bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel propylene carbonate based localized high concentration electrolyte with high voltage, flame retardant and wide temperature characteristics enables excellent electrochemical performances of lithium metal batteries
Authors: Luo Pan , Zhang Ying , Song Jialin , Wang Mingshan , Chen Junchen , Yu Bo , Guo Bingshu , Ma Zhiyuan , Li Liang , Li Xing
Published: March 2024

A novel propylene carbonate based localized high concentration electrolyte using for lithium metal batteries achieves flame retardancy, a broad electrochemical stability window, dendrite-free Li deposition, and a wide operating temperature range.
Buried interface modification by multifunctional ionic liquids for triple-cation perovskite solar cells made in a fully ambient air
Authors: Zeng Gangyi , Liu Guangyao , Wang Tiantian , Wen Lingling , Li Jiangning , Meng Yan , Ren Ziqiu , Li Xin
Published: March 2024

The diagram of the chemical structure of BMIMPF6 and device structure in this work.
Securing the Internet of Medical Things with ECG‐based PUF encryption
Authors: Boi Biagio , Esposito Christian
Published: March 2024

The Internet of Things (IoT) is revolutionizing the healthcare industry by enhancing personalized patient care. However, the transmission of sensitive health data in IoT systems presents significant security and privacy challenges, further exacerbated by the difficulty of exploiting traditional protection means due to poor battery equipment and limited storage and computational capabilities of IoT devices. The authors analyze techniques applied in the medical context to encrypt sensible data and deal with the unique challenges of resource‐constrained devices. A technique that is facing increasing interest is the Physical Unclonable Function (PUF), where biometrics are implemented on integrated circuits' electric features. PUFs, however, demand special hardware, so in this work, instead of considering the physical device as a source of randomness, an ElectroCardioGram (ECG) can be taken into consideration to make a ‘virtual’ PUF. Such an mechanism leverages individual ECG signals to generate a cryptographic key for encrypting and decrypting data. Due to the poor stability of the ECG signal and the typical noise existing in the measurement process for such a signal, filtering and feature extraction techniques must be adopted. The proposed model considers the adoption of pre‐processing techniques in conjunction with a fuzzy extractor to add stability to the signal. Experiments were performed on a dataset containing ECG records gathered over 6 months, yielding good results in the short term and valuable outcomes in the long term, paving the way for adaptive PUF techniques in this context.
Attentional bias for hands: Cascade dual‐decoder transformer for sign language production
Authors: Ma Xiaohan , Jin Rize , Wang Jianming , Chung Tae‐Sun
Published: March 2024

Sign Language Production (SLP) refers to the task of translating textural forms of spoken language into corresponding sign language expressions. Sign languages convey meaning by means of multiple asynchronous articulators, including manual and non‐manual information channels. Recent deep learning‐based SLP models directly generate the full‐articulatory sign sequence from the text input in an end‐to‐end manner. However, these models largely down weight the importance of subtle differences in the manual articulation due to the effect of regression to the mean. To explore these neglected aspects, an efficient cascade dual‐decoder Transformer (CasDual‐Transformer) for SLP is proposed to learn, successively, two mappings SLPhand: Text → Hand pose and SLPsign: Text → Sign pose, utilising an attention‐based alignment module that fuses the hand and sign features from previous time steps to predict more expressive sign pose at the current time step. In addition, to provide more efficacious guidance, a novel spatio‐temporal loss to penalise shape dissimilarity and temporal distortions of produced sequences is introduced. Experimental studies are performed on two benchmark sign language datasets from distinct cultures to verify the performance of the proposed model. Both quantitative and qualitative results show that the authors’ model demonstrates competitive performance compared to state‐of‐the‐art models, and in some cases, achieves considerable improvements over them.
Analysis of disulfidptosis‐ and cuproptosis‐related LncRNAs in modulating the immune microenvironment and chemosensitivity in colon adenocarcinoma
Authors: Fan Qiang , Wu Guang‐Bo , Chen Min , Zheng Lei , Li Hong‐Jie , Xiang Lv‐Zhu , Luo Meng
Published: March 2024

The main objective was to establish a prognostic model utilising long non‐coding RNAs associated with disulfidptosis and cuproptosis. The data for RNA‐Sequence and clinicopathological information of Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas. A prognostic model was constructed using Cox regression and the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator method. The model's predictive ability was assessed through principal component analysis, Kaplan–Meier analysis, nomogram etc. The ability of identifying the rates of overall survival, infiltration of immune cells, and chemosensitivity was also explored. In vitro experiments were conducted for the validation of differential expression and function of lncRNAs. A disulfidptosis and cuproptosis‐related lncRNA prognostic model was constructed. The prognostic model exhibits excellent independent predictive capability for patient outcomes. Based on the authors’ model, the high‐risk group exhibited higher tumour mutation burdened worse survival. Besides, differences in immune cell infiltration and responsiveness to chemotherapeutic medications exist among patients with different risk scores. Furthermore, aberrant expressions in certain lncRNAs have been validated in HCT116 cells. In particular, FENDRR and SNHG7 could affect the proliferation and migration of colorectal cancer cells. Our study developed a novel prognostic signature, providing valuable insights into prognosis, immune infiltration, and chemosensitivity in COAD patients.
Probing the physics of star formation (ProPStar)
Authors: Pineda Jaime E. , Sipilä Olli , Segura-Cox Dominique M. , Valdivia-Mena Maria Teresa , Neri Roberto , Kuffmeier Michael , Ivlev Alexei V. , Offner Stella S. R. , Maureira Maria Jose , Caselli Paola , Spezzano Silvia , Cunningham Nichol , Schmiedeke Anika , Chen Mike
Published: March 2024

Context. Electron fraction and cosmic-ray ionization rates in star-forming regions are important quantities in astrochemical modeling and are critical to the degree of coupling between neutrals, ions, and electrons, which regulates the dynamics of the magnetic field. However, these are difficult quantities to estimate.

Aims. We aim to derive the electron fraction and cosmic-ray ionization rate maps of an active star-forming region.

Methods. We combined observations of the nearby NGC 1333 star-forming region carried out with the NOEMA interferometer and IRAM 30 m single dish to generate high spatial dynamic range maps of different molecular transitions. We used the DCO+ and H13CO+ ratio (in addition to complementary data) to estimate the electron fraction and produce cosmic-ray ionization rate maps.

Results. We derived the first large-area electron fraction and cosmic-ray ionization rate resolved maps in a star-forming region, with typical values of 10−65 and 10−16.5 s−1, respectively. The maps present clear evidence of enhanced values around embedded young stellar objects (YSOs). This provides strong evidence for locally accelerated cosmic rays. We also found a strong enhancement toward the northwest region in the map that might be related either to an interaction with a bubble or to locally generated cosmic rays by YSOs. We used the typical electron fraction and derived a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence dissipation scale of 0.054 pc, which could be tested with future observations.

Conclusions. We found a higher cosmic-ray ionization rate compared to the canonical value for N(H2) = 1021−1023 cm−2 of 10−17 s−1 in the region, and it is likely generated by the accreting YSOs. The high value of the electron fraction suggests that new disks will form from gas in the ideal-MHD limit. This indicates that local enhancements of ζ(H2), due to YSOs, should be taken into account in the analysis of clustered star formation.
Toward mapping turbulence in the intra-cluster medium
Authors: Beaumont S. , Molin A. , Clerc N. , Pointecouteau E. , Vanel M. , Cucchetti E. , Peille P. , Pajot F.
Published: March 2024

Context. Future X-ray observatories with high spectral resolution and imaging capabilities will enable measurements and mappings of emission line shifts in the intracluster medium (ICM). Such direct measurements can serve as unique probes of turbulent motions in the ICM. Determining the level and scales of turbulence will improve our understanding of the galaxy cluster dynamical evolution and assembly, together with a more precise evaluation of the non thermal support pressure budget. This will allow for more accurate constraints to be placed on the masses of galaxy clusters, among other potential benefits.

Aims. In this view, we implemented the methods presented in the previous instalments of our work to characterising the turbulence in the intra-cluster medium in a feasibility study with the X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU) on board the future European X-ray observatory, Athena.

Methods. From idealized mock observations of a toy model cluster, we reconstructed the second-order structure function built with the observed velocity field to constrain the turbulence. We carefully accounted for the various sources of errors to derive the most realistic and comprehensive error budget within the limits of our approach. With prior assumptions on the dissipation scale and power spectrum slope, we constrained the parameters of the turbulent power spectrum model through the use of Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling.

Results. With a very long exposure time, a favourable configuration, and a prior assumption of the dissipation scale, we were able to retrieve the injection scale, velocity dispersion, and power spectrum slope, with 1σ uncertainties for better than ∼15% of the input values. We demonstrated the efficiency of our carefully set framework to constrain the turbulence in the ICM from high-resolution X-ray spectroscopic observations, paving the way for more in-depth investigation of the optimal required observing strategy within a more restrictive observational setup with the future Athena/X-IFU instrument.
Optimal non-pharmaceutical interventions considering limited healthcare system capacity and economic costs in the Republic of Korea
Authors: Lim Yuna , Ko Youngsuk , Mendoza Victoria May P. , Mendoza Renier , Lee Jongmin , Jung Eunok
Published: March 2024

Due to the relatively low severity and fatality rates of the omicron variant of COVID-19, strict non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) with high economic costs may not be necessary. We develop a mathematical model of the COVID-19 outbreak in Korea that considers NPIs, variants, medical capacity, and economic costs. Using optimal control theory, we propose an optimal strategy for the omicron period. To suggest a realistic strategy, we consider limited hospital beds for severe cases and incorporate it as a penalty term in the objective functional using a logistic function. This transforms the constrained problem into an unconstrained one. Given that the solution to the optimal control problem is continuous, we propose the adoption of a sub-optimal control as a more practically implementable alternative. Our study demonstrates how to strategically balance the trade-off between minimizing the economic cost for NPIs and ensuring that the number of severe cases in hospitals is manageable.
Social networks of men who have sex with men engaging in chemsex in Germany: differences in social resources and sexual health
Authors: Hille Zeev , Ulrich Hannes , Straßburger Vera Maren , Buspavanich Pichit
Published: March 2024

Meyer’s minority stress model posits that sexual minority communities can act as protective factors for individuals within the sexual minority. Given that existing evidence on this proposition is inconclusive, a social network approach was employed to capture diversity in the social environment of individuals involved in chemsex that might account for variations in social resources and sexual health. This study examined the social networks of men who have sex with men (MSM) involved in sexualised drug use, using data from a cross-sectional online survey. Utilising cluster analysis, four distinct social network types were identified based on network composition: MSM-diverse, partner-focused, family-diverse, and chemsex-restricted. In terms of social resources, the four network types did not exhibit significant differences in social support. However, individuals with a chemsex-restricted social network reported stronger social influence related to chemsex and less social engagement outside of chemsex. Contrary to initial expectations, the four network types did not differ in chemsex-related consequences or sexual satisfaction. MSM engaged in chemsex for over 5 years reported more chemsex-related consequences and lower sexual satisfaction, particularly those with a family-diverse social network. Additionally, indicators of network quality, such as perceived emotional closeness, reciprocity with network members, and overall satisfaction with the network, were more influential in predicting sexual health outcomes than social resources. The findings of the study suggest that the social environment of MSM engaged in chemsex plays a role in shaping their experiences. Insufficient inclusion in a sexual minority community is potentially associated with an elevated risk of poor sexual health. These findings underscore the importance of tailoring interventions to address the diverse needs of individuals exposed to different social environments.
Do universities support solutions-oriented collaborative research? Constraints to wicked problems scholarship in higher education
Authors: Carolan Michael
Published: March 2024

Questions abound over how universities should teach and prepare the next generation of researchers to confront current and future wicked problems. With so much focus on curriculum and training, it is crucial that we step back and reflect on higher education’s capabilities to foster solution-oriented, collaborative research. What do the institutional incentive structures in higher education support, in terms of practices and outputs related to scholarship? And are those structures felt evenly across the academy? Those doing research in these spaces—in terms of title, autonomy, power, privilege, and status—vary widely by their institutional locations as well as in terms of their ties to broader disciplinary norms. To assess whether these dynamic, contested institutional landscapes afford so-called wicked problem scholarship, this paper draws from survey and interview data collected from 44 researchers working at the nexus of food, energy, and water systems at Carnegie Research 1 universities in the United States. Findings point to an uneven institutional landscape, which is shown to shape in different ways the type of solutions-oriented, collaborative scholarship fostered across the five positions examined. The paper concludes by reflecting on the paper’s findings, particularly in terms of what the data tell us about higher education as a place that fosters wicked problems scholarship, while also highlighting the study’s limitations.
Impact of internet celebrities’ short videos on audiences’ visit intentions: Is beauty power?
Authors: Li Peng , Sun Yang
Published: March 2024

Although celebrity endorsements and promotional videos dominated by destination marketing organizations (DMOs) are critical in travel decision-making and destination marketing, as a new type of endorsement, the impact of internet celebrities’ short travel videos on social platforms remains not well understood. To bridge this gap, the current study applied source credibility theory and the match-up hypothesis to construct a conceptual model for examining the impact of internet celebrity endorsements on audiences’ visit intentions. FangQi Kiki, a typical producer of short travel videos on TikTok, was used as a case study. 649 valid samples were taken from respondents who were asked to complete a questionnaire after watching a short video. The results showed that internet celebrities’ trustworthiness and expertise significantly affect audiences’ visit intentions. However, attractiveness in terms of the physical characteristics of internet celebrities and internet celebrity–destination congruence had no significant effect on audiences’ visit intentions. The implications show that “Appearance Fallacy” exists in online influencers’ marketing, and physical appearance may affect the popularity of short travel videos online, but it has no significant effect on promoting destination marketing. Unlike the celebrity effect in conventional endorsements, internet celebrities’ short videos belong to content marketing, where popular content is more important than an internet celebrity’s personality. This research adds to the body of knowledge concerned with internet celebrity endorsements in tourism, providing valuable insights for DMOs to project short video marketing.
Extending error bounds for radial basis function interpolation to measuring the error in higher order Sobolev norms
Authors: Hangelbroek T. , Rieger C.
Published: March 2024

Radial basis functions (RBFs) are prominent examples for reproducing kernels with associated reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces (RKHSs). The convergence theory for the kernel-based interpolation in that space is well understood and optimal rates for the whole RKHS are often known. Schaback added the doubling trick [Math. Comp. 68 (1999), pp. 201–216], which shows that functions having double the smoothness required by the RKHS (along with specific, albeit complicated boundary behavior) can be approximated with higher convergence rates than the optimal rates for the whole space. Other advances allowed interpolation of target functions which are less smooth, and different norms which measure interpolation error. The current state of the art of error analysis for RBF interpolation treats target functions having smoothness up to twice that of the native space, but error measured in norms which are weaker than that required for membership in the RKHS.

Motivated by the fact that the kernels and the approximants they generate are smoother than required by the native space, this article extends the doubling trick to error which measures higher smoothness. This extension holds for a family of kernels satisfying easily checked hypotheses which we describe in this article, and includes many prominent RBFs. In the course of the proof, new convergence rates are obtained for the abstract operator considered by Devore and Ron in [Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 362 (2010), pp. 6205–6229], and new Bernstein estimates are obtained relating high order smoothness norms to the native space norm.
On the number of the negative eigenvalues on a finite compact metric tree
Authors: El Aïdi Mohammed
Published: March 2024

The purpose of the present article is to provide an upper bound of the number of the negative eigenvalues of a generalized Schrödinger operator defined on a finite compact metric tree.
On a conjecture of Stolz in the toric case
Authors: Wiemeler Michael
Published: March 2024

In 1996 Stolz [Math. Ann. 304 (1996), pp. 785–800] conjectured that a string manifold with positive Ricci curvature has vanishing Witten genus. Here we prove this conjecture for toric string Fano manifolds and for string torus manifolds admitting invariant metrics of non-negative sectional curvature.
Categorifying equivariant monoids
Authors: Graves Daniel
Published: March 2024

Equivariant monoids are very important objects in many branches of mathematics: they combine the notion of multiplication and the concept of a group action. In this paper we will construct categories which encode the structure borne by monoids with a group action by combining the theory of product and permutation categories (PROPs) and product and braid categories (PROBs) with the theory of crossed simplicial groups. PROPs and PROBs are categories used to encode structures borne by objects in symmetric and braided monoidal categories respectively, whilst crossed simplicial groups are categories which encode a unital, associative multiplication and a compatible group action. We will produce PROPs and PROBs whose categories of algebras are equivalent to the categories of monoids, comonoids and bimonoids with group action using extensions of the symmetric and braid crossed simplicial groups. We will extend this theory to balanced braided monoidal categories using the ribbon braid crossed simplicial group. Finally, we will use the hyperoctahedral crossed simplicial group to encode the structure of an involutive monoid with a compatible group action.
Invariant embeddings and weighted permutations
Authors: Mastnak M. , Radjavi H.
Published: March 2024

We prove that for any fixed unitary matrix

U
U

, any abelian self-adjoint algebra of matrices that is invariant under conjugation by

U
U

can be embedded into a maximal abelian self-adjoint algebra that is still invariant under conjugation by

U
U

. We use this result to analyse the structure of matrices

A
A

for which

A
∗

A

A^*A

commutes with

A

A
∗

AA^*

, and to characterize matrices that are unitarily equivalent to weighted permutations.
Vanishing linear periods of cuspidal automorphic sheaves for 𝐺𝐿_{𝑚+𝑛}
Authors: Shi Fang
Published: March 2024

In this paper, we prove a vanishing theorem concerning the periods of cuspidal automorphic sheaves for

GL

m
+
n

\operatorname {GL}_{m+n}

along the Levi subgroup

GL

m

×

GL

n

\operatorname {GL}_{m}\times \operatorname {GL}_{n}

for

m
≠
n

m \neq n

.
On weak solutions to the kinetic Cucker–Smale model with singular communication weights
Authors: Choi Young-Pil , Jung Jinwook
Published: March 2024

We establish the local-in-time existence of weak solutions to the kinetic Cucker–Smale model with singular communication weights

ϕ
(
x
)
=

|

x

|

−
α

\phi (x) = |x|^{-\alpha }

with

α
∈
(
0
,
d
)

\alpha \in (0,d)

. In the case

α
∈
(
0
,
d
−
1
]

\alpha \in (0, d-1]

, we also provide the uniqueness of weak solutions extending the work of Carrillo et al [MMCS, ESAIM Proc. Surveys, vol. 47, EDP Sci., Les Ulis, 2014, pp. 17–35] where the existence and uniqueness of weak solutions are studied for

α
∈
(
0
,
d
−
1
)

\alpha \in (0,d-1)

.
Combinatorial Calabi flow on surfaces of finite topological type
Authors: Li Shengyu , Luo Qianghua , Xu Yaping
Published: March 2024

This paper studies the combinatorial Calabi flow for circle patterns with obtuse exterior intersection angles on surfaces of finite topological type. By using a Lyapunov function, we show that the flow exists for all time and converges exponentially fast to a circle pattern metric with prescribed attainable curvatures. This provides an algorithm to search for the desired circle patterns.
A chromatic vanishing result for TR
Authors: Keenan Liam , McCandless Jonas
Published: March 2024

In this note, we establish a vanishing result for telescopically localized topological restriction homology TR. More precisely, we prove that

T
(
k
)

T(k)

-local TR vanishes on connective

L
n

p
,
f

L_n^{p,f}

-acyclic

E

1

\mathbb {E}_1

-rings for every

1
≤
k
≤
n

1 \leq k \leq n

and deduce consequences for connective Morava K-theory and the Thom spectra

y
(
n
)

y(n)

. The proof relies on the relationship between TR and the spectrum of curves on K-theory together with fact that algebraic K-theory preserves infinite products of additive

∞
\infty

-categories which was recently established by Córdova Fedeli [Topological Hochschild homology of adic rings, Ph.D. thesis, University of Copenhagen, 2023].
On Jacobians of geometrically reduced curves and their Néron models
Authors: Overkamp Otto
Published: March 2024

We study the structure of Jacobians of geometrically reduced curves over arbitrary (i.e., not necessarily perfect) fields. We show that, while such a group scheme cannot in general be decomposed into an affine and an Abelian part as over perfect fields, several important structural results for these group schemes nevertheless have close analoga over imperfect fields. We apply our results to prove two conjectures due to Bosch-Lütkebohmert-Raynaud about the existence of Néron models and Néron lft-models over excellent Dedekind schemes in the special case of Jacobians of geometrically reduced curves. Finally, we prove some existence results for semi-factorial models and related objects for general geometrically integral curves in the local case.
Quantum symmetries of Hadamard matrices
Authors: Gromada Daniel
Published: March 2024

We define quantum automorphisms and isomorphisms of Hadamard matrices. We show that every Hadamard matrix of size

N
≥
4

N\ge 4

has quantum symmetries and that all Hadamard matrices of a fixed size are mutually quantum isomorphic. These results pass also to the corresponding Hadamard graphs. We also define quantum Hadamard matrices acting on quantum spaces and bring an example thereof over matrix algebras.
On Nielsen realization and manifold models for classifying spaces
Authors: Davis James , Lück Wolfgang
Published: March 2024

We consider the problem of whether, for a given virtually torsionfree discrete group

Γ
\Gamma

, there exists a cocompact proper topological

Γ
\Gamma

-manifold, which is equivariantly homotopy equivalent to the classifying space for proper actions. This problem is related to Nielsen Realization. We will make the assumption that the expected manifold model has a zero-dimensional singular set. Then we solve the problem in the case, for instance, that

Γ
\Gamma

contains a normal torsionfree subgroup

π
\pi

such that

π
\pi

is hyperbolic and

π
\pi

is the fundamental group of an aspherical closed manifold of dimension greater or equal to five and

Γ

/

π

\Gamma /\pi

is a finite cyclic group of odd order.
Infinitesimal maximal symmetry and Ricci soliton solvmanifolds
Authors: Gordon Carolyn , Jablonski Michael
Published: March 2024

This work addresses the questions: (i) Among all left-invariant Riemannian metrics on a given Lie group, is there any whose isometry group or isometry algebra contains that of all others? (ii) Do expanding left-invariant Ricci solitons exhibit such maximal symmetry? Question (i) is addressed both for semisimple and for solvable Lie groups. Building on previous work of the authors on Einstein metrics, a complete answer is given to (ii): expanding homogeneous Ricci solitons have maximal isometry algebras although not always maximal isometry groups.

As a consequence of the tools developed to address these questions, partial results of Böhm, Lafuente, and Lauret are extended to show that left-invariant Ricci solitons on solvable Lie groups are unique up to scaling and isometry.
Band projections in spaces of regular operators
Authors: Muñoz-Lahoz David , Tradacete Pedro
Published: March 2024

We introduce inner band projections in the space of regular operators on a Dedekind complete Banach lattice and study some structural properties of this class. In particular, we provide a new characterization of atomic order continuous Banach lattices as those for which all band projections in the corresponding space of regular operators are inner. We also characterize the multiplication operators

L
A

R
B

L_AR_B

which are band projections precisely as those with

A
,
B

A,B

being band projections up to a scalar multiple.
Nonexpansive maps in nonlinear smooth spaces
Authors: Pinto Pedro
Published: March 2024

We introduce the notion of a nonlinear smooth space generalizing both

CAT
⁡
(
0
)

\operatorname {CAT}(0)

spaces as well as smooth Banach spaces. We show that this notion allows for a unified treatment of several results in functional analysis. Namely, we substantiate the usefulness of this setting by establishing a nonlinear generalization of an important result due to Reich in Banach spaces. On par with the linear context, this nonlinear version entails a convergence proof of several other methods. Here, we establish the convergence of a general form of the Halpern-type schema for resolvent-like families of functions. We furthermore prove the convergence of the viscosity generalization of Halpern’s iteration (even for families of maps) generalizing a result due to Chang. This work is set in the context of the ‘proof mining’ program, and the results are complemented with quantitative information like rates of convergence and of metastability (in the sense of T. Tao).
Afferent Renal Denervation Attenuates Sympathetic Overactivation From the Paraventricular Nucleus in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Li Kun-Hui , Lin Jie-Min , Luo Si-Qi , Li Min-Yan , Yang Yi-Yong , Li Meng-Meng , Xia Pan-Yan , Su Jin-Zi
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND

The effectiveness of renal denervation (RDN) in reducing blood pressure and systemic sympathetic activity in hypertensive patients has been established. However, the underlying central mechanism remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the role of RDN in regulating cardiovascular function via the central renin–angiotensin system (RAS) pathway.

METHODS

Ten-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were subjected to selective afferent renal denervation (ADN) using capsaicin solution. We hypothesized that ADN would effectively reduce blood pressure and rebalance the RAS component of the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in SHR.

RESULTS

The experimental results show that the ADN group exhibited significantly lower blood pressure, reduced systemic sympathetic activity, decreased chronic neuronal activation marker C-FOS expression in the PVN, and improved arterial baroreflex function, compared with the Sham group. Furthermore, ACE and AT1 protein expression was reduced while ACE2 and MAS protein expression was increased in the PVN of SHR after ADN.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that RDN may exert these beneficial effects through modulating the central RAS pathway.
Towards a territorialisation of the circular economy: the proximity of stakeholders and resources matters
Authors: Chembessi Chedrak , Bourdin Sébastien , Torre André
Published: March 2024

This article explores the territorialisation of the circular economy (CE) and analyses how the geographical and organised proximities of stakeholders facilitate the mobilisation of local resources for CE projects. It focuses on two local CE initiatives in Quebec (Canada) and France, for which 70 semi-structured interviews were conducted. The results highlight the importance of tangible and intangible territorial resources and demonstrate that geographical and organised proximities are crucial to the success of these initiatives. The relational dynamic between local players, stimulated by a sense of belonging and shared values, encourages commitment to CE. Thus, our study showcases the territorialisation of CE and emphasises the conditions enabling such activities to take root locally. This study has significant political implications and suggests the crucial role that local authorities must play in the deployment of CE projects.
Community detection based on nonnegative matrix tri-factorization for multiplex social networks
Authors: Zhang Jun , Wang Fenfen , Zhou Jian
Published: March 2024

Nowadays, community detection is one of the important fields for understanding network topology and has many applications in information diffusion, interaction mining and migration behaviour analysis. Therefore, community detection in social networks can help to understand user behaviour and network characteristics. There are many community detection methods, which are often designed for single-layer social networks. However, real-world networks use several types of relationships to establish connections between users, each of which has different characteristics. Hence, real-world networks can be modelled as multiplex networks. In general, multiplex networks are an example of multilayer networks in which the relationships between users in different networks can be considered simultaneously. In these networks, each layer represents the connections between users in a social network. Meanwhile, communities in multiplex networks are identified based on the structure and connections between overlapping users in different layers of the network. In this article, the nonnegative matrix tri-factorization (NMTF) strategy is used to model multiplex social networks, and a solution for community detection is developed based on it. According to this strategy, a common consensus matrix and then an alignment matrix are extracted based on similarity metrics and network structure. The use of these matrices as a flexible modelling framework enables the detection of coherent community between overlapping users in multiplex social networks. We evaluate the proposed NMTF method through various metrics on a multiplex social network. The results of this evaluation show the better performance of NMTF in terms of community quality compared to equivalent methods.
American Gastroenterological Association-Proposed Fecal Calprotectin Cutoff of 50 ug/g is Associated With Endoscopic Recurrence in a Real-World Cohort of Patients With Crohn’s Disease Post-ileocolic Resection
Authors: Li Terry , Shah Ravi , Click Benjamin , Cohen Benjamin L , Barnes Edward , Joseph Abel , Bachour Salam , Hu Jessica , Contreras Susell , Li Elizabeth , Axelrad Jordan
Published: March 2024

Background

Fecal calprotectin (FC) is a reliable predictor of active bowel inflammation in postoperative Crohn’s disease (CD), but cutoffs vary between studies. Recent guidelines recommend a cutoff of <50 ug/g to avoid routine endoscopy in patients at low pretest probability for CD recurrence. We evaluated the performance of this threshold in a real-world CD cohort after ileocolic resection (ICR).

Methods

In this retrospective study, patients with CD post-ICR between 2009 to 2020 with FC > 60 days but < 1 year of surgery were included from a multicenter database. Established risk factors and/or biologic prophylaxis (biologic within 90 days of surgery) defined pretest probability. Those without postoperative colonoscopy were excluded. Rates of endoscopic recurrence, defined as Rutgeerts score ≥ i2b at any time after surgery, were compared between FC < 50 versus  ≥ 50 ug/g. Student’s t-test and Fisher’s exact test were utilized for statistical analysis. All postoperative FCs were matched to closest colonoscopy within 1 year to calculate sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV).

Results

Thirty-seven patients categorized as either low-risk or high-risk and received biologic prophylaxis and had postoperative colonoscopy were included. Median time to first FC was 217 days (IQR 131–288). 15 (41%) patients had initial FC < 50 ug/g versus 22 (59%) ≥50 ug/g. Median time to first colonoscopy was 234 days (IQR 189–369). Compared to initial FC ≥ 50 ug/g, FC < 50ug/g experienced less endoscopic recurrence (0% vs. 36%, P = .005). Median time to first endoscopic recurrence in FC ≥ 50 ug/g was 145 days. There were 39 matched pairs of FC and colonoscopy. At an FC cutoff of 50 ug/g, calculated sensitivity was 90% and NPV was 93%, whereas specificity and PPV were 48% and 38%, respectively.

Conclusions

In this real-world cohort, FC < 50 ug/g is a useful cutoff to exclude endoscopic recurrence in a post-ICR CD population that is at low pretest probability of recurrence.
Prioritizing landscapes for mitigating the impacts of onshore wind farms on multidimensional waterbird diversity in the Yellow Sea
Authors: Zhao Shanshan , Xu Huan , Wang Tianhou , Li Hepeng , Li Xiuzhen , Liu Ningning , Song Xiao , Guan Feng , Chen Xuechu , Xu Aichun , Li Ben
Published: March 2024

Ongoing wind energy developments play a key role in mitigating the global effects of climate change and the energy crisis; however, they have complex ecological consequences for many flying animals. The Yellow Sea coast is considered as an ecological bottleneck for migratory waterbirds along the East Asian–Australasian flyway (EAAF), and is also an important wind farm base in China. However, the effects of large-scale onshore wind farms along the EAAF on multidimensional waterbird diversity, and how to mitigate these effects, remain unclear. Here we examined how wind farms and their surrounding landscapes affected multidimensional waterbird diversity along the Yellow Sea coast. Taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of the waterbird assemblages, and mean pairwise distances and nearest taxon distances with null models were quantified in relation to 4 different wind turbine densities. We also measured 6 landscape variables. Multi-dimensional waterbird diversity (taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity) significantly decreased with increasing wind turbine density. Functional and phylogenetic structures tended to be clustered in waterbird communities, and environmental filtering drove waterbird community assemblages. Furthermore, waterbird diversity was regulated by a combination of wind turbine density and landscape variables, with edge density of aquaculture ponds, in addition to wind turbine density, having the greatest independent contribution to waterbird diversity. These results suggest that attempts to mitigate the impact of wind farms on waterbird diversity could involve the landscape transformation of wind farm regions, for example, by including high-edge-density aquaculture ponds (i.e., industrial ponds) around wind farms, instead of traditional low-edge-density aquaculture ponds.
SingleQ: a comprehensive database of single-cell expression quantitative trait loci (sc-eQTLs) cross human tissues
Authors: Zhou Zhiwei , Du Jingyi , Wang Jianhua , Liu Liangyi , Gordon M Gracie , Ye Chun Jimmie , Powell Joseph E , Li Mulin Jun , Rao Shuquan
Published: March 2024

Mapping of expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) and other molecular QTLs can help characterize the modes of action of disease-associated genetic variants. However, current eQTL databases present data from bulk RNA-seq approaches, which cannot shed light on the cell type- and environment-specific regulation of disease-associated genetic variants. Here, we introduce our Single-cell eQTL Interactive Database which collects single-cell eQTL (sc-eQTL) datasets and provides online visualization of sc-eQTLs across different cell types in a user-friendly manner. Although sc-eQTL mapping is still in its early stage, our database curates the most comprehensive summary statistics of sc-eQTLs published to date. sc-eQTL studies have revolutionized our understanding of gene regulation in specific cellular contexts, and we anticipate that our database will further accelerate the research of functional genomics.

Database URL: http://www.sqraolab.com/scqtl
The burden of recurrent respiratory tract infections in adult population: a population-based study in primary care
Authors: Lapi Francesco , Marconi Ettore , Rossi Alessandro , Cricelli Claudio
Published: March 2024

Background

Viral infections are the main original cause of recurrent respiratory tract infections (RRTIs), but their complications and recurrences are due to bacteria as well. While some operational definitions and epidemiology of RRTIs are reported in paediatrics, no similar definitions have been proposed for adults.

Aim

To assess the epidemiology and characteristics of RRTIs in the adult population.

Design and setting

Cohort study in the primary care setting.

Methods

Using the Health Search Database, we selected a cohort of patients aged 18 years or older between 2002 and 2022. Yearly, we counted upper and lower respiratory tract infections (RTIs) per patient. We investigated 2 cut-offs defining RRTIs, nominally 3+ RRTIs/patient/year or greater than the mean value of RTIs/patient/year. The associations between these two event definitions and the correlates defining the patients’ vulnerability were assessed by estimating a logistic regression model.

Results

Over the study years, the mean number of RTIs/patient/year ranged from 0.07–0.16 or 1.10-1.13 events, when the denominator was formed by the overall population or those diagnosed with RTIs, respectively. When the analysis was focussed on 2022, we obtained 0.2% (1.3% among those with RTIs) or 13% (11.3% among those with RTIs) cases of RRTIs, using a cut-off of 3+ or >=0.16 events (mean value/patient), respectively. Consistent associations were found for these two operational definitions and the investigated clinical correlates.

Conclusion

We provided evidence on the epidemiology and concurrent/predisposing factors of RRTIs in adults. These data should support health authorities and general practitioners for the application of the most appropriate preventive and/or treatment strategies.
Genome-wide analysis of the bHLH family and identiﬁcation ofbHLHgenes involved in fruit development and ripening of cultivated octoploid strawberry
Authors: Zhao Qian , Li Jiqi , Wang Baotian , Wu Qingyue , Zhang Chao , Zhang Zhihong , Wang Yan
Published: March 2024

Objectives

The basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) regulate fruit growth in many plants. However, there is no available study on the bHLH gene family in the haplotype-resolved genome of cultivated strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa).

Materials and Methods

The 131 FabHLH genes identified in the strawberry cultivar ‘Yanli’ haplotype-resolved genome were classified into 24 subfamilies according to their phylogenetic relationships. Gene structure, conserved motifs, and chromosomal locations were investigated using bioinformatics.

Results

In total, 15 FabHLH genes potentially involved in fruit development were screened based on transcriptome analysis of different stages of fruit development. We also identified the cis-regulatory elements of these 15 FabHLH genes, predicted upstream transcription factors, and identified protein–protein interactions.

Conclusions

The findings of this study improve our understanding of the regulation mediated by bHLH TFs during strawberry fruit growth and maturation.
Tobacco policy (in)coherence in Mozambique: an examination of national and subnational stakeholder perspectives
Authors: Nguenha Nicole , Rodriguez Charo , Drope Jeffrey , Bialous Stella Aguinaga , Cunguara Benedito , Lencucha Raphael
Published: March 2024

Mozambique ranks fifth on the list of tobacco producing countries in Africa, while also being a Party to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Tobacco farming is regarded by some governments as a strategic economic commodity for export and remains deeply entrenched within Mozambique’s political and economic landscape. This study uses a qualitative description methodology to identify tensions, conflicts and alignment or misalignment in policy on tobacco across government sectors and levels in Mozambique. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 33 key informants from sectors across national and subnational levels including health, agriculture, economic and commercial sectors, as well as non-state actors from civil society organizations, the tobacco industry, farmers unions and associations and individual farmers. Incoherence was present across sectoral mandates, perspectives on industry’s presence in the country and regions and between FCTC provisions and informant perceptions of tobacco production as a development strategy. Despite tobacco being viewed as an important economic commodity by many informants, there was also widespread dissatisfaction with tobacco from both farmers and some government officials. There were indications of an openness to shifting to a policy that emphasizes alternatives to tobacco growing. The findings also illustrate where points of convergence exist across sectors and where opportunities for aligning tobacco policy with the provisions of the FCTC can occur.
Telehealth Use during COVID-19: An Exploratory Study on Adaptations and Experiences of Providers
Authors: DeHart Dana , Iachini Aidyn L , Browne Teri , Reitmeier Melissa , King L Bailey
Published: March 2024

The current exploratory study examines the impact of the rapid acceleration of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of healthcare providers. Understanding provider perspectives, particularly in terms of adaptations made during this critical time, is a useful lens into service innovation in times of crisis and can help elucidate successful strategies for continuing the use of telehealth during the postpandemic period. Fourteen providers from 11 different service agencies in a southeastern state were interviewed. Findings identified three themes: (1) dynamic adaptations enacted by healthcare providers at the onset of the pandemic, such as hybrid services, rapid innovations in workflow, collective decision making among providers, and outreach to educate patients; (2) the relaxation of policies by regulators/insurers, focused most often on reimbursement of services; and (3) how patient engagement was impacted via telehealth, including openness to telehealth, more family-level accessibility, and reduced no-show rates. Implications for social workers include heightened professional training on telehealth as well as increasing the critical role that social workers serve in educating providers and patients on telehealth.
Secession from and secession within the European Union: Toward a holistic theory of secession
Authors: Bossacoma Busquets Pau
Published: March 2024

After presenting some convergent tendencies and eclectic approaches to moral theories of secession in light of some practical applications of these theories, the article outlines the constitutional landscape on the regulation of secession and analyzes the legal right to withdraw from the European Union, arguing that this right to secede from the Union helps to justify a right to secede from EU member states. Through the exploration of several arguments that may distinguish between these rights of exit, the article contends that their regulation and qualification should not be substantially different from one another. Taking a holistic approach, the article defends a qualified right to secede from the European Union as a whole and from its individual member states.
Enhancing the Rights of Protection-Seeking Migrants through the Global Compact for Migration: The Case of EU Asylum Policy
Authors: Bast Jürgen , Endres de Oliveira Pauline , Wessels Janna
Published: March 2024

This article argues that the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) is not only a breakthrough for a rights-based approach in international migration governance but also an asset to the international protection system. By way of example, three key issues of the European Union’s (EU) Common European Asylum System are discussed: access to protection, reception conditions, and detention. These examples illustrate that faithfully implementing the Migration Compact would require the EU and its Member States to make significant changes in their asylum policy.

The parallel emergence of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) may suggest otherwise – namely, that the GCM is not relevant for refugees and other protection-seeking migrants. However, the legal construction that best serves the object and purpose of both documents is the assumption that the two Compacts have an overlapping scope of application. The GCM addresses specific protection needs of protection-seeking migrants who are not covered by the 1951 Refugee Convention, and it serves as an umbrella, strengthening the core human rights of migrants regardless of their status, including protection-seeking migrants. Hence, the GCM improves the international protection system as a whole and should be acknowledged as such.