bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Digital supervision in the clinical learning environment: Characterizing teamwork in the electronic health record
Authors: Cross Dori A. , Weiner Josh , Olson Andrew P. J.
Published: October 2024

Background

Attending physicians in academic hospitals work in supervisory team structures with medical residents to provide patient care. How attendings utilize the electronic health record (EHR) to support learning through supervision is not well understood.

Objective

To compare EHR behavior on teaching versus direct care, including evidence of supervisory calibration to learners.

Methods

Cross‐sectional study analysis of EHR metadata from 1721 shifts of hospital medicine faculty at a large, urban academic medical center, January to June 2022. Measures included total EHR time per shift, EHR time outside shift, and time spent on: note‐writing, note review/attestation, order entry, and other clinical review. We assessed within physician differences across these service types and used multilevel modeling to determine whether these behaviors varied with resident physicians' experience, accounting for physician‐specific signature behavior patterns.

Results

Attendings spent substantially less time in the EHR while on teaching service than on direct service (129 vs. 240 min; p < .001) and apportioned their work differently throughout the day. Physicians were less behaviorally consistent and varied more than their peers when on teaching service. Attendings calibrated their supervision to learners. Attendings logged 12.7% less EHR time when paired with more senior residents than postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) residents (137 vs. 120 min, p = .002). PGY1 presence was also associated with reduced EHR time, suggesting some delegation of supervision to senior trainees.

Conclusion

EHR behaviors on teaching service are highly variable and differ substantially from direct care; a lack of consistency suggests important opportunities to establish best practices for EHR‐based supervision and create an effective clinical learning environment.
The Diversity of the Circular Economy in the City of Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Authors: Marcombe Anne‐Charlotte , Tagaev Behzod
Published: October 2024

Using Gibson‐Graham's methodology for reading for difference, this article seeks to shed a new light on the circular economy (CE), a concept often promoted, but rarely implemented. By presenting the diversity of practices around the acquisition, repair and resale of second‐hand goods in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, this study provides insight on the circularity of urban environments. The collection and GIS mapping of around 60 interviews with small and medium enterprises involved in responsible consumption and production in Tashkent led to the development of a more accurate definition of the CE in an urban setting. Research results indeed reveal that responsible consumption and production are very dynamic concepts that rely mainly on accessibility, creativity and connectivity with one's surroundings, as well as social networks. In addition, GIS mapping of small businesses in the second‐hand industry showed that the provision of second‐hand‐related services is intricately connected with urban infrastructure.
Short‐Course TNT Improves Rectal Tumor Downstaging in a Retrospective Study of the US Rectal Cancer Consortium
Authors: Bauer Philip S. , Gamboa Adriana C. , Otegbeye Ebunoluwa E. , Chapman William C. , Rivard Samantha , Regenbogen Scott , Hrebinko Katherine A. , Holder‐Murray Jennifer , Wiseman Jason T. , Ejaz Aslam , Edwards‐Hollingsworth Kamren , Hawkins Alexander T. , Hunt Steven R. , Balch Glen C. , Wise Paul E.
Published: October 2024

Background and Objectives

The RAPIDO trial showed promising rates of pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant short‐course radiation with consolidation chemotherapy (total neoadjuvant therapy [SC TNT]) for rectal cancer. Only single‐center reviews comparing tumor downstaging between SC TNT and long‐course chemoradiation (LCRT) have been published in the United States. We reviewed our multi‐institutional experience with both.

Methods

The US Rectal Cancer Consortium database (2007–2018) including data from six high‐volume rectal cancer care centers was reviewed. Patients with nonmetastatic, rectal adenocarcinoma who had neoadjuvant LCRT alone or SC TNT before excision or definitive nonoperative management were included. The primary outcome was the rate of complete response (CR), including pCR or durable (12 month) clinical complete response.

Results

Of 857 included patients, 175 (20%) received SC TNT and 682 (80%) received LCRT. The LCRT group had more low tumors (51.8% vs. 37.1%, p < 0.0001) and more clinically node‐negative disease (31.8% vs. 22.3%, p < 0.0001). The CR rate was higher after SC TNT (34.1% vs. 20.3%, p = 0.0001). SC TNT was a predictor of CR (OR: 2.52, CI: 1.68–3.78). SC TNT patients completing 5–6 months of consolidation chemotherapy had a CR rate of 42.9%. There was no difference in 3‐year PFS.

Conclusions

SC TNT increases CR rate when compared to LCRT. For patients seeking nonoperative options or fewer radiation treatments, SC TRT should be preferred over LCRT alone.
Gen Zers' Behaviour Towards Sustainability in a Mature Coastal Destination
Authors: Pulido‐Fernández Juan Ignacio , Casado‐Montilla Jairo , López‐Sánchez Yaiza , Durán‐Román José Luis , Carrillo‐Hidalgo Isabel
Published: October 2024

This study provides insights into the attitudes, knowledge, behaviour and commitment of Gen Z tourists toward sustainability. The research was conducted on 1188 participants in the Western Costa del Sol (Andalusia, Spain), a well‐established coastal destination. The study also estimated, through a chi‐squared test and the Mann–Whitney U model, the premium price that Gen Z tourists are willing to pay for visiting a more sustainable destination. The results indicate that Gen Z has a good understanding and a high level of commitment towards sustainable tourism. However, only 10% of Gen Z tourists were willing to pay more for a sustainable destination. The study analyses the reasons behind this finding. Finally, the research suggests recommendations for understanding the consumption behaviours and practises of young travellers.
Alpine SOC and Microbial Community Assembly Were Buffered Through Soil Pore Structure Along an Altitudinal Gradient
Authors: Wang Ruizhe , Hu Xia , Zhao Yunduo , Pan Pengyu , Zhang Jialu
Published: October 2024

Elevation changes influence various environmental factors including cloudiness, atmospheric density, and temperature. Previous studies on the effects of elevation on microbial communities and soil organic carbon (SOC) yielded inconsistent results. This study tried to reveal the distribution patterns of microbial communities and SOC concentrations, as well as their interactions with soil structure along an elevational gradient in the alpine region. We investigated six typical ecosystems along an elevational gradient on the north‐eastern Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis and X‐ray computed tomography (CT) methods were used to quantify microbial abundance and pore structure of soils, respectively. The results demonstrated that SOC content and total PLFAs peaked in the meadow ecosystem. In the subsoil, total PLFAs, fungal, and bacterial PLFAs followed the U‐shape pattern with increasing elevation. In both topsoils and subsoils, the surface area density of pores increased with elevation, and it was found to be positively correlated with SOC and microbial abundance. Soil structure mainly affects the input and adsorption of root nutrients by altering the pore surface area, thereby regulating the enrichment of microorganisms. The impact of pore structure on microbes were more obvious in the topsoil than in the subsoil. Interactions among pore structure, soil properties, and environmental factors jointly affects the microbial communities, demonstrating that elevation indirectly affects microbial communities through soil resource regulation.
Association of serum fatty acids with bone health in rural elderly population in Qingdao, China: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Wang Haoyu , Cui Guangwei , Meng Xiangyuan , Wang Xingxu , Luan Zhaohui , Gong Jianbao , Dai Shiyou , Gao Tianlin
Published: October 2024

As a type of macronutrient, fatty acids (FA) play significant roles in the bone health of elderly people. However, the specific association between different types of FA and bone health is not fully understood, especially in rural elderly populations. To address this gap, a study was conducted in rural areas of Qingdao, China. Participants aged 65 and older were randomly recruited from 11 rural villages in Licha town, Qingdao City. The levels of serum FA in their serum were measured to investigate the associations between FA and bone mass. The results showed that levels of saturated fatty acids (SFA), n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n‐3 PUFA), and n‐6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n‐6 PUFA) were all significantly associated with bone mass. Specifically, higher levels of SFA were positively correlated with low bone mass (LBM), while PUFA levels were inversely correlated with LBM. Furthermore, the odds ratio (OR) for LBM exhibited a significant nonlinear dose–response relationship (pnonlinearity = 0.1989) with SFA levels, and a significant nonlinear dose‐dependent relationship was also observed with the levels of n‐3PUFA and n‐6PUFA (pnonlinearity = 0.6183, 0.5808, respectively), indicating that increasing dietary PUFA intake appropriately and controlling SFA intake may benefit the bone health of elderly individuals in rural areas.
Nutrient enrichment—but not warming—increases nitrous oxide emissions from shallow lake mesocosms
Authors: Audet Joachim , Levi Eti E. , Jeppesen Erik , Davidson Thomas A.
Published: October 2024

Shallow lakes and ponds play a crucial role in the processing of carbon and other nutrients. However, many lakes and ponds worldwide are affected by climate change and nutrient pollution. How these pressures affect the emission of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) is unclear. Warming and eutrophication are expected to increase the production and emission of N2O in lakes and ponds, but changes in ecological structure and function may complicate these seemingly straightforward relationships. In this study, we used the world's longest running, mesocosm‐based, freshwater climate change experiment to disentangle the effect of nutrient enrichment and warming on N2O emissions. We gathered a large dataset on N2O concentrations and ancillary variables, comprising three sampling campaigns between 2011 and 2020 and a total of 687 individual mesocosm measurements. Our results demonstrated that nutrient enrichment increased N2O emissions, while warming (+2.5–4.0°C and +3.75–6.0°C) had no discernable effect. Our study indicates that curtailing nitrogen influxes into lakes and ponds is the most effective strategy to minimize N2O emissions, and while warming may influence N2O emissions, it does not appear to be a direct driver. These findings underscore the importance of prioritizing nitrogen mitigation efforts to curb N2O emissions from shallow lakes and ponds.
microRNA‐2117 Negatively Regulates Liver Cancer Stem Cells Expansion and Chemoresistance Via Targeting SOX2
Authors: Xia Qing , Liu Guanghua , Lin Wenbo , Zhang Jin
Published: October 2024

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are involved in the regulation of tumor initiation, progression, recurrence, and chemoresistance. However, the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in liver CSCs has not been fully understood. Here we show that miR‐2117 is downregulated in liver CSCs and predicts the poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Biofunction studies found that knockdown miR‐2117 facilitates liver CSCs self‐renewal and tumorigenesis. Conversely, forced miR‐2117 expression suppresses liver CSCs self‐renewal and tumorigenesis. Mechanistically, we find that transcription factor SOX2 is required for miR‐2117‐mediated liver CSCs expansion. The correlation between miR‐2117 and SOX2 was confirmed in human HCC tissues. More importantly, miR‐2117 overexpression HCC cells are more sensitive to CDDP treatment. Analysis of patients' cohort further demonstrates that miR‐2117 may predict transcatheter arterial chemoembolization benefits in HCC patients. Our findings revealed the crucial role of miR‐2117 in liver CSCs expansion, rendering miR‐2117 as an optimal therapeutic target for HCC.
Integrating Multi‐Omics Data to Uncover Prostate Tissue DNA Methylation Biomarkers and Target Genes for Prostate Cancer Risk
Authors: Liu Shuai , Zhu Jingjing , Green Dylan , Zhong Hua , Long Quan , Wu Chong , Wang Liang , Deng Youping , Wu Lang
Published: October 2024

Previous studies have indicated that specific CpG sites may be linked to the risk of prostate cancer (PCa) by regulating the expression of PCa target genes. However, most existing studies aim to identify DNA methylation (DNAm) biomarkers through blood tissue genetic instruments, which impedes the identification of relevant biomarkers in prostate tissue. To identify PCa risk‐associated CpG sites in prostate tissue, we established genetic prediction models of DNAm levels using data from normal prostate samples in the GTEx (N = 108) and assessed associations between genetically predicted DNAm in prostate and PCa risk by studying 122,188 cases and 604,640 controls. We observed significant associations for 3879 CpG sites, including 926 at novel genomic loci. Among them, DNAm levels of 80 CpG sites located at novel loci are significantly associated with expression levels of 45 neighboring genes in normal prostate tissue. Of these genes, 11 further exhibit significant associations with PCa risk for their predicted expression levels in prostate tissue. Intriguingly, a total of 31 CpG sites demonstrate consistent association patterns across the methylation–gene expression–PCa risk pathway. Our findings suggest that specific CpG sites may be related to PCa risk by modulating the expression of nearby target genes.
Extremely Low Birth Weight Infant (Gestational Age of 29 Weeks) With Kabuki Syndrome Type I: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Li Qi , Zheng Yuzhu , Guo Xinyuan , Xue Jiang
Published: October 2024

Background

This paper aimed to investigate the clinical phenotype of Kabuki syndrome (KS) in premature infants.

Methods

This paper presents a case of an extremely low birth weight infant (gestational age 29 weeks) with KS1 caused by a variant in the KMT2D gene. The clinical, pathological, and differential diagnostic findings were comprehensively analyzed. A thorough literature review was also performed to enhance the understanding of KS, revealing its unique features and prognostic significance.

Results

The infant was a male with a gestational age of 29 weeks and a birth weight of 850 g. He had intrauterine growth retardation, characterized by cleft palate, sacrococcygeal skin depressions, and recurrent metabolic acidosis. Whole‐exome sequencing revealed the c.4267C > T (p.Arg1423Cys) variant in the KMT2D gene, which was absent in his parents. The patient was discharged after 67 days of treatment, and he was followed up to 19 months of corrected gestational age, with growth retardation and expression language delay. Ten previous studies on preterm infants were retrieved, with 10 preterm infants. They all had characteristic facial features, such as long blepharophimosis, sparse and lateral 1/3 eyebrows, and large and prominent/cupped ears. Other manifestations were extrauterine growth delay (7/10), abnormal development of the cardiovascular system (7/10), abnormal development of the nervous system (5/10), and cleft palate (2/10).

Conclusions

Kabuki syndrome is a rare hereditary disorder involving multiple organs and systems. Genetic assessment for preterm infants with congenital abnormalities is recommended.
Assessment of Free Energy Functions for Sand
Authors: Irani Nazanin , Prada‐Sarmiento Luis Felipe , Tafili Merita , Salimi Mohammad , Wichtmann Torsten , Triantafyllidis Theodoros
Published: October 2024

The advantages of constitutive models in energy‐conservation frameworks have been widely addressed in the literature. A key component is choosing an appropriate energy potential to derive the hyperelastic constitutive equations. This article investigates the advantages and limitations of different energy potentials found in the literature based on mathematical conditions to guarantee numerical stability, such as the desired order of homogeneity, positive and non‐singular stiffness within the application range, and equivalent Poisson's ratio from a constitutive modelling standpoint. Potentials meeting the aforementioned criteria are employed to simulate the response envelopes of Karlsruhe fine sand (KFS). Moreover, the performance of the potentials, in conjunction with plasticity theories, is examined. To achieve this, the hyperelastic constitutive equations have been coupled with the bounding surface plasticity model of Dafalias and Manzari to reproduce the soil response in a hyperelastic–plastic frame. Finally, one of the potentials is modified, whereas recommendations for incorporating other appropriate free energy functions into different soil constitutive models are presented. Furthermore, 100 closed elastic strain cycles have been simulated with the bounding surface plasticity model of Dafalias and Manzari considering the original hypoelastic stiffness and hyperelastic–plastic constitutive equations. Using the hypoelastic framework in the simulation led to stress accumulation after 100 closed elastic strain loops, while a reversible response was predicted using the hyperelastic stiffness tensor.
Association between overweight and central interleukin‐6 in a nonclinical adult population
Authors: Enokida Takako , Hattori Kotaro , Maeda Chiori , Tomizawa Takahiro , Kunugi Hiroshi
Published: October 2024

Aim

Overweight is associated with low‐grade systemic inflammation. However, its effect on neuroinflammation remains unclear. We examined the possible association between overweight and neuroinflammation using cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in a nonclinical adult population in Japan.

Methods

CSF and plasma levels of interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), plasma levels of C‐reactive protein (CRP), and leptin were measured in nonclinical adult participants (35 males and 34 females) who had no current or past history of neuropsychiatric diseases. We performed partial correlation analyses with sex and age as covariates between the body mass index (BMI) and the inflammatory markers and compared them between overweight and nonoverweight participants.

Results

The BMI significantly correlated with CSF levels of IL‐6 (rs = 0.32, p = 0.009), plasma levels of CRP (rs = 0.30, p = 0.016), IL‐1β (rs = 0.29, p = 0.019), IL‐6 (rs = 0.25, p = 0.042), TNF‐α (rs = 0.43, p < 0.001), and leptin (rs = 0.72, p < 0.001). Overweight participants (BMI ≧ 25) had significantly higher CSF levels of IL‐6 (p < 0.001), plasma levels of IL‐1β (p = 0.023), TNF‐α (p < 0.001), and leptin (p < 0.001) than the nonoverweight participants.

Conclusion

Overweight is associated with central IL‐6, a marker for neuroinflammation, as well as systemic inflammation markers, even in a nonclinical population.
Use of Hydrochlorothiazide in the United States Following Label Update About Skin Cancer Risk
Authors: Chen Cheng , Eworuke Efe , Rai Ashish , Hou Laura , Ko Jenice S. , Southworth Mary Ross , Hernández‐Muñoz José J. , Zhang Mingfeng
Published: October 2024

Purpose

On August 20, 2020, the United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Drug Safety Communication (DSC) along with labeling updates to inform the public about a small increased risk of non‐melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) associated with hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) use. This study aims to assess whether the DSC impacted HCTZ use in the U.S.

Methods

We conducted a trend analysis in the Sentinel Distributed Database using national healthcare administrative data from January 2017 to November 2022. We identified two cohorts each month: An overall cohort of all enrollees and a skin cancer cohort of those with a history of NMSC. For each cohort, we plotted the monthly proportion of patients receiving HCTZ‐containing products among those receiving any thiazide diuretics. We performed interrupted time series analyses to quantify the impact of the DSC on these monthly proportions. Secondary analyses were conducted on the proportion of HCTZ users among patients receiving any antihypertensives.

Results

In the overall cohort, the DSC was only associated with a statistically significant but clinically negligible trend change of monthly HCTZ proportion within this cohort (0.018%; 95% CI, 0.012%–0.025%). Similar results were observed in the skin cancer cohort. The secondary analysis found no significant level change or trend change in the monthly proportion of HCTZ use among antihypertensive users.

Conclusions

We did not observe significant changes in HCTZ use following the DSC about its NMSC risk, among the overall population and those with a history of NMSC. Our findings were in accordance with the DSC recommendation.
Optimizing wheat crop performance: Genomic and phenomic insights into yield and days to maturity prediction using multi‐temporal UAV imagery
Authors: Shafiee Sahameh , Montesinos‐López Osval A. , Crossa José , Burud Ingunn , Dieseth Jon Arne , Alsheikh Muath , Lillemo Morten
Published: October 2024

This study assesses strategies for utilizing multispectral imaging data (from flowering to maturity) to predict late‐season traits in the Norwegian wheat breeding program, comparing them with genomic prediction (GP). In the phenomic prediction (PP) approach, spectral bands, their multispectral relationship matrix (M‐matrix), and vegetation indices (VIs) were considered. GP involved the genomic relationship matrix (G), extended to multi‐kernel predictors by incorporating environmental and genotype–environment interaction effects, complemented with multispectral reflectance data. Two different models including PLSR (partial least square regression) and Bayesian genomic best linear unbiased prediction regressor were applied. The phenological stage of spectral data collection impacted the trait prediction accuracy correlating with the relationship between multispectral data and measured traits. Higher correlations resulted in higher PP prediction accuracy. The results revealed that spectral bands and M‐matrix outperformed VIs by 10%–40% across different timepoints and all timepoints together for grain yield (GY) prediction. The single‐kernel GP model (G) outperformed PP by 28% (using Bayesian) and 29% (using PLSR). The integration of multi‐kernel GP models with spectral data improved GY prediction by up to 4%. In terms of days to maturity (DM) prediction, phenomic methods excelled, surpassing the single‐kernel GP (G: r = 0.63) model by 11% (Bayesian). In conclusion, this study underscores the effectiveness of phenomics prediction for traits like DM and its potential to enhance predictions for complex traits such as GY while highlighting the importance of correlation between measured traits and spectral data, kernel combinations, and model selection for prediction accuracy.
Quantifying Removal Torque for Application in a New Child‐Resistant and Senior Friendly Package
Authors: Berels Christina , Lamsal Archana , Bix Laura , Bush Tamara Reid
Published: October 2024

Child resistant packaging (CRP) can effectively reduce the access of children under the age of 5 years old when used correctly. Adults over the age of 65 years commonly struggle to open many kinds of CRP and choose to leave the packages open. The goals of this work were (1) to design a testing system to accurately measure an individuals' ability to apply removal toque to a closure, (2) determine the ranges of torque both older adults and children can apply to a standard closure and (3) determine the effectiveness of a novel CRP to reduce the torque generation of children. A custom hand‐held torque test system was created and used to obtain torque data. In total, 49 participants were tested, 25 children and 24 adults. All participants were tested using three variations of a new type of CRP, which varied the amount of functional surface area (FSA) available to the user and a control. The novel CRP theoretically can be ‘tuned’ by changing the FSA available, impacting the torque individuals are able to exert. All CRP treatments and the control resulted in significantly different removal torques between groups. The difference was largest when the available FSA was between 50% and 80%. Results suggest the new design has the potential to permit older adults to easily open containers while reducing access of children. This new cap system capitalized on a need to understand that a specific, limited region needs to be gripped for opening—and most children tended to just spin the outer cap without applying an isolated torque.
Neuroadaptive Sliding Mode Tracking Control for an Uncertain TQUAV With Unknown Controllers
Authors: Xiong Jing‐Jing , Li Chen
Published: October 2024

In this article, a neuroadaptive sliding mode control (NSMC) strategy based on recurrent neural network (RNN) for robustly and adaptively tracking the desired position and attitude of an uncertain tilting quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (TQUAV) with unknown controllers is presented. The main contribution of this article is the real‐time adjustment of unknown flight controllers using the approximation characteristics of RNN, in which the derived approximation errors of RNN are sufficiently estimated by adaptive control method that can reduce or eliminate the impact of error terms on the evolution of closed‐loop systems. Especially, Lyapunov stability analysis is greatly simplified compared to existing methods and does not require amplification or reduction. Finally, the superior performance of the NSMC strategy was verified by comparing simulation results.
Trace Cu‐Induced Low C─N Coupling Barrier on Amorphous Co Metallene Boride for Boosting Electrochemical Urea Production
Authors: Wu Yueji , Lin Han , Mao Qiqi , Yu Hongjie , Deng Kai , Wang Jianguo , Wang Liang , Wang Ziqiang , Wang Hongjing
Published: October 2024

The electrochemical C─N coupling of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrate(NO3‐) is an alternative strategy to the traditional high−energy industrial pathway for urea synthesis, which urgently requires the design of efficient catalysts to achieve high yield and Faraday efficiency (FE). Here, amorphous low‐content copper‐doped cobalt metallene boride (a‐Cu0.1CoBx metallene) is designed for urea synthesis via electrochemical C─N coupling. The a‐Cu0.1CoBx metallene can drive electrocatalytic C─N coupling of CO2 and NO3− for urea synthesis in CO2‐saturated 0.1 m KNO3 electrolyte, with 27.7% of FE and 312 µg h−1 mg−1cat. of yield at −0.5 V, as well as superior cycling stability. The in situ Fourier transform infrared and theoretical calculations reveal that electronic effect between Cu, Co, and B causes Cu and Co as dual active sites to promote the adsorption of reactants. Furthermore, the introduced trace Cu reduces the reaction energy barrier of the C─N coupling to facilitate urea synthesis. This work provides a promising route for the optimization of Co‐based metallene for the electrosynthesis of urea through C─N coupling.
Effect of Guanidinium Salt for Stress‐Relaxation and Interfacial Engineering in Antisolvent Free Perovskite Solar Cells Fabricated Under Air Ambient
Authors: Porwal Shivam , Bansal Nitin Kumar , Kim Gyu‐Min , Singh Trilok
Published: October 2024

In perovskite solar cells, the presence of stress and defects at interfaces promotes performance degradation and poor stability of the devices. The formation of these defects is more prominent in two‐step antisolvent‐free perovskite film fabrication. This study addresses these challenges by introducing guanidine sulfate (Gua‐S) at the tin oxide/formamidinium lead iodide perovskite interface, fabricated without antisolvent under ambient air. Interfacial Gua‐S enhanced morphology by forming bonds between uncoordinated Pb2+ ions and I− vacancies at the interface and showed improvement in the crystallinity and quality of the perovskite film. Microstructural stress analysis indicated a substantial reduction in stress, decreasing from 50.6 to 20.72 MPa with the application of Gua‐S. Moreover, the Gua‐S treated solar cells showed significant improvements and achieved an open circuit voltage of 1.08 V and 22.34% efficiency. Further, electrochemical impedance spectroscopic analysis showed improved built‐in potential, carrier lifetime, and charge recombination lifetime for treated devices. The devices retained over 87% of the initial power conversion efficiency after 2000 hours of operation. This comprehensive study addresses the fundamental issues of interfacial stress and defects in perovskite solar cells and demonstrates the efficacy of Gua‐S salt in enhancing both the structural and functional aspects of the antisolvent‐free device fabrication process.
MG+: Towards Efficient Context Inconsistency Detection by Minimized Link Generation
Authors: Chen Chuyang , Wang Huiyan , Zhang Lingyu , Xu Chang , Yu Ping
Published: October 2024

Self‐adaptive applications are becoming increasingly attractive, with the ability to smartly understand their runtime environments (or contexts) and deliver adaptive services, for example, location‐aware navigation or resource‐sensitive suggestions. However, due to inherent noises in the process of sensing and interpreting environmental information, there is a growing demand for guarding the consistency of collected contexts to avoid application misbehaviour and, at the same time, minimize extra costs. Existing work attempted to achieve this by speeding up the kernel constraint checking module inside the consistency guarding process. Most of these efforts were spent on reusing previous checking results or parallelizing the checking process, but they all leave one central step of constraint checking, that is, link generation, untouched. In this step, the checking engine provides reasons to explain the violation of constraints under check. It occupies a substantial part of the total time cost. Focusing on this key link generation step, we proposed MG, which deploys a rigourous analysis to automatically identify and avoid redundancy in the link generation without harming any correctness of the checking results. MG has been proven sound (always guaranteeing correctness) and complete (entirely removing redundancy). Moreover, based on our observation that MG's redundancy elimination also assists another core step of constraint checking to reduce unnecessary computation further, we additionally enhance MG with an escape‐condition optimization to escape unnecessary evaluation of truth values to further improve the efficiency of constraint checking in an aspect other than link generation. We call it MG+ for distinguishing. Our experiments with synthesized and real‐world consistency constraints reported that, compared with existing work, MG eliminates all link redundancy (83% to 0%), and based on it, MG+ further reduces significant truth value calculations (e.g., 49.74% reduction when combined with ECC and Con‐C). Generally, MG brought 14–500 speed‐ups in link generation, and MG+ further made 1.2–1.9 speed‐ups in truth value evaluation. Altogether, MG reduced the total constraint checking time up to 45.4%, and MG+ reduced it up to 61.0%.
Experimental characterization of indented dry connections for precast double‐curved concrete shells
Authors: Fernandes Paulo , Elbashir Douaa , Agante Marta
Published: October 2024

This paper presents the experimental validation of a connections system to connect segmented precast long‐span thin‐shell structures made with lightweight ultra‐high‐performance fiber‐reinforced concrete (UHPFRC). The work comprises the segmentation of the large‐span ultra‐thin shell to meet the requirements of prefabrication (construction and transport limitations), and the design and characterization of the connections. Once the assembling of the shell required the use of post‐tensioned unbonded prestressing, an indented dry connection was chosen. The connections are experimentally characterized with in‐plane and out‐of‐plane shear tests for different prestressing levels. The results are presented and discussed, demonstrating the balanced behavior of the indented dry connection under shear loading. The connections exhibited high ductility in shear, capitalizing on the use of a UHPFRC to fabricate the shell. The prestressing also demonstrated its efficacy, significantly enhancing both the stiffness and the capacity of the indented dry connection.
Performance Characterization of Clusterwise Linear Regression Algorithms
Authors: Kuang Ye Chow , Ooi Melanie
Published: October 2024

Clusterwise linear regression (CLR) is a powerful extension of the conventional linear regression framework when the data complexity exceeds the capability of a single linear model. This article presents the first examination of CLR algorithms developed over the past two decades through randomized large‐sample testing. Using a unified framework and carefully controlled data characteristics, a comprehensive and systematic assessment of CLR algorithms were performed. The findings of this study provide potential users with a clear understanding of the various benefits and limitations of selecting the appropriate CLR algorithms for their data. Furthermore, this study has disproved past claims which were concluded based on limited samples, and provides insights to better understand the CLR challenges. Finally, this article identifies areas for improvement that could provide crucial performance and reliability improvement of CLR algorithms.
Strategies for Organ‐Targeted mRNA Delivery by Lipid Nanoparticles
Authors: Liao Hangping , Liao Jing , Zeng Ling , Cao Xinxiu , Fan Hui , Chen Jinjin
Published: October 2024

Messenger RNA (mRNA) technology has rapidly evolved, significantly impacting various therapeutic applications, including vaccines, protein replacement, and gene editing. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have emerged as a pivotal nonviral vector for mRNA delivery, crucial for organ‐targeted therapies. Despite their success, most LNP formulations predominantly target the liver, limiting their use in nonliver diseases. This review explores strategies to achieve organ‐specific mRNA delivery using LNPs, including the discovery of new lipid structures, modification of targeting ligands, incorporation of additional components, and optimization of LNP formulations. These advancements aim to enhance the precision and efficacy of mRNA therapeutics across a broader range of diseases.
How Cultural Tourism Management Initiatives Come to Light Starting from Local Needs: The Case of the Crespi D’Adda Company Town
Authors: Bussolati Elena , Cecere Serena , De Bonis Patrignani Roberta , Tabasso Matteo
Published: October 2024

The article illustrates the interactions and connections between the activities performed within the Horizon2020 project TExTOUR—Social Innovation and Technologies for sustainable growth though participative cultural TOURism—by the Italian partners on the Pilot site of Crespi d’Adda (UNESCO WHS) and the process for the definition of the UNESCO Management Plan for the same site. The timing of the two initiatives allowed to have a continuous exchange of information and, besides the useful integration between the two processes, the main result was that the actions identified within the TExTOUR project, through a bottom-up approach, were included in the Management Plan as a contribution from the European Project. The Management Plan is aimed at defining coordinated activities for the preservation and conservation of the cultural site and the promotion of cultural values. It includes the strategy design and the definition of specific initiatives through the involvement of local stakeholders and residents. Some of the actions that emerged in the TExTOUR project working group, also attended by some of the stakeholders of the Crespi d'Adda site, were included among the actions envisaged by the new UNESCO Management Plan. The paper explains both the participatory processes and the way the actions were identified and customized.
Beyond Theory. Understanding Rule of Law Narratives from Their Empirical Context
Authors: Lorenz Astrid , Anders Lisa H. , Müller Dietmar , Němec Jan
Published: October 2024

Since theory-building is inseparable from its empirical contexts, there are limits to deriving hypotheses from theories informed by other empirical cases for our object of study. Therefore, this chapter provides an in-depth introduction to the cases analysed in the volume “Narrating the Rule of Law”—Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. As it shows, drawing on various studies of the region, certain developments in these countries may have affected narratives about the rule of law in parliaments that are either missing or not discussed in detail in the current rule of law research, while other factors are possibly overemphasised. Specifically, we discuss the perhaps limited relevance of party ideologies, the massive post-1989 power shifts, conflicts over the post-1989 developments and the consequences of institutional choices, particularities of the relationship between politicians and judges, and the role of the EU. For scholars studying the rule of law from a theoretical perspective and for EU scholars unfamiliar with East Central Europe, this chapter provides detailed information to understand the actors’ background and experiences that might inform their rule of law narratives.
What the Rule of Law Is About. Narrating Its Foundations
Authors: Lorenz Astrid , Anders Lisa H. , Müller Dietmar , Němec Jan
Published: October 2024

This chapter presents the findings of our empirical study “Narrating the Rule of Law” concerning how the MPs and government representatives in Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia referred to the foundations of the rule of law. Based on our study of the hundreds of documents, we explore how politicians spoke about the purpose of the rule of law, its elements and sources of legitimacy. The term ‘rule of law’ was often used interchangeably with concepts such as ‘(national) constitution’, ‘constitutional state’ or ‘constitutionality’. We show that in their speeches, parliamentarians agreed on relevant aspects and that the mentions of these aspects followed a similar pattern (e.g., mostly opposition parties used them when criticising the government), although concrete narratives varied. The high proportion of overlapping narratives implies that party ideology only partially structured how parliamentarians spoke about the purpose, elements and legitimation of the rule of law. To substantiate our interpretations, we provide various illustrative quotes.
Ecuador: Inserting the Country into the PISA Experience
Authors: Herrera-Pavo Miguel Ángel , Jaramillo-Baquerizo Christian , Valencia Victor H.
Published: October 2024

Ecuador debuted in the PISA-D evaluation in 2018, emerging as the top performer among seven nations, yet still trailing behind OECD averages. This analysis explores Ecuador’s unique challenges within its diverse and politically complex context. Highlighting the impacts of COVID-19, which exacerbated existing educational issues, the study discusses curriculum reforms and the essential role of universities in professionalizing teachers and improving student outcomes. As Ecuador prepares for its next PISA in 2025, this chapter critically examines the nation’s educational strategies and the need for continuous improvement in response to global standards and internal demands.
Perspectives for a human-centric industry: understanding the social critique of the utopian proposal
Authors: Pugnaletto Margherita
Published: October 2024

This article assesses the exploration of the utopian paradigm within the context of technological advancement and its implications for human labor. It engages in this reflection, beginning with John Danaher’s reading of utopian perspectives related to the evolution of the labor domain, and then focusing on the significance of the social element and its dynamics in redefining labor and productive structures. It focuses on utopia as a regulatory ideal, valuing the conjectural contributions from theories throughout the history of utopian thought. The analysis aims to understand how utopian theories arise in contexts of social dissatisfaction, prompting internal reflection on the structure. The article is organized into three sections: the first introduces the concept of utopia, tracing its historical and philosophical roots, with a focus on influential figures such as Henri de Saint-Simon and Charles Fourier. Through the study of nineteenth-century social theories, the article explores their radical proposals for societal restructuring in response to the socio-economic upheavals of their time. The second section examines utopia as a form of social critique, emphasizing its critical function in assessing and guiding societal development, by engaging with Norbert Elias’s definitions of utopia. The third section evaluates the relevance of utopia in contemporary discourse on social change, emphasizing the critical examination of utopian visions in relation to the concept of the end of work and aiming to articulate clear parameters defining a utopian model as a social regulatory ideal.
Numerical simulation of shock attenuation with real gas effects and a turbulent boundary layer in the expansion tube
Authors: Sakamoto H. , Sato S. , Ohnishi N.
Published: October 2024

The influence of real gas effects and a turbulent boundary layer on shock wave attenuation in the expansion tube is studied by numerically solving the axisymmetric compressible Navier–Stokes equations with an adaptive mesh refinement technique. Numerical simulation results reveal that the ideal gas assumption is not applicable to the expansion tube, and the turbulent boundary layer plays a major role in decreasing the shock wave speed in the acceleration tube of the expansion tube. Shock wave attenuation is attributed to the turbulent boundary layer decreasing the pressure behind the shock wave. The numerical simulations that include the real gas effects and the development of turbulent boundary layers qualitatively agree with analytical solutions in the shock tube, and they show good agreement with the experimental results, especially for the shock speed in the acceleration tube of the expansion tube. Both effects should be considered in the numerical simulation model aimed to support experiments in expansion tubes.
Activity patterns of Octopus tetricus (Mollusca: Cephalopoda) and their behavioural responses to fisheries trap and bait combinations
Authors: Vrandich Adam A. , Kelaher Brendan P. , Hall Karina C.
Published: October 2024

An understanding of octopus behaviour and their capture by fishing gears is required to inform efficient, sustainable, and ethical octopus fisheries. Here, the behaviour of Octopus tetricus was assessed in response to different bait and trap combinations in an outdoor mesocosm experiment. Eight wild octopuses were collected, maintained in individual tanks with flow-through seawater and aeration, and monitored with a 24-h video surveillance system. Six different traps and four different baits were presented to each octopus in various combinations during four sequential trials. Fine-mesh crab traps were the most successful in capturing octopus, accounting for 23 of the total 30 captures across all trials. Whereas solid trigger traps produced the greatest number of other interactions (e.g., octopus sitting on trap/in the entrance), averaging 43 interactions per trial, but were rarely triggered. Bait type did not influence octopus capture, trap interaction frequency, or octopus activity; however, only artificial bait types were trialled, and fresh natural baits may elicit a stronger response and should be investigated in future research. Generally, octopus were inactive, dedicating only 9.5% of their total time to active behaviours. Octopus activity varied with time of day, with peak activity during morning daylight (0800–1200) and the lowest activity during the dark hours of the very early morning (0000–0400). Additionally, capture numbers, trap interactions, and activity varied among individuals, with bolder personalities in some octopus. This natural variation among individual octopuses may lead to fishery-induced selection associated with the elevated capture frequency of bold or more active individuals.
On constraint-conforming numerical discretizations in constitutive material modeling
Authors: Bode T. , Soleimani M. , Erdogan C. , Hackl K. , Wriggers P. , Junker P.
Published: October 2024

For the modelling of complex materials, internal variables are usually introduced which characterize the microstructural state. Then, evolution equations describe the change of the internal variables due to varying external loading conditions. These equations can be derived, for instance, on the basis of variational principles. The consideration of characteristic observations, such as the preservation of the volume during a change in the microstructural state, can significantly improve the accuracy of the evolution equations. We present a Hamilton principle that provides a unique way to derive evolution equations that obey holonomic constraints and opens up new possibilities for their algorithmic treatment. This is demonstrated for isochoric finite plasticity and phase transformation based on Backward-Euler time discretization. The models presented are efficient and are characterized by simple implementation compared to the exponential map, for example, without suffering a loss of accuracy due to unfulfilled constraints.
Räumliche Beschäftigungsmuster im Kölner Online- und Hybridhandel
Authors: Zander Michelle , Fuchs Martina , Costantini Ivo , Rolf Ricarda , Dannenberg Peter
Published: October 2024

Die Digitalisierung des Einzelhandels geht mit Veränderungen der Arbeitsverhältnisse einher. Als zuletzt im Zuge der Coronapandemie der Online- und Hybridhandel (stationär und digital) expandierte, wurden auch damit verbundene prekäre Arbeitsbedingungen sichtbar. Gleichzeitig entstanden aber auch anspruchsvolle Arbeitsplätze, beispielsweise in IT und Verwaltung. Dies weist auf eine Polarisierung hin, die sich – getrieben vor allem durch technischen Wandel – gleichzeitig durch eine starke Ausprägung von Arbeitsverhältnissen auszeichnet, die einerseits nur geringe formale Qualifikationen erfordert und gering entlohnt wird und andererseits höhere formale Ausbildungsabschlüsse erfordert und besser entlohnt wird, während mittlere Qualifikationsstufen weniger ausgeprägt sind. Bisher gibt es jedoch kaum systematische und differenzierte Untersuchungen, die belastbare Aussagen zu regionalen oder lokalen Mustern von Arbeitsbedingungen im Online- und Hybridhandel erlauben. Dabei ist jedoch zu erwarten, dass sich diese auch räumlich unterscheiden, etwa aufgrund unterschiedlicher Tätigkeits- und Beschäftigungsbereiche. Vor diesem Hintergrund konzentriert sich die vorliegende Arbeit auf räumliche Beschäftigungsmuster im Online- und Hybridhandel am Beispiel der Metropolregion Köln. Konkret untersucht sie auf Basis einer Betriebsbefragung vor allem von kleinen und mittelständischen Online- und Hybridhandelsbetrieben (2023–2024; n = 377), inwieweit es zu unterschiedlichen Ausprägungen von Vertragsverhältnissen, Qualifikationsanforderungen, Entlohnung und Mitbestimmung kommt. Aufgrund der Verortung der Arbeitsaufgaben ergibt sich eine räumliche Differenzierung: Gerade in den Bereichen Lagerlogistik und Zustellung wurden klare räumliche Unterschiede deutlich. Anders ist es bei Arbeitsplätzen mit höheren formalen Qualifikationsanforderungen. Hier sind die Differenzen jedoch nicht so ausgeprägt, dass von einem Auseinanderdriften der Qualifikation gesprochen werden kann. Ein räumliches Muster zeigt sich insbesondere zwischen dem urbanen Raum und den Randgebieten aufgrund der unterschiedlichen Merkmale der Beschäftigungsbereiche und der damit verbundenen Polarisierung. In den innerstädtischen Lagen werden eher Werkstudenten- und geringfügige Verträge vergeben, während in den Randgebieten größere Betriebe mit Betriebsrat und höheren formalen Qualifikationsanforderungen zu finden sind.