bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
All‐Dielectric Terahertz Metasurfaces for Multi‐Dimensional Multiplexing and Demultiplexing
Authors: Liu Wanying , Jiang Xiaohan , Xu Quan , Huang Fan , Yang Quanlong , Lu Yongchang , Gu Yangfan , Gu Jianqiang , Han Jiaguang , Zhang Weili
Published: March 2024

Terahertz (THz) communication is an up‐and‐coming technology for the sixth‐generation wireless network. The realization of ultra‐high‐speed THz communication requires the combination of multi‐dimensional multiplexing schemes, including polarization division multiplexing (PDM), mode division multiplexing (MDM), and wavelength division multiplexing, to increase channel capacity. However, most existing devices for MDM in the THz regime are single‐purpose and incapable of multi‐dimensional modulation. Here, all‐dielectric metasurfaces are designed for 2D multiplexing/demultiplexing, which takes the lead in combining orbital angular momentum (OAM) MDM and PDM in the THz regime. The multi‐functional wavefront phase modulations and interleaved meta‐atom arrangements are used to realize polarization‐selective multichannel OAM mode (de)multiplexing, in which the linear‐polarized 4‐channel and circular‐polarized 6‐channel demultiplexing are experimentally demonstrated. Between different linear‐polarized channels, the measured maximum crosstalk is −16.88 dB, and the isolation of each channel can be greater than 10 dB in a range wider than 0.1 THz. This study paves the way for multi‐dimensional multiplexing in the THz regime, which may benefit extremely high‐capacity and integrated THz communication systems. The proposed design strategy is readily applied to multi‐functional metasurfaces for microwaves and far infrared light, facilitating the development of multiplexing technology and OAM‐related applications.
Increasing Efficiency of Ultrafast Laser Writing Via Nonlocality of Light‐Matter Interaction
Authors: Wang Huijun , Lei Yuhao , Shayeganrad Gholamreza , Svirko Yuri , Kazansky Peter G.
Published: March 2024

In ultrafast laser writing, and light‐matter interaction in general, it has been widely accepted that the higher the energy density, the stronger material changes occur, unless thermal effects are involved. Here, this belief is challenged by demonstrating that a decreased energy density—achieved through increased scanning speed and without thermal accumulation—surprisingly leads to a more significant modification of silica glass, i.e, a higher increase in the isotropic refractive index or greater birefringence of nanopore‐mediated modification. This counterintuitive phenomenon is attributed to the nonlocality of light‐matter interaction at tight focusing, where the intensity gradient of the light beam and associated diffusion of charge carriers play a critical role in increasing material modification. A tenfold increase in the writing speed of the polarization multiplexed data storage with the potential to achieve MB s‐1 using high transmission nanopore‐based modification.
Morphological Characteristics, Properties, and Applications of Polylactide/Poly(ε‐caprolactone) Blends and Their Composites—A Review
Authors: Matumba Karabo Innocent , Mokhena Teboho Clement , Ojijo Vincent , Sadiku Emmanuel Rotimi , Ray Suprakas Sinha
Published: March 2024

Over the past years, poly(lactic acid) or polylactide (PLA) is commonly researched as a possible replacement for traditional fossil‐based polymers because of its compostability, biocompatibility, and high mechanical properties. PLA has a variety of applications in packaging, biomedical, and structural. However, PLA has limitations, such as high brittleness, low thermal stability, and a slow crystallization rate, which limits the wide range of applications. To overcome these limitations, the literature reports that blending PLA with other polymers, such as poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL), is an economically viable approach. Although blending PLA with PCL is considered a feasible approach, the blend system still suffers from immiscibility, depending on the blend composition. This review aims to highlight recent developments from 2014 to date on the processing of PLA/PCL blends, including their composites, with a primary focus on morphological characteristics and mechanical and thermal properties, including their potential applications in various sectors.
An Intrinsic Photothermal Supramolecular Hydrogel with Robust Mechanical Strength and NIR‐Responsive Shape Memory
Authors: Wang Ruyue , Chen Xingxing , Cheng Yilong , Ding Zicheng , Ming Xiaoqing , Zhang Yanfeng
Published: March 2024

Near‐infrared (NIR)‐triggered shape memory hydrogels with promising mechanical strength hold immense potential in the field of biomedical applications and soft actuators. However, the optical and mechanical properties of currently reported hydrogels usually suffer from limited solubility and dispersion of commonly used photothermal additives in hydrogels, thus restricting their practical implementations. Here,, a set of NIR‐responsive shape memory hydrogels synthesized by polyaddition of diisocyanate‐terminated poly(ethylene glycol), imidazolidinyl urea (IU), and p‐benzoquinone dioxime (BQDO) is reported. The introduction of IU, a hydrogen bond reinforcing factor, significantly enhances the mechanical properties of the hydrogels, allowing for their tunable ranges of the ultimate tensile strength (0.4–2.5 MPa), elongation at break (210–450%), and Young's modulus (190–850 kPa). The unique hydrogels exhibit an intrinsic photothermal effect because of the covalently incorporated photothermal moiety (BQDO), and the photothermal supramolecular hydrogel shows controllable shape memory capabilities characterized by rapid recovery speed and high recovery ratio (>90%). This design provides new possibilities for applying shape memory hydrogels in the field of soft actuators.
A novel in‐frame deletion in KIF5C gene causes infantile onset epilepsy and psychomotor retardation
Authors: Banerjee Santasree , Zhao Qiang , Wang Bo , Qin Jiale , Yuan Xin , Lou Ziwei , Zheng Weizeng , Li Huanguo , Wang Xiaojun , Cheng Xiawei , Zhu Yu , Lin Fan , Yang Fan , Xu Junyu , Munshi Anjana , Das Parimal , Zhou Yuanfeng , Mandal Kausik , Wang Yi , Ayub Muhammad , Hirokawa Nobutaka , Xi Yongmei , Chen Guangfu , Li Chen
Published: March 2024

Motor proteins, encoded by Kinesin superfamily (KIF) genes, are critical for brain development and plasticity. Increasing studies reported KIF’s roles in neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, a 6 years and 3 months‐old Chinese boy with markedly symptomatic epilepsy, intellectual disability, brain atrophy, and psychomotor retardation was investigated. His parents and younger sister were phenotypically normal and had no disease‐related family history. Whole exome sequencing identified a novel heterozygous in‐frame deletion (c.265_267delTCA) in exon 3 of the KIF5C in the proband, resulting in the removal of evolutionarily highly conserved p.Ser90, located in its ATP‐binding domain. Sanger sequencing excluded the proband's parents and family members from harboring this variant. The activity of ATP hydrolysis in vitro was significantly reduced as predicted. Immunofluorescence studies showed wild‐type KIF5C was widely distributed throughout the cytoplasm, while mutant KIF5C was colocalized with microtubules. The live‐cell imaging of the cargo‐trafficking assay revealed that mutant KIF5C lost the peroxisome‐transporting ability. Drosophila models also confirmed p.Ser90del's essential role in nervous system development. This study emphasized the importance of the KIF5C gene in intracellular cargo‐transport as well as germline variants that lead to neurodevelopmental disorders and might enable clinicians for timely and accurate diagnosis and disease management in the future.
Profiling of Metabolites in a Fermented Soy Dietary Supplement Reinforces its Role in the Management of Intestinal Inflammation
Authors: Ethier Richard , Krishnamurthy Arun , Jeffrey Michael , Tompkins Thomas A.
Published: March 2024

Scope

Gastro‐AD (GAD) is a soy flour derived product that undergoes an industrial fermentation with Lactobacillus delbrueckii R0187 and has demonstrated clinical effects in gastroesophageal reflux and peptic ulcer symptom resolution. The aim of this study is to describe and link GAD's metabolomic profile to plausible mechanisms that manifest and explain the documented clinical outcomes.

Methods and results

1H NMR spectroscopy with multivariate statistical analysis is used to characterize the prefermented soy flour and GAD products. The acquired spectra are screened using various resources and the molecular assignments are confirmed using total correlation spectroscopy (TOCSY). Peaks corresponding to different metabolites are integrated and compared between the two products for relative changes. HPLC and GC are used to quantify some specific molecules. NMR analyses demonstrate significant changes in the composition of various assigned bioactive moieties. HPLC and GC analysis demonstrate deglycation of isoflavones after fermentation, resulting in estrogenically active secondary metabolites that have been previously shown to help to reduce inflammation.

Conclusion

The identification of bioactive molecules, such as genistein and SCFAs, capable of modulating anti‐inflammatory signaling cascades in the stomach's gastric and neuroendocrine tissues can explain the reported biological effects in GAD and is supported by in vivo data.
A novel minority sample fault diagnosis method based on multisource data enhancement
Authors: Guo Yiming , Song Shida , Huang Jing
Published: March 2024

Effective fault diagnosis has a crucial impact on the safety and cost of complex manufacturing systems. However, the complex structure of the collected multisource data and scarcity of fault samples make it difficult to accurately identify multiple fault conditions. To address this challenge, this paper proposes a novel deep‐learning model for multisource data augmentation and small sample fault diagnosis. The raw multisource data are first converted into two‐dimensional images using the Gramian Angular Field, and a generator is built to transform random noise into images through transposed convolution operations. Then, two discriminators are constructed to evaluate the authenticity of input images and the fault diagnosis ability. The Vision Transformer network is built to diagnose faults and obtain the classification error for the discriminator. Furthermore, a global optimization strategy is designed to upgrade parameters in the model. The discriminators and generator compete with each other until Nash equilibrium is achieved. A real‐world multistep forging machine is adopted to compare and validate the performance of different methods. The experimental results indicate that the proposed method has multisource data augmentation and minority sample fault diagnosis capabilities. Compared with other state‐of‐the‐art models, the proposed approach has better fault diagnosis accuracy in various scenarios.
Classic grounded theory: identifying the main concern
Authors: Connor Justine , Flenady Tracy , Massey Deb , Dwyer Trudy
Published: March 2024

Grounded theory comprises a family of research approaches designed to support the generation of a theory explaining a phenomenon experienced by a group of participants. One style of grounded theory, Classic grounded theory, is used less often than other types of grounded theory. The less frequent use of Classic grounded theory may be attributed to the limited availability of clearly articulated processes for conducting this method. Particularly important within Classic grounded theory, and not used in other forms of grounded theory, is identifying the participants' main concern. Identifying the participants' main concern is a signature feature of Classic grounded theory and is a prerequisite for ascertaining the core category and subsequent discovery of theory. In this article we provide a detailed explanation of how to identify the participants' main concern, and in so doing, we offer an exemplar to illustrate the process involved.
A review of the effects of legal access to same‐sex marriage
Authors: Badgett M. V. Lee , Carpenter Christopher S. , Lee Maxine J. , Sansone Dario
Published: March 2024

On June 26, 2015, the United States Supreme Court extended nationwide legal access to same‐sex marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges, following a series of court cases and legislative activities at the state and district levels. Similar policies have diffused throughout other countries, especially in western Europe and the Americas. Researchers have used the staggered rollout of legal same‐sex marriage and related policies in the U.S. and elsewhere, along with improved data on lesbian, gay, and bisexual people, to study the effects of marriage equality. In this paper, we review this evidence, focusing on outcomes such as societal attitudes, marriage take‐up, family formation, employment, time use, health insurance coverage, and health. We discuss conceptual frameworks for understanding the likely effects of same‐sex marriage; methodological considerations for studying treatment effects; the policy context surrounding legal same‐sex marriage, including the 2023 Respect for Marriage Act; and important areas for future research.
Unraveling the underlying mechanisms of reduced amyloidogenic properties in human calcitonin via double mutations
Authors: Chang Yu‐Pei , Pan Pei‐Chun , Tu Ling‐Hsien
Published: March 2024

The therapeutic efficacy of peptide‐based drugs is commonly hampered by the intrinsic propensity to aggregation. A notable example is human calcitonin (hCT), a peptide hormone comprising 32 amino acids, which is synthesized and secreted by thyroid gland parafollicular cells (C cells). This hormone plays a vital role in regulating blood calcium levels and upholding bone integrity. Despite its physiological importance, utilizing hCT as a drug is hampered by its inclination to form amyloid. To address this limitation, an alternative is provided by salmon calcitonin (sCT), which possesses a lower aggregation propensity. Although sharing the same disulfide bond at the N terminus as hCT, sCT differs from hCT at a total of 16 amino acid positions. However, due to the dissimilarity in sequences, using sCT as a clinical replacement occasionally results in adverse side effects in patients. Earlier investigations have highlighted the significant roles of Tyr‐12 and Asn‐17 in inducing the formation of amyloid fibrils. By introducing double mutations at these sites, the ability to hinder aggregation can be significantly augmented. This study delves into the oligomerization and helical structure formation of the hCT double mutant (Y12LN17H hCT, noted as DM hCT), as well as two single mutants (Y12L and N17H), aiming to elucidate the mechanism behind hCT fibrillization. In addition, computational prediction tools were employed again to identify potential substitutes. Although the results yielded were not entirely satisfactory, a comparison between the newly examined and previously found hCT double mutants provides insights into the reduced aggregation propensity of the latter. This research endeavor holds the promise of informing the design of more effective therapeutic peptide drugs in the future.
Phytotherapeutic approach for conquering menopausal syndrome and osteoporosis
Authors: Mohapatra Sradhanjali , Kumar P Ayash , Aggarwal Akshay , Iqubal Ashif , Mirza Mohd Aamir , Iqbal Zeenat
Published: March 2024

Women face a significant change in their reproductive health as menopause sets in. It is marred with numerous physiological changes that negatively impact their quality of life. This universal, transition phase is associated with menopausal and postmenopausal syndrome, which may spread over 2–10 years. This creates a depletion of female hormones causing physical, mental, sexual and social problems and may, later on, manifest as postmenopausal osteoporosis leading to weak bones, causing fractures and ultimately morbidity and mortality. Menopausal hormone therapy generally encompasses the correction of hormone balance through various pharmacological agents, but the associated side effects often lead to cessation of therapy with poor clinical outcomes. However, it has been noticed that phytotherapeutics is trusted by women for the amelioration of symptoms related to menopause and for improving bone health. This could primarily be due to their reduced side effects and lesser costs. This review attempts to bring forth the suitability of phytotherapeutics/herbals for the management of menopausal, postmenopausal syndrome, and menopausal osteoporosis through several published research. It tries to enlist the available botanicals with their key constituents and mechanism of action for mitigating symptoms associated with menopause as well as osteoporosis. It also includes a list of a few herbal commercial products available for these complications. The article also intends to collate the findings of various clinical trials and patents available in this field and provide a window for newer research avenues in this highly important yet ignored health segment.
Electrochemical Failure Mechanism of δ‐MnO2 in Zinc Ion Batteries Induced by Irreversible Layered to Spinel Phase Transition
Authors: Zhao Chunyu , Wu Mengqi , Lu Wencheng , Cheng Yingjie , Zhang Xiaoya , Saadoune Ismael , Lian Ruqian , Wang Yizhan , Wei Yingjin
Published: March 2024

Phase transitions of Mn‐based cathode materials associated with the charge and discharge process play a crucial role on the rate capability and cycle life of zinc ion batteries. Herein, a microscopic electrochemical failure mechanism of Zn‐MnO2 batteries during the phase transitions from δ‐MnO2 to λ‐ZnMn2O4 is presented via systematic first‐principle investigation. The initial insertion of Zn2+ intensifies the rearrangement of Mn. This is completed by the electrostatic repulsion and co‐migration between guest and host ions, leading to the formation of λ‐ZnMn2O4. The Mn relocation barrier for the λ‐ZnMn2O4 formation path with 1.09 eV is significantly lower than the δ‐MnO2 re‐formation path with 2.14 eV, indicating the irreversibility of the layered‐to‐spinel transition. Together with the phase transition, the rearrangement of Mn elevates the Zn2+ migration barrier from 0.31 to 2.28 eV, resulting in poor rate performance. With the increase of charge–discharge cycles, irreversible and inactive λ‐ZnMn2O4 products accumulate on the electrode, causing continuous capacity decay of the Zn‐MnO2 battery.
Exploring the effects of TiO2${\rm TiO}_2$–Ag/water hybrid nanofluid on MHD flow over a permeable exponentially stretching–shrinking sheet with radiative heat transfer and slip conditions
Authors: Patel Vijay K. , Pandya Jigisha U. , Patel Manoj R.
Published: March 2024

The objective of this article is to study the importance of velocity and thermal slip in the exponentially stretching or shrinking sheet with the megnetohydrodynamic (MHD) hybrid nanofluid flow along with magnetic field, radiative, heat generation effects. This study has practical importance in enhancing heat transfer efficiency, improving energy conversion and optimizing thermal management systems. The findings can also contribute to the development of sustainable energy systems and aid in assessing the stability and safety of nanofluid applications. The governing partial differential equations are transformed into nonlinear ordinary differential equations using similarity transformation. The ODEs are solved using bvp4c solver in MATLAB. The dual solutions are achieved for specific range of the stretching or shrinking parameter and mass suction parameter. The first solution is physically significant after considering stability analysis. The hybrid nanofluid has numerous real‐life and industrial applications, such as microelectronics, manufacturing, naval structures, nuclear system cooling, biomedical, and drug reduction. The skin‐friction increases but Nusselt number decreases over the stretching sheet whereas the opposite effect shows over shrinking sheet for the both solution with the increasing velocity slip parameter. On the other hand, The Nusselt number decreases over the shrinking or stretching sheet for both solutions with the increasing in the thermal slip parameter. The skin friction increases over shrinking sheet but decreases over stretching sheet for the first solution with increasing silver volume fraction parameter and porosity parameter (). Enhancing magnetic field parameter leads to the skin friction increases over the shrinking sheet but decreases over stretching sheet but Nusselt number shows opposite trend. The Nusselt number decreases over shrinking sheet but increases over stretching sheet for the first solution with increasing porosity parameter (). The Nusselt number decreases over shrinking or stretching sheet as the increases heat generation () and variable thermal conductivity parameter () but Nusselt number shows opposite trend as the increases radiative parameter ().
Simple Lyapunov spectrum for linear homogeneous differential equations with $$L^p$$ parameters
Authors: Amaro Dinis , Bessa Mário , Vilarinho Helder
Published: March 2024

In the present paper we prove that densely, with respect to an $$L^p$$

L
p

-like topology, the Lyapunov exponents associated to linear continuous-time cocycles $$\Phi :\mathbb {R}\times M\rightarrow {{\,\textrm{GL}\,}}(2,\mathbb {R})$$

Φ
:
R
×
M
→

GL

(
2
,
R
)

induced by second order linear homogeneous differential equations $$\ddot{x}+\alpha (\varphi ^t(\omega ))\dot{x}+\beta (\varphi ^t(\omega ))x=0$$

x
¨

+
α

(

φ
t

(
ω
)

)

x
˙

+
β

(

φ
t

(
ω
)

)

x
=
0

are almost everywhere distinct. The coefficients $$\alpha ,\beta $$

α
,
β

evolve along the $$\varphi ^t$$

φ
t

-orbit for $$\omega \in M$$

ω
∈
M

and $$\varphi ^t: M\rightarrow M$$

φ
t

:
M
→
M

is an ergodic flow defined on a probability space. We also obtain the corresponding version for the frictionless equation $$\ddot{x}+\beta (\varphi ^t(\omega ))x=0$$

x
¨

+
β

(

φ
t

(
ω
)

)

x
=
0

and for a Schrödinger equation $$\ddot{x}+(E-Q(\varphi ^t(\omega )))x=0$$

x
¨

+

(
E
-
Q

(

φ
t

(
ω
)

)

)

x
=
0

, inducing a cocycle $$\Phi :\mathbb {R}\times M\rightarrow {{\,\textrm{SL}\,}}(2,\mathbb {R})$$

Φ
:
R
×
M
→

SL

(
2
,
R
)

.
The zoogeographic regionalization for cephalopoda linked to the canary current upwelling system
Authors: Luna Amanda , Ramos Ana , Rocha Francisco
Published: March 2024

Quantitative data on cephalopods collected in ten multidisciplinary surveys (20–2000 m) between 2004 and 2012, together with original oceanographic and satellite data, were analyzed using multivariate techniques. Statistical analyses were based on presence–absence matrices by species and hydrological variable indices. The results show that cephalopods are distributed in two main zoogeographical groups separated by latitude: “Temperate water” and “Tropical water” clusters. They extended by temperate and tropical regions, separated by a geographical boundary, Cape Blanc, particularly strong in the case of coastal species between these groups. For the total fauna, we have identified a third particular cephalopods’ cluster, the “Upwelling” cluster (22°–17°N), characterized by a higher diversity and dominance of oceanic cephalopods. This is proposed as a new zoogeographical region that would coincide with the area of greatest productivity, intensity and permanence throughout the year of the canary current upwelling, confined between the north of Cape Blanc and the south of Mauritania. The results confirm the strong relationship between the three zoogeographical regions (temperate, tropical, and upwelling) and certain water bodies that characterize the regional hydrology. This paper deepens into the zoogeography of the cephalopods from Northwest Africa (Central-Eastern Atlantic), providing a new, more detailed insight into the region and its boundaries in relation to the oceanography.
Endothelial dysfunction and risk factors for atherosclerosis in psoriatic arthritis: overview and comparison with rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Kaleta Konrad , Krupa Julia , Suchy Wiktoria , Sopel Anna , Korkosz Mariusz , Nowakowski Jarosław
Published: March 2024

Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is defined as an impairment in the vasodilatory, anti-thrombotic, and anti-inflammatory properties of the cells that make up the lining of blood vessels. ED is considered a key step in the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The association between ED and systemic inflammatory diseases is well established. However, the prevalence and clinical significance of ED in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) have been investigated to a lesser extent. This review aims to explore the link between ED and PsA, including ED in macro- and microcirculation, as well as risk factors for its occurrence in PsA and its relationship with atherosclerosis in PsA. Furthermore, the ED in PsA was compared with that of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Regarding ED in the microcirculation, the coronary flow reserve was found to be significantly reduced in individuals with PsA. The relationship between PsA and macrovascular ED is more pronounced, along with more advanced atherosclerosis detected in patients with PsA. These results are consistent with those obtained in RA studies. On the other hand, arterial stiffness and signs of vascular remodeling were found more frequently in RA than in PsA, with the potential role of efficient anti-TNF treatment in patients with PsA and psoriasis explaining this finding. The impact of ED on cardiovascular diseases and the burden of this risk caused independently by PsA have not yet been precisely established, however, this group of patients requires special attention with regard to cardiovascular events.
Dysphagia Prevalence in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Glinzer Julia , Flynn Éadaoin , Tampoukari Eleni , Harpur Isolde , Walshe Margaret
Published: March 2024

The objective of this systematic review was to determine the prevalence of dysphagia and aspiration in people with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). A search of six electronic databases was performed from inception to April 2022. No context restrictions were set. All primary research comprising figures to derive a prevalence rate were included. Two independent reviewers screened search results. Data were extracted by one reviewer. Conflicts were resolved by discussion with a third reviewer. The quality of included studies was assessed using the JBI Checklist for Prevalence Studies. From 877 studies, 12 were eligible for inclusion. Dysphagia had to be confirmed using instrumental assessments, clinical swallowing evaluation, screening, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROM). A random-effects meta-analysis calculated a pooled dysphagia prevalence in 78–89% (95% CI [60.6, 89.1], [78.9, 95.0]). depending on the chosen assessment method, and a pooled aspiration prevalence of 23.5% (95% CI [14.5, 33.7]). The included studies were of moderate quality, with high risk of selection and coverage bias and low to moderate risk of measurement bias. Dysphagia is highly prevalent in a sample of participants with mostly moderately severe PSP. Aspiration occurs in a quarter of this sample and is likely to increase as the disease progresses. Given the low general prevalence of PSP, studies remain at high risk for selection bias. Prospective research should focus on the development of dysphagia in the course of PSP and its subcategories using instrumental assessment and consider all phases of swallowing.

Registration

The protocol of this systematic review was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) in April 2021 (registration number: CRD42021245204).
Revenue maximization for multiple advertisements placement on a web banner using a pixel-price model
Authors: Langendoen Edmar , Frasincar Flavius , Riezebos Mark , Matsiiako Vladyslav , Boekestijn David
Published: March 2024

The aim of this paper is to optimize the allocation of multiple advertisements on a Web banner, where the price of an advertisement depends on the location at the banner. This problem can be defined as a two-dimensional single orthogonal knapsack problem with a location-based pixel-price model. A formulation is proposed in which the problem is specified as a 0–1 integer programming problem. As this problem is NP-complete, we mainly focus on a heuristic approach to solve the problem. We propose two new heuristic algorithms: the reactive GRASP algorithm and the partitioning left-justified algorithm. Next to that, we present an exact algorithm that is able to solve small problem instances in a reasonable time. These newly presented algorithms are compared with respect to efficiency and effectiveness to existing algorithms that solve the problem without a location-based pixel-price model. To test the quality of the algorithms, we have executed two experiments. The results of these experiments show that overall the reactive GRASP algorithm is the most effective algorithm, whereas the greedy stripping algorithm is the most efficient.
Inconsistent recovery of nitrogen cycling after feral ungulate removal across three tropical island ecosystems
Authors: Soper Fiona M. , Sparks Kimberlee S. , Cole Rebecca J. , Giardina Christian P. , Litton Creighton M. , Sparks Jed P.
Published: March 2024

Non-native ungulates (sheep, goats, and pigs) have significant negative impacts on ecosystem biodiversity, structure, and biogeochemical function throughout the Pacific Islands. Elevated nitrogen (N) availability associated with ungulate disturbance has been shown to promote the success of resource-exploitive invasive plants. While ungulate removal is a common restoration intervention, evaluations of its efficacy typically focus on vegetation responses, rather than underlying nutrient cycling. We used multiple chronosequences of ungulate exclusion (10–24 years duration) in three Hawaiian ecosystems (montane wet forest, dry forest, and dry shrubland) to determine N cycle recovery by characterizing gross mineralization and nitrification, soil inorganic N concentrations and leaching, N2O emissions, and plant tissue δ15N. Ungulate removal led to a 1–2 ‰ decline in foliar δ15N in most species, consistent with a long-term decrease in N fractionation via ecosystem N losses, or a shift in the relative turnover of N forms. This interpretation was supported by significant (dry forest) or trending (wet forest) increases in mineralization and decreases in nitrification, but conflicts with lack of observed change in inorganic N pool sizes or gaseous losses, and increased leaching in the dry forest. While results could indicate that ungulate invasions do not strongly impact N cycling in the first place (no uninvaded control sites exist in Hawai’i to test this hypothesis), this would be inconsistent with observations from other sites globally. Instead, impacts may be spatially patchy across the landscape, or ungulate invasions (possibly in combination with other disturbances) may have permanently shifted biogeochemical function or decoupled elemental cycles. We conclude that eliminating ungulate disturbance alone may not achieve restoration goals related to N cycling within the timeframe examined here.
Microbial abundances and carbon use under ambient temperature or experimental warming in a southern boreal peatland
Authors: Felice Mark , Blake Cameron M. , Sebestyen Stephen , Gutknecht Jessica L. M.
Published: March 2024

Organic peat soils occupy relatively little of the global land surface area but store vast amounts of soil carbon in northern latitudes where climate is warming at a rapid pace. Warming may result in strong positive feedbacks of carbon loss and global climate change driven by microbial processes if warming alters the balance between primary productivity and decomposition. To elucidate effects of warming on the microbial communities mediating peat carbon dynamics, we explored the abundance of broad microbial groups and their source of carbon (i.e. old carbon versus more recently fixed photosynthate) using microbial lipid analysis (δ13C PLFA) of peat samples under ambient temperatures and before/after initiation of experimental peat warming (+ 2.25, + 4.5, + 6.75, and + 9 °C). This analysis occurred over a profile to 2 m depth in an undrained, ombrotrophic peat bog in northern Minnesota. We found that the total microbial biomass and individual indicator lipid abundances were stratified by depth and strongly correlated to temperature under ambient conditions. However, under experimental warming, statistically significant effects of temperature on the microbial community were sporadic and inconsistent. For example, 3 months after experimental warming the relative abundance of Gram-negative bacterial indicators across depth combined and > 50 cm depth and Gram-positive bacterial indicators at 20–50 cm depth showed significant positive relationships to temperature. At that same timepoint, however, the relative abundance of Actinobacterial indicators across depth showed a significant negative relationship to temperature. After 10 months of experimental warming, the relative abundance of fungal biomarkers was positively related to temperature in all depths combined, and the absolute abundance of anaerobic bacteria declined with increasing temperature in the 20–50 cm depth interval. The lack of observed response in the broader microbial community may suggest that at least initially, microbial community structure with peat depth in these peatlands is driven more by bulk density and soil water content than temperature. Alternatively, the lack of broad microbial community response may simply represent a lag period, with more change to come in the future. The long-term trajectory of microbial response to warming in this ecosystem then could either be direct, after this initial lag time, or indirect through other physical or biogeochemical changes in the peat profile. These initial results provide an important baseline against which to measure long-term microbial community and carbon-cycling responses to warming and elevated CO2.
A New Look at Cross-Country Aggregation in the Global VAR Approach: Theory and Monte Carlo Simulation
Authors: Gunduz Halil Ibrahim , Emirmahmutoglu Furkan , Yucel M. Eray
Published: March 2024

Requirements to understand and forecast the behavior of complex macroeconomic interactions mandate the use of high-dimensional macroeconometric models. The Global Vector Autoregressive (GVAR) modeling technique is very popular among them and it allows researchers and policymakers to take into account both the complex interdependencies that exist between various economic entities and the global economy through the world’s trade and financial channels. However, determining the cross-section unit size while using this approach is not a trivial task. In order to address this issue, we suggest an objective procedure for the detection of the size of the cross-country aggregation in GVAR models. While doing so, we depart from the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and propose an analytical modification to it, mainly employing an ad hoc approach without violating Akaike’s main principles. To supplement the theoretical results, small sample performances of those procedures are studied in Monte Carlo experiments as well as implementing our approach on real data. The numerical results suggest that our ad hoc modification of AIC can be used to determine the structure of the cross-section unit dimension in GVAR models, allowing the researchers and policymakers to build parsimonious models.
The Development of Automatic Sprinkler System Concepts for Maritime Vehicle Carriers
Authors: Arvidson Magnus , Westlund Örjan
Published: March 2024

Closed ro-ro spaces on maritime vehicle carriers are usually protected by a total-flooding carbon dioxide system. Such systems have many benefits, for example that there are no residues that can adversely affect the protected objects (in this case thousands of vehicles) and the agent is electrically non-conductive. However, there could be a considerable time delay from the start of a fire until the carbon dioxide system is discharged. Experience has shown that this delay time can cause significant fire damage and jeopardize the performance of the system. Within the EU funded LASH FIRE project, design and installation guidelines for supplementary automatic water-based fire sprinkler systems were developed. An important design feature is that the system automatically activates at an early stage of a fire. This would allow more time to fight the fire manually or to safely evacuate the space and discharge the CO2 system when the fire is controlled to one or a few vehicles instead of at a time when it has escalated in size. The work was partly based on a comprehensive literature review that identified relevant standards and information applicable to the design of automatic fire sprinkler and deluge water spray systems. Large-scale fire tests verified that the suggested system designs were able to provide control of realistic vehicle fires, including fires in passenger cars and a freight truck.
Scheduling with non-renewable resources: minimizing the sum of completion times
Authors: Bérczi Kristóf , Király Tamás , Omlor Simon
Published: March 2024

We consider single-machine scheduling with a non-renewable resource. In this setting, we are given a set of jobs, each characterized by a processing time, a weight, and a resource requirement. At fixed points in time, certain amounts of the resource are made available to be consumed by the jobs. The goal is to assign the jobs non-preemptively to time slots on the machine, so that each job has enough resource available at the start of its processing. The objective that we consider is the minimization of the sum of weighted completion times. The main contribution of the paper is a PTAS for the case of 0 processing times ($$1|rm=1,p_j=0|\sum w_jC_j$$

1
|
r
m
=
1
,

p
j

=
0
|
∑

w
j

C
j

). In addition, we show strong NP-hardness of the case of unit resource requirements and weights ($$1|rm=1,a_j=1|\sum C_j$$

1
|
r
m
=
1
,

a
j

=
1
|
∑

C
j

), thus answering an open question of Györgyi and Kis. We also prove that the schedule corresponding to the Shortest Processing Time First ordering provides a 3/2-approximation for the latter problem. Finally, we investigate a variant of the problem where processing times are 0 and the resource arrival times are unknown. We present a $$(4+\epsilon )$$

(
4
+
ϵ
)

-approximation algorithm, together with a $$(4-\varepsilon )$$

(
4
-
ε
)

-inapproximability result, for any $$\varepsilon >0$$

ε
>
0

.
Star help and knowledge transfer: an event study analysis of star interactions observed from acknowledgement texts
Authors: Sasidharan Akhil , McHale John , Harold Jason
Published: March 2024

This paper contributes to the growing literature on the impact of connections to star scientists on the productivity of academic scientists. The existing literature generally focuses on larger economies and specific scientific fields in evaluating star-connection effects. It has rarely examined the particular channels through which stars have their effects. Using natural language processing (NLP) techniques to explore the acknowledgement texts of a broad corpus of published papers from three small open economies, we examine the effects of star help revealed by the acknowledgement texts published in articles. Using an event-study framework with matched data, we find evidence of an economically and statistically significant effect on scientist productivity in the year of acknowledgement of star help. However, there is only evidence of an enduring productivity effect if scientists maintain their acknowledgement of ties to the star over time. A similar pattern is evident across different types of acknowledgements, except for acknowledgements of star help with access to materials, which shows an enduring effect even after a single acknowledgement. The largest estimated star-help effects are found for authors in lower quartiles of the field-specific productivity distribution measured in the year before the help is acknowledged. The results are robust to using a raw-publications-based measure of scientist productivity in place of our preferred citation-weighted publications measure of productivity, suggesting that the observed productivity effect is unlikely to be due to a pure signalling effect. We discuss the implications of these findings for the design of star recruitment and integration policies.
Room-temperature magnetocaloric properties of yLa0.67Ca0.27Sr0.06MnO3/1−yLa0.7Sr0.3Mn0.95Cu0.05O3 composites
Authors: Kılıç Çetin Selda , Akça Gönül , Aslan Mehmet Selim , Ekicibil Ahmet
Published: March 2024

In this study, we have characterized the magnetic and magnetocaloric (MC) properties of composites formed by two manganites with appropriate Curie temperatures (TC) and acceptable maximum magnetic entropy change ($$-\Delta {S}_{{\text{M}}}^{{\text{max}}}$$

-
Δ

S

M

max

) values. The composites have similar diffraction patterns obtained for the main phases La0.67Ca0.27Sr0.06MnO3 (LCSM) and La0.7Sr0.3Mn0.95Cu0.05O3 (LSMC) overlapping the diffraction peaks of the perovskite structure. The absence of any diffraction peaks distinct from the main phases in the XRD patterns of the composites indicates that there is no third phase besides the main ones. It is understood from the SEM images that the composites are composed of particles of different shapes and that the interparticle spacing decreases and the grain boundaries become clear, indicating that the interaction between particles becomes stronger with the increase of the y ratio. A gradual transition is seen from the M(T) curves, which specify that the composites consist of phases with discrete transition temperatures. The magnetic phase transition of the samples is second order. The $$-\Delta {S}_{{\text{M}}}^{{\text{max}}}$$

-
Δ

S

M

max

value has been calculated as 3.18, 3.24, and 4.05 J kg−1 K−1 at 5 T magnetic field for the composites 0.25LCSM/0.75LSMC, 0.50LCSM/0.50LSMC, and 0.75LCSM/0.25LSMC, respectively. Since the RCP value of 0.5LCSM/0.5LSMC composite is 301.61 J kg−1 under 5 T, it can be considered as a promising candidate for use in various magnetic cooling technologies at room temperature.
Regulatory and contextual factors influencing earnings and capital management decisions: evidence from the European banking sector
Authors: Casciello Raffaela , Maffei Marco , Ziebart David A.
Published: March 2024

This study investigates whether some regulatory and contextual features influenced Euro Area listed banks decisions to manage earnings and regulatory capital through discretionary provisions in the period 2013–2018. The new regulation factors are the pressure to increase high-quality regulatory capital (Basel III) and more timely recognition of loan losses (IFRS 9). The contextual features are the intensified banking competition at a national level, and the significant money market pressure. Results demonstrate that the pressure to increase high-quality regulatory capital for banks with lower Common Equity Tier 1 capital (CET1) in year t − 1 is negatively associated with upward earnings and capital management in year t. The more timely recognition of loan losses in year t compared to year t + 1 is negatively associated with upward earnings and capital management in year t. The strengthening of banking competition is positively associated with upward earnings management, but not associated with upward capital management. The increasing money market pressure is negatively associated with upward earnings management, but not associated with upward capital management. This study should be helpful to standard-setters, regulators, investors and academics interested in incentives and constraints to earnings and capital management by providing evidence regarding how listed banks reacted to the regulatory, accounting, and contextual factors, observed holistically during a unique historical period (i.e., 2013–2018) and regulatory setting (i.e., European banking sector).
The Evolution of the Epidemiology of Facial Fractures Before, During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Petrocelli Marzia , Ruggiero Federica , Feraboli Liliana , Allegri Davide , Cutrupi Sebastiano , Baietti Anna Maria , Salzano Giovanni , Prucher Gianmarco , Maremonti Pietro , Vaira Luigi Angelo
Published: March 2024

Objective

The purpose of this study has been to analyze retrospectively the clinical records of patients admitted to a single Maxillofacial Surgery center in Northern Italy, evaluating the epidemiological differences during the different phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Materials and Methods

The retrospective study included patients who had undergone surgery for facial bone fractures at the between February 23, 2020, and February 23, 2022. According to the date of admission, all the data were stratified into four chronological periods representing the four different phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Italy in terms of restriction: pre-pandemic, first wave, partial restrictions and post-pandemic groups. Finally, any differences in epidemiological data between the groups were analyzed.

Results

A total of 155 patients were included. The causes of admission of the pre-pandemic group demonstrated a statistically significant difference compared with the first wave group, whereas there were no differences between the pre-pandemic and the other two groups. The first wave group reported statistically significant differences in terms of the fracture etiology also with the partial restrictions and post-pandemic groups.

Conclusions

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were profound changes in the epidemiology of fractures influenced by the restrictive measures implemented by the government. At the end of the pandemic, the epidemiology of fractures returned to the same as in the pre-pandemic period.
Nonlinear reduction using the extended group finite element method
Authors: Tolle Kevin , Marheineke Nicole
Published: March 2024

In this paper, we develop a nonlinear reduction framework based on our recently introduced extended group finite element method. By interpolating nonlinearities onto approximation spaces defined with the help of finite elements, the extended group finite element formulation achieves a noticeable reduction in the computational overhead associated with nonlinear finite element problems. However, the problem’s size still leads to long solution times in most applications. Aiming to make real-time and/or many-query applications viable, we consider model order reduction and complexity reduction techniques to reduce the problem size and efficiently handle the reduced nonlinear terms, respectively. For proof of concept, we focus on the proper orthogonal decomposition and discrete empirical interpolation methods. While similar approaches based on the group finite element method only focus on semilinear problems, our proposed framework is also compatible with quasilinear problems. Compared to existing methods, our reduced models prove to be superior in many different aspects as demonstrated in three numerical benchmark problems.