bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Smart Hydrogels for Tissue Regeneration
Authors: Xie Chaoming , Xu Jie , Wang Xinyi , Jiang Shengxi , Zheng Yujia , Liu Zexin , Jia Zhuo , Jia Zhanrong , Lu Xiong
Published: October 2023

The rapid growth in the portion of the aging population has led to a consequent increase in demand for biomedical hydrogels, together with an assortment of challenges that need to be overcome in this field. Smart hydrogels can autonomously sense and respond to the physiological/pathological changes of the tissue microenvironment and continuously adapt the response according to the dynamic spatiotemporal shifts in conditions. This along with other favorable properties, make smart hydrogels excellent materials for employing toward improving the precision of treatment for age‐related diseases. The key factor during the smart hydrogel design is on accurately identifying the characteristics of natural tissues and faithfully replicating the composition, structure, and biological functions of these tissues at the molecular level. Such hydrogels can accurately sense distinct physiological and external factors such as temperature and biologically active molecules, so they may in turn actively and promptly adjust their response, by regulating their own biological effects, thereby promoting damaged tissue repair. This review summarizes the design strategies employed in the creation of smart hydrogels, their response mechanisms, as well as their applications in field of tissue engineering; and concludes by briefly discussing the relevant challenges and future prospects.
NMI promotes tumor progression and gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer via STAT3‐IFIT3 axis
Authors: Hu Haifeng , Li Borui , Chen Haidi , Fan Guixiogn , Ye Zeng , Ji Shunrong , Yu Xianjun , Xu Xiaowu , Qin Yi
Published: October 2023

N‐myc and STAT interactor (NMI) has been reported to interact with several transcription factors, including STATs family, c‐Myc, N‐Myc, and BRCA1, to indirectly affect transcription events and participate in multiple cellular processes. However, its function in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has seldom been studied. In this study, we investigated the regulation of NMI on PDAC progression and uncovered the underlying molecular mechanisms. We found that NMI expression was significantly upregulated in PDAC and high NMI expression was related to a worse patient survival. Cell proliferation and migration assay, including cell viability, transwell assay, wound healing, and subcutaneous mouse model were utilized to confirm the function of NMI in PDAC progression. Downregulation of NMI abrogates tumor progression of PDAC both in vitro and in vivo. RNA sequencing was utilized to identify the downstream molecules of NMI and interferon‐induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 3 (IFIT3) was confirmed to be regulated by NMI in both mRNA and protein level. The binding function of NMI to STAT3 was essential in regulating the IFIT3 expression. Moreover, the NMI/STAT3‐IFIT3 axis was identified to markedly facilitate the gemcitabine resistance in PDAC cells.
Helicobacter pylori infection associated DNA methylation in primary gastric cancer significantly correlates with specific molecular and clinicopathological features
Authors: Tahara Sayumi , Tahara Tomomitsu , Yamazaki Jumpei , Shijimaya Takuya , Horiguchi Noriyuki , Funasaka Kohei , Fukui Toshiro , Nakagawa Yoshihito , Shibata Tomoyuki , Naganuma Makoto , Tsukamoto Tetsuya , Ohmiya Naoki
Published: October 2023

Helicobacter pylori induces DNA methylation in gastric mucosa, which links to gastric cancer (GC) risk. In contrast, CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) is defined as high levels of cancer‐specific methylation and provides distinct molecular and clinicopathological features of GC. The association between those two types of methylation in GC remains unclear. We examined DNA methylation of well‐validated H. pylori infection associated genes in GC and its adjacent mucosa and investigated its association with CIMP, various molecular subtypes and clinical features. We studied 50 candidate loci in 24 gastric samples to identify H. pylori infection associated genes. Identified loci were further examined in 624 gastric tissue from 217 primary GC, 217 adjacent mucosa, and 190 mucosae from cancer‐free subjects. We identified five genes (IGF2, SLC16A2, SOX11, P2RX7, and MYOD1) as hypermethylated in H. pylori infected gastric mucosa. In non‐neoplastic mucosa, methylation of H. pylori infection associated genes was higher in patients with GC than those without. In primary GC tissues, higher methylation of H. pylori infection associated genes correlated with CIMP‐positive and its related features, such as MLH1 methylated cases. On the other hand, GC with lower methylation of these genes presented aggressive clinicopathological features including undifferentiated histopathology, advanced stage at diagnosis. H. pylori infection associated DNA methylation is correlated with CIMP, specific molecular and clinicopathological features in GC, supporting its utility as promising biomarker in this tumor type.
Oncolytic viral therapy as promising immunotherapy against glioma
Authors: Hu Die , Tian Yaomei , Xu Jie , Xie Daoyuan , Wang Yusi , Liu Mohan , Wang Yuanda , Yang Li
Published: October 2023

Glioma is a common primary central nervous system malignant tumor in clinical, traditional methods such as surgery and chemoradiotherapy are not effective in treatment. Therefore, more effective treatments need to be found. Oncolytic viruses (OVs) are a new type of immunotherapy that selectively infects and kills tumor cells instead of normal cells. OVs can mediate antitumor immune responses through a variety of mechanisms, and have the ability to activate antitumor immune responses, transform the tumor microenvironment from “cold” to “hot,” and enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Recently, a large number of preclinical and clinical studies have shown that OVs show great prospects in the treatment of gliomas. In this review, we summarize the current status of glioma therapies with a focus on OVs. First, this article introduces the current status of treatment of glioma and their respective shortcomings. Then, the important progress of OVs of in clinical trials of glioma is summarized. Finally, the urgent challenges of oncolytic virus treatment for glioma are sorted out, and related solutions are proposed. This review will help to further promote the use of OVs in the treatment of glioma.
Characteristic modal analysis in miniaturization and bandwidth‐enhancement of monopole antenna for WLAN/WiMAX/LTE applications
Authors: Ellis Mubarak S. , Ahmed Abdul‐Rahman , Kponyo Jerry J. , Acquah Isaac , Rasool Nouman
Published: October 2023

This work presents a printed monopole antenna with a miniature size and enhanced wideband using characteristic mode analysis (CMA). The printed monopole antenna structure comprises one vertical and one horizontal monopole, and a ground plane with a vertical extension. By connecting the horizontal monopole to the ground plane extension through a via hole, a significant enhancement in bandwidth is achieved in both lower and high bands. A 105% increment in bandwidth is achieved with the via hole compared to without it. The influence of the via hole is analyzed using CMA to provide a physical insight into the design. The proposed antenna is compact with an electrical size of 0.01 λ2, leading to a miniaturized design.
Deterioration identification method of key optical devices of fiber optical current transformer based on neural network
Authors: Zhang Min , Guo Xianshan , Chen Zhengguang , Zhou Feng , Hu Haoliang , Huang Junchang , Xiao Hao , Liu Dongwei , Li Jianguang , Wang Qianglong , Deng Xing
Published: October 2023

Optical fiber current transformers (FOCTs) are affected by various external factors, resulting in the deterioration or even failure of devices, causing changes in critical state quantities, and reducing the accuracy and reliability of products. To solve this problem, based on the neural network algorithm, this paper starts from the four deterioration characteristics of FOCT SLD junction temperature, SLD output optical power, phase modulator half‐wave voltage, and optical fiber sensing ring temperature, and identifies the deterioration of key optical components of FOCT, which provides a basic model and data support for the online monitoring and early warning to improving the stability and reliability of FOCT in long‐term operation.
Adjustable low‐profile compact AIS antenna with reduced ground‐size sensitivity
Authors: Cheng Yang , Dong Yuandan
Published: October 2023

This letter presents a novel reconfigurable low‐profile Automatic Identification System antenna that exhibits insensitivity to ground size. The antenna's physical dimensions measure 340 mm × 230 mm × 83 mm. Typically, smaller antennas require larger ground planes. However, changes in ground size cause the resonant frequency of the small antenna to shift, thereby limiting its working environment. Consequently, the antenna cannot function in systems with varying ground areas. To address this issue, a reconfigurable Inverted‐F antenna loaded with shorted parasitic elements is proposed. By switching the shorted state of a parasitic element, the antenna can operate within the required frequency band for different ground sizes. Simulated results demonstrate that the antenna can cover the 161–163 MHz frequency range when the ground size ranges from 250 × 250 to 450 × 450 mm2 with a shorted parasitic element. When the parasitic unit is not shorted, the antenna can cover the same frequency range when the ground size ranges from 450 × 450 mm2 to infinity. The proposed antenna achieves the characteristic of being insensitive to ground‐size changes in two states, and is widely applicable to devices with different ground sizes (such as ships and airplanes, etc.), reducing the cost of the system.
Tracking amplitude extrema of nonlinear frequency responses using the harmonic balance method
Authors: Raze Ghislain , Volvert Martin , Kerschen Gaetan
Published: October 2023

This work proposes a novel efficient method to track the evolution of amplitude extrema featured by frequency responses of nonlinear systems using the harmonic balance method. Means to compute the amplitude of a Fourier series are first outlined, and a set of equations characterizing a local extremum of a nonlinear frequency response amplitude curve is derived. Efficient numerical procedures are used to evaluate these equations and their derivatives (including second‐order ones) to embed them in a predictor‐corrector continuation framework. The proposed approach is illustrated on three examples of increasing complexity, namely a Helmholtz–Duffing oscillator, a two‐degree‐of‐freedom system with a modal interaction, and a doubly clamped von Kàrmàn beam with a nonlinear tuned vibration absorber.
Registered Nurses' beliefs about end‐of‐life care: A mixed method study
Authors: Alshammari Fares , Sim Jenny , Mcerlean Gemma , Lapkin Samuel
Published: October 2023

Aims

To examine registered nurses' (RNs) behavioural, normative and control beliefs about end‐of‐life care for patients who are diagnosed with advanced and life‐limiting illnesses; and to identify the barriers and facilitators they experience when providing end‐of‐life care.

Design

A sequential explanatory mixed methods study.

Method

An online cross‐sectional survey was conducted using the Care for Terminally Ill Patient tool among 1293 RNs working across five hospitals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Online individual semi‐structured interviews with a subgroup of survey respondents were then undertaken. Data were collected between October 2020 to February 2021.

Results

A total of 415 RNs completed the online survey, with 16 of them participating in individual interviews. Over half of the participants expressed the belief that end‐of‐life care is most efficiently delivered through multidisciplinary team collaboration. The majority of participants also believed that discussing end‐of‐life care with patients or families leads to feelings of hopelessness. Paradoxically, the study revealed that more than half of the participants held the negative belief that patients at the end of life should optimally receive a combination of both curative and palliative care services. The results showed that nurses' beliefs were significantly associated with their age, religion, ward type, level of education and frequency of providing end‐of‐life care. Data from the qualitative interviews identified four themes that explored RNs' beliefs and its related factors. The four themes were ‘holistic care’, ‘diversity of beliefs’, ‘dynamics of truth‐telling’ and ‘experiences of providing end‐of‐life care.’

Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care

Wherever possible, patients at the end‐of‐life should be cared for in specialist settings by multidisciplinary teams to ensure effective, high‐quality care. Where this is not possible, organisations should ensure that teams of multidisciplinary staff, including nurses, receive education and resources to support end‐of‐life care in non‐specialist settings. Hospitals that employ foreign‐trained nurses should consider providing targeted education to enhance their cultural competence and reduce the impact of different beliefs on end‐of‐life care.
The fructose survival hypothesis as a mechanism for unifying the various obesity hypotheses
Authors: Johnson Richard J. , Sánchez‐Lozada Laura G. , Lanaspa Miguel A.
Published: October 2023

The pathogenesis of obesity remains contested. Although genetics is important, the rapid rise in obesity with Western culture and diet suggests an environmental component. Today, some of the major hypotheses for obesity include the energy balance hypothesis, the carbohydrate‐insulin model, the protein‐leverage hypothesis, and the seed oil hypothesis. Each hypothesis has its own support, creating controversy over their respective roles in driving obesity. Here we propose that all hypotheses are largely correct and can be unified by another dietary hypothesis, the fructose survival hypothesis. Fructose is unique in resetting ATP levels to a lower level in the cell as a consequence of suppressing mitochondrial function, while blocking the replacement of ATP from fat. The low intracellular ATP levels result in carbohydrate‐dependent hunger, impaired satiety (leptin resistance), and metabolic effects that result in the increased intake of energy‐dense fats. This hypothesis emphasizes the unique role of carbohydrates in stimulating intake while fat provides the main source of energy. Thus, obesity is a disorder of energy metabolism, in which there is low usable energy (ATP) in the setting of elevated total energy. This leads to metabolic effects independent of excess energy while the excess energy drives weight gain.
Multiphasic model of early stage hydration in concrete using the theory of porous media
Authors: Prskalo Silvio , Gfrerer Michael Helmut , Schanz Martin
Published: October 2023

The aim of this paper is to model the behavior of concrete during the initial stage of maturing. Most models consider only thermo‐mechanical phenomena assuming the hygral phenomena of less importance due to high liquid saturation. In order to grasp those effects, the proposed model is an extension of Gawin's model (D. Gawin, F. Pesavento, and B. A. Schrefler, Int J Numer Methods Eng 67(3), 299–331, 2006). The fresh concrete, modeled as porous material, is described within the well‐founded framework of the Theory of Porous Media. The multiphase material consists of a solid phase representing, for example, cement, gravel, etc., and a fluid and gas phase representing the pores filled with water and dry air. Compared to Gawin's model, here, beside the effect of hydration‐dehydration, the effect of evaporation‐condensation will be taken into account. A new formulation for the evaporation process in the fresh concrete is proposed and validated by an experimental study. The presented model is implemented in the research code PANDAS. The proposed model investigates and proves the assumption of Gawin's model to have a linear connection between porosity and hydration degree.
Waiting for the next winter. Outpatient pediatric visits for respiratory infections before, during, and after the COVID‐19 pandemic in the city of Buenos Aires
Authors: Gonzalez Pannia Paula , Torres Fernando , Rodriguez Tablado Manuel , Ferrero Fernando
Published: October 2023

Introduction

During the COVID‐19 pandemic, pediatric visits due to acute lower respiratory infections (ALRIs) decreased, but most reports are from hospitalized patients. There is little information on this phenomenon in outpatients, who are the majority in ALRI. We evaluated the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on ALRI‐related outpatient visits in the City of Buenos Aires.

Methods

Observational study including all outpatient visits of children under 2 years of age to the public health system of the City of Buenos Aires, between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2022. We analyzed the total number of visits and the ALRI‐related visits, and their distribution throughout the study period.

Results

A total of 704,426 visits were registered, 7.38% of them due to ALRI. ALRI‐related visits decreased from the implementation of a national lockdown (2020) and increased again as the restriction measures decreased, particularly the return to full school attendance (2021). In general, the proportion of ALRI‐related visits was significantly higher in the cold months than in the warm ones (9.8% vs. 5.5%; odds ratio: 1.76, 95% confidence interval: 1.73–1.79; p < .001). This difference was observed before (2018 and 2019) and after the pandemic (2022), but not in 2020–2021. The peak of ALRI‐related visits occurred in the cold months in pre‐pandemic years (2018–2019), did not appear in 2020, reappeared delayed in 2021, and recovered seasonality in 2022.

Conclusion

Outpatient ALRI‐related visits decreased significantly in the city of Buenos Aires during the COVID‐19 pandemic and currently seem to have recovered their magnitude and seasonality.
Synergic Effect of Misaligned Gate and Temperature on Hetero‐Dielectric Double‐Gate Junctionless Metal–Oxide‐Semiconductor Field‐Effect Transistors for High‐Frequency Application
Authors: Singh Jyotsana , Chauhan Rajeev Kumar
Published: October 2023

Junctionless metal–oxide‐semiconductor field‐effect transistors (MOSFETs) have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional MOSFETs, offering simplified fabrication and potential performance improvements. The novelty of this research lies in the selection of hetero‐dielectric material to optimize the performance of junctionless transistors under the misaligned gate and high‐temperature conditions, and the aim is to explore its capability for low‐power high‐frequency application. The results reveal that the proposed junctionless field effect transistor exhibits increased transconductance (17 mS), which enables higher gain (311 dB) and diminishes capacitive effects, leading to a broader range of cutoff frequencies (154 GHz) with gain frequency product and gain transconductance frequency product are 31 and 95.9 THz, respectively. Moreover, this research article investigates critical reliability issues related to junctionless MOSFET, focusing on gate misalignment and thermal stability. The study reveals that gate misalignment reduces on‐current and degrades device performance. Additionally, the study examines thermal stability over a wide temperature range (300 to 500 K), exploring the impact of temperature on performance. These valuable findings provide crucial insights to overcome fabrication challenges and drive the practical adoption of junctionless MOSFETs in future integrated circuits. To assess device performance in high‐frequency applications, Silvaco ATLAS TCAD tools are employed.
Taxifolin‐mediated Nrf2 activation ameliorates oxidative stress and apoptosis for the treatment of glucocorticoid‐induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head
Authors: Jiang Hongyi , Lin Chihao , Cai Tingwen , Jiang Liting , Lou Chao , Lin Shida , Wang Weidan , Yan Zijian , Pan Xiaoyun , Xue Xinghe
Published: October 2023

Glucocorticoid‐induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (GIONFH) is the main complication secondary to long‐term or excessive use of glucocorticoids (GCs). Taxifolin (TAX) is a natural antioxidant with various pharmacological effects, such as antioxidative stress and antiapoptotic properties. The purpose of this study was to explore whether TAX could regulate oxidative stress and apoptosis in GIONFH by activating the nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway. We conducted qRT‐PCR, Western blotting, TUNEL assays, flow cytometry, and other experiments in vitro. Microcomputed tomography analysis, hematoxylin–eosin staining, and immunohistochemical staining were performed to determine the therapeutic effect of TAX in vivo. TAX mitigated the overexpression of ROS and NOX gene expression induced by DEX, effectively reducing oxidative stress. Additionally, TAX could alleviate DEX‐induced osteoblast apoptosis, as evidenced by qRT‐PCR, Western blotting, and other experimental techniques. Our in vivo studies further demonstrated that TAX mitigates the progression of GIONFH in rats by combating oxidative stress and apoptosis. Mechanistic exploration revealed that TAX thwarts the progression of GIONFH through the activation of the Nrf2 pathway. Overall, our research herein reports that TAX‐mediated Nrf2 activation ameliorates oxidative stress and apoptosis for the treatment of GIONFH.
What are the optimum discrete angles to use in thermal‐infrared radiative transfer calculations?
Authors: Hogan Robin J.
Published: October 2023

As computer power increases, there is a need to investigate the potential gains of using more than two streams in the radiative transfer calculations of weather and climate models. In this article, seven quadrature schemes for selecting the zenith angles and weights of these streams are evaluated rigorously in terms of the accuracy of thermal‐infrared radiative transfer calculations. In addition, a new method is presented for generating “optimized” angles and weights that minimize the thermal‐infrared irradiance and heating‐rate errors for a set of clear‐sky training profiles. It is found that the standard approach of applying Gauss–Legendre quadrature in each hemisphere is the least accurate of all those tested for two and four streams. For clear‐sky irradiance calculations, “optimized” quadrature is between one and two orders of magnitude more accurate than Gauss–Legendre for any number of streams. For all‐sky calculations in which scattering becomes important, a form of Gauss–Jacobi quadrature is found to be most accurate for between four and eight streams, but with Gauss–Legendre being the most accurate for 10 or more streams. No single quadrature scheme performs best in all situations, because computing irradiances involves two different integrals over angle and the relative importance of each integral depends on the amount of scattering taking place. Additional optimized quadratures for clear‐sky and all‐sky calculations with four to eight streams are presented that constrain the relationships between angles in a way that reduces the number of exponentials that need to be computed in a radiative transfer solver.
2 µm Ghost Spectroscopy with an Integrated Silicon Quantum Photonics Source
Authors: Sanna Matteo , Rizzotti Davide , Signorini Stefano , Pavesi Lorenzo
Published: October 2023

A ghost spectroscopy measurement with an entangled photon source is demonstrated. The transmission spectrum at the 2 m absorption peak of gaseous carbon dioxide (CO2) is measured in a highly noisy environment. Despite the noise, a high sensitivity is obtained, a value that is larger than the one found for a classical spectroscopy measurement performed in the same conditions. The probe photons are time‐energy correlated photon pairs generated through intermodal spontaneous four‐wave mixing in a silicon waveguide. This observation opens the way to low‐cost on‐chip MIR sensors insensitive to environmental noise.
An Efficient Copper‐Catalyzed Regioselective One‐Pot Synthesis of Pyrido[1,2‐a]benzimidazole and Its Derivatives
Authors: Kommuri Venkata Chandrasekhar , Vijayan Ajesh , Pawar Lokesh , Arunachalampillai Athimoolam
Published: October 2023

A facile and effectual regioselective one‐pot synthesis protocol has been developed for the construction of pyrido[1,2‐a]benzimidazole and its derivatives using Copper(I) bromide as the catalyst, 1,10‐phenanthroline as ligand, and K3PO4 (Tripotassium phosphate) as the base in Dimethyl sulfoxide as solvent at 110 °C for 12 h. The reaction conditions were optimized by screening various copper catalysts, ligands, solvents, and bases. The substrate scope of the reaction was also carried out with electron‐withdrawing and donating functional groups to prepare novel functionalized regioselective benzimidazole compounds in good to excellent yields. All the isolated compounds were characterized by 1H, 13C, and 19F NMR.
A Selective and Sensitive Electrochemical Sensor for Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6) in Pharmaceutic Tablet
Authors: Koçak Berna
Published: October 2023

In this study, a copper (II) oxide‐glutardialdehyde modified boron doped diamond electrode was used as a sensor for the electroanalysis of pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6) for the first time. A copper oxide‐glutardialdehyde modified boron doped diamond electrode (CuO‐GA2/BDDE) was prepared by a simple drop casting method on boron diamond electrode (BDDE) by suspending CuO with glutardialdehyde (CuO‐GA2). The electrochemical behavior of vitamin B6 was examined using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and its electrochemical determination was found by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Under optimum experimental conditions, the linear working range of vitamin B6 on CuO‐GA2/BDDE via the DPV method was calculated as 5.96×10−6–3.75×10−4 mol.L−1. The limit of detection (LOD) was calculated as 1.99×10−7 mol.L−1. In order to demonstrate the selectivity of the method improved for the quantitative determination of vitamin B6 on the CuO‐GA2/BDDE, the interference effect of some cations (Zn2+, Cu2+, Pb2+) and anions (NO3−, Cl−) was investigated via the DPV method. The improved electrode was successfully used for the electroanalysis of vitamin B6 in a tablet sample of the commercial Tribeksol® (deva) (250/250/1 mg B1+B6+B12).
Postponing sleep after a stressful day: Patterns of stress, bedtime procrastination, and sleep outcomes in a daily diary approach
Authors: Schmidt Laura I. , Baetzner Anke S. , Dreisbusch Marina I. , Mertens Alica , Sieverding Monika
Published: October 2023

Sleep problems and stress are common among students and are associated with negative effects on academic performance as well as mental and physical health risks, but studies exploring mediating factors between stress and sleep on a daily basis are scarce. This study aimed to investigate the relationship of daily stress, Bedtime procrastination (BP) (i.e., postponing bedtime without external reasons), and sleep outcomes controlling for trait factors such as self‐control. N = 96 students at a German university (M = 22.2 years, SD = 4.0) wore a sleep‐tracking wearable (Fitbit Charge HR) for two weeks to assess sleep duration and to calculate the gap between the intended time to go to sleep and the objectively measured time of falling asleep. Stress, intended time to go to sleep, and sleep quality were assessed via daily diaries. Established questionnaires were used to measure trait self‐control, trait BP, and smartphone addiction. Multilevel analyses indicated that more stress experienced during the day was associated with more BP (b = 2.32, p = 0.008), shorter sleep duration (b = −3.46, p = 0.003), and lower sleep quality (b = 1.03, p = 0.005) after controlling for several trait factors. The association of daily stress with sleep outcomes (quality and duration) was partly mediated by BP. Our findings indicate that BP might be one factor that contributes to stress‐linked decreases in sleep duration and quality. Potential reasons for stress‐related later time to fall asleep—like higher physiological arousal or stress‐related worries—should be investigated in future studies.
Teaching elevator pitch presentations through a multimodal lens: Insights from ESP students' experiences
Authors: Beltrán‐Palanques Vicent
Published: October 2023

Professional and academic communication is changing rapidly due to the evolution of new technologies. In the context of language teaching, this scenario offers possibilities for genre innovation (Hafner & Miller, 2018) while also encouraging teachers' reflection on how to best prepare students for effective communication. To this end, it has been suggested that the development of students' multimodal literacy becomes essential (Lim & Tan‐Chia, 2022). This study presents the design and implementation of a genre‐based approach to enhance students' multimodal literacy through elevator pitch presentations. This approach was intended to involve students in the creation and production of a professionally oriented presentation while raising their awareness towards the expression of ideational, textual, and interpersonal meanings. In addition, we report on the students' experience during the pedagogical practice. Overall, the findings show that students were generally satisfied with the process of designing and delivering an elevator pitch presentation. Nevertheless, some students faced challenges during both the design and delivery process, primarily attributed to the demands of this particular genre.
Effect of papaya (Carica papaya) seed as phytogenic feed additives on egg performance, egg quality and blood serum biochemical constituents of layer hens
Authors: Dissa Meshesha , Yesuf Yonatan Kassu , Belete Ermias
Published: October 2023

Background

Supplementing poultry diets with certain natural phytogenic additives has positive impacts on performance parameters like feed intake, egg production and quality of layer hens.

Objectives

The study aimed to examine how supplementing papaya seed as phytogenic feed additive (PFA) to the diets of layer chickens affected their egg production, quality and blood serum biochemical parameters.

Methods

One hundred twenty 28‐week‐old Bovans brown laying hens were randomly assigned to one of four treatments with varying levels of papaya seed supplementation at 0 g/kg (T1), 5 g/kg (T2), 10 g/kg (T3) and 15 g/kg (T4) in a complete randomized design.

Result

Layer chickens supplemented with 0.5% (T2), 1% (T3) and 1.5% (T4) papaya seed as a PFA had significantly (p < 0.05) improved dry matter intake, egg production%, egg mass and feed conversion. On the other hand, papaya seed supplementation decreased (p < 0.05) the bodyweight gain of laying hens. Papaya seed supplementation significantly (p < 0.05) increased egg weight, length, width, yolk height and yolk colour compared to the control group. Serum total protein on T4 and liver enzyme of alkaline phosphatase on T3 were significantly greater (p < 0.05) than in the control group. However, there were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in serum albumin, glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride and aspartate aminotransferase levels among treatments laying hens.

Conclusion

Papaya seed can be a potential candidate as a PFA at 5–15 g/kg of the basal diet to improve egg‐laying performance and quality without deteriorating effect.
Effect of pomegranate seed oil on egg production, egg quality and yolk fatty acid deposition in laying hen
Authors: Gharagozloo Alireza , Kheiri Farshid , Nasr Javad , Faghani Mostafa
Published: October 2023

Background

Pomegranate seed oil (PSO) contains punicic acid as well as conjugated linolenic acid isomers, including α‐eleostearic and catalpic acids, along with phytosterols, especially β‐sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol, with lipotropic impact and egg fortifying effect in laying hens.

Objectives

The present experiment was designed to examine the effects of PSO on egg production, egg quality, blood lipids and yolk fatty acid deposition in laying hens.

Methods

A total of 360 Hy‐line laying hens (w‐80), at 25 weeks of age, were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design during a 10‐week period. Experimental treatments consisted of a basal diet or supplementation of 1, 2, 3 and 4 g PSO/kg to basal diet. Performance indicators and fatty acid composition of egg yolk were evaluated during different experimental periods. Blood lipid attributes were evaluated at the end of the experiment.

Results

Dietary supplementation of 4 g PSO/kg feed increased daily feed intake and egg production rate of laying hens (p < 0.05). There was not any significant influence of experimental treatments on egg quality, whereas an increasing trend observed in egg yolk colour of hens received dietary graded levels of PSO. Dietary supplemental 4 g/kg PSO increased the proportion of yolk poly‐unsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentration (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the PUFA to saturated fatty acid ratio increased after dietary supplementation of 1 or 4 g/kg PSO (p < 0.05). Serum concentration of cholesterol, triacylglycerol and low‐density lipoprotein decreased in response to the supplementation of more than 3 g PSO/kg in the feed (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 4 g/kg PSO improved production rate and decreased blood lipids in laying hens. Moreover, dietary supplemental PSO modified yolk fatty acid deposition without detrimental effects on the egg quality.
Implementation of ‘One Health’ approach in Kerala state, India – A systematic review
Authors: Suhail Mohammed K. , Hannis Dorothy , Armstrong Alan , Rhodes Alan
Published: October 2023

With humans, animals and the environment being as interconnected as they are, the science describing their interactions needs to cut across disciplinary boundaries. Systems research at the interface between the three goes by several names, such as ‘Eco‐Health’ and ‘Planetary Health’, each with a varied focus, but the concept of ‘One Health’ (OH) has stood out as the most popular one. COVID‐19 has reiterated the importance of OH in response to health challenges. This review aimed to assess the OH approach integration and implementation level in Kerala state, India, in the context of emerging zoonotic diseases. A systematic literature review was conducted by searching for relevant articles with specific keywords across six electronic databases. This involved screening the initial hits for titles and abstracts, then systematic sorting to identify the ones that met the criteria, followed by more thorough scrutiny to finally shortlist the six studies to be included in the review. We found that OH in Kerala has made good progress, as evident from a few recent examples, but has a long way to go with significant challenges. In line with the study's aim, identifying and analysing what is already done, what is missing and what needs to be done can have wider implications for future OH implementation. Relevant threats and opportunities were identified, with lessons for Kerala and India and broader applications.
How temperature shapes the biosynthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates in mixed microbial cultures
Authors: Palmeiro‐Sánchez Tania , Graham Alison , Lens Piet , O'Flaherty Vincent
Published: October 2023

Three sequential batch reactors were operated for the enrichment in microbial communities able to store polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) using activated sludge as inoculum. They ran simultaneously under the same operational conditions (organic loading rate, hydraulic and solids retention time, cycle length, C/N ratio) just with the solely difference of the working temperature: psychrophilic (15°C), mesophilic (30°C), and thermophilic (48°C). The microbial communities enriched showed different behaviors in terms of consumption and production rates. In terms of PHA accumulation, the psychrophilic community was able to accumulate an average amount of 17.7 ± 5.7 wt% poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), the mesophilic 40.3 ± 7.0 wt% PHBV, and the thermophilic 14.8 ± 0.3 wt% PHBV in dry weight over total solids. The average PHBV production yields for each selected community were 0.41 ± 0.12 CmmolPHBV/CmmolVFA at 15°C, 0.64 ± 0.05 CmmolPHBV/CmmolVFA at 30°C, and 0.39 ± 0.14 CmmolPHBV/CmmolVFA at 48°C. The overall performance of the mesophilic reactor was better than the other two, and the copolymers obtained at this temperature contained a higher PHV fraction. The physico‐chemical properties of the obtained biopolymers at each temperature were also measured, and major differences were found in the molecular weight, following an increasing trend with temperature.

Practitioner Points

PHBV molecular weight is influenced by the operational temperature increasing with it.

Increasing temperatures promote the production of HB over HV.

The best accumulation performance was found at 30°C for the tested operational conditions.
Sovereignty and 6G
Authors: Timmers Paul , Serentschy Georg
Published: October 2023

Sovereignty has become a top priority for government leaders. Strengthening strategic autonomy, the three Cs of Control, Capabilities, and Capacities that are necessary for sovereignty are becoming a go/no-go criterion in technology policy initiatives. However, what is the future of sovereignty in a pervasive digital, densely connected, and compute-intense world? What is sovereignty in the world of 6G? Or is the question rather: what is 6G in a world where safeguarding sovereignty is a major theme in geopolitical collaboration, competition, and conflict? This chapter outlines the interplay of 6G technology and political-industrial governance in different scenarios for the future of sovereignty.
Complementary constraints on $$ Zb\overline{b} $$ couplings at the LHC
Authors: Bishara Fady , Qian Zhuoni
Published: October 2023

Abstract

We propose a new strategy to probe the Z boson couplings to bottom and charm quarks at the LHC. In this work we mainly focus on the case of bottom quarks. Here, the Z boson is produced in association with two b-jets and decays to electrons or muons. In this final state, tagging the charge of the b-jets allows us to measure the charge asymmetry and thus to directly probe the $$ Zb\overline{b} $$
Zb

b
¯

couplings. The leptonic final state not only allows us to cleanly reconstruct the Z boson but also to mitigate the otherwise overwhelming backgrounds. Furthermore, while LEP could only scan a limited range of dilepton invariant masses, there is no such limitation at the LHC. Consequently, this allows us to make full use of the interference between the amplitudes mediated by a Z boson and a photon. Using the full high-luminosity LHC dataset of 3 ab−1 and with the current flavor and charge-tagging capabilities would allow us to reject the wrong-sign right-handed coupling solution by 4σ. Further improving the charge-tagging efficiency would disfavor it by 6σ.
Spinning partial waves for scattering amplitudes in d dimensions
Authors: Burić Ilija , Russo Francesco , Vichi Alessandro
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Partial wave decomposition is one of the main tools within the modern S-matrix studies. We present a method to compute partial waves for 2 → 2 scattering of spinning particles in arbitrary spacetime dimension. We identify partial waves as matrix elements of the rotation group with definite covariance properties under a subgroup. This allows to use a variety of techniques from harmonic analysis in order to construct a novel algebra of weight-shifting operators. All spinning partial waves are generated by the action of these operators on a set of known scalar seeds. The text is accompanied by a Mathematica notebook to automatically generate partial waves. These results pave the way to a systematic studies of spinning S-matrix bootstrap and positivity bounds.
Boundaries & localisation with a topological twist
Authors: Crew Samuel , Zhang Daniel , Zhao Boan
Published: October 2023

Abstract

We study the partition functions of topologically twisted 3d $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 gauge theories on a hemisphere spacetime with boundary HS2 × S1. We show that the partition function may be localised to either the Higgs branch or the Coulomb branch where the contributions to the path integral are vortex or monopole configurations respectively. Turning to $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 4 supersymmetry, we consider partition functions for exceptional Dirichlet boundary conditions that yield a complete set of ‘IR holomorphic blocks’. We demonstrate that these correspond to vertex functions: equivariant Euler characteristics of quasimap moduli spaces. In this context, we explore the geometric interpretation of both the Higgs and Coulomb branch localisation schemes in terms of the enumerative geometry of quasimaps and discuss the action of mirror symmetry.
Islands in non-minimal dilaton gravity: exploring effective theories for black hole evaporation
Authors: Wu Chih-Hung , Xu Jiuci
Published: October 2023

Abstract

We start from (3 + 1)-dimensional Einstein gravity with minimally coupled massless scalar matter, through spherical dimensional reduction, the matter theory is non-minimally coupled with the dilaton in (1 + 1)-dimensions. Despite its simplicity, constructing a self-consistent one-loop effective theory for this model remains a challenge, partially due to a Weyl-invariant ambiguity in the effective action. With a universal splitting property for the one-loop action, the ambiguity can be identified with the state-dependent part of the covariant quantum stress tensor. By introducing on-shell equivalent auxiliary fields to construct minimal candidates of Weyl-invariant terms, we derive a one-parameter family of one-loop actions with unique, regular, and physical stress tensors corresponding to the Boulware, Hartle-Hawking and Unruh states. We further study the back-reacted geometry and the corresponding quantum extremal islands that were inaccessible without a consistent one-loop theory. Along the way, we elaborate on the implications of our construction for the non-minimal dilaton gravity model.
Doubly nonlinear equations for the 1-Laplacian
Authors: Mazón J. M. , Molino A. , Toledo J.
Published: October 2023

This paper is concerned with the Neumann problem for a class of doubly nonlinear equations for the 1-Laplacian, $$\begin{aligned} \frac{\partial v}{\partial t} - \Delta _1 u \ni 0 \hbox { in } (0, \infty ) \times \Omega , \quad v\in \gamma (u), \end{aligned}$$

∂
v

∂
t

-

Δ
1

u
∋
0

in

(
0
,
∞
)

×
Ω
,

v
∈
γ

(
u
)

,

and initial data in $$L^1(\Omega )$$

L
1

(
Ω
)

, where $$\Omega $$
Ω
is a bounded smooth domain in $${\mathbb {R}}^N$$

R

N

and $$\gamma $$
γ
is a maximal monotone graph in $${\mathbb {R}}\times {\mathbb {R}}$$

R
×
R

. We prove that, under certain assumptions on the graph $$\gamma $$
γ
, there is existence and uniqueness of solutions. Moreover, we proof that these solutions coincide with the ones of the Neumann problem for the total variational flow. We show that such assumptions are necessary.
Shooting for collinear periodic orbits in the Helium model
Authors: Zhao Lei
Published: October 2023

The frozen-planet periodic orbit of the classical collinear Helium model with negative energy is shown to exist by a simple shooting argument. This simplifies the approach established in Cieliebak et al. (Ann Inst H Poincaré Anal Non Linéaire 40:379–455, 2022). With this argument, it also follows that the algebraic count of the number of such orbits with a given negative energy is 1, as recently established in Cieliebak et al. (Nondegeneracy and integral count of frozen-planet orbits in helium, 2022. arXiv:2209.12634). The same argument also leads to the existence of other collinear periodic orbits of the classical collinear Helium model.
Metastasiertes kastrationsresistentes Prostatakarzinom: Welche Sequenzen sind am sinnvollsten?
Authors: Horak Jana , Petrausch Ulf , Omlin Aurelius
Published: October 2023

Hintergrund

Beim fortgeschrittenen Prostatakarzinom bezeichnet man die Krankheitsprogression unter der laufenden Androgendeprivation (ADT) als Kastrationsresistenz (CRPC). Für die Behandlung stehen verschiedene therapeutische Modalitäten zu Verfügung (endokrine Therapien, Chemotherapien, PARP-Inhibition, Radionuklid- und Radioligandentherapie).

Ziel der Arbeit

In dieser Arbeit werden praktische Aspekte und Überlegungen zur Sequenztherapie ausgeführt.

Material und Methoden

Die Ausführungen beruhen auf den vorhandenen prospektiven Phase-III-Studien, welche einen klinisch relevanten und statistisch signifikanten Vorteil im radiographisch progressionsfreien und/oder Gesamtüberleben nachweisen konnten.

Ergebnisse

Die Sequenztherapie ist neben vielen individuellen patientenbezogenen Faktoren abhängig von der Behandlung, welche Patienten in der hormonsensitiven Situation (mHSPC) erhalten haben. Nach Vorbehandlung mit ADT alleine oder ADT plus Docetaxel in der mHSPC-Situation, ist eine zusätzliche endokrine Therapie der Standard. Bei Progress unter einer kombinierten endokrinen Therapie, welche in der mHSPC-Situation gestartet wurde, ist aktuell Docetaxel für die Mehrheit der Patienten der Standard. Patienten mit Triplet-Vorbehandlung in der mHSPC-Situation können mit einer Radioligandentherapie oder mit einer Zweitlinienchemotherapie behandelt werden.

Schlussfolgerung

Für Patienten mit mCRPC stehen verschiedene, aktive und gut verträgliche Therapiemöglichkeiten zu Verfügung. Der Einsatz richtet sich primär nach den bereits erfolgten Vortherapien aber viele weitere, individuelle Faktoren werden mitberücksichtigt.
Clinical outcomes of 3T magnetic resonance imaging-guided lumbar and sacral foraminal injections
Authors: Guillemin Pauline C. , Salomir Rares , Lauper Nicolas , Lorton Orane , Maturana Enrique , Stöckli Alex , Poletti Pierre-Alexandre , Dominguez Dennis E. , Boudabbous Sana , Scheffler Max
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This article evaluates the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of MRI-guided lumbar or sacral nerve root infiltration for chronic back pain. We compared the outcomes of our MRI-guided infiltrations with data from CT-guided infiltrations reported in the literature and explored the potential advantages of MRI guidance.

Method

Forty-eight MRI-guided nerve root infiltrations were performed using a 3 T MRI machine. The optimal needle path was determined using breathhold T2-weighted sequences, and the needle was advanced under interleaved guidance based on breathhold PD-weighted images. Pain levels were assessed using a numeric rating scale (NRS) before the procedure and up to 5 months after, during follow-up. Procedure success was evaluated by comparing patients’ pain levels before and after the infiltration.

Results

The MRI-guided infiltrations yielded pain reduction 1 week after the infiltration in 92% of cases, with an average NRS substantial change of 3.9 points. Pain reduction persisted after 5 months for 51% of procedures. No procedure-related complications occurred. The use of a 22G needle and reconstructed subtraction images from T2 FatSat sequences improved the workflow.

Conclusion

Our study showed that MRI-guided nerve root infiltration is a feasible, safe, and effective treatment option for chronic back pain. Precise positioning of the needle tip and accurate distribution of the injected solution contributed to the effectiveness of MRI-guided infiltration, which appeared to be as accurate as CT-guided procedures. Further research is needed to explore the potential benefits of metal artifact reduction sequences to optimize chronic back pain management.