bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conformational Analysis of (+)‐Germacrene D‐4‐ol Using the Crystalline Sponge Method to Elucidate the Origin of its Instability
Authors: Jung Youngcheol , Mitsuhashi Takaaki , Kageyama Ko , Kikuchi Takashi , Sato Sota , Fujita Makoto
Published: May 2024

Unsaturated cyclic terpenes often exhibit instability due to the proximation of C=C bonds in the cyclic skeleton, leading to nonenzymatic degradation. In this study, the crystalline sponge (CS) method was employed for the X‐ray conformational analysis of a minute amount of oily and cyclic terpene compound, (+)‐germacrene D‐4‐ol, which was produced by a terpene synthase OILTS under in vitro conditions. The CS method revealed a reactive conformation of the cyclic terpene with proximal double bonds. Under weakly acidic in vivo conditions, OILTS gave four pseudo‐natural products or artifacts. The CS method also elucidated the structures of these degraded compounds, proposing a degradation mechanism triggered by the transannular reactions.
Sequence [2,3]‐Sigmatropic Rearrangement: One‐Pot Synthesis of Propargyl Allenylamines
Authors: Feng Huihui , Xie Yujuan , Huang Liliang , Xu Yongqing , Huang Junhai , Feng Huangdi
Published: May 2024

Comprehensive Summary

Allenes, served as highly sought‐after building blocks, are an indispensable component of synthetic chemistry. Their utility in modulating the chemical, physical, and pharmaceutical properties of organic compounds make allenes a desirable choice in various applications. Here, we report a facile method for the atom‐economical synthesis of propargyl allenylamines via an underdeveloped [2,3]‐sigmatropic rearrangement. Our strategy employs easily accessible propargylamines as starting materials, which are first converted into propargyl ammonium salts, followed by a base‐promoted [2,3]‐sigmatropic rearrangement. This one‐pot, two‐step reaction proceeds in the absence of transition metals, displays a very broad scope, and does not require the introduction of the electron‐withdrawing group into the starting materials.
Fluoromethylketone‐Fragment Conjugates Designed as Covalent Modifiers of EcDsbA are Atypical Substrates
Authors: Doak Bradley C. , Whitehouse Rebecca L. , Rimmer Kieran , Williams Martin , Heras Begoña , Caria Sofia , Ilyichova Olga , Vazirani Mansha , Mohanty Biswaranjan , Harper Jason B. , Scanlon Martin J. , Simpson Jamie S.
Published: May 2024

Disulfide bond protein A (DsbA) is an oxidoreductase enzyme that catalyzes the formation of disulfide bonds in Gram‐negative bacteria. In Escherichia coli, DsbA (EcDsbA) is essential for bacterial virulence, thus inhibitors have the potential to act as antivirulence agents. A fragment‐based screen was conducted against EcDsbA and herein we describe the development of a series of compounds based on a phenylthiophene hit identified from the screen. A novel thiol reactive and “clickable” ethynylfluoromethylketone was designed for reaction with azide‐functionalized fragments to enable rapid and versatile attachment to a range of fragments. The resulting fluoromethylketone conjugates showed selectivity for reaction with the active site thiol of EcDsbA, however unexpectedly, turnover of the covalent adduct was observed. A mechanism for this turnover was investigated and proposed which may have wider ramifications for covalent reactions with dithiol‐disulfide oxidoreducatases.
Deuterated Alkyl Sulfonium Salt Reagents; Importance of H/D Exchange Methods in Drug Discovery
Authors: Ogasahara Riku , Ban Kazuho , Mae Miyu , Akai Shuji , Sawama Yoshinari
Published: May 2024

Deuterated drugs (heavy drugs) have recently been spotlighted as a new modality for small‐molecule drugs because the pharmacokinetics of pharmaceutical drugs can be enhanced by replacing C−H bonds with more stable C−D bonds at metabolic positions. Therefore, deuteration methods for drug candidates are a hot topic in medicinal chemistry. Among them, the H/D exchange reaction (direct transformation of C−H bonds to C−D bonds) is a useful and straightforward method for creating novel deuterated target molecules, and over 20 reviews on the synthetic methods related to H/D exchange reactions have been published in recent years. Although various deuterated drug candidates undergo clinical trials, approved deuterated drugs possess CD3 groups in the same molecule. However, less diversification, except for the CD3 group, is a problem for future medicinal chemistry. Recently, we developed various deuterated alkyl (dn‐alkyl) sulfonium salts based on the H/D exchange reaction of the corresponding hydrogen form using D2O as an inexpensive deuterium source to introduce CD3, CH3CD2, and ArCH2CD2 groups into drug candidates. This concept summarises recent reviews related to H/D exchange reactions and novel reagents that introduce the CD3 group, and our newly developed electrophilic dn‐alkyl reagents are discussed.
A capacitor voltage ripple suppression method employing bidirectional‐switching channel for the MMC driven pumped storage system operating at low‐speed stage
Authors: Yao Fei , Chen Enze , Zhang Jie
Published: May 2024

The Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) has gained the widespread application in the DC power transmission, owing to the advantages such as modularity and low output current harmonic content. However, its adoption in variable‐speed pumped storage systems remains limited due to the significant voltage fluctuations in its sub‐module capacitors during the low‐speed operation. In this paper, a capacitor voltage ripple suppression method employing bidirectional‐switching channel is proposed. It aims to improve the driving performance of MMC when the variable‐speed pumped storage motor operates at low speed. The proposed method creates bidirectional‐switching channels between the sub‐modules of the upper and lower bridge arms and moves the sub‐module capacitors that originally fixed to the upper and lower bridge arms into the channels. By controlling the bidirectional‐switching channel, the same capacitor can be put into the sub‐modules of different bridge arms. At the same time, a threshold switching control method is proposed to reduce the switching loss. Without introducing the common mode voltage, the capacitor voltage fluctuation can be substantially suppressed when the pumped storage motor operates at low speed. Experimental and simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Study on the variation of the permeability coefficient of soil–rock mixtures in fault zones under different stress states
Authors: Tan Wenhui , Liang Shuang , Ma Xuewen , Wang Pengfei
Published: May 2024

As the first gold mine discovered at the sea in China and the only coastal gold mine currently mined there, Sanshandao Gold Mine faces unique challenges. The mine's safety is under continual threat from its faulted structure coupled with the overlying water. As the mining proceeds deeper, the risk of water inrush increases. The mine's maximum water yield reaches 15 000 m3/day, which is attributable to water channels present in fault zones. Predominantly composed of soil–rock mixtures (SRM), these fault zones' seepage characteristics significantly impact water inrush risk. Consequently, investigating the seepage characteristics of SRM is of paramount importance. However, the existing literature mostly concentrates on a single stress state. Therefore, this study examined the characteristics of the permeability coefficient under three distinct stress states: osmotic, osmotic–uniaxial, and osmotic–triaxial pressure. The SRM samples utilized in this study were extracted from in situ fault zones and then reshaped in the laboratory. In addition, the micromechanical properties of the SRM samples were analyzed using computed tomography scanning. The findings reveal that the permeability coefficient is the highest under osmotic pressure and lowest under osmotic–triaxial pressure. The sensitivity coefficient shows a higher value when the rock block percentage ranges between 30% and 40%, but it falls below 1.0 when this percentage exceeds 50% under no confining pressure. Notably, rock block percentages of 40% and 60% represent the two peak points of the sensitivity coefficient under osmotic–triaxial pressure. However, SRM samples with a 40% rock block percentage consistently show the lowest permeability coefficient under all stress states. This study establishes that a power function can model the relationship between the permeability coefficient and osmotic pressure, while its relationship with axial pressure can be described using an exponential function. These insights are invaluable for developing water inrush prevention and control strategies in mining environments.
Substantial variation of the two‐dimensional spectrum of senescent leaf in subalpine forest along elevational gradients
Authors: Long Chunyan , Chang Kaikui , Guan Na , Cheng Xiaoli
Published: May 2024

Leaf senescence have shed light on its contribution to the recovery of nutrients and signaling of the transition from the active to the dormant stage in winter. The manner by which climatic and edaphic factors and plant phylogeny affect the senescent leaf economics spectrum (more mineral elements included) of different growth habits along elevational gradients in mountain ecosystems is highly uncertain. To fill this knowledge gap, we examined 15 representative subalpine forest species' senescent leaf functional traits (i.e., specific leaf area [SLA], leaf dry matter content [DMC], pH, carbon [C], nitrogen [N], phosphorus [P], potassium [K], calcium [Ca], sodium [Na], magnesium [Mg], manganese [Mn], aluminum [Al], iron [Fe], C:N, N:P, and C:P ratios) to determine the senescent leaf economics spectrum along elevational gradients in the Hengduan Mountains, China. Our results demonstrate that all the functional traits of senescent leaf showed strong correlations with one another, and K was observed as the hub for the leaf economics spectrum. Irrespective of the difference among growth habits (arbor vs. shrub), leaf habits (deciduous vs. evergreen), and leaf types (broad vs. needle), the variations in the two‐dimensional spectrum of the senescent leaf trait exhibited uniformly positive associations with elevation, primarily attributed to climatic drivers. However, the modulation of the senescent leaf economics spectrum by soil properties and plant phylogeny was surprisingly modest. Collectively, our results revealed that the resource trade‐off of senescent leaf showed a trend from acquisition to conservation along elevational gradients, which could broaden the plant economics spectrum to include senescent leaf.
Electrochemical determination of ibuprofen by batch‐injection analysis using a BORON‐doped ultrananocrystalline diamond electrode
Authors: Carolyne Prete Maiyara , Rianne da Rocha Luana , Gava Segatelli Mariana , Antigo Medeiros Roberta , Swain Greg M , Tarley César Ricardo Teixeira
Published: May 2024

In this paper, the evaluation of a boron‐doped ultrananocrystalline diamond (BD‐UNCD) electrode for the determination of ibuprofen (IBU) in pharmaceutical formulations using batch‐injection analysis with amperometric detection (BIA‐AD) is presented. The BD‐UNCD electrode was characterized by Raman spectroscopy and the electrochemical measurements were carried out before and after anodic pretreatment. An improved electrochemical response for IBU oxidation was observed using BD‐UNCD as compared to commercial boron‐doped diamond electrode. The optimized method based on the BIA‐AD system was carried out by using 2.0 V as the detection potential, a dispensing rate of 211.9 μL s−1, and an injection volume of 40 μL in an electrochemical cell containing 30.0 mL of 1.0 mol L−1 HClO4 as the supporting electrolyte. The proposed method provided an analytical curve within a linear dynamic range from 1.84 to 20.0 μmol L−1 (R2=0.9967) and a limit of detection of 0.55 μmol L−1. The intra‐day (n=10) and inter‐day (n=2) precisions for IBU concentrations of 5.0 and 10.0 μmol L−1 assessed as relative standard deviation (%RSD) ranged from 2.65 to 5.84 %. The accuracy of the method was assessed through the determination of IBU in pharmaceutical samples (tablets and solutions), yielding results that were consistent with those obtained through the comparative method (HPLC‐DAD).
A carbon price ensemble prediction model based on secondary decomposition strategies and bidirectional long short‐term memory neural network by an improved particle swarm optimization
Authors: Zou Shaohui , Zhang Jing
Published: May 2024

To further enhance the precision of carbon trading price forecasting, this research proposes a combined forecasting model, CEEMDAN–VMD–IPSO–BiLSTM, considering the unsatisfactory high‐frequency sequence decomposition and the reliance on unidirectional neural networks in current carbon price‐prediction models. First of all, the original sequence of carbon prices is decomposed into multiple independent subsequences through the completely ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN) technique. The sample entropy values of each subsequence are calculated to reconstruct them as high‐frequency, low‐frequency, and trend sequences. Second, we employ the variational mode decomposition (VMD) approach to decompose the high‐frequency series. The obtained subsequences, along with the low‐frequency and trend sequences, are separately input into an improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO) optimized bidirectional long short‐term memory neural network (BiLSTM) model for forecasting. Finally, an IPSO–BiLSTM model is used to integrate the forecasting outcomes from the previous step, yielding the ultimate results for predicting carbon prices. The case studies reveal that compared with the benchmark model, this model exhibits superior predictive precision and universality. It offers theoretical support for optimizing carbon market operations and fostering low‐carbon economic growth, holding practical importance.
Performance study on mixed solvent for post‐combustion carbon capture using rotating packed bed technology
Authors: Joel Atuman Samaila , Aliyu Umar Farouk , Olubajo Olumide Olu , Isa Yusuf Makarfi
Published: May 2024

Modeling of CO2 removal in a rotating packed bed using a mixed amine solution of piperazine and methyldiethanolamine with various molar concentration ratios was done with Aspen Plus® and dynamically linked with Intel® Visual Fortran. In addition to the mass and energy balances, all the necessary correlations for the rotating packed bed were written in Intel® Visual Fortran. The developed model was validated, and the result showed good agreement with a percentage error of less than 10%. The model was scaled‐up to absorb CO2 from the flue gas composition of a typical 6.4 MWe biomass power plant with the goal of producing net negative CO2 emissions. The effect of process parameters such as temperature, rotation speed, liquid‐gas ratio, methyl diethanolamine concentration, and piperazine concentration on capture efficiency and regeneration energy was investigated. It was discovered that increasing the rotational speed results in an improvement in the separation efficiency. Increasing the temperature of the lean solvent causes a decrease in separation efficiency, which is due to a decrease in solubility as the temperature increases. Increasing the liquid‐to‐gas ratio leads to an increase in CO2 absorption efficiency because more hydroxide ions are present to react with the CO2. Piperazine is a reactive compound and increasing its concentration in the mixed solvent leads to an increase in CO2 absorption efficiency. Finally, the results of the study demonstrated that a solvent mixture consisting of piperazine and methyldiethanolamine has the potential to be utilized in post‐combustion CO2 capture using rotating packed bed technology. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Do physicians' attitudes toward prioritization predict poor‐health patients' access to care?
Authors: Oxholm Anne Sophie , Gyrd‐Hansen Dorte
Published: May 2024

Physicians often face tight resource constraints, meaning they have to make trade‐offs between which patients they care for and the amount of care received. Studies show that patients requiring many resources disproportionately suffer a loss of care when resources are constrained. This study uncovers whether physicians' attitudes toward prioritization of healthcare predicts poor‐health patients' access to care. We combine unique survey data on Danish GPs' preferred prioritization principle with register data on their patients' contacts in general practice. We consider different types of contacts as the required effort could impact the need for prioritization. Our results show variation in GPs' prioritization principles, where a majority prefers a principle that may lead to an unequal distribution of services. We further find that GPs' attitudes toward prioritization predict some poor‐health patients' access to general practice. GPs who state they prefer the principle of prioritizing patients in the poorest health state when resources tightened provide more contacts to poor‐health patients. The additional contacts are typically high‐effort contacts such as annual status meetings and home visits, but also low‐effort contacts such as emails. Our findings indicate inequity in poor‐health patients' access to care across general practices.
Accelerating cardiac diffusion tensor imaging using Swin transformer with octave convolution
Authors: Li Rui , Mo Chong , Wang Guanglai , Wang Hexiang , Huang Jianping , Song Wenlong
Published: May 2024

Cardiac diffusion tensor imaging (cDTI) is a promising and noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique for assessing myocardial fiber microstructure. However, its clinical application is hampered by lengthy scanning and susceptibility to motion artifacts. This study proposes a cDTI reconstruction model (OSDTI), which leverages octave convolution (OctConv) and Swin Transformer to reconstruct diffusion‐weighted (DW) images from undersampled k‐space data. Our model capitalizes on the strengths of both OctConv and Swin Transformers. Specifically, the OctConv module excels at capturing intricate details and texture information within DW images, while the residual‐connected Swin Transformer module facilitates information retention across various feature extraction stages, thereby enhancing overall image comprehension and reconstruction accuracy. The evaluation of OSDTI using a human ex vivo heart dataset robustly validated the generalization ability of the model. Comparative analyze against existing deep‐learning methods demonstrated OSDTI's superior performance in both DW image quality and diffusion tensor metrics.
Peri‐implant diseases and systemic inflammation: A preliminary analysis from a cross‐sectional survey of patients with hypertension
Authors: Orlandi Marco , Pranno Nicola , Patel Vipul , Papi Piero , Di Murro Bianca , Pompa Giorgio , Polimeni Antonella , Letizia Claudio , Suvan Jeanie , D'Aiuto Francesco
Published: May 2024

Background

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between peri‐implant diseases and systemic inflammation assessed by serum C‐reactive protein (CRP) levels in a sample of patients with hypertension.

Methods

A total of 151 participants with hypertension were included in a cross‐sectional study. The population was divided into six groups according to their peri‐implant and periodontal status (healthy controls, mucositis, peri‐implantitis, periodontitis, periodontitis and mucositis, periodontitis, and peri‐implantitis). Linear, logistic regression, and correlation analyses were performed.

Results

CRP levels were statistically significantly higher in participants with periodontitis alone (median 3.2 mg/L, interquartile range [IQR] 1.8, p = 0.012), combined with mucositis (3.10 mg/L, IQR 2.35, p < 0.001) or peri‐implantitis (2.7 mg/L, IQR 2.53, p = 0.002) when compared to the healthy controls (1 mg/L, IQR 1.2). This association was independent of age, sex, smoking status, and adiposity differences. Participants with periodontitis with and without peri‐implant diseases had the greatest odds of exhibiting CRP > 3 mg/L (odds ratio = 7.3, 95% confidence interval 1.6–33.9).

Conclusions

Peri‐implant diseases are associated with systemic inflammation, but the nature of the association should be further investigated.
Proteomic Analysis of Surgery‐induced Stress Post‐Tracheal Transplantation Highlights Changes in Matrisome
Authors: Calyeca Jazmin , Hallak Diana , Hussein Zakarie , Dharmadhikari Sayali , Liu Lumei , Chiang Tendy
Published: May 2024

Objective

Investigate the impact of Surgery‐induced stress (SIS) on the normal airway repair process after airway reconstruction using a mouse microsurgery model, mass spectrometry (MS), and bioinformatic analysis.

Methods

Tracheal tissue from non‐surgical (N = 3) and syngeneic tracheal grafts at 3 months post‐replacement (N = 3) were assessed using mass spectrometry. Statistical analysis was done using MASCOT via Proteome Discoverer™. Proteins were categorized into total, dysregulated, suppressed, and evoked proteins in response to SIS. Dysregulated proteins were identified using cut‐off values of −1 1 and t‐test (p value <0.05). Enriched pathways were determined using STRING and Metascape.

Results

At the three‐month post‐operation mark, we noted a significant increase in submucosal cellular infiltration (14343 ± 1286 cells/mm2, p = 0.0003), despite reduced overall thickness (30 ± 3 μm, p = 0.01), compared to Native (4578 ± 723 cells/mm2; 42 ± 6 μm). Matrisome composition remained preserved, with proteomic analysis identifying 193 commonly abundant proteins, encompassing 7.2% collagens, 34.2% Extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoproteins, 6.2% proteoglycans, 33.2% ECM regulators, 14.5% Extracellular matrix‐affiliated, and 4.7% secreted factors. Additionally, our analysis unveiled a unique proteomic signature of 217 “Surgery‐evoked proteins” associated with SIS, revealing intricate connections among neutrophils, ECM remodeling, and vascularization through matrix metalloproteinase‐9 interaction.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated the impact of SIS on the extracellular matrix, particularly MMP9, after airway reconstruction. The novel identification of MMP9 prompts further investigation into its potential role in repair.

Level of Evidence

NA Laryngoscope, 134:4052–4059, 2024
Experimental Evaluation of Mechanical Properties, Thermal Analysis, Morphology, Printability, and Shape Memory Performance of the Novel 3D Printed PETG‐EVA Blends
Authors: Ali Saeed J. A. , Rahmatabadi Davood , Baghani Mostafa , Baniassadi Majid
Published: May 2024

Polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) is a novel amorphous shape memory polymer with excellent printability for 4D printing. In this article, ethylene‐vinyl acetate (EVA) is used as a biocompatible and non‐toxic copolymer to improve plasticity and shape memory performance of PETG. PETG‐EVA blends are prepared and 3D printed using a melt mixing method and an upgraded fused deposition modeling (FDM) with a pneumatic feeding system. The results of the thermal analysis show that the blends exhibit two tan‐delta peaks, each related to their components, and morphology images confirm that they are biphasic and immiscible with good compatibility. The morphology of both EVA10 and EVA30 matrix droplets is observed, with the droplets being larger for EVA30. The use of a pneumatic feeding system, along with the ability to control the output melt flow, results in the best printing ability for EVA30, with minimal microholes between the grids and interlayer cracks. The tensile strength of PETG‐EVA blends ranged from 25.38 to 20.14 MPa, with the highest tensile strength achieved for EVA30. The shape memory performance of all three blends is similar; with shape recovery exceeding 90% in 20 s. Blends with higher EVA content exhibited faster shape recovery within the first 10 s.
Omnidirectional circularly polarized base station antenna with high gain and wide band
Authors: Li Hui , Xu Jiawen , Wu Sirao , Chen Qiang
Published: May 2024

In this paper, an omnidirectional circularly polarized (OCP) antenna is designed for base stations, providing high gain and wide axial ratio (AR) bandwidth. The six‐stage OCP antenna is built from cascaded spiral rings and vertical dipoles. To improve the roundness and enlarge the AR bandwidth, spirals in shunt are utilized in proximity to the feeding. Then, network characteristic mode theory is employed to provide frequency reconfiguration, to further expand AR bandwidth. Four internal ports are introduced at the current maximums of the OCP antenna. With proper reactive loads at the internal ports, the CP performances with omnidirectional patterns are reconstructed at a higher frequency band. As a result, the OCP antenna operates at the band of 3.3–3.78 GHz, with a maximum gain of 7.38 dBic. The out‐of‐roundness of pattern is less than 2.5 dB, indicating robust omnidirectional radiation performances.
SnSe2 Quantum Dots and Chlorhexidine Acetate Suppress Synergistically Non‐radiative Recombination Loss for High Efficiency and Stability Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Liu Shaoting , Hao Yang , Sun Mengxue , Ren Jingkun , Li Shiqi , Wu Yukun , Sun Qinjun , Hao Yuying
Published: May 2024

Non‐radiative recombination losses limit the property of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Here, a synergistic strategy of SnSe2QDs doping into SnO2 and chlorhexidine acetate (CA) coating on the surface of perovskite is proposed. The introduction of 2D SnSe2QDs reduces the oxygen vacancy defects and increases the carrier mobility of SnO2. The optimized SnO2 as a buried interface obviously improves the crystallization quality of perovskite. The CA containing abundant active sites of ─NH2/─NH─, ─C═N, CO, ─Cl groups passivate the defects on the surface and grain boundary of perovskite. The alkyl chain of CA also improves the hydrophobicity of perovskite. Moreover, the synergism of SnSe2QDs and CA releases the residual stress and regulates the energy level arrangement at the top and bottom interface of perovskite. Benefiting from these advantages, the bulk and interface non‐radiative recombination loss is greatly suppressed and thereby increases the carrier transport and extraction in devices. As a result, the best power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 23.41% for rigid PSCs and the best PCE of 21.84% for flexible PSCs are reached. The rigid PSC maintains 89% of initial efficiency after storing nitrogen for 3100 h. The flexible PSCs retain 87% of the initial PCE after 5000 bending cycles at a bending radius of 5 mm.
Bias in perceptual learning
Authors: Ransom Madeleine , Goldstone Robert L.
Published: May 2024

Perceptual learning is commonly understood as conferring some benefit to the learner, such as allowing for the extraction of more information from the environment. However, perceptual learning can be biased in several different ways, some of which do not appear to provide such a benefit. Here we outline a systematic framework for thinking about bias in perceptual learning and discuss how several cases fit into this framework. We argue these biases are compatible with an understanding in which perceptual learning is beneficial, but that its benefits are tied to both a person's narrow interests and the training environment or domain, and so if there are changes to either of these, then benefits can turn into liabilities, though these are often temporary.

This article is categorized under:

Psychology > Learning

Philosophy > Value

Linguistics > Language Acquisition
How students learn to lead in pre‐ and early‐career experiences
Authors: Di Pede Graziana
Published: May 2024

This study illuminates the leadership experiences of undergraduate business students undertaking a 1‐year work placement. Semi‐structured interviews and reflective journals were used to explore the students’ leadership experiences before and during their placement. Through reflection on these experiences, students were able to make sense of their own leadership learning as well as develop their leadership identity. A main contribution of this study has been the formulation of a theoretical model that fully acknowledges prior lived experience, and the multi‐layered and complex process of leadership identity development.
Trend to Equilibrium for Run and Tumble Equations with Non-uniform Tumbling Kernels
Authors: Evans Josephine , Yoldaş Havva
Published: May 2024

We study the long-time behaviour of a run and tumble model which is a kinetic-transport equation describing bacterial movement under the effect of a chemical stimulus. The experiments suggest that the non-uniform tumbling kernels are physically relevant ones as opposed to the uniform tumbling kernel which is widely considered in the literature to reduce the complexity of the mathematical analysis. We consider two cases: (i) the tumbling kernel depends on the angle between pre- and post-tumbling velocities, (ii) the velocity space is unbounded and the post-tumbling velocities follow the Maxwellian velocity distribution. We prove that the probability density distribution of bacteria converges to an equilibrium distribution with explicit (exponential for (i) and algebraic for (ii)) convergence rates, for any probability measure initial data. To the best of our knowledge, our results are the first results concerning the long-time behaviour of run and tumble equations with non-uniform tumbling kernels.
The enemy of my enemy… Exotic mammals present biotic resistance against invasive alien conifers
Authors: Carlin Thomas F. , Paul Thomas S. H. , Dudenhoeffer Jan H. , Rolando Carol , Novoselov Max , Vorster Ryan S. , Springford Casey R. , Scott Matthew B.
Published: May 2024

Plant invasions are a widespread and recurring phenomenon that cause significant economic and environmental damage. Invasive alien conifers are weeds that are not only costly to manage, but consistently reinvade after management efforts. Understanding how many seeds survive to germinate is a key part in understanding the weed life cycle puzzle. Here we investigated the contribution that seed predators have on reducing invasive alien conifer seed survival across both invaded and uninvaded habitats in Aotearoa New Zealand. We combined quantitative and qualitative experiments to measure seed predation across invaded and uninvaded habitats, as well as to identify which fauna are the most prolific seed predators. We utilised ex-situ empirical evidence with in-situ observations to provide realistic impacts from different seed predator species. We found that introduced mammals, particularly rodents, were the primary seed predators of invasive conifers. Seed predation pressure was highest in herbicide treated invasive alien conifer forests, indigenous beech forests, and managed pasture containing grazing livestock. Indigenous tussock areas support fewer vertebrate seed predators and as a result are particularly vulnerable to conifer invasion. The majority of seed predation occurs within the first two weeks post-dispersal. These results suggest that introduced mammal control operations, which are essential to protect endemic New Zealand species, will likely result in increasing invasive conifer populations by reducing seed predation pressure. Seed predation varies greatly between habitats, suggesting invasion and reinvasion rates are higher in ungrazed areas of lower forest density that support fewer introduced mammals.
Characterisation of the Arabidopsis thaliana telomerase TERT-TR complex
Authors: Štefanovie Barbora , Jenner Leon P. , Bozděchová Lucie , Fajkus Petr , Sýkorová Eva , Fajkus Jiří , Paleček Jan J.
Published: May 2024

Most eukaryotic organisms employ a telomerase complex for the maintenance of chromosome ends. The core of this complex is composed of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and telomerase RNA (TR) subunits. The TERT reverse transcriptase (RT) domain synthesises telomeric DNA using the TR template sequence. The other TERT domains contribute to this process in different ways. In particular, the TERT RNA-binding domain (TRBD) interacts with specific TR motif(s). Using a yeast 3-hybrid system, we show the critical role of Arabidopsis thaliana (At) TRBD and embryophyta-conserved KRxR motif in the unstructured linker preceding the TRBD domain for binding to the recently identified AtTR subunit. We also show the essential role of the predicted P4 stem and pseudoknot AtTR structures and provide evidence for the binding of AtTRBD to pseudoknot and KRxR motif stabilising interaction with the P4 stem structure. Our results thus provide the first insight into the core part of the plant telomerase complex.
How slurs enact norms, and how to retract them
Authors: Marques Teresa
Published: May 2024

The present paper considers controversial utterances that were erroneously taken as derogatory. These examples are puzzling because, despite the audiences’ error, many speakers retract and even apologise for what they didn’t say and didn’t do. In recent years, intuitions about retractions have been used to test semantic theories. The cases discussed here test the predictive power of theories of derogatory language and help us to better understand what is required to retract a slur. The paper seeks to answer three questions: are the cases considered genuine retractions? If the speakers didn’t derogate by using a slur, how are the cases retractions ofderogatory acts? Do these examples support expressive accounts of slurs? I argue that the examples provide evidence for an expressivist account of slurs: a slurring utterance (defeasibly) makes a derogatory speech act where the speaker expresses a commitment to a morally questionable appraisal state, such as disgust or contempt for a target group. A retraction of a derogatory speech act requires undoing the enactment of that commitment, which can be achieved with a genuine apology. This helps explain the conduct of audiences who misunderstand what the speaker says, and the speakers’ reactions.
Enhancing the physicochemical properties of nickel cobaltite catalyst for oxygen evolution reaction in anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers
Authors: Flores Charles Lois I. , Gupta Gaurav , Mamlouk Mohamed , Balela Mary Donnabelle L.
Published: May 2024

Hierarchical hollow urchin-like nickel cobaltite (NiCo2O4) was synthesized using a two-step hydrothermal method. The effects of metal composition and surfactant addition on the morphology, structure, and electrochemical performance toward oxygen evolution reaction (OER) were investigated. The addition of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) reduced particle aggregation, resulting in a higher electrochemical active surface area and electrical conductivity. Lowering the Ni content from 1.0 to 0.25 did not alter the morphology and structure of the product to any extent. However, the crystallite size slightly increased. Among the spinels with different Ni and Co compositions, NiCo2O4 exhibited a superior OER electrocatalytic activity, achieving a 380 mV overpotential at 10 mA/cm2 current density. It also delivered a good performance in an anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer (AEMWE) using 1 M NaOH at 60 °C, reaching a current density of about 420 mA/cm2 at a cell voltage of 1.95 V.
Effect of a fall within three months of admission on delirium in critically Ill elderly patients: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Bu Fan , Cheng Hong-tao , Wang Zi-lin , Hou Yu-shan , Zhuang Zhuang , Li Can-yang , Wang Ya-qi , Zhang Yue , Lyu Jun , Lyu Qi-yuan
Published: May 2024

Background

Delirium is common among elderly patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) and is associated with prolonged hospitalization, increased healthcare costs, and increased risk of death. Understanding the potential risk factors and early prevention of delirium is critical to facilitate timely intervention that may reverse or mitigate the harmful consequences of delirium.

Aim

To clarify the effects of pre-admission falls on ICU outcomes, primarily delirium, and secondarily pressure injuries and urinary tract infections.

Methods

The study relied on data sourced from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. Statistical tests (Wilcoxon rank-sum or chi-squared) compared cohort characteristics. Logistic regression was employed to investigate the association between a history of falls and delirium, as well as secondary outcomes, while Kaplan–Meier survival curves were used to assess short-term survival in delirium and non-delirium patients.

Results

Study encompassed 22,547 participants. Delirium incidence was 40%, significantly higher in patients with a history of falls (54.4% vs. 34.5%, p < 0.001). Logistic regression, controlling for confounders, not only confirmed that a history of falls elevates the odds of delirium (OR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.97–2.26; p < 0.001) but also showed it increases the incidence of urinary tract infections (OR:1.50; 95% CI:1.40–1.62; p < 0.001) and pressure injuries (OR:1.36; 95% CI:1.26–1.47; p < 0.001). Elderly delirium patients exhibited lower 30-, 180-, and 360-day survival rates than non-delirium counterparts (all p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The study reveals that history of falls significantly heighten the risk of delirium and other adverse outcomes in elderly ICU patients, leading to decreased short-term survival rates. This emphasizes the critical need for early interventions and could inform future strategies to manage and prevent these conditions in ICU settings.
Assessment of the phenotypic severity of hemophilia A: using rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) and APTT-clot waveform analysis
Authors: Gupta Deepika , Arya Vandana , Dass Jasmita , Gupta Nitin , Kalra Manas , Sachdeva Anupam , Kotwal Jyoti
Published: May 2024

Background

Hemophilia A (HA) is an X-linked inherited bleeding disorder caused by reduced factor VIII (FVIII) levels. Approximately 10–15% of patients with severe HA (SHA) do not present with the anticipated bleeding pattern. Here, we assessed the phenotypic severity of hemophilia A using rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) and activated partial thromboplastin time-clot waveform analysis (APTT-CWA).

Methods

Patients diagnosed with hemophilia A were enrolled. Clinical phenotype assignment was performed according to the published literature, and patients were classified into four phenotypic subgroups. The whole blood sample was first run on ROTEM in INTEM mode using platelet-poor plasma, APTT was run, and the APTT-CWA graph was simultaneously recorded.

Results

A total of 66 patients were recruited for this study. Statistically significant differences were observed between the four phenotypically categorized groups using ROTEM and APTT-CWA. On comparing patients with mild/moderate-to-severe phenotypes (Group II) with SHA without inhibitors (Group IV), no significant difference was found for all parameters of ROTEM or APTT-CWA. The MCF, MA30, MAXV, and Alpha angle values using ROTEM were found to be the lowest in patients with SHA with inhibitors, which helped differentiate them from those with SHA without inhibitors. However, these two groups could not be differentiated using the APTT-CWA parameters.

Conclusion

ROTEM can be used to distinguish patients with SHA with inhibitors from those with SHA without inhibitors using a combination of parameters with high sensitivity and specificity. However, APTT-CWA cannot be used to differentiate these patient groups.
Children's Defensive Mindset
Authors: Dodge Kenneth A.
Published: May 2024

The primary psychological process leading aggressive children to grow into dysfunctional adults is a defensive mindset, which encompasses a pattern of deviant social information processing steps, including hypervigilance to threat; hostile attributional biases; psychophysiological reactivity, experience of rage and testosterone release (in males); aggressive problem-solving styles; aggressogenic decision-making biases; and deficient behavioral skills. These processes are acquired in childhood and predict adult maladjustment outcomes, including incarceration and premature death. The antecedents of defensive mindset lie in early childhood experiences of trauma and threat. The Fast Track (FT) intervention was designed to improve social competence in aggressive children. A randomized controlled trial demonstrated that FT is effective in preventing externalizing psychopathology; the primary mediating factor is the reduction of defensive mindset processes. This Element concludes with insights that defensive mindset might also explain dysfunction in other realms, including school culture, parenting, marriage, the workplace, intergroup relationships, politics, and international relations.
Reliquary Tabernacles in Fourteenth-Century Italy
Authors: Williamson Beth
Published: May 2024

A ground-breaking study of the enigmatic and unique tabernacles from fourteenth-century Italy, which for the first time combined relics and images.
Collecting for Closure
Authors: Hick Darren Hudson
Published: May 2024

In this paper, I consider a peculiar feature of the aesthetics of collecting comics: collecting to complete a narrative. Unlike other forms of narrative engagement, comics are often read out of narrative sequence, and so collectors hunt for missing issues to fill in an incomplete story, leading to a “gappy” experience of the narrative. This “gappy” experience, I argue, has its own aesthetic quality and value, and I connect my analysis of the experience to both classical Kantian aesthetics and contemporary neuropsychology.
Is political anxiety different than general anxiety?
Authors: Weinschenk Aaron , Smith Kevin
Published: May 2024

Recently, there has been growing interest in the concept of political anxiety. One important question that remains unanswered is whether political anxiety is just a symptom of general anxiety—that those reporting anxiety tied to politics are the same individuals who would already score highly on measures of general anxiety. Using survey data collected in 2023 (N = 436), we find that measures of political and generalized anxiety do not appear to be tapping into a single underlying construct. In addition, the systematic correlates of these measures identified by previous literature are not equivalent predictors of the different types of anxiety. Politics seems to be a source of apprehensiveness and worry that affects individuals who are not necessarily suffering from general anxiety.
A structure-preserving particle discretisation for the Lenard–Bernstein collision operator
Authors: Jeyakumar S. , Kraus M. , Hole M.J. , Pfefferlé D.
Published: May 2024

Collisions are an important dissipation mechanism in plasmas. When approximating collision operators numerically, it is important to preserve their mathematical structure in order to retain the laws of thermodynamics at the discrete level. This is particularly challenging when considering particle methods. A simple but commonly used collision operator is the Lenard–Bernstein operator, or its modified energy- and momentum-conserving counterpart. In this work, we present a macro-particle discretisation of this operator that is provably energy and momentum preserving.
GLOBAL CRISES
Authors: Schmidtz David
Published: May 2024

Sometimes, we see crises coming. Sometimes, we can muster the resources we need to respond effectively. Sometimes, we can acquire the information we need to respond effectively.
THE GLOBAL CRISIS AND THE PSYCHOLOGICAL FEASIBILITY OF INTERNATIONALISM
Authors: Culp Julian
Published: May 2024

This essay revisits the metanormative version of the motivational critique of contemporary conceptions of cosmopolitan justice. I distinguish two ways of understanding this critique as leveling the charge of infeasibility against cosmopolitanism. Cosmopolitan motivation can be understood to be infeasible because it is impossible or because it is not reasonably likely to be achieved if tried. The possibilistic understanding is not persuasive, given that examples show that cosmopolitan motivation is possible. The conditional probabilistic understanding is more compelling, by contrast, because under certain social conditions it may not be reasonably likely that cosmopolitan motivation is achieved if tried. I argue, however, that whether cosmopolitan motivation is infeasible in the conditional probabilistic sense depends on malleable social conditions, given that, according to a plastic account of the human moral mind developed by Allen Buchanan, social conditions can undermine or favor the formation of cosmopolitan motivation. I illustrate this plastic account by showing how it can explain recent anticosmopolitan orientations as “tribalistic” reflexes to global crises, like the COVID-19 pandemic, which involved competition for survival resources and (existential) threats. I conclude that cosmopolitan motivation is not infeasible under all social conditions and that cosmopolitanism therefore requires bringing about and maintaining those social conditions under which cosmopolitan motivation is feasible.
MILITARY INTERVENTION IN INTERSTATE ARMED CONFLICTS
Authors: Fabre Cécile
Published: May 2024

Suppose that state A attacks state D without warrant. The ensuing military conflict threatens international peace and security. State D (I assume) has a justification for defending itself by means of military force. Do third parties have a justification for intervening in that conflict by such means? To international public lawyers, the well-rehearsed and obvious answer is “yes.” Threats to international peace and security provide one of two exceptions to the legal and moral prohibition (as set out in Article 2[4] of the UN Charter) on using force as a means for resolving interstate disputes. Just war theorists are not as verdictive. Compared to the ethics of humanitarian intervention and the ethics of national self-defense, the ethics of third-party military involvement in interstate conflicts remains underdeveloped in contemporary just war theory. This essay begins to fill that gap. I argue that to defend such interventions is tantamount to defending preventive military force, deterrent military force, and the resort to force in more cases than standardly thought. I then provide an account and limited defense of the deterrence argument. I show that deterrence is morally justified in relatively few cases and examine two problems with the argument: deterrence failures and the level of uncertainty under which leaders who use deterrent force operate. I conclude that we should take seriously the possibility that nonintervention, construed as the rejection of the direct use of military force, is the morally correct response to the most serious threats to international peace and security.
CAN LIBERALISM LAST? DEMOGRAPHIC DEMISE AND THE FUTURE OF LIBERALISM
Authors: Anomaly Jonathan , Nobre Faria Filipe
Published: May 2024

Liberal political institutions have been an enormous boon for humanity. The free market aspect of liberalism has led to an explosion of innovation, ranging from new kinds of technology and novel forms of entertainment to advances in science and medicine. The emphasis on individual rights at the core of liberalism has increased our ability to explore new ways of living and to construct an identity of our own choosing. But liberal political institutions around the world are facing two crises: low fertility and declining social trust. In particular, liberalism’s focus on individual liberty rather than group cohesion can increase economic productivity by encouraging the free movement of people and capital, but this movement is associated with declines in social cohesion and fertility. In this essay, we highlight some challenges to the long-term evolutionary stability of liberalism. In other words, we raise the question: Can liberalism last?