bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Hydrogen in Ga‐Doped Silicon on Maximum LeTID Defect Density
Authors: Zerfaß Ruben , Simon Jochen , Herguth Axel , Hahn Giso
Published: September 2023

Many studies suggest that hydrogen is an important factor for light and elevated temperature‐induced degradation (LeTID) in p‐type c‐Si solar cells. The exact mechanism of this defect is still unknown. Here, Ga‐doped Si wafers fired with an SiN
x
:H layer present were used to establish a correlation between the initial concentration of GaH pairs and H2 dimers on one and the maximum defect density evolving during degradation on the other hand. Degradation of all samples is performed at constant excess charge carrier injection. The correlation to LeTID defect density is found to be linear in the case of [H2], hence, a direct involvement of H2 in the defect formation is expected. In contrast, the correlation between GaH pairs and defects is found to scale with the fraction of GaH on total hydrogen concentration. This fraction is not constant but rather decreases with an increase in total hydrogen concentration. In addition, changes in [GaH] and lifetime are examined under different degradation conditions with either fixed injection up to and temperatures up to 180 °C. Under these conditions, LeTID evolves but no dissociation of [GaH] takes place. The effective activation energy of LeTID defect formation is determined to be 0.76(17) eV.
Mechanical Control of Photocatalysis in 2D Ferroelectrics
Authors: Liu Xiaoqing , Wang Junhui , Ling Faling , Shen Lei
Published: September 2023

Strain is a conventional mechanical means for optimizing light absorption of photocatalysts. Herein, an additional degree of freedom–ferroelectricity is introduced into this process, enhancing not only solar absorption but also photogenerated carrier separation and carrier‐driven forces through opto‐electro‐mechanical coupling. This approach is illustrated using a 2D ferroelectric material, In2Se3. The findings show that strain can adjust its bandgap for improved absorption and solar‐to‐hydrogen efficiency, and can also change its polarization to selectively control water‐splitting products. Specifically, strain manipulation can tune the bandgap within a range of 0.5–1.5 eV, thereby better aligning it with the solar spectrum, and increasing solar‐to‐hydrogen conversion efficiency to 6.6%. Additionally, strain‐induced changes in the polarization (internal electric field) of ferroelectric In2Se3 can alter redox potentials, selectively promoting hydrogen or oxygen reduction on the surface by ferroelectric switching. These findings provide a theoretical basis for designing and optimizing efficient 2D ferroelectric photocatalysts.
FOXP2 suppresses the proliferation, invasion, and aerobic glycolysis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by regulating the KDM5A/FBP1 axis
Authors: Yan Lijing , Sun Huanhuan , Chen Yuling , Yu Xiaohui , Zhang Jingru , Li Peijie
Published: September 2023

The Warburg effect is the preference of cancer cells to use glycolysis rather than oxidative phosphorylation to generate energy. Accumulating evidence suggests that aerobic glycolysis is widespread in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and closely related to tumorigenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role and mechanism of forkhead box P2 (FOXP2) in aerobic glycolysis and tumorigenesis in HCC. Here, we found that FOXP2 was lower expressed in HCC tissues and cells than in nontumor tissues and normal hepatocytes. Overexpression of FOXP2 suppressed cell proliferation and invasion of HCC cells and promoted cell apoptosis in vitro, and hindered the growth of mouse xenograft tumors in vivo. Further researches showed that FOXP2 inhibited the Warburg effect in HCC cells. Moreover, we demonstrated that FOXP2 up‐regulated the expression of fructose‐1, 6‐diphosphatase (FBP1), and the inhibitory effect of FOXP2 on glycolysis was dependent on FBP1. Mechanistically, as a transcription factor, FOXP2 negatively regulated the transcription of lysine‐specific demethylase 5A (KDM5A), and then blocked KDM5A‐induced H3K4me3 demethylation in FBP1 promoter region, thereby promoting the expression of FBP1. Consistently, overexpressing KDM5A or silencing FBP1 effectively reversed the inhibitory effect of FOXP2 on HCC progression. Together, our findings revealed the mechanistic role of the FOXP2/KDM5A/FBP1 axis in glycolysis and malignant progression of HCC cells, providing a potential molecular target for the therapy of HCC.
From the EFT of spinning gravitating objects to Poincaré and gauge invariance at the 4.5PN precision frontier
Authors: Levi Michèle , Morales Roger , Yin Zhewei
Published: September 2023

Abstract

We confirm the generalized actions of the complete NLO cubic-in-spin interactions for generic compact binaries which were first tackled via an extension of the EFT of spinning gravitating objects. We first reduce these generalized actions to standard actions with spins, where the interaction potentials are found to consist of 6 independent sectors, including a new unique sector that is proportional to the square of the quadrupolar deformation parameter, $$ {C}_{{\textrm{ES}}^2} $$

C

ES
2

. We derive the general Hamiltonians in an arbitrary reference frame, and for generic kinematic configurations. With these most general Hamiltonians we construct the full Poincaré algebra of all the sectors at the fourth and a half post-Newtonian (4.5PN) order, including the third subleading spin-orbit sector, recently accomplished uniquely via our framework, thus proving the Poincaré invariance of all relevant sectors. We then derive the binding energies with gauge-invariant relations useful for gravitational-wave applications. Finally, we also derive the extrapolated scattering angles in the aligned-spins configuration for the scattering problem. Yet, as made clear already as of quadratic-in-spin sectors, the aligned-spins simplification inherent to the scattering-angle observable, entails a great loss of physical information, that is only growing with higher-spin sectors. Our completion of the full Poincaré algebra at the present 4.5PN order provides strong confidence that this new precision frontier in PN theory has now been established.
Lebenslauforientierte Epidemiologie in der Migrationsforschung
Authors: Spallek Jacob , Zeeb Hajo , Razum Oliver
Published: September 2023

Es gibt viele Gründe für Migration, von freier Entscheidung bis zu erzwungener Flucht. Entsprechend vielfältig sind auch die Vorgeschichten und Lebensumstände der migrierenden Menschen. Die damit einhergehenden unterschiedlichen Expositionen beeinflussen die Gesundheit der Migrant*innen und ihrer Kinder. Um ein solch komplexes Phänomen zu erfassen, ist ein Ansatz erforderlich, der die besonderen Umstände im Lebenslauf der Migrant*innen einbezieht.

Ein etablierter methodischer Ansatz, der dies leisten kann, ist die Lebenslaufepidemiologie. Bei der Anwendung dieses Konzepts auf migrierende Bevölkerungen werden Expositionen vor, während und nach der Migration untersucht. In der epidemiologischen Forschung zur Gesundheit von eingewanderten Menschen ist es wünschenswert, alle diese 3 Phasen zu berücksichtigen. Eine Herausforderung hierbei ist, dass verlässliche Daten über den gesamten Lebenslauf nicht immer verfügbar sind.

Eine valide, zeitnahe Erhebung und datenschutzgerechte Verknüpfung longitudinaler Daten aus verschiedenen Quellen können die lebenslaufbezogene Forschung zur Gesundheit von Migrant*innen in Deutschland verbessern. Perspektivisch sollten entsprechende Daten auch aus den Herkunftsländern von Migrant*innen einbezogen werden.
Erlanger Modell der Tinnitusentstehung – Perspektivwechsel und neue Behandlungsstrategie
Authors: Schulze Holger , Schilling Achim , Krauss Patrick , Tziridis Konstantin
Published: September 2023

Hintergrund

Etwa ein Sechstel der Bevölkerung westlicher Industrienationen leidet unter chronischem subjektivem Tinnitus, der allein in Deutschland volkswirtschaftliche Behandlungs- und Folgekosten von fast 22 Mrd. € pro Jahr verursacht. Nach der vorherrschenden Auffassung entsteht Tinnitus als Folge eines durch Hörverlust ausgelösten maladaptiven neurophysiologischen Prozesses im Gehirn.

Ziel der Arbeit

Mit dem hier vorgelegten Erlanger Modell der Tinnitusentstehung wird ein umfassender neurophysiologischer Erklärungsansatz für das initiale Auftreten des Phantomgeräuschs nach Hörverlust vorgeschlagen. Auf der Grundlage des Modells wird eine neue Behandlungsstrategie entwickelt.

Material und Methoden

Das hier zusammenfassend vorgestellte Modell beruht auf verschiedenen tier- und humanphysiologischen Untersuchungen der letzten Jahre.

Ergebnisse

Das Erlanger Modell betrachtet subjektiven Tinnitus als Nebeneffekt eines physiologischen Mechanismus, der die Informationsübertragung in das auditorische System mittels stochastischer Resonanz (SR) auch im gesunden Hörsystem permanent optimiert. Tatsächlich hören hörgeschädigte Patienten mit Tinnitus im Mittel besser also solche ohne Tinnitus. Diese ungewohnte Perspektive auf das Phantomperzept kann betroffenen Patienten bereits dabei helfen, besser mit ihrem Leiden zurechtzukommen. Zusätzlich wurde, basierend auf dem Modell, als neue, individuell angepasste Behandlungsstrategie für tonalen Tinnitus die „low-intensity noise tinnitus suppression“ (LINTS) entwickelt und bereits erfolgreich an Patienten getestet.

Schlussfolgerung

Möglicher limitierender Faktor für Modell und Behandlungsstrategie ist die Tonhöhe des Tinnitusperzepts, die es für Frequenzen über rund 5 kHz nötig machen könnte, Anpassungen an der Behandlungsstrategie vorzunehmen.
Feuchtinhalation bei Kindern
Authors: Scherließ Regina , Neustock Anna , Struzek Anna-Maria , Abercron Melanie von , Abstreiter Simon
Published: September 2023

Hintergrund

Erkrankungen der Atemwege gehören zu den am häufigsten auftretenden Krankheiten im Kindesalter. Damit eine inhalative Therapie erfolgreich ist, sind vernebelte Tröpfchen in einem bestimmten Größenbereich nötig, der für Kinder besonders klein (< 3 µm) sein muss. Aerodynamische Charakterisierungen der Tröpfchengröße, hier am Beispiel des MicroDrop® Calimero 2-Verneblers (MPV Medical, Parsdorf, Deutschland), dienen zur Einschätzung des Dispergiervermögens einer bestimmten Vernebler-Produkt-Kombination.

Fragestellung

Die Charakterisierung eines Verneblers nach Arzneibuch-Methoden soll beispielhaft für ein Produkt und verschiedene Verneblereinstellungen demonstriert werden, um deren Einfluss auf das Depositionsprofil und den massenbezogenen mittleren aerodynamischen Durchmesser von vernebelten Tröpfchen zu untersuchen.

Material und Methoden

Es erfolgt die aerodynamische Charakterisierung von SalbuHEXAL® 5 mg/ml, vernebelt mit dem MicroDrop® Calimero 2-Vernebler und MicroDrop® Calimero 2-Kompressor, im gekühltem NGI (Next Generation Pharmaceutical Impactor). Die Wirkstoffanalytik erfolgte per HPLC/Copley Inhaler Testing Data Analysis-Software.

Ergebnisse und Fazit

Der MicroDrop® Calimero 2 vernebelt Wirkstofflösungen erfolgreich in einer für die Inhalation in die Lunge gut geeigneten aerodynamischen Tröpfchengröße. Durch die Veränderung der Einstellung des Geschwindigkeitsreglers auf minimale/maximale Zuluft wird der Aerosoloutput variiert, die resultierende Tröpfchengröße aber nicht maßgeblich beeinflusst.
Resolving entropy growth from iterative methods
Authors: Linders Viktor , Ranocha Hendrik , Birken Philipp
Published: September 2023

We consider entropy conservative and dissipative discretizations of nonlinear conservation laws with implicit time discretizations and investigate the influence of iterative methods used to solve the arising nonlinear equations. We show that Newton’s method can turn an entropy dissipative scheme into an anti-dissipative one, even when the iteration error is smaller than the time integration error. We explore several remedies, of which the most performant is a relaxation technique, originally designed to fix entropy errors in time integration methods. Thus, relaxation works well in consort with iterative solvers, provided that the iteration errors are on the order of the time integration method. To corroborate our findings, we consider Burgers’ equation and nonlinear dispersive wave equations. We find that entropy conservation results in more accurate numerical solutions than non-conservative schemes, even when the tolerance is an order of magnitude larger.
How Personality Matters for Education Research
Authors: Jach Hayley K. , Bardach Lisa , Murayama Kou
Published: September 2023

The field of personality psychology could contribute to the aims of educational research, but several misconceptions may hold back this synthesis. We address three “misconceptions” about personality psychology that are surprisingly pervasive outside of that field: that there are personality types, that personality is fixed, and that the existence of personality implies that situations are unimportant. We then cover four ways that personality psychology can assist educational aims: personality can be used to (1) boost our ability to accurately predict educational outcomes, (2) inform educational interventions, (3) support the academic development of all learners in personalised learning interventions, and (4) be employed as target outcomes for education. In the process, we show how personality relates to important educational outcomes, outline theoretical links with educationally relevant concepts like socio-emotional skills, and include an overview of current personality scales that can be used when getting started. Through this paper, we hope to stimulate and enthuse researchers to advance synthesis between the disciplines.
Addressing Economic Abuse in Intimate-partner Violence Interventions: A Bacchian Analysis of Responsibility
Authors: Byrt Adrienne , Cook Kay , Burgin Rachael
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Burgeoning research on intimate partner perpetrated economic abuse highlights the devastating and lasting impacts of economic exploitation, economic control, and employment sabotage, most often endured by women. Despite recognition of the potential outcomes that can result from intimate partner perpetrated economic abuse, such as lifelong poverty, and housing and employment insecurity, there is a dearth of evidence on prevention interventions into economic abuse, and interventions to help women recover from such abuse. This exploratory qualitative meta-synthesis examines existing research to identify key areas for systemic intervention into prevention of economic abuse.

Methods

Drawing on Bacchi’s ‘What’s the problem represented to be?’ approach, this qualitative meta-synthesis analyses ‘problem representations’ in 11 studies that report on interventions into intimate partner violence, including economic abuse. Articles were identified through a systematic literature search in EBSCOhost and SCOPUS using the following search terms: ‘financial abuse’ OR ‘economic abuse’ AND ‘prevention’ OR ‘intervention’ OR ‘crisis.’ The inclusion criteria were that the study must report: (1) empirical data from an intervention; (2) focus, at least in part, on EA given such abuse is often reported alongside other forms of abuse; (3) abuse occurring within the context of a current or former intimate partner relationship.

Results

We found that across the reviewed studies, economic abuse was not often explicitly defined, and within descriptions of tactics that constitute economic abuse, the perpetrator remained largely invisible. Interventions into intimate partner violence tended to focus on individualistic prevention/intervention through psychoeducation, men’s intervention programs, clinical interventions, women’s economic empowerment. Relational economic empowerment was also recommended alongside gender-based training to motivate couples to recognise traditional gender power dynamics in relationships.

Conclusions

We argue that most interventions individualise the prevention of and recovery from economic abuse, promoting women’s self-improvement through financial literacy, economic empowerment, and education as responses to economic violence, rather than making male perpetrators accountable for the harm they cause. This gap in existing interventions reveals an opportunity for financial and government institutions to act through transformative structural reform that disrupts – rather than responds to – male perpetration of economic abuse.
Youth Perceived Social Support and Symptom Distress: A Random-Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model
Authors: Meuleman Eline M. , van der Veld William M. , Laceulle Odilia M. , van der Heijden Paul T. , Verhagen Maaike , van Ee Elisa
Published: September 2023

Although social support and mental health associations have been extensively investigated, their reciprocal relations in vulnerable youth remain understudied. This study investigated the relations between perceived social support and symptom distress over time whilst differentiating between support from caregivers and significant others. The sample included 257 youth (79% self-identified women, Mage = 19.2, SD = 2.5) who were receiving mental health treatment. Using a Random-Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model, results revealed no significant concurrent associations, between-person effects, or cross-lagged effects. The autoregressive effects suggested that perceived social support from caregivers was relatively stable over time, while symptom distress and support from a significant other were not. In all, this study challenged the validity of the social causation and social erosion models in the context of perceived social support and symptom distress among vulnerable youth, revealing an absence of significant reciprocal associations. The stable nature of perceived social support from caregivers compared to support from significant others was highlighted. The study design, hypotheses, and target analyses were preregistered under https://osf.io/f4qpg.
‘Secrecy, Trust, Safety’: a Multi-stakeholder Situation Assessment of Gendered and Contextual Vulnerabilities and Service Level Responsiveness to the Needs of Women Who Use Drugs in Egypt
Authors: Van Hout Marie-Claire , Elsayed Heba , Elgamil Raghda , Rabie Menan A. , Aly Reham , Sonnan Mohammad Tariq
Published: September 2023

Women account for one in every three people who use drugs worldwide and tend to progress to drug use disorders in a shorter time than men. There is limited understanding of the situation of women who use drugs in the Middle East and North Africa. A multi-stakeholder rapid situation assessment (RSA) was conducted which aimed to investigate gendered and contextual vulnerabilities and service level responsiveness to the needs of women who use drugs (WWUD) in Egypt. An updated profile of female service user characteristics was sought via mapping of addiction and harm reduction services in the National Drug Observatory system. In-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of representatives of UN agencies and health professionals providing treatment/harm reduction (government, private, community) (n = 21). Focus groups were facilitated with a convenience sample of women in treatment, accessing HIV services and community harm reduction services (n = 75). Thematic analysis and triangulation across data sources occurred. Eight themes emerged: profile of women who use drugs; access to drugs and settings for female drug use; dimensions of stigma; trauma and drivers of female drug use; networks and intimate partner relationships; high-risk behaviours and harms; barriers to help-seeking and accessing services; and enhancing gender-responsive and gender-transformative evidence-based services. This RSA yields a contemporary insight into the vulnerabilities, traumas, discrimination and stigma-related challenges experienced by WWUD in Egypt. Recommendations are made to enhance harm reduction awareness and uptake and to integrate gender-responsive care within existing maternal, addiction and harm reduction service structures.
Real-world safety and effectiveness of inhaled nitric oxide therapy for pulmonary hypertension during the perioperative period of cardiac surgery: a post-marketing study of 2817 patients in Japan
Authors: Matsugi Emi , Takashima Shigeki , Doteguchi Shuhei , Kobayashi Tomomi , Okayasu Motohiro
Published: September 2023

Objective

To evaluate the real-world safety and effectiveness of inhaled nitric oxide (INOflo® for Inhalation 800 ppm) for perioperative pulmonary hypertension associated with cardiac surgery in Japan.

Methods

This was a prospective, non-interventional, all-case, post-marketing study of pediatric and adult patients who received perioperative INOflo with cardiac surgery from November 2015–December 2020. Safety and effectiveness were monitored from INOflo initiation to 48 h after treatment completion or withdrawal. Safety outcomes included adverse drug reactions, blood methemoglobin concentrations, and inspired nitrogen dioxide concentrations over time. Effectiveness outcomes included changes in central venous pressure among pediatrics, mean pulmonary arterial pressure among adults, and the partial pressure of arterial oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio (PaO2/FiO2) in both populations.

Results

The safety analysis population included 2,817 Japanese patients registered from 253 clinical sites (pediatrics, n = 1375; adults, n = 1442). INOflo was generally well tolerated; 15 and 20 adverse drug reactions were reported in 14 pediatrics (1.0%) and 18 adults (1.2%), respectively. No clinically significant elevations in blood methemoglobin and inspired nitrogen dioxide concentrations were observed. INOflo treatment was associated with significant reductions in both central venous pressure among pediatrics and mean pulmonary arterial pressure among adults, and significant improvements in PaO2/FiO2 among pediatrics and adults with PaO2/FiO2 ≤ 200 at baseline.

Conclusions

Perioperative INOflo treatment was a safe and effective strategy to improve hemodynamics and oxygenation in patients with pulmonary hypertension during cardiac surgery. These data support the use of INOflo for this indication in Japanese clinical practice.
Lizards on the borders: source and patterns of colonization of an opportunistic reptile, Podarcis siculus, on the remote island of Pantelleria (Italy) depicted by mtDNA phylogeography and dorsal pattern
Authors: Antinucci Carlotta , Gallozzi Francesco , Ancillotto Leonardo , Mori Emiliano , Castiglia Riccardo
Published: September 2023

Understanding patterns and modalities of species’ colonization in insular ecosystems is a major goal of biogeography and may be key to decision makers, in terms of e.g., management and conservation. In this paper, we assess source and patterns of colonization of an opportunistic reptile, Podarcis siculus, on the remote island of Pantelleria (Italy), following a multidisciplinary approach combining molecular phylogeography and dorsal pattern analyses. We analyzed the mitochondrial gene cytochrome b (cytb) from 13 lizards and we assessed the frequency of the dorsal pattern phenotypes observing 188 basking lizards from eight localities throughout the island. The parsimony network revealed that haplotypes from Pantelleria belong to a haplogroup characteristic of western Sicily with the most common haplotype from Pantelleria being also found in three Sicilian localities. Unlike other Italian island populations, the dorsal pattern is highly conserved on Pantelleria, as a high percent of the observed individuals show the pattern also found in the hypothesized source area in western Sicily. In conclusion, our results are compatible with an allochthonous origin of the P. siculus population of Pantelleria Island. Thus, the species would need no population monitoring programme for its conservation on the island.
Bisexuality and Substance Use
Authors: Ford Jessie V. , Pearlman Leah R. , Feinstein Brian A.
Published: September 2023

Purpose of review

This article highlights an urgent need to better understand the substance use disparities affecting bisexual people. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) have made calls for research to identify risk factors for adverse health outcomes, including substance use behaviors, among bisexual people. Despite growing interest in this area, our understanding of why bisexual people are at increased risk for substance use remains limited.

Recent findings

Today, an increasing percent of the U.S. population identifies as bisexual. The literature consistently shows higher rates of substance use and resulting consequences among bisexual people relative to both heterosexual and gay/lesbian people. Thus, it seems an opportune time to review research on substance use in bisexual populations.

In this article, we review this literature and identify important findings in several key areas to guide future work including heterogeneity in substance use, distal and proximal risk factors, and intersectional forces that influence elevated substance use patterns among bisexual individuals.
Persistent Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: Ongoing Challenges Defining the Target Population and Substrate
Authors: Griffin Michael , Calvert Peter , Gupta Dhiraj
Published: September 2023

Purpose of Review

Catheter ablation (CA) is a well-established treatment for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF), but outcomes in persistent AF can be suboptimal. This review summarises recent evidence relating to the ideal patient population and target substrate for CA, and the techniques available.

Recent Findings

Risk scores can identify individuals with persistent AF who are more likely to benefit from CA. Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) remains the most important ablation technique but non-pulmonary vein triggers explain the high recurrence rates in persistent AF. Novel electroanatomic mapping technologies, hybrid approaches, ethanol vein of Marshall ablation and thoracoscopic epicardial ablation are promising recent developments. Pulsed field ablation (PFA) is a new ablation modality with an excellent safety profile in trials to date; its role in persistent AF remains an area of study.

Improving outcomes of CA in persistent AF remains a significant research focus, with several encouraging directions for future study.
Investigation of uncertainty in internal target volume definition for lung stereotactic body radiotherapy
Authors: Nakanishi Daiki , Oita Masataka , Fukunaga Jun-Ichi , Hirose Taka-Aki , Yoshitake Tadamasa , Sasaki Motoharu
Published: September 2023

This study evaluated the validity of internal target volumes (ITVs) defined by three- (3DCT) and four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT), and subsequently compared them with actual movements during treatment. Five patients with upper lobe lung tumors were treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) at 48 Gy in four fractions. Planning 3DCT images were acquired with peak-exhale and peak-inhale breath-holds, and 4DCT images were acquired in the cine mode under free breathing. Cine images were acquired using an electronic portal imaging device during irradiation. Tumor coverage was evaluated based on the manner in which the peak-to-peak breathing amplitude on the planning CT covered the range of tumor motion (± 3 SD) during irradiation in the left–right, anteroposterior, and cranio-caudal (CC) directions. The mean tumor coverage of the 4DCT-based ITV was better than that of the 3DCT-based ITV in the CC direction. The internal margin should be considered when setting the irradiation field for 4DCT. The proposed 4DCT-based ITV can be used as an efficient approach in free-breathing SBRT for upper-lobe tumors of the lung because its coverage is superior to that of 3DCT.
Nuclear Shape-Phase Transition From Spherical U(5) to Deformed $$\gamma$$-Unstable O(6) Dynamical Symmetries of Interacting Boson Model Applied to Ru, Pd, and Xe Isotopic Chains
Authors: Khalaf A. M. , Taha M. M. , El-Sayed M. A.
Published: September 2023

The shape transition from spherical vibrator U(5) to $$\gamma$$
γ
-unstable deformed rotor O(6) in even-even Ru, Pd, and Xe isotopic chains are studied in framework of sd interacting boson model (IBM1) using the coherent state formalism to obtain the potential energy surfaces (PES’s). The location of critical points in the transition are identified by analysis the PES’s in terms of the deformation parameter $$\beta$$
β
and by using the catastrophe theory in terms of the two essential parameters $$(r_1, r_2)$$

(

r
1

,

r
2

)

. By using the most general IBM1 Hamiltonian in Casimir form with neglecting the U(5) and SU(3) quadratic Casimir operators and introducing only one control parameter the PES leads to the same energy surface as the Q-consistent IBM Hamiltonian at $$\gamma =0$$

γ
=
0

. For the studied isotopic chains, the $$\chi ^2$$

χ
2

-test is used to perform the fitting between the experimental and the corresponding calculated IBM for some selected energy levels and electric quadrupole transition probabilities B(E2) values using a simulated search program. A good agreement is produced for both energies and B(E2) transition rates. The present model calculations suggest that $$^{100}$$

100

Ru, $$^{102}$$

102

Pd and $$^{130}$$

130

Xe nuclei are good candidates for the E(5) critical point symmetry.
Linear Quadratic Gaussian Control for a Liquid-Carrying Quadrotor
Authors: Soltani Ali , Vahidi Bajestani Amirhossein
Published: September 2023

A quadrotor with a liquid tank may be used in various tasks such as spraying pesticides and firefighting. Therefore, motion of the quadrotor should be controlled such that liquid sloshing is suppressed. To tackle this issue, a LQG controller is proposed in this paper. The LQG controller is based on a linear equivalent mechanical model for liquid sloshing which is presented in this study. The proposed controller uses position and attitude feedback of quadrotor to estimate and control the liquid states. This is different than other controllers presented in the literature where they consider liquid sloshing as an external disturbance. LQG controller is simulated using system’s nonlinear equations and compared to a PID controller. The results depicted a 20% improvement in trajectory tracking performance for LQG controller while using 11% less energy than its PID counterpart. Also the LQG control scheme was able to compensate for a constant external disturbance whereas the PID controller was not able to stabilize the system while the constant disturbance is present.
BECIA: a behaviour engineering-based approach for change impact analysis
Authors: Anwer Sajid , Wen Lian , Zhang Shaoyang , Wang Zhe , Sun Yong
Published: September 2023

This paper introduces Behaviour Engineering-based Change Impact Analysis (BECIA), a novel approach to Change Impact Analysis (CIA). BECIA enables visualization of change impacts from modified requirements on architecture design. It also introduces the Change Impact Indicator (CII) metric, quantifying impact by calculating the Kolmogorov Complexity (KC) of design models. Our contributions include: an algorithm to convert behavior trees to composition trees, a requirements components dependency network, and a metric for quantifying change impacts.
Co-design as a Networked Approach to Designing Educational Futures
Authors: Wardak Dewa , Wilson Stephanie , Zeivots Sandris
Published: September 2023

Design is a contested term, and this has implications for designing educational futures. Described through five senses to elucidate its complexity, design can be conceptualised as domain, as process, as plan, as the resulting product, and as the intentional creation of new possibilities. In this paper, we use the five design senses to illustrate how they could be useful for making sense of a large, complex, and multifaceted educational project. We define the design senses as a network of socio-material entanglements and illustrate how actor-network theory can be useful in unpacking this network. Taking a postdigital perspective, we illustrate that in designing for learning in higher education, the relationships between the five senses are fluid, constantly shifting, and emergent in a network of human and non-human actants. We argue that design research needs to move beyond cognitive approaches to the study of collaborative approaches that empower participants. In doing so, our study proposes a co-design approach to designing educational futures where multidisciplinary teams connect their knowledge, skills, and resources to carry out a design task. We present three mini-cases from our co-design project to illustrate how the five senses of design can be used to unpack and untangle the web of complex relationships in co-design. Furthermore, we reflect on the shifting role of educational developers as they lead and participate in co-design teams. We conclude by problematising educational design for designing educational futures in a postdigital world.
Perspectives and Recent Progresses on the Simulation of the Entry into the Atmospheres of the Outer Ice Giants
Authors: Esposito Antonio , Lappa Marcello
Published: September 2023

The relatively recent decision of NASA and ESA to plan new missions to the so-called Ice Giants, namely Uranus and Neptune, has prompted a resurgence of interest in the experimental analysis of the aero-heating environment that probes entering such atmospheres would experience. In the present study, arc-jet facilities, previously used to simulate space flight in the atmospheres of Earth, Mars, and Titan, are considered as a relevant basis for the implementation of a more complex framework adequately accounting for the atmospheric features of the Ice Giants. It is shown that the key to the successful realization of such an endeavor is a new operating mode for the plasma torch (relying on a nitrogen–hydrogen mixture) together with the inclusion of a new gas control unit, a new mixing chamber to generate relevant gas mixtures (mimicking to a sufficient extent the Ice Giants atmosphere) and a new thermo-chemical model of the overall flow process. The outcomes of some initial tests are presented to demonstrate the adequacy and performances of the implemented approach with respect to typical entry conditions related to these two planets.
Improving Gravel Material Specifications for Unpaved Roads: Australian Case Study
Authors: Frankel Jeremy , Tahmoorian Farzaneh
Published: September 2023

Gravel surfacing is a cost-effective approach for constructing roads in sparsely populated regions. However, maintaining the shape and usability of gravel roads requires regular upkeep to ensure road user safety. This study focuses on the significant gravel material specifications for wearing courses and highlights the findings of the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) in Australia regarding the crucial role of material specifications in road maintenance routines. The Goondiwindi area in Queensland, featuring approximately 2000 km of gravel roads, serves as a case study for investigating the viability of granular stabilization techniques in enhancing re-sheeting materials for this network. In this research, gravel samples from ten gravel pits in the region were characterized through a range of tests, including particle-size distribution, Atterberg limit, California bearing ratio (CBR), and capillary rise. These laboratory investigations facilitated the development of a desktop analysis tool that predicts the engineering properties of gravel blends obtained from different pits. The validity of this analysis tool was assessed by comparing its results with comprehensive laboratory investigations of gravel samples and their blends. The verification process demonstrated that the results obtained from the desktop analysis tool aligned well with the test results. The study concludes that the analysis tool can effectively identify suitable gravel blends that meet target specifications, provided that the shrinkage product and CBR values of the parent pits are acceptable. The findings of this research can enhance confidence in designing gravel blends for wearing courses based on the properties of individual gravel pits, eliminating the need for additional testing on the gravel blends, and thus reducing costs.
Examining how risk diversification for conservation is influenced by the probability assigned to uncertainty scenarios
Authors: Cho Seong-Hoon , Kang Nawon , Zhu Gengping
Published: September 2023

Despite the progress in conservation risk management, conservation organizations are reluctant to interface usable risk-diversification strategies with their decision-making processes. One reason for this reluctance is that the empirical models used to develop risk-diversification strategies need the expected returns on investment (ROIs) of target assets and their variances and covariances, and the probabilities of occurrence of the scenarios needed to calculate those statistics are almost always unknown. We examine how risk diversification for conservation is influenced by the probabilities assigned to uncertainty scenarios using a case study involving the conservation of biodiversity at the county level in the central and southern Appalachian region within the framework of modern portfolio theory. A comparison of risk-mitigating portfolios with bootstrapped and fixed probability distributions shows that introducing the flexibility of an unknown probability distribution of uncertainty scenarios allows conservation organizations to spread bets more than with the inflexibility of the fixed probability distribution, while also achieving higher expected ROIs per unit of risk on average. The improvement becomes more significant when conservation organizations are less risk averse.
Historiography in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Between Academic Discipline and Political Activism
Authors: Kamberović Husnija
Published: September 2023

The wars of Yugoslav succession in the 1990s dramatically stimulated interest in the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). To satisfy this interest from the outside world, many historical publications offered up various explanations for the outbreak of the wars.1 Yet the prior, and perhaps more significant, development occurred on the eve of the war, when historians in Bosnia and Herzegovina – although to a considerably lesser extent than in Serbia and Croatia – made an important contribution to national(ist) mobilisation and to the creation of a belligerent atmosphere by sensationally broaching traumatic topics linked to the Second World War.2 The war in the 1990s left behind a devastated and divided country and created deep social divisions which have also affected the role and status of the nation's historiography. Many today accept the claim that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country in which there exist three views on history, although this is only partly true, because in this country far more than ‘three views on history’ exist. In practice, the thesis of three national historiographies (Serbian, Croatian, and Bosniak)3 turns out to be completely erroneous, because the existence of ‘national historiographies’ would also presume the existence of clearly defined thematic and methodological approaches to historical research, and that is not the case with historiography in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Hence, it is more precise to speak of a scholarly historiography that exists alongside an ideologically or politically motivated historiography or ‘parahistoriography’, by which is meant ‘dealing with history . . . in a completely different way than studying history’.4
Forest Canopy Acts as an Atmospheric NOx Sink: Results From Micrometeorological Flux Measurements
Authors: Kang Ronghua , Huang Kai , Gao Tian , Mulder Jan , Duan Lei , Wang Chao , Ke Piaopiao , Yao Meng , Su Chenxia , Li Jin , Zhu Weixing , Zhu Jiaojun , Fang Yunting
Published: September 2023

Human activities have released a large amount of nitric oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere, leading to elevated regional atmospheric NOx concentration and nitrogen (N) deposition. Several studies have observed a downward NOx or NOy (NOx and its oxidation products) flux to the forest canopy, but attributed it to the photochemical reactions and conversion from gaseous N to particulate N. Here, we focus on the possibility of NOx sink by forest canopy based on an observed downward NOx flux of 0.28 kg N ha−1 yr−1 in a temperate forest of northeastern China, using hourly monitoring of NOx fluxes. In combination with results from previous studies, we find that the downward NOx or NOy fluxes ranged from 0.2 to 1.4 kg N ha−1 yr−1 in temperate forests and from 5.3 to 8.5 kg N ha−1 yr−1 in subtropical forests and they were positively related to atmospheric NOx concentration, mean annual air temperature and annual precipitation across eight forest sites from around the world. If assuming 50% of downward NOx or NOy was directly taken up by the canopy, we estimate a NOx or NOy sink of 0.2 and 1.1 Tg N yr−1 by global respective temperate and subtropical forests, representing an effective scavenger of atmospheric NOx and a considerable N source to forests. We suggest that interception of NOx or NOy by forest canopy should be considered in global NOx budgets and their contribution to the global forest N pool in global Earth System's models.
Duration of humoral immunity from smallpox vaccination and its cross-reaction with Mpox virus
Authors: Li Entao , Guo Xiaoping , Hong Dongxiang , Gong Qizan , Xie Wenyu , Li Tingting , Wang Jian , Chuai Xia , Chiu Sandra
Published: September 2023

The ongoing pandemic caused by mpox virus (MPXV) has become an international public health emergency that poses a significant threat to global health. The vaccinia virus Tiantan strain (VTT) was used to vaccinate against smallpox in China 42 years ago. It is urgent to assess the level of immunity to smallpox in individuals vaccinated 43 or more years ago and evaluate their immunological susceptibility to MPXV. Here, we recruited 294 volunteers and detected the level of residual humoral immunity, including the vaccinia-specific IgG level and neutralizing antibody titer, and the cross-antibodies of MPXV A29L, B6R, A35R, and M1R. Our results showed that the humoral immunity from the smallpox vaccine in the population still remains, and VTT-specific NAb levels wane with age. The majority of the population pre-1981 who should be immunized with VTT still maintains certain levels of MPXV-specific antibodies, in particular, targeting A35R and B6R antigens. Furthermore, we separately analyzed the correlations between the OD450 values of VTT-specific IgG and A35R-specific IgG, B6R-specific IgG, and A29L-specific IgG with plasma samples diluted 1:40, showing a linear correlation (p < 0.0001). Our findings suggest that most Chinese populations still maintain VTT-specific IgG antibodies for 42 or more years after smallpox vaccination and could provide some level of protection against MPXV.
MDIG-mediated H3K9me3 demethylation upregulates Myc by activating OTX2 and facilitates liver regeneration
Authors: Du Jinpeng , Liao Wenwei , Wang Haichuan , Hou Guimin , Liao Min , Xu Lin , Huang Jiwei , Yuan Kefei , Chen Xiangzheng , Zeng Yong
Published: September 2023

The mineral dust-induced gene (MDIG) comprises a conserved JmjC domain and has the ability to demethylate histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation (H3K9me3). Previous studies have indicated the significance of MDIG in promoting cell proliferation by modulating cell-cycle transition. However, its involvement in liver regeneration has not been extensively investigated. In this study, we generated mice with liver-specific knockout of MDIG and applied partial hepatectomy or carbon tetrachloride mouse models to investigate the biological contribution of MDIG in liver regeneration. The MDIG levels showed initial upregulation followed by downregulation as the recovery progressed. Genetic MDIG deficiency resulted in dramatically impaired liver regeneration and delayed cell cycle progression. However, the MDIG-deleted liver was eventually restored over a long latency. RNA-seq analysis revealed Myc as a crucial effector downstream of MDIG. However, ATAC-seq identified the reduced chromatin accessibility of OTX2 locus in MDIG-ablated regenerating liver, with unaltered chromatin accessibility of Myc locus. Mechanistically, MDIG altered chromatin accessibility to allow transcription by demethylating H3K9me3 at the OTX2 promoter region. As a consequence, the transcription factor OTX2 binding at the Myc promoter region was decreased in MDIG-deficient hepatocytes, which in turn repressed Myc expression. Reciprocally, Myc enhanced MDIG expression by regulating MDIG promoter activity, forming a positive feedback loop to sustain hepatocyte proliferation. Altogether, our results prove the essential role of MDIG in facilitating liver regeneration via regulating histone methylation to alter chromatin accessibility and provide valuable insights into the epi-transcriptomic regulation during liver regeneration.
Examining the role of civic attitudes in the link between family wealth and school dropout among tertiary vocational students
Authors: Finkenauer Catrin , Boer Maartje , Spitzer Jenna , Weinberg Dominic , Visser Kirsten , Jonker Merel , Stevens Gonneke W. J. M.
Published: September 2023

This study examined the relationship between family wealth and school dropout among vocational education students (n = 1,231; mean age=17.81). It investigated whether (1) family affluence and adolescents’ own perceptions and experiences of their family wealth (i.e., perceived family wealth, financial scarcity) predict dropout, (2) adolescents’ civic attitudes (i.e., system justification, institutional trust) explain the association between family wealth and school dropout, and (3) trust in teachers buffers against the risk of dropout among students with lower civic attitudes. Multivariate models revealed that financial scarcity predicted dropout. Financial scarcity showed an indirect only effect on dropout through lower institutional trust, but not through system justification. Trust in teachers was neither associated with dropout, nor a moderator. Controlling for mental health problems did not affect these results. This study helps explain how students’ experienced and perceived family wealth can affect their educational attainment, by reducing their trust in social institutions.
Comparing prevalence and types of potentially inappropriate medications among patient groups in a post-acute and secondary care hospital
Authors: Nakashima Hirotaka , Ando Hiromichi , Umegaki Hiroyuki
Published: September 2023

Reducing potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) is a challenge in post-acute care hospitals. Some PIMs may be associated with patient characteristics and it may be useful to focus on frequent PIMs. This study aimed to identify characteristic features of PIMs by grouping patients as in everyday clinical practice. A retrospective review of medical records was conducted for 541 patients aged 75 years or older in a Japanese post-acute and secondary care hospital. PIMs on admission were identified using the Screening Tool for Older Person’s Appropriate Prescriptions for Japanese. The patients were divided into four groups based on their primary disease and reason for hospitalization: post-acute orthopedics, post-acute neurological disorders, post-acute others, and subacute. Approximately 60.8% of the patients were taking PIMs, with no significant difference among the four patient groups in terms of prevalence of PIMs (p = 0.08). However, characteristic features of PIM types were observed in each patient group. Hypnotics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were common in the post-acute orthopedics group, multiple antithrombotic agents in the post-acute neurological disorders group, diuretics in the post-acute others group, and hypnotics and diuretics in the subacute group. Grouping patients in clinical practice revealed characteristic features of PIM types in each group.