bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heterogeneous catalytic conversion of lignocellulose: towards green and renewable chemicals
Authors: Wasie Addisu Tamir , Tadesse Mesfin Getachew , Wotango Asselefech Sorsa , Bachheti Rakesh Kumar , Ahmed Ibrahim Nasser
Published: February 2024

The world's nations are searching for renewable and sustainable energy and fuels due to restrictions on carbon discharges and fossil feedstock shortage.. Biomass is a renewable and sustainable resource; and its conversion is one of the research hotspot areas. This review aims to summarize the evidence gained from different methods of converting lignocellulose materials using heterogeneous catalysts. The review summarizes heterogeneous catalysts like carbon-based sulfonated acids, polymeric acids, metal oxides, and solid and magnetic nature acids, including methods to improve functionality and recyclability. The paper also discusses the approaches for enhancing the efficiency of reactions between heterogeneous catalysts and lignocellulose substrates, like ball-milling, microwave irradiation, solid acid interaction, the effect of hydrogen bonding, and CH–pi (π) bond interaction techniques.
Satellite derived bathymetry for rapid investigation for possible navigational channel design for coastal wind farm installation: a case study at Silavathurai, Sri Lanka
Authors: Gunathilaka M. D. E. K. , Wishwajith K. L. K. K. , Rathnayake R. M. D. I.
Published: February 2024

A rapid bathymetric survey was required for the transportation of wind turbines and blades to the Silavathurai coastline, Sri Lanka via sea. This area is a shallow uncharted area which makes this task a challenge. To overcome this limitation, remote sensing techniques were used to derive the bathymetry of the area using Sentinel-2 satellite images because of its high-resolution capabilities. The empirical bathymetric method was used by incorporating band ratio techniques that involves comparing different bands of the satellite imagery in estimating water depths. Three band combinations (Green–Blue, Red–Blue and Red–Green) were used and evaluated for their effectiveness in estimating water depths. The findings showed varying degrees of correlations between the in-situ measurements and bathymetry values. Green–Blue band combination gave the strongest correlation (R2 = 0.91) among the band combinations, indicating that it is most suitable for bathymetry estimation in such situations. Further, various depth zones were also tested for correlation analysis, which reveals higher correlation values for shallower depths. Then, accuracy analysis was done based on the computed Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values and Green–Blue combination gave the least overall RMSE value (1.06 m) with the measured depths. Finally, the derived bathymetry data from the satellite images played a vital role in designing the navigation channel, ensuring safe transport of wind turbines for the Silavathurai wind farm project. The study emphasises the effectiveness of the remote sensing approach in determining bathymetry for shallow areas, offering insightful information for coastal renewable energy projects.
Simulation of screw size effect on performance of electro-mechanical braking system
Authors: Abusaima Moustafa , Abuzied Hoda
Published: February 2024

Electro-mechanical brakes (EMB) are promising alternatives to conventional braking systems, as they are eco-friendly and have lower maintenance requirements. Currently, researchers and automotive manufacturers are interested in developing the performance of EMB systems for implementation in commercial vehicles. Current studies are either conducted experimentally and/ or modeled using mathematical based simulation models using different vehicles kinematic and dynamic models. These models are time-consuming, and expensive in case of experimental implementation. This paper presents a simple and easy-to-construct simulation model using MATLAB Simulink Graphical user interface (GUI) without using conventional mathematical modelling techniques. The presented simulation model studies the effect of the lead screw size on performance of EMB in terms of the generated clamping force and system response time. The accuracy and reliability of the proposed model were statistically verified using ANOVA. In addition, its performance was verified by comparing its results with the same input data used in previously validated experimental and mathematical-based simulation models from the literature review. The proposed model can be used to improve the performance of EMB systems and facilitate comparisons among different EMB designs.
The Spanish Model of Private Prosecution: Identifying Risks and Opportunities Through Empirical Research on Sex Crimes
Authors: Arantegui-Arràez Laura , Tamarit-Sumalla Josep Maria
Published: February 2024

The Spanish criminal justice system encompasses a distinctive model of private prosecution, affording crime victims the opportunity to participate in the judicial process in a different way to other legal systems. While this grants victims certain advantages, it also carries inherent risks, as underscored by legal scholars. The ongoing debate about the advantages and disadvantages of the current configuration of public prosecution in Spain is of significant comparative and international interest. Our contribution to this debate lies in the incorporation of empirical research findings based on data collected from judicial judgments.
Using LSTM to translate Thai sign language to text in real time
Authors: Jintanachaiwat Werapat , Jongsathitphaibul Kritsana , Pimsan Nopparoek , Sojiphan Mintra , Tayakee Amorn , Junthep Traithep , Siriborvornratanakul Thitirat
Published: February 2024

Between 2019 and 2022, as the Covid-19 pandemic unfolded, numerous countries implemented lockdown policies, leading most corporate companies to permit employees to work from home. Communication and meetings transitioned to online platforms, replacing face-to-face interactions. This shift posed challenges for deaf or hearing-impaired individuals who rely on sign language, using hand gestures for communication. However, it also affected those who can hear clearly but lack knowledge of sign language. Unfortunately, many online meeting platforms lack sign language translation features. This study addresses this issue, focusing on Thai sign language. The objective is to develop a model capable of translating Thai sign language in real-time. The Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) architecture is employed in conjunction with MediaPipe Holistic for data collection. MediaPipe Holistic captures keypoints of hand, pose, and head, while the LSTM model translates hand gestures into a sequence of words. The model’s efficiency is assessed based on accuracy, with real-time testing achieving an 86% accuracy, slightly lower than the performance on the test dataset. Nonetheless, there is room for improvement, such as expanding the dataset by collecting data from diverse individuals, employing data augmentation techniques, and incorporating an attention mechanism to enhance model accuracy.
Polling at a Crossroads
Authors: Bailey Michael A.
Published: February 2024

Survey research is in a state of crisis. People have become less willing to respond to polls and recent misses in critical elections have undermined the field's credibility. Pollsters have developed many tools for dealing with the new environment, an increasing number of which rely on risky opt-in samples. Virtually all of these tools require that respondents in each demographic category are a representative sample of all people in each demographic category, something that is unlikely to be reliably true. Polling at a Crossroads moves beyond such strong limitations, providing tools that work even when survey respondents are unrepresentative in complex ways. This book provides case studies that show how to avoid underestimating Trump support and how conventional polls exaggerate partisan differences. This book also helps us think in clear and sometimes counterintuitive ways and points toward simple, low-cost changes that can better address contemporary polling challenges.
Fundamental Rights Violations by Private Actors and the Procedure before the European Court of Human Rights
Authors: Loven Claire
Published: February 2024

Article 34 of the European Convention on Human Rights prescribes that individual applications must be directed against one of the Convention States. Consequently, private actors involved in proceedings against other private actors before domestic courts must complain about State (in)action in their application to the European Court of Human Rights. In other words, originally 'horizontal' conflicts must be 'verticalised' in order to be admissible. Although such verticalised cases make up a large portion of the Court's case law, the particular nature of these cases, as well as procedural issues that may arise in them, has not received much attention. To fill this gap, this book offers a detailed examination of verticalised cases coming before the Court. The characteristics of and the Court's approach to verticalised cases are explored by means of an in-depth analysis of four types of verticalised cases (cases related to one's surroundings; cases involving a conflict between the right to reputation and private life and the right to freedom of expression; family life cases; and employer-employee cases). On the basis of this analysis, it is argued that the Court's current approach to verticalised cases poses problems for private actors, Convention States and the Court itself. In presenting recommendations for the resolution of these problems, the book concludes with a proposal for a new approach to verticalised cases, consisting of a redesigned third-party intervention procedure.
Workforce migration and brain drain – A nationwide cross-sectional survey of early career psychiatrists in Nigeria
Authors: Essien Emmanuel Aniekan , Mahmood Mohammed Yusuf , Adiukwu Frances , Kareem Yesiru Adeyemi , Hayatudeen Nafisatu , Ojeahere Margaret Isioma , Salihu Mumeen Olaitan , Sanni Kamaldeen Adeyinka , Omotoso Ayotunde Bolatito , Pinto da Costa Mariana
Published: February 2024

Background

Nigeria’s shortage of psychiatrists is exacerbated due to health worker migration.

Aim

This study explores migration experiences and tendencies among early-career psychiatrists in Nigeria.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional survey covering Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, using a 61-item online questionnaire assessing short-term mobility, long-term migration experiences and migration attitudes. Data was analysed using IBM SPSS version 29.

Results

Of 228 early-career psychiatrists surveyed, 9.7% had short-term mobility and 8.0% had long-term migration experiences. However, 85.8% had ‘ever’ considered migration, 69.2% were planning to leave ‘now’, and 52.9% had taken ‘practical migration steps’. Over half (52.7%) said they would be working abroad in 5 years, with 25.2% indicating they would migrate within a year. The top reasons to leave were financial and academic, while personal and cultural factors were the key reasons to stay. Income dissatisfaction (OR = 2.27, 95%, CI = 1.05–4.88) predicted planning to leave ‘now’, while being in a relationship (OR = 3.46, 95%CI = 1.06–11.30) predicted taking ‘practical migration steps’. Attractive job features were good welfare (85.4%) and high salaries (80.3%). Improvements in finances (90.8%) and work conditions (86.8%) were requested.

Conclusions

Systemic changes to address psychiatrists’ migration from Nigeria are needed.
Acoustic streaming: insights across Reynolds numbers
Authors: Nama Nitesh
Published: February 2024

When a fluid system is subjected to an acoustic wave (or another periodic actuation), the response of the fluid is not purely periodic, but is rather characterized by the combination of a periodic flow and a steady Stokes drift component, where the former is, in many cases, an acoustic wave and the latter is commonly referred to as acoustic streaming. Classical theories of acoustic streaming have focused on slow acoustic streaming, where the periodic flow is the leading-order flow, and is insensitive to the steady flow component which appears as a small correction and is characterized by a small hydrodynamic Reynolds number. In contrast, Dubrovski et al. (J. Fluid Mech. vol. 975, 2023, A4) tackle the fast acoustic streaming regime – conceived by Zarembo (Acoustic streaming. In High-Intensity Ultrasonic Fields, 1971, pp. 135–199. Springer) approximately fifty years ago – where both the periodic and steady flow components are of a similar order of magnitude such that the periodic flow both supports and is simultaneously impacted by the steady flow. They present a novel theoretical framework that accounts for the convection of momentum both within and between the periodic and steady flow to extend slow-streaming equations to the case of steady flow with arbitrary hydrodynamic Reynolds number. They leverage a scaling analysis of the resulting system of equations and a case study to demonstrate the compatibility of their equations with slow streaming theories and highlight the distinctive features of fast streaming.
The dynamics of impinging plumes from a moving source
Authors: Newland E.L. , Woods A.W.
Published: February 2024

We present the results from a series of experiments investigating the dynamics of gravity currents which form when a dense saline or particle-laden plume issuing from a moving source interacts with a horizontal surface. We define the dimensionless parameter

$P$

as the ratio of the source speed,

$u_a$

, to the buoyancy speed,

$(B_0/z_0)^{1/3}$

, where

$B_0$

and

$z_0$

are the source buoyancy flux and height above the horizontal surface, respectively. Using our experimental data, we determine that the limiting case in which

$P=P_c$

the gravity current only spreads downstream of the initial impact point occurs when

$P_c=0.83\pm 0.02$

. For

$P< P_c$

, from our experiments we observe that the plume forms a gravity current that spreads out in all directions from the point of impact and the propagation of the gravity current is analogous to a classical constant-flux gravity current. For

$P>P_c$

, we observe that the descending plume is bent over and develops a pair of counter-rotating line vortices along the axis of the plume. The ensuing gravity current spreads out downstream of the source, normal to the motion of the source. Analogous processes occur with particle-laden plumes, but there is a second dimensionless parameter

$S$

, the ratio of the particle fall speed,

$v_s$

, to the vertical speed of a plume in a crossflow,

$(B_0/u_a z_0)^{1/2}$

. For

$S\ll 1$

, particles remain well mixed in the plume and a particle-driven gravity current develops. For

$S\gg 1$

, particles separate from the plume prior to impacting the boundary which leads to a fall deposit and no gravity current. We discuss these results in the context of deep-sea mining.
Effect of gas content on cavitation nuclei
Authors: Alamé Karim , Mahesh Krishnan
Published: February 2024

Cavitation inception originates from nuclei in a liquid. This paper proposes a Gibbs free energy approach that provides a smooth transition from homogeneous to heterogeneous nucleation when gas is present. The impact of gas content on nucleation is explored. It is found that the gas content stabilises nuclei, a phenomenon not present in pure liquid–vapour systems. This reduces the energy barrier over that required to nucleate a vapour bubble. Different gas saturation levels are studied. Gas content can significantly reduce the energy barrier required for nucleation, and under certain circumstances eliminate it. An analytic solution for the critical radius and activation energy is obtained that accounts for gas content. The classical Blake radius is recovered as a limiting case. The hysteresis between incipience and desinence is explained using the asymmetry observed in the critical radii. The solution is used to obtain the initial bubble radius, given a critical pressure condition in cavitation susceptibility meter experiments. The relationship between initial bubble diameter and critical pressure is described by an analytic solution that accounts for gas content. A model for the derivative of the cumulative nuclei histogram with respect to bubble diameter is proposed. An analytic expression is obtained that shows good agreement with decades worth of experimental data compiled by Khoo et al. (Exp. Fluids, vol. 61, issue 2, 2020, pp. 1–20) from ocean to water tunnels. The expression recovers the

$-4$

power law that is observed experimentally.
Tastings at Tea Time: The Princeton Wine Group
Authors: Malkiel Burton G.
Published: February 2024

This is the story of the Princeton Wine Group, a group whose membership has been relatively constant for almost 40 years. This group has enjoyed 244 blind tastings involving 1,708 different wines. A statistical analysis was performed at each tasting examining whether participants ranked the quality of wines similarly and whether the preferences of the group were correlated with several variables including professional wine ratings and the prices of the wine. The article concludes with a discussion of lessons learned from a lifetime of wine tastings.
Leveraging uncertainty, market-power, and fiscal opacity: The growth of financial security states
Authors: Wansleben Leon
Published: February 2024

Since 2008, we have observed a more prominent role of the state in economic life, with the widespread use of financial tools. Advancing discussions on the financialization of distributional politics, the expansion of financial statecraft as a result of fiscal conflicts, and the fragmentation of state power, this article explores how proliferating financial policies reconfigure the state and its relationship with the economy as well as its democratic foundations. I introduce the concept of financial security states to theorize reactions to mature financialization and its inherent instabilities, which provoke socially structured demands for public stabilization. Leveraging the tradition of fiscal sociology, I work out differences between taxation and welfare systems and those based on financial security. In particular, I show that financial security states exploit value uncertainties to postpone loss-reckoning, are carried by hybrid state-banking institutions, and leverage the states’ endogenous power within market-based finance. This article argues that the by-and-large regressive distributional outcomes and fiscal costs of financial policies remain opaque, due to strategic obfuscation, the failure of traditional modes of political mediation, and deficient budgeting procedures.
Water and History in Southern Africa
Authors: Webster Anjuli
Published: February 2024

How has water shaped the history of a region that is bordered by ocean, brimming with ephemeral rivers, and yet prone to drought? This article explores water histories in Southern Africa over the past two hundred years. Using oral traditions, epic poetry, archival sources, and secondary anthropological and archaeological literature, I examine how Africans and Europeans related to, claimed, and used different bodies of water. In the first section I discuss how water was central to isiNguni conceptions of social and political life. In the second section I discuss how European empires used water to enclose and dispossess African land and to build hydropolitical colonial orders over the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. I conclude by reflecting on afterlives of these water histories in the present.
Latina paradox in Spain? Arrival-cohort effects on the birthweight of newborns of Latina mothers
Authors: Dello Iacono Chiara , Requena Miguel , Stanek Mikolaj
Published: February 2024

This study analyses the arrival-cohort effects on the newborn birthweight of Latina women residing in Spain. First, it has been tested whether women of Latin American origin in Spain have an advantage in terms of birth outcomes, a pattern previously documented in the United States and referred to as the ‘Latin American paradox’. Second, it has been examined whether this health advantage of Latina mothers varies by arrival cohort.

A novel database provided by the Spanish National Statistics Office that links the 2011 Census with Natural Movement of the Population records from January 2011 to December 2015 has been used. Poisson regression models were applied to test for differences in the incidence rates of low birthweight (LBW) and high birthweight (HBW) among children of Latina and native mothers, controlling for various demographic, socio-economic, and birth characteristics.

Two distinct arrival-cohort effects on perinatal health were observed. On one hand, first-generation Latina women were found to be at a lower risk of giving birth to LBW infants; however, they experienced a higher incidence of HBW during the study period. Second, Latina women of 1.5 generation, likely stressed by increased exposure to the receiving country, exhibited adverse birthweight results.
Development studies meet Pierre Bourdieu: the case of Chinese Private FDI in Zambia
Authors: Polus Andrzej , Li Hangwei
Published: February 2024

Inspired by Bourdieu's field theory and utilising the case of Zambia, this article aims to enhance the understanding of the intricate relationship between Chinese private investors and sub-Saharan state institutions. The study proposes an epistemological framework that integrates sociological, anthropological and neo-institutional approaches to development studies. Through extensive fieldwork and over 75 interviews with both Chinese and Zambian stakeholders, we explore various contexts in which group-actors related to foreign capital in Zambia operate. We argue that three separate habiti – inhabited by the Zambian political class, Chinese investors and ‘ordinary’ Zambians – are crucial for comprehending private foreign capital operations in this sub-Saharan state. The ordinary Zambians and Zambian political class fields converge primarily during elections, while interactions between ordinary Zambians and Chinese investors have remained very limited (predominantly employee–employer relations), creating an ideational structure of hostility. In contrast, the Zambian political class and Chinese private investor fields crosscut and are mutually constitutive.
Intimate exclusion and pastoralist elites' role in large scale-land acquisition in Kenya
Authors: Wachira Jackson , Stacey Paul , Atela Joanes , Outa George
Published: February 2024

Many large-scale land acquisition studies focus on the role of powerful transnational corporations, foreign and domestic governments. Instead, we shift the focus to the role of local actors, in this case, pastoralists in Samburu County, Kenya. Here, we apply the concept of ‘intimate exclusion’ and show that pastoralist elites' desire and ability to maximise productive and financial gains from customary land, coupled with their privileged understanding of land-related laws and regulations and ability to use or threaten others with violence, enables the control of extensive customary lands and the exclusion of weaker pastoralists. These processes, we find, are rooted in the country's capitalist development trajectory traceable to colonial rule. Overall, the paper highlights local ‘homegrown’ actors’ role in large-scale land acquisition, how social intimacy provides space and opportunity for unequal benefits and how historical gains offer unique opportunities to gain from new political and economic developments.
Tales and theories as levers of expert influence: A case study of the Norwegian Oil Fund
Authors: Øvald Camilla Bakken , Tranøy Bent Sofus , Raknes Ketil
Published: February 2024

The power of economists in policymaking is widely recognized by both scholars and political actors. While the literature on expert influence has primarily focused on the intellectual features of expert arguments, we argue that economists’ strategic use of framing and normative reasoning wields more influence in policymaking than is acknowledged by current scholarship. Through a comprehensive investigation into the institutionalization of the Norwegian Oil Fund and its associated fiscal regime, drawing on 26 elite interviews with key political and technocratic actors, we unveil the considerable influence of state economists in shaping the policy for managing petroleum wealth. These economists not only played a crucial role in legitimizing and lending credibility to the new policy but also employed strategic framing as a reinforcing mechanism to sustain the policy regime, illustrating the essential role of economists as storytellers. Hence, we suggest including strategic framing as a conceptual element within the theoretical framework of expert influence.
Proposed crystal structure of carbadox, C11H10N4O4
Authors: Kaduk James A. , Dosen Anja , Blanton Thomas N.
Published: February 2024

A model for the crystal structure of carbadox has been generated and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data and optimized using density functional theory techniques. Carbadox crystallizes in space group P21 (#4) with a = 13.8155(3), b = 21.4662(1), c = 16.3297(3) Å, β = 110.0931(7)°, V = 4548.10(3) Å3, and Z = 16. The crystal structure is characterized by approximately parallel stacking of the eight independent carbadox molecules parallel to the bc-plane. There are two different molecular configurations of the eight carbadox molecules; five are in the lower-energy configuration and three are in a ~10% higher-energy configuration. This arrangement likely achieves the lowest-energy crystalline packing via hydrogen bonding. Hydrogen bonds link the molecules both within and between the planes. Each of the amino groups forms a N–H⋯O hydrogen bond to an oxygen atom of the 1,4-dioxidoquinoxaline ring system of another molecule. The result is four pairs of hydrogen-bonded molecules, which form rings with graph set R2,2(14). Variation in specimen preparation can affect the preferred orientation of particles considerably. The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™ (PDF®).
Crystal structure of ractopamine hydrochloride, C18H24NO3Cl
Authors: Scherry Colin W. , Boaz Nicholas C. , Kaduk James A. , Dosen Anja , Blanton Thomas N.
Published: February 2024

The crystal structure of ractopamine hydrochloride has been solved and refined using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data, and optimized using density functional theory techniques. Ractopamine hydrochloride crystallizes in space group Pbca (#61) with a = 38.5871(49), b = 10.7691(3), c = 8.4003(2) Å, V = 3490.75(41) Å3, and Z = 8. The ractopamine cation contains two chiral centers, and the sample consists of a mixture of the S,S/R,R/S,R and R,S forms. Models for the two diastereomers S,S and S,R were refined, and yielded equivalent residuals, but the S,R form is significantly lower in energy. The crystal structure consists of layers of molecules parallel to the bc-plane. In each structure one of the H atoms on the protonated N atom acts as a donor in a strong discrete N–H⋯Cl hydrogen bond. Hydroxyl groups act as donors in O–H⋯Cl and O–H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Both the classical and C–H⋯Cl and C–H⋯O hydrogen bonds differ between the forms, helping to explain the large microstrain observed for the sample. The powder pattern has been submitted to ICDD® for inclusion in the Powder Diffraction File™ (PDF®).
Oxyfluorfen-resistant rice tolerance and weed control when using oxyfluorfen
Authors: Arnold Casey H. , Norsworthy Jason K. , Butts Thomas R. , Roberts Trenton L. , Bateman Nick R. , Shelton Chad W.
Published: February 2024

Herbicide-resistant barnyardgrass and weedy rice control, without crop injury, is a challenge for rice producers in the United States. Herbicides not initially labeled for rice, such as oxyfluorfen, are now being evaluated as new tools for weed control. The ROXY® trait allows for the use of oxyfluorfen in rice for weed control preemergence and postemergence. Experiments were initiated in 2021 and 2022 to evaluate (1) the effectiveness of preemergence- and postemergence-applied oxyfluorfen on barnyardgrass and weedy rice, (2) the sensitivity of oxyfluorfen-resistant rice to oxyfluorfen as a function of application timing, and (3) the influence of soil moisture on oxyfluorfen-resistant rice sensitivity to oxyfluorfen. In the field, a rate response was observed for oxyfluorfen applied to weedy rice when averaged over application timings of 1-leaf, 2-leaf, 3-leaf, and tillering, with oxyfluorfen at 1,680 g ai ha−1 resulting in 81% and 72% control 7 d after application (DAA) in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Under greenhouse conditions, barnyardgrass and weedy rice control averaged by the rate of oxyfluorfen was ≥85 and ≥70%, respectfully, 7 DAA for the 1-, 2-, and 3-leaf rice growth stage timings. Preemergence applications of oxyfluorfen under 100% soil saturation resulted in 75% injury to oxyfluorfen-resistant rice, greater than all other soil moisture at 7 DAA. All postemergence applications of oxyfluorfen resulted in 63% to 70% injury to oxyfluorfen-resistant rice at 7 DAA, regardless of soil moisture. Barnyardgrass and weedy rice control with oxyfluorfen is achieved with timely applications; however, injury to oxyfluorfen-resistant rice is likely.
Crater Structure Behind Reconnection Front
Authors: Huang S. Y. , Xiong Q. Y. , Yuan Z. G. , Jiang K. , Yu L. , Xu S. B. , Lin R. T.
Published: February 2024

Magnetic reconnection is the physical process that converts the energy from the fields to the plasmas in space, astrophysical and laboratory plasmas. The Reconnection front (RF) is the structure generated in the reconnection outflow region and participates in the energy release budget. Here, we first report a novel crater structure of magnetic field behind the RF, which is well supported by both the in‐situ observations from the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission and kinetic particle‐in‐cell simulations. The theoretical explanations from the simulations suggests that the formation of the crater structure is possibly due to that high‐speed outflow electron jet from inner electron diffusion region constantly strikes the RF. From another perspective, the crater structure is the continuous impact of the electron jet. Our results can establish a new understanding of the RF and energy conversion during magnetic reconnection.
High P‐T Sound Velocities of Amphiboles: Implications for Low‐Velocity Anomalies in Metasomatized Upper Mantle
Authors: Zhou Wen‐Yi , Hao Ming , Zhang Dongzhou , Dera Przemyslaw , Charin Soisiri , Zhang Jin S.
Published: February 2024

Metasomatized mantle xenoliths containing hydrous minerals, such as amphiboles, serpentine, and phlogopite, likely represent the potential mineralogical compositions of the metasomatized upper mantle, where low seismic velocities are commonly observed. This study presents the first experimentally determined single‐crystal elasticity model of an Fe‐free near Ca, Mg‐endmember amphibole tremolite at high pressure and/or temperature conditions (maximum pressure 7.3(1) GPa, maximum temperature 700 K) using Brillouin spectroscopy. We found that sound velocities of amphiboles strongly depend on the Fe content. We then calculated the sound velocities of 441 hydrous‐mineral‐bearing mantle xenoliths collected around the globe, and quantitatively evaluated the roles that amphiboles, phlogopite and serpentine played in producing the low velocity anomalies in the metasomatized upper mantle.
Magnetic Field Enhancements in the Solar Wind: Diverse Processes Manifesting a Uniform Observation Type?
Authors: Jia Ying‐Dong , Lai Hairong , Miles Nathan , Wei Hanying , Luhmann Janet G. , Russell C. T. , Blanco‐Cano X. , Jian Lan , Shi Chen
Published: February 2024

Within the solar wind throughout the inner heliosphere, observations reveal the presence of magnetic field enhancements accompanied by thin current sheets at varying distances from the sun and across different longitudes and latitudes. Two primary explanations have been proposed to elucidate these phenomena: Solar wind‐dust interaction and interlacing flux ropes. In this study, we employ multi‐fluid Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and Hall MHD models to simulate these hypotheses, respectively. Our findings indicate a concurrence between both models and the observed phenomena, suggesting that both processes may result in the same kind of enhancement. Furthermore, both models make predictions pointing to additional types of observational data, occurring at distinct spatial or temporal stages of the interaction. This convergence of model predictions with empirical data underscores the need for further observational and modeling studies to comprehensively test these models. This research enhances our knowledge of the inner heliosphere's dynamics and the influence of the solar wind on the Earth's magnetosphere, thereby shedding light on critical aspects of space weather and its potential impact on our planet.
An Experimental Investigation on the Energy Signature Associated With Multiphase Flow in Porous Media Displacement Regimes
Authors: Zou Shuangmei , Chen Dong , Kang Nong , Xie Congjiao , Armstrong Ryan T. , Cai Jianchao
Published: February 2024

This study investigates the energy signature associated with multiphase flow in porous media displacement regimes. We proposed that net efficiency, as the conversion of external work applied to surface energy generated, provides new insights into the transition of flow regimes. The combined effects of wettability and flow rates on immiscible fluid‐fluid displacement is experimentally investigated using high‐resolution imaging in microfluidic flow cells, which allows for tracking the evolution of interfacial area under applied external work. Our study focuses on the morphology of invasion patterns and the efficiency of conversion of external work to surface energy. The results show that the morphology of invasion patterns under unfavorable displacement condition is sharper than that under favorable displacement condition with larger ratios of length and width for fingers. The efficiency of conversion of external work to surface energy decreases with the increase of contact angles and reduces greatly with the increase of Capillary numbers. With favorable displacement conditions, the efficiency of conversion is consistently higher than that for unfavorable displacement. The trends of external work and surface energy serve as a signature of the transition between different flow regimes, which exhibits alteration especially at low Capillary numbers. The findings highlight the importance of wettability and flow rates in determining the efficiency of fluid‐fluid displacement in porous media. Understanding the energy signature associated with multiphase flow can have implications for various geoscience applications, such as oil/gas recovery, groundwater remediation, and underground energy storage.
Nucleic acid therapeutics as differentiation agents for myeloid leukemias
Authors: Kovecses Olivia , Mercier François E. , McKeague Maureen
Published: February 2024

Differentiation therapy has proven to be a success story for patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia. However, the remaining subtypes of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are treated with cytotoxic chemotherapies that have limited efficacy and a high likelihood of resistance. As differentiation arrest is a hallmark of AML, there is increased interest in developing differentiation-inducing agents to enhance disease-free survival. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of current reports and future avenues of nucleic acid therapeutics for AML, focusing on the use of targeted nucleic acid drugs to promote differentiation. Specifically, we compare and discuss the precision of small interfering RNA, small activating RNA, antisense oligonucleotides, and aptamers to modulate gene expression patterns that drive leukemic cell differentiation. We delve into preclinical and clinical studies that demonstrate the efficacy of nucleic acid-based differentiation therapies to induce leukemic cell maturation and reduce disease burden. By directly influencing the expression of key genes involved in myeloid maturation, nucleic acid therapeutics hold the potential to induce the differentiation of leukemic cells towards a more mature and less aggressive phenotype. Furthermore, we discuss the most critical challenges associated with developing nucleic acid therapeutics for myeloid malignancies. By introducing the progress in the field and identifying future opportunities, we aim to highlight the power of nucleic acid therapeutics in reshaping the landscape of myeloid leukemia treatment.
A deletion variant in LMX1B causing nail–patella syndrome in Japanese twins
Authors: Kishio Nozomu , Iwama Kazuhiro , Nakanishi Sayuri , Shindo Ryosuke , Yasui Masaki , Nicho Naoki , Takahashi Atsushi , Kohara Mana , Hirata Michisato , Kemmotsu Takahiro , Tanoshima Miki , Ito Shuichi
Published: February 2024

Nail–patella syndrome (NPS) is a hereditary disease caused by pathogenic variants in LMX1B and characterized by nail, limb, and renal symptoms. This study revealed a likely pathogenic LMX1B variant, NM_002316.4: c.723_726delinsC (p.Ser242del), in Japanese twins with clubfoot. The patients’ mother, who shared this variant, developed proteinuria after delivery. p.Ser242del is located in the homeodomain of the protein, in which variants that cause renal disease tend to cluster. Our findings highlight p.Ser242del as a likely pathogenic variant, expanding our knowledge of NPS.
Long-term outcomes of penile squamous cell carcinoma in men age ≤50 years old compared with men >50 years old from a single tertiary referral centre: a propensity score matched analysis
Authors: Pang Karl H. , Fallara Giuseppe , Hemat Morwarid , Ghosh Akash , Haider Aiman , Freeman Alex , Hadway Paul , Nigam Raj , Rees Rowland , Mitra Anita , Alifrangis Constantine , Muneer Asif , Alnajjar Hussain M.
Published: February 2024

Penile cancer (PeCa) is rare, and the oncological outcomes in younger men are unclear. We aimed to analyse and compare oncological outcomes of men age ≤50 years (y) and >50 years with PeCa. A retrospective analysis of men ≤50 y with penile squamous cell carcinoma managed at a tertiary centre was performed. A propensity score matched cohort of men >50 y was identified for comparison. Matching was according to tumour, nodal stage and the types of primary surgery. Overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and metastasis-free survivals (MFS) were estimated using Kaplan–Meier plots and compared using log-rank tests. Between 2005–2020, 100 men ≤50 y (median (IQR) age, 46 y (40–49)) were identified and matched with 100 men >50 y (median (IQR) age, 65 y (59–73)). 10, 24, 32, 34 men age ≤50 y were diagnosed in 2005–2007, 2008–2012, 2013–2016 and 2017–2020 respectively. Median (IQR) follow-up was 53.5 (18–96) months. OS at 2 years: ≤50 y, 86%>50 y, 80.6%; 5 years: ≤50 y, 78.1%, >50 y, 63.1%; 10 years: ≤50 y, 72.3%, >50 y, 45.6% (p = 0.01). DSS at 2 years: ≤50 y, 87.2%>50 y, 87.8%; 5 years: ≤50 y, 80.9%>50 y, 78.2%; 10 years: ≤50 y, 78%, >50 y, 70.9% (p = 0.74). RFS was 93.1% in the ≤50 y group (vs. >50 y, 96.5%) at 2 year, and 90% (vs. >50 y, 88.5%) at 5 years, p = 0.81. Within the ≤50 y group, 2 years and 5 years MFS was 93% (vs. >50 y, 96.5%), and 89.5% (vs. >50 y, 92.7%) respectively, (p = 0.40). There were no statistical significance in DFS, RFS and MFS in men age ≤50 y and >50 y. PeCa in younger patients is fatal, public awareness and patient education are crucial for early detection and management.
Understanding energy performance in drinking water treatment plants using the efficiency analysis tree approach
Authors: Maziotis Alexandros , Molinos-Senante Maria
Published: February 2024

Water treatment processes are known to consume substantial amounts of energy, making it crucial to understand their efficiency, drivers, and potential energy savings. In this study, we apply Efficiency Analysis Tree (EAT), which combines machine learning and linear programming techniques to assess the energy performance of 146 Chilean drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) for 2020. Additionally, we utilize bootstrap regression techniques to examine the influence of operating characteristics on energy efficiency. The results indicate that the evaluated DWTPs exhibited poor energy performance, with an average energy efficiency score of 0.197. The estimated potential energy savings were found to be 0.005 kWh/m3. Several factors, such as the age of the facility, source of raw water, and treatment technology, were identified as significant drivers of energy efficiency in DWTPs. The insights gained from our study can be valuable for policymakers in making informed decisions regarding the adoption of practices that promote efficient and sustainable energy use within the water cycle.
Resolved ALMA observations of water in the inner astronomical units of the HL Tau disk
Authors: Facchini Stefano , Testi Leonardo , Humphreys Elizabeth , Vander Donckt Mathieu , Isella Andrea , Wrzosek Ramon , Baudry Alain , Gray Malcom D. , Richards Anita M. S. , Vlemmings Wouter
Published: February 2024

The water molecule is a key ingredient in the formation of planetary systems, with the water snowline being a favourable location for the growth of massive planetary cores. Here we present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array data of the ringed protoplanetary disk orbiting the young star HL Tauri that show centrally peaked, bright emission arising from three distinct transitions of the main water isotopologue ($${\mathrm{H}}_{2}^{16}{\mathrm{O}}$$

H

2

16

O

). The spatially and spectrally resolved water content probes gas in a thermal range down to the water sublimation temperature. Our analysis implies a stringent lower limit of 3.7 Earth oceans of water vapour available within the inner 17 astronomical units of the system. We show that our observations are limited to probing the water content in the atmosphere of the disk, due to the high dust column density and absorption, and indicate that the main water isotopologue is the best tracer to spatially resolve water vapour in protoplanetary disks.
Open datasets and code for multi-scale relations on structure, function and neuro-genetics in the human brain
Authors: Jimenez-Marin Antonio , Diez Ibai , Erramuzpe Asier , Stramaglia Sebastiano , Bonifazi Paolo , Cortes Jesus M.
Published: February 2024

The human brain is an extremely complex network of structural and functional connections that operate at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Investigating the relationship between these multi-scale connections is critical to advancing our comprehension of brain function and disorders. However, accurately predicting structural connectivity from its functional counterpart remains a challenging pursuit. One of the major impediments is the lack of public repositories that integrate structural and functional networks at diverse resolutions, in conjunction with modular transcriptomic profiles, which are essential for comprehensive biological interpretation. To mitigate this limitation, our contribution encompasses the provision of an open-access dataset consisting of derivative matrices of functional and structural connectivity across multiple scales, accompanied by code that facilitates the investigation of their interrelations. We also provide additional resources focused on neuro-genetic associations of module-level network metrics, which present promising opportunities to further advance research in the field of network neuroscience, particularly concerning brain disorders.
Characteristic functional connectome related to Post-COVID-19 syndrome
Authors: Bungenberg Julia , Hohenfeld Christian , Costa Ana S. , Heine Josephine , Schwichtenberg Katia , Hartung Tim , Franke Christiana , Binkofski Ferdinand , Schulz Jörg B. , Finke Carsten , Reetz Kathrin
Published: February 2024

Post-COVID-19 syndrome is a serious complication following SARS-CoV-2 infection, characterized primarily by fatigue and cognitive complaints. Although first metabolic and structural imaging alterations in Post-COVID-19 syndrome have been identified, their functional consequences remain unknown. Thus, we explored the impact of Post-COVID-19 syndrome on the functional connectome of the brain providing a deeper understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms. In a cross-sectional observational study, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data of 66 patients with Post-COVID-19 syndrome after mild infection (mean age 42.3 years, 57 female) and 57 healthy controls (mean age 42.1 years, 38 female) with a mean time of seven months after acute COVID-19 were analysed using a graph theoretical approach. Network features were quantified using measures including mean distance, nodal degree, betweenness and Katz centrality, and compared between both groups. Graph measures were correlated with clinical measures quantifying fatigue, cognitive function, affective symptoms and sleep disturbances. Alterations were mainly found in the brainstem, olfactory cortex, cingulate cortex, thalamus and cerebellum on average seven months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally, strong correlations between fatigue severity, cognitive functioning and daytime sleepiness from clinical scales and graph measures were observed. Our study confirms functional relevance of brain imaging changes in Post-COVID-19 syndrome as mediating factors for persistent symptoms and improves our pathophysiological understanding.
Circulating miRNA’s biomarkers for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian patients based on machine learning algorithms
Authors: Sayed Gehad Ismail , Solyman Mona , El Gedawy Gamalat , Moemen Yasmine S. , Aboul-Ella Hassan , Hassanien Aboul Ella
Published: February 2024

Liver cancer, which ranks sixth globally and third in cancer-related deaths, is caused by chronic liver disorders and a variety of risk factors. Despite therapeutic improvements, the prognosis for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) remains poor, with a 5-year survival rate for advanced cases of less than 12%. Although there is a noticeable decrease in the frequency of cases, liver cancer remains a significant worldwide health concern, with estimates surpassing one million cases by 2025. The prevalence of HCC has increased in Egypt, and it includes several neoplasms with distinctive messenger RNA (mRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles. In HCC patients, certain miRNAs, such as miRNA-483-5P and miRNA-21, are upregulated, whereas miRNA-155 is elevated in HCV-infected people, encouraging hepatocyte proliferation. Short noncoding RNAs called miRNAs in circulation have the potential as HCC diagnostic and prognostic markers. This paper proposed a model for examining circulating miRNAs as diagnostic and predictive markers for HCC in Egyptian patients and their clinical and pathological characteristics. The proposed HCC detection model consists of three main phases: data preprocessing phase, feature selection based on the proposed Binary African Vulture Optimization Algorithm (BAVO) phase, and finally, classification as well as cross-validation phase. The first phase namely the data preprocessing phase tackle the main problems associated with the adopted datasets. In the feature selection based on the proposed BAVO algorithm phase, a new binary version of the BAVO swarm-based algorithm is introduced to select the relevant markers for HCC. Finally, in the last phase, namely the classification and cross-validation phase, the support vector machine and k-folds cross-validation method are utilized. The proposed model is evaluated on three studies on Egyptians who had HCC. A comparison between the proposed model and traditional statistical studies is reported to demonstrate the superiority of using the machine learning model for evaluating circulating miRNAs as diagnostic markers of HCC. The specificity and sensitivity for differentiation of HCC cases in comparison with the statistical-based method for the first study were 98% against 88% and 99% versus 92%, respectively. The second study revealed the sensitivity and specificity were 97.78% against 90% and 98.89% versus 92.5%, respectively. The third study reported 83.2% against 88.8% and 95.80% versus 92.4%, respectively. Additionally, the results show that circulating miRNA-483-5p, 21, and 155 may be potential new prognostic and early diagnostic biomarkers for HCC.