bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Depression, loneliness, and lower social activity as partial mediators of the association between visual impairment and cognitive decline
Authors: Moon Katherine A. , Sol Ketlyne , Simone Stephanie M. , Zaheed Afsara B. , Krasnova Anna , Andrews Ryan M. , Vonk Jet M. J. , Widaman Keith F. , Armstrong Nicole M.
Published: July 2024

Objectives

Sensory impairment is a hypothesized risk factor for cognitive decline; however, the psychosocial pathways are not well understood. We evaluated whether the association between visual impairment (VI) and cognitive decline was partially mediated via depressive symptoms, loneliness, or social activity.

Methods

We used data from 2601 older adults enrolled in the Memory and Aging Project in 1997 and the Minority Aging Research Study in 2004 with neuropsychological tests across five domains measured annually for up to 16 years. VI was assessed with the Rosenbaum Pocket Vision Screener. Depressive symptoms, loneliness, and social activity were self‐reported using validated scales. We used structural equation models to estimate the associations of VI with baseline and change in cognitive function, directly and indirectly through each mediator (depressive symptoms, loneliness, and social activity). We evaluated mediation via “psychological distress” using a latent variable combining depressive symptoms and loneliness.

Results

The association between VI and global cognitive decline was mediated via lower social activity (indirect effect) [95% confidence interval (CI)] of linear slope: −0.025 (−0.048, −0.011), via loneliness (−0.011 [95% CI: −0.028, −0.002]), and via psychological distress (−0.017 [95% CI: −0.042, −0.003]). We did not find sufficient evidence for mediation via depressive symptoms alone.

Conclusions

The harmful effect of VI on cognitive decline may be partially mediated through loneliness and lower social activity.
Pet ownership and psychosocial outcomes among the oldest old in Germany during the Covid‐19 pandemic. Findings based on the nationally representative “Old Age in Germany (D80+)”
Authors: Hajek André , Peltzer Karl , Veronese Nicola , König Hans‐Helmut , Gyasi Razak M.
Published: July 2024

Objectives

To examine the association between pet ownership and psychosocial outcomes among the oldest old in Germany during the Covid‐19 pandemic.

Methods/Design

Data from the “Old Age in Germany (D80+)” study were used, a large, nationwide representative study covering both individuals living at home and individuals in nursing homes aged 80 years and above (n = 2867 individuals). The telephone interviews were conducted from May to October 2021. Established tools (e.g., “Short Form of the Depression in Old Age Scale”, DIA‐S4) were used to quantify the outcomes. Five groups were generated: (1) no pet ownership, (2) having at least one dog (but no other pets), (3) having at least one cat (but no other pets), (4) having at least one other pet (but neither dogs nor cats), (5) having at least two different types of pets (in any combination).

Results

Multiple linear regressions showed that compared to individuals without a pet, individuals having at least one dog had significantly lower loneliness levels (β = −0.21, p < 0.01). In the fully‐adjusted models, other forms of pet ownership were not significantly associated with the outcomes examined.

Conclusion

Particularly living with a dog was associated with lower loneliness among the oldest old people in Germany. If living with a dog is in line with the preferences and attitudes of the very old, this could be a strategy for reducing loneliness in this age group.
Reconceptualizing threshold‐mediated runoff responses: A case study from the Humber River watershed, Ontario, Canada
Authors: Ross Cody A. , Ali Genevieve A. , Spence Christopher , Oswald Claire J. , Phillips Anna K.
Published: July 2024

Watershed‐scale runoff responses are driven by various factors including climate, geology, soils, topography and landcover. They are often threshold‐mediated, expressing significant changes in hydrologic behaviour at critical moments in time or points in space. The influence of multiple explanatory variables on rainfall‐runoff relationships is not adequately captured by commonly applied approaches portraying runoff responses as a function of one variable related to watershed storage. In this case study, a novel approach was borrowed from ecological research to quantify and better understand threshold‐mediated runoff responses. Modelled three‐dimensional surfaces depicting metrics of event runoff responses as a function of rainfall amount and intensity were analysed to quantify both the abruptness of potential thresholds (i.e., threshold strength) and the simultaneous influence of different rainfall characteristics on the response (i.e., diagonality). The approach was applied to sub‐watersheds of the Humber River (Ontario, Canada), which have a nested configuration and a strong land use gradient, providing an opportunity to explore how the interplay between rainfall amount and intensity in determining runoff response is affected by sub‐watershed physical features. The study revealed that threshold strengths and the simultaneous influence of rainfall amount and intensity varied, depending on the sub‐watershed and event‐specific conditions. There was evidence that sub‐watershed slope and imperviousness along with the watershed position relative to prevailing weather patterns influences threshold strength and diagonality. This research extends threshold analyses in hydrology to encompass multiple explanatory variables: it aligns more closely with perceptual models of runoff generation and encourages a reimagining of thresholds as discontinuities in response across various combinations of explanatory variables. The threshold strength and diagonality parameters facilitate objective comparisons of thresholds across space and time and may be valuable tools for watershed classification and inter‐comparison, and for evaluating and/or calibrating rainfall‐runoff models. These promising lines of inquiry would be best served by applying this methodology across a broader range of spatial scales and hydroclimatic conditions.
Conventional and modern markers of pregnancy of unknown location: Update and narrative review
Authors: Hou Likang , Liang Xiaowen , Zeng Lingqing , Wang Qian , Chen Zhiyi
Published: July 2024

Pregnancy of unknown location (PUL) is a temporary pathologic or physiologic phenomenon of early pregnancy that requires follow up to determine the final pregnancy outcome. Evidence indicated that PUL patients suffer a remarkably higher rate of adverse pregnancy outcomes, represented by ectopic gestation and early pregnancy loss, than the general population. In the past few decades, discussion about PUL has never stopped, and a variety of markers have been widely investigated for the early and accurate evaluation of PUL, including serum biomarkers, ultrasound imaging features, multivariate analysis, and the diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy based on risk stratification. So far, machine learning (ML) methods represented by M4 and M6 logistic regression have gained a level of recognition and are continually improving. Nevertheless, the heterogeneity of PUL markers, mainly caused by the limited sample size, the differences in population and technical maturity, etc., have hampered the management of PUL. With the advancement of multidisciplinary integration and cutting‐edge technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence, prediction model development, and telemedicine), novel markers, and strategies for the management of PUL are expected to be developed. In this review, we summarize both conventional and novel markers (represented by artificial intelligence) for PUL assessment and management, investigate their advancements, limitations and challenges, and propose insights on future research direction and clinical application.
Biomechanical effectiveness of controlled ankle motion boots: A systematic review and narrative synthesis
Authors: Stolycia Mason L. , Lunn David E. , Stanier Will , Walker Josh , Wilkins Richard A.
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Controlled ankle motion (CAM) boots are a below‐knee orthotic device prescribed for the management of foot and ankle injuries to reduce ankle range of motion (RoM) and offload the foot and ankle whilst allowing continued ambulation during recovery. There is a lack of clarity within the current literature surrounding the biomechanical understanding and effectiveness of CAM boots.

Aims

To summarise the biomechanical effects of CAM boot wear as an orthotic for restricting ankle RoM and offloading the foot.

Methods

A systematic literature review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. All papers were independently screened by two authors for inclusion. Methodological quality was appraised using Joanna Briggs Critical Appraisal checklists. A narrative synthesis of all eligible papers was produced.

Results

Thirteen studies involving 197 participants (113 male and 84 female) were included. All studies were quasi‐randomised and employed a within‐study design, of which 12 studies included a control group and a range of CAM boots were investigated. CAM boots can be seen to restrict ankle RoM, however, neighboring joints such as the knee and hip do have kinetic and kinematic compensatory alterations. Plantar pressure of the forefoot is effectively redistributed to the hindfoot by CAM boots.

Conclusion

The compensatory mechanisms at the hip and knee joint during CAM boot wear could explain the secondary site pain often reported in patients, specifically at the ipsilateral knee and contralateral hip. Although CAM boots can be used to restrict ankle motion, this review has highlighted a lack of in‐boot kinematic analyses during CAM boot use, where tracking markers are placed on the anatomical structure rather than on the boot, or through video fluoroscopy, urging the need for a more robust methodological approach to achieve this. There is a need for studies to assess the biomechanical alterations caused by CAM boots in populations living with foot and ankle pathologies. Future research, adopting a longitudinal study design, is required to fully understand the effectiveness of CAM boots for rehabilitation.
The therapeutic landscape of citrin deficiency
Authors: Vuković Toni , Kuek Li Eon , Yu Barbara , Makris Georgios , Häberle Johannes
Published: July 2024

Citrin deficiency (CD) is a recessive, liver disease caused by sequence variants in the SLC25A13 gene encoding a mitochondrial aspartate–glutamate transporter. CD manifests as different age‐dependent phenotypes and affects crucial hepatic metabolic pathways including malate–aspartate‐shuttle, glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, de novo lipogenesis and the tricarboxylic acid and urea cycles. Although the exact pathophysiology of CD remains unclear, impaired use of glucose and fatty acids as energy sources due to NADH shuttle defects and PPARα downregulation, respectively, indicates evident energy deficit in CD hepatocytes. The present review summarizes current trends on available and potential treatments for CD. Baseline recommendation for CD patients is dietary management, often already present as a self‐selected food preference, that includes protein and fat‐rich food, and avoidance of excess carbohydrates. At present, liver transplantation remains the sole curative option for severe CD cases. Our extensive literature review indicated medium‐chain triglycerides (MCT) as the most widely used CD treatment in all age groups. MCT can effectively improve symptoms across disease phenotypes by rapidly supplying energy to the liver, restoring redox balance and inducing lipogenesis. In contrast, sodium pyruvate restored glycolysis and displayed initial preclinical promise, with however limited efficacy in adult CD patients. Ursodeoxycholic acid, nitrogen scavengers and L‐arginine treatments effectively address specific pathophysiological aspects such as cholestasis and hyperammonemia and are commonly administered in combination with other drugs. Finally, future possibilities including restoring redox balance, amino acid supplementation, enhancing bioenergetics, improving ureagenesis and mRNA/DNA‐based gene therapy are also discussed.
Specific long‐term changes in anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 IgG modifications and antibody functions in mRNA, adenovector, and protein subunit vaccines
Authors: Reinig Sebastian , Kuo Chin , Wu Chia‐Chun , Huang Sheng‐Yu , Yu Jau‐Song , Shih Shin‐Ru
Published: July 2024

Various vaccine platforms were developed and deployed against the COVID‐19 disease. The Fc‐mediated functions of IgG antibodies are essential in the adaptive immune response elicited by vaccines. However, the long‐term changes of protein subunit vaccines and their combinations with messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines are unknown. A total of 272 serum and plasma samples were collected from individuals who received first to third doses of the protein subunit Medigen, the mRNA (BNT, Moderna), or the adenovector AstraZeneca vaccines. The IgG subclass level was measured using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, and Fc‐N glycosylation was measured using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Antibody‐dependent‐cellular‐phagocytosis (ADCP) and complement deposition (ADCD) of anti‐spike (S) IgG antibodies were measured by flow cytometry. IgG1 and 3 reached the highest anti‐S IgG subclass level. IgG1, 2, and 4 subclass levels significantly increased in mRNA‐ and Medigen‐vaccinated individuals. Fc‐glycosylation was stable, except in female BNT vaccinees, who showed increased bisection and decreased galactosylation. Female BNT vaccinees had a higher anti‐S IgG titer than that of males. ADCP declined in all groups. ADCD was significantly lower in AstraZeneca‐vaccinated individuals. Each vaccine produced specific long‐term changes in Fc structure and function. This finding is critical when selecting a vaccine platform or combination to achieve the desired immune response.
Trade credits and visit frequency: The role of order financing on logistics efficiency in the nanostore setting
Authors: Escamilla Rafael , Fransoo Jan C. , Mogollon Marcos
Published: July 2024

Millions of mom‐and‐pop nanostores dominate the grocery retail landscape in emerging markets. As nanostores are cash and storage space constrained, their suppliers tend to visit them with a high frequency, causing high operational costs. It is unclear if credit could mitigate such costs by allowing for a lower visit frequency. To investigate this, we conduct a randomized field experiment on nanostores that have not made recent use of supplier credit, with the objective to uncover how trade credits interact with the visit frequency and with the available storage space to shape shopkeepers' ordering behavior. We find that trade credits moderate the positive relationship between visit frequency and bi‐weekly order size, with credit effects being salient under low frequency visits. Storage space, by contrast, does not directionally shape shopkeepers' ordering behavior. While trade credits may more than offset the negative effect of low frequency visits among adopting nanostores, credit adoption remains challenging, with only 24% of nanostores assigned to the credit condition actually adopting the credit. Remarkably, not a single credit line was defaulted over the entire duration of the intervention. In terms of assortment, trade credit is mostly used to acquire nanostores' core assortment of popular, low‐price items with low physical volume. We contribute to the extant literature by showing that the gesture by the supplier to extend trade credit may only partly legitimize a reduction of the visit frequency.
Antibiotics, passive smoking, high socioeconomic status and sweetened foods contribute to the risk of paediatric inflammatory bowel disease: A systematic review with meta‐analysis
Authors: Thacker Nisha , Duncanson Kerith , Eslick Guy D. , Dutt Shoma , O'Loughlin Edward V. , Hoedt Emily C. , Collins Clare E.
Published: July 2024

Objective

Genetic and environmental factors influence pathogenesis and rising incidence of paediatric inflammatory bowel disease (PIBD). The aim was to meta‐analyse evidence of diet and environmental factors in PIBD.

Methods

A systematic search was conducted to identify diet and environmental factors with comparable risk outcome measures and had been reported in two or more PIBD studies for inclusion in meta‐analyses. Those with ≥2 PIBD risk estimates were combined to provide pooled risk estimates.

Results

Of 4763 studies identified, 36 studies were included. PIBD was associated with higher risk with exposure to ≥/=4 antibiotic courses (includes prescriptions/purchases/courses), passive smoking, not being breastfed, sugary drink intake, being a non‐Caucasian child living in a high‐income country and infection history (odds ratio [OR] range: 2–3.8). Paediatric Crohn's disease (CD) was associated with higher risk with exposure to antibiotics during early childhood, ≥/=4 antibiotic courses, high socioeconomic status (SES), maternal smoking, history of atopic conditions and infection history (OR range: 1.6–4.4). A history of infection was also associated with higher risk of paediatric ulcerative colitis (UC) (OR: 3.73). Having a higher number of siblings (≥2) was associated with lower risk of paediatric CD (OR: 0.6) and paediatric UC (OR: 0.7). Pet exposure was associated with lower risk of paediatric UC (OR: 0.5).

Conclusion

Several factors associated with PIBD risk were identified that could potentially be used to develop a disease screening tool. Future research is needed to address risk reduction in PIBD.
Not only domestic spaces: dismantling short‐term occupations in Level 497D of Cova Gran de Santa Linya (Pre‐Pyrenees, Spain)
Authors: Sánchez‐Romero Laura , Martínez‐Moreno Jorge , Benito‐Calvo Alfonso , Sánchez‐Martínez Javier , Torcal Rafael Mora
Published: July 2024

The Early Upper Paleolithic Level 497D of Cova Gran (Pre‐Pyrenees, Spain) comprises large assemblages of lithics, fauna, hearths, ash accumulations and well‐preserved refitting sequences. This provides exceptional information to analyze spatial patterns and deepen our understanding of the socio‐economic behavior of these human groups. This large interdisciplinary dataset has allowed us to carry out a detailed spatial study based on density analysis, geostatistics, fabric analysis and orientation techniques, revealing a structuring of the activities performed within the rock shelter. The distribution and accumulation of lithic artifacts, fauna and refits, and their association with the 10 hearths and ash accumulations, show that different types of activities were developed at the site, as well as showing the different uses of the hearths. 497D is a palimpsest where several short‐term occupations and/or activities could have occurred in a relatively short period of time, avoiding prolonged exposure to biotic and abiotic post‐depositional factors that could have significantly disturbed this well‐preserved assemblage. This level shows a place visited several times in relation to the development of specific activities, with movements throughout the landscape for the exploitation of local and regional resources, and less so its use as a domestic space. This implies that the central settlement, or dwelling space, would have been located somewhere other than Cova Gran.
Trauma reminders and disgust: The roles of posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity, trauma type, and reminder type
Authors: Nester M. Shae , Wisco Blair E.
Published: July 2024

Disgust is a common emotional response to trauma but is studied less frequently than fear or other negative emotions. In laboratory settings, individuals with a history of sexual assault report more disgust following exposure to trauma reminders than those exposed to other trauma types, and people with more severe posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms typically report more disgust than those with lower symptom levels. It remains unknown whether this association is also present in ecological contexts and if these associations vary by trauma reminder type. The present sample included 80 trauma‐exposed community members (PTSD: n = 39, no PTSD: n = 41) who completed up to 17 prompts per day for 3 days (2,158 total completed surveys). Multilevel models indicated that trauma reminders were associated with increased feelings of disgust, B = 0.16, SE = 0.06, p < .001, which was consistent across trauma reminder types, p < .001–p = .001. PTSD symptom severity moderated the association between trauma reminders and disgust such that it was stronger for participants with higher CAPS‐5 scores, B = 0.02, SE = 0.01, p = .011. All trauma reminder types demonstrated the same pattern of moderation, ps = .003–.022, except flashbacks, p = .070. Trauma type was not a significant moderator of any trauma reminder type, ps = .193–.929. These findings suggest that trauma reminders encountered in daily life are associated with feelings of disgust. The results underscore the importance of exploring disgust as a trauma‐related emotional experience among trauma survivors.
An overview of diagnostics and therapeutics using large language models
Authors: Malgaroli Matteo , McDuff Daniel
Published: July 2024

There is an acute need for solutions to treat stress and trauma–related sequelae, and there are well‐documented shortages of qualified human professionals. Artificial intelligence (AI) presents an opportunity to create advanced screening, diagnosis, and treatment solutions that relieve the burden on people and can provide just‐in‐time interventions. Large language models (LLMs), in particular, are promising given the role language plays in understanding and treating traumatic stress and other mental health conditions. In this article, we provide an overview of the state‐of‐the‐art LLMs applications in diagnostic assessments, clinical note generation, and therapeutic support. We discuss the open research direction and challenges that need to be overcome to realize the full potential of deploying language models for use in clinical contexts. We highlight the need for increased representation in AI systems to ensure there are no disparities in access. Public datasets and models will help lead progress toward better models; however, privacy‐preserving model training will be necessary for protecting patient data.
Dynamic interchange between two protonation states is characteristic of active sites of cholinesterases
Authors: Zlobin Alexander , Smirnov Ivan , Golovin Andrey
Published: July 2024

Cholinesterases are well‐known and widely studied enzymes crucial to human health and involved in neurology, Alzheimer's, and lipid metabolism. The protonation pattern of active sites of cholinesterases influences all the chemical processes within, including reaction, covalent inhibition by nerve agents, and reactivation. Despite its significance, our comprehension of the fine structure of cholinesterases remains limited. In this study, we employed enhanced‐sampling quantum‐mechanical/molecular‐mechanical calculations to show that cholinesterases predominantly operate as dynamic mixtures of two protonation states. The proton transfer between two non‐catalytic glutamate residues follows the Grotthuss mechanism facilitated by a mediator water molecule. We show that this uncovered complexity of active sites presents a challenge for classical molecular dynamics simulations and calls for special treatment. The calculated proton transfer barrier of 1.65 kcal/mol initiates a discussion on the potential existence of two coupled low‐barrier hydrogen bonds in the inhibited form of butyrylcholinesterase. These findings expand our understanding of structural features expressed by highly evolved enzymes and guide future advances in cholinesterase‐related protein and drug design studies.
A suicidal and extensively disordered luciferase with a bright luminescence
Authors: Dijkema Fenne Marjolein , Escarpizo‐Lorenzana Marta Iglesia , Nordentoft Matilde Knapkøien , Rabe Hanna Christin , Sahin Cagla , Landreh Michael , Branca Rui Mamede , Sørensen Esben Skipper , Christensen Brian , Prestel Andreas , Teilum Kaare , Winther Jakob Rahr
Published: July 2024

Gaussia luciferase (GLuc) is one of the most luminescent luciferases known and is widely used as a reporter in biochemistry and cell biology. During catalysis, GLuc undergoes inactivation by irreversible covalent modification. The mechanism by which GLuc generates luminescence and how it becomes inactivated are however not known. Here, we show that GLuc unlike other enzymes has an extensively disordered structure with a minimal hydrophobic core and no apparent binding pocket for the main substrate, coelenterazine. From an alanine scan, we identified two Arg residues required for light production. These residues separated with an average of about 22 Å and a major structural rearrangement is required if they are to interact with the substrate simultaneously. We furthermore show that in addition to coelenterazine, GLuc also can oxidize furimazine, however, in this case without production of light. Both substrates result in the formation of adducts with the enzyme, which eventually leads to enzyme inactivation. Our results demonstrate that a rigid protein structure and substrate‐binding site are no prerequisites for high enzymatic activity and specificity. In addition to the increased understanding of enzymes in general, the findings will facilitate future improvement of GLuc as a reporter luciferase.
On the Auxetic Potential of Synthesizable Calix[4]arene Polymers
Authors: Cardona Maria A. , Grima Joseph N. , Evans Ken E. , Gatt Ruben
Published: July 2024

Materials exhibiting auxetic behavior have garnered significant interest due to their potential applications across various fields, with synthetic auxetic materials being one such group. Theoretical studies have demonstrated the potential for various organic polymeric systems to exhibit auxetic behavior. However, to date, only a few synthesized molecular systems have shown some degree of auxetic behavior. Among the theoretical classes of molecular systems that have attracted attention are calix[4]arene systems in the “egg‐rack” conformation. While the theoretical systems proposed in the literature have been deemed difficult to synthesize, calix[4]arene chemistry has advanced tremendously in recent years. In fact, a number of molecular systems with configurations similar to those predicted to exhibit a negative Poisson's ratio have been synthesized, albeit with different chemical moieties. Consequently, it is deemed valuable to study the potential of these synthesized systems to exhibit a negative Poisson's ratio through force‐field‐based simulations. This study is extended to include theoretical calix[4]arene systems linked by acetylene moieties, which are also potentially synthesizable through known methods. It is suggested that these materials can exhibit auxetic behavior when subjected to on‐axis loading in the [001] direction. A detailed mechanistic study of these systems is also conducted.
Concurrent event‐triggered adaptive neural control for MASS under cross‐water scenarios
Authors: Ye Xiang , Chen Chao , Zhu Guibing , Hu Xin
Published: July 2024

This article discusses the control problem of marine autonomous surface ships (MASS) under cross‐water scenarios, that is, from open water to restricted water, where several practical facts, such as uncertain dynamic, unknown disturbance and actuator wear suppression, are taken into account. To resolve such a control design challenge, the predefined performance control (PPC)‐based and barrier Lyapunov function (BLF)‐based ideas are employed, and a prespecified performance function (PPF) is designed to implement the transformation of cross‐water design. Under the adaptive backstepping design framework, with aid of PPC‐based and BLF‐based design ideas, an adaptive neural control solution is developed for MASS under cross‐water scenarios. Furthermore, to reduce the actuator wear and tear caused by high‐frequency corresponding control commands and hull vibration, a new multichannel concurrent event‐triggered protocol (ETP) is constructed in the controller‐actuator (C‐A) channel. Finally, a concurrent event‐triggered adaptive neural control scheme is proposed for MASS under cross‐water scenarios. The theoretical analysis indicates that all signals in the control system are ultimately bounded, and the Zeno behavior is avoided. The simulation and comparison results verify the effectiveness and superiority of the developed control scheme.
A two‐stage Bayesian framework for rapid dynamics identification in industrial robots
Authors: Qiao Xuechun , Yang Liren , Liu Xing , Wang Yasen , Cheng Cheng
Published: July 2024

Accurate dynamic models that update in real‐time are vital for industrial robots to adapt flexibly and robustly to evolving environments and tasks, enabling precise model‐based control, motion planning and disturbance estimation. However, the identification of a dynamic robot model involves multiple challenges. First, existing friction models cannot accurately characterize torque variance during prolonged robot operations. Second, traditional offline identification methods such as the least squares (LS) method, suffer from over‐fitting when the inertia parameters are unknown a priori. Furthermore, existing online identification approaches, such as sliding LS, fail to meet the accuracy and real‐time requirements of industrial robots. To address these challenges, this article proposes a two‐stage Bayesian framework for rapid offline identification and online updating of industrial robot dynamics. In the offline stage, we developed a recursive sparse Bayesian learning (RSBL) method to select the dominant parameters and discover a thermal‐related nonlinear dynamic friction model from data, which was then used to find a sparser and simpler inertia model. The obtained friction and inertia models were used as prior knowledge for online updating. The RSBL method significantly reduces the computational complexity and runtime, while it also accelerates online model updating. Experimental results for a 6‐DOF medium‐load robot validate dual offline improvements in prediction accuracy and model sparsity, along with higher online prediction accuracy and shorter computational time.
Pilot implementation of an evidence‐based online cognitive behavioural therapy for perfectionism in university students: Lessons learnt
Authors: Robinson Katherine , Atkinson Melissa J. , Kylišová Kateřina , Egan Sarah J. , Shafran Roz , Wade Tracey D.
Published: July 2024

Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) have been met with an unprecedented demand on their student counselling and wellbeing services in recent years with the impacts of COVID‐19 and high rates of mental health concerns amongst student populations. Online mental health programs offer one solution by providing students with quick and easy access to effective therapeutic content. The Focused Minds Program is an evidence‐based eight‐module online self‐guided cognitive behavioural intervention that targets the transdiagnostic risk factor of perfectionism and has been shown to decrease depression, anxiety, and disordered eating. The program was implemented at a UK university between 2021 and 2023. Recruitment occurred via departmental emails, academic staff, and the university's counselling staff and website. Participants were provided with access to the intervention for 6‐weeks and completed weekly surveys of psychosocial measures. The trial's implementation was assessed using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance framework: reach (uptake via the recruitment channels), effectiveness (outcomes on psychometric measures of mental wellbeing), adoption (staff and organisational support), implementation (intervention engagement and attrition), and maintenance (continued implementation across the trial period). Key barriers to successful implementation, as well as proposed solutions, are discussed to guide future online mental health interventions provided in HEIs.
Employment restrictions on resource transferability and value appropriation from employees
Authors: Balasubramanian Natarajan , Starr Evan , Yamaguchi Shotaro
Published: July 2024

Research Summary

We examine the joint adoption of four employment restrictions that limit firm resource outflows—nondisclosure (NDA), non‐solicitation, non‐recruitment, and noncompete agreements—and their associations with value appropriation from employees. Using novel individual‐ and firm‐level survey data, we find that when firms adopt restrictions, they tend to adopt either all four restrictions or only an NDA. Adoption of all four restrictions is more likely when workers have access to valuable resources, noncompetes are more enforceable, and states adopt the inevitable disclosure doctrine. Employees with all four restrictions earn 5.4% less than employees with only NDAs, and this effect is driven by workers with low bargaining power. Analyses of earnings and a single restriction (e.g., only noncompetes) yield opposite results from those considering joint adoption, likely because of selection.

Managerial Summary

Valuable firm resources are often embedded in employees. We study whether and when firms adopt four employment restrictions that could protect such resources—agreements not to disclose information, not to solicit clients or coworkers, and not to join or start a competitor—and examine the extent to which they are associated with value capture from employees. Using novel firm and worker‐level surveys, we find that firms mostly adopt either all four restrictions together, only an NDA, or use no restrictions. Workers are more likely to have all four restrictions when they have access to valuable resources, when noncompetes are more enforceable, and when states adopt the inevitable disclosure doctrine. Finally, all four restrictions are associated with 5.4% lower earnings on average relative to workers with only an NDA, driven by workers with low‐bargaining power.
Reproducible and acid‐responsive Rhodamine B/PEG functioned nanographene oxide‐Au nanocomposites for surface‐enhanced Raman scattering sensing
Authors: Qian Wenhao , Xing Min , Ye Mao , Huang Xiaoyu , Li Yongjun , Hao Bingjie
Published: July 2024

Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been visualized as a promising analytical technique in marked‐molecule detection for disease diagnosis, environmental pollution, and so on. Noble metal nanoparticles, especially gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), are commonly used to fabricate SERS substrates. Herein, we facilely fabricated a special platform to improve the dispersity and homogeneity of AuNPs. Practically, based on nano‐graphene oxide (GO), a special platform (s‐GO‐PEG‐R'hB) was prepared through GO functionalization with biocompatible poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), acid‐activated fluorescence molecule (Rhodamine B lactam derivative, R'hB) and thiol sites with cysteamine. AuNPs were then in situ grown on s‐GO‐PEG‐R'hB sheets to provide GO/AuNPs nanocomposite (Au@s‐GO‐PEG‐R'hB) for use as an efficient SERS substrate, which can exert unique electromagnetic characteristics of AuNPs and improve its dispersity. With systematic morphology and composition characterizations, it was confirmed that uniform AuNPs were located on multi‐functionalized GO sheets in Au@s‐GO‐PEG‐R'hB as we designed. Au@s‐GO‐PEG‐R'hB performed well in SERS detection towards 4‐aminothiophenol (4‐ATP) and p‐phenylenediamine (PD), with preferable sensibility, stability and effectiveness. With well‐knit SERS results, it is indicated that Au@s‐GO‐PEG‐R'hB could take the advantages of inherent electrochemical properties of AuNPs and functionalized GO to be a potential substrate in SERS detection. Thus, it is foreseen that Au@s‐GO‐PEG‐R'hB can meet diverse SERS sensing demands in real life.
High‐performance porous transport layers for proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers
Authors: Tao Youkun , Wu Minhua , Hu Meiqi , Xu Xihua , Abdullah Muhammad I. , Shao Jing , Wang Haijiang
Published: July 2024

Hydrogen is a favored alternative to fossil fuels due to the advantages of cleanliness, zero emissions, and high calorific value. Large‐scale green hydrogen production can be achieved using proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs) with utilization of renewable energy. The porous transport layer (PTL), positioned between the flow fields and catalyst layers (CLs) in PEMWEs, plays a critical role in facilitating water/gas transport, enabling electrical/thermal conduction, and mechanically supporting CLs and membranes. Superior corrosion resistance is essential as PTL operates in acidic media with oxygen saturation and high working potential. This paper covers the development of high‐performance titanium‐based PTLs for PEMWEs. The heat/electrical conduction and mass transport mechanisms of PTLs and how they affect the overall performances are reviewed. By carefully designing and controlling substrate microstructure, protective coating, and surface modification, the performance of PTL can be regulated and optimized. The two‐phase mass transport characteristics can be enhanced by fine‐tuning the microstructure and surface wettability of PTL. The addition of a microporous top‐layer can effectively improve PTL|CL contact and increase the availability of catalytic sites. The anticorrosion coatings, which are crucial for chemical stability and conductivity of the PTL, are compared and analyzed in terms of composition, fabrication, and performance.
Challenges in Peptide Solubilization – Amyloids Case Study
Authors: Polańska Oliwia , Szulc Natalia , Stottko Rafał , Olek Mateusz , Nadwodna Julita , Gąsior‐Głogowska Marlena , Szefczyk Monika
Published: July 2024

Peptide science has been a rapidly growing research field because of the enormous potential application of these biocompatible and bioactive molecules. However, many factors limit the widespread use of peptides in medicine, and low solubility is among the most common problems that hamper drug development in the early stages of research. Solubility is a crucial, albeit poorly understood, feature that determines peptide behavior. Several different solubility predictors have been proposed, and many strategies and protocols have been reported to dissolve peptides, but none of them is a one‐size‐fits‐all method for solubilization of even the same peptide. In this review, we look for the reasons behind the difficulties in dissolving peptides, analyze the factors influencing peptide aggregation, conduct a critical analysis of solubilization strategies and protocols available in the literature, and give some tips on how to deal with the so‐called difficult sequences. We focus on amyloids, which are particularly difficult to dissolve and handle such as amyloid beta (Aβ), insulin, and phenol‐soluble modulins (PSMs).
An introduction to weather, climate and the energy sector
Authors: Wright Matthew
Published: July 2024

Weather and climate have impacts across the energy sector. This short article introduces the effects of weather on the energy sector with some specific examples and looks ahead to changes that might be seen in weather and climate services for the energy sector in the near future.
Artificial intelligence in cardiac surgery: A systematic review
Authors: Sulague Ralf Martz , Beloy Francis Joshua , Medina Jillian Reeze , Mortalla Edward Daniel , Cartojano Thea Danielle , Macapagal Sharina , Kpodonu Jacques
Published: July 2024

Background

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a tool to potentially increase the efficiency and efficacy of cardiovascular care and improve clinical outcomes. This study aims to provide an overview of applications of AI in cardiac surgery.

Methods

A systematic literature search on AI applications in cardiac surgery from inception to February 2024 was conducted. Articles were then filtered based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria and the risk of bias was assessed. Key findings were then summarized.

Results

A total of 81 studies were found that reported on AI applications in cardiac surgery. There is a rapid rise in studies since 2020. The most popular machine learning technique was random forest (n = 48), followed by support vector machine (n = 33), logistic regression (n = 32), and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (n = 31). Most of the studies were on adult patients, conducted in China, and involved procedures such as valvular surgery (24.7%), heart transplant (9.4%), coronary revascularization (11.8%), congenital heart disease surgery (3.5%), and aortic dissection repair (2.4%). Regarding evaluation outcomes, 35 studies examined the performance, 26 studies examined clinician outcomes, and 20 studies examined patient outcomes.

Conclusion

AI was mainly used to predict complications following cardiac surgeries and improve clinicians' decision‐making by providing better preoperative risk assessment, stratification, and prognostication. While the application of AI in cardiac surgery has greatly progressed in the last decade, further studies need to be conducted to verify accuracy and ensure safety before use in clinical practice.
Histories of Frozen Earth
Authors: Chu Pey-Yi
Published: July 2024

This chapter provides an overview of histories of frozen earth while arguing that scholarship must attend to the historicity of permafrost as a scientific idea. It begins by discussing histories written before the establishment of permafrost science as a discipline. In this stage, terms for frozen earth had not yet been standardized, and interest in it was connected to major questions of nineteenth-century geology, especially the theory of ice ages. The chapter then considers histories written during the period of consolidating permafrost science, when state goals of colonization, industrialization, and militarization motivated research into frozen earth. Frozen earth became permafrost, and scientists used history to debate the discipline’s goals and orientation. Finally, the chapter analyzes histories written amid rising global awareness of anthropogenic climate change and the thawing of frozen earth. If, previously, histories of frozen earth were written primarily by scientists, in this stage scholars in the humanities and social sciences became increasingly engaged as well. They have explored the meanings of frozen earth in a variety of cultural contexts. This chapter argues that human engagements with frozen earth invested the phenomenon with multiple essences and names, of which permafrost was but one. While some conceptions of frozen earth recognized its inherent dynamism and heterogeneity, permafrost, a legacy of settler colonialism, suggested permanence and stability. Recovering alternative ways of understanding frozen earth can point to ways of living with change rather than maintaining expectations of stillness.
A Winding Road Before Scaling-Up? Defense AI in France
Authors: Martin Kévin , Liversain Lucie
Published: July 2024

France recognized the importance of AI in 2017 when it launched a national strategy to become a world leader in AI. The French Ministry of the Armed Forces published the strategy “AI in service of defense” in 2019, outlining ethical frameworks, infrastructure development, research priorities, and international collaboration. This strategy aimed to create trustworthy AI for defense applications while also embracing dual-use advances on AI in the commercial sector. If AI governance has taken shape, the French MoD’s action can appear very fragmented for the defense ecosystem considering the requirements of different military services, the Procurement Agency (DGA) and the new entities created as part of the Armed Forces digital transformation. To implement its sovereign AI strategy, France’s ecosystems benefits from a relatively dense academic and research base as well as industrial companies (AI startups, specialized SME and traditional Defense players adapting their strategy). In this context, ARTEMIS.IA emerged in 2017, a programme originally designed to build the defence AI ecosystem. In addition, the Armed Forces have adopted a development by trial approach. This profusion of initiatives at various levels and taken by different military branches may illustrate the lack of a centralized data-sharing policy, favoring ad hoc development frameworks. Moreover, experiments conducted so far have identified major roadblocks such as the need to develop adequate digital infrastructure including clouds, access to users, and adjusting budgetary and contractual mechanisms to the reality of agile software development. The updated defense AI strategy expected in 2024 will need to take these elements into account to meet the challenges of developing trusted AI techniques and solutions.
Survival of the Smartest? Defense AI in Ukraine
Authors: Goncharuk Vitaliy
Published: July 2024

Before Russia’s invasion in February 2022, Ukraine boasted a thriving ecosystem for producing artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, leading Eastern Europe in AI company numbers and hosting R&D offices of multinational giants like Amazon and Google. Despite this, Ukraine’s defense sector lagged in AI adoption due to a focus on traditional hardware. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has transformed the situation, with both sides employing AI in geospatial intelligence, unmanned systems, military training, and cyber warfare, making this conflict the first to feature AI competition as a critical factor. Ukraine’s resilience during the war has relied on active use of awareness systems, volunteer initiatives, open-source platforms, and decentralized asset utilization. The government has begun systematically formulating defense AI policy initiatives and fostering a new ecosystem while civil IT companies shift focus towards dual-use products and talent acquisition in AI. Current defense AI development priorities include AI for unmanned systems, to combat disinformation and support cybersecurity and to advance logistics and mine detection. In parallel, the war has advanced closer cooperation between universities and the military sector, also in view of advancing training and developing AI-enhanced simulation-based training. Overall, the conflict serves as a testing ground for foreign AI developers, prompting reevaluation of regulatory assumptions and the need for war-proof defense AI solutions.
Entanglement in flavored scalar scattering
Authors: Kowalska Kamila , Sessolo Enrico Maria
Published: July 2024

Abstract

We investigate quantum entanglement in high-energy 2 → 2 scalar scattering, where the scalars are characterized by an internal flavor quantum number acting like a qubit. Working at the 1-loop order in perturbation theory, we build the final-state density matrix as a function of the scattering amplitudes connecting the initial to the outgoing state. In this construction, the unitarity of the S-matrix is guaranteed at the required order by the optical theorem. We consider the post-scattering entanglement between the momentum and flavor degrees of freedom of the final-state particles, as well as the entanglement of the two-qubit flavor subsystem. In each case we identify the couplings of the scalar potential that can generate, destroy, or transfer entanglement between different bipartite subspaces of the Hilbert space.
A double scaling for the 4d/3d reduction of $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 1 dualities
Authors: Amariti Antonio , Zanetti Andrea
Published: July 2024

Abstract

In this paper we revisit the S1 reduction of 4d $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 1 gauge theories, considering a double scaling on the radius of the circle and on the real masses arising from the global symmetries in the compactification. We discuss the implication of this double scaling for SQCD with gauge algebra of ABCD type. We then show how our prescription translates in the reduction of the 4d superconformal index to the 3d squashed three sphere partition function. This allows us to derive the expected integral identities for the 3d dualities directly from the four dimensional ones. This is relevant for the study of orthogonal SQCD, where the derivation from the 4d index is not possible in absence of the double scaling, because of a divergence due to a flat direction in the Coulomb branch of the effective theory on the circle. Furthermore, we obtain, for the even orthogonal case, a 3d duality with a quadratic fundamental monopole superpotential already discussed in the literature, that receives in this way an explanation from 4d.