bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potential of utilizing pathogen‐derived mycotoxins as alternatives to synthetic herbicides in controlling the noxious invasive plant Xanthium italicum
Authors: Wei Caixia , Luo Shihong , Liu Lin , Shi Kai , Han Caixia , Mohamad Osama Abdalla Abdelshafy , Shao Hua
Published: April 2023

Discovery of environmentally friendly agents for controlling alien invasive species (AIS) is challenging and in urgent need as their expansion continues to increase. Xanthium italicum is a notorious invasive weed that has caused serious ecological and economic impacts worldwide. For the purpose of exploring the possibility of utilizing herbicidal mycotoxins to control this species, three compounds, a new compound, curvularioxide (1), a new naturally occurring compound, dehydroradicinin (2), and a known compound, radicinin (3), were isolated via activity‐guided fractionation from the secondary metabolites of the pathogenic Curvularia inaequalis, which was found to infect X. italicum in natural habitats. All isolated compounds exhibited potent herbicidal activity on receiver species. It is noteworthy to mention that their effects on X. italicum in our bioassays were equivalent to the commercial herbicide glyphosate. Subsequent morphological analysis revealed that application of radicinin (3) severely hindered X. italicum seedlings' hypocotyl and root development. Malondialdehyde content and the activity of catalase and peroxidase of the seedlings were also significantly different from the control, implying the occurrence of induced oxidative stress. Our results suggest that pathogens infecting invasive plants might be valuable resources for developing safer herbicides for controlling weeds. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Do migration outcomes relate to gender? Lessons from a study of internal migration, marriage and later‐life health in China
Authors: Zhang Jingwen , Nazroo James , Zhang Nan
Published: April 2023

There has been increasing recognition in the literature that migration and marriage events are interdependent. However, previous studies on migration and gendered health outcomes focus on isolated migration events and rarely embed the migration process in the context of family life course. This study aims to narrow the research gap by examining the impacts of combined internal migration and marriage histories on health and how these vary by gender from a life course perspective. We utilized the rich life history data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study and the analytical sample is composed of people of age 50 years and above with rural origin, who have migrated and married (N = 3096). By employing sequence analysis, we identified eight typical patterns of marriage–migration histories for older Chinese people. Thereafter, linear regression and Poisson regression were used to examine the relationship between these patterns and four later‐life health outcomes (depressive symptoms, self‐rated health, physical functioning and cognitive impairment). To address the selectivity into different marriage–migration trajectories, we further employed inverse‐probability‐weighted regression adjustment estimators for robustness checks. Results show that migrating in early adulthood before marriage leads to better health outcomes than migrating after marriage or migrating and getting married simultaneously. Moreover, health differences among these three groups are larger among women than men. Further analysis suggests that the relative health advantages of those, in particular for women, who migrate before marriage compared with those who migrate and marry simultaneously can be partly explained by their higher chances of gaining urban citizenship (converting to a nonagricultural Hukou) and marrying highly educated spouses. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of these findings for both internal migration in China and international migration.
Delivering oral healthcare for people with cystic fibrosis: A survey of dental practitioners in Ireland
Authors: O'Leary Fiona , Coffey Niamh , Burke Francis M. , Roberts Anthony , Hayes Martina
Published: April 2023

Background

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common autosomal recessive condition in Caucasian populations globally. To date, there has been very little research conducted into the oral health of adults with CF possibly due to historic premature mortality. The purpose of this survey was to ascertain knowledge, attitude and practices among dental professionals regarding the oral health of people with cystic fibrosis (PWCF) as part of a larger study being conducted in Ireland.

Methods

A cross‐sectional survey of dental practitioners in Ireland was conducted via an online questionnaire. The survey contained close‐ended questions, and clinical scenarios which allowed for both close‐ended and free text responses in relation to the provision of dental treatment for PWCF. Data was subject to descriptive data analysis using IBM SPSS 29.

Results

The results from the survey indicate a wide variety in the knowledge, attitudes and practices of dental practitioners regarding the oral health of PWCF. There is significant variation in the provision of dental treatment and the conditions under which such treatment is provided.

Conclusion

There is a paucity of information and guidelines specific to this vulnerable population which can make the provision of dental treatment challenging for practitioners. Dental professionals may benefit from continuing professional development and further education targeting patient‐specific populations.
Research on evaluation indices and calculation method of experimental design
Authors: Zichen Wang , Zhengqiang Pan , Zhijun Cheng , Yanlin Wang
Published: April 2023

It is important to design the experiment for promoting efficiency and saving costs in engineering. With multiple design methods available, selecting a suitable experiment design is essential. However, evaluating different experimental designs poses a significant challenge. This article summarizes existing evaluation indices comprehensively and constructs an evaluation indices system of experiment design, offering a wide range of evaluation and comparison criteria. The evaluation indices system solves the problem of the inability to systematically compare different experimental designs. For indices that cannot be calculated directly, we propose three algorithms, namely, the Monte Carlo method, the coarse‐fine granularity combination method, and the spatial discretization method, to get the approximation of these indices. Then, three different designs of an on‐orbit reconnaissance satellite are compared by using the proposed evaluation indices and algorithms, including uniform design, D‐optimal design, and sequential design. We employ a radar chart to combine multiple indices for comprehensive comparison and find that D‐optimal design is the best choice. The feasibility of the experimental design evaluation index system is verified by case application. In addition, we use JMP to validate the correctness of the proposed method.
Fast Quantum State Discrimination with Nonlinear Positive Trace‐Preserving Channels
Authors: Geller Michael R.
Published: April 2023

Models of nonlinear quantum computation based on deterministic positive trace‐preserving (PTP) channels and evolution equations are investigated. The models are defined in any finite Hilbert space, but the main results are for dimension . For every normalizable linear or nonlinear positive map ϕ on bounded linear operators X, there is an associated normalized PTP channel . Normalized PTP channels include unitary mean field theories, such as the Gross–Pitaevskii equation for interacting bosons, as well as models of linear and nonlinear dissipation. They classify into four types, yielding three distinct forms of nonlinearity whose computational power are explored. In the qubit case, these channels support Bloch ball torsion and other distortions studied previously, where it has been shown that such nonlinearity can be used to increase the separation between a pair of close qubit states, suggesting an exponential speedup for state discrimination. Building on this idea, the authors argue that this operation can be made robust to noise by using dissipation to induce a bifurcation to a novel phase where a pair of attracting fixed points create an intrinsically fault‐tolerant nonlinear state discriminator.
Professional identity development of English teachers: A data‐driven model
Authors: Coşgun Gamze Erdem , Savaş Perihan
Published: April 2023

The present study aimed to explore the professional identity development of English teachers through the lens of the Possible Selves Theory, focusing on the experiences of three distinct groups of educators. An explanatory sequential mixed‐method research design was employed using 194 student, novice and experienced English teachers working or studying at various state schools in Turkey. The findings suggested that teacher groups held similar perceptions of their ideals and fears and there was not a significant difference among student, novice and experienced English teacher groups in terms of their possible selves. Additionally, the results revealed that the participants placed a significant emphasis on factors such as professional development, language proficiency, professional competence, personal attributes and recognition in relation to their ideal language teacher selves. The major fears related to their professional identity included language incompetence, inadequate professional development, undesirable personal attributes, undesired professional tendencies and a lack of recognition. The participants also noted various external and internal factors that influenced their possible selves. Based on the findings, a data‐driven model on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Teacher Professional Identity Development (TPID) is proposed to contribute to the existing literature in the field.

Context and Implications

Rationale for this study

Knowing about teachers' current thoughts and their expectations and fears for the future can aid in understanding their identities and potentially transform their future selves, thereby improving the formation of their professional identity.

Why the new findings matter

The findings of this study are significant as they add to the existing literature on English teachers' professional identity development using the Possible Selves Theory. This framework allows for an examination of teachers' expectations and fears, providing a comprehensive understanding of their professional selves and how these perceptions influence their future actions and goals. This knowledge is critical for designing teacher training programmes and professional development initiatives that support teachers' ongoing professional growth.

Implications

It is recommended to give increased attention and emphasis to the practical component of student teacher education, specifically the practicum experience, in the curriculum. Opportunities for interaction and collaboration among trainees, mentors and teacher educators should also be provided to enhance the effectiveness of the practicum. Furthermore, to address the concerns of EFL student, novice and experienced teachers about losing their enthusiasm for teaching in the future, comprehensive support mechanisms should be put in place through in‐service training and counselling services. Lastly, the Ministry of National Education could establish online and in‐person platforms to facilitate interaction and collaboration among teachers.
State estimation and traversability map construction method of a quadruped robot on soft uneven terrain
Authors: Kang Peng , Mu Xiangru , Xu Wenfu , Xu Yufeng
Published: April 2023

Quadruped robots show excellent application prospects in complex environment detection and rescue. At present, scholars mainly focus on quadruped walking in rigid environments. However, quadruped robots often need to pass through uneven and soft unconstructed terrains, prone to slip and impact. The mismatch between the planned foothold position and the real one resulting from environmental uncertainties makes the robot unstable. In this paper, the state estimation and traversability map construction methods are proposed for quadruped robots to achieve stable walking in an unstructured environment, especially on soft terrains. First, the Error‐state Kalman Filter (ErKF) is extended by optimizing the leg odometry information to get an accurate robot state, especially in soft, uneven terrain. The ErKF method fuses the sensor data from the inertial measurement unit, laser, camera, and leg odometry. The leg odometry is optimized by considering the foot slippage, which easily occurs in soft uneven terrains. Then, the unstructured environment is parameterized and modeled by the terrain inclination, roughness, height, and stiffness. A traversability map, which is essential for robot path and foothold planning in autonomous movement, is constructed with the above parameters. Finally, the proposed method is verified by simulation and experiments. The results show that the quadruped robot can walk stably on different soft and uneven terrains.
Long‐Term Flexible Neural Interface for Synchronous Recording of Cross‐Regional Sensory Processing along the Olfactory Pathway
Authors: Duan Yan , Wang Suhao , Yuan Qunchen , Shi Yingqian , Jiang Nan , Jiang Deming , Song Jizhou , Wang Ping , Zhuang Liujing
Published: April 2023

Humans perceive the world through five senses, of which olfaction is the oldest evolutionary sense that enables the detection of chemicals in the external environment. Recent progress in bioinspired electronics has boosted the development of artificial sensory systems. Here, a biohybrid olfactory system is proposed by integrating living mammals with implantable flexible neural electrodes, to employ the outstanding properties of mammalian olfactory system. In olfactory perception, the peripheral organ—olfactory epithelium (OE) projects axons into the olfactory relay station—olfactory bulb (OB). The olfactory information encoded in the neural activity is recorded from both OE and OB simultaneously using flexible neural electrodes. Results reveal that spontaneous slow oscillations (<12 Hz) in both OE and OB closely follow respiration. This respiration‐locked rhythm modulates the amplitude of fast oscillations (>20 Hz), which are associated with odor perception. Further, by extracting the characteristics of odor‐evoked oscillatory signals, responses of different odors are identified and classified with 80% accuracy. This study demonstrates for the first time that the flexible electrode enables chronic stable electrophysiological recordings of the peripheral and central olfactory system in vivo. Overall, the method provides a novel neural interface for olfactory biosensing and cognitive processing.
Conductive Polymer Coated Layered Double Hydroxide as a Novel Sulfur Reservoir for Flexible Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Dong Hanghang , Qi Shuo , Wang Lei , Chen Xianfei , Xiao Yao , Wang Yong , Sun Bing , Wang Guoxiu , Chen Shuangqiang
Published: April 2023

Lithium‐sulfur battery (LSB) is widely regarded as the most promising next‐generation energy storage system owing to its high theoretical capacity and low cost. However, the practical application of LSBs is mainly hampered by the low electronic conductivity of the sulfur cathode and the notorious “shuttle effect”, which lead to high voltage polarization, severe over‐charge behavior, and rapid capacity decay. To address these issues, a novel sulfur reservoir is synthesized by coating polypyrrole (PPy) thin film on hollow layered double hydroxide (LDH) (PPy@LDH). After compositing with sulfur, such PPy@LDH‐S cathode shows a multi‐functional effect to reserve lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). In addition, the unique architecture provides sufficient inner space to encapsulate the volume expansion and enhances the reaction kinetics of sulfur‐based redox chemistry. Theoretical calculations have illustrated that the PPy@LDH has shown stronger chemical adsorption capability for LiPSs than those of porous carbon and LDH, preventing the shuttling of LiPSs and enhancing the nucleation affinity of liquid‐solid conversion. As a result, the PPy@LDH‐S electrode delivers a stable cycling performance and a superior rate capability. Flexible battery has demonstrated this PPy@LDH‐S electrode can work properly with treatments of bending, folding, and even twisting, paving the way for wearable devices and flexible electronics.
Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Integrated with Environmental Transmission Electron Microscopy
Authors: Ma Zhongtao , Dacayan Waynah Lou , Chatzichristodoulou Christodoulos , Mølhave Kristian Speranza , Chiabrera Francesco Maria , Zhang Wenjing , Simonsen Søren Bredmose
Published: April 2023

The concept of combining electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) with environmental transmission electron microscopy (ETEM) is demonstrated by testing a specially designed micro gadolinia‐doped ceria (CGO) sample in reactive gasses (O2 and H2/H2O), at elevated temperatures (room temperature—800 °C) and with applied electrical potentials. The EIS‐TEM method provides structural and compositional information with direct correlation to the electrochemical performance. It is demonstrated that reliable EIS measurements can be achieved in the TEM for a sample with nanoscale dimensions. Specifically, the ionic and electronic conductivity, the surface exchange resistivity, and the volume‐specific chemical capacitance are in good agreement with results from more standardized electrochemical tests on macroscopic samples. CGO is chosen as a test material due to its relevance for solid oxide electrochemical reactions where its electrochemical performance depends on temperature and gas environment. As expected, the results show increased conductivity and lower surface exchange resistance in H2/H2O gas mixtures where the oxygen partial pressure is low compared to experiments in pure O2. The developed EIS‐TEM platform is an important tool in promoting the understanding of nanoscale processes for green energy technologies, e.g., solid oxide electrolysis/fuel cells, batteries, thermoelectric devices, etc.
A “Catalysis‐Immobilization‐Deposition” Stepwise Strategy toward Dynamic Equilibrium of Polysulfides Conversion and Diffusion in Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Chen Yang , Wu Jiafeng , Li Yingwei
Published: April 2023

Stepwise electrocatalysis can remarkably accelerate the kinetics of two consecutive reactions in sulfur electrochemistry. However, the significant difference between the catalysis and diffusion rates of polysulfides results in persistent shuttling in the stepwise electrocatalysts. Here, a stepwise electrocatalytic strategy of catalysis‐immobilization‐deposition is proposed for achieving the consistency of diffusion and catalysis of polysulfides. Accordingly, a sandwich‐like stepwise electrocatalyst is designed, which is composed of Co nanoparticles (Co‐NP), mesoporous SiO2, and iron single atom (Fe‐SA) (denoted as Co‐NP@SiO2@Fe‐SA), serving as catalysis core, immobilization interlayer, and deposition shell, respectively. Benefitting from the dynamic equilibrium between production and consumption of polysulfides achieved by the spatial synergistic effect of the triple sites, the S/Co‐NP@SiO2@Fe‐SA cathode delivers a high reversible capacity of 731 mAh g−1 over 500 cycles at 1 C with a small capacity decay of 0.039% per cycle. Moreover, a high areal capacity of 3.8 mAh cm−2 at a sulfur loading of 4.5 mg cm−2 is achieved with a low electrolyte/sulfur ratio of 5.9. This work sheds light on a new host design concept with high catalytic activity, stability, and selectivity to enable high performance lithium‐sulfur batteries.
Synthesis of Nanocellulose‐Based Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Quantum Dots with High Fluorescence Quantum Yields for Multifunctional Applications
Authors: Zhu Min , Xiong Jieyi , Li Shanshan , Chen Qifeng
Published: April 2023

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are one of the most promising luminescent nanomaterials for anti‐counterfeiting due to their excellent optical properties, low toxicity, and environmental friendliness. With the development of green chemistry, biomass carbon sources have attracted attention. Herein, nitrogen‐doped carbon quantum dots (N‐CQDs) are synthesized using waste corn bract nanocellulose as the carbon source and L‐histidine as the nitrogen source in a simple and quick one‐step microwave method. It is found that a raw material mass ratio of 1:4, a temperature of 100 °C, and a preparation time of 5 min are the optimum preparation conditions. The fluorescence quantum yield of N‐CQDs obtained under these conditions is 32.64%. Under the excitation of light at a wavelength of 365 nm, the emission peak of N‐CQDs is located at 430 nm and emits blue light. This study also provides a method to prepare fluorescent anti‐counterfeiting films with excellent performance and fluorescent detection probes solely from waste biomass corn bract leaves and L‐histidine.
Structural evolution of layered oxide cathodes for spent Li–ion batteries: Degradation mechanism and repair strategy
Authors: Jin Shan , Liang Jianquan , Mu Deying , Lin Tianning , Tian Yuyang , Zhang Jian , Wang Yue , Chen Meng , Shi Qingmo , Dai Changsong
Published: April 2023

Sustainable development has long been recognized as one of the most critical issues in today's energy and environment‐conscious society. It has never been more urgent to recycle and reuse the end‐of‐life cathode materials. Here, this work systematically investigates the structure‐critical degradation mechanism of polycrystalline LiNixCoyMn1−x−yO2 (NCM), combining experimental characterization and DFT simulations. Targeting the key degradation factors, a synergistic repair strategy based on deep mechanochemical activation and heat treatment was successfully proposed to direct regenerate the degraded NCM material. Studies indicate the induction and promotion of synergistic repair technique on the reconstruction of particle morphology, the recovery of the chemical composition and crystal structure, and the favorable transformation of the impurities phase in the failed materials. In particular, the synergistic repair process induces a gradient distribution of LiF and further enables partial fluorine doping into the NCM surface, forming abundant oxygen vacancies and increasing the content of highly reactive Ni2+. Benefiting from the comprehensive treatment for the multi‐scale and multi‐form degradation behaviors, the repaired material exhibits a capacity of 176.8 mA h g−1 at 0.1 C, which is comparable to the corresponding commercial material (172.8 mA h g−1). The satisfactory capacity of the recovered cathode proves that it is an effective direct renovating strategy.
Stability and change in acculturation‐related characteristics in older Latinos: Implications for culturally compatible ADRD research
Authors: Lamar Melissa , Glover Crystal M. , Capuano Ana W. , Wilson Robert S. , Fleischman Debra A. , Bennett David A. , Marquez David X.
Published: April 2023

Introduction

Acculturation‐related characteristics, that is, factors directly connected to culture and familial relationships, are associated with engaged research participation within Latino communities. Despite this, little empirical data exists on whether acculturation changes over time in older Latinos, which has potential implications for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) research study design including longer duration clinical trial implementation.

Methods

Self‐identified Latinos (n= 222; mean age = 71, 76% female) participating in one of three ongoing longitudinal community‐based cohort studies of aging who reported their nativity outside of the United States/District of Columbia (US/DC) contributed, on average, 4.0 ± 1.2 years of annually collected data. This included acculturation‐related characteristics of total, language‐, and social‐based scores from the Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (SASH) and total and domain‐specific scores from an abbreviated Sabogal Familism questionnaire. We used ordinal mixed effects models and linear mixed effects models (as appropriate) to assess change in acculturation metrics after adjusting for age, sex, education, income, and duration of time in the US/DC.

Results

Although none of the SASH metrics changed over time (P‐values ≥ 0.25), all Familism metrics declined over time (P‐values ≤ 0.044). Additionally, select participant‐based characteristics including years of education were significantly (and differentially) associated with level of, but not change in, acculturation‐related outcomes.

Discussion

Results suggest that specific acculturation‐related factors (i.e., familism) change over time in older Latinos, and participant‐based characteristics associated with baseline levels of (but not change in) acculturation more generally. Thus, acculturation‐related characteristics are not all static, trait‐like qualities but rather a multi‐faceted, and at times evolving, construct. Considering this dynamic phenotyping is important when contextualizing older Latinos’ lived experience, and when designing, adapting, and conducting ADRD clinical trials and other health‐related interventions.
Copper‐based nanoparticles against microbial infections
Authors: Li Xiumin , Cong Yalin , Ovais Muhammad , Cardoso Mateus Borba , Hameed Saima , Chen Rui , Chen Mingli , Wang Liming
Published: April 2023

Drug‐resistant bacteria and highly infectious viruses are among the major global threats affecting the human health. There is an immediate need for novel strategies to tackle this challenge. Copper‐based nanoparticles (CBNPs) have exhibited a broad antimicrobial capacity and are receiving increasing attention in this context. In this review, we describe the functionalization of CBNPs, elucidate their antibacterial and antiviral activity as well as applications, and briefly review their toxicity, biodistribution, and persistence. The limitations of the current study and potential solutions are also shortly discussed. The review will guide the rational design of functional nanomaterials for antimicrobial application.

This article is categorized under:

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Infectious Disease
Ausgangslage
Authors: Jähnke Anke
Published: April 2023

Im Zentrum von Kapitel 1 stehen Themenstellung und Ausgangslage des Promotionsprojekts. Zuerst wird die Relevanz des Themas skizziert und die verwendete Terminologie präzisiert. Dann werden Erkenntnisinteresse sowie die empirische Ausgangsbasis und der weitere Aufbau der Arbeit ausgeführt.
Methodische Vorgehensweise
Authors: Jähnke Anke
Published: April 2023

Im Zentrum von Kapitel 3 stehen Planung und Durchführung der Untersuchung. Die einzelnen Schritte der methodischen Vorgehensweise im Forschungsprozess werden beschrieben sowie zugrundeliegende Überlegungen ausgeführt.
Quark-hadron duality at work: lifetimes of bottom baryons
Authors: Gratrex James , Lenz Alexander , Melić Blaženka , Nišandžić Ivan , Piscopo Maria Laura , Rusov Aleksey V.
Published: April 2023

Abstract

In the 1990s, very low experimental values for the lifetime ratio τ(Λb)/τ(Bd) triggered a considerable amount of doubt in the applicability of the heavy quark expansion (HQE), which is based on the assumption of quark-hadron duality (QHD) for inclusive total decay rates. However, these low values turned out to be the result of purely experimental problems, and the current HFLAV average reads τ(Λb)/τ(Bd) = 0.969(6). In this work, we present the Standard Model predictions for the b-baryon lifetimes within the framework of the HQE. In particular, we include for the first time the contribution of the Darwin term and we update the estimates for the matrix elements of the dimension-six four-quark operators. Within experimental and theoretical uncertainties, we find excellent agreement between the data and the HQE predictions, and thus no indication for any visible violation of QHD. Our numerical results can be summarised by the ratios τ(Λb)/τ(Bd) = 0.955(14), $$ \tau \left({\varOmega}_b^{-}\right) $$
τ

Ω
b
−

/τ(Bd) = 1.081(42), and $$ \tau \left({\Xi}_b^0\right)/\tau \left({\Xi}_b^{-}\right) $$
τ

Ξ
b
0

/
τ

Ξ
b
−

= 0.929(28).
Between Old and New Interpretations of Life: Animal Electricity at the First Congress of Italian Scientists
Authors: Mantovani Roberto
Published: April 2023

In 1839, collaborating with physicist Luigi Pacinotti, the Italian physician and historian of medicine Francesco Puccinotti announced a successful measurement of the existence of electrovital currents in live warm- and cold-blooded animals. To perform this measurement, they used the astatic galvanometer developed by Leopoldo Nobili. The experimental demonstrations took place in Pisa on the morning of October 13, 1839 as part of the First Congress of Italian Scientists. The experiment had been carefully prepared and tested ahead of the Congress in June and July of the same year. Two congressional commissions, composed respectively of doctors and physicists, discussed the results of the experiments and disclosed conflicting views. The physicists diplomatically expressed doubt, saying that the current measured might have been similar, although weaker, to that found in already dead animals and therefore could be traced to physicochemical processes. A debate developed at the Congress and continued afterwards. This significant episode helped keep the question of animal electricity open in Italy, stimulating the development of new electrophysiological studies in the following decade.
Non-destructive method for identification and classification of varieties and quality of coffee beans based on soft computing models using VIS/NIR spectroscopy
Authors: Aghdamifar Ehsan , Rasooli Sharabiani Vali , Taghinezhad Ebrahim , Rezvanivand Fanaei Adel , Szymanek Mariusz
Published: April 2023

Coffee is one of the most popular and frequently consumed beverages on the planet. Coffee has a significant commercial value, estimated to be in the billions of dollars and consumption has risen steadily over the last two decades. Near-infrared spectroscopy is one of the non-destructive optical technologies for the evaluation of agricultural products to identify food adulteration. Thus, it is an interesting and worthwhile subject to research and study. In this research, a near-infrared spectroscopy approach along with statistical methods of principal component analysis (PCA), partial-least-squares regression (PLSR), latent dirichlet allocation (LDA), and artificial neural network (ANN) as a fast and non-destructive method was used with to detect and classify coffee beans using reference data obtained by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Results showed that the accuracy of PLSR, LDA, and ANN while our reference data was palmitic acid, respectively were 97.3%, 97.92%, and 97.3% and while reference data was caffeine, accuracy results were 94.71%, 95.83%, and 98.96%, respectively.
Multi-Peak Solutions for Coupled Nonlinear Schrödinger Systems in Low Dimensions
Authors: Zhen Maoding , Zhang Binlin , Rădulescu Vicenţiu D.
Published: April 2023

In this paper, we construct the solutions to the following nonlinear Schrödinger system $$\begin{aligned} {\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} -\epsilon ^{2}\Delta u+P(x)u= \mu _{1} u^{p}+\beta u^{\frac{p-1}{2}}v^{\frac{p+1}{2}} \ \ \ \text {in} \ \ \mathbb {R}^{N},\\ -\epsilon ^{2}\Delta v+Q(x)v= \mu _{2} v^{p}+\beta u^{\frac{p+1}{2}}v^{\frac{p-1}{2}} \ \ \ \text {in} \ \ \mathbb {R}^{N}, \end{array}\right. } \end{aligned}$$

-

ϵ
2

Δ
u
+
P

(
x
)

u
=

μ
1

u
p

+
β

u

p
-
1

2

v

p
+
1

2

in

R

N

,

-

ϵ
2

Δ
v
+
Q

(
x
)

v
=

μ
2

v
p

+
β

u

p
+
1

2

v

p
-
1

2

in

R

N

,

where $$3< p<+\infty $$

3
<
p
<
+
∞

, $$N\in \{1,2\}$$

N
∈
{
1
,
2
}

, $$\epsilon >0$$

ϵ
>
0

is a small parameter, the potentials P, Q satisfy $$0<P_{0} \le P(x)\le P_{1}$$

0
<

P
0

≤
P

(
x
)

≤

P
1

and Q(x) satisfies $$0<Q_{0} \le Q(x)\le Q_{1}$$

0
<

Q
0

≤
Q

(
x
)

≤

Q
1

. We construct the solution for attractive and repulsive cases. When $$x_{0}$$

x
0

is a local maximum point of the potentials P and Q and $$P(x_{0})=Q(x_{0})$$

P

(

x
0

)

=
Q

(

x
0

)

, we construct k spikes concentrating near the local maximum point $$x_{0}$$

x
0

. When $$x_{0}$$

x
0

is a local maximum point of P and $$\overline{x}_{0}$$

x
¯

0

is a local maximum point of Q, we construct k spikes of u concentrating at the local maximum point $$x_{0}$$

x
0

and m spikes of v concentrating at the local maximum point $$\overline{x}_{0}$$

x
¯

0

when $$x_{0}\ne \overline{x}_{0}.$$

x
0

≠

x
¯

0

.

This paper extends the main results established by Peng and Wang (Arch Ration Mech Anal 208:305–339, 2013) and Peng and Pi (Discrete Contin Dyn Syst 36:2205–2227, 2016), where the authors considered the case $$N=3$$

N
=
3

, $$p=3$$

p
=
3

.
Mean Field Markov Decision Processes
Authors: Bäuerle Nicole
Published: April 2023

We consider mean-field control problems in discrete time with discounted reward, infinite time horizon and compact state and action space. The existence of optimal policies is shown and the limiting mean-field problem is derived when the number of individuals tends to infinity. Moreover, we consider the average reward problem and show that the optimal policy in this mean-field limit is $$\varepsilon $$
ε
-optimal for the discounted problem if the number of individuals is large and the discount factor close to one. This result is very helpful, because it turns out that in the special case when the reward does only depend on the distribution of the individuals, we obtain a very interesting subclass of problems where an average reward optimal policy can be obtained by first computing an optimal measure from a static optimization problem and then achieving it with Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods. We give two applications: Avoiding congestion an a graph and optimal positioning on a market place which we solve explicitly.
Grafts and Patches: Optimized but Not Optimal Materials for Congenital Heart Surgery
Authors: Peivandi Armin Darius , Martens Sven , Asfour Boulos , Martens Sabrina
Published: April 2023

A variety of materials are available for the surgery of children with congenital heart defects. In addition to growth-related mismatch, degeneration of the material in particular frequently leads to reoperation. Therefore, the choice of conduits and patches should be made carefully. This article provides an overview of the most commonly implanted materials in pediatric cardiac surgery.

Structural changes can be detected in all available materials. Depending on the age at implantation and the site of implantation, the extent and time course of material degeneration vary. Autologous material is still the gold standard in reconstructive surgery. Biological materials have largely replaced artificial materials in clinical use.

The search for the ideal material continues. In pediatric cardiac surgery, there are only optimized but no optimal materials.
The real-life effect of catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibition on non-motor symptoms in levodopa-treated Parkinson’s disease: opicapone versus entacapone
Authors: Leta Valentina , van Wamelen Daniel J. , Aureli Federico , Metta Vinod , Trivedi Dhaval , Cortelli Pietro , Rodriguez-Blazquez Carmen , Rizos Alexandra , Ray Chaudhuri K.
Published: April 2023

Objective

To evaluate the long-term, real-life effects on non-motor symptoms (NMS) of opicapone compared to entacapone in levodopa-treated people with Parkinson’s disease (PwP).

Methods

A retrospective data analysis, with pre- and post-opicapone initiation data of 17 PwP with motor fluctuations compared to a comparable group of 18 PwP introduced on entacapone. The primary outcome was changes in the NMS Scale (NMSS) total score after 1-year follow-up. Secondary outcomes included changes in the NMSS domains, and Parkinson’s Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS) total and item scores after the same time span.

Results

Groups were comparable for baseline demographics and Parkinson’s-related features (p ≥ 0.314) as well as duration of follow-up (1.33 ± 0.66 years for PwP on opicapone and 1.23 ± 0.49 years for those on entacapone; p = 0.858). PwP who were introduced on opicapone showed no changes in NMSS and PDSS total scores after 1 year (p = 0.605 and p = 0.507, respectively), whereas PwP who were introduced on entacapone showed significant worsening of NMSS and PDSS total scores at follow-up (p = 0.005 and p = 0.001, respectively). In neither group changes in individual NMSS domains from baseline to follow-up were observed (p ≥ 0.288 for entacapone and p ≥ 0.816 for opicapone, respectively). In PwP on entacapone significant worsening was seen in the distressing dreams, hallucinations, and limb numbness items of the PDSS (p ≤ 0.05).

Conclusions

Introduction of opicapone in real-life PwP with motor fluctuations seems to stabilise NMS burden and aspects of sleep dysfunction, in contrast to entacapone where there was a worsening of NMS burden and PDSS scores over 1 year follow-up.
Lossy Image Compression in a Preclinical Multimodal Imaging Study
Authors: Cunha Francisco F. , Blüml Valentin , Zopf Lydia M. , Walter Andreas , Wagner Michael , Weninger Wolfgang J. , Thomaz Lucas A. , Tavora Luís M. N. , da Silva Cruz Luis A. , Faria Sergio M. M.
Published: April 2023

The growing use of multimodal high-resolution volumetric data in pre-clinical studies leads to challenges related to the management and handling of the large amount of these datasets. Contrarily to the clinical context, currently there are no standard guidelines to regulate the use of image compression in pre-clinical contexts as a potential alleviation of this problem. In this work, the authors study the application of lossy image coding to compress high-resolution volumetric biomedical data. The impact of compression on the metrics and interpretation of volumetric data was quantified for a correlated multimodal imaging study to characterize murine tumor vasculature, using volumetric high-resolution episcopic microscopy (HREM), micro-computed tomography (µCT), and micro-magnetic resonance imaging (µMRI). The effects of compression were assessed by measuring task-specific performances of several biomedical experts who interpreted and labeled multiple data volumes compressed at different degrees. We defined trade-offs between data volume reduction and preservation of visual information, which ensured the preservation of relevant vasculature morphology at maximum compression efficiency across scales. Using the Jaccard Index (JI) and the average Hausdorff Distance (HD) after vasculature segmentation, we could demonstrate that, in this study, compression that yields to a 256-fold reduction of the data size allowed to keep the error induced by compression below the inter-observer variability, with minimal impact on the assessment of the tumor vasculature across scales.
Why should we care about social media codes of conduct in healthcare organisations? A systematic literature review
Authors: Galea Gitte , Chugh Ritesh , Luck Jo
Published: April 2023

Background

The conduct of healthcare organisation employees on social media can impact both their personal reputation and that of the organisation. However, social media has blurred the lines between professional and personal communication, and what is acceptable and ethical conduct is not always clear. Furthermore, the global COVID-19 pandemic has changed how healthcare organisations and their employees approach the use of social media, expediting the need to ensure that employees communicating health-related information adhere to employee codes of conduct.

Aims

This review aims to investigate the challenges associated with healthcare organisation employees’ use of social media for sharing health-related information, identify the crucial elements for inclusion in social media codes of conduct for healthcare organisations, and examine the enablers for good codes of conduct.

Methods

A systematic review of the literature from six research database platforms on articles related to codes of conduct addressing the use of social media for healthcare organisation employees was conducted. The screening process yielded 52 articles.

Results

The key finding in this review focuses on privacy, protecting both patients and healthcare organisation employees. While maintaining separate professional and personal social media accounts is a much-discussed approach, training and education on social media codes of conduct can clarify acceptable behaviour both personally and professionally.

Conclusion

The results raise essential questions about healthcare organisation employees’ use of social media. It is evident that organisational support and a constructive culture will enable healthcare organisations to fully realise the benefits of using social media.
Limited memory restarted ℓp-ℓq minimization methods using generalized Krylov subspaces
Authors: Buccini Alessandro , Reichel Lothar
Published: April 2023

Regularization of certain linear discrete ill-posed problems, as well as of certain regression problems, can be formulated as large-scale, possibly nonconvex, minimization problems, whose objective function is the sum of the p th power of the ℓp-norm of a fidelity term and the q th power of the ℓq-norm of a regularization term, with 0 < p,q ≤ 2. We describe new restarted iterative solution methods that require less computer storage and execution time than the methods described by Huang et al. (BIT Numer. Math. 57,351–378, 14). The reduction in computer storage and execution time is achieved by periodic restarts of the method. Computed examples illustrate that restarting does not reduce the quality of the computed solutions.
Relationship Between Breast Cancer Risk and Polymorphisms in CLOCK Gene: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Shi Yi , Wu Lixing , Ji Xuenian , Li Yunru , Zhang Zhicheng
Published: April 2023

Previous studies found that the circadian clock gene participated in the genesis and development of breast cancer. However, research findings on the relationship between polymorphisms in the CLOCK gene and breast cancer risk were inconsistent. This study performed a meta-analysis of the association between CLOCK gene polymorphisms and breast cancer risk. PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases were electronically searched to collect studies on the association between CLOCK gene polymorphisms and breast cancer risk from inception to February 14, 2022. The quality of the included literature was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. For statistical analysis, odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using STATA 14.0. In addition, publication bias was performed by the funnel diagram and the Harbord’s regression test. And sensitivity analysis was assessed by the trim and fill method. A total of 6 eligible studies, including 10,164 subjects (5488 breast cancer cases and 4676 controls), were screened in this meta-analysis. Though we did not find a significant association between the polymorphisms in the overall CLOCK gene with breast cancer risk [OR (95%CI) = 0.98 (0.96, 1.01), P = 0.148], we found that compared with T/T types of rs3749474 in CLOCK, T/C and C/C types of rs3749474 were associated with lower risk of breast cancer [OR (95%CI) = 0.93 (0.88, 0.98), P = 0.003]. The sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the results. The funnel plot showed no significant publication bias. Polymorphisms in the CLOCK gene might be associated with breast cancer risk. More studies are needed to confirm the conclusion.
Reflections on the Scientific Legacy of Sergej S. Zilitinkevich on PBL and Urban Parameterizations in NWP Models
Authors: Bornstein Robert D. , Baklanov Alexander
Published: April 2023

The paper summarizes many of the scientific achievements of Professor Sergej S. Zilitinkevich (1936–2021). It first focuses on his basic and applied atmospheric boundary layer research contributions. It then reviews their applications within research and operational numerical weather prediction and air quality modeling, showing their contribution to solving modeling problems related to extremely-stable and -unstable boundary layers.
University managers or institutional leaders? An exploration of top-level leadership in Chinese universities
Authors: Ruan Jieyu , Cai Yuzhuo , Stensaker Bjørn
Published: April 2023

In China, higher education institutions (HEIs) have a governance arrangement in which the university president and the party secretary occupy key roles. However, their legal roles as institutional leaders are vaguely specified in existing legal frameworks. Based on a four-dimensional theoretical model, this paper (i) clarifies the leadership roles in the dual governance structure, (ii) explores how HEI leaders (i.e. presidents and party secretaries) perceive their leadership, and (iii) applies the unique Chinese practices as a valuable test bed for critical reflections on how existing theoretical models of leadership are relevant in Chinese contexts. Through in-depth interviews with six top-level leaders from six Chinese public HEIs, our findings indicate that Chinese HEI leaders apply more structural than symbolic dimensions in their leadership practices. Whereas studies on institutional leadership conducted outside China tend to highlight the symbolic dimensions of leadership practices, our study suggests that top-level Chinese HEI leaders may assume the role of university managers rather than institutional leaders. We offer some reflections on the relevance of existing theoretical models of leadership and suggest the directions for further theoretical enhancement.
sST2: A Bridge Between Sirt1/p53/p21 Signal-Induced Senescence and TGF-β1/Smad2/3 Regulation of Cardiac Fibrosis in Mouse Viral Myocarditis
Authors: Tan Jiajia , Wei Jing , Lu Hongxiang
Published: April 2023

Soluble interleukin 1 receptor-like 1 (sST2) is a novel predictor of poor outcomes, which is involved in inflammatory response and fibrosis of myocarditis. Cellular senescence is a state of irreversible cell cycle arrest. Studies have shown that senescence of myofibroblasts can limit or reduce cardiac fibrosis. However, the molecular mechanism of sST2 regulating cellular senescence is still unclear. Here, we investigate the role of sST2 on cellular senescence in cardiac fibrosis. Our results found that sST2 was upregulated in coxsackievirus group B type 3 (CVB3)-induced viral myocarditis (VMC), which correlated with the expression of senescence markers. In vitro, sST2 activated TGFβ signaling through the phosphorylation of the SMAD complex to induce mouse cardiac fibroblast (MCF) activation and inhibit cellular senescence by the Sirt1/p53/p21 signaling pathway. In vivo, anti-ST2 mAb attenuated CVB3-induced cardiac fibrosis. Our findings elucidate a crucial mechanism underlying through which sST2 inhibits cellular senescence and regulates MCF activation, providing a potential treatment strategy for cardiac fibrosis.