bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermo‐Acoustical Studies On L‐Leucine in Aqueous MgSO4 and MgCl2 Solution at T = 283.15K and 288.15K
Authors: Pathan Neha S. , Manik Urvashi P. , Mishra Paritosh L. , Pandey Krishna Kumar , Nagpal Garima
Published: February 2025

We conducted an investigation on a 0.01 M solution of L‐leucine in aqueous magnesium sulfate and magnesium chloride at temperatures of 283.15 K and 288.15 K. The study focused on measuring and analyzing various acoustic and thermodynamic parameters such as surface tension (σ), adiabatic compressibility(β), specific heat ratio (γ), molar volume (Vm), apparent molar volume (ϕv), Wada's constant(W), and Rao's constant(R). W e calculated all these from the experimental data used in the current study. Different thermodynamic parameters have been applied to examine solute‐solvent and solute‐solute interactions and the effects of magnesium chloride and magnesium sulphate salt on the hydration and electrostriction behaviour of l‐leucine. The addition of salt considerably impacted the volumetric and acoustic behaviour of the investigated amino acids via ion‐ion, ion‐dipole, solute‐solvent, and hydrogen bonding interactions. The solute‐solvent interactions in these systems are considered when interpreting the results. It has been noted that these systems have potent solute interactions. The solute‐solvent ratio also grows as the temperature rises. It has been noted that in aqueous‐salt solutions, these amino acids serve as structure‐makers. Overall findings indicate that L‐leucine and magnesium sulphate have a more powerful molecular interaction than L‐leucine and magnesium chloride.
Temperature‐Dependent Structural, Optical, and Electrical Performance Assessment of Fabricated (Au, Al)/ZnO/p‐Si Heterojunction Schottky Diodes
Authors: Rajoriya Manisha , Sahni Mohit , Singh Munendra , Singh Sucheta , Gupta Pallavi , Yahya M. Z. A. , Noor I. M.
Published: February 2025

This work incorporates the fabrication and characterization of highly transparent zinc oxide (ZnO) film deposited on p‐type Si (100). The work also includes the temperature dependency of fabricated (Au, Al)/ZnO/p‐Si‐heterojunction Schottky diodes. This temperature analysis is done in terms of optical, structural, and electrical analysis. The fabrication of the proposed sample has been carried out using RF magnetron sputtering and then sintered at two different temperatures (100 °C and 300 °C). Structural properties of these films are analyzed and compared using XRD, SEM, and AFM. Further, this work explores the electrical properties of various types of Schottky junctions fabricated with gold and aluminum metal contacts on these thin films. With the increasing fabrication temperature, both the optical band gap as well as the ideality factor are found to be decreasing. The impact of temperature variation on the potential barrier of Schottky diodes and carrier concentration has also been studied. This work and device fabrication have applications in the field of analog circuits and electronics.
Hibiscus sabdariffa‐Sourced Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles: Optimization, Characterization, and Cytotoxicity on Brine Shrimp
Authors: Yumni Baharom Ain , Norman Ashreen , Che Abdullah Che Azurahanim
Published: February 2025

In the last decade, nanotechnology has received a lot of attention. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) and their properties, such as antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, and photocatalytic abilities, have long been studied. Furthermore, green synthesis from plant‐based sources has numerous advantages over traditional physical and chemical methods. The green synthesis of ZnONPs is performed in this study using roselle extract (Hibiscus sabdariffa). During the fabrication of metal nanoparticles, the plant extract acts as a reducing and capping agent. Taguchi design is used to optimize and evaluate synthesis parameters like pH, temperature, and reaction time. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) is used in conjunction with this statistical method to determine the optimal parameters for reducing particle size to nanometers. DLS measurements reveal that the average size of the ZnONPs range from 341.7 to 546.5 nm. XRD analysis reveals that the crystallite sizes of the ZnONPs range from 12.7 to 73.8 nm. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis reveals that the ZnONPs has a wurtzite crystal structure. Ultraviolet visible spectrophotometer (UV–vis) reveals bandgaps are measured for the best samples. They are calculated to be 3.74, 3.64, and 3.35 eV, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis reveals that a variety of bioactive compounds are responsible for ZnONP stabilization. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) exhibits that synthesized ZnONPs lost little weight, demonstrating their high thermal stability. Furthermore, brine shrimp hatching assays are used to assess biogenic ZnONP toxicity.
Synthesis, Characterization, Study of Biological Activity, and Molecular Docking of Some Mannich Bases and their Coordination with Cadmium and Cobalt
Authors: Khalaf Ahmed Abed , Shihab Afraa Saber
Published: February 2025

This study involves the preparation of various organic compounds. Saccharin (A) is synthesized by adding hydrochloric acid to sodium saccharinate salt, with continuous stirring for 2 h. Mannich base derivatives (A1, A2) are prepared by reacting sulfanilamide with saccharin and benzaldehyde derivatives, using absolute ethanol as a solvent. Several complexes of Mannich bases (A3–A6) are obtained by reacting equimolar amounts of Mannich base derivatives (A1, A2) with the metal salt solution of cobalt and cadmium (MCln.XH2O), using ethanol as a solvent. The synthesized compounds and complexes are characterized using various spectroscopic techniques, including FT‐IR, and 1H, 13C‐NMR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis (C.H.N.S.). Additionally, their melting points, purity, molar conductivity, and magnetic susceptibility are determined. The impact of some prepared compounds and complexes on the growth of two antibiotic‐resistant bacterial strains, namely the gram‐negative Pseudomonas Aeruginosa and the gram‐positive Streptococcus Mutans, is studied. Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, and Ciprofloxacin are used as a control antibiotics. Some of the synthesized compounds exhibited significant inhibitory activity against the tested bacterial strains. Molecular docking studies are conducted for the compounds (A1, A2) against Pseudomonas Aeruginosa using the MOE software (2009). The energy minimization process is employed to achieve the most stable conformation (lowest energy barrier) for these compounds.
Synthesis and Study of Some New Derivatives of Schiff Bases Loaded on Water‐Soluble Polymers
Authors: Al‐obaidy Ammar Abraham Mardan , Jamal Ayed Al‐Asli Nabil
Published: February 2025

This study encompasses the synthesis of polymer‐incorporated lip bases by reacting polyvinylpyrrolidone with amines. The elucidation of compound structures that involves the application of ultraviolet, infrared, and nuclear magnetic resonance (proton and carbon) spectroscopy, is complemented by SEM analysis. Furthermore, physical attributes like color and melting point are observed. Biological assessment included evaluating the antibacterial efficacy of select compounds, and investigating their impact on the growth of four bacterial isolates, including both Gram‐positive strains. Encouragingly, certain synthesized compounds exhibit notable inhibitory effectiveness against the tested bacterial strains.
Preparation of Nickel‐Grafted Zeolite From a Local Mineral Ore and Studying Their Catalytic Properties
Authors: Khalil Mohsen Ismael , Ayed Nabeel Jamal , Ghazal Raghed Yousif
Published: February 2025

The study encompasses an investigation of a local natural mineral material found in the Nimrud region/Ibrahim Al‐Khalil village (40 km southeast of Mosul city). This is achieved through chemical analysis and X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) to identify its various elemental components. Subsequently, X‐ray diffraction (XRD) is employed to determine the percentage ratios of clay minerals (natural zeolites) and nonclay minerals comprising the natural mineral ore. The natural zeolite is then selectively concentrated by removing carbonates, iron, and reactive silica (amorphous silica) followed by impregnation with nickel using the compound Ni(NO3)2.6H2O. The properties and characteristics of the prepared zeolites (impregnated and nonimpregnated) are investigated using XRF, XRD, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The analysis reveals its compliance with both chemical and crystalline specifications of zeolites, in addition to good surface area, selective porous channels, and thermal stability.
Adsorption of Haloperidol Drug on Alginate‐Attapulgite‐Ag NPs Composite
Authors: Hameed Walaa Hazim , Ali Nashwan Hussein
Published: February 2025

This work includes the synthesis of environmentally favorable and biodegradable components alginate balls containing attapulgite‐silver nanoparticles with different amount of hydroxyapatite. The synthesized composite materials showed good adsorption properties in removing of the organic contaminants (antipsychotics, haloperidol). The addition of hydroxyapatite and alginate to the attapulgite (APT) clay enhanced its adsorption ability through chemical changes. In the current research, haloperidol adsorption is studied on alginate‐attapulgite‐Ag NPs composite. The experiments are carried out at concentrations of the haloperidol (25, 50 and 100 mg/L) at different temperature and pH with different amounts of adsorbent and contact time of 3 h. The remaining concentration of the drug after adsorption is calculated, and the results obtained showed that the adsorption efficiency is 97.6% at pH = 9 and temperature of 15 °C.
Highly Efficient Ultrasound‐Assisted Synthesis, Characterization, and Antibreast Cancer (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma) of New Chalcone Based Compound and Its Nanohybrid With Silver Nanoparticles
Authors: Shihab Elaf Abd Al‐Hameed , Hamad Maysoon A. , Jubair Batool J. , Ali Samer H. , Alheety Mustafa A.
Published: February 2025

In this work, indole‐3‐carboxaldehyde is used as a synthon to prepare chalcone‐based Schiff base. The reaction includes the treatment of indole‐3‐carboxaldehyde with 1‐(4‐amino‐2‐fluorophenyl)ethanone to afford ES1, which reacts with paramethylthiobenzaldehyde to give ES2 with high yield (>95%). The product is characterized by FTIR, CHN, melting point, and 1H NMR. The compound ES2 is decorated on the silver nanoparticles to give a nanoproduct named as Ag NPs‐ES. The presented nanocomposite is characterized by XRD and TEM, and the results prove that the product is highly pure and formed as quasisphere nanoparticles within the range of 20–51 nm. The nanoproduct is used for the treatment of breast cancer cell lines (in vitro) that consist of 77% of invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), 10% of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), and 2% of tubular carcinoma, in addition to 11% of invasive papillary, medullary carcinoma. The results demonstrate that the nanoproduct is able to give only 2% of cancer cell viability with IC50 equal to 1.726 mg/ml with no toxicity on the normal human cell line (HDFn).
Fish Oil and EPA Improve Insulin Sensitivity, in Part Through Adipocyte mTORC2 Activation in Diet‐Induced Obese Male Mice
Authors: Castro Érique , Vieira Thayna S. , Peixoto Álbert S. , Leonardi Bianca F. , Tomazelli Caroline A. , Lino Caroline A. , Oliveira Tiago E. , Pessoa Natália M. , Pessoa Erika V. M. , Abe‐Honda Marina A. , Pontara‐Corte Natália , Silva‐Junior Luciano P. , Pires Ana B. , Chaves‐Filho Adriano B. , Moustaid‐Moussa Naima , Festuccia William T.
Published: February 2025

Fish oil rich in omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n‐3 PUFAs) improves rodent glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity through unknown mechanisms. We investigated the involvement of adipocyte Rictor/mTORC2 as a mediator of fish oil and n‐3 PUFA eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) effects. Male mice bearing or not Rictor/mTORC2 deficiency in adipocytes were fed isocaloric high fat diets produced either with lard (HFD) or fish oil (HFn3) and evaluated for glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity. HFn3 intake improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, increased glucose uptake in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle per unit of insulin, and reduced hepatic glucose production as well as adipose tissue and liver de novo fatty acid synthesis. Interestingly, this improvement in glucose homeostasis was concurrent with low serum insulin levels and increased content of Ser473 phosphorylated (p) Akt in adipose tissue, but not skeletal muscle and liver. Intake of an HFD supplemented with EPA increased, in an mTORC2‐dependent manner, insulin sensitivity and adipocyte pAkt Ser473, but not glucose tolerance. In conclusion, adipocyte mTORC2 mediates in part the improvement in insulin sensitivity induced by fish oil and EPA, while the improvement in glucose tolerance induced by fish oil seems to be triggered by mTORC2‐independent actions in muscle and liver.
Option Contracts in the DeFi Ecosystem: Opportunities, Solutions, and Technical Challenges
Authors: Fateh Singh Srisht , Nekriach Vladyslav , Michalopoulos Panagiotis , Veneris Andreas , Klinck Jeffrey
Published: February 2025

This paper investigates the current landscape of option trading platforms for cryptocurrencies, encompassing both centralized and decentralized exchanges. Option contracts in cryptocurrency markets offer functionalities akin to traditional markets, providing investors with tools to mitigate risks, particularly those arising from price volatility, while also allowing them to capitalize on future volatility trends. The paper discusses these applications of option contracts in the context of decentralized finance (DeFi), emphasizing their utility in managing market uncertainties. Despite a recent surge in the trading volume of options contracts on cryptocurrencies, decentralized platforms account for less than 1% of this total volume. Hence, this paper takes a closer look by examining the design choices of these platforms to understand the challenges hindering their growth and adoption. It identifies technical, financial, and adoption‐related challenges that decentralized exchanges face and provides commentary on existing platform responses. Subsequently, the paper analyzes the impact of absent options markets on the inefficiencies of automated market maker liquidity. It examines historical on‐chain data for 14 ERC20 token pairs on Ethereum. The analysis shows 1143 instances in which deeper liquidity levels, as high as more, could have been achieved by establishing an options market.
An Integrated LEO Communication and PNT System for Beyond 5G NTN
Authors: De Gaudenzi Riccardo
Published: February 2025

This paper proposes a pragmatic approach to integrate communication (COM) and positioning navigation timing (PNT) services in (beyond) 5G ((B)5G) low Earth orbiting (LEO) satellite nonterrestrial networks (NTN). The goal is to optimize performance and minimize complementary PNT service costs. The current third generation partnership program (3GPP) fifth generation (5G) standard incorporates positioning reference signal (PRS) for enhancing user equipment (UE) positioning accuracy. However, this approach relies on network connectivity and is not suitable for UE standalone PNT service provision. Additionally, PRS exploitation in a NTN satellite constellation shows major issues on top of its know limitations in terrestrial networks (TNs). To address these limitations, we propose a solution inspired by the Chinese multimedia digital broadcasting standard (CMMB) standard, adapted for satellite NTN. This approach involves broadcasting a dedicated direct‐sequence spread‐spectrum (DS‐SS) PNT signal on‐top of the primary COM signal. This allows for efficient PNT service provision without compromising the performance of the core COM services. By decoupling PNT and COM services, we can optimize the satellite payload design providing wide area coverage for the PNT signal with reduced interference on the COM narrow beams, thus optimizing overall system performance. The proposed solution offers a promising and cost effective approach to enable accurate and reliable PNT services in satellite NTN, even in challenging environments with limited network connectivity.
Testing for the Functional Form of a Continuous Covariate in the Shared‐Parameter Joint Model
Authors: Piulachs Xavier , El Ghouch Anouar , Van Keilegom Ingrid
Published: February 2025

Shared‐parameter joint modeling is a useful technique for properly associating longitudinal and time‐to‐event data. When the interest is in the survival outcome, the conditional logarithm of the hazard function for an event is conventionally presumed to be linearly related over time to a set of explanatory covariates, among other terms. However, this hypothesis is quite restrictive and may yield misleading results. Our objective here is to easily check such a modeling assumption for any continuous fixed covariate. For this purpose, we examine the appropriateness of a nonparametric test criterion based on a penalty‐modified version of the Akaike information criterion. An extensive numerical study is conducted to check the validity of the test within the joint modeling framework, while determining the extent to which the function embedding the continuous covariate deviates from linearity. Furthermore, once a deviation from linearity is detected, the improvement in the model's predictive performance is examined. The usefulness of the testing procedure is illustrated using a clinical trial with HIV‐infected subjects. Specifically, our example focuses on properly accounting for the effect of nadir CD4 cell count within a predictive joint model for the time to immune recovery.
Near‐infrared Emission Carbon Dots Derived from Bromo‐Substituted Perylene Derivatives with Simultaneously High Type I/II ROS Generation for Effective Bacterial Elimination and Tumor Ablation
Authors: Jiang Shichao , Li Gaowei , Yang Mei , Su Borui , Xiao Jiamei , Ding Jie , Wei Dan , Sun Jing , Wu Chengheng , Fan Hongsong
Published: February 2025

Bacterial infections and tumor tissues are characterized by complex microenvironments with uneven oxygen availability. Effective photodynamic therapy for these conditions requires photosensitizers that can perform optimally within such environments, specifically by generating both type I and II reactive oxygen species (ROS) simultaneously. Carbon dots (CDs), a type of fluorescent nanomaterial smaller than 10 nm, are commonly used to treat bacterial infections and tumors. However, their current limitations, such as short maximum absorption and emission wavelengths, significantly restrict their therapeutic efficacy in deep tissues. In response to these challenges, a new type of fluorescent carbon dots with near‐infrared (NIR) absorption and emission properties is reported, featuring a maximum emission peak beyond 700 nm (NIR‐I region). These CDs offer strong tissue penetration and reduced tissue absorption advantages. Additionally, bromine atom doping significantly enhances the generation of type I and II ROS through efficient photodynamic processes. In vitro studies demonstrated their high photodynamic efficacy in antibacterial and antitumor applications. Ultimately, these findings translate into significant therapeutic effectiveness for treating skin infections and tumors in vivo. This study employs bromine‐doped CDs nanomaterials, which demonstrate maximum fluorescence emission in the NIR region, to achieve efficient photodynamic treatment of bacterial infections and tumor ablation in complex microenvironments.
Ultrafast Formation of Microdroplet Arrays with Chemical Gradients for Label‐Free Determination of Enzymatic Reaction Kinetics
Authors: Breitfeld M. , Dietsche C. L. , Saucedo‐Espinosa M. A. , Berlanda S. F. , Dittrich P. S.
Published: February 2025

High throughput assays including enzymatic reactions are usually conducted in multiwell plates and analyzed in plate readers. This approach has limitations in i) upscaling and ii) the choice of reactions, as labeled compounds are required. A technique is introduced to rapidly generate dense microdroplet arrays by stream shearing (MASS). The fluid is delivered via a capillary onto a glass plate that carries a pattern of hydrophilic spots surrounded by a hydrophobic coating. Moving the glass plate shears off droplets from the fluid stream that are retained on the hydrophilic spot. Arrays of up to 24 192 homogenous droplets (coefficient of variation: 2.9 %) with defined volumes from 280 to 980 pL are generated in less than 22 min. Thereby, the droplet content is varied, and fine chemical gradients are obtained across the plate, which are analyzed with both fluorescence microscopy and matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI‐MS). This method is employed for label‐free kinetic studies of an enzymatic reaction. For the cleavage of angiotensin II‐fluorescein by the angiotensin II‐converting enzyme, a maximum reaction velocity (vmax) of 5.7 µm min−1 is determined and the Michaelis‐Menten constant (KM) of 84.8 µm is found. The platform can be further upscaled for biochemical assays as required for drug discovery and protein engineering.
Sensitive and Anisotropic Room‐Temperature Terahertz Photodetection in Quasi‐1D Nodal‐Line Semimetal NbNiTe5
Authors: Tang Keqin , Pan Xiaokai , Dong Zhuo , Yang Liu , Wang Dong , Hou Xingang , Wang Pengdong , Fang Yong , Wang Junyong , Wang Lin , Zhang Kai
Published: February 2025

Low‐dimensional topological materials merge the benefits of reduced dimensionality with the nontrivial topological phases, garnering significant attention as promising candidates for next‐generation optoelectronic devices. The quasi‐1D nodal‐line semimetal NbNiTe5 showcases distinct in‐plane anisotropy alongside robust Dirac nodal‐line points, rendering it a fascinating platform for exploring the intricate interplay between novel quantum states of matter and low‐energy radiation. Here, sensitive and anisotropic terahertz photodetection driven by Dirac fermions and the intrinsic anisotropic properties of NbNiTe5 are presented. Leveraging the enhanced carrier transport characteristics derived from nontrivial band topology, room‐temperature responsivity of 1.36 A W−1, noise equivalent power of 5.31 × 10−11 W Hz−1/2 as well as fast photoresponse speed of 4.5 µs are achieved. The exceptionally high anisotropic photoresponse ratio of 84 highlights the potential for improving the performance of polarization‐sensitive photodetectors. This work is crucial for advancing the understanding of nontrivial topology and the development of terahertz photodetector technologies.
Federated Learning Architectures: A Performance Evaluation With Crop Yield Prediction Application
Authors: Mukherjee Anwesha , Buyya Rajkumar
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Federated learning has become an emerging technology in data analysis for IoT applications.

Methods

This paper implements centralized and decentralized federated learning frameworks for crop yield prediction based on Long Short‐Term Memory Network and Gated Recurrent Unit. For centralized federated learning, multiple clients and one server are considered, where the clients exchange their model updates with the server that works as the aggregator to build the global model. For the decentralized framework, a collaborative network is formed among the devices either using ring topology or using mesh topology. In this network, each device receives model updates from the neighboring devices and performs aggregation to build the upgraded model.

Results

The performance of the centralized and decentralized federated learning frameworks is evaluated in terms of prediction accuracy, precision, recall, F1‐Score, and training time. The experimental results show that 93% prediction accuracy is achieved using the centralized and decentralized federated learning‐based frameworks. The results also show that using centralized federated learning, the response time can be reduced by 75% than the cloud‐only framework.

Conclusion

Centralized and decentralized federated learning architectures show good performance in terms of prediction accuracy and loss. The training time, including communication for both case studies, is also not very high, as observed from the results. Further, as no raw data is shared, the data privacy is protected.

Finally, the future research directions of the use of federated learning in crop yield prediction are proposed.
Investigation of Main Bearing Fatigue Estimate Sensitivity to Synthetic Turbulence Models Using a Novel Drivetrain Model Implemented in OpenFAST
Authors: Liverud Krathe Veronica , Jonkman Jason , Gebel Jakob , Rivera‐Arreba Irene , Nejad Amir R. , Bachynski‐Polić Erin E.
Published: February 2025

A coupled medium‐fidelity drivetrain model is developed and implemented in OpenFAST for a 10‐MW land‐based reference turbine. The implementation is verified against a fully coupled multibody wind turbine model, including a detailed drivetrain. The new model can simultaneously and accurately estimate main bearing loads and represent elastic bending of the drivetrain. It has low computational cost and is useful for early design phases, sensitivity analyses and complex systems like wind farms (where computational expense must be expended elsewhere). Here, the model is implemented for a monopile offshore wind turbine and used to investigate the sensitivity of main bearing basic rating life to different synthetic turbulence models. Large‐eddy simulations (LES) targeting stable, neutral, and unstable atmospheric conditions at below‐, near‐ and above‐rated wind speeds are used as a reference. The turbulence models recommended by the International Electrotechnical Commission, the Mann spectral tensor model, and the Kaimal spectral model with exponential coherence are fitted to the LES data. Additionally, a constrained turbulence generator, PyConTurb (short for Python Constrained Turbulence), based on LES data, is applied in the aero‐hydro‐servo‐elastic simulations. Taking PyConTurb as the baseline, the Kaimal model significantly underestimates fatigue of the downwind main bearing, with between 10% and 40% less damage. The Mann model also underestimates the downwind main bearing fatigue by up to 30%. The upwind main bearing damage is driven by mean loads, and differences between models are less significant, although the trends are similar. Reasons for these discrepancies are investigated and attributed to differences in spatial and temporal variations among the turbulence models.
CRISPR-Cas9 Techniques: Strategies for the Laboratory and the Classroom
Authors: Davies Kevin
Published: February 2025

What You Will Learn in This Chapter

This chapter serves as a general introduction to the book. Dr. Davies offers a high-level personal perspective of the CRISPR revolution and the wide-ranging impact of CRISPR gene editing technology on fields of biology and medicine.
Invisible Youths? Future Health and Social Care Challenges of Unaccompanied Minor Migrants in Spain
Authors: Cristóbal-Narváez Paula , Febas Fernandez Marcos , Rueda Maria José , Aparicio Pareja Lola
Published: February 2025

Research has shown that traveling alone, suffering adverse stressful experiences, and living separately from family are risk factors for mental health problems in youth migrants. Against this background, unaccompanied minor migrants (UMMs) are one of the most vulnerable migrant populations. However, further investigation is needed to identify the factors related to the migration process that can impact the health of this population in Spain. This chapter aims to identify the relevant social determinants of health among newly arrived UMMs, encompassing factors before, during, and after migration. This aim is accomplished using a qualitative methodology to identify the voices of UMMs. Specifically, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted as part of the national action-research Migrasalud project (II IN 190517 EN 162 FA 01). The interviews were transcribed, translated (from Arabic to Spanish), and analyzed through content analysis. The results showed that UMMs perceived themselves as having good health before the migration process. They often had unrealistic expectations before migrating, experienced adverse experiences during the journey, and, after arrival, had to cope with post-migration risk stressors such as socio-labor difficulties and discrimination, which affected their well-being and mental health. The findings also underline some relevant health and social challenges, such as the need to assess mental health care, considering the specific stages of the migratory cycle in the UMM population from a person-centered approach, the promotion of cross-cultural mental healthcare models, and the development of policies and services to address the effects of discrimination in Spain.
Uncertainty propagation through integral inversion of satellite gradient data in regional gravity field recovery
Authors: Eshagh Mehdi , Pitoňák Martin , Novák Pavel
Published: February 2025

The Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) mission, launched by the European Space Agency, provided high-quality gravitational gradient data with near-global coverage, excluding polar regions. These data have been instrumental in regional gravity field modelling through various methods. One approach involves a mathematical model based on Fredholm’s integral equation of the first kind, which relates surface gravity anomalies to satellite gradient data. Solving this equation requires discretising a surface integral and applying further regularisation techniques to stabilise the numerical solution of a resulting system of linear equations. This study examines four methods for modifying the system of linear equations derived by discretising the Fredholm integral equation. The methods include direct inversion, remove-compute-restore, truncation reduction of the integral formula, and inversion of a modified integral for estimating surface gravity anomalies from satellite gradient data over a test area in Central Europe. Since the system of linear equations is ill-conditioned, the Tikhonov regularisation is applied to stabilise its numerical solution. To assess the precision and reliability of the estimated gravity anomalies, the study introduces mathematical models for estimation of biased and de-biased noise variance–covariance matrices of estimated surface gravity anomalies. The results indicate that the signal-to-noise ratio of reduced satellite gradient data in the remove-compute-restore method is smaller compared to other methods in the study, necessitating stronger stabilisation of the model to recover surface gravity anomalies. This, in turn, leads to a more optimistic uncertainty propagation than the other considered methods.
Spectral Bounds on Hyperbolic 3-Manifolds: Associativity and the Trace Formula
Authors: Bonifacio James , Mazáč Dalimil , Pal Sridip
Published: February 2025

We constrain the low-energy spectra of Laplace operators on closed hyperbolic manifolds and orbifolds in three dimensions, including the standard Laplace--Beltrami operator on functions and the Laplacian on powers of the cotangent bundle. Our approach employs linear programming techniques to derive rigorous bounds by leveraging two types of spectral identities. The first type, inspired by the conformal bootstrap, arises from the consistency of the spectral decomposition of the product of Laplace eigensections, and involves the Laplacian spectra as well as integrals of triple products of eigensections. We formulate these conditions in the language of representation theory of

$$\textrm{PSL}_2(\mathbb {C})$$

PSL
2

(
C
)

and use them to prove upper bounds on the first and second Laplacian eigenvalues. The second type of spectral identities follows from the Selberg trace formula. We use them to find upper bounds on the spectral gap of the Laplace--Beltrami operator on hyperbolic 3-orbifolds, as well as on the systole length of hyperbolic 3-manifolds, as a function of the volume. Further, we prove that the spectral gap

$$\lambda _1$$

λ
1

of the Laplace--Beltrami operator on all closed hyperbolic 3-manifolds satisfies

$$\lambda _1 < 47.32$$

λ
1

<
47.32

. Along the way, we use the trace formula to estimate the low-energy spectra of a large set of example orbifolds and compare them with our general bounds, finding that the bounds are nearly sharp in several cases.
Scaling of the elastic energy of small balls for maps between manifolds with different curvature tensors
Authors: Krömer Milan , Müller Stefan
Published: February 2025

Motivated by experiments and formal asymptotic expansions in the physics literature, Maor and Shachar (J. Elasticity 134 (2019), 149–173) studied the behaviour of a model elastic energy of maps between manifolds with incompatible metrics. For thin objects they analysed the scaling of the minimal elastic energy as a function of the thickness. In particular they showed that for maps from a ball of radius h in an oriented Riemannian manifold to Euclidean space, the infimum of a model elastic energy per unit volume scales like the fourth power of h and after rescaling one gets convergence to a quadratic expression in the curvature tensor R(p), where p denotes the centre of the ball. In this paper we show the same result for general compact oriented Riemannian targets with R(p) replaced by a suitable difference of the curvature tensors in the target and the domain, thus answering Open Question 1 in the paper by Maor and Shachar. The result extends to noncompact targets provided they satisfy a uniform regularity condition. A key idea in the proof is to use Lipschitz approximations to define a suitable notion of convergence.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and cardiovascular risk factors in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Saidi A. N. , Theel W. B. , Burggraaf B. , van der Lelij A. J. , Grobbee D. E. , van Zeben J. D. , van der Zwan-van Beek E. , Rauh S. P. , Cabezas M. Castro
Published: February 2025

Objectives

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease linked with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), which may increase cardiovascular (CV) risk. This study explores the association between liver fibrosis, assessed by the Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, and CV risk factors in RA patients.

Methods

Cross-sectional data from the Franciscus Rheumatoid Arthritis and Cardiovascular Intervention Study (FRANCIS), a randomized, cardiovascular single center, intervention study involving RA patients without cardiovascular disease (CVD) or type 2 diabetes (T2DM), were analyzed. Liver fibrosis was assessed using FIB-4, with a cut-off point of ≥ 1.3 to define high fibrosis risk, and its relationship with CV risk factors, medication use, and subclinical atherosclerosis, measured by carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), was evaluated.

Results

Among 326 patients (68.4% female, age 53 ± 11 years, BMI 26.5 ± 4.5 kg/m2), those with high FIB-4 (n = 49) had higher cIMT (p = 0.002), apolipoprotein B48 (p = 0.04), systolic blood pressure (p = 0.007), alkaline phosphatase (p = 0.002), and anti-CCP levels (p = 0.02). High FIB-4 was associated with lower leukocyte count and complement component 3. Statin use was linked to higher FIB-4 (OR = 4.49, p = 0.014), while hydroxychloroquine use was associated with lower FIB-4 (OR = 0.11, p = 0.004). Disease activity scores did not differ between low and high FIB-4 groups.

Conclusions

Elevated FIB-4 in RA patients is associated with increased cIMT, higher blood pressure, and elevated atherogenic remnants. Incorporating FIB-4 measurements into routine clinical care for RA populations could effectively identify individuals at the highest CV risk, enabling the implementation of more intensive CV risk management strategies.

Key Points
• RA patients with liver fibrosis have higher cIMT, indicating greater risk of atherosclerosis.
• RA patients with liver fibrosis show accumulation of circulating atherogenic chylomicron remnants, contributing to atherogenesis.
• HCQ may provide a protective effect against liver fibrosis in RA patients.
Multiphoton tomographic analysis of hyaluronic acid delivery: comparison of carbon dioxide laser and 1927 nm thulium laser over time
Authors: Nguyen Lynhda , Mess Christian , Schneider Stefan W. , Huck Volker , Herberger Katharina
Published: February 2025

Hyaluronic acid injections, known as skin quality boosters (SQB), improve skin hydration and quality. Laser-assisted delivery using ablative (AFL) and non-ablative fractional lasers (NAFL) enhances the uptake of topical drugs and cosmeceuticals. This study aims to compare the biodistribution of SQB as well as the morphologic and metabolic cellular changes following CO2 and thulium (Tm) laser treatments. Healthy male and female volunteers were assigned to either the CO2 laser or the Tm laser treatment group. Areas on their forearm were marked for following treatments: laser with SQB application, laser monotherapy, topical SQB monotherapy, and untreated control. Measurements were carried out 30 min and 30 days post-treatment using multiphoton-tomography equipped with fluorescence lifetime imaging (MPT-FLIM). Eleven volunteers were included in each group. SQB penetration reached the upper dermal layer in both groups, with larger aggregates after CO2 treatment. The CO2 laser induced a higher level of inflammation, which persisted as subclinical inflammation even 30 days post-treatment. In contrast, skin treated with the Tm laser showed a metabolic state similar to the untreated control after 30 days. Both CO2 laser and Tm laser enhance cutaneous uptake of the SQB, potentially improving skin hydration and quality. While the CO2 laser may be more effective in delivering SQB, the Tm laser may be a treatment option with minimal downtime. MPT-FLIM proved to be a suitable tool for monitoring treatment outcomes.
Tierschutzethische Forderungen und rechtliche Gestaltung im Bereich der landwirtschaftlichen
Tierhaltung
Authors: Caspar Johannes
Published: February 2025

Die landwirtschaftliche Tierhaltung steht im Spannungsfeld zwischen ökonomischer Praxis und ethischen
Anforderungen. Der Beitrag untersucht, inwieweit Tierrechtstheorien zur Verbesserung des gesetzlichen Tierschutzes
in der Nutztierhaltung beitragen können und welche Forderungen sich daraus ableiten lassen. Zudem
wird die aktuelle Tierschutznovelle der Bundesregierung betrachtet, die jedoch daran scheitert, den ethischen
Anforderungen an eine faire Behandlung von Nutztieren gerecht zu werden.
A novel financial performance metric to minimize misclassification costs in model selection
Authors: Martin John , Abdollahian Mali , Taheri Sona , Akman David
Published: February 2025

A novel financial performance metric (FPM) is introduced seeking to minimise the misclassification cost arising from false positives and false negatives in credit risk assessment. Using the German Credit Dataset (GCD), important financial variables are simulated according to four different asset classes to enable a more accurate and reliable, multidimensional model selection. The misclassification cost arising from FPM is compared with commonly used statistical metrics and the credit scoring example dependent cost matrix (CSEDCM) metric. The results show that CSEDCM underestimates false prediction costs by as much as 99% compared to the FPM. A range of high- performance machine learning methods was compared using FPM and statistical metrics. The Multi-Layer Perceptron outperformed other methods on statistical metrics and overall on financial costs, while a mix of algorithms worked best on either side of the decision threshold. The results confirmed that the proposed FPM would provide a significant financial benefit to organisations.
Digitalization as a catalyst for social sustainability in supply chains: an ISM-fuzzy MICMAC and DEMATEL approach
Authors: Öztürk Cihat
Published: February 2025

This study explores the transformative role of digitalization in enhancing social sustainability within supply chains. Social sustainability, a critical dimension alongside economic and environmental sustainability, aims to balance environmental health and financial stability by improving the quality of life within supply chain networks. Digital technologies introduced by Industry 4.0 and further developed by Industry 5.0 have significantly impacted various aspects of social sustainability. We investigate the interactions and significance of social sustainability enablers influenced by these technologies. Key enablers include worker well-being support, skills development, and equitable educational opportunities. To perform this analysis, we employ the ISM-Fuzzy MICMAC (Matrice d’Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée à un Classement) and DEMATEL (Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory) methods, which are widely recognized in the literature for their effectiveness. Our findings provide a strategic roadmap for supply chain stakeholders by highlighting the complex relationships between digitalization and social sustainability enablers. We identify key enablers such as digital inclusion, privacy, digital skills, visibility, innovative business design, decision-making, education, and capacity building to achieve a more human-centered and sustainable supply chain. The results clearly reveal the relationships among these enablers, forming a hierarchical structure that underscores their interactions. Additionally, this study contributes to the existing literature by addressing the often-overlooked social dimension of sustainability, offering practical insights for policymakers and business leaders on leveraging digital technologies for sustainable development.
Molecular Chimera in Cancer Drug Discovery: Beyond Antibody Therapy, Designing Grafted Stable Peptides Targeting Cancer
Authors: Chowdhury Arpan , Shrestha Prajesh , Jois Seetharama D.
Published: February 2025

Background

Several cancer therapies are being developed, and given the variability of different cancer types, the goal of these therapies is to remove the invasive tumor from the body, kill the cancer cells, or else retard the growth. These include chemotherapeutic agents and targeted therapy using small molecules and antibodies. However, antibodies can generate an immune response upon repeated administration, and producing antibodies could be expensive.

Purpose

The purpose of this review is to describe different therapeutic approaches utilized for cancer therapy, the current therapeutic approaches, and their limitations. As a novel strategy to combat cancer, designing new stable peptide scaffolds such as cyclotides and sunflower trypsin inhibitors (SFTI) is described.

Results

Stable peptides that can target proteins can be used as therapeutic agents. Here, we review the utilization and amalgamation of plant-based peptides with biological epitopes in designing molecules called “Molecular Chimeras” using a grafted peptide strategy. These cyclic peptides can bind to target receptors or modulate protein-protein interactions as they bind with high affinity and selectivity. Grafted peptides also possess better serum stability owing to the head-to-tail cyclization and other structural modifications.

Conclusion

Stable cyclic peptides outweigh the other biologicals in terms of stability and manufacturing process. Peptides and peptidomimetics can be used as therapeutic agents, and these molecules provide alternatives for biologicals and small molecule inhibitors as drugs.
T-type calcium channels regulate medulloblastoma and can be targeted for therapy
Authors: Dube Collin J. , Lai Michelle , Zhang Ying , Saha Shekhar , Yener Ulas , Hanif Farina , Hudson Kadie , Gibert Myron K. , Marcinkiewicz Pawel , Sun Yunan , Vegiraju Tanvika , Xu Esther , Sorot Aditya , Gallagher Rosa I. , Wulfkuhle Julia D. , Vernon Ashley , Dell’Olio Lily , Anbu Rajitha , Mulcahy Elizabeth , Kefas Benjamin , Guessous Fadila , Petricoin Emanuel F. , Abounader Roger
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The goal of this study was to investigate the role and therapeutic targeting of T-type calcium channels in medulloblastoma, a common and deadly pediatric brain tumor that arises in the cerebellum.

Methods

T-type calcium channel expression was assessed in publicly available bulk and single cell RNA-seq datasets. The effects of T-type calcium channel blocker mibefradil on cell growth, death and invasion were assessed with cell counting, alamar blue, trypan blue and transwell assays. Proteomic-based drug target and signaling pathway mapping was performed with Reverse Phase Protein Arrays (RPPA). Co-expression modules of single cell RNA-seq data were generated using high dimensional weighted gene co-expression network analysis (hdWGCNA). Orthotopic xenografts were used for therapeutic studies with the T-Type calcium channel blocker mibefradil.

Results

T-type calcium channels were upregulated in more than 30% of medulloblastoma tumors and patients with high expression associated with a worse prognosis. T-type calcium channels had variable expression across all the subgroups of medulloblastoma at the bulk RNA-seq and single-cell RNA-seq level. Mibefradil treatment or siRNA mediated silencing of T-type calcium channels inhibited tumor cell growth, viability and invasion. RPPA-based protein/phosphoprotein signal pathway activation mapping of T-type calcium channel inhibition and single cell hdWGCNA identified altered cancer signaling pathways. Oral administration of mibefradil inhibited medulloblastoma xenograft growth and prolonged animal survival.

Conclusion

Our results represent a first comprehensive multi-omic characterization of T-type calcium channels in medulloblastoma and provide preclinical data for repurposing mibefradil as a treatment strategy for these relatively common pediatric brain tumors.
Optimizing flexibility in power systems by maximizing the region of manageable uncertainties
Authors: Zingler Aron , Fliscounakis Stéphane , Panciatici Patrick , Mitsos Alexander
Published: February 2025

Motivated by the increasing need to hedge against load and generation uncertainty in the operation of power grids, we propose flexibility maximization during operation. We consider flexibility explicitly as the amount of uncertainty that can be handled while still ensuring nominal grid operation in the worst case. We apply the proposed flexibility optimization in the context of a DC flow approximation. By using a corresponding parameterization, we can find the maximal range of uncertainty and a range for the manageable power transfer between two parts of a network subject to uncertainty. We formulate the corresponding optimization problem as an (existence-constrained) semi-infinite optimization problem and specialize an existing algorithm for its solution.