bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Further Evidence for the Psychometric Properties of Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT): A Study on a Sample of Israeli-Arab Male Adolescents
Authors: Yaffe Yosi , Seroussi Dominique-Esther
Published: October 2019

Objectives: In this study, we assessed the psychometric properties of the Hebrew version of the 20-item Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Methods: We had 180 Israeli-Arab male adolescents ranging in age from 12 to 16 (M = 13.92, SD = 1.42) complete the IAT and report their
pornography viewing habits, their physical activity rate, and their grades at school. Results: We used exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to determine the tool's structure, resulting with one-factor and 2-factor solutions both accounting for at least 50% of the variance explained
by the models (using EFA). Upon dropping item 12 and items 12 and 15 from the one-factor model and the 2-factor model, respectively, the models demonstrated adequate psychometric properties (.73 ≤ α ≤ .94) and fitted fairly with the data (using CFA). The IAT scores correlated significantly
with concurrent reports of the participants' pornography viewing, grades at school, and physical activity rate, reinforcing the tool's construct validity. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the IAT is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring Internet addiction among literate
Israeli-Arab male adolescents for whom Hebrew is their second language and, presumably, other Israeli adolescents for whom Hebrew is the native language.
Factors of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Elderly Koreans
Authors: Park Saengryeol , Castaneda-Gameros Diana , Park So-Youn , Oh In-Hwan
Published: October 2019

Objectives: In this study, we examined factors of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behavior (SB) in elderly Koreans. Methods: We used 2015 data from the Sixth National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. To analyze physical activity (PA),
we categorized participants were into those who met MVPA recommendations (150 minutes/week of moderate PA or 75 minutes/week of vigorous PA) or those who did not. We also categorized them into high SB (620-1200 minutes/day of sitting) and low SB (30-600 minutes/day). Results: Final
analyses included 1501 adults over 60 years old (mean: 69.2 ± 6.2). We performed multiple logistic regressions examining impacts of grip strength and body mass index, along with self-reports of perceived health, sleep duration, and demographics on PA and SB. We found positive associations
between meeting MVPA guidelines and self-perceived health and urban living, but negative associations with sleep duration and education. A strong grip, high self-perceived health, long sleep duration (8-14 hours), and living with a partner were factors of being less sedentary. High annual
income was a factor of being more sedentary. Conclusion: Our findings support efforts that develop interventions promoting active lifestyles among elderly Koreans.
An Observational Assessment of Park-based Physical Activity in Older Adults in Nanchang, China
Authors: Moore Justin B. , Schuller Kristyn , Cook Angelie , Lu Yuanan , Yuan Zhaokang , Maddock Jay E.
Published: October 2019

Objectives: Parks are more widely used by older adults in East Asia than in the United States. Parks are an important community asset for healthy aging; yet, little is known about park usage and features among older adults in China. Methods: The Community Park Audit Tool
and the System for Observing Play and Recreation (SOPARC) were used to assess park features, PA levels and primary activities among 40,469 older adults in Nanchang, China. Results: None of the 8 parks observed had basketball courts or baseball fields and only one had a playground. Results
indicated that about half of older adults were active in parks, with women, cooler temperatures, weekdays, and morning hours being related to higher levels of activity. Conclusions: Lessons from the construction of parks in China may be useful in increasing park use in older adults
in western countries. Features such as exercise equipment, water features, and small exercise areas were common where western parks are often designed with features for teens and youth including basketball courts, baseball fields, and playgrounds.
Fungos micorrízicos arbusculares nas plantas e características químicas dos solos de clareiras da Província Petrolífera de Urucu, Am.
Authors: Moreira Francisco Wesen , Oliveira Cassiane Minelli de , Maia José Luiz Zanirato , Oliveira Luiz Antonio de
Published: October 2019

A recuperação de áreas desmatadas em Urucu é de grande importância para reduzir o impacto ambiental e conservar a biodiversidade amazônica. Por isso, o conhecimento sobre a capacidade das espécies florestais em formar simbiose com fungos micorrízicos arbusculares é de fundamental importância. O objetivo desse trabalho foi analisar os níveis de colonização radicular por fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMAs) em 34 espécies vegetais usadas na recuperação ambiental de algumas jazidas e clareiras na área de exploração de gás e petróleo pela Petrobras, às margens do rio urucu, município de Coari, Amazonas. Foram coletadas amostras de solos e raízes de cada espécie em 22 clareiras/jazidas nos meses de abril, julho e novembro de 2003, e setembro e novembro de 2004. Os solos se mostraram altamente ácidos, com baixos teores de K, Ca, Mg, Zn e Mn, porém com altos níveis de P e Al. A colonização por FMAs variou entre 0% a 46%. As espécies com os maiores índices de colonização pertencem à família das Myristicaceae (24%), enquanto que as espécies da família Polygonaceae não formaram associação. Durante a estação chuvosa, observou-se uma maior presença de vesículas, enquanto que na época seca, as hifas predominaram. O baixo nível de hifas da colonização micorrízica na maioria das espécies sugere pouca ou nenhuma contribuição da associação à nutrição nas plantas das clareiras e jazidas avaliadas.
DECARBONISATION OF THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION BY THE ELECTRIFICATION OF URBAN BUSES. CASE STUDY THE CITY OF VITORIA
Authors: RODRÍGUEZ ZÚÑIGA ALEJANDRO , GONZALEZ EGUINO MIKEL , ARTO INAKI
Published: October 2019

The fight against climate change requires an urgent decarbonisation of the global economy. In the Basque Country, different economic sectors have jointly reduced their emissions in the last years. However, transport has increased their emissions, making it clear that current policies are not allowing to reach the targets set for this sector. Public sector plays a key role in the fight against climate change and must lead in the decarbonisation task. In this work, electrification is considered as the most efficient tool to decarbonize the vehicle fleets of public Administrations and thus contributing to the decarbonisation of the public sector. To this end, an economic, energy and environmental cost-benefit analysis has been carried out for the electrification of the urban bus fleet in Vitoria of the company Tuvisa. The main result of the study, is that electrical technology is more competitive than conventional technology, provided that the partial refund of the hydrocarbon tax for public Administrations is abolished and the environmental costs due to fossil fuels are internalised. Three main measures are identified to advance in vehicle electrification: promoting the joint purchase of electric vehicles in order to reduce initial costs; internalising external costs due to transport activities; and promoting green public purchasing. The implications and recommendations resulting from this particular case can also be extrapolated to other cities seeking to promote electrification of public transport.
The Murder of Captain William Francis
Authors: Garrad Charles
Published: October 2019

Captain William Francis was murdered in the land war in Canada in the War of 1812. Was he an innocent farmer murdered in his bed by American partisans as part of some larger military strategy or was his death more personal in nature? This article concludes that the murder was the result of personal antagonism between John Dickson, the murderer, and William Francis of many years duration newly exacerbated by the testimony given against a number of Dickson’s gang. This feud had repercussions in a number of actions during the war including the Sutherland Raid, the Port Rowan, Port Dover, and McCrae incidents, and the Battle of Nanticoke. This article shows that, for some, the war was an opportunity to settle personal scores.
“Some Heraldic Propriety of Composition”
Authors: Lofft Jonathan S.
Published: October 2019

This article documents the origins of the armorial achievement, the arms and crest, adopted by Wellington County in 1860. It compares amateur and authoritative revisions of the blazon of this achievement, and considers the connection between imperial toponym and heraldic emblem, that is, between name and arms, for the first time positively identifying the designer as fledgling celebrated Canadian heraldist Edward Marion Chadwick (1840-1921).
Conception et mise en oeuvre d’une grille d’analyse des pratiques de maintien en emploi des séniors. Une comparaison France-Québec
Authors: Abouaissa Siham , Baret Christophe , D'Amours Martine
Published: October 2019

Prenant conscience des effets délétères des stratégies traditionnelles de mise à l’écart des travailleurs âgés, les pouvoirs publics promeuvent aujourd’hui leur maintien en emploi. Afin de comprendre comment et dans quelles conditions cet objectif politique se traduit ou non en pratiques concrètes dans les milieux de travail, l’article propose une grille d’analyse, inspirée de l’analyse sociétale, permettant de comprendre les attitudes des entreprises et des travailleurs vis-à-vis le maintien en emploi des séniors. L’article met ensuite cette grille à l’épreuve en étudiant les pratiques de deux entreprises de commerce de détail, l’une en France et l’autre au Québec, autour de quatre espaces d’interprétation : institutionnel, du dialogue social, marchand et organisationnel.

Notre étude révèle que la législation française qui force les entreprises de plus de 50 salariés à négocier des accords séniors a généré moins de pratiques concrètes de maintien en emploi de ces derniers que les incitatifs québécois favorisant le cumul emploi-retraite. L’analyse sociétale permet d’interpréter ce résultat à partir des interactions fortes entre les différents niveaux et les divers espaces étudiés dans chacun des pays. Ainsi, l’apparent « succès » québécois se fonde avant tout sur la difficulté des employés avec de faibles niveaux de salaire d’accéder à un revenu de retraite suffisant, en l’absence d’un régime de retraite d’employeur (espace institutionnel), et sur des efforts d’aménagements consentis ou même recherchés par certains employeurs aux prises avec des pénuries de main-d’oeuvre (espace marchand). Inversement, l’apparent « échec » français s’explique par la nécessité de signer un accord rapidement — ce qui a généralement conduit à privilégier la mise en conformité au détriment de l’adaptation des actions aux réalités du terrain (espace institutionnel) —, la faible présence des syndicats dans les magasins pour faire remonter les attentes du terrain (espace de dialogue social), les difficultés économiques que rencontre l’enseigne (espace marchand) et la préférence des salariés pour un départ à la retraite le plus rapide possible en raison d’une usure professionnelle (espace organisationnel) et d’un niveau de rente assez élevé (espace institutionnel).
Accès à la justice des travailleurs de plateformes numériques : Réponses contrastées des tribunaux canadiens et américains
Authors: Coiquaud Urwana , Martin Isabelle
Published: October 2019

L’arrivée des plateformes numériques dans le paysage du travail canadien s’accompagne d’un recours croissant aux conventions imposant l’arbitrage (ou clauses compromissoires) comme mode de résolution des conflits. Les travailleurs de plateformes souhaitant faire reconnaître leur statut de salarié au sens des lois sur les normes d’emploi doivent donc s’adresser à un forum privé, parfois situé à l’extérieur du Canada. C’est dans ce contexte que l’invalidation d’une telle clause dans l’affaire Heller v Uber Technologies Inc par la Cour d’appel d’Ontario prend toute son importance. La Cour suprême ayant accepté d’entendre l’appel, empruntera-t-elle la voie du droit américain et permettra-t-elle que ces clauses fassent obstacle aux recours collectifs revendiquant la reconnaissance du statut de salarié ? Notre étude des jugements tant ontariens qu’américains sur la validité des clauses compromissoires liant Uber à ses chauffeurs révèle, à cet égard, le caractère déterminant de l’approche choisie par les tribunaux.
Interferons in the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Filipi Mary , Jack Samantha
Published: October 2019

Interferon beta (IFNβ) was the first disease-modifying therapy available to treat multiple sclerosis (MS), providing patients with a treatment that resulted in reduced relapse rates and delays in the onset of disability. Four IFNβ drugs are currently approved to treat relapsing forms of MS: subcutaneous (SC) IFNβ-1b, SC IFNβ-1a, intramuscular IFNβ-1a, and, most recently, SC peginterferon beta-1a. Peginterferon beta-1a has an extended half-life and requires less frequent administration than other available treatments (once every 2 weeks vs every other day, 3 times per week, or weekly). Large randomized controlled clinical trials have confirmed the efficacy of interferons for the treatment of relapsing MS. The most frequent adverse events in patients receiving IFNs include injection site reactions and flu-like symptoms. Patient education and mitigation strategies are key to managing these adverse events and supporting therapy adherence. With fewer injections needed, peginterferon beta-1a is associated with less frequent discomfort, which may translate to improved adherence, a major factor in treatment efficacy. Because the available interferon therapies differ in administration route and frequency of injection, switching among these therapies may be a viable option for patients who experience issues with tolerability. Although a variety of disease-modifying therapies are now available to treat relapsing MS, the efficacy and long-term safety profile of interferons make them an important first-line option for treatment.
Kv2.1 mediates spatial and functional coupling of L-type calcium channels and ryanodine receptors in mammalian neurons
Authors: Vierra Nicholas C , Kirmiz Michael , van der List Deborah , Santana L Fernando , Trimmer James S
Published: October 2019

The voltage-gated K+ channel Kv2.1 serves a major structural role in the soma and proximal dendrites of mammalian brain neurons, tethering the plasma membrane (PM) to endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Although Kv2.1 clustering at neuronal ER-PM junctions (EPJs) is tightly regulated and highly conserved, its function remains unclear. By identifying and evaluating proteins in close spatial proximity to Kv2.1-containing EPJs, we discovered that a significant role of Kv2.1 at EPJs is to promote the clustering and functional coupling of PM L-type Ca2+ channels (LTCCs) to ryanodine receptor (RyR) ER Ca2+ release channels. Kv2.1 clustering also unexpectedly enhanced LTCC opening at polarized membrane potentials. This enabled Kv2.1-LTCC-RyR triads to generate localized Ca2+ release events (i.e., Ca2+ sparks) independently of action potentials. Together, these findings uncover a novel mode of LTCC regulation and establish a unique mechanism whereby Kv2.1-associated EPJs provide a molecular platform for localized somatodendritic Ca2+ signals in mammalian brain neurons.
Machine learning analysis to identify the association between risk factors and onset of nosocomial diarrhea: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Kurisu Ken , Yoshiuchi Kazuhiro , Ogino Kei , Oda Toshimi
Published: October 2019

Background

Although several risk factors for nosocomial diarrhea have been identified, the detail of association between these factors and onset of nosocomial diarrhea, such as degree of importance or temporal pattern of influence, remains unclear. We aimed to determine the association between risk factors and onset of nosocomial diarrhea using machine learning algorithms.

Methods

We retrospectively collected data of patients with acute cerebral infarction. Seven variables, including age, sex, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score, and number of days of antibiotics, tube feeding, proton pump inhibitors, and histamine 2-receptor antagonist use, were used in the analysis. We split the data into a training dataset and independant test dataset. Based on the training dataset, we developed a random forest, support vector machine (SVM), and radial basis function (RBF) network model. By calculating an area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve using 5-fold cross-validation, we performed feature selection and hyperparameter optimization in each model. According to their final performances, we selected the optimal model and also validated it in the independent test dataset. Based on the selected model, we visualized the variable importance and the association between each variable and the outcome using partial dependence plots.

Results

Two-hundred and eighteen patients were included. In the cross-validation within the training dataset, the random forest model achieved an AUC of 0.944, which was higher than in the SVM and RBF network models. The random forest model also achieved an AUC of 0.832 in the independent test dataset. Tube feeding use days, mRS score, antibiotic use days, age and sex were strongly associated with the onset of nosocomial diarrhea, in this order. Tube feeding use had an inverse U-shaped association with the outcome. The mRS score and age had a convex downward and increasing association, while antibiotic use had a convex upward association with the outcome.

Conclusion

We revealed the degree of importance and temporal pattern of the influence of several risk factors for nosocomial diarrhea, which could help clinicians manage nosocomial diarrhea.
Low Loss Chip‐to‐Chip Couplers for High‐Density Co‐Packaged Optics
Authors: Weninger Drew , Serna Samuel , Ranno Luigi , Kimerling Lionel , Agarwal Anuradha
Published: December 2024

An experimentally demonstrated, vertical chip‐to‐chip evanescent coupler between silicon nitride (SiN) and silicon (Si) is presented with the coupler loss measured to be 0.39  1.06 dB at 1550 nm with a 1‐dB bandwidth of 160 nm extending across the C‐band, S‐band, and L‐band (1480–1640 nm). The average coupling loss is determined to be 0.73 dB for the 1480–1640 nm wavelength range with a 2σ tolerance of 0.92 dB. The 1‐dB lateral alignment tolerance is 1.56  0.14 μm at 1550 nm and the average tolerance is 1.38  0.24 μm across the 1480–1640 nm wavelength regime. In addition, the average coupling loss varies by less than 0.35 dB and the average 1‐dB alignment tolerance varies by less than 30 nm for temperatures varying from 23 to 60 °C. Finally, the average coupling loss range is less than 1.5 dB range across four sets of identically packaged die. This is the first experimental demonstration of an interchip, passively assembled evanescent coupler using standard complementary metal‐oxide‐semiconductor foundry processes for directly coupling between Si and SiN, overcoming a waveguide refractive index difference of = 1.32 without requiring taper tip widths of less than 100 nm.
Gender, participation and attainment in STEM: A comprehensive overview of long‐term trends in the United Kingdom
Authors: Smith Emma , White Patrick
Published: December 2024

There is a longstanding imperative from both government and industry for a workforce with the skills needed to drive forward the scientific and technological advances that are considered so crucial to the economic prosperity of the nation. However, the skills of this workforce have purportedly been both in short supply and inadequate for many decades, leading to the well‐established narrative of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) skill shortages. One solution to this challenge has been to encourage, through myriad policies and initiatives, more young people, particularly young women, to study more science for longer. This paper contributes to the literature on the supply of STEM workers by documenting the long‐term trends in the participation and attainment of girls and women in STEM education: from school science through to graduate entry into the highly skilled STEM labour market. Using population datasets that extend across seven decades and include millions of students, it shows that gendered patterns of participation in science subjects have varied little in recent decades, suggesting that efforts to increase the number of women studying science in school have not resulted in a substantial increase in well‐qualified female graduates entering highly skilled STEM jobs. Furthermore, studying STEM appears to be generally advantageous for men, in terms of field‐related employment outcomes, but is not always associated with such higher status occupations among women.
Tuning Strategies of Indium‐Based Catalysts for Electrocatalytic Carbon Dioxide Reduction
Authors: Zhu Xinwang , Xu Yan , Ran Lan , Chen Shanyong , Pei Zengxia , Qiu Xiaoqing
Published: December 2024

In electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction (CO2RR), indium (In)‐based catalysts with low toxicity and environmental benefits are renowned for their specific high selectivity for formic acid and intrinsic inertia for the competing hydrogen evolution reaction. However, recent studies have reported various products over In‐based catalysts showing comparable or even higher selectivity for carbon monoxide (CO) than for formic acid (HCOOH), puzzling the reaction pathway for CO2 reduction. This article presents a comprehensive review of recent studies on electrocatalytic CO2RR over In‐based catalysts highlighting the formation pathway of specific products. First, the mechanism of electrocatalytic CO2RR with the multiple reaction pathways is concluded considering the relationship between reaction intermediates and selectivity. Furthermore, the regulation strategies for multiple product formation are summarized, including crystalline phase engineering, alloying, nanostructuring, and structural modulation of In single atom, where the effect of key intermediates (*COOH, *OOCH, and *OCHO) on product generation is systematically discussed to achieve high selectivity. Finally, the intrinsic regulation mechanisms of these strategies are analyzed and the challenges and opportunities for the development of next‐generation In‐based catalysts are proposed.
Loosely coupled under-resolved LES/RANS simulation augmented by sparse near-wall measurement
Authors: Piroozmand Pasha , Brenner Oliver , Jenny Patrick
Published: December 2024

We investigate scenarios, where only sparse wall shear stress measurements are available, while accurate wall shear stress and velocity profiles are sought. Applying discrete adjoint-based data assimilation, with only near-wall measurements, accurate wall shear stress profiles are achieved at the expense of unrealistic velocity profiles. We therefore add and employ internal reference data generated by performing a relatively cheap hybrid simulation. We modified the dual-mesh hybrid LES/RANS framework recently proposed by Xiao and Jenny (J Comput Phys 231(4):1848–1865, 2012, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcp.2011.11.009) by loosely coupling under-resolved LES in the interior with steady RANS near the walls. The framework was developed in OpenFOAM and tested for flow over periodic hills with Re = 10,595. Results show that the devised framework outperforms conventional dual-mesh hybrid LES/RANS and standalone sparse wall-data assimilated RANS models. Graphical abstract Horizontal mean velocity component

$$U_{1}$$

U
1

(top plot) and wall shear stress (friction coefficient

$$C_{f}$$

C
f

) profiles at the lower wall (bottom plot) obtained with S-RANS and assimilation of sparse wall shear stress data

Graphical abstract
Loss of pulmonary capillaries in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension with low diffusion capacity is accompanied by early diffuse emphysema detected by 129Xe MRI
Authors: Kern Agilo Luitger , Park Da-Hee , Fuge Jan , Hohlfeld Jens M. , Wacker Frank , Hoeper Marius M. , Olsson Karen M. , Vogel-Claussen Jens
Published: December 2024

Objectives

Recent studies suggest the existence of an idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) phenotype affecting mostly patients with a smoking history, characterised by low diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) without clinically significant emphysema. This study’s objective was to test the hypothesis of a loss of pulmonary capillaries as an underlying mechanism by comparison to other patient groups with and without pulmonary hypertension (PH).

Materials and methods

Between March 2019 and June 2023, patients of four groups were recruited for this observational study: IPAH with preserved (1) and low DLCO (2), combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema with PH (3), and emphysema without PH (4). Patients underwent clinical CT and 129Xe MRI including dissolved-phase imaging yielding the ratio of 129Xe in red blood cells and membrane tissues (RBC-M), chemical shift saturation recovery for determining RBC fraction η and diffusion-weighted imaging yielding surface-volume ratio. Kruskal–Wallis tests were used for statistical analysis.

Results

Twenty-nine participants were recruited, of which 22 (age 64 ± 10, 11 male, 5/5/7/5 for the individual groups) could be included in the analysis. RBC-M and η were reduced in IPAH with low versus preserved DLCO and emphysema groups (p ≤ 0.01). CT low-attenuation area percentage was not increased in IPAH with low DLCO compared to any group. 129Xe MRI-derived surface-volume ratio was reduced in IPAH with low versus preserved DLCO (p = 0.04).

Conclusion

Results are consistent with a loss of pulmonary capillaries in patients with IPAH and low DLCO along with destruction of alveolar tissue, likely due to early diffuse emphysema.

Key Points

QuestionA loss of pulmonary capillaries has been suggested in patients with IPAH and low diffusion capacity without clinically significant emphysema on CT.

Findings129Xe uptake in red blood cells and lung surface-volume ratio were reduced in IPAH patients with low compared to preserved diffusion capacity.

Clinical relevanceThis study furthers the understanding of the underlying pathological mechanisms in IPAH with low diffusion capacity, providing evidence that loss of pulmonary capillaries is accompanied by alveolar tissue destruction despite near-normal CT.
Species-specific patterns of population genetic structure differ on a microgeographic scale
Authors: O’Donnell Sibelle E. , Ruggeri Maria , Blanco-Pimentel Macarena , Morikawa Megan K. , Harms Erika , Calle-Triviño Johanna , Flanagan Ben A. , Carlson Harold K. , Kenkel Carly D. , Million Wyatt C.
Published: December 2024

Coral exhibits substantial variation in pelagic larval duration, dispersal range, and population connectivity. In this study, we used reduced representation genotyping to compare the genetic structure of Caribbean reef-building species along the southeastern Dominican Republic coastline to assess connectivity within the likely dispersal kernel. Despite relatively small geographic distance between reefs, species-specific differences in genetic structure were observed. The broadcasting coral Orbicella faveolata had high levels of genetic connectivity. Between the two brooding species, Agaricia agaricites showed strong genetic subdivision, while Porites astreoides exhibited high levels of gene flow. These results suggest that multiple factors outside of life history characteristics influence genetic differentiation among populations, with species-level variability underscoring the importance of restoration and management strategies tailored to individual species, considering regional genetic and environmental variability.
Apparent specific surface area as an indicator of the degree of cellulose microfibrillation
Authors: Ämmälä Ari , Sirviö Juho Antti , Laitinen Ossi , Liimatainen Henrikki , Evikari Ossi , Siljander Sanna , Björkqvist Tomas
Published: December 2024

Tracking mechanical microfibrillation in nanocellulose production is time-consuming due to a lack of quick characterization methods. This study investigates optical monitoring of the mechanical microfibrillation process by determining the dimensions of microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) particles on micron scale. Bleached hardwood pulp was microfibrillated using three sets of grinding discs in a six-stage pilot process, analyzing MFC characteristics as a function of specific energy consumption via image analysis. A laboratory-scale ultrafine grinder was also used for comparison. The degree of microfibrillation was assessed over a broad energy range using the equivalent diameter derived from the MFC length and width through image processing. The microfibrillation process adhered to Rittinger’s law, i.e., changes in the apparent specific surface area (SSA) were linearly proportional to the applied grinding energy. SSA, being inversely proportional to equivalent diameter, predicted MFC quality in terms of nanofilm strength properties. The optical fiber image analyzer proved suitable for online monitoring and control of microfibrillation processes. Despite resolution limits in detecting sub-micron particles, their proportion interrelates to the size of optically visible particles, covering industrial needs for mechanical microfibrillation.
Dynamics of the vibro-impact capsule robot with a von Mises truss
Authors: Yan Yao , Páez Chávez Joseph , Shen Jiajia , Liu Yang
Published: December 2024

Functionalised nonlinear structures employing structural instabilities for rapid response shape-shifting are emerging technologies with a wide range of potential applications. The von Mises truss is a widely employed model for such functionalised nonlinear structures; however, few studies have delved into its functionality when integrated with a complex dynamical system. This paper investigates its efficacy on enhancing the progression speed of a vibration-driven robot, known as the vibro-impact capsule robot, which is a piecewise-smooth dynamical system having abundant coexisting attractors. Bifurcation analysis of the capsule robot integrated with a von Mises truss is conducted for this purpose. Our numerical studies focus on the influence of the frequency and amplitude of the robot’s driving force on its progression. Specifically, we compare the periodic responses of both the capsule robots with and without the von Mises truss, utilising the numerical continuation techniques for piecewise-smooth dynamical systems. Our studies confirm the advantage of using the von Mises truss when the driving force of the robot is significantly small. Additionally, we identify an optimal operational regime on the amplitude-frequency control plane, where the maximum robot speed is achieved for a given amount of power consumption. The numerical studies presented in this work provide a promising indication of the advantages offered by the von Mises truss for vibration-driven robots. This research underscores the significant potential of functionalised nonlinear structures to enhance the efficiency of small-scale robots operating under power limitations.
Agility as a mediator in the relationship between quality management and hotel performance
Authors: Pertusa-Ortega Eva M. , Tarí Juan José , Molina-Azorín José F. , Pereira-Moliner Jorge
Published: December 2024

This paper assumes that quality management enhances organizational agility, and that organizational agility is a dynamic capability that mediates the effect of quality management on performance in services. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the mediating role of organizational agility (customer agility, partner agility, and operational agility) in the link between quality management and performance in the hotel industry. A mediation model is used with data from 365 hotels located in Spain. The findings show that there is partial mediation, since quality management is positively and indirectly related to hotel performance through partner and operational agility.
The Collaborative Seismic Earth Model: Generation 2
Authors: Noe Sebastian , van Herwaarden Dirk‐Philip , Thrastarson Solvi , Pienkowska Marta , Masouminia Neda , Ma Jincheng , Bunge Hans‐Peter , Wehner Deborah , Rawlinson Nicholas , Gao Yajian , Tilmann Frederik , Rodgers Artie , Fichtner Andreas
Published: December 2024

Geological interpretations, earthquake source inversions and ground motion modeling, among other applications, require models that jointly resolve crustal and mantle structure. With the second generation of the Collaborative Seismic Earth Model (CSEM2), we present a global multi‐resolution tomographic Earth model that serves this purpose. The model evolves through successive regional‐ and global‐scale refinements. While the first generation aggregated regional models, with this study, we ensure consistency between all individual submodels, resulting in a model that accurately explains wave propagation across scales. Recent regional tomographic models were incorporated, comprising continental‐scale inversions for Asia and Africa, as well as regional inversions for the Western US, Central Andes, Iran, and Southeast Asia. Across all regional refinements, over 793,000 source‐receiver pairs contributed. Moreover, the long‐wavelength Earth model (LOWE) introduces large‐scale structures outside of pre‐existing local refinements. A full‐waveform inversion for global anisotropic P‐and S‐wave speed structure over a total of 194 iterations with a minimum period of 50 s on a large data set of 1 hr of waveform data from 2,423 earthquakes and over 6 million source‐receiver pairs ensures that regional updates in the crust and uppermost mantle translate into updates of deeper, global‐scale structure. To test the performance of CSEM2, we evaluate waveform fits between observed and synthetic seismograms at 50 s for an independent data set on the global scale, and on the regional scale for lower periods. We accurately simulate waveforms within and across regional refinements, maintaining the original resolution of the submodels embedded in the global framework.
The efficacy and cerebral mechanism of intradermal acupuncture for major depressive disorder: a multicenter randomized controlled trial
Authors: Wu Xiaoting , Tu Mingqi , Yu Zelin , Cao Zhijian , Qu Siying , Chen Nisang , Jin Junyan , Xiong Sangsang , Yang Jiajia , Pei Shuangyi , Xu Maosheng , Wang Jia , Shi Yan , Gao Lishu , Xie Jian , Li Xinwei , Fang Jianqiao , Shao Xiaomei
Published: December 2024

New combinations or alternative therapies for major depressive disorder (MDD) are necessary. Intradermal acupuncture (IA) shows promise but requires further investigation regarding its efficacy, safety, and mechanisms. Conducted across 3 centers from November 2022 to January 2024, our randomized controlled trial included 120 participants with moderate to severe MDD, divided into the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), SSRIs plus sham IA (SSRIs + SIA), and SSRIs plus active IA (SSRIs + AIA) groups. Acupuncture groups received 10 sessions over 6 weeks at Shenmen (HT7), Neiguan (PC6), Sanyinjiao (SP6) and Taichong (LR3) bilaterally, followed by a 4-week follow-up. The primary outcome was changes in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 (HAMD-17) scores at week 6. Furthermore, healthy controls (HCs) and MDD patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans for functional connectivity (FC) analysis. After 6 weeks of treatment, the SSRIs + AIA group showed a greater reduction in HAMD-17 score than the SSRIs + SIA group (MD, −4.9 [CI, −7.6 to −2.2], P < 0.001) and SSRIs group (MD, −5.1 [CI, −7.8 to −2.3], P < 0.001). No serious adverse events occurred. SSRIs + AIA resulted in lower incidences of palpitations (vs.SSRIs + SIA: OR, 0.1% [CI, 0.0–1.0%]; vs. SSRIs: OR, 0.1% [CI, 0.0–0.7%]; P < 0.05), somnolence (vs.SSRIs + SIA: OR, 0.1% [CI, 0.0–0.9%]; vs.SSRIs: OR, 0.1% [CI, 0.0–0.7%]; P < 0.05), and nausea (vs.SSRIs + SIA: OR, 0.1% [CI, 0.0–1.0%]; vs. SSRIs: OR, 0.1% [CI, 0.0–0.9%]; P < 0.05). MDD patients showed abnormal FCs, and IA enhanced FCs between striatum and frontal_inf_tri, and striatum and cerebellum in the MRI study. Overall, IA as adjunctive therapy provides clinical efficacy and safety for MDD, and it may exert antidepressant effects by modulating striatal FCs.
Escape of etiolated hypocotyls of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) from the unilateral high intensity blue light after being pulled out from the soil
Authors: Zhao Qing-Ping , Lv Qian-Yi , Fu Xiang-Lin , Wu Qi-Qi , Liu Yan-Fei , Xue Lin-Lin , Zhao Xiang
Published: December 2024

Plant stems grow towards the incident light in response to unilateral blue light to optimize photosynthesis. However, our findings reveal that unilateral high-intensity blue light (HBL) triggers backlit lodging in etiolated cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) hypocotyls when they are pulled approximately 1.5 cm from the soil. Phenotypic analysis indicated that stomata on the lit side were open, while those on the shaded side were closed under unilateral HBL. To investigate the relationship between stomatal movement and backlit lodging, we applied abscisic acid (ABA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and lanthanum chloride (LaCl3) to the lit side, and cytokinins (6-BA) and ascorbic acid (ASA) to the shaded side. Results showed that all these treatments inhibited the backlit lodging phenomenon, specifically, ABA, H2O2, and LaCl3 reduced stomatal opening on the lit side, while 6-BA and ASA enhanced stomatal opening on the shade side. These results demonstrate that HBL-induced asymmetrical stomatal opening on the lit and shade side of hypocotyl supports the backlit lodging phenomenon. Notably, maize (Zea mays), which lack stomata in the hypocotyl did not exhibit HBL-induced backlit lodging, whereas soybean (Glycine max), which has stomata in its etiolated hypocotyl, displayed a similar phenotype to that of cotton. Additionally, while both red light and low-intensity blue light (LBL) can induce stomatal opening, they do not trigger the backlit lodging phenomenon. These findings suggest that backlit lodging is a unique HBL-dependent response, but the mechanism need further investigation.
Afterword
Authors: Lafford Barbara A.
Published: December 2024

As the Foreword (Freed) to this volume attests, the works presented here were conceived within a more enlightened
and less naïve approach to SA research than the early works in this field. Freed rightly notes that the authors of the chapters in this
volume are well-aware of the need to investigate the effects of multilingual contexts, sociolinguistic variation, various individual
variables, and student agency on SA student outcomes. Since summaries of research methodologies to date and ideas for research
possibilities are included in each of this volume’s chapters as well as in Pérez-Vidal & Sanz’s Introduction, this Afterword will
focus instead on unexplored new directions- both applied and theoretical- that should serve to expand and enrich SA research in the years
ahead. Specifically, this afterword will suggest an expansion of the theoretical frameworks to be used, the number and types of
participants, the venues from which SA data are collected, the instruments utilized, the research designs and methods of analysis, and the
topics and themes to be studied using a critical ecological approach to the conception and execution of SA investigations.
NEFFy: A Versatile Tool for Computing the Number of Effective Sequences
Authors: Haghani Maryam , Bhattacharya Debswapna , Murali T. M.
Published: December 2024

A Multiple Sequence Alignment (MSA) contains fundamental evolutionary information that is useful in the prediction of structure and function of proteins and nucleic acids. The “Number of Effective Sequences” (NEFF) quantifies the diversity of sequences of an MSA. Several tools can compute the NEFF of an MSA, each offering various options. NEFFy is the first software package to integrate all these options and calculate NEFF across diverse MSA formats for proteins, RNAs, and DNAs. It surpasses existing tools in functionality without compromising computational efficiency and scalability. NEFFy also offers per-residue NEFF calculation and supports NEFF computation for MSAs of multimeric proteins, with the capability to be extended to nucleic acids (DNA and RNA).

Availability and Implementation

NEFFy is released as open-source software under the GNU General Public License v3.0. The source code in C++ and a Python wrapper are available on GitHub athttps://github.com/Maryam-Haghani/NEFFy. To ensure users can fully leverage these capabilities, comprehensive documentation and examples are provided athttps://Maryam-Haghani.github.io/NEFFy
Time- and Dose-dependent Effects of CIGB-300 in the lung squamous cell carcinoma proteomics
Authors: García-Hernández Liudy , Dai Lingfeng , Rodríguez-Ulloa Arielis , Yi Ying , González Luis J. , Besada Vladimir , Li Wen , Perea Silvio E , Perera Yasser
Published: December 2024

Proteome-wide scale in a dose- and time-depending setting is crucial in drug-regulated proteomics to fully understand the pharmacological mechanism of anticancer drugs as well as the identification of proteins suitable for drug response biomarkers. Here, we investigated the effect of the CIGB-300 anticancer peptide at IC50and IC80dose levels during 1 and 4 hours of treatment on squamous lung cancer cell (NCI-H226) proteome. A dose-dependent inhibitory effect of the global proteomics while slight change of the upregulated proteins was observed, by increasing CIGB-300 dose level. The biological processes that were more represented among the modulated proteins were those related to small molecule biosynthetic process, pyridine-containing compound metabolic process and nucleobase-containing small molecule metabolism. Importantly, NSCLC previously described biomarkers and Protein Kinase CK2 substrates were significantly modulated by treating both doses of CIGB-300. These proteins, which are associated with both metabolism and cell survival, reinforce the hypothesis of the therapeutic potential of CIGB-300 as anticancer treatment for squamous non-small cell lung cancer and merits be validated as CIGB-300 response biomarkers in NSCLC patients. Overall, our proteomics-guided strategy based on time and drug dose served not only to deep into the mechanism of action of CIGB-300 but also to identify candidate proteins for pharmacodynamic and drug response biomarkers.
RIDDEN: Data-driven inference of receptor activity from transcriptomic data
Authors: Barsi Szilvia , Varga Eszter , Dimitrov Daniel , Saez-Rodriguez Julio , Hunyady László , Szalai Bence
Published: December 2024

Intracellular signaling initiated from ligand bound receptors plays a fundamental role in both physiological regulation and development of disease states, making receptors one of the most frequent drug targets. Systems level analysis of receptor activity can help to identify cell and disease type specific receptor activity alterations. While recently several computational methods have been developed to analyse ligand -receptor interactions based on transcriptomics data, none of them focuses directly on the receptor side of these interactions. Also, most of the methods use directly the expression of ligands and receptors to infer active interaction, while co-expression of genes does not necessarily indicate functional interactions or activated state.

To address these problems, we developed RIDDEN (Receptor actIvity Data Driven inferENce), a computational tool, which predicts receptor activities from the receptor-regulated gene expression profiles, and not from the expressions of ligand and receptor genes. We collected 14463 perturbation gene expression profiles for 229 different receptors. Using these data, we trained the RIDDEN model, which can effectively predict receptor activity for new bulk and single-cell transcriptomics datasets.

We validated RIDDEN’s performance on independentin vitroandin vivoreceptor perturbation data, showing that RIDDEN’s model weights correspond to known regulatory interactions between receptors and transcription factors, and that predicted receptor activities correlate with receptor and ligand expressions inin vivodatasets. We also show that RIDDEN can be used to identify mechanistic biomarkers in an immune checkpoint blockade-treated cancer patient cohort.

RIDDEN, the largest transcriptomics-based receptor activity inference model, can be used to identify cell populations with altered receptor activity and, in turn, foster the study of cell-cell communication using transcriptomics data.

Graphical Abstract
Mice-side bias: Deliberative decision making in a model of rule revision reveals ‘myside’ confirmation bias-like cognitive processes in mice
Authors: Stevens Christopher , Lacroix Cathy , Bouchet Mathilde , Marsicano Giovanni , Marighetto Aline
Published: December 2024

Confirmation or ‘myside’ bias—over-valuation of novel information which confirms previously internalized cognitive content (prior beliefs, rules of conduct, etc.) and corresponding under-valuation of disconfirming novel information—constitutes a serious obstacle to adaptive revision of our beliefs, especially in ambiguous or complex epistemic environments. Indeed, myside bias has become a particularly pernicious fact of societal cohesion, contributing to the propagation of fake news, to social polarization, and even to the replication crisis in experimental science. By contrast, relatively little is understood about either its neurocognitive underpinnings or its evolution, one reason for this being that the potential presence of myside bias-like tendencies in non-human animals has never been directly tested. Hence, in order to advance research in both of these directions, we designed a novel mouse model of everyday-like rule revision such that the dynamic model environment would be sufficient to call out myside bias-like behaviors providing that mice did indeed possess the particular kind of competing neurocognitive processes necessary for it to manifest. Here, we both validate that model and provide the first behavioral descriptions of myside confirmation bias-like deliberative profiles in a non-human animal. Notably, we observe that this bias does not manifest in a merely unreflective or heuristic/‘system 1’ manner but rather also emerges through and indeed increases deliberative behaviors, especially in contexts of low representational resolution. Several other parallels with findings from human studies of myside bias are also detailed in the discussion.
Repeated climate-driven dispersal and speciation in peripheral populations of Pleistocene mastodons
Authors: Karpinski Emil , Baleka Sina , Boehm Andrew R. , Fedak Tim , Widga Chris , Poinar Hendrik N.
Published: December 2024

Recent ancient DNA work has shed some light on the responses of mastodons to Pleistocene glacial/interglacial cycling but focused primarily on their expansion into Beringia. However, genetics has complicated our understanding of the relationships withinMammut, specifically between Pacific and American mastodon phylogeography and questioned whether these are in fact two separate species or regionally localized morphotypes. Here we expand on both avenues by sequencing and contextualizing the mitochondrial genome of a Pacific mastodon, as well as from several North American eastern specimens throughout the last 800 thousand years. We show that Pacific mastodons fall within a previously established, and deeply divergent mitochondrial clade, extending the range of this species into western Canada and potentially Mexico. We also present evidence for at least three discrete expansion events into northeastern coastal regions (i.e. Nova Scotia and the eastern continental shelf), and identify two new mastodon clades, which contain temporally distinct, but geographically co-occurrent specimens. This work sheds further light on mastodon taxonomy and phylogeography across North America throughout the Pleistocene, highlighting interglacial range expansion into northeastern America mirroring the effects on the western side of the continent (Beringia).