bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of Ethiopian Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) on landscape functionality and plant species diversity in Lake Hawassa watershed, Ethiopia
Authors: Demisse Bezawit A. , Dittoh Saa , Salifu Eliasu , Moges Michael M. , Belete Mulugeta Dadi
Published: May 2024

As one of the responses to the global commitments against climate change, the Ethiopian Government launched a nationwide Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) in 2019, which largely focused on forest tree plantations with some inclusion of fruit trees. Despite its tremendous efforts and investments, its effectiveness and impacts have not been studied. This paper attempted to address this necessity by conducting a cross‐sectional quasi‐experiment in three randomly selected woredas/districts of Lake Hawassa Watershed from August 20 to September 2, 2023. The research hypothesized the likely impacts of GLI on four dependent variables (hydrological regulation, soil stability, nutrient cycling and plant species diversity). To achieve this, the research considered the two variants of GLI practices (plantation with and without soil and water conservation measures) and the corresponding control sites. Having three sites and three treatments with five replications, the study involved a total of forty‐five quadrats of the same size (20 m × 20 m). The first three parameters were analysed using the landscape functionality analysis method, while the fourth employed Shannon's diversity index. Results of ANOVA showed that, on average 87% of randomly selected quadrats were found to significantly improve the local hydrology (runoff potential) (≈ 83.3% with Av. p = 0.012), soil stability (≈100% with Av. p = 0.002), nutrient cycling (≈83.3% with Av. p = 0.017) and plant species diversity (≈83.3% with Av. p = 0.012). The research revealed positive results from the Ethiopian Green Legacy Initiative. The small number of samples is acknowledged as a limitation of the research.
Sex‐specific impact of psychosocial stress on hematopoiesis and blood leukocytes
Authors: Dolfi Bastien , Gallerand Alexandre , Caillot Zakariya , Castiglione Alexia , Zair Fairouz N. , Leporati Lorlana , Giacchero Margaux , Goës Eloïse , Strazzulla Axelle , Dombrowicz David , Guinamard Rodolphe R. , Bertola Adeline , Ivanov Stoyan
Published: May 2024

Stress exposure has been shown to modulate innate and adaptive immune responses. Indeed, stress favors myelopoiesis and monocyte generation and contributes to cardiovascular disease development. As sex hormones regulate innate and adaptive immune responses, we decided to investigate whether stress exposure leads to a different immune response in female and male mice. Our data demonstrated that psychosocial stressinduced neutrophilia in male, but not female mice. Importantly, we identified that B‐cell numbers were reduced in female, but not male mice upon exposure to stress. Thus, our study revealed that the stress‐induced immune alterations are sex‐dependent, and this is an important feature to consider for future investigations.
Synthesis of Molsidomine and Mesocarb Analog via Mechanochemistry
Authors: Pétry Nicolas , Bantreil Xavier , Lamaty Frédéric
Published: May 2024

Iminosydnones (ImSyds) have renowned biological activities and attractive chemical properties for chemical biology. However, access to N6‐functionalized iminosydnones involves tricky and hazardous procedures. Thanks to an innovative mechanochemical strategy using 1,1’‐carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) as an activating agent, a straightforward synthesis of molsidomine and of a mesocarb analog, two bioactive iminosydnones, was achieved. The whole process, involving 4 linear steps, was carried out in the solid state by ball‐milling and with safe reagents, offering efficient and sustainable access to N‐carbonylated iminosydnones, in agreement with the principles of green chemistry.
Vertical‐horizontal‐context‐based high numerical precision synthesis of masked line‐scan X‐ray image
Authors: Xiong Tianzhong , Ye Wenhua
Published: May 2024

Material identification based on R_value (Transparency natural logarithm ratio of low‐energy to high‐energy.) of line‐scan dual‐energy X‐ray transmission (DE‐XRT) has a good prospect for industrial application. Unfortunately, the DE‐XRT signals before attenuation within the material range cannot be directly measured, whereas their precision has essential effect on R_value. Therefore, a vertical‐horizontal‐context‐based signal synthesis method was proposed to rebuilt incomplete/masked image, which takes the filtered signals outside the material range as the reference context, and takes into account the vertical (forward/column/Y) and horizontal (scanning/row/X) anisotropy. The vertical is a time series with continuity of signal trend; the horizontal is a spatial characteristic with the fluctuation synchronization within the same row signals. The vertical curves are synthesized one by one, thus extending to the whole surface. The special rigorous synthesis evaluations of curve synthesis difference and surface synthesis difference were also proposed. Experimental results show that the tow evaluations are both only around 0.0007, and it only takes 35 ms to complete the surface synthesis of 119 × 119 pixels on the CPU with 3.4 GHz main frequency. This high numerical precision can match the similarly filtered signals after attenuation so as to improve the accuracy of R_value. And this, together with calculation real‐time, can promote the application of industrial inline material identification.
Impact failure and disaster processes associated with rockfalls based on three‐dimensional discontinuous deformation analysis
Authors: Liu Guoyang , Zhong Zhirui , Ye Tangjin , Meng Jin , Zhao Shengze , Liu Junjie , Luo Shouyi
Published: May 2024

Rockfalls, a common geohazard in mountainous areas, have destructive impact capacity and may cause failure of dangerous rock masses in their runout range. For slope risk assessment, a thorough understanding of the impact failure processes and dynamic characteristics associated with rockfall movements is necessary. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of rockfall failure behaviours and disaster processes on the dangerous rock mass along the way through three‐dimensional discontinuous deformation analysis (3D DDA). To validate the reliability and applicability of 3D DDA, numerous laboratory experiments are performed on the impact of downward moving blocks on the unstable block and block system (i.e. single block–single block, single block–block system and block column–block system models) by comparing the displacements, kinetic energies and movement states of blocks. Using the G318 national road in Tibet as an example, 3D DDA simulates the impact and disaster processes associated with upper rockfalls sourced from a complete giant block and multiple discrete blocks on lower dangerous rock mass. Further, rockfall failure modes, movement characteristics, block interactions and impact phenomena are investigated. Results show that 3D DDA can effectively simulate block movement and impact interaction. The upper rockfalls impact the initially stable lower dangerous rock mass, which is the triggering factor for failure of the lower dangerous rock mass. The blocks from the upper rockfalls interact and merge to move downward, increasing the total volume and impact capacity of the rockfalls. It has been discovered that the rockfall disaster caused by the impact of an upper rockfall comprising discrete blocks on a lower dangerous rock mass is more severe than that resulting from the impact of a complete block. Overall, the results of this research can be used to help predict and prevent rockfall disasters.
Intraspecific Variation in Mercury Contamination of Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys temminckii)
Authors: Rosenbaum David , Montaña Carmen G. , Zhang Yanli , Chumchal Matthew M. , Saenz Daniel , Schalk Christopher M.
Published: May 2024

Macrochelys temminckii (alligator snapping turtle) is an aquatic turtle endemic to the southeastern United States that was proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act in 2021. In the present study we analyzed total mercury (THg) concentrations in skeletal muscle, tail clips, and nail tissue of 93 M. temminckii sampled from 14 waterbodies in eastern Texas (USA). Our objectives were to assess (1) the degree of correlation between internal tissue (skeletal muscle and tail clip samples) and keratin (nail samples), (2) the influence of ecological factors (turtle size and waterbody/sampling site) on THg concentrations, and (3) whether THg concentrations were high enough to pose a risk to human consumers. The mean (±SE) THg concentrations of muscle and nail were 1.16 ± 0.08 μg/g dry weight and 4.21 ± 0.24 μg/g dry weight, respectively, and THg concentrations were highly dependent on the sampling site. The THg concentrations of nails were correlated with muscle concentrations (R2 = 0.56, p < 0.001). The effect of body size on THg concentrations varied by sampling site, indicating that size is not a good predictor of Hg concentration across sites. Finally, THg concentrations in M. temminckii of eastern Texas were high enough to pose a potential risk to human health based on US Environmental Protection Agency dietary guidelines. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1903–1913. © 2024 SETAC. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
Early Ordovician to Early Permian tectonic evolution of the northern Western Kunlun Orogen (NW China): Insights from the Omixia Complex and surrounding rocks
Authors: Sang Miao , Xiao Wenjiao , Yang He , Liu Yin , Huang Peng , Mao Qigui , Tan Zhou , Gan Jingmin , Wang Hao , Li Rui , Ren Zhiheng , Li Ziyuan , Gao Mengqi
Published: May 2024

The Palaeozoic tectonic evolution of the Western Kunlun Orogen plays an important role in deciphering the Tethyan tectonic evolution. This study provides new geochronology, geochemistry and Lu–Hf isotopic data of igneous rocks from the Omixia Complex in the eastern section of the northern Western Kunlun, as well as detrital zircon ages from turbidites and meta‐sediments north of it. From the Omixia Complex, the determined ages of five ultramafic–mafic rock samples are approximately 470, 456, 429, 401 and 382 Ma. Two samples of acidic rocks from the same complex yielded ages of approximately 438 and 378 Ma. One pegmatitic plagiogranite sample exhibits feature of accretionary arc granites, while other samples show geochemical characteristics of island arc tholeiite and E‐MORB. Additionally, four turbidite matrix and two limestone samples, with a major peak around ca. 480–500 Ma, have the youngest zircon ages ranging from ca. 481 to 387 Ma, paralleling the age range of igneous rocks in the ophiolitic mélange. The εHf(t) values of these samples reveal a broad spectrum of crustal and mantle processes. The youngest zircon ages of five meta‐sedimentary rock samples north of the Omixia Complex range from ca. 581 to 535 Ma, with peak ages concentrated around ca. 0.9–1.0 Ga. Their provenance characteristics differ from the turbidite matrix in the southern Omixia Complex and from the meta‐sediments in the northern Tiklik terrane with peak ages of ca. 0.8 Ga. A younger limestone sample yielded youngest zircon age of ca. 294 Ma, which is unconformably overlain the Omixia Complex and surrounding older rocks. Based on these new results, combined with previous data, we propose a new tectonic model for the eastern section of the northern Western Kunlun Orogen, suggesting a continuous evolution process of multi‐terrane subduction–accretion collage from the Early Ordovician to the Middle Devonian in the Paleo‐Tethys Ocean, which evolved into an Andean‐type active margin in the Early Permian, contributing to the substantial continental growth of the southern Tarim Craton.
The circulating IL‐35+ regulatory B cells are associated with thyroid associated opthalmopathy
Authors: Li Qian , Yang Cuixia , Liu Cheng , Zhang Yuehui , An Ningyu , Ma Xiumei , Zheng Yang , Cui Xiaomin , Li Qian
Published: May 2024

Background

Thyroid‐associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is the most common orbital disease in adults, potentially leading to disfigurement and visual impairment. However, the causes of TAO are not fully understood. IL‐35+B cells are a newly identified regulatory B cells (Bregs) in maintaining immune balance in various autoimmune diseases. Yet, the influence of IL‐35+Bregs in TAO remains unexplored.

Methods

This study enrolled 36 healthy individuals and 14 TAO patients. We isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells and stimulated them with IL‐35 and CpG for 48 h. Flow cytometry was used to measure the percentages of IL‐35+Bregs.

Results

The percentage of circulating IL‐35+Bregs was higher in TAO patients, and this increase correlated positively with disease activity. IL‐35 significantly increased the generation of IL‐35+Bregs in healthy individuals. However, B cells from TAO patients exhibited potential impairment in transitioning into IL‐35+Breg phenotype under IL‐35 stimulation.

Conclusions

Our results suggest a potential role of IL‐35+Bregs in the development of TAO, opening new avenues for understanding disease mechanisms and developing therapeutic approaches.
Varicella zoster virus‐induced autophagy in human neuronal and hematopoietic cells exerts antiviral activity
Authors: Heinz Johanna L. , Hinke Daniëla M. , Maimaitili Muyesier , Wang Jiayi , Sabli Ira K. D. , Thomsen Michelle , Farahani Ensieh , Ren Fanghui , Hu Lili , Zillinger Thomas , Grahn Anna , von Hofsten Joanna , Verjans Georges M. G. M. , Paludan Søren R. , Viejo‐Borbolla Abel , Sancho‐Shimizu Vanessa , Mogensen Trine H.
Published: May 2024

Autophagy is a degradational pathway with pivotal roles in cellular homeostasis and survival, including protection of neurons in the central nervous system (CNS). The significance of autophagy as antiviral defense mechanism is recognized and some viruses hijack and modulate this process to their advantage in certain cell types. Here, we present data demonstrating that the human neurotropic herpesvirus varicella zoster virus (VZV) induces autophagy in human SH‐SY5Y neuronal cells, in which the pathway exerts antiviral activity. Productively VZV‐infected SH‐SY5Y cells showed increased LC3‐I‐LC3‐II conversion as well as co‐localization of the viral glycoprotein E and the autophagy receptor p62. The activation of autophagy was dependent on a functional viral genome. Interestingly, inducers of autophagy reduced viral transcription, whereas inhibition of autophagy increased viral transcript expression. Finally, the genotype of patients with severe ocular and brain VZV infection were analyzed to identify potential autophagy‐associated inborn errors of immunity. Two patients expressing genetic variants in the autophagy genes ULK1 and MAP1LC3B2, respectively, were identified. Notably, cells of both patients showed reduced autophagy, alongside enhanced viral replication and death of VZV‐infected cells. In conclusion, these results demonstrate a neuro‐protective role for autophagy in the context of VZV infection and suggest that failure to mount an autophagy response is a potential predisposing factor for development of severe VZV disease.
Do demographic characteristics influence the financial literacy of microentrepreneurs?
Authors: Goyal Manisha , Aggarwal Renu , Bhagat Savita
Published: May 2024

Financial literacy is crucial to the growth and development of any enterprise. This study investigates the impact of microentrepreneurs’ demographic characteristics on financial literacy by breaking it down into three components: financial knowledge, financial behavior, and financial attitude. The study data were collected from 132 microentrepreneurs through a survey questionnaire using a snowball sampling technique. An ordinary least square regression was used to analyze how entrepreneurs’ demographic characteristics are related to financial knowledge, financial behavior, financial attitude, and financial literacy. The study revealed that being male, having higher education and more experience, and operating in urban areas have a significant impact on financial literacy and its three components. However, age was found to have no significant impact on financial literacy. This study will help in designing targeted strategies and specialized programs for entrepreneurs looking at the significant impact of their diverse characteristics on financial literacy.
Results of a social support programme to provide treatment and improve health related quality of life in refugees and homeless people
Authors: Sammain Adel , Borghi Marco , Morrone Aldo
Published: May 2024

Background

Currently, European and especially Italian healthcare systems are being challenged with providing medical care to an increasing number of refugees but also to the homeless living on the streets, in reception facilities or cohabitation. In 2022, over 200,000 irregular arrivals of migrants to Europe were recorded, coming from mainly African and also Asian countries and frequently via Mediterranean migration routes.

Objectives

This study aims to report the results of a social support programme to provide treatment and improve health‐related quality of life (HrQoL) in refugees and homeless people.

Methods

Observational study during the year 2022, including patients with an immigration background visiting the Clinica dell'Istituto di S. Maria e S. Gallicano di Roma, Italy (IRCCS), or being homeless during this observational study.

Results

We have seen 210 patients. In 177 cases (84.3%), a definitive diagnosis is known. Most frequent skin conditions were infectious, allergic or due to secondary inflammation. We also saw rare cutaneous conditions like Madelung disease or Darier disease.

Conclusions

We provided dermatological consultation and treatment to this very vulnerable population, and our experience shows that this social support programme to enable access to dermatological consultation for the poor was able to improve not only the clinical condition but also the HrQoL 4 weeks after consultation and beginning of treatment.
Chemoinformatic regression methods and their applicability domain
Authors: Dutschmann Thomas‐Martin , Schlenker Valerie , Baumann Knut
Published: May 2024

The growing interest in chemoinformatic model uncertainty calls for a summary of the most widely used regression techniques and how to estimate their reliability. Regression models learn a mapping from the space of explanatory variables to the space of continuous output values. Among other limitations, the predictive performance of the model is restricted by the training data used for model fitting. Identification of unusual objects by outlier detection methods can improve model performance. Additionally, proper model evaluation necessitates defining the limitations of the model, often called the applicability domain. Comparable to certain classifiers, some regression techniques come with built‐in methods or augmentations to quantify their (un)certainty, while others rely on generic procedures. The theoretical background of their working principles and how to deduce specific and general definitions for their domain of applicability shall be explained.
A beam that can only bend on the Cantor set
Authors: Paroni Roberto , Seguin Brian
Published: May 2024

In this work, we address the following question: Is it possible for a one‐dimensional, linearly elastic beam to only bend on the Cantor set and, if so, what would the bending energy of such a beam look like? We answer this question by considering a sequence of beams, indexed by
, each one only able to bend on the set associated with the
‐th step in the construction of the Cantor set and compute the
‐limit of the bending energies. The resulting energy in the limit has a structure similar to the traditional bending energy, a key difference being that the measure used for the integration is the Hausdorff measure of dimension
, which is the dimension of the Cantor set.
A dual‐resonance enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy gas sensor based on a fiber optic cantilever beam microphone and a spherical photoacoustic cell
Authors: Zhu Yongle , Guan Yuchen , Jiang Xu , Wu Guojie , Gong Zhenfeng , Wang Xiaona , Tao Pengcheng , Peng Wei , Yu Qingxu , Mei Liang
Published: May 2024

We propose a novel high‐performance dual‐resonance enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (DRE‐PAS) gas sensor based on a highly sensitive fiber optic cantilever beam microphone and a high‐Q spherical photoacoustic cell (PAC). The first‐order resonant frequency (FORF) of the spherical PAC is analyzed by finite element analysis to match the FORF of the cantilever microphone for the double resonance enhancement of the photoacoustic signal. The photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) system, including the DRE‐PAS sensor, a 1532.8 nm distributed feedback laser, and a high‐speed spectrometer, has been successfully exploited for trace acetylene (C2H2) detection. The experimental results show that the limit of detection (LOD) is 106.8 parts‐per‐billion (ppb) with an integral time of 1 s, and the LOD can be further reduced to 11.03 ppb by Allan‐Werle deviation for 100 s integral time. The normalized noise equivalent absorption coefficient can be obtained as 2.44 × 10−8 cm−1 WHz−1/2. The reported DRE‐PAS gas sensor has the superior characteristics of photoacoustic signal enhancement, high sensitivity, and strong antielectromagnetic interference capability, which can provide a new solution for PAS development.
Understanding the dynamics of Civil Society Organization responses in the cross‐sector collaboration process with a government partner: A typology from a grounded theory approach
Authors: Min Byung Hee , An Seongho , Ki Namhoon
Published: May 2024

This study, which uses grounded theory procedures, explores the dynamic aspects of the Civil Society Organization (CSO)‐government collaboration process by considering the case of South Korea's Seoul Community Development Initiatives program. Through multisite case studies involving 31 in‐depth interviews, we identified six different patterns of how CSOs define their roles within cross‐sectoral collaboration processes which are shaped by various configurations of the respective levels of government involvement and CSOs' community engagement. Our findings suggest that strong CSO leadership, previous collaboration experience, and proactive community involvement by the CSOs all play vital roles in fostering desirable outcomes for CSOs' cross‐sectoral collaboration across the six patterns.
Community stewardship to protect coastal and freshwater ecosystems–pathways between recreation and stewardship intentions
Authors: Dean Angela J. , Uebel Konrad , Schultz Tracy , Fielding Kelly S. , Saeck Emily , Ross Helen , Martin Victoria
Published: May 2024

Strengthening community engagement in stewardship can help to improve management of coastal and freshwater environments (blue spaces). Research suggests that recreational users of natural areas may be more willing to engage in stewardship. However, little research at a population scale has examine how recreation experiences shape psychological ingredients for stewardship.

We surveyed 3271 residents of South East Queensland, Australia and quantified willingness to engage in blue space stewardship. We then quantified frequency of different types of blue space recreation, perceptions about threats to blue spaces (threat appraisal) and protective actions (coping appraisal), and satisfaction with blue spaces. We then examined pathways from recreation to stewardship intentions using mediation analysis.

Results show that many types of recreation were associated with stewardship intentions. Specifically, higher frequency of social activities and nature‐appreciation activities were associated with greater intentions for individual stewardship (e.g. picking up litter, reducing use of household chemicals). Higher frequency of social activities, nature appreciation, exercise and fishing/boating was associated with stronger intentions for collective stewardship (e.g. attending a public meeting or riparian management event)

Mediation analysis showed that most forms of recreation did not influence perceptions about severity of threats to blue spaces. Rather, the relationships between recreation and stewardship were mediated by greater place satisfaction, perceived vulnerability to blue space degradation, and feeling more able to contribute to waterway protection (efficacy).

These findings indicate that many types of recreation (not just nature appreciation activities) can be a foundation for engaging in nature stewardship, and reinforce the importance of building efficacy when promoting stewardship. The finding that both place satisfaction and perceived vulnerability to environmental degradation suggests that there may be an optimal motivational window for stewardship: people need to connect a place with positive experiences, and have some recognition of a potential threat, but where the potential threat has not yet eroded the natural values of a place.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Comparison of damage mechanisms in chopped strand mat and woven roving mat composites under cyclic tension
Authors: Hiremath Mritunjay M. , Bernthaler Timo , Anger Pascal , Mishra Sushil K. , Guha Anirban , Tewari Asim
Published: May 2024

Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites with chopped strand mat (CSM) and woven roving mat (WRM) reinforcements are widely used in high‐pressure piping due to their favorable strength‐to‐weight ratio. However, cyclic loading from vibrations and pulsating forces can induce internal microstructural damage, ultimately leading to performance degradation. A thorough understanding of this damage mechanism is imperative for its mitigation, necessitating a detailed examination. The present study aims to investigate the fatigue response and damage mechanisms in CSM and WRM composites subjected to tension‐tension cyclic loading. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of edge sections revealed the development of perpendicular microcracks in both composites. CSM composites exhibited fatigue cracks parallel to the loading direction and higher levels of parallel interface debonding compared to perpendicular matrix cracks. Finite element analysis of the representative volume element revealed the role of shear stress in the matrix in initiating parallel cracks, thereby explaining the damage initiation mechanism in CSM. These findings highlight the distinct damage mechanisms arising from the differing fiber arrangements in CSM and WRM composites, providing valuable insights for optimizing their performance under cyclic loading conditions.

Highlights

Fatigue response of CSM and WRM was influenced by fiber orientation and weaving pattern.

Perpendicular fibers were the most probable fibers to have their interface form a crack.

Fatigue cracks parallel to the direction of loading were observed in CSM composites.

Quantified the true 3D internal microstructural damages for the first time.
Is there an increased risk of genetic abnormalities in fetuses with congenital heart disease in the setting of growth restriction?
Authors: Gianforcaro Kathleen , Pilchman Lisa , Conway Laura , Moldenhauer Julie S. , Rychik Jack , Soni Shelly
Published: May 2024

Objective

To determine if the presence of fetal growth restriction (FGR) is associated with an increased risk of genetic abnormalities in the setting of congenital heart disease (CHD).

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study involving pregnancies that met the following criteria: (i) prenatal diagnosis of CHD, (ii) singleton live‐birth, and (iii) genetic testing was performed either pre‐ or postnatally. Genetic results were reviewed by a clinical geneticist for updated variant classification. Fetal growth was stratified as appropriate for gestational age (AGA) or FGR.

Results

Of the total of 445 fetuses that met the study criteria, 325 (73.0%) were AGA and 120 (27.0%) were FGR. Genetic abnormalities were detected in 131 (29.4%) pregnancies. There was a higher rate of genetic abnormalities (36.7% vs. 26.8%, p = 0.04), which was driven by aneuploidies (20.8% vs. 8.9%, p = 0.0006) in the FGR population. Early onset growth restriction was associated with a higher rate of genetic abnormalities (44.5% vs. 25.9%, p = 0.03). The rate of genetic abnormalities was significantly higher in the shunt category as compared to remainder of the cardiac anomalies (62.5% in shunt lesions vs. 24.7%, p < 0.00001). The rates of FGR (40.9% vs. 21.4%, p < 0.0001) and genetic abnormalities (52% vs. 20.4%, p < 0.0001) were significantly higher in the presence of extra‐cardiac anomalies (ECA).

Conclusion

The presence of FGR in fetal CHD population was associated with underlying genetic abnormalities, specifically aneuploidies. Patients should be appropriately counseled regarding the higher likelihood of a genetic condition in the presence of FGR, early onset FGR, shunt lesions and ECA.
Understanding dilution effects on particle‐containing pesticide droplets deposition on rice leaf via developing CFD‐VOF‐DPM model
Authors: Chaoxi Wang , Yubin Cao , Yunfu Chen , Lujiang Xu , Wei Qiu
Published: May 2024

BACKGROUND

Pesticide dilution is one of the essential aspects of plant protection. However, the effect of dilution on the deposition characteristics of pesticide droplets containing particulate additives on crop leaf surfaces remains unclear and warrants further research. Herein, a validated computational fluid dynamics (CFD)‐volume of fluid (VOF)‐discrete phase model (DPM) numerical model was developed to analyze the influence of particle content on the deposition behavior of droplets on the leaf surface comparatively, taking into account the particle content of different diluted thifluzamide solutions. Additionally, the study aimed to analyze further the kinetic behavior of pesticide droplets landing on rice leaves across different dilution conditions.

RESULTS

Pesticide droplets diluted 100‐fold had a lower retraction rate during spreading than particle‐free droplets, so the solution is more easily deposited in the leaves. Moreover, the low dilution (high concentration) increased the critical adhesion rate between droplets and rice leaves, inhibiting the bouncing of droplets on the leaf surface, thus promoting their effective deposition on the surface. In addition, low dilution (high concentration) is not conducive to spreading droplets when the impact velocity is high, and it also results in a large amount of pesticide use.

CONCLUSION

The actual application process can be through understanding the dilution factor of the configured pesticide solution, and reasonable adjustment of the nozzle pressure can effectively improve the utilization rate of pesticides and reduce the pollution brought by pesticides to the environment. These results provide an essential reference for studying pesticide droplet deposition characteristics, including rice plant protection and spraying technology. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Performance reliability evaluation of high‐pressure internal gear pump
Authors: Tang Yu , Lu Hao , Zhu Zhencai , Shi Zhiyuan , Xu Beilian
Published: May 2024

With the development of the high‐end equipment technology, the performance requirements of the internal gear pump (IGP) under high pressure are also increasing. However, the increase of working pressure will lead to the instability of gear pump performance in terms of volumetric efficiency, noise, reliability and so on, it is necessary to reasonably evaluate the reliability level of high‐pressure IGP. The reliability analysis of the high‐pressure IGP is carried out from the aspects of flow, noise, and gear strength in this paper. First, the output flow rate and far‐field flow‐induced noise of the high‐pressure IGP were obtained through fluid numerical simulation, and experimental verification was conducted. Then, based on the time‐varying meshing stiffness, backlash function and static transmission error of the gear pair, a nonlinear dynamic model of the internal meshing gear pair was established. The time‐varying meshing force was obtained through the dynamic model of the gear pair, and then the tooth contact stress and tooth root bending stress were obtained. Finally, considering the uncertain factors affecting the performance of the high‐pressure IGP, Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) combined with dendrite network (DD) was used for random response modeling. The performance reliability of the high‐pressure IGP, including output flow rate, far‐field flow‐induced noise, and the strength of gear pair, were estimated based on the fourth moment‐based saddlepoint approximation (FMSA). The reliability analysis results can provide a theoretical basis for the structural optimization design of the high‐pressure IGP.
Self‐triggered control for linear systems based on hierarchical reinforcement learning
Authors: Chen Wei , Wan Haiying , Luan Xiaoli , Liu Fei
Published: May 2024

In this article, we propose a model‐free self‐triggered control approach for linear systems using a hierarchical policy framework. This framework splits the self‐triggered control approach into top and bottom‐level policies. The top‐level policy generates a triggering time interval based on an initial control strategy, while the bottom‐level policy creates a control inputs guided by the top‐level sub‐goal. This division ensures that both strategies have their own independent tasks and optimization goals, facilitating a model‐free iterative design process for self‐triggered control. The present structure integrates with a dual‐Actor Critic algorithm, utilizing two interconnected neural networks to approximate control and trigger policies. It reflects the framework of hierarchical reinforcement learning, wherein top‐level policies guide bottom‐level decision‐making. It fosters the model‐free design of self‐triggered controller, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the learning process. To validate the effectiveness of our proposed method, we conduct a series of numerical simulations.
Sliding mode control for T‐S fuzzy systems under WTOD protocol and injection attacks
Authors: Wu Yibang , Niu Yugang , Yang Yekai
Published: May 2024

This article deals with the security sliding mode control (SMC) issue for T‐S fuzzy systems under random injection attacks. As a way to increase the communication efficiency of network control systems, the weighted try‐once‐discard (WTOD) protocol is utilized to decide whether the sensor nodes transmit or not. A compensating strategy is introduced in this controller side, based on which a fuzzy sliding mode controller depending on the scheduling signal is constructed. Then, the reachability of the given sliding surface together with the stochastic stability of the closed‐loop system are analyzed by incorporating the membership function, and the relaxed stability conditions are derived. Moreover, a GA‐based solving algorithm is proposed to search an optimized sliding matrix and improve the SMC performance. Finally, numerical simulation results are provided to verify the proposed SMC strategy.
Resilience and sustainability: Engineering solutions in disaster‐affected real estate markets
Authors: Shen Shuli
Published: May 2024

Natural disasters such as cyclones, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, and so on, have a profound influence on real estate. It often results in fluctuations in property values, demand dynamics, and development patterns within affected regions. Reconstruction efforts following natural disasters are critical for restoring property values in affected areas. This study aims to analyze the complex relationship between natural disasters and their effects on real estate trends and examines the role of engineering practices in post‐disaster reconstructions. The data for this investigation was gathered from 411 participants including disaster management experts, real estate professionals, and engineers, and SPSS was exploited to analyze it. The findings identified that natural disasters strongly affect the trends in the real estate market and lead to modifications in the values, demand, and development patterns of properties. The analysis reveals that the use of engineering practices in reconstruction efforts leads to improved structural resilience and long‐term sustainability in disaster‐affected real estate. The novelty of this study lies in the exploration of how natural disasters impact real estate trends and the innovative engineering practices employed in post‐disaster reconstructions, providing insight into crucial strategies for disaster‐resilient real estate development. The result identified that the use of engineering practices in reconstruction positively affects property demand as buyers seek resilient and safe real estate options. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate that stringent government policies promote disaster‐resilient real estate development and reconstruction.
Links between the actors and mining activities related to the implementation of sustainable development principles
Authors: Fuentes Marcelo , Negrete Moira , Herrera‐León Sebastián , Kraslawski Andrzej
Published: May 2024

The uninterrupted supply of raw materials is essential to implement low‐carbon technologies. Therefore, the sustainable extraction of these materials is crucial. One of its important aspects is the analysis of the interaction between the actors as well as the actions undertaken by them. This study explores the characteristics of the network of links between social actors and the supporting and inhibitory actions related to sustainable development that the mining industry and its possible implications with collaboration and conflict between actors. Our methodological approach consisted in building two bipartite networks based on actor‐action interaction, identified thanks to the literature review of sustainability initiatives of mining companies. Applying network analysis, we examine the structural characteristics of the networks and the strength of links between social actors. The results highlighted that “Government,” “Local society,” and “Indigenous peoples” have a critical position in the network of “Supporting” and “Inhibitory” actions. They are those who could articulate with other social actors to create collaborative processes in the implementation of actions that contribute to sustainable development by the mining industry. However, from the analysis of the structure of the network of “Inhibitory” actions, these three actors are the ones who could be relevant in the dynamics of the development of conflicts with the mining industry. This study presents, from the dual perspective (“Supporting” and “Inhibitory” actions), the characteristics of the systems of relationships between social actors and their possible implications for the design, as well as implementation of sustainable strategies in the mining sector.
Red‐Emitting CsPbI3/ZnSe Colloidal Nanoheterostructures with Enhanced Optical Properties and Stability
Authors: Vighnesh Kunnathodi , Sergeev Aleksandr A. , Hassan Md Samim , Portniagin Arsenii S. , Sokolova Anastasiia V. , Zhu Ding , Sergeeva Kseniia A. , Kershaw Stephen V. , Wong Kam Sing , Rogach Andrey L.
Published: May 2024

Producing heterostructures of cesium lead halide perovskites and metal‐chalcogenides in the form of colloidal nanocrystals can improve their optical features and stability, and also govern the recombination of charge carriers. Herein, the synthesis of red‐emitting CsPbI3/ZnSe nanoheterostructures is reported via an in situ hot injection method, which provides the crystallization conditions for both components, subsequently leading to heteroepitaxial growth. Steady‐state absorption and photoluminescence studies alongside X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy analysis evidence on a type‐I band alignment for CsPbI3/ZnSe nanoheterostructures, which exhibit photoluminescence quantum yield of 96% due to the effective passivation of surface defects, and an enhancement in carrier lifetime. Furthermore, the heterostructure growth of ZnSe domains leads to significant improvement in the stability of the CsPbI3 nanocrystals under ambient conditions and against thermal and UV irradiation stress.
The Advent of Molecular Targeted Therapies Against Cancer. Toward Multi‐Targeting Drugs Through Materials Engineering: A Possible Future Scenario
Authors: Puzzo Marianna , De Santo Marzia , Morelli Catia , Leggio Antonella , Pasqua Luigi
Published: May 2024

The authors, actively engaged in the development of mesoporous silica‐based solutions, initially for modified drug release, later for the smart administration of conventional chemotherapeutic cytotoxic drugs, present the evolution of the concept of targeted therapy across different disciplines. They also discuss the diverse therapeutic needs and related challenges (adverse drug effects) that have unfolded over the last 30 years. Nanomedicine potentialities, mainly against cancers, that have emerged globally during the intense research activity of the last few decades, are critically discussed. The authors glimpse the growing potential of immune‐based therapeutic solutions, including those assisted by nanotechnology, as well as molecular targeted therapies (MTT) on which they focus. The advantages offered by targeted molecular therapies, despite the limits of monotargeted therapies, suggest the engineering of multi‐targeted therapies. Nanomedicine solutions such as ligand‐specific internalization and pH‐sensitive drug release that they have extensively tested and recently presented in open literature, still remain available instruments. According to the authors, MTT can offer shining perspectives in the near future that will depend on a thorough comprehension of nanostructures synthesis and tumor physiology. This article gives an interdisciplinary point of view tailored for non‐specialist readers imagining possible future scenarios in the field.
Mental self‐renewal as a measure of systems thinking
Authors: Mononen Laura , Kujala Tuomo
Published: May 2024

Systems thinking research confronts theoretical and empirical challenges, and new measures based on the cognitive sciences have been sought. In this paper, mental self‐renewal is proposed as a suitable new theoretical construct for studying systems thinking. The objective was to construct and validate a psychometric scale of mental self‐renewal (MSRS) and to investigate its associations with complex postformal thinking (CPFT), existing systems thinking scores (STSR) and visual remote associative thinking (vRAT). Data were collected by surveying 311 international designers. Exploratory factor analysis and correlative analyses indicate construct validity for a novel scale with 14 different factors that, when taken together, measure designer's mental self‐renewal. The MSRS is a strong predictor of CPFT, whereas its correlation with STSR is weak. MSRS or CPFT did not predict performance in the vRAT test, while STSR did. In conclusion, MSRS can measure novel aspects of systems thinking; however, further research is necessary.
Prediction of compressive strength of cross‐shaped stub CFSTs under axial loading: Numerical and analytical study
Authors: Hassam Muhammad , Guo Lanhui , Tahir Muhammad , haq Muhammad Atasham ul , Jamil Rizwan
Published: May 2024

Special‐shaped concrete‐filled steel tubes (CFSTs) have been used in modern structures like high‐rise commercial and residential buildings due to their superior structural performance compared to steel and reinforced concrete members. Various shapes of special‐shaped CFSTs might be necessary to meet architectural and aesthetic needs. Cross‐shaped CFSTs could be used where two orthogonal walls cross in high‐rise buildings. However, at present, the research on the compressive performance of cross‐shaped CFSTs is limited, consequently, the unavailability of design guidelines and design‐oriented strength prediction models. Therefore, in this study, a finite element (FE) model of cross‐shaped CFSTs was developed following the past experimental data, and the model's accuracy was verified by the failure modes and load–strain curves of specimens. Sensitivity analysis was performed for some parameters of the concrete damaged plasticity model besides imperfections and residual stress. The parametric analysis was conducted considering various study parameters such as the width‐to‐thickness ratio, width‐to‐depth ratio, and steel and concrete strengths. The compressive strength of cross‐shaped CFSTs was predicted by different design codes and available design formulas, which gave unsatisfactory results necessitating the development of new strength prediction models. Finally, a new design formula was developed by performing a linear regression of FE and test results. The proposed formula predicted the strength of cross‐shaped CFSTs with great accuracy and can be used for design purposes.
HoLEP: a platinum standard for modern benign prostatic hyperplasia treatment
Authors: Bass Edward J , Challacombe Ben J
Published: May 2024

Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate has been shown to offer a number of advantages over transurethral resection of the prostate and yet uptake of the technique to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia is slow. The authors examine the technique and look at some of the reasons it has not become the treatment of choice for a condition that affects more and more men as they age.
Conclusion
Authors: Constantin Sandra V.
Published: May 2024

The conclusion provides a clear summary of the key findings and results. These results and their implications are discussed in the light of the actual challenges faced by China. Relying on longitudinal data, this book questions the impact of the dismantling of collectivist-type social policies on the dynamics of inequalities formation over the life-course. China has indeed undergone an extremely rapid transition from a collectivist welfare system to an individualization of the social protection system. Based on unique analyzes of the transition to adulthood of two birth cohorts, emblematic of the reforms carried out in China, the findings not only reveal what it means to become adult in post collectivist China, but also that the process of individualization follows its own path compared with Western countries. Individualization is partial and it comes with constraints carrying new social risks and inequalities. As discussed in the eight chapters around which the book is organized, the intensity of risk exposure varies according to gender and social origin. Furthermore, the findings uncover that since the end of 2016, the Party-State promotes a process of neo-familialization that turns on women to assume the tasks of care and to offset the decline in family policy.
Exploring Pathways to Adulthood
Authors: Constantin Sandra V.
Published: May 2024

Through examining the life-course of the cohorts born post-1950s and post-1980s, this fifth chapter reveals a substantial extension in the duration of education for the latter group, impacting subsequent life events.

The chapter also discusses the significance of family roles and responsibilities in the transition to adulthood in China, emphasizing the central role of marriage in this process. It explores how Confucian thought, government policies, and societal expectations contribute to a normative approach to marriage and parenthood. In particular, it sheds light on President Xi Jinping’s discourses that promote family values as essential for national development and social harmony.

Moreover, the analyses delve into the portrayal of marriage and housing in Chinese TV series. Reflecting societal norms and expectations, they reveal and discuss the pressure on women to be married at a certain age, by calling those, who are not, “leftover women”. TV drama can be understood as a window on the tensions existing between traditional values and changing gender roles. Last but not least, the findings highlight the challenges young adults face in achieving homeownership, and the meaning they give to this transition, as a symbol of stability and financial autonomy, in their pathway to adulthood.