGNs.

Methods

Genetic instruments associated with exposures at the genome‐wide significance level were selected from corresponding genome‐wide association studies. The summary statistics for BSGNs were obtained from the FinnGen consortium (2445 cases and 340,054 controls). The inverse variance‐weighted method was used as the primary analysis, and several sensitivity analyses were performed to test the reliability.

Results

Genetically predicted higher lifetime smoking index (odds ratio [OR] = 2.10, p = 0.012) and BMI (OR = 1.58, p = 2.29 × 10−5) were associated with elevated risk of BSGNs, whereas other exposures do not. Sensitivity analyses showed consistency. The causal effect of the lifetime smoking index became more significant after adjusting for BMI (OR = 2.89, p = 0.005) and alcohol consumption (OR = 2.49, p = 0.002). A slight negative association emerged for alcohol consumption with adjustment for cigarettes per day (OR = 0.53, p = 0.034) but disappeared when adjusting for cigarettes per day and BMI.

Conclusion

This study supports the independent causal role of lifetime smoking index and BMI in BSGNs risk.
Calprotectin and periostin levels in periodontitis patients with coronary artery disease
Authors: Mahendra Jaideep , Muralidharan Janani , Srinivasan Sruthi , Mahendra Little , Cherian Sanjay M. , Fathima Lubna , Prakash Prashanthi , Namasivayam Ambalavanan , Dave Pavithra H. , Bedi Muskan , Muralidharan Harini
Published: July 2023

Objective

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of non‐surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) on periodontal and cardiac parameters as well as on the expression of calprotectin and periostin levels in periodontitis patients with and without coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods

Ninety subjects were categorised into three groups: Group H: periodontally and systemically healthy subjects, Group P: stage III grade B periodontitis subjects with no associated systemic diseases and Group P + CAD: stage III grade B periodontitis subjects diagnosed with CAD. Demographic, periodontal and cardiac parameters were recorded at baseline (0 day) and on the 180th day after NSPT. Gingival crevicular fluid was collected from all participants at baseline (0 day) and after the 180th day. Calprotectin and periostin expression were reassessed.

Results

A significant increase in the levels of calprotectin (34.05 ± 11.72) was seen at baseline in the P + CAD group, whereas on the contrary, a decreased periostin (1.59 ± 0.41) was also noted at baseline. The study also showed a significant improvement in periodontal and cardiac parameters on the 180th day following NSPT.

Conclusion

Detection of calprotectin and periostin expression in GCF samples could represent a link to the association of periodontitis and CAD.
Genetic analysis and identification of SSR marker linked to Phomopsis blight resistance in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)
Authors: Narayanswami Bhanushree , Tomar Bhoopal Singh , Akhtar Jameel , Behera Tusar Kanti , Ellur Ranjith Kumar , Sevanthi Rama Mithra V. , Sarika Jaiswal , Saha Partha
Published: July 2023

The present investigation was carried out to decipher inheritance of resistance and to identify linked SSR markers for Phomopsis blight resistance in eggplant. An F2 population comprising 161 plants was developed from the cross of Pusa Kranti and BR‐40‐7. Genetic analysis was carried out using Chi square test. Artificial inoculation of fruits was carried out using pin prick method, and scoring was done as per the standard scoring scale. The F2 plants segregated into 92 susceptible (77—highly susceptible, 15—susceptible): 69 resistant (17—highly resistant, 27—resistant, 25—moderately resistant) suggesting complimentary epistasis with ratio of 9:7. To identify the putatively linked markers to resistance gene, parental polymorphic markers were subjected to bulk segregant analysis (BSA), and two markers (emk03O04 and emf11A03) could differentiate resistant and susceptible bulk and co‐segregated with resistance gene. The genetic distance between the identified markers was found to be 18.12 cM using QTL IciMapping V3.2 software depicting two new QTLs on chromosome number 6. The identified QTLs have great significant importance in marker assisted breeding programme.
A balancing act—midwives' and public health nurses' experiences with breastfeeding counselling
Authors: Hamnøy Ingvild Lande , Kjelsvik Marianne , Bærug Anne Bergljot , Dahl Berit Misund
Published: July 2023

Aims and Objectives

To explore midwives' and public‐health nurses' experiences of breastfeeding counselling in order to provide a deeper insight into breastfeeding counselling.

Methodological Design and Justification

A qualitative design was used, and qualitative content analysis was conducted to analyse the data in accordance with the phenomenological hermeneutic tradition.

Ethical Issues and Approval

The Norwegian Centre for Research Data approved this study. All participants provided written consent.

Research Methods

Four focus‐group interviews were conducted on a sample of eight midwives and 13 public‐health nurses in Norway.

Results

Three interrelated themes describing the meaning of midwives' and public‐health nurses' experiences with breastfeeding counselling emerged from the analysis: Breastfeeding Counselling Means Responsibility for Collaboration and Facilitation, Being Confident as a Breastfeeding Counsellor Means Striving for Professional Competence and Supporting the Individual Breastfeeding Family Means Being Sensitive and Adapting to Novel Situations.

Study Limitations

The focus groups comprised a mix of midwives and public‐health nurses, which may have inhibited honest declaration of these professionals' opinions of each other.

Conclusion

Midwives and public‐health nurses regard structural factors and prioritising breastfeeding support in society as important for providing good breastfeeding counselling. Midwives and public‐health nurses strive to find a balance between relying on their own competence, promoting breastfeeding in accordance with guidelines and respecting mothers' choices. Healthcare professionals require knowledge about breastfeeding, good clinical judgement, a listening attitude and openness to how breastfeeding affects mother's everyday life to provide good breastfeeding care.
The use of visible and near‐infrared spectroscopy for in‐situ characterization of agricultural soil fertility: A proposition of best practice by comparing scanning positions and spectrometers
Authors: Metzger Konrad , Liebisch Frank , Herrera Juan M. , Guillaume Thomas , Walder Florian , Bragazza Luca
Published: July 2023

The application of visible and near‐infrared (vis–NIR) spectroscopy to characterize soil samples has gained growing interest as a fast and cost‐effective methodology for soil fertility assessment. In order to profit from the full potential of vis–NIR spectroscopy, the acquisition of soil spectra directly in‐situ would increase the possibility to obtain data rapidly and at a high spatial and temporal resolution. In the present study, we test and propose the best practice to characterize a set of fertility‐related parameters (i.e. texture, organic carbon, pH, cation exchange capacity and major nutrients) of agricultural soils by measuring vis–NIR spectra in the field. To reach this goal, we compare the spectra obtained from different scanning positions with two portable spectrometers, that is, a micro‐electro‐mechanical systems (MEMS)‐based spectrometer and a research‐grade vis–NIR spectrometer. On the basis of 134 soil sampling points, vis–NIR spectra were recorded from: (1) the cutaway side of a soil sample collected with an Edelman auger to a depth of 20 cm, (2) the raw soil surface, as well as (3) the cleaned and smoothed soil surface. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) calibration models were built for the selected soil parameters, scanning positions and different spectral pretreatments for both spectrometers. The model performance was evaluated based on the ratio of performance to interquartile range (RPIQ), the R2, the root mean squared error (RMSE) and Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (CCC). Overall, the following soil parameters were successfully predicted: clay, sand, pH, organic carbon, cation exchange capacity, total nitrogen and exchangeable magnesium. In contrast, total and exchangeable Ca, K and P, as well as total Mg could not be predicted at a satisfactory level for both the spectrometers. The best scanning position for the successfully calibrated models was along the cutaway sides of the Edelman auger. Although the research‐grade spectrometer gave better performance indicators for most of the parameters, the calibrations with the MEMS‐based spectrometer still resulted in satisfactory predictions. Based on these findings, the proposed best practice for obtaining in‐situ soil vis–NIR scans is to scan along the cutaway sides of a soil core using at least five replicate scans.
Thermal and Air Management of an Open Cathode Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Using Sliding Mode Control
Authors: Ram Krishnil R. , Kumar Shanal S. , Léchappé Vincent , Mohammadi Ali , Cirrincione Maurizio
Published: July 2023

The paper presents a simplified nonlinear model for an open cathode proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and its control using three different control strategies. The model presented uses four state variables. The mass flow of oxygen, hydrogen flow, water flow, and temperature were taken to be the critical dynamics in the system. The unknown parameters were estimated using the experimental data of a 1.2 kW PEMFC. The simplified model showed good agreement with experimental results. Control schemes were implemented to control the stack temperature and the oxygen excess ratio of the PEMFC. The proportional (P) and proportional–integral (PI) control performed well but had a poorer response compared to the sliding mode control (SMC) scheme. The study of the different control schemes reveals the dangers of solely controlling either the oxygen excess ratio or the temperature. Results show that the best control is achieved when the excess ratio is controlled together with the reference temperature. The study also compares the parasitic losses from the fans caused by the different controllers. Overall, the results provide a good insight into designing a robust control system for an open cathode PEMFC for faster response and greater durability of the PEMFC.
A Stereolithography Method for the Rapid Manufacture of Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Composites
Authors: Zak Gene , Sela Naftali M. , Park Chul B. , Benhabib Beno
Published: July 2023

Past attempts to improve the mechanical properties of stereolithographically manufactured parts by fiber reinforcement included: (i) use of long fibers laid out continuously in the polymer matrix; (ii) use of discontinuous fibers and glass microspheres and, (iii) building of fiber-reinforced shells around a solidified resin part. However, these efforts have not led to the development of an effective manufacturing method for the rapid fabrication of reinforced plastic parts.

The goal of our research is the development of a manufacturing process for the rapid layered fabrication of polymer-based composite objects using short discontinuous fibers as reinforcements. This paper outlines the proposed process as well as some of the preliminary investigative work on depositing the fiber-resin liquid mixture from above, and analysis of the basic mechanical properties of the test samples.
Stochastic Description of Dry Friction in Metal-to-Metal Contact Under Harmonic Excitation
Authors: Zielke S. A. , Ibrahim R. A. , Popp K.
Published: July 2023

Experimental measurements of dry friction between sliding surfaces under harmonic excitation show that the friction force consists of periodic components with superimposed random fluctuations. The stochastic nature of the friction can be Gaussian or non-Gaussian, depending on the normal force and excitation amplitude levels. The normal force experiences random fluctuations due to ploughing and generation of surface asperities. The main influence of friction damping on the system response has been examined under different levels of normal loading. It is found that with increasing normal force the relative displacement deviates from the original sinusoidal nature and becomes essentially nonlinear with periodic motion. Regions of high displacement show this nonlinear behavior, which experiences extensively stick-slip with increasing normal force. Numerical simulation results are found to be in good agreement with experimental results.
Experimental and Numerical Study of a Symmetrically Piecewise Linear Oscillator
Authors: Sin Victor W. T. , Wiercigroch Marian
Published: July 2023

The paper gives a short account on the experimental and numerical study of a piecewise based excited symmetrical linear oscillator undergoing non-linear vibrations. The details of the adopted design and the state-of-the-art experimental setup are explained in a great detail. The regions of chaotic motion predicted theoretically were confirmed by the experimental results arranged into bifurcation diagrams, which were obtained by numerical and experimental means. Clearance and amplitude of the external force were used as branching parameters. The discussion of the system’s dynamics is based on bifurcation diagrams, Lissajous curves and power spectrums. The investigated system tended to be periodic for large clearances and chaotic small ones. This is picture is reversed for the amplitude of the forcing, where periodic motion occurred for its small values and chaos dominated for larger forcing.
Thermal Migration of Bubbles in Zero Gravity
Authors: Esmaeeli Asghar , Tryggvason Grétar , Arpaci Vedat
Published: July 2023

Thermocapillary migration of two-dimensional, deformable, interacting bubbles toward an initially flat fluid interface in zero gravity is studied. The full Navier-Stokes equations and the thermal energy equation are solved for the fluids inside and outside the bubbles using a front tracking/finite difference method. The boundaries of the domain are taken to be periodic in the horizontal direction and wall-bounded in the vertical direction. The temperatures of the walls are fixed such that an upward temperature gradient is imposed. Interactions of coalescing bubbles with different initial conditions are investigated.
Radiative Properties Identification for a Spherical Packed Bed
Authors: Nisipeanu Eugen , Jones Peter D.
Published: July 2023

An inversion method is used to determine the spectral radiative properties (scattering albedo, extinction coefficient, and Henyey-Greenstein asymmetry factor) of a packed bed of stainless steel spheres. Spectral and directional experimental data for the intensity exiting the bed were compared to Radiative Transfer Equation (RTE) discrete ordinates method solutions in a nonlinear least-squares algorithm (modified Levenberg-Marquardt) to identify the radiative properties. The properties resulting from the inversion method showed a higher scattering albedo, more forward scattering phase function, and higher extinction coefficient than those calculated using either independent scattering theory or the correlated scattering theory of Kamiuto.
Simultaneous Determination of Temperature-Dependent Thermal Conductivity and Volumetric Heat Capacity by an Inverse Technique
Authors: Woodbury Keith A. , Boohaker Charles G.
Published: July 2023

Determination of thermal properties by inverse methods often involves limited thermal excitation of a relatively small sample. If these thermal properties are to be found as functions of temperature, then this procedure must be replicated at several artificially elevated temperatures. For some types of materials (for example, those bearing moisture) this approach is impractical.

In this paper, a procedure is developed for determining thermal properties (conductivity k and volumetric heat capacity C ≡ ρcp) as functions of temperature from a single experiment. This procedure is targeted for determination of k(T) and C(T) for sand molds used in castings. An inverse method based on a Gauss linearization is used to estimate these functions.

The experiment used to determine these properties consists of heating a one-dimensional specimen of the material from one end. The variation of thermal properties with temperature is assumed to be a piecewise linear function, with values of properties to be determined at prescribed temperatures.

A numerical experiment is used to demonstrate the technique.
Local Heat Transfer Distributions in a Square Channel With Solid and Perforated Ribs on Two Opposite Walls
Authors: Kukreja Rajesh T. , Lau Sai C.
Published: July 2023

In this experimental investigation, the variations of the local heat transfer coefficient in rib-roughened turbine blade internal cooling passages are examined. Using liquid crystal thermometry, the detailed local heat transfer distributions are determined for turbulent flow through a long, straight, square test channel model with ribs of various configurations, including perforated ribs, on two opposite walls.

Angled and V-shaped solid ribs enhance more heat transfer than transverse solid ribs. Angled solid ribs cause very large spanwise variations of the local heat transfer distribution. With the highest overall heat transfer and relatively small spanwise heat transfer variation, V-shaped ribs are recommended for internal cooling of gas turbine blades. Perforated ribs enhance less heat transfer than solid ribs, because the jet streams leaving the holes interrupt and weaken flow reattachment on the wall downstream of a rib. Increasing the size or the number of holes, or the total hole area, lowers the overall heat transfer.