bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Childhood and adulthood passive and active smoking, and the ABO group as risk factors for pancreatic cancer in women
Authors: Vedie Anne‐Laure , Laouali Nasser , Gelot Amandine , Severi Gianluca , Boutron‐Ruault Marie‐Christine , Rebours Vinciane
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Active smoking and the A blood group are associated with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PC) risk. However, potential interactions between those risk factors and the role of passive smoking have been little investigated. We aimed to explore specific and joint associations of passive and active smoking, and effect modification by the ABO blood group in French women.

Methods

The study included 96,594 women from the E3N prospective cohort, mean age: 49 years (SD 6.7). Information on active and passive smoking was reported at inclusion and throughout follow‐up. Cases were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases 10. Associations with passive and active smoking and effect modification by the ABO blood group were investigated with multivariable Cox regression models to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results

During a 24‐year median follow‐up, 346 incident PC cases were identified. Current smoking compared with never and former smoking (HR 1.51 [95% CI 1.08–2.10]), and passive smoking in childhood compared with no childhood exposure (HR 1.47 [95% CI 1.08–2.00]) were associated with increased PC risk, but not passive exposure in adulthood (HR 1.16 [95% CI 0.91–1.47]). Exposure to both passive smoking in childhood and current smoking was associated with a stronger risk (HR 2.80 [95% CI 1.42–5.52]) than exposure to both current smoking and passive smoking only in adulthood (HR 1.68 [95% CI 1.10–2.57]) compared with neither passive nor active smoking. Associations between active smoking and PC risk were strongest in the O or B groups, while associations with passive smoking were strongest in the A or AB blood groups, but the interaction terms were not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Both current smoking and passive smoking in childhood were associated with PC risk, with a maximal risk of current smokers exposed to passive smoking during childhood. Possible interactions between blood groups and active or passive smoking must be investigated in a larger series.
Catchment concentration–discharge relationships across temporal scales: A review
Authors: Speir Shannon L. , Rose Lucy A. , Blaszczak Joanna R. , Kincaid Dustin W. , Fazekas Hannah M. , Webster Alex J. , Wolford Michelle A. , Shogren Arial J. , Wymore Adam S.
Published: December 2023

Processes that drive variability in catchment solute sourcing, transformation, and transport can be investigated using concentration–discharge (C–Q) relationships. These relationships reflect catchment and in‐stream processes operating across nested temporal scales, incorporating both short and long‐term patterns. Scientists can therefore leverage catchment‐scale C–Q datasets to identify and distinguish among the underlying meteorological, biological, and geological processes that drive solute export patterns from catchments and influence the shape of their respective C–Q relationships. We have synthesized current knowledge regarding the influence of biological, geological, and meteorological processes on C–Q patterns for various solute types across diel to decadal time scales. We identify cross‐scale linkages and tools researchers can use to explore these interactions across time scales. Finally, we identify knowledge gaps in our understanding of C–Q temporal dynamics as reflections of catchment and in‐stream processes. We also lay the foundation for developing an integrated approach to investigate cross‐scale linkages in the temporal dynamics of C–Q relationships, reflecting catchment biogeochemical processes and the effects of environmental change on water quality.

This article is categorized under:

Science of Water > Hydrological Processes

Science of Water > Water Quality

Science of Water > Water and Environmental Change
A Converse of the Banach Contraction Principle for Partial Metric Spaces and the Continuum Hypothesis
Authors: Maćkowiak Piotr
Published: December 2023

A version of the Bessaga inverse of the Banach contraction principle for partial metric spaces is presented. Equivalence of that version and the continuum hypothesis is shown as well.
Biodegradation of Imazethapyr by Bacterial Strain IM9601 Isolated from Agricultural Soil
Authors: Xu Zehua , Li Baiyun , Jia Yonghua , Guo Xinnian , Lv Fanyang
Published: December 2023

The widespread utilization of the herbicide imazethapyr presents significant challenges to crop rotation and results in detrimental soil degradation issues. Bacterial biodegradation has emerged as a promising and eco-friendly approach for mitigating pesticide residues contamination in the environment. In this study, a novel bacterium, identified as Brevibacterium sp. IM9601, was isolated and characterized based on morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics, as well as 16S rRNA gene sequence. This strain exhibited the ability to utilize imazethapyr as its sole carbon source for growth. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize the degradation conditions. The most favorable conditions were determined to be a temperature of 27 °C, pH of 6.0, and an initial inoculum with a final OD600 of 0.15. Under these optimized condition, bacterial strain IM9601 exhibited substantial imazethapyr degradation, with removal rates of 90.08 and 87.05% for initial imazethapyr concentrations of 50 and 100 mg L−1, respectively, achieved within a 5-day incubation period. This investigation highlights imazethapyr-degrading capabilities of the Brevibacterium genus bacterial strain IM9601, marking it as a potentially novel and effective solution for addressing the environmental pollution resulting from the usage of imazethapyr. The study contributes to the growing body of research on bioremediation approaches, offering a sustainable and environmentally friendly method for mitigating the adverse impacts of herbicide contamination in agricultural settings.
Hereditäres Angioödem durch C1-Inhibitor-Mangel, eine nationale Versorgungsleitlinie
Authors: Aberer Werner , Altrichter Sabine , Cerpes Urban , Hawranek Thomas , Schöffl Clemens , Kinaciyan Tamar
Published: December 2023

Das hereditäre Angioödem (HAE) ist eine seltene, schmerzhafte, behindernde und potenziell tödliche Erkrankung, bei der eine frühzeitige Diagnose und wirksame Therapie von entscheidender Bedeutung sind. Die vorliegende österreichische Leitlinie zur Diagnose und Behandlung von HAE bietet Anleitungen und Informationen zum State-of-the-Art-Management von HAE speziell in Österreich, und dies im Gegensatz zu globalen Richtlinien, in denen die spezifische Situation aller Länder weltweit berücksichtigt werden muss. Unser Ziel ist es, österreichischen Ärzten dabei zu helfen, HAE als Differenzialdiagnose bei entsprechenden Symptomen zu erkennen und zu berücksichtigen, rationale Entscheidungen für die Diagnose und Behandlung von HAE mit C1-Inhibitor-Mangel (Typ 1 oder Typ 2) zu treffen, indem wir hier über häufige und wichtige klinische Symptome, Diagnosemethoden, Behandlungsmodalitäten wie verfügbare HAE-spezifische Medikamente in Österreich informieren, und nicht zuletzt, um sie zu motivieren, ihre Patient:innen zur Bestätigung der Diagnose und zur adäquaten Behandlungsentscheidung in HAE-Zentren vorzustellen.
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe—Summer time and out are you? The working population in the EU would likely benefit from elimination of daylight saving time
Authors: Schernhammer Eva S. , Strohmaier Susanne , Vonderlind Philip
Published: December 2023

Daylight (saving) time (DST) is an over one century old practice to maximize the overlap between natural day light and individual active time (i.e., non-sleep time). Whether to abandon the practice is subject to an ongoing, twice a year intensifying debate. A request to abandon the practice is based on the lack of benefits in terms of energy savings and potential negative health effects. We present a tool that captures one key aspect of importance to the circadian system: maximizing the overlap of natural day light with human active time, focusing on early morning light exposure as the primary stimulus for our circadian system. Based on publicly available data we incorporated an approximation of the 27 European Union (EU) countries’ spatial population distribution into a calculation of average exposure to morning sunlight under DST or no DST conditions for each EU27 country and the entire region. An online app offers visualization of these differences on the country level alongside a population-weighted average for the EU27. Our findings support that the majority of the EU’s working population would likely benefit from the elimination of daylight saving time if maximizing an adequate morning stimulus is the primary goal and adjusting actual time zones or biennially changing the clock is not an option.
Addressing the economic and demographic complexity via a neural network approach: risk measures for reverse mortgages
Authors: Di Lorenzo E. , Piscopo G. , Sibillo M.
Published: December 2023

The study deals with the application of a neural network algorithm for fronting and solving problems connected with the riskiness in financial contexts. We consider a specific contract whose characteristics make it a paradigm of a complex financial transaction, that is the Reverse Mortgage. Reverse Mortgages allow elderly homeowners to get a credit line that will be repaid through the selling of their homes after their deaths, letting them continue to live there. In accordance with regulatory guidelines that direct prudent assessments of future losses to ensure solvency, within the perspective of the risk assessment of Reverse Mortgage portfolios, the paper deals with the estimation of the Conditional Value at Risk. Since the riskiness is affected by nonlinear relationships between risk factors, the Conditional Value at Risk is estimated using Neural Networks, as they are a suitable method for fitting nonlinear functions. The Conditional Value at Risk estimated by means of Neural Network approach is compared with the traditional Value at Risk in a numerical application.
Piecewise orthogonal collocation for computing periodic solutions of renewal equations
Authors: Andò Alessia , Breda Dimitri
Published: December 2023

We extend the use of piecewise orthogonal collocation to computing periodic solutions of renewal equations, which are particularly important in modeling population dynamics. We prove convergence through a rigorous error analysis. Finally, we show some numerical experiments confirming the theoretical results and a couple of applications in view of bifurcation analysis.
The effects of procedural and conceptual knowledge on visual learning
Authors: Beeler Nadja , Ziegler Esther , Volz Andreas , Navarini Alexander A. , Kapur Manu
Published: December 2023

Even though past research suggests that visual learning may benefit from conceptual knowledge, current interventions for medical image evaluation often focus on procedural knowledge, mainly by teaching classification algorithms. We compared the efficacy of pure procedural knowledge (three-point checklist for evaluating skin lesions) versus combined procedural plus conceptual knowledge (histological explanations for each of the three points). All students then trained their classification skills with a visual learning resource that included images of two types of pigmented skin lesions: benign nevi and malignant melanomas. Both treatments produced significant and long-lasting effects on diagnostic accuracy in transfer tasks. However, only students in the combined procedural plus conceptual knowledge condition significantly improved their diagnostic performance in classifying lesions they had seen before in the pre- and post-tests. Findings suggest that the provision of additional conceptual knowledge supported error correction mechanisms.
The Relationship between Age at Initiation of Regular Drinking of Alcohol and Viral Suppression Status, and Depression Symptoms Among People Living with HIV in South-Western Uganda
Authors: Odokonyero Raymond Felix , Fatch Robin , Emenyonu Nneka I. , Cheng Debbie M. , Ngabirano Christine , Adong Julian , Muyindike Winnie R. , Nakasujja Noeline , Camlin Carol S. , Kamya Moses , Hahn Judith A.
Published: December 2023

Alcohol use is an important factor in achieving and maintaining viral suppression and optimal mental health among persons with HIV (PWH), however, the effect of age at first regular drinking on viral suppression and depression remains poorly understood. Here, using secondary data from the Alcohol Drinkers’ Exposure to Preventive Therapy for Tuberculosis (ADEPT-T) study, we used logistic regression analyses to explore whether there is an association between age at first regular drinking and viral suppression (< 40 copies/ml), or presence of depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression, CES-D ≥ 16) among 262 PWH. The median age at first regular drinking was 20.5 years (IQR: 10), with high proportions starting under age 12 (12.2%) and as teens (13.4%). The majority had an undetectable viral load (91.7%) and 11% had symptoms of probable depression. We found no significant association between age at first regular drinking and viral suppression (i.e., child (aOR = 0.76 95%CI: 0.18, 3.26), adolescent (aOR = 0.74 95%CI: 0.18, 2.97) and young adult (aOR = 1.27 95%CI: 0.40, 3.97)) nor with depressive symptoms (i.e., child (aOR = 0.72 95%CI: 0.19, 2.83), adolescent (aOR = 0.59 95%CI: 0.14, 2.50) and young adult (aOR = 0.57 95%CI: 0.22, 1.53)). Age at first regular drinking among PWH did not appear to be associated with either viral suppression or the presence of depressive symptoms, suggesting interventions may best be focused on the harmful effects of current alcohol use.
Culturally Relevant Africultural Coping Moderates the Association Between Discrimination and Antiretroviral Adherence Among Sexual Minority Black Americans Living with HIV
Authors: Wagner Glenn J. , Bogart Laura M. , Klein David J. , Lawrence Sean J. , Goggin Kathy , Gizaw Mahlet , Mutchler Matt G.
Published: December 2023

Exposure to discrimination has been linked to lower HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and poor HIV care outcomes among Black Americans. Coping has been shown to mitigate the harmful effects of discrimination on health behaviors, but the use of cultural relevant Africultural coping strategies is understudied as a moderator of the association between intersectional discrimination and ART adherence among Black Americans. We used adjusted logistic regression to test whether Africultural coping strategies (cognitive/emotional debriefing; collective; spiritual-centered; ritual-centered) moderated associations between multiple forms of discrimination (HIV, sexual orientation, race) and good ART adherence (minimum of 75% or 85% of prescribed doses taken, as measured by electronic monitoring in separate analyses) among 92 sexual minority Black Americans living with HIV. Mean adherence was 66.5% in month 8 after baseline (36%≥85% adherence; 49%≥75% adherence). Ritual-centered coping moderated the relationship between each of the three types of discrimination at baseline and good ART adherence in month 8 (regardless of the minimum threshold for good adherence); when use of ritual coping was low, the association between discrimination and adherence was statistically significant. The other three coping scales each moderated the association between racial discrimination and good ART adherence (defined by the 75% threshold); cognitive/emotional debriefing was also a moderator for both HIV- and race-related discrimination at the 85% adherence threshold. These findings support the benefits of Africultural coping, particularly ritual-centered coping, to help sexual minority Black Americans manage stressors associated with discrimination and to adhere well to ART.
Matchings under distance constraints II.
Authors: Madarasi Péter
Published: December 2023

This paper introduces the d-distanceb-matching problem, in which we are given a bipartite graph $$G=(S,T;E)$$

G
=
(
S
,
T
;
E
)

with $$S=\{s_1,\dots ,s_n\}$$

S
=
{

s
1

,
⋯
,

s
n

}

, a weight function on the edges, an integer $$d\in \mathbb {Z}_+$$

d
∈

Z
+

and a degree bound function $$b:S\cup T\rightarrow \mathbb {Z}_+$$

b
:
S
∪
T
→

Z
+

. The goal is to find a maximum-weight subset $$M\subseteq E$$

M
⊆
E

of the edges satisfying the following two conditions: (1) the degree of each node $$v\in S\cup T$$

v
∈
S
∪
T

is at most b(v) in M, (2) if $$s_it,s_jt\in M$$

s
i

t
,

s
j

t
∈
M

, then $$|i-j|\ge d$$

|
i
-
j
|
≥
d

. In the cyclic version of the problem, the nodes in S are considered to be in cyclic order. We get back the (cyclic)d-distance matching problem when $$b(s) = 1$$

b
(
s
)
=
1

for $$s\in S$$

s
∈
S

and $$b(t) = \infty $$

b
(
t
)
=
∞

for $$t\in T$$

t
∈
T

. We prove that the d-distance matching problem is APX-hard, even in the unweighted case. We show that $$2-\frac{1}{d}$$

2
-

1
d

is a tight upper bound on the integrality gap of the natural integer programming model for the cyclic d-distance b-matching problem provided that $$(2d-1)$$

(
2
d
-
1
)

divides the size of S. For the non-cyclic case, the integrality gap is shown to be at most $$(2-\frac{2}{d})$$

(
2
-

2
d

)

. The proofs give approximation algorithms with guarantees matching these bounds, and also improve the best known algorithms for the (cyclic) d-distance matching problem. In a related problem, our goal is to find a permutation of S maximizing the weight of the optimal d-distance b-matching. This problem can be solved in polynomial time for the (cyclic) d-distance matching problem — even though the (cyclic) d-distance matching problem itself is NP-hard and also hard to approximate arbitrarily. For (cyclic) d-distance b-matchings, however, we prove that finding the best permutation is NP-hard, even if $$b\equiv 2$$

b
≡
2

or $$d=2$$

d
=
2

, and we give e-approximation algorithms.
A biobased superabsorbent formulation for above-ground application of a new entomophthoralean fungus for biological psyllid pest control
Authors: Muskat Linda C. , Kais Britta , Gross Jürgen , Eilenberg Jørgen , Patel Anant V.
Published: December 2023

Entomophthoralean fungi have long been recognized as promising candidates for biological insect pest control. However, due to technical challenges, no preparation based on these fungi has been established for practical use so far. Low water availability is a key limiting factor of conidial discharge and germination. In the present study, sporulation of psyllid-pathogenic entomophthoralean fungus Pandora cacopsyllae Eilenberg, Keller and Humber (Entomophthorales Entomophthoraceae) was not observable under reduced water activity (aW ≤ 0.97). To support sporulation of encapsulated P. cacopsyllae hyphae from submerged culture under low humidity conditions in above-ground applications in field, we developed a novel paste-type formulation containing biobased superabsorbents, which retained water for a prolonged time period. In co-application with the superabsorbent formulation, the otherwise fast-drying capsules were kept sufficiently moist for sporulation for at least six days in laboratory trials at low humidity below 40%. Using the new formulation, we measured conidial discharge by P. cacopsyllae from the capsules under dry semi-field conditions in summertime by trapping conidia at a vertical distance of up to 40 cm from the sporulation source. By considering the cardinal directions, fewer conidia were discharged on the sun-facing side in the east than on the sun-averted side in the west. The developed formulation improved the sporulation efficacy significantly. Since water availability is a limiting factor for many fungal biocontrol agents, the developed formulation has the potential to also improve their efficacy.
Production of d-glucaric acid with phosphoglucose isomerase-deficient Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Toivari Mervi , Vehkomäki Maija-Leena , Ruohonen Laura , Penttilä Merja , Wiebe Marilyn G.
Published: December 2023

d-Glucaric acid is a potential biobased platform chemical. Previously mainly Escherichia coli, but also the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Pichia pastoris, have been engineered for conversion of d-glucose to d-glucaric acid via myo-inositol. One reason for low yields from the yeast strains is the strong flux towards glycolysis. Thus, to decrease the flux of d-glucose to biomass, and to increase d-glucaric acid yield, the four step d-glucaric acid pathway was introduced into a phosphoglucose isomerase deficient (Pgi1p-deficient) Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain. High d-glucose concentrations are toxic to the Pgi1p-deficient strains, so various feeding strategies and use of polymeric substrates were studied. Uniformly labelled 13C-glucose confirmed conversion of d-glucose to d-glucaric acid. In batch bioreactor cultures with pulsed d-fructose and ethanol provision 1.3 g d-glucaric acid L−1 was produced. The d-glucaric acid titer (0.71 g d-glucaric acid L−1) was lower in nitrogen limited conditions, but the yield, 0.23 g d-glucaric acid [g d-glucose consumed]−1, was among the highest that has so far been reported from yeast. Accumulation of myo-inositol indicated that myo-inositol oxygenase activity was limiting, and that there would be potential to even higher yield. The Pgi1p-deficiency in S. cerevisiae provides an approach that in combination with other reported modifications and bioprocess strategies would promote the development of high yield d-glucaric acid yeast strains.
Incidence and risk factors of hypothyroidism after treatment for early breast cancer: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Digkas Evangelos , Smith Daniel Robert , Wennstig Anna-Karin , Matikas Alexios , Tegnelius Eva , Valachis Antonios
Published: December 2023

Purpose

An increased incidence of hypothyroidism among breast cancer survivors has been observed in earlier studies. The impact of the postoperative treatment modalities and their potential interplay on hypothyroidism development needs to be studied.

Methods

We conducted a population- and registry-based study using the Breast Cancer Data Base Sweden (BCBaSe) including females diagnosed with breast cancer between 2006 and 2012. In total, 21,268 female patients diagnosed with early breast cancer between 2006 and 2012, with no previous prescription of thyroid hormones and no malignant diagnosis during the last ten years before breast cancer diagnosis, were included in the final analysis.

Results

During the follow-up (median follow-up time 7.9 years), 1212 patients (5.7%) developed hypothyroidism at a median time of 3.45 years from the index date. No association of the systemic oncological treatment in terms of either chemotherapy or endocrine therapy and hypothyroidism development could be identified. A higher risk (HR 1.68;95% CI 1.42–1.99) of hypothyroidism identified among patients treated with radiation treatment of the regional lymph nodes whereas no increased risk in patients treated only with radiation therapy to the breast/chest wall was found (HR 1.01; 95% CI 0.86–1.19). The risk of hypothyroidism in the cohort treated with radiotherapy of the regional lymph nodes was present irrespective of the use of adjuvant chemotherapy treatment.

Conclusions

Based on the results of our study, the implementation of hypothyroidism surveillance among the breast cancer survivors treated with radiotherapy of the regional lymph nodes can be considered as reasonable in the follow-up program.
Screening history and risk of death from prostate cancer: a nested case–control study within the screening arm of the Finnish Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (FinRSPC)
Authors: Talala Kirsi , Walter Stephen , Taari Kimmo , Tammela Teuvo L. J. , Kujala Paula , Auvinen Anssi
Published: December 2023

Purpose

We assessed the risk of death from prostate cancer (PCa) in relation to men’s screening histories, i.e., screening attendance among men who were offered screening.

Methods

Men in the Finnish Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (FinRSPC) screening arm were invited to up to three screening rounds with the serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test at 4-year intervals during 1996–2007.

Case subjects (n = 330) were men who died from PCa. Each case was matched to five controls (n = 1544) among the men who were free of PCa.

Screening history was defined as (1) never/ever attended screening prior to the case diagnosis; (2) attended at the first screening round; and (3) recency of screening, calculated as the time from last screening attendance to the date of case diagnosis.

The association between screening history and the risk of death from PCa was estimated by odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) using conditional logistic regression.

Results

Having ever attended screening versus never attended was associated with a reduced risk of PCa death (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.45–0.81) and a similar association was found for those attended (versus not attended) the first screening round (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.51–0.87).

The effect by time since last screen for the risk of PCa death was significantly lower 2–7 years since last screen.

Conclusion

Among men invited to screening, subjects who attended any PSA screening during the previous 19 years had a 40% reduction in PCa mortality compared to non-screened men.
HOXA9 transcription factor is a double-edged sword: from development to cancer progression
Authors: Shenoy U Sangeetha , Adiga Divya , Alhedyan Faisal , Kabekkodu Shama Prasada , Radhakrishnan Raghu
Published: December 2023

The HOXA9 transcription factor serves as a molecular orchestrator in cancer stemness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), metastasis, and generation of the tumor microenvironment in hematological and solid malignancies. However, the multiple modes of regulation, multifaceted functions, and context-dependent interactions responsible for the dual role of HOXA9 as an oncogene or tumor suppressor in cancer remain obscure. Hence, unravelling its molecular complexities, binding partners, and interacting signaling molecules enables us to comprehend HOXA9-mediated transcriptional programs and molecular crosstalk. However, it is imperative to understand its central role in fundamental biological processes such as embryogenesis, foetus implantation, hematopoiesis, endothelial cell proliferation, and tissue homeostasis before designing targeted therapies. Indeed, it presents an enormous challenge for clinicians to selectively target its oncogenic functions or restore tumor-suppressive role without altering normal cellular functions. In addition to its implications in cancer, the present review also focuses on the clinical applications of HOXA9 in recurrence and drug resistance, which may provide a broader understanding beyond oncology, open new avenues for clinicians for accurate diagnoses, and develop personalized treatment strategies. Furthermore, we have also discussed the existing therapeutic options and accompanying challenges in HOXA9-targeted therapies in different cancer types.

Graphical Abstract
EmoTwiCS: a corpus for modelling emotion trajectories in Dutch customer service dialogues on Twitter
Authors: Labat Sofie , Demeester Thomas , Hoste Véronique
Published: December 2023

Due to the rise of user-generated content, social media is increasingly adopted as a channel to deliver customer service. Given the public character of online platforms, the automatic detection of emotions forms an important application in monitoring customer satisfaction and preventing negative word-of-mouth. This paper introduces EmoTwiCS, a corpus of 9489 Dutch customer service dialogues on Twitter that are annotated for emotion trajectories. In our business-oriented corpus, we view emotions as dynamic attributes of the customer that can change at each utterance of the conversation. The term ‘emotion trajectory’ refers therefore not only to the fine-grained emotions experienced by customers (annotated with 28 labels and valence-arousal-dominance scores), but also to the event happening prior to the conversation and the responses made by the human operator (both annotated with 8 categories). Inter-annotator agreement (IAA) scores on the resulting dataset are substantial and comparable with related research, underscoring its high quality. Given the interplay between the different layers of annotated information, we perform several in-depth analyses to investigate (i) static emotions in isolated tweets, (ii) dynamic emotions and their shifts in trajectory, and (iii) the role of causes and response strategies in emotion trajectories. We conclude by listing the advantages and limitations of our dataset, after which we give some suggestions on the different types of predictive modelling tasks and open research questions to which EmoTwiCS can be applied. The dataset is made publicly available athttps://lt3.ugent.be/resources/emotwics.
Latent class profiles of teacher use of digital tools in PISA 2018 data
Authors: Lee Jihyun
Published: December 2023

This study examined teachers’ digital tool use through latent class analysis (LCA) and identified predictors that separated the emergent subgroups of teachers. Data from the PISA 2018 teacher questionnaire were employed to analyze the teachers’ digital tool behaviors in ICT (Information and Communications Technology) strong countries: Germany, Korea, and USA. The LCA suggested three subgroups of teachers, with similar percentages in each country: ‘minimal users’ (Class 1: 22–33%); ‘moderate users’ (Class 2: 46–60%); and ‘versatile users’ (Class 3; 17–21%). Cross-national similarities were also found in the profile patterns of ‘minimal users’ and the variables predicting the subgroup membership. The single most important factor of digital tool use across the three countries was teacher training in ICT, either during pre-service training or through in-service professional development programs. Notable cross-national differences were found, however, in the profiles of ‘moderate’ users and their use of specific types of digital tools. Discussion concludes with practical suggestions to enhance teacher use of digital tools.
University teaching skills in ICT and disability. The case of the Autonomous Community of Madrid
Authors: Román-Graván Pedro , Fernández-Cerero José , Montenegro-Rueda Marta , Reyes-Rebollo Miguel María
Published: December 2023

Teachers must be prepared to serve all learners, regardless of their abilities or needs in this information and communication society. This implies developing the necessary competences to provide inclusive education to all students. The purpose of this study was to investigate the opinion of university teachers in the Autonomous Community of Madrid on their training in the use of technologies to support students with disabilities. To carry out this research, a descriptive approach combining both quantitative and qualitative methods was used. The final sample consisted of 106 university teachers (information collected through questionnaires) and 8 professionals from ICT Production Resource Centres and Services for People with Disabilities in the respective universities (information collected through interviews). Two data collection instruments were used: an ad-hoc questionnaire as a data collection instrument, and a semi-structured interview. The results of the study showed that university teachers have a low level of competence in the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to support students with disabilities. The lack of teacher training negatively affects the inclusion process in university education institutions. Higher education institutions need to promote the training of teachers in the use of technologies to cater for diversity.
Investigating the Impact of Varying Sand Content on the Physical Characteristics of Expansive Clay Soils from Syria
Authors: Alnmr Ammar , Ray Richard
Published: December 2023

Expansive clayey soils often pose challenges for construction projects due to their low bearing capacity, swelling, and shrinkage properties. While previous research has explored additives to enhance these soils’ properties, the potential of sand remains underexplored. This study investigates the impact of varying sand percentages on expansive clayey soils’ consistency, compaction, and permeability. This study examines how adding different percentages of sand influences the physical properties of expansive clayey soils. Laboratory tests involved systematic testing of texture, compaction, and permeability. Findings reveal a notable improvement in the physical properties of the soil with the addition of sand. Results from the laboratory tests provided data for empirical equations that facilitate the prediction of soil properties based on the sand content. The enhancement in soil properties underscores the potential of sand as an additive for expansive clayey soils. The empirical equations presented here provide practical benefits to geotechnical engineers and practitioners engaged in construction projects involving these soils, offering them valuable insights into the benefits of sand additives to improve physical characteristics. The insights gained from this research hold promising prospects for improving construction practices and addressing the challenges associated with these soils.
Automatic model generation for material flow simulations of Third-Party Logistics
Authors: Steinbacher Lennart M. , Düe Tim , Veigt Marius , Freitag Michael
Published: December 2023

The use of Third-Party Logistics (TPL) is a common practice among manufacturing companies seeking to increase profitability. However, the tender process in selecting a TPL service provider can be challenging, requiring significant effort from both the tendering company and the service provider. The latter must meticulously plan processes and calculate pricing positions while running the risk of losing the bid. This risk impedes verifying logistical feasibility and comparing different logistic concepts extensively, such as layouts, which are often work-intensive. With the ongoing progress of research toward automatic simulation model generation for material flow, it is left to answer whether such approaches can improve the planning processes of TPL service providers by using planning data to generate simulation models. Therefore, this work presents a system with an underlying ontology to generate material flow simulations by developing a model transformation methodology. The system’s functions are tested to determine whether they can support the planning process using defined case studies that cover everyday planning decisions. As a result, the system is capable of verifying the performance of planned logistic systems with minimal manual modelling efforts. This encompasses the evaluation of alternative logistical concepts for configuring the planned systems.
Hypocoercivity in Algebraically Constrained Partial Differential Equations with Application to Oseen Equations
Authors: Achleitner Franz , Arnold Anton , Mehrmann Volker
Published: December 2023

The long-time behavior of solutions to different versions of Oseen equations of fluid flow on the 2D torus is analyzed using the concept of hypocoercivity. The considered models are isotropic Oseen equations where the viscosity acts uniformly in all directions and anisotropic Oseen-type equations with different viscosity directions. The hypocoercivity index is determined (if it exists) and it is shown that similar to the finite dimensional case of ordinary differential equations and differential-algebraic equations it characterizes its decay behavior.
Fecal Deployment: An Alternative Way of Defensive Host Plant Cardenolide Use by Lilioceris merdigera Larvae
Authors: Baum Michael , Dobler Susanne
Published: December 2023

The brilliant red Lilioceris merdigera (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) can spend its entire life cycle on the cardenolide-containing plant Convallaria majalis (lily of the valley) and forms stable populations on this host. Yet, in contrast to many other insects on cardenolide-containing plants L. merdigera does not sequester these plant toxins in the body but rather both adult beetles and larvae eliminate ingested cardenolides with the feces. Tracer feeding experiments showed that this holds true for radioactively labeled ouabain and digoxin, a highly polar and a rather apolar cardenolide. Both compounds or their derivatives are incorporated in the fecal shields of the larvae. The apolar digoxin, but not the polar ouabain, showed a deterrent effect on the generalist predatory ant Myrmica rubra, which occurs in the habitat of L. merdigera. The deterrent effect was detected for digoxin both in choice and feeding time assays. In a predator choice assay, a fecal shield derived from a diet of cardenolide-containing C. majalis offered L. merdigera larvae better protection from M. rubra than one derived from non-cardenolide Allium schoenoprasum (chives) or no fecal shield at all. Thus, we here present data suggesting a new way how insects may gain protection by feeding on cardenolide-containing plants.
An ITPA Enzyme with Improved Substrate Selectivity
Authors: Burgis Nicholas E. , VanWormer Kandise , Robbins Devin , Smith Jonathan
Published: December 2023

Recent clinical data have identified infant patients with lethal ITPA deficiencies. ITPA is known to modulate ITP concentrations in cells and has a critical function in neural development which is not understood. Polymorphism of the ITPA gene affects outcomes for both ribavirin and thiopurine based therapies and nearly one third of the human population is thought to harbor ITPA polymorphism. In a previous site-directed mutagenesis alanine screen of the ITPA substrate selectivity pocket, we identified the ITPA mutant, E22A, as a gain-of function mutant with enhanced ITP hydrolysis activity. Here we report a rational enzyme engineering experiment to investigate the biochemical properties of position 22 ITPA mutants and find that the E22D ITPA has two- and four-fold improved substrate selectivity for ITP over the canonical purine triphosphates ATP and GTP, respectively, while maintaining biological activity. The novel E22D ITPA should be considered as a platform for further development of ITPA therapies.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Design and simulate the demultiplexer using photonic crystal ring resonator for DWDM system
Authors: Nivethitha V. , Sivasubramanian A.
Published: December 2023

In this study, a new four channel de-multiplexer with a ring resonator design is proposed. The bus waveguide and drop waveguide that make up the Ring Resonator are ring-shaped. In the proposed four channel demultiplexer design, one bus waveguide and four drop waveguides were built using a photonic crystal ring resonator. To improve output efficiency, the proposed demultiplexer was built with distinct inner radius values for each channel. With the resonance wavelengths for each channel in the range of 1552.4 nm, 1553.2 nm, 1554.1 nm, and 1555.4 nm, the suggested demultiplexer average quality factor was 7870.90, and its average transmission efficiency was 98.67%. The demultiplexer was created with a 0.8 nm narrow channel spacing with a − 15 dB to − 25 dB crosstalk range. The proposed ring resonator structure is made of silicon, which has a refractive index of 3.47, a center wavelength ranges of 1550 nm, and a lattice constant that varies with the radius range of 540 nm. To examine the performance, one can simulate the suggested demultiplexer structure using the FDTD (Finite-Difference Time-Domain) approach. The proposed work 198.7 µm2 footprint is appropriate for DWDM applications.
Can we compare health states when our standards change?
Authors: Bykvist Krister
Published: December 2023

Among health economists, who think that preferences are the correct standard of the value of health states, it is common to assume, at least implicitly, that the correct criterion of this value takes the following schematic form: H1 is a better health state than H2 iff the members of group S prefer (on average) being in H1 to being in H2. Various candidates for members of S have been proposed, including medical experts, the general public, H1-patients, H2-patients, former H1-patients, former H2-patients, or combinations of these groups. I shall argue that criteria of this form run into serious problems, if we consider cases where people’s fundamental preferences change from one health state to another. I shall also show that these problems afflict hybrid views, according to which preferences are only one determinant of the value of health, the objective value of health states being another. Finally, I shall argue that a better subjectivist criterion would be something like this: H1 is a better health state than H2 iff the H1-patients would want to be in H1 more than the H2-patients would want to be in H2. According to this criterion, the value of a health state is determined by the absolute attitudes (favouring, disfavouring, neutrality) people would have towards a health state were they to be in it. Along the way, I will also present and make use of an attitude matrix framework that enables us to represent in a simple way complex information about attitudes. With this framework at hand, we can easily see the advantages and disadvantages of different subjectivist accounts of the value of health.
The association of tumor-expressed REG4, SPINK4 and alpha-1 antitrypsin with cancer-associated thrombosis in colorectal cancer
Authors: Buijs Jeroen T. , van Beijnum Robin , Anijs Rayna J. S. , Laghmani El Houari , Sensuk Lily , Minderhoud Cas , Ünlü Betül , Klok Frederikus A. , Kuppen Peter J. K. , Cannegieter Suzanne C. , Versteeg Henri H.
Published: December 2023

Novel biomarkers are needed to improve current imperfect risk prediction models for cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT). We recently identified an RNA-sequencing profile that associates with CAT in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, with REG4, SPINK4, and SERPINA1 as the top-3 upregulated genes at mRNA level. In the current study, we investigated whether protein expression of REG4, SPINK4 and alpha-1 antitrypsin (A1AT, encoded by SERPINA1) in the tumor associated with CAT in an independent cohort of CRC patients. From 418 patients with resected CRC, 18 patients who developed CAT were age, sex, and tumor stage-matched to 18 CRC patients without CAT. Protein expression was detected by immunohistochemical staining and scored blindly by assessing the H-score (percentage positive cells*scoring intensity). The association with CAT was assessed by means of logistic regression, using patients with an H-score below 33 as reference group. The odds ratios (ORs) for developing CAT for patients with A1AThigh, REG4high, SPINK4high tumors were 3.5 (95%CI 0.8–14.5), 2.0 (95%CI 0.5–7.6) and 2.0 (95%CI 0.5–7.4) when compared to A1ATlow, REG4low, SPINK4low, respectively. The OR was increased to 24.0 (95%CI 1.1–505.1) when two proteins were combined (A1AThigh/REG4high). This nested case–control study shows that combined protein expression of A1AT and REG4 associate with CAT in patients with colorectal cancer. Therefore, REG4/A1AT are potential biomarkers to improve the identification of patients with CRC who may benefit from thromboprophylaxis.
Elaboration and characterization of molybdenum titanium tungsto-phosphate towards the decontamination of radioactive liquid waste from 137 Cs and 85Sr
Authors: Abdel-Galil Ezzat A. , Kasem Abeer E. , Mahrous Sara S.
Published: December 2023

The crystalline phase of molybdenum titanium tungsto-phosphate (MoTiWPO4) as an inorganic sorbent material was synthesized via the sol–gel method. The physicochemical characteristics of MoTiWPO4 were evaluated by using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), thermal analysis (TGA-DTA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). MoTiWPO4 sorbent material exhibits a high chemical resistance to HNO3, HCl, and alkaline media. MoTiWPO4 has good thermal stability as it retained about 75.63% of its saturation capacity upon heating at 500 °C. The sorption studies for several metal ions revealed marked high sorption efficiency of MoTiWPO4 towards Cs+ and Sr2+ ions which reached 99% and 95%, respectively. The saturation capacity of MoTiWPO4 for Cs+ and Sr2+ is 113 and 109 mg/g, respectively. MoTiWPO4 is approved to be successfully eliminating both 137Cs and 85Sr from liquid radioactive waste streams by %eff. of 92.5 and 90.3, respectively, in the presence of competing ions from 60Co(divalent) and 152Eu (trivalent), confirming the batch experiment results for the removal of Cs+ and Sr2+ metal ions. Furthermore, the decontamination factor exceeds 13.3 in the case of 137Cs and 10.3 for 85Sr.
Characterization of nickel levels considering seasonal and intra-individual variation using three biological matrices
Authors: Min Jae-Hee , Lee Seungho , Lim Hyoun-Ju , Kang Min-Kyung , Son Hyunjin , Kim Byoung-Gwon , Hong Young-Seoub
Published: December 2023

Nickel compounds are classified as group 1 carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. However, only a few exposure assessment studies have been conducted on such compounds to date. In this study, we investigated the distribution of nickel in three biological types of samples (blood, serum, and urine) and its temporal variability through repeated measurements. From 2020 to 2021, blood and urine samples were collected for four times from 50 healthy participants. Nickel concentrations were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and inter-individual correlation was calculated from linear mixed model. The overall geometric mean of nickel was 1.028 μg/L in blood, 0.687 μg/L in serum, and 1.464 μg/L in urine. Blood nickel was the highest in November (blood: 1.197 μg/L), and the geometric mean of nickel concentrations in the serum and urine were the highest in March (serum: 1.146 μg/L; urine: 1.893 μg/L). This matched seasonal trends for fine particulate matter concentrations from 2020 to 2021. Thus, seasonal effects significantly affect nickel levels in blood, serum, and urine. The inter-individual correlations were low as 0.081 for blood and 0.064 for urine. In addition, the correlation of nickel levels between each biological sample was low. It was also found that age, gender, commuting time, and different matrices affect concentrations. Blood and serum nickel levels were high in this study compared to other nationwide data, with urinary nickel ranking the second highest among the six countries examined. Therefore, biomonitoring study in the general population should be conducted, and finding a suitable matrix that can reflect nickel exposure to set exposure guideline levels is imperative.