bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
To What Extent Is There Bias by Selection?: Selection for Road Safety Treatment in Norway
Authors: Elvik Rune
Published: April 2007

The selection for road safety treatment for national roads in Norway is examined. The main question asked is, To what extent are the sites selected for road safety treatment biased in favor of sites that have recorded an abnormally high number of accidents during the period before treatment? To answer this question, the observed accident rates at treated sites during the before period were compared with normal accident rates for similar sites. Accident rates were adjusted for clear non-linearity in the relationship between traffic exposure and the number of accidents. Sites were classified into those that had higher-than-normal accident rates, lower-than-normal accident rates, and close-to-normal accident rates. For treated intersections, it was found that 47% had a higher-than-normal accident rate, 47% had a lower-than-normal accident rate, and 6% had an accident rate close to the normal rate. For treated road sections, it was found that 39% had a higher-than-normal accident rate, 39% had a lower-than-normal accident rate, and 22% had an accident rate close to the normal rate. Perhaps the most surprising finding of this study was that a sizable proportion of treated sites were safer than normal during the before period. Selection of sites for road safety treatment in Norway is a complex process, influenced by multiple considerations, not just the accident record. Selection for treatment can be made more effective by selecting fewer safer-than-normal sites. However, it is not possible to quantify the extent to which a more effective process of selection for treatment can be implemented.
Analysis of Personal Time-Space Prism Vertex Locations: A Develop ing-Country Context
Authors: Nehra Ram S. , Banerjee Amlan , Pendyala Ram M. , Dhingra S. L.
Published: April 2007

Recent developments in microsimulation modeling of activity and travel demand have called for the explicit recognition of time and space constraints under which individuals perform their activity and travel patterns. The estimation of time-space prism vertex locations—the perceived time constraints—is an important development in this context. Stochastic frontier modeling methodology offers a suitable framework for modeling and identifying the expected vertex locations of time-space prisms within which people execute activity-travel patterns. In this study, stochastic frontier models of time-space prism vertex locations are estimated for samples drawn from a household travel survey conducted in 2001 in the city of Thane on the west coast of India. The data from this survey offer an opportunity to study time constraints governing activity-travel patterns of individuals in a developing-country context. Comparisons between men and women, workers and nonworkers, and developed- and developing-country contexts were included to understand better how socioeconomic and sociocultural norms and characteristics affect time-space prism constraints.
Modeling Effect of Travel Time Uncertainty and Traffic Information on Use of Park-and-Ride Facilities
Authors: Bos llona , Ettema Dick , Molin Eric
Published: April 2007

An approach is presented to determine the effect of travel time uncertainty and traffic information on mode choice in general and on the potential patronage of park-and-ride (P&R) facilities in particular. An expected-utility approach is applied to model the effect of travel time uncertainty and traffic information on the utility derived from the various travel modes. Through a series of simulations, the potential effects of travel time uncertainty and information provision on the use of a P&R facility in the Nijmegen region in the Netherlands are assessed. The simulations suggest that providing travelers with travel time information increases the patronage of P&R facilities because use of the car is avoided in the case of heavy congestion. However, the effect of information provision is limited when compared with other factors such as the quality of the P&R alternative in terms of travel time, facilities, and costs.
Multimodal Choice Set Composition: Analysis of Reported and Generated Choice Sets
Authors: Hoogendoorn-Lanser Sascha , Van Nes Rob
Published: April 2007

Multimodal trips are common in today's travel and are expected to become more important. An individual embarking on a multimodal trip faces a number of choice dimensions, such as access and egress mode or modes, origin and destination railway stations, train service types, and transfer stations. For each of these choice dimensions, multiple alternatives are available. To gain insight into the structure and complexity of multimodal trips, a dedicated survey was conducted. Its results include detailed data on chosen trips and reported trip alternatives of 511 multi-modal home-bound trips in which the train is the main transport mode. Furthermore, objective choice sets were generated for these respondents and compared with the chosen trips and the reported trip alternatives. It can be concluded that many alternatives are available to travelers, whereas only a limited subset of those alternatives is actually perceived. Even fewer alternatives are actually considered in the choice process. The obtained knowledge of the chosen trips and subjective choice sets can be used to improve choice set generation algorithms and to define strategies for modeling route choice in multimodal networks.
Impact of Intrahousehold Interactions on Individual Daily Activity-Travel Patterns
Authors: Vovsha Peter , Petersen Eric , Donnelly Robert
Published: April 2007

Existing approaches to modeling daily activity-travel patterns (DAPs) are mostly person based. However, intrahousehold interactions have a strong effect on the formation of the daily activity agenda of each household member. An approach is adopted that is based on the sequential modeling of the choices reflected in the DAPs of all household members, in a predetermined order of processing by person type, with explicit linkages between the choices made by different members of the household. The statistical analysis of intrahousehold interactions is described, as well as the application experience with this modeling approach in the framework of the new tour-based regional travel demand model recently developed for the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission. Linkages across different household members that reflect the sharing of the same activities or the making of joint travel proved to be extremely strong statistically.
Modeling Location Choices of Housing Builders in the Greater Toronto, Canada, Area
Authors: Haider Murtaza , Miller Eric J.
Published: April 2007

An analysis of the spatial choice of housing builders in the greater Toronto area (GTA), Canada, is presented. A spatially disaggregate database of 126,462 new housing units built by 445 builders is used to analyze the determinants of the intrametropolitan location of new housing. Housing starts are classified into four types: single-family detached (SFD), semidetached, condominiums, and row-link housing. An accessibility analysis shows that the GTA remains a monocentric region where accessibility for most activities declines with distance from the central business district. The location choice of homebuilders differs by housing type. For instance, the construction of new condominiums is more likely to be in high-density areas with high accessibility to jobs. Similarly, the likelihood of construction of low-rise (SFD or semidetached) housing is higher in low-density areas with low accessibility to work and other activities. Neighborhood attributes help determine the type of housing likely to be built in the vicinity. Also, the location of low-rise residential units and planned residential construction is influenced by proximity to major transport corridors in the GTA. The location of condominiums is influenced by proximity to the subway system. Builders are attracted to zones with higher dwelling values, where they can obtain higher values for their products. Spatial inertia in housing markets is presented, which implies that the presence of a certain type of housing attracts more housing of that type to the vicinity.
Shopping Travel Behaviors in an Era of Rapid Economic Transition: Evidence from Newly Built Malls in Prague, Czech Republic
Authors: Newmark Gregory L. , Plaut Pnina O. , Garb Yaakov
Published: April 2007

The rapid transformation in both the location and type of retail provision in the Prague metropolitan area, Czech Republic, between 1997 and 2001 offers a unique opportunity for examining the relationship between land use and shopping travel behavior. The case of Prague is unique. Although the Czech capital has the compact form and transit-rich environment sought by many planners, after rates of motorization rose steadily in the early 1990s foreign developers began constructing shopping malls on the city's fringe in 1997. Although retail provision was being remade on highway-adjacent locations outside the traditional central business district, there were few changes in Prague residential and employment locations. Thus, the shift in shopping land use occurred in relative isolation. Shopping travel behavior before and after the introduction of the fringe shopping malls is examined by using research based on 1,649 surveys collected in four new malls in 2001. Mall visitors reported current demographic information and mall travel behavior as well as their travel habits for the same trip purposes before the introduction of the surveyed mall. The before-and-after data demonstrate how shopping travel behavior has changed with the changing retail land uses. Specifically, shifts in three travel behavior variables (trip frequency, shopping duration, and mode split) disaggregated by key demographic characteristics (age, gender, income, car ownership, and household size), are analyzed. Several striking shifts are apparent: people shop less often and for longer periods of time and are less likely to walk to shopping locations.
Application of Distributed Traffic Simulation for Passing Behavior Study
Authors: Jenkins J. M. , Rilett L. R.
Published: April 2007

The suitability of a prototype distributed traffic simulation for passing behavior studies was examined. The prototype was based on the High Level Architecture and was designed to combine the microscopic traffic simulation program VISSIM with the driving simulator DriveSafety. Specifically developed for the passing behavior application, the prototype was capable of modeling traffic on two-lane, two-way rural roads. Vehicle information was transferred from the VISSIM federate to the Drive-Safety federate to control the creation of vehicles and their speeds. The passing experiment had a repeated-measure, factorial design with two levels of impeding vehicle length and two levels of impeding vehicle speed. Twenty-four test drivers, each with at least 5 years of driving experience, successfully completed a pass under each experimental condition. The passing time and passing distance were observed to be significantly greater when the impeding vehicle was a truck than when it was a passenger car. The mean distance traveled in the left lane and the mean end gap distance were found to be approximately double those reported previously. Likewise, the mean start gap distance was found to be triple that reported previously. These differences were likely due to drivers’ propensities to underestimate distances in simulated environments. This study methodology had the advantage of capturing detailed driver information, but concerns about the validity of the methodology and the transferability of the results to the real world warrant further examination.
Signing Two-Lane Freeway Exits with an Option Through Lane in Extreme Conditions: Anatomy of Drivers’ Behavior
Authors: Fisher Donald L. , Upchurch Jonathan , Pradhan Anuj , Mehranian Hasmik , Romoser Matthew
Published: April 2007

Two-lane freeway exits in which the left-hand exit lane also continues as a through (option) lane are becoming increasingly common. Potential problems can arise at these exits when drivers become confused by the signing and can lead to increases in driver frustration, incidents, and congestion. These problems have not been studied in any detail, especially in circumstances in which the signs recommended in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways cannot be used. Such is the case in the underground sections of I-93 through downtown Boston, Massachusetts, where the signs can be no more than 3 ft high. To arrive at a better understanding of these problems, the Massachusetts Highway Department evaluated a number of different ways of informing drivers that the left-hand lane of a two-lane exit functioned as both an exit lane and a through lane. The entire underground sections of northbound and southbound I-93 were simulated on a computer. Participants in an experiment sat in an actual car surrounded by three screens onto which was projected the virtual world and manipulated the controls of the car just as they would those of an ordinary vehicle. The participants were given a particular destination on each drive. The exact path was recorded, and misses and unnecessary lane changes could be derived from the recording. Six different signs were evaluated in three experiments. A function that could be used to rank the effectiveness of a given sign on the basis of the participants’ different responses to the sign was developed. Clear recommendations for the signing of two-lane freeway exits with an option through lane in extreme conditions emerged from the experiments.
Observed Driver Glance Behavior at Roadside Advertising Signs
Authors: Beijer Daan , Smiley Alison , Eizenman Moshe
Published: April 2007

Express routes in North America are becoming more crowded, both in traffic density and in visual clutter. Higher demand for driver attention is a possible concern for regulators. Advertising signs add to this demand on visual attention. This study focused on the glance behavior of 25 drivers at various advertising signs along an expressway in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The average duration of the glances for the subjects was 0.57 s [standard deviation ( SD) = 0.41], and in total there was an average of 35.6 glances per subject ( SD = 26.4). Active signs that contained movable displays or components made up 51% of the signs and received significantly more glances (69% of all glances and 78% of long glances). The number of glances was significantly lower for passive signs (0.64 glances per subject per sign) than for active signs (greater than 1.31 glances per subject per sign). The number of long glances was also greater for active signs than for passive signs. Sign placement in the visual field may be critical to a sign being noticed or not. Empirical information is provided to assist regulatory agencies in setting policy on commercial signing.
Modeling and Mitigation of Car-Truck Interactions on Freeways
Authors: Peeta Srinivas , Zhou Weimin , Zhang Pengcheng
Published: April 2007

Trucks represent the predominant mode of domestic freight movement. Because of the substantial increase in freight truck traffic on the nation’s highways, its influence on traffic flow performance, safety, and the quality of the travel experience is receiving increased attention. The behavior of non–truck drivers is modeled in terms of their interactions with trucks in the traffic stream; existing microscopic freeway traffic flow modeling logic is extended to incorporate these interactions; and alternative strategies to mitigate them are evaluated. The car–truck interactions are modeled by associating a “discomfort level” for every non–truck driver in the vicinity of trucks. This discomfort is affected by driver socioeconomic characteristics and situational factors such as time of day, weather, and ambient traffic congestion levels. Stated-preference surveys of non–truck drivers were used to elicit the factors that influence their behavior when they interact with trucks on highways. A fuzzy logic–based model was used to determine non–truck driver discomfort level. The model characterizes non–truck driver behavior near trucks by using if-then rules constructed with the survey data. The discomfort level is used in conjunction with the car-following and lane-changing logics of a traditional traffic flow model to generate a truck-following model and a corresponding lane-changing model. This redresses a key methodological gap in the literature and provides a capability to analyze alternative strategies to mitigate car–truck interactions. An agent-based freeway segment traffic flow simulator was constructed by using these extended microscopic flow models. Simulation experiments with data from the Borman Expressway (I-80 and I-94) in northwest Indiana were used to analyze the sensitivity of the model to the various parameters and evaluate the effectiveness of alternative mitigation strategies.
Evaluating Nonnuclear Measurement Devices to Determine In-Place Pavement Density
Authors: Hurley Graham C. , Prowell Brian D. , Cooley L. Allen
Published: April 2007

The air void content of both in-place and laboratory-compacted hot-mix asphalt may be the factor that most affects the performance of a properly designed mixture. A mediocre mix, well constructed with good in-place air voids, often will perform better than a good mix that has been poorly constructed. In-place density may be monitored by using three methods: cores, nuclear density gauge measurements, and nonnuclear density gauge measurements. A study was done to evaluate and compare two non-nuclear density devices, the pavement quality indicator (PQI) Model 301 and the PaveTracker, to in-place core densities. Testing and analyses of 20 projects showed that uncorrected gauge measurements (from each gauge) provided reasonable correlation (significant at a 5% level of significance) with core density measurements approximately 75% of the time. Average coefficients of determination for the relationships between uncorrected gauge measurements and core densities were approximately .5. Simulation analyses indicated that the error in measuring in-place air voids using calibrated PQI Model 301 gauge measurements based on the constant offset method can be 1% to 2.7% air voids for the average of 10 measurements. The numerical experiments also indicated that calibration of PQI Model 301 by simple offset or by slope and offset did not improve the correlation between the gauge and core densities.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Statewide System for Lessons Learned
Authors: Goodrum Paul , Yasin Mohammed , Hancher Donn
Published: April 2007

A system for collecting, archiving, and disseminating lessons learned is a critical component of experienced-based processes, such as the design and construction of roadway and bridges. The construction section of the Kentucky Transportation Center developed a centralized, web-based lessons learned system for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Other state transportation agencies have recognized the importance of formally documenting lessons learned that result from postconstruction and con-structability reviews. The cabinet believes it is critical to expand its efforts of capturing lessons learned on all projects and to make that information available to current and future project participants anywhere and at any time. Thus a web-based lessons learned system that can receive text and any form of multimedia data was developed for cabinet personnel, designers, contractors, and other project participants. The project also ( a) developed a process for maintaining the lessons learned system that includes the role of a gatekeeper to ensure the quality and accuracy of the submitted and stored lessons and ( b) addressed implementation of the system into the cabinet’s project development process.
Adaptive control for synchronization of time‐delayed complex networks with multi‐weights based on semi‐linear hyperbolic PDEs
Authors: Yang Chengyan , Qiu Jianlong
Published: March 2024

This paper studies the adaptive synchronization of complex spatio‐temporal networks modeled by semi‐linear hyperbolic partial differential equations (CSTNSLHPDEs) as well as considering time‐invariant and time‐varying delays in a one‐dimensional space. Firstly, a distributed adaptive controller is proposed, where different nodes are with different adaptive gains. Secondly, four cases, CSTNSLHPDEs with time‐invariant delays and one single weight, with time‐invariant delays and multi‐weights, with time‐varying delays and one single weight, and with time‐varying delays and multi‐weights, are successively analyzed, and synchronization conditions of these four cases are obtained by using the proposed distributed adaptive controller. In the end, examples illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed distributed adaptive controller.
Controlling Unintentional Defects Enables High‐Efficient Antimony Selenide Solar Cells
Authors: Mo Anming , Feng Yang , Yang Bingxin , Dang Wei , Liang Xiaoyang , Cao Wenjie , Guo Yingnan , Chen Tao , Li Zhiqiang
Published: March 2024

Deep‐level defects in semiconductor materials usually induce carrier trapping and non‐radiative recombination. However, defects caused by unintentional contaminants in antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) solar cells have rarely been reported. Herein, the correlation between defect properties and unintentional impurities in the Sb2Se3 absorber is investigated, which is prepared by injection vapor deposition with Sb2Se3 source purities ranging from 99.9% to 99.9999%. The analysis of deep‐level transient spectra reveals that an increase in impurity concentration does not result in new defect types. Nevertheless, the higher impurity level causes an increase in both the defect density and the capture cross section of the original defect. To address this challenge, defect engineering is developed to regulate the growth of the Sb2Se3 absorber. This strategy completely suppresses deepest defect states E3, a mixture of intrinsic defect (SbSe) and impurity Si related defect. As a result, the carrier lifetime increases significantly from 0.37 to 3.4 ps. This enables to fabricate Sb2Se3 solar cells with a power conversion efficiency of 10.41%. This work uncovers the characteristics of unintentional contaminant‐related defects, and provides a strategy for fabricating highly efficient Sb2Se3 solar cells with low‐purity source materials.
Anti‐Swelling Gel Wearable Sensor Based on Solvent Exchange Strategy for Underwater Communication
Authors: Jiang Xinyu , Zhou Xun , Ding Kexin , Li Xusheng , Huang Bin , Xu Wenlong
Published: March 2024

The application of gel wearable sensors in aquatic environments is very promising, however, the preparation of underwater gel sensors with excellent anti‐swelling properties and sensing performance remains a great challenge. In this paper, a solvent exchange strategy is proposed to fabricate an anti‐swelling gel, in which the hydrophobic segments are induced to gather and microphase separation occurs inside the gel. The prepared gel possesses excellent anti‐swelling performance (swelling ratio of 4.79%), good mechanical properties (tensile strain of 712%), high sensitivity (GF = 1.07), and high linearity (R2 = 0.998, 0 to 70% strain range). Moreover, it can achieve high stability (more than 90 days) and fatigue resistance (1000 cycles at 50% strain) as an underwater sensor. Therefore, the designed underwater gel strain sensors can be utilized for monitoring human motion information, underwater distress and smart alarms, revealing the great potential application in the field of underwater strain sensors.
Room Temperature Crystallized Phase‐Pure α‐FAPbI3 Perovskite with In‐Situ Grain‐Boundary Passivation
Authors: Shi Zejiao , Wang Yaxin , Wang Yanyan , Li Xiaoguo , Yue Xiaofei , Wang Haoliang , Zhang Xin , Deng Liangliang , Li Chongyuan , Wang Jiao , Xie Zuoti , Yang Yinguo , Cong Chunxiao , Yu Anran , Zhan Yiqiang
Published: March 2024

Energy loss in perovskite grain boundaries (GBs) is a primary limitation toward high‐efficiency perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Two critical strategies to address this issue are high‐quality crystallization and passivation of GBs. However, the established methods are generally carried out discretely due to the complicated mechanisms of grain growth and defect formation. In this study, a combined method is proposed by introducing 3,4,5‐Trifluoroaniline iodide (TFAI) into the perovskite precursor. The TFAI triggers the union of nano‐sized colloids into microclusters and facilitates the complete phase transition of α‐FAPbI3 at room temperature. The controlled chemical reactivity and strong steric hindrance effect enable the fixed location of TFAI and suppress defects at GBs. This combination of well‐crystallized perovskite grains and effectively passivated GBs leads to an improvement in the open circuit voltage (Voc) of PSCs from 1.08 V to 1.17 V, which is one of the highest recorded Voc without interface modification. The TFAI‐incorporated device achieved a champion PCE of 24.81%. The device maintained a steady power output near its maximum power output point, showing almost no decay over 280 h testing without pre‐processing.
Is investing in food small and medium enterprises a viable path to improved nutrition in Sub‐Saharan Africa? A multidisciplinary perspective
Authors: Chapple Alice , Reynolds Elise , Mude Andrew , Riaz Warda , Engle‐Stone Reina
Published: March 2024

Through the perspectives of impact investors, and the nutrition community, this paper explores whether impact investment in food‐related small and medium enterprises (SMEs) creates a viable path to improved nutrition in Sub‐Saharan Africa. From the nutrition perspective, investment in food SMEs could help address coexisting multiple forms of malnutrition by shifting nutritional quality of available foods. From the investor perspective, attractiveness of investment in food SMEs depends on financial risks, how costs are passed on to consumers, and probability of impact. Clear nutritional objectives and investment criteria are needed, as well as research to maximize the potential of this innovative approach.
Polyhalogenated 2‐Azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptanes from Polyhaloaldimines and Cyclopentadiene via Cycloaddition and Wagner‐Meerwein Rearrangement
Authors: Chernysheva Gulnur N. , Katerinich Maxim D. , Ushakov Igor A. , Borodina Tatiana N. , Smirnov Vladimir I. , Rozentsveig Igor B.
Published: March 2024

2‐Arylsulfonyl‐2‐azabicyclo[2.2.1]hept‐5‐enes, synthesized via the cycloaddition of chloral‐ or dichloro(phenyl)acetaldehyde N‐arylsulfonylimines to cyclopentadiene, undergo Wagner‐Meerwein rearrangement under the action of bromine or chlorine to afford 3‐polychloro‐6,7‐dyhalogenated 2‐arylsulfonylazabicyclo[2.2.1]heptanes.
Racial, ethnic, and rural disparities in distance to physicians among decedents with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in Washington State
Authors: Amiri Solmaz , Keffeler Jonae I. , Crain Dennis R. , Denney Justin T. , Buchwald Dedra
Published: March 2024

INTRODUCTION

Distance to physicians may explain some of the disparities in Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (AD/ADRD) outcomes.

METHODS

We generated round trip distance between residences of decedents with AD/ADRD and the nearest neurologist and primary care physician in Washington State.

RESULTS

The overall mean distance to the nearest neurologist and primary care physician was 17 and 4 miles, respectively. Non‐Hispanic American Indian and/or Alaska Native and Hispanic decedents would have had to travel 1.12 and 1.07 times farther, respectively, to reach the nearest neurologist compared to non‐Hispanic White people. Decedents in micropolitan, small town, and rural areas would have had to travel 2.12 to 4.01 times farther to reach the nearest neurologist and 1.14 to 3.32 times farther to reach the nearest primary care physician than those in metropolitan areas.

DISCUSSION

These results underscore the critical need to identify strategies to improve access to specialists and primary care physicians to improve AD/ADRD outcomes.

Highlights

Distance to neurologists and primary care physicians among decedents with AD/ADRD

American Indian and/or Alaska Native decedents lived further away from neurologists

Hispanic decedents lived further away from neurologists

Non‐metropolitan decedents lived further away from neurologists and primary care

Decrease distance to physicians to improve dementia outcomes
Age of Alzheimer's disease diagnosis in people with Down syndrome and associated factors: Results from the Horizon 21 European Down syndrome consortium
Authors: Larsen Frode Kibsgaard , Baksh R. Asaad , McGlinchey Eimear , Langballe Ellen Melbye , Benejam Bessy , Beresford‐Webb Jessica , McCarron Mary , Coppus Antonia , Falquero Segolene , Fortea Juan , Levin Johannes , Loosli Sandra V. , Mark Ruth , Rebillat Anne‐Sophie , Zaman Shahid , Strydom Andre
Published: March 2024

INTRODUCTION

People with Down syndrome (DS) have high risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study examined mean ages of AD diagnosis and associations with co‐occurring conditions among adults with DS from five European countries.

METHODS

Data from 1335 people with DS from the Horizon 21 European DS Consortium were used for the analysis.

RESULTS

Mean ages of AD diagnosis ranged between 51.4 (SD 7.0) years (United Kingdom) and 55.6 (SD 6.8) years (France). Sleep‐related and mental health problems were associated with earlier age of AD diagnosis. The higher number of co‐occurring conditions the more likely the person with DS is diagnosed with AD at an earlier age.

DISCUSSION

Mean age of AD diagnosis in DS was relatively consistent across countries. However, co‐occurring conditions varied and impacted on age of diagnosis, suggesting that improvements can be made in diagnosing and managing these conditions to delay onset of AD in DS.

Highlights

Mean age of AD diagnosis was relatively consistent between countries

Sleep problems and mental health problems were associated with earlier age of AD diagnosis

APOE ε4 carriers were diagnosed with AD at an earlier age compared to non‐carriers

Number of co‐occurring conditions was associated with earlier age of AD diagnosis

No differences between level of intellectual disability and mean age of AD diagnosis
The Abca7V1613M variant reduces Aβ generation, plaque load, and neuronal damage
Authors: Butler Claire A. , Mendoza Arvilla Adrian , Milinkeviciute Giedre , Da Cunha Celia , Kawauchi Shimako , Rezaie Narges , Liang Heidi Y. , Javonillo Dominic , Thach Annie , Wang Shuling , Collins Sherilyn , Walker Amber , Shi Kai‐Xuan , Neumann Jonathan , Gomez‐Arboledas Angela , Henningfield Caden M. , Hohsfield Lindsay A. , Mapstone Mark , Tenner Andrea J. , LaFerla Frank M. , Mortazavi Ali , MacGregor Grant R. , Green Kim N.
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND

Variants in ABCA7, a member of the ABC transporter superfamily, have been associated with increased risk for developing late onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD).

METHODS

CRISPR‐Cas9 was used to generate an Abca7V1613M variant in mice, modeling the homologous human ABCA7V1599M variant, and extensive characterization was performed.

RESULTS

Abca7V1613M microglia show differential gene expression profiles upon lipopolysaccharide challenge and increased phagocytic capacity. Homozygous Abca7V1613M mice display elevated circulating cholesterol and altered brain lipid composition. When crossed with 5xFAD mice, homozygous Abca7V1613M mice display fewer Thioflavin S‐positive plaques, decreased amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides, and altered amyloid precursor protein processing and trafficking. They also exhibit reduced Aβ‐associated inflammation, gliosis, and neuronal damage.

DISCUSSION

Overall, homozygosity for the Abca7V1613M variant influences phagocytosis, response to inflammation, lipid metabolism, Aβ pathology, and neuronal damage in mice. This variant may confer a gain of function and offer a protective effect against Alzheimer's disease‐related pathology.

Highlights

ABCA7 recognized as a top 10 risk gene for developing Alzheimer's disease.

Loss of function mutations result in increased risk for LOAD.

V1613M variant reduces amyloid beta plaque burden in 5xFAD mice.

V1613M variant modulates APP processing and trafficking in 5xFAD mice.

V1613M variant reduces amyloid beta‐associated damage in 5xFAD mice.
Feasibility study on titanium‐catalyzed polyester for the preparation of high‐strength industrial yarns
Authors: Guan Zhenyu , Sun Na , Zhang Yue , Song Minggen , Zhou Wenle , Zhang Yumei
Published: March 2024

In order to overcome the environmental pollution or personal injury caused by precipitation of heavy metal ions during post‐processing and application of antimony‐catalyzed polyester industrial yarns, the titanium catalyst was used to prepare polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with high molecular weight, and then the titanium‐ catalyzed PET properties related to spinning kinetics were investigated as a basis for designing the drying, melting, spinning and extrusion, cooling, hot stretching and heat‐ setting process parameters. Compared with the spinning process of antimony‐catalyzed polyester of similar molecular weight, based on the lower melting point and melt viscosity of titanium‐catalyzed PET, the spinning temperature was lowered by about 5°C to reduce the thermal degradation of PET during extrusion, and the hot stretching speed and temperature were appropriately lowered based on the characteristics of low crystallization temperature and high crystallization rate in the heating process so that a product with a breaking strength of 8.29 cN/dtex was developed on an industrial device successfully. Titanium‐catalyzed high‐strength polyester industrial yarns, the structure and properties of crystal orientation, lamellar thickness, strength and elongation at break were comparable with those of antimony‐catalyzed polyester industrial yarns.
A perovskite‐based electrochemiluminescence aptasensor for tetracycline screening
Authors: Chen Yuxin , Zhong Xinyi , Yang Qiling , Chen Huiping , Hao Nan , Hu Shanwen
Published: March 2024

Tetracyclines are currently the most commonly used class of antibiotics, and their residue issue significantly impacts public health safety. In this study, a surface modification of perovskite with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide led to the generation of stable electrochemiluminescence (ECL) emitters in aqueous systems and improved the biocompatibility of perovskite. A perovskite quantum dot‐based ECL sensing strategy was developed. Utilizing the corresponding aptamer of the antibiotics, strain displacement reactions were triggered, disrupting the ECL quenching system composed of perovskite and Ag nanoclusters (Ag NCs) on the electrode surface, generating a signal to achieve quantitative detection of several common tetracycline antibiotics. The perovskite quantum dot provided a strong and stable initial signal, while the efficient catalytic activity of the silver cluster enhanced the recognition sensitivity. Tetracycline, chlortetracycline, and oxytetracycline were used as examples to demonstrate the differentiation and quantitative detection through this method. In addition, the aptasensor exhibited analytical performance with the linear range (0.1–10 μM OTC) and good recovery rates of 94.7% to 101.6% in real samples. This approach has the potential to become a sensitive and practical approach for assessing antibiotic residues.
A tale of two platforms: A comparative analysis of language use in consumer complaints on Reddit and Spotify Community
Authors: Yin Qian , Sadowski Sebastian
Published: March 2024

Consumer complaints play a crucial role for companies in understanding customer needs and spotting possible areas of improvement. In the digital era, online platforms have become popular venues for users to voice their concerns. According to Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) and recipient design, consumers may have different recipients in mind when writing a complaint and tailor their language accordingly. This study aims to examine language variations in consumer complaints on an independent platform and a corporate platform, exploring how consumers adjust their language based on the intended recipients of their complaints. Comments under complaint posts from Reddit's dedicated subreddit, r/Spotify, and from the Spotify Community were extracted and analyzed using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), a text analysis tool. This comparative analysis identified and compared various linguistic categories within the consumer complaints from the perspectives of formality, emotion, and assertion. The results showed that complaints on the corporate platform (1) used more formal language, (2) contained more negative emotional tones and emotion words, and (3) exhibited more assertiveness compared to those on the independent platform. Understanding the distinct linguistic features in consumer complaints on different platforms can help companies tailor their responses and address customer concerns effectively. This research contributes to the growing field of online consumer complaining behavior by uncovering how language is employed within different online communities depending on the message recipient. Furthermore, it demonstrates the potential of LIWC as a valuable tool for analyzing unstructured consumer‐generated content across diverse digital platforms, offering insights into user sentiment and experiences.
64Cu tumor labeling with hexadentate picolinic acid‐based bispidine immunoconjugates
Authors: Kubeil Manja , Neuber Christin , Starke Miriam , Arndt Claudia , Rodrigues Loureiro Liliana , Hoffmann Lydia , Feldmann Anja , Bachmann Michael , Pietzsch Jens , Comba Peter , Stephan Holger
Published: March 2024

Discussed are two picolinate appended bispidine ligands (3,7‐diazabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane derivatives) in comparison with an earlier described bis‐pyridine derivative, which are all known to strongly bind CuII. The radiopharmacological characterization of the two isomeric bispidine complexes includes quantitative labeling with 64CuII at ambient conditions with high radiochemical purities and yields (molar activities >200 MBq/nmol). Challenge experiments in presence of EDTA, cyclam, human serum and SOD demonstrate high stability and inertness of the 64Cu‐bispidine complexes. Biodistribution studies performed in Wistar rats indicate a rapid renal elimination for both 64Cu‐labeled chelates. The bispidine ligand with the picolinate group in N7 position was selected for further biological experiments, and its backbone was therefore substituted with a benzyl‐NCS group at C9. Two tumor target modules (TMs), targeting prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA), overexpressed in prostate cancer, and the fibroblast activation protein (FAP) in fibrosarcoma, were selected for thiourea coupling with the NCS‐functionalized ligand and lysine residues of TMs. Small animal PET experiments on tumor‐bearing mice showed specific accumulation of the 64Cu‐labeled TMs in PSCA‐ and FAP‐overexpressing tumors (standardized uptake value (SUV) for PC3: 2.7±0.6 and HT1080: 7.2±1.25) with almost no uptake in wild type tumors.
Natural Distribution, Structures, Synthesis, and Bioactivity of Hasubanan Alkaloids
Authors: Wang Yingjie , Sun Fuxin , Liang Yapeng , Zhou Di , Chen Gang , Li Ning
Published: March 2024

Hasubanan alkaloids represent a distinct class of alkaloids bearing a structural resemblance to morphine, predominantly found in herbals of the Stephania genus. Their intriguing molecular architecture and potential analgesic properties have captured the interest of medicinal chemists worldwide. This review meticulously examines the natural distribution, structural characteristics, biosynthetic pathways, synthetic methodologies, and biological activities of hasubanans.
Chemical Modifications in Hyaluronic Acid‐Based Electrospun Scaffolds
Authors: Pepe Antonietta , Laezza Antonio , Armiento Francesca , Bochicchio Brigida
Published: March 2024

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a natural, non‐sulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) present in ECM. It is involved in different biological functions with appealing properties in cosmetics and pharmaceutical preparations as well as in tissue engineering. Generally, HA has been electrospun in blends with natural or synthetic polymers to produce fibers having diameters in the order of nano and micro‐scale whose pores can host cells able to regenerate damaged tissues. In the last decade, a rich literature on electrospun HA‐based materials arose. Chemical modifications were generally introduced in HA scaffolds to favour crosslinking or conjugation with bioactive molecules. Considering the high solubility of HA in water, HA‐based electrospun scaffolds are cross‐linked to increase the stability in biological fluids. Crosslinking is necessary also to avoid the release of HA from the hybrid scaffold when implanted in‐vivo. Furthermore, to endow the HA based scaffolds with new chemical or biological properties, conjugation of bioactive molecules to HA was widely reported. Herein, we review the existing research classifying chemical modifications on HA and HA‐based electrospun fibers into three categories: i) in‐situ crosslinking of electrospun HA‐based scaffolds ii) off‐site crosslinking of electrospun HA‐based scaffolds; iii) conjugation of biofunctional molecules to HA with focus on peptides.
Selective Recovery of Battery‐Grade Li2CO3 from Spent NCM Cathode Materials Using a One‐Step Method of CO2 Carbonation Recovery Without Acids or Bases
Authors: Ma Wenjun , Liang Zhiyuan , Zhang Xu , Liu Yidi , Zhao Qinxin
Published: March 2024

The recovery of spent lithium‐ion batteries by traditional acid leaching is limited by serious pollution, complicated technology, and the low purity of Li2CO3. To address the problems of the traditional acid leaching process and increasing demand for decarbonization, a technique for the selective carbonation leaching of Li and the recovery of battery‐grade Li2CO3 by a simple concentration precipitation process without acids or bases was developed. The coupling of CO2 and reducing agents could effectively promote the precipitation of MCO3 (M=Ni/Co/Mn) and the selective leaching of Li by decreasing the reducing capability needed for transition metals and decreasing the pH of the solution. The optimal selective leaching process of Li was obtained under 1 MPa CO2 with 20 g/L Na2S2O3 at an L/S ratio of 30 mL/g for 1.5 h. FT‐IR, XRD, ICP‐MS and other methods were used to reveal the multiphase interfacial reaction mechanism of the carbonation reduction of layered cathode materials, which indicated that the reducing agent Na2S2O3 could promote lattice distortion of the cathode materials and effective separation of Li. In summary, a green and economical method for the selective recovery of battery‐grade Li2CO3 using a one‐step method of CO2 carbonation recovery in a near‐neutral environment was proposed.
Embracing the impact from instrumented mouthguards (iMGs): A survey of iMG managers' perceptions of staff and player interest into the technology, data and barriers to use
Authors: Roe Gregory , Whitehead Sarah , Starling Lindsay , Allan David , Cross Matt , Falvey Éanna , Kemp Simon , Owen Cameron , Readhead Clint , Salmon Danielle , Scantlebury Sean , Stokes Keith , Tierney Greg , Tooby James , Tucker Ross , Jones Ben
Published: March 2024

Instrumented mouthguards (iMGs) are a novel technology being used within rugby to quantify head acceleration events. Understanding practitioners' perceptions of the barriers and facilitators to their use is important to support implementation and adoption. This study assessed men's and women's rugby union and league iMG managers' perceptions of staff and player interest in the technology, data and barriers to use. Forty‐six iMG managers (men's rugby union and league n = 20 and n = 9 and women's rugby union and league n = 7 and n = 10) completed an 18‐question survey. Perceived interest in data varied across staff roles with medical staff being reported as having the most interest. The iMG devices were perceived as easy to use but uncomfortable. Several uses of data were identified, including medical applications, player monitoring and player welfare. The comfort, size and fit of the iMG were reported as the major barriers to player use. Time constraints and a lack of understanding of data were barriers to engagement with the data. Continued education on how iMG data can be used is required to increase player and staff buy‐in, alongside improving comfort of the devices. Studies undertaken with iMGs investigating player performance and welfare outcomes will make data more useful and increase engagement.
Innovative multiobjective optimization of a curved‐blade vertical axis wind turbine modeled by modified double multiple streamtube method
Authors: Sanaye Sepehr , Hosseinkhani Abolfazl
Published: March 2024

The attractive specifications of vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) are its operating with low noise and wind in various directions. To achieve a higher performance of these turbines, modeling of a curved‐blade VAWT by the modified double multiple streamtube (DMST) method and optimizing this wind turbine are performed. The power coefficient and the total normal force acting on blades were selected as two objective functions. Minimizing the normal force acting on turbine blades as the second objective function was not observed in the open literature. The amount of normal force is crucial in the structural design of VAWT because it generates both the bending moment on blades and forces on supporting arms of VAWT. Another innovation of this study is to consider the shape coefficient parameter that determines the shape of the rotor geometry as a design variable in optimization procedure. A 3 m height curved‐blade VAWT type was optimized by this multi‐objective optimization technique. The optimum values of the design variables obtained by the Genetic Algorithm were selecting an elliptical rotor geometry, pitch angle −1.4°, diameter/height 1.3, blade aspect ratio 19.8, tip speed ratio 4.3 and selecting three blades which could provide a power coefficient of 0.49 and a normal force of 158.7 N.
Effect of freeze–thaw cycles on membrane electrode assembly of proton exchange membrane fuel cells and its fault diagnosis method
Authors: Zhang Ruixuan , Chen Tao , Zhang Rufeng , Gan Zhongyu
Published: March 2024

In low‐temperature environment, the residual water in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) will freeze after the operation of proton exchange membrane fuel cells, which will cause damage to the MEA. In this paper, the effect of freeze–thaw cycles on MEA was studied. Six sets of MEA samples with 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 times freeze–thaw cycles were set up, and the damage on MEAs is analyzed by polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectra, cyclic voltammetry curves, and scanning electron microscope. It was found that the freeze–thaw cycles caused degradation on MEA, and the ohmic resistance of MEA increases with the number of cycles increases before the 60 freeze–thaw cycles, and after 60 freeze–thaw cycles, a gap appeared between the proton exchange membrane (PEM) and the catalyst layer, which led to more water entering the PEM and the ohmic resistance of MEA decreased. Besides, according to the data analysis, the experimental samples are divided into three categories (normal MEA, lightly damaged MEA, and seriously damaged MEA). A classifier model combining inception network and light gradient boosting machine (LGBM) was established, and it was found that the combined model was better than inception–dense and LGBM for classification, reaching 96.89%.