bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preparation and characterization of hydrogels based on glycidyl methacrylate (GMA)‐grafted NR and modified cassava starch as eco‐friendly materials for sustainable agriculture
Authors: Panpinit Sanit , Salairam Sunatcha , Jumpapaeng Punnapat , Seesan Sasikan , Toebto Tidawan , Keawin Tinnagon , Radabutra Siriwat , Suwanakood Pitchayaporn , Thedsakhulwong Amorn , Saengsuwan Sayant
Published: March 2024

Eco‐friendly hydrogel was developed using natural rubber latex (NR) and cassava starch (CSt) through grafting modifications to enhance their swelling and water retention by selecting suitable grafting components and improving compatibility. To improve its hydrophilicity and compatibility with CSt, NR was grafted with glycidyl methacrylate (NR‐g‐GMA, NRG). Subsequently, CSt was grafted with acrylic acid (AA) and acrylamide (AM), crosslinked with N,N′‐methylene‐bis‐acrylamide (MBA), and ultimately interpenetrated by NRG to produce CSt‐g‐PAA/NRG and CSt‐g‐PAM/NRG hydrogels, respectively. The obtained hydrogels were characterized by various techniques. Results revealed that CSt‐g‐PAM/NRG exhibited exceptional equilibrium water swelling (Seq) at 2413%, surpassing CSt‐g‐PAA/NRG (416%), and CSt/NR (146%). This was attributed to the synergistic effects of the improved NR polarity and compatibility, the looser structures, the higher rate constant of water swelling (20.06%/s), and the greater compatibility between compositions compared to the CSt‐g‐PAA/NRG system. Therefore, AM was the suitable grafting monomer for the CSt/NRG hydrogel system. Also, the CSt‐g‐PAM/NRG hydrogel exhibited remarkable water retention for up to 30 days with excellent biodegradation (55%) and good biosafety. This study demonstrates a promising strategy for improving swelling capacity (~1600%) and water retention (58%) of biodegradable CSt/NR hydrogels as a low‐cost coating membrane for sustainable agriculture.

Highlights

Boost of NR hydrophilicity and compatibility via GMA grafting to generate NRG.

Fabrication of CSt‐g‐PAA/NRG and CSt‐g‐PAM/NRG hydrogels by semi‐IPN technique.

CSt‐g‐PAM/NRG swelling showed a significant improvement over CSt‐g‐PAA/NRG.

AM was the suitable grafting monomer for the CSt/NRG hydrogel system.

CSt‐g‐PAM/NRG showed good biodegradability and water retention for agriculture.
Feasibility of the pitch efficiency rating: A novel tool for systematic assessment of pitching mechanics in developing throwing athletes
Authors: Kenyon Charles , Beebe Alex , Easley Kirk , Jayanthi Neeru , Bowers Robert
Published: March 2024

Background

Injuries in younger baseball athletes continue to increase despite work characterizing risk factors. Three‐dimensional (3D) motion capture may identify suboptimal pitching mechanics that predispose an athlete to injury, but 3D‐motion analysis is often inaccessible. Thus, there is a gap between the current biomechanics literature and its practical application in young athletes. The current study aims to assess the reliability of the pitch efficiency rating (PER) as a systematic tool to evaluate throwing mechanics in developing baseball pitchers.

Objective

To determine the feasibility of application and reliability of a novel, scientifically informed tool (PER) for the assessment of pitching mechanics.

Design

Reliability study using Bland–Altman methods for assessing agreement between two raters.

Setting

Academic medical center through community outreach.

Participants

Pitching mechanics were assessed and rated with the PER for 40 athletes (26 high school, 14 Division III), average age 19.0 years old (range 15.3–23.7 years old).

Interventions

N/A.

Main Outcome Measures

Interrater and intrarater reliability as calculated by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

Results

For initial readings comparing interrater reliability between Rater 1 and Rater 2, the ICC was calculated at 0.80 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.66–0.89) and 0.76 (95% CI 0.60–0.86) for the second set of ratings. Regarding intrarater reliability across reads, ICC was found to be 0.63 (95% CI 0.43–0.79) for Rater 1, and 0.91 for Rater 2 (95% CI 0.85–0.95).

Conclusions

The present study introduces the PER as a potential tool for evaluating pitching mechanics. However, the intrarater reliability of the PER did not meet preestablished criteria in one of the two pilot raters. Further study is needed to continue to assess the reliability of the tool across diverse demographics.
Clinical pharmacokinetics of leriglitazone and a translational approach using PBPK modeling to guide the selection of the starting dose in children
Authors: Traver Estefania , Rodríguez‐Pascau Laura , Meya Uwe , Pina Guillem , Pascual Silvia , Poli Sonia , Eckland David , van de Wetering Jeroen , Ke Alice , Lindauer Andreas , Martinell Marc , Pizcueta Pilar
Published: March 2024

Leriglitazone is a unique peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐gamma (PPARγ) agonist that crosses the blood–brain barrier in humans and clinical trials have shown evidence of efficacy in neurodegenerative diseases. At clinical doses which are well‐tolerated, leriglitazone reaches the target central nervous system (CNS) concentrations that are needed for PPARγ engagement and efficacy; PPARγ engagement is also supported by clinical and anti‐inflammatory biomarker changes in the Cerebrospinal fluid in the CNS. Plasma pharmacokinetics (PK) of leriglitazone were determined in a phase 1 study in male healthy volunteers comprising a single ascending dose (SAD) and a multiple ascending dose (MAD) at oral doses of 30, 90, and 270 mg and 135 and 270 mg, respectively. Leriglitazone was rapidly absorbed with no food effect on overall exposure and showed a linear PK profile with dose‐exposure correlation. A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed for leriglitazone based on phase 1 data (SAD part) and incorporated CYP3A4 (fmCYP3A4 = 24%) and CYP2C8‐mediated (fmCYP2C8 = 45%) metabolism, as well as biliary clearance (feBIL = 19.5%) derived from in vitro data, and was verified by comparing the observed versus predicted concentration‐time profiles from the MAD part. The PBPK model was prospectively applied to predict the starting pediatric doses and was preliminarily verified with data from five pediatric patients.
Magic of Solvents: Effect of Processing Solvents on Hole Transport in Organic Semiconductor Small Molecules
Authors: Piryazev Alexey , Sagdullina Diana , Kuznetsov Ilya , Akhkiamova Azaliia , Gapanovich Mikhail , Anokhin Denis , Zhivchikova Aleksandra , Sideltsev Maxim , Siaglova Elizaveta , Tepliakova Marina , Ivanov Dimitri , Akkuratov Alexander
Published: March 2024

Organic semiconductor small molecules (SMs) attract much attention to the design of various emerging photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices. High charge‐transport characteristics of SMs are important prerequisite for achieving outstanding performance of electronics. Herein, four promising SMs are investigated in terms of modulating charge‐transport properties by solvent engineering. It is shown that the hole mobility of thin films based on push–pull SMs can be effectively enhanced by the replacement of chlorobenzene with environmentally preferable hexane without changing a molecular structure of the compounds. As a result, 2–5 times higher hole mobility is achieved for hexane‐processed films that is attributed to the formation of favorable nanoscale morphology of films. This effortless approach can be applied to other organic semiconductor materials to precisely control the morphology and improve their electrophysical properties.
Quantum Parameter Estimation With Graph States In SU(N) Dynamics
Authors: Tao Hong , Huang Rui , Tan Xiaoqing
Published: March 2024

In quantum metrology, achieving optimal simultaneous multiparameter estimation is of great significance but remains highly challenging. The research approach involving evolution on dynamics provides a framework to investigate simultaneous multiparameter estimation within graph states. For single‐parameter estimation, it is observed that the precision limit exceeds the Heisenberg limit in higher‐dimensional spin systems. For multiparameter estimation, two scenarios are considered: one with commutative Hamiltonian operators and another with non‐commutative Hamiltonian operators. The results demonstrate that the global estimation precision exceeds the local estimation precision. Under the conditions of parameter limit, the precision of parameter estimation for simultaneously estimating each parameter is equal to that of single‐parameter estimation. Furthermore, a precision‐enhancement scheme has been identified that depends on the dynamics of . The smaller the value of in the dynamic evolution, the higher the precision of the parameter estimation. Finally, it is demonstrated that graph states serve as optimal states in quantum metrology. A set of optimal measurement bases is also identified, and it is illustrated that the precision limit of multiparameter estimation can attain the quantum Cramér‐Rao bound.
Design, integration, and field evaluation of a robotic blossom thinning system for tree fruit crops
Authors: Bhattarai Uddhav , Zhang Qin , Karkee Manoj
Published: March 2024

The United States (US) apple industry relies heavily on semi‐skilled manual labor force for essential field operations such as training, pruning, blossom and green fruitlet thinning, and harvesting. Blossom thinning is one of the crucial crop‐load management practices to achieve desired crop load, fruit quality, and return bloom. While several techniques such as chemical and mechanical thinning are available for large‐scale blossom thinning, such approaches often yield unpredictable thinning results and may damage the canopy, spurs, and leaf tissue. Hence, growers still depend on laborious, labor‐intensive, and expensive manual hand blossom thinning for desired thinning outcomes. This research presents a robotic solution for precision blossom thinning in apple orchards using a deep learning‐based computer vision system, a six‐degrees‐of‐freedom UR5e robotic manipulator, and an electrically actuated miniature end‐effector. The integrated robotic system was evaluated in a commercial apple orchard which showed promising results for targeted and selective blossom thinning. Two thinning approaches, center and boundary thinning, were investigated to evaluate the system's ability to remove varying proportions of flowers from apple flower clusters. During boundary thinning, the end‐effector was actuated around the cluster boundary, while center thinning involved end‐effector actuation only at the cluster centroid for a fixed duration of 2 s. Field evaluation results showed that the boundary thinning approach thinned 67.2% of flowers from the targeted clusters with a cycle time of 9.0 s per cluster, whereas the center thinning approach thinned 59.4% of flowers with a cycle time of 7.2 s per cluster. Upon further improvement for commercial adoption, the proposed system could help address problems faced by apple growers with current hand, chemical, and mechanical blossom thinning approaches.
Achieving Low‐Dose Rate X‐Ray Imaging Based on 2D/3D‐Mixed Perovskite Films
Authors: Zhao Jingda , Wang Xin , Cheng Qi , Xu Yubing , Pan Yuzhu , Li Yuwei , Zhao Zhiwei , Zhu Zhuoya , Chen Jing , Wu Jun , Li Qing , Zhou Jianming , Bae Byung Seong , Sarusi Gabby , Zhu Ying , Xu Xiaobao , Lei Wei , Zhang Xiaobing
Published: March 2024

X‐ray detection and imaging are widely used in medical diagnosis, product inspection, security monitoring, etc. Large‐scale polycrystalline perovskite thick films possess high potential for direct X‐ray imaging. However, the notorious problems of baseline drift and high detection limit caused by ions migration are still remained. Here, ion migration is reduced by incorporating 2D perovskite into 3D perovskite, thereby increasing the ion activation energy. This approach hinders ion migration within the perovskite film, consequently suppressing baseline drift and reducing the lowest detection limit(LOD) of the device. As a result, the baseline drifting declines by 20 times and the LOD reduces to 21.1 nGy s−1, while the device maintains a satisfactory sensitivity of 5.6 × 103 µC Gy−1 cm−2. This work provides a new strategy to achieve low ion migration in large‐scale X‐ray detectors and may provide new thoughts for the application of mixed‐dimension perovskite.
Organic Cocrystal Alloys: From Three Primary Colors to Continuously Tunable Emission and Applications on Optical Waveguides and Displays
Authors: Zhang Jia‐Xuan , Zhao Shuai , Jiang Jia‐Hao , Lv Zhao‐Ji , Luo Jiahua , Shi Yingli , Lu Zhenhuan , Wang Xue‐Dong
Published: March 2024

Multicolor luminescence of organic fluorescent materials is an essential part of lighting and optical communication. However, the conventional construction of a multicolor luminescence system based on integrating multiple organic fluorescent materials of a single emission band remains complicated and to be improved. Herein, organic alloys (OAs) capable of full‐color emission are synthesized based on charge transfer (CT) cocrystals. By adjusting the molar ratio of electron donors, the emission color of the OAs can be conveniently and continuously regulated in a wide visible range from blue (CIE: 0.187, 0.277), to green (CIE: 0.301, 0.550), and to red (CIE: 0.561, 0.435). The OAs show analogous 1D morphology with smooth surface, allowing for full‐color waveguides with low optical‐loss coefficient. Impressively, full‐color optical displays are easily achieved through the OAs system with continuous emission, which shows promising applications in the field of optical display and promotes the development of organic photonics.
Covalent Organic Framework Membranes from Oppositely Charged Nanosheets toward Efficient Desalination
Authors: Zhu Ziting , Wang Hongjian , Ling Cheng , Zhang Yue , Zhao Jiashuai , Wang Yuhan , Zhao Junyi , Pan Fusheng , Wang Chunlei , Jiang Zhongyi
Published: March 2024

Fabricating covalent organic framework (COF) membranes through the pre‐assembly of nanosheets with different properties may open a novel avenue to the fabrication of advanced 2D membranes. Herein, COF membranes are fabricated using oppositely‐charged COF nanosheets (CONs). Negatively‐charged CONs and positively‐charged CONs are pre‐assembled through simple physical mixing, yielding the CONs with an aspect ratio of exceeding 10 000, which are assembled into three kinds of COF membranes. The optimal membranes exhibit the highest desalination performance with permeation flux of 132.66 kg m−2 h−1, salt rejection of 99.99%, and superior long‐term operation stability.
Steep slope threshold switching field‐effect transistors based on 2D heterostructure
Authors: Mao Jingyu , Jin Tengyu , Hou Xiangyu , Teo Siew Lang , Lin Ming , Chen Jingsheng , Chen Wei
Published: March 2024

In dealing with the increasing power dissipation of electronic systems with increasing integration density, a field‐effect transistor (FET) with steep switching slope that overcomes the thermionic limit is vital to achieve low‐power operations. Here, we report two types of threshold switching (TS) FETs based on 2D Van der Waals heterostructures by virtue of the abrupt resistive switching of the hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) TS device. The common hBN dielectric layer functions as the switching medium for the TS device and the gate dielectric for the 2D FET enabling seamless integration of the hBN TS device and baseline 2D FET. TS FET in source configuration by connecting the TS device to the source terminal of the 2D FET offers an ultralow average subthreshold swing (SS) of 1.6 mV/dec over six decades of drain current at room temperature and suppressed leakage current. TS FET in gate configuration by connecting the TS device to the gate terminal of the 2D FET also exhibits steep switching slope with ultralow SS of 10.6 mV/dec. The proposed compact device structures integrating 2D FET and TS device provide a potential approach of monolithic integration toward next‐generation low‐power electronics.
Synthesis, structural characterization and bioactivities of iron(III) and copper(II) complexes containing Schiff base thiourea ligands of 5‐(tert‐butyl)‐2‐hydroxybenzaldehyde
Authors: Trung Nguyen Quang , Nam Pham Thi Phuong , Van Tuyen Nguyen
Published: March 2024

Azomethine and thiourea groups possess potential bioactive functions in pharmacological substances so organic ligands containing both imine and thiourea groups and their metal complexes will be expected to have remarkable bioactivities. In this study, some iron(III) and copper(II) complexes containing Schiff base thiourea ligands derived from 1‐(2‐aminoethyl)‐3‐phenylthiourea or 1‐(2‐aminophenyl)‐3‐phenylthiourea and 5‐(tert‐butyl)‐2‐hydroxybenzaldehyde were synthesized and characterized by modern physicochemical analysis approaches such as mass, infrared, UV–vis spectra and effective magnetic moments. The analytical data have supported for the structures of iron(III) complexes in the molecular ratio of 1:2 of iron(III) and the relative ligand while copper(II) complexes in the ratio of 1:1. The synthetic ligands coordinated with iron(III) as NO bidentate mode, however they chelated with copper(II) as NNOS tetradentate possibly. The obtained iron(III) complexes possess high‐spin octahedral geometry when copper(II) complexes perform distorted square planar. The obtained metal complexes were investigated in their thermal stability and chemical components by the thermogravimetric analysis. The synthetic Schiff base thiourea ligands were examined for their antimicrobial activity. Additionally, the synthesized complexes were estimated for their in vitro anticancer property against human cancer cell lines, hepatic cancer cells (HepG‐2), and lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549).
Preparation of bioplastic materials based on thermoplastic chitosan and starch by melting mixing method
Authors: Van Chien Nguyen , Yen Dao Hai , Phuong Hoang Thi , Trang Phạm Quynh , Diep Nguyen Thi , Huy Tran Huu , Phuong Pham Thi , Tuyet Phung Thi Anh
Published: March 2024

The thermoplastic chitosan/starch material was prepared through the utilization of melt mixing in this research. The chitosan/starch compound is plasticized using a mixture of glycerol and ethylene glycol in a ratio of 2:1. The present study evaluated the impact of chitosan concentration on the structural and material properties through the utilization of various analytical techniques, including X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transformative infrared spectroscopy, scanning optical microscopy, water absorption, and mechanical properties. The utilization of SOM imaging revealed that the dispersion of chitosan within the starch phase was homogeneous when the chitosan content was below 9%. The study findings indicated that the incorporation of chitosan into thermoplastic chitosan/starch material resulted in a decrease in moisture absorption under varying humidity conditions (52%, 75%, and 85% RH). The results indicated that the material's hidden absorption is comparable in both environments, with a saturated moisture absorption range of 19%–25%. However, the material exhibited a significantly higher level of humidification at RH 85%, with an interaction range of 40%–48%. Furthermore, the findings suggested that an increase in chitosan content was positively correlated with an increase in tensile strength while negatively correlated with elongation at break.
Elasto‐thermodiffusive interaction under void due to nonlocal stress theory
Authors: Sur Abhik
Published: March 2024

The current investigation address a novel generalized elasto‐thermodiffusion model for a thermoelastic porous half‐space incorporating the nonlocal stress theory proposed by Eringen. Modeling of the problem is performed by adopting Moore‐Gibson‐Thompson (MGT) thermoelasticity theory defined in an integral form of a common derivative on a slipping interval, well known as the memory‐dependent derivative. The bounding plane of the medium is subjected to time‐dependent thermal and chemical shocks and there is no change in the volume fraction field. Laplace transform and the Fourier transform techniques have been adopted to represent the analytical solutions in the transformed domain. The distributions of the physical fields such as the temperature, stress, chemical potential, mass concentration and the volume fraction field were found in the real space‐time domain adopting suitable numerical scheme based on the Fourier series expansion. According to the discussion of the computational results and the respective graphical representations, the prominent role of different parameters such as the effect of nonlocality, effect of void and thermodiffusion is analyzed. Moreover, the superiority of a nonlinear kernel function compared to a linear form is also reported.
Daytime spatial relationships in a family group of black rhinoceros Diceros bicornis at the Hiroshima City Asa Zoological Park, Japan
Authors: Nakamichi Masayuki , Saito Miho , Kaigaishi Yu , Onishi Kenji
Published: March 2024

Although black rhinoceros Diceros bicornis are mostly solitary in the wild, the Hiroshima City Asa Zoological Park (Asa Zoo) has kept a family group together during the daytime, with good reproductive performance over five decades. Management procedures at the zoo include temporary single housing of the mother before and after giving birth, which facilitates maintenance of a compatible family group. We recorded intra‐group spatial relationships for 4 years and 4 months, during which time an adult female reared two consecutive calves. During daytime she remained in an enclosure with her new calf, one or two older offspring, and an adult male, the sire of all her offspring. Proximity (within two adult body‐lengths) scores between the mother and her two calves were especially high during the first year after birth, and only slightly lower for her older offspring. The adult male had the lowest proximity scores. The spatial relationships were visualized by applying multidimensional scaling (MDS) to the proximity scores. Mother and calves were plotted close to each other, with older offspring slightly farther apart on the two‐dimensional MDS representation; the adult male was more distant from the other group members. These findings indicate clear follower‐type characteristics in the mother−calf pair and also older immature offspring, albeit to a lesser degree. Although black rhinoceros are generally solitary in the wild, our results duplicate observations of some wild black rhinoceros groups containing an adult female, her calf, and an older immature, with adult males being largely solitary.
Aktueller Forschungsstand, Desiderate und das eigene Forschungsdesign
Authors: Lüder Stefan
Published: March 2024

Die Forschungsfragen und das Erkenntnisinteresse dieses Buchs erfordern eine Einführung in verschiedene relevante Forschungsgebiete und eine detaillierte Herausarbeitung der jeweiligen Desiderate. Zum Einstieg werden deshalb zunächst etymologischen und ideengeschichtliche Ursprünge von unterschiedlichen Legitimationsbegriffen thematisiert und in die Anfänge der wissenschaftlichen Legitimationsforschung in den Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften einführend diskutiert. Im nächsten Schritt geht es dann etwas spezifischer um die Legitimationsforschung in den Geschichtswissenschaften mit einem besonderen Fokus auf den aktuellen Stand der Forschung im Kontext Asiens.
Dynamiken der Staatsbildung im überlangen 19. Jahrhundert des zentralen Himalayas
Authors: Lüder Stefan
Published: March 2024

Eine zusammenfassende Beschreibung der regionalen Dynamiken der Staatsbildungsprozesse im überlangen 19. Jahrhundert des zentralen Himalayas etabliert den notwendigen narrativen Rahmen für die nachfolgende Analyse der Strategien zur Herrschaftslegitimation. Zudem werden anschließend die spezifischen Legitimationsdefizite herausgearbeitet, mit denen die verschiedenen herrschenden Eliten während der unterschiedlichen Phasen der Staatsbildung konfrontiert waren.
Legitimation in der formativen und expansiven Phase der Staatsbildung
Authors: Lüder Stefan
Published: March 2024

Die bisherige Erforschung von Legitimationsstrategien der herrschenden Eliten der Gorkhālī während den Anfängen der staatsbildenden Prozesse und der anschließenden expansiven Phase fokussiert fast ausschließlich das Königtum. Als besonders einflussreich gelten anthropologische, ethnologische und indologische Forschungen in der zweiten Hälfte des 20. und zu Beginn des 21. Jahrhunderts, die hauptsächlich von Forschenden aus Europa und Nordamerika durchgeführt wurden.
Herrschaftslegitimation durch Gesundheitswesen und Bildungsinstitutionen
Authors: Lüder Stefan
Published: March 2024

In den vergangenen zwei Jahrzehnten wurde in der Forschung zu europäischen Zivilisierungsmissionen herausgearbeitet, dass die Schaffung eines Gesundheitswesens, medizinische Wissens- und Methodenkanons sowie Bildungsinstitutionen und -inhalte in der Hochphase der europäischen Hegemonie im 19. Jahrhundert oft als Merkmal für den Grad der Zivilisiertheit von Gesellschaften verstanden wurden. Im Folgenden Kapitel geht es um die Frage, welche Rolle die selektive Aneignung von Wissen und Institutionen in der Entstehung eines Bildungssystems und Gesundheitswesens im Gorkhā-Staat spielte und inwieweit diese zur Herrschaftslegitimation von den herrschenden Eliten instrumentalisiert worden sind.
Technologie zur Herrschaftslegitimation
Authors: Lüder Stefan
Published: March 2024

Mit der perspektivischen Erweiterung der historischen Wissenschaften im Laufe der 1980er Jahre wurden auch verschiedene Aspekte materieller Kultur wie Technologien in der Imperialismus- und Kolonialismus-Forschung auf ihre ideologischen Implikationen hin untersucht und zum Gegenstand wissenschaftlicher Debatten. Dabei befasst man sich mit der Frage, wie Technologien als Maßeinheit zur Bestimmung des Zivilisierungsgrades von Gesellschaften herangezogen, zur Herrschaftslegitimation instrumentalisiert worden und Ansprüche auf Macht, Autorität und zivilisatorische Überlegenheit implizierten wurden. Aber während es zahlreiche Publikationen gibt, die sich mit den Zusammenhängen von Herrschaftslegitimation und Technologie in der südasiatischen Geschichte auseinandergesetzt haben, bleibt die Region des zentralen Himalayas in der Empirie dieser Forschungen bis heute gänzlich außen vor. Deshalb wird in diesem Kapitel der Frage nachgegangen, inwieweit Technologien im Verlauf des überlangen 19. Jahrhunderts als Ausdruck der materiellen Dimension von Selbstzivilisierung der Gesellschaft des Gorkhā-Staates und daher als Manifestation sich gegenseitig ergänzender Elemente von Legitimationsdiskurse und -praktiken verstanden werden können.
Synthesis and characterization of graft copolymer hydrogel by “grafting from” atom transfer radical polymerization using brominated macro monomeric initiator and investigation of hydrogel properties
Authors: Göktaş Melahat , Aslan Ümran
Published: March 2024

In this study, poly(ɛ-caprolactone-g-2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate) [P(CL-g-HEMA)] graft copolymer hydrogels were successfully synthesized through multi-step reactions. For this purpose, firstly, hydroxyl-terminated poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL-OH) was obtained by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) method of ɛ-caprolactone using 3-chlor-1,2-propanediol initiator, which is suitable for ring-opening polymerization method. Then, from the reaction of synthesized PCL-OH and 3-bromopropionyl chloride, a new brominated poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL-Br) was synthesized for use as a functionalized atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiator. Poly(ɛ-caprolactone-g-2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate) [P(CL-g-HEMA)] graft copolymer hydrogels were synthesized by “grafting from” atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of 2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate (HEMA) presence the new synthesized functionalized ATRP initiator (PCL-Br) and hydrogel properties were investigated. The synthesized functionalized initiators and graft copolymer hydrogel were characterized by spectroscopic methods such as 1H-NMR, FT-IR, TGA, DSC and SEM. The observation of two different decomposition temperatures, respectively, from the TGA analysis results may support the formation of the biblock graft copolymer. A glass transition temperature (Tg) of the graft copolymer hydrogel was found by DSC, and this value is between the Tg values of the homopolymers forming the graft copolymer hydrogel. Water swelling values of graft copolymer hydrogels were measured and calculated every 24 h in pure water with pH = 7 at from + 4 to 65 °C. Considering the weight of dry graft copolymer hydrogels, it was seen that water was absorbed at most at + 4 °C. As the temperature increased, the water absorption or swelling of the hydrogel decreased.
Comparing the latent state–trait structure of the PANSS in cariprazine-medicated and placebo-controlled patients with acute schizophrenia
Authors: Krückl Jana S. , Acsai Károly , Dombi Zsófia B. , Moeller Julian , Lieb Roselind , Lang Undine E. , Barabássy Ágota , Huber Christian G.
Published: March 2024

After over a hundred years of research, the question whether the symptoms of schizophrenia are rather trait-like (being a relatively stable quality of individuals) or state-like (being substance to change) is still unanswered. To assess the trait and the state component in patients with acute schizophrenia, one group receiving antipsychotic treatment, the other not. Data from four phase II/III, 6-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of similar design that included patients with acute exacerbation of schizophrenia were pooled. In every trial, one treatment group received a third-generation antipsychotic, cariprazine, and the other group placebo. To assess symptoms of schizophrenia, the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) was applied. Further analyses were conducted using the five subscales as proposed by Wallwork and colleagues. A latent state–trait (LST) model was developed to estimate the trait and state components of the total variance of the observed scores. All symptom dimensions behaved more in a trait-like manner. The proportions of all sources of variability changed over the course of the observational period, with a bent around weeks 3 and 4. Visually inspected, no major differences were found between the two treatment groups regarding the LST structure of symptom dimensions. This high proportion of inter-individual stability may represent an inherent part of symptomatology that behaves independently from treatment status.
Discrete Scale Invariance and U(2) Family of Two-Body Contact Interactions in One Dimension
Authors: Ohya Satoshi
Published: March 2024

Because of the absence of indistinguishability constraint, interparticle interactions between nonidentical particles have in general much more variety than those between identical particles. In particular, it is known that there exists a U(2) family of two-body contact interactions between nonidentical particles in one spatial dimension. This paper studies breakdown of continuous scale invariance to discrete scale invariance under this U(2) family of two-body contact interactions in two-body problems of nonidentical particles on the half line. We show that, in contrast to the corresponding identical-particle problem, there exist two distinct channels that admit geometric sequences of two-body bound states.
Mesh vs. non-mesh repair of type I hiatal hernias: a propensity-score matching analysis of 6533 patients from the Herniamed registry
Authors: Hoffmann H. , Glauser P. , Adolf D. , Kirchhoff P. , Köckerling F.
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Surgical treatment of type I hiatal sliding hernias aims to control the gastroesophageal reflux symptoms and prevention of hernia recurrence. Usually, a cruroplasty is performed to narrow the hiatal orifice. Here, it remains controversial if a mesh reinforcement of the cruroplasty should be performed, since benefits as well as mesh-associated complications have been described.

Methods

We performed a propensity-score matching analysis with data derived from the Herniamed registry comparing patients undergoing laparoscopic type I hiatal hernia repair with and without synthetic mesh. We analyzed perioperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data including data derived from the 1-year follow-up in the registry.

Results

6.533 patients with an axial, type I hiatal hernia and gastroesophageal reflux are included in this analysis. Mesh augmentation of the hiatoplasty was performed in n = 1.252/6.533 (19.2%) of patients. The defect size in the subgroup of patients with mesh augmentation was with mean 16.3 cm2 [14.5; 18.2] significantly larger as in the subgroups without mesh augmentation with 10.8 cm2 [8.7; 12.9]; (p < 0.001). In patients with mesh hiatoplasty n = 479 (38.3%) Nissen and n = 773 (61.7%) Toupet fundoplications are performed. 1.207 matched pairs could be analyzed. The mean defect size after matching was with 15.9 cm2 comparable in both groups. A significant association was seen regarding recurrence (4.72% mesh vs. 7.29% non-mesh hiatoplasty, p = 0.012). The same relation can be seen for pain on exertion (8.78% vs 12.10%; p = 0.014) and pain requiring treatment (6.13% vs 9.11%; p = 0.010). All other outcome parameter showed no significant correlation.

Conclusions

Our data demonstrate that mesh-reinforced laparoscopic type I hiatal hernia repair in larger defects is associated with significantly lower rates for recurrence, pain on exertion and pain requiring treatment.
Behavioral intention, perception and user assessment in an immersive virtual reality environment with CFD simulations
Authors: Solmaz Serkan , Gerling Kathrin , Kester Liesbeth , Van Gerven Tom
Published: March 2024

This study explores technology acceptance, perception and user assessment of an immersive virtual reality environment with computational fluid dynamics simulations in engineering education. 57 participants from three different institutions tested the virtual reality application. Partial least squares structural equation modeling and interferential statistics were performed to predict and assess interrelations among constructs. Results show that the learning value, content value, intrinsic motivation and personal innovativeness are underlying factors behind students’ intention to use virtual reality. Pair-wise analysis indicates that users’ perceptions matter and positively affect their attitudes. In addition, the virtual reality application helps students perform significantly better in the post-knowledge test. Findings also highlight that prior experience and interest can affect students’ attitudes and behavioral intentions to accept the virtual reality application in education. Our study can guide lecturers and developers to achieve on-target immersive virtual reality learning environments in higher education.
Optimization of cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) concentration in polycaprolactone bio-composites for bio-plotting: a robust interpretation of the reinforcement mechanisms
Authors: Vidakis Nectarios , Petousis Markos , Michailidis Nikolaos , David Constantine , Mountakis Nikolaos , Papadakis Vassilis , Sfakiotakis Evangelos , Sagris Dimitrios , Argyros Apostolos
Published: March 2024

Bioabsorbable and biodegradable composites have experienced rapid growth, owing to their high demand in the biomedical sector. Polymer-cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) compounds were developed using a medical-grade poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) matrix to improve the stiffness and load-bearing capacity of pure PCL. Five PCL/CNCs filament grades were melt-extruded, pelletized, and fed into an industrial bioplotter to fabricate specimens. To assess the effects of CNCs on pure PCL, 14 tests were conducted, including rheological, thermomechanical, and in situ micro-mechanical testing, among others. The porosity and dimensional accuracy of the samples were also documented using micro-computed tomography while scanning electron microscopy was employed for morphological characterization. Overall, the 4.0 wt % CNCs loading accomplished the optimum mechanical response, with an increase in its tensile (19.1%) and flexural strength (12.6%) compared to pure PCL. Concurrently, this grade exhibited the highest MFR, minimum porosity, and highest nominal-to-actual geometric accuracy, thereby convincingly interpreting the reinforcement mechanisms.
A Consolidated MCDM Framework for Overall Performance Assessment of Listed Insurance Companies Based on Ranking Strategies
Authors: Işık Özcan , Çalık Ahmet , Shabir Mohsin
Published: March 2024

The main objective of this study is to analyze the performance of non-life insurance companies operating in the Turkish insurance industry with a hybrid model including Pythagorean Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (PFAHP) and Multi-Attributive Ideal-Real Comparative Analysis (MAIRCA) methods. For this purpose, the performance assessment indicators, consisting of fourteen sub-criteria in three dimensions are taken into account for comparing five insurance companies traded on the Borsa Istanbul (BIST) over five consecutive years (2015 to 2019). Subsequently, year-wise rankings are aggregated using the Borda count (BC) procedure. The results of PFAHP indicate that service network is the most important main criterion (dimension) for performance assessment of non-life insurance companies, followed by stock market performance and financial ratios that come in the second and third ranks, respectively. Furthermore, the results of MAIRCA based on BC procedure reveal that Halk Sigorta, a state-owned insurance company, is the most successful company in terms of selected performance indicators in the period examined. A comprehensive sensitivity analysis is performed in order to test stability and the robustness of the results from the proposed framework, and the results of sensitivity analysis confirms the rationality and robustness of the suggested integrated MCDM framework. As a result, the suggested assessment framework can be applied by different decision-making groups in the industry as a valuable and practical decision-making tool for monitoring and improving the performance of insurance companies. Finally, some of managerial implications are also discussed.
A comparative study of methods for estimating model-agnostic Shapley value explanations
Authors: Olsen Lars Henry Berge , Glad Ingrid Kristine , Jullum Martin , Aas Kjersti
Published: March 2024

Shapley values originated in cooperative game theory but are extensively used today as a model-agnostic explanation framework to explain predictions made by complex machine learning models in the industry and academia. There are several algorithmic approaches for computing different versions of Shapley value explanations. Here, we consider Shapley values incorporating feature dependencies, referred to as conditional Shapley values, for predictive models fitted to tabular data. Estimating precise conditional Shapley values is difficult as they require the estimation of non-trivial conditional expectations. In this article, we develop new methods, extend earlier proposed approaches, and systematize the new refined and existing methods into different method classes for comparison and evaluation. The method classes use either Monte Carlo integration or regression to model the conditional expectations. We conduct extensive simulation studies to evaluate how precisely the different method classes estimate the conditional expectations, and thereby the conditional Shapley values, for different setups. We also apply the methods to several real-world data experiments and provide recommendations for when to use the different method classes and approaches. Roughly speaking, we recommend using parametric methods when we can specify the data distribution almost correctly, as they generally produce the most accurate Shapley value explanations. When the distribution is unknown, both generative methods and regression models with a similar form as the underlying predictive model are good and stable options. Regression-based methods are often slow to train but quickly produce the Shapley value explanations once trained. The vice versa is true for Monte Carlo-based methods, making the different methods appropriate in different practical situations.
New exact solutions of the (3+1)-dimensional double sine-Gordon equation by two analytical methods
Authors: Manzoor Zuha , Iqbal Muhammad Sajid , Ashraf Farrah , Alroobaea Roobaea , Tarar Muhammad Akhtar , Inc Mustafa , Hussain Shabbir
Published: March 2024

The (3+1)-dimensional double sine-Gordon equation plays a crucial role in various physical phenomena, including nonlinear wave propagation, field theory, and condensed matter physics. However, obtaining exact solutions to this equation faces significant challenges. In this article, we successfully employ a modified $$ \left( \dfrac{G'}{G^2}\right) $$

G
′

G
2

-expansion and improved $$\tan \left( \dfrac{\phi \left( \xi \right) }{2}\right) $$

tan

ϕ

ξ

2

-expansion methods to construct new analytical solutions to the double sine-Gordon equation. These solutions can be divided into four categories like trigonometric function solutions, hyperbolic function solutions, exponential solutions, and rational solutions. Our key findings include a rich spectrum of soliton solutions, encompassing bright, dark, singular, periodic, and mixed types, showcasing the (3+1)-dimensional double sine-Gordon equation ability to model diverse wave behaviors. We uncover previously unreported complex wave structures, revealing the potential for complex nonlinear interactions within the (3+1)-dimensional double sine-Gordon equation framework. We demonstrate the modified $$ \left( \dfrac{G'}{G^2}\right) $$

G
′

G
2

-expansion and improved $$\tan \left( \dfrac{\phi \left( \xi \right) }{2}\right) $$

tan

ϕ

ξ

2

-expansion methods effectiveness in handling higher-dimensional nonlinear partial differential equations, expanding their applicability in mathematical physics. These method offers enhanced flexibility and broader solution categories compared to conventional approaches.
Community pharmacists’ views and experiences of delivering in-pharmacy medication reviews for people living with severe and persistent mental illness: a qualitative study
Authors: Ng Ricki , El-Den Sarira , Collins Jack C. , McMillan Sara S. , Hu Jie , Wheeler Amanda J. , O’Reilly Claire L.
Published: March 2024

Background

People living with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) often take multiple medications and are at risk of experiencing medication related problems. Medication review services have the potential to reduce inappropriate use of psychotropic medications and improve adherence. However, there is limited research regarding pharmacists’ perspectives when providing such services.

Aim

To explore community pharmacists’ views and experiences of providing an in-pharmacy medication review (MedsCheck) for people living with SPMI.

Method

Semi-structured interviews were conducted between November 2021 and May 2022 with community pharmacists participating in the comparator group of the PharMIbridge Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT), which aimed to improve medication adherence and manage physical health concerns for people living with SPMI. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using inductive thematic analysis.

Results

Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with community pharmacists including pharmacy owners, managers and employee pharmacists. Most pharmacist participants who were interviewed (n = 10) were aged under 39 and more than half (n = 8) had 10 or more years of pharmacy experience. Five key themes were identified: 1) Pharmacists’ roles in the management of SPMI in community pharmacy; 2) Mental health education and training; 3) Pharmacy resources; 4) Challenges with interprofessional collaboration and 5) Impact on professional relationships and consumer outcomes.

Conclusion

Pharmacists are motivated to support people living with SPMI. Mental health training, as well as arrangements regarding pharmacy workflow and appropriate remuneration are needed to enable pharmacists to better support people living with SPMI. Referral pathways should be directly accessible by community pharmacists to assist interprofessional collaboration.
Split-bucket partition (SBP): a novel execution model for top-K and selection algorithms on GPUs
Authors: Yang Yiqing , Zhang Guoyin , Wu Yanxia , Zhao Zhixiang , Fu Yan
Published: March 2024

Top-K and selection operations are critical in data processing and analysis, and their efficient implementation on GPUs is increasingly important due to the growing demands of data analysis. Existing methods, primarily relying on the bucket partition execution model, encounter challenges such as uneven bucket distribution and latency in merging processes. To address these issues, we introduce a novel Split-Bucket Partition (SBP) execution model that specifically addresses these challenges. Additionally, we propose task and control flow optimizations targeted at top-K and selection algorithms, which further contribute to performance improvements. Our optimized algorithms significantly outperform existing approaches, delivering performance gains of up to $$2.3$$

2.3

times and $$1.6$$

1.6

times for different bucket partitioning rules. Our algorithms show robust performance improvements in non-uniform data scenarios, with gains ranging from $$1.9$$

1.9

times to $$15.5$$

15.5

times. However, it should be noted that the SBP model has limitations related to shared memory and register utilization, potentially impacting performance. Tests on TU102 and A100 GPU architectures validate the effectiveness of our approach, achieving a maximum speedup of $$2.9$$

2.9

times. The study suggests that while the SBP model is effective for top-K and selection algorithms, it also holds promise for other computational tasks, setting the stage for future research.
The pragmatic turn in the scientific realism debate
Authors: Boucher Sandy C. , Forbes Curtis
Published: March 2024

In recent years there has been a noticeable yet largely unacknowledged ‘pragmatic turn’ in the scientific realism debate, inspired in part by van Fraassen’s work on ‘epistemic stances’. Features of this new approach include: an ascent to the meta-level (the focus is not so much on whether scientific realism is true, but on the prior questions of the nature of the positions in this debate, how to decide whether to be a scientific realist, etc.); a reinterpretation of scientific realism and anti-realism as (or as closely associated with) stances or frameworks, rather than theories or beliefs; a move away from the previously dominant empirical-explanatory (i.e. quasi-scientific or naturalistic) conception of scientific realism, anti-realism, and their justification; and a stress on the pragmatic and values-based elements in the debate. The traditional scientific realism debate is concerned with determining which position is true, or most epistemically justified. The new approach by contrast is concerned with determining which position best serves certain values, e.g. is most useful, fruitful, or otherwise prudentially preferable. In this paper we try to bring together the various strands in this new orientation, summarise its key features, contrast it with superficially similar but opposing views, and explore the similarities and differences among some of its adherents. Given we are advocates of the turn, we also offer a defence of the value and fruitfulness of this reconceptualization of the debate.