bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of interest in young children's retention of words
Authors: Ackermann Lena , Förster Meike , Schaarschmidt Juliane , Hepach Robert , Mani Nivedita , Eiteljoerge Sarah
Published: October 2023

Children fast‐map new words to their referents early on but may not show robust retention of the learning of word–object mappings until much later. This study examines whether children's interest in a natural category is associated with children's retention of newly learned labels for objects in that category. German‐speaking 24‐month‐olds and 38‐month‐olds (n = 88, 41 female) were trained on novel word–object associations from different categories. Pupillary arousal and parental reports served as indices of children's interest in categories presented. Recognition and retention were tested directly after exposure, 5 min later and 24 h later. Both younger and older children showed successful word–object recognition and retention. Furthermore, interest in the category modulates young children's recognition and retention of newly learned word–object associations from semantic categories across ages.
CircANKRD17 promotes glycolysis by inhibiting miR‐143 in breast cancer cells
Authors: Chen Hong , Zhang Ling‐Fei , Zhang Lu , Miao Ying , Xi Yun , Liu Mo‐Fang , Zhang Min , Li Biao
Published: October 2023

Glucose metabolic reprogramming, known as the Warburg effect, is one of the metabolic hallmarks of tumor cells. Cancer cells preferentially metabolize glucose by glycolysis rather than mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation regardless of oxygen availability, but the regulatory mechanism underlying this switch has been incompletely understood. Here, we report that the circular RNA circ ankyrin repeat domain 17 (ANKRD17) functions as a key regulator for glycolysis to promote cell growth, migration, invasion, and cell‐cycle progression in breast cancer (BC) cells. We further show that circANKRD17 acts to accelerate glycolysis in BC cells by acting as a sponge for miR‐143 and in turn overrides the repressive effect of miR‐143, a well‐documented glycolytic repressor, on hexokinase 2 in BC cells, thus resulting in enhanced glycolysis in BC cells. These data suggest the circANKRD17‐miR‐143 cascade as a novel mechanism in controlling glucose metabolic reprogramming in BC cells and suggest circANKRD17 as a promising therapeutic target to interrupt cancerous glycolysis.
Biopolymer and polymer precursor production by microorganisms: applications and future prospects
Authors: Saharan Baljeet Singh , Kamal Neel , Badoni Prerana , Kumar Ramesh , Saini Mayuri , Kumar Dharmender , Sharma Deepansh , Tyagi Swati , Ranga Poonam , Parshad Jagdish , Goyal Chhaya , Kumar Ravinder , Nehra Manju , Seth Chandra Shekhar , Duhan Joginder Singh , Mandal Neelam Kumari
Published: October 2023

Polymers have been used in various industries over the past few decades due to their tremendous applications. Among these, polyhydroxyalkanoates and poly(lactic acid) are easily biodegradable biopolymers derived from bacteria, including recombinant Escherichia coli, Alcaligenes eutrophus, Alcaligenes latus, Azotobacter vinelandii, methylotrophs and Pseudomonas. Conventional petroleum‐derived polymers have become potentially harmful to the environment due to their complex degradation process. The nonbiodegradability of synthetic polymers has become a global issue of concern. There is an urgent need for a substitute to tackle the increasing environmental stress. Microorganisms are small factories for producing different types of polymers during their growth cycle. Various features like biodegradability, biocompatibility, nontoxicity and wide substrate spectrum make such microbial polymers highly reliable. Biopolymers such as alginate, cellulose, cyanophycin, levan, polyhydroxyalkanoates, xanthan, poly(lactic acid) and poly(γ‐glutamic acid) can be obtained from different microorganisms like Aureobasdium pullulans, Acetobacter xylinum, Bacillus thermoamylovorans and Cupriavidusnecator. These are extensively used in various fields like food, medicine, wastewater treatment, biofuel production, packaging and cosmetics. Despite being advantageous in several ways, the biopolymer market still faces several hurdles. This review mainly emphasizes the different types of biopolymers, production by microorganisms and various applications of these biopolymers in different fields. The main drawback limiting the development of these polymers is the high production cost and low efficiency of the microbial strains. Genetic recombination is an efficient technique to enhance the microbial yield and to expand the biopolymer market size. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Gender trends in dentistry: Dental faculty and academic leadership
Authors: Kim Aram , Karra Nour , Song Crystal , Linder Pamela J. , Bonino Francesca , Doig Peter , Zandona Andrea
Published: October 2023

Objectives

Gender equality in the healthcare workforce has been a topic of discourse for many decades. In dental academia, women's representation of enrolled students and faculty has risen consistently since the 1980s. However, women in faculty leadership positions may still be lagging when compared to men. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the number of women who occupy the upper echelons of academic rank and title by analyzing cross‐referenced data from the American Dental Association and the American Dental Education Association on women dental school graduates in relation to academic appointments.

Methods

Gender distribution in rank, title, and appointments in the decade from 2011 to 2019, as well as percentage of women graduates over the same period, were collected for descriptive statistics. Multiple linear regression analysis, Cochran Armitage, and chi‐square tests were conducted to examine trends over the years and to determine significant differences in overall percentages (p < 0.05).

Results

The total women faculty percentages ranged from 36% to 40%. While the lower‐level rank of instructor retained a higher representation of women (56%–65%), the higher rank of professor had disproportionately lower women percentages (18%–26%). Graduates, full‐time faculty, lower‐level academic ranks, and higher‐level academic ranks for women followed similar upward trends that were statistically significant (p < 0.05). When comparing the different groups against each other, the annual increase in women DMD/DDS graduate percentage was higher than women full‐time faculty (0.28%), instructor rank (0.92%), professor rank (0.50%), and department chair appointments (0.49%).

Conclusions

Our data show that women are still underrepresented at higher academic ranks. However, the upward trends for professors, assistant deans, and program chairs suggest that in recent years, more women faculty may have been encouraged, mentored, or offered higher administrative positions in academic institutions.
Interactions between paramyosin and actin greatly improve their thermostability and gel properties
Authors: Yin Shuhua , Duan Maoping , Zhang Jian , Zhang Tuo , Zhao Guanghua
Published: October 2023

BACKGROUND

Myofibrillar proteins, the main contributors to the quality of meat products, are the main structural protein component of muscle and have functional properties such as the formation of a 3D protein gel network and water binding. The susceptibility of meat‐derived proteins to heat‐induced aggregation is the functional constraint that hinders their applications in industry, and so establishing an effective but simple method to improve their thermostability of the proteins is of great importance.

RESULTS

In the present study, we describe an easy approach to perform high colloidal thermostability of both paramyosin and actin by mixing them at low ionic strength. The improvement in thermal stability was found to be derived from intermolecular interactions between these two different proteins through non‐covalent binding with each other. Consequently, such interactions protected each of them from thermal‐induced degradation compared to individual components. Notably, this binary native protein mixture rather than single paramyosin or actin component has the ability to form protein hydrogels with a shear‐thinning and reversible sol–gel transformation behavior, which is markedly different from most of reported heat‐induced, denatured protein hydrogels.

CONCLUSION

The present study not only presents a facile and effective strategy for improvement of the thermal stability and gel properties of a binary paramyosin and actin mixture, but also enhances our understanding of how mutual interactions of protein components affect their physicochemical and functional properties. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Astaxanthin encapsulation in soybean protein isolate–sodium alginate complexes‐stabilized nanoemulsions: antioxidant activities, environmental stability, and in vitro digestibility
Authors: Ge Yuhong , Zhou Yangying , Li Shunfa , Yan Jing , Chen Hong , Qin Wen , Zhang Qing
Published: October 2023

BACKGROUND

Nanoemulsions (NEs) have been considered an effective carrier to protect environmentally labile bioactive compounds from degradation during food processing. Among the numerous types of NEs, biopolymer‐stabilized NEs have gained much attention to achieve this function because of the extensive sources, biocompatibility, and tunability. Therefore, the antioxidant activities, environmental stability, and in vitro digestibility of astaxanthin (AST)‐loaded soybean protein isolate (SPI)–alginate (SA) complexes‐stabilized NEs (AST‐SPI–SA‐NEs) were investigated in this study.

RESULTS

The AST‐SPI–SA‐NEs exhibited an encapsulation efficiency of 88.30 ± 1.67%, which is greater than that of the AST‐loaded SPI‐stabilized NEs (AST‐SPI‐NEs) (77.31 ± 0.83%). Both AST‐SPI–SA‐NEs and AST‐SPI‐NEs exhibited significantly stronger hydroxyl or diphenylpicryl‐hydrazyl radical‐scavenging activities than the free AST. The formation of SPI–SA complexes strengthened the thermal, light, and storage stability of AST‐SPI–SA‐NEs with no apparently increasing mean diameter (around 200 nm). AST‐SPI–SA‐NEs also exhibited a better freeze–thaw dispersibility behavior than AST‐SPI‐NEs. AST‐SPI–SA‐NEs were more stable than AST‐SPI‐NEs were under in vitro gastrointestinal digestion conditions and exhibited a greater bioaccessibility (47.92 ± 0.42%) than both AST‐SPI‐NEs (12.97 ± 1.33%) and free AST (7.87 ± 0.37%). Hydrogen bonding was confirmed to participate in the formation of AST‐SPI–SA‐NEs and AST‐SPI‐NEs based on the molecular docking results.

CONCLUSIONS

The construction of SPI–SA‐NEs is conducive to the encapsulation, protection, and absorption of AST, providing a promising method for broadening the application of AST in processed foods or developing novel ingredients of functional foods. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Complete mesocolic excision and extended lymphadenectomy: Where should we stand?
Authors: Gupta Abhinav , Garabetian Christine , Cologne Kyle , Duldulao Marjun Philip
Published: October 2023

Debate regarding the risks and merits of complete mesocolic excision and extended lymphadenectomy is ongoing, particularly for right‐sided colon cancers. In this article, we hope to provide a succinct yet encompassing review of the relevant literature. We posit that complete mesocolic excision with D3 dissection is indicated in select patients with colon cancers, particularly those distal to the cecum.
Effect of Materials Parameters on the Shape of Face‐On Lamellae in Semi‐Conducting Polymers: Insights From Qualitative Theory
Authors: Daoulas Kostas Ch. , Markina Anastasia A.
Published: October 2023

Polymer semiconductors frequently form crystals or mesophases with lamellae, that comprise alternating layers of stacked backbones and side chains. Controlling lamellar orientation in films is essential for obtaining efficient charge carrier transport. Herein, lamellar orientation is investigated in an application‐relevant setup: lamellae assembled on a substrate that strongly favors face‐on orientation, but exposed to a film surface that promotes orientation along an “easy” direction, other than face on. It is assumed that the face‐on order propagates from the substrate, but the lamellae bend to reduce their surface energy. A qualitative free‐energy model is developed. The deformation is investigated as a function of film thickness, effective Young modulus, anchoring coefficient, and easy direction at the free surface. The calculations highlight the importance of elastic constants – lamellae can substantially deform already when Young moduli are only an order of magnitude smaller than the values that are reported for crystals. Softer Young moduli are expected when lamellar assembly occurs in a non‐solidified mesophase that can be an equilibrium or (more speculatively) a transient state prior to crystallization. The alternative scenario of a two‐layered film is also evaluated, where edge‐on and face‐on grains form, respectively, at the free surface and substrate.
Modeling of mechanosensitive remodeling processes in collagen fibers
Authors: Topol Heiko , Stoffel Marcus , Markert Bernd , Pence Thomas J.
Published: October 2023

A large number of biochemical processes such as enzymatic collagen degradation are involved in the remodeling of biological soft tissue constituents. Experiments have found that moderate strain may stabilize fibrillar collagen to enzymatic degradation. This strain stabilization is crucial for the homeostatic balance during the tissue remodeling process in healthy soft tissue. This article studies a material model applicable to the modeling of collagenous soft tissue. The ground substance properties are taken to be time‐independent, while the mechanical behavior of the fibers is modeled in terms of the Helmholtz free energy of the underlying protofibers along with a survival kernel that accounts for how the fiber density is dependent upon the deformation of the overall material. The examples illustrate the consequences of a compressively induced mechanical disruption to the homeostatic fiber remodeling, and they show the differences in the re‐approach to homeostasis when either the stress or strain remains constant.
Gradually modified fibers of Yucca Filifera (Asparagaceae) as biodegradable and mechanical reinforcement of polypropylene composites
Authors: Medellín Rodríguez Francisco J. , Gudiño Rivera Javier , Rodríguez Velázquez Jesús Gilberto , Lara Sánchez Jesús Francisco , Salinas Hernández Myrna
Published: October 2023

The preparation and characterization of Yucca Filifera (Asparagaceae) fibers (YFF) and their incorporation into polypropylene (PP) matrices of two molecular weights are reported. Apart from the fibers sectioning and dehydration, saponates, phenols, hemicellulose, and lignin were systematically extracted. Moisture was a primary factor in the as‐sectioned samples, and dehydration was followed by volatiles extraction, including saponates and phenols. An optimized mixture of alcohols (80% methanol/20% ethanol v/v) was used to extract the remaining volatiles (adsorbed water, phenols, and saponates). The dried fibers were then cyclically treated in an autoclave using a dilute sodium hydroxide (NaOH) with the purpose of decreasing external lignin and hemicellulose. After extractions, the fiber product was directly incorporated into PP of two molecular weights, film/fiber (PP35) and injection molding (PP11) grades. The average crystallization temperatures from the melt increased slightly in the presence of YFF as an indication of heterogeneous nucleation. Although the crystallization degree decreased perceptibly depending on the fiber content. The apparent viscosity measurements as a function of shear rate, at low fiber concentrations (10 wt%), displayed partial compatibility between the treated YFF and PP11. In contrast, high fiber concentrations (30 wt%) in PP35 showed only a range of partial compatibility at high shear rates. Mechanical elongation and bending demonstrated an increase in the corresponding moduli as an indication of fiber reinforcement with a biodegradable additive. The higher tensile modulus was obtained at the expense of mechanical deformation.

Highlights

A desert plant fiber works as reinforcement for PP composites.

The fibers preparation extracts saponates, phenols, and partially lignin and hemicellulose.

Fibers are heterogeneous enough for compatibility with the PP matrices.

Fibers mechanically reinforced PP in proportion to their concentration.

Reinforcement depends on the molecular weight of the PP matrix.
Assessing the optimal MAP target in pre‐capillary PH patients with RV failure: A retrospective analysis
Authors: Moallem Niala , Fiscus Garrett , O'Sullivan David M. , Perkins Michael , Scatola Andrew , Parikh Raj
Published: October 2023

Right ventricular failure (RVF) in pre‐capillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. While mean arterial pressure (MAP) goals have been well established in critical care literature, the optimal MAP target for patients with RVF secondary to pre‐capillary PH remains unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the difference in outcomes between patients who were managed with different MAP targets. We retrospectively analyzed records of 60 patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit for decompensated RVF secondary to pre‐capillary PH. The records were stratified into two groups: 30 patients who were treated with a static MAP goal of either 65 or 70 mmHg (MAP65/70) and 30 patients who received a dynamic MAP goal (MAPCVP) determined by invasively obtained central venous pressure or right atrial pressure. The dynamic MAP group had a statistically significant decrease in in‐hospital mortality and incidence of acute kidney injury compared to the static MAP cohort.
Flame retardancy, dielectric performance, pyrolysis behavior of epoxy resin and cyanate ester composites containing a multifunctional flame retardant
Authors: Cen Xinhao , Cao Zhilin , Wang Zhengzhou
Published: October 2023

In this research, a novel multifunctional flame retardant (DSF) was prepared through a reaction involving 9,10‐dihydro‐9‐oxa‐10‐phosphaphenanthrene‐10‐oxide (DOPO), 4‐amino‐trifluorotoluene, and salicylaldehyde, was characterized by FTIR and 1H NMR, and was employed to prepare a multifunctional epoxy resin and cyanate ester resin copolymer (EPCE). A comprehensive investigation was conducted to assess the mechanical performance, dielectric properties, thermal behavior, and flame retardancy of EPCE composites. The results indicate that the EPCE composite with 8 wt% DSF (EPCE/8DSF) attained a LOI value of 28.1 vol% and a V‐0 rating. The EPCE/8DSF demonstrated a reduction of 25.8% in the peak heat release rate and a decrease of 25.6% in the total heat release in comparison with EPCE. In addition, the EPCE/8DSF composite demonstrated a decrease in both the dielectric constant and dielectric loss at 10 MHz, representing values of 3.58 and 0.00744, respectively. Furthermore, the incorporation of higher DSF content into the EPCE led to a decrease in mechanical properties.

Highlights

A multifunctional flame retardant (DSF) was prepared by Kabachnik‐Fields reaction, and was used to fabricate multifunctional EPCE composites.

EPCE/DSF composites have good flame retardancy.

The prepared composites also have low dielectric constant and low dielectric loss.
Delta method, asymptotic distribution
Authors: Beutner Eric
Published: October 2023

The delta method for deriving asymptotic distributions is presented. Assume interest lies in where is an unknown parameter and is a known function. The delta method allows to immediately obtain an approximation of the distribution of the plug‐in estimator through the asymptotic distribution ofwheneverthe asymptotic distribution of is known and is differentiable at .

This article is categorized under:

Data: Types and Structure > Time Series, Stochastic Processes, and Functional Data
Literature Review with Focus on Inequalities
Authors: Thomas Hoben
Published: October 2023

Evidence of the inequalities of S comes from several sources. They are widely evident in large-scale U.S. national and international PISA studies, which provide compelling evidence. Numerous other studies including the earliest U.S. achievement tests also provide similar evidence.
Gemeinsames Musizieren und Soziologie. Zu einem besonderen totalen Verhältnis
Authors: Vollmer Theresa
Published: October 2023

Die vorliegende Arbeit hat eine Soziologie gemeinsamen Musizierens anhand der Ethnographie der Streichensembles entwickelt und vorgestellt. Dabei wurde in der Einleitung (Kapitel I) die Metapher der „soziologischen Partitur gemeinsamen Musizierens“ verwendet und behauptet, dass sich durch die einzelnen Kapitel drei Stimmen des Sozialen ziehen würden – „Wissen“, „Hörwelt“ und „Klangwelt“. Sie sollen im Folgenden noch einmal grob nachgezeichnet werden, um ihren Stimmenverlauf durch die soziologische Partitur hervorzuheben.
Convex functions and approximate Birkhoff–James orthogonality
Authors: Chmieliński Jacek , Gryszka Karol , Wójcik Paweł
Published: October 2023

For the well developed notion of approximate Birkhoff-James orthogonality, in a real or complex normed linear space, we formulate a new characterization. It can be derived from other, already known, characterizations as well as obtained in a more elementary and direct way, on the basis of some simple inequalities for real convex functions.
Crystal–melt interfaces in Mg2SiO4 at high pressure: structural and energetics insights from first-principles simulations
Authors: Karki Bijaya B. , Ghosh Dipta B. , Wang Jianwei , Karato Shun-ichiro
Published: October 2023

The interplay between crystal–melt and grain boundary interfaces in partially melted polycrystalline aggregates controls many physical properties of mantle rocks. To understand this process at the fundamental level requires improved knowledge about the interfacial structures and energetics. Here, we report the results of first-principles molecular dynamics simulations of two grain boundaries of (0l1)/[100] type for tilt angles of 30.4° and 49.6° and the corresponding solid–liquid interfaces in Mg2SiO4 forsterite at the conditions of the upper mantle. Our analysis of the simulated position time series shows that structural distortions at the solid–liquid interfacial region are stronger than intergranular interfacial distortions. The calculated formation enthalpy of the solid–solid interfaces increases nearly linearly from 1.0 to 1.4 J/m2 for the 30.4° tilt and from 0.8 to 1.0 J/m2 for the 49.6° tilt with pressure from 0 to 16 GPa at 1500 K, being consistent with the experimental data. The solid–liquid interfacial enthalpy takes comparable values in the range 0.9 to 1.5 J/m2 over similar pressure interval. The dihedral angle of the forsterite–melt system estimated using these interfacial enthalpies takes values in the range of 67° to 146°, showing a decreasing trend with pressure. The predicted dihedral angle is found to be generally larger than the measured data for silicate systems, probably caused by compositional differences between the simulation and the measurements.
Compartments of the crural fascia: clinically relevant ultrasound, anatomical and histological findings
Authors: Ortiz-Miguel S. , Miguel-Pérez M. , Blasi J. , Pérez-Bellmunt A. , Ortiz-Sagristà J. C. , Möller I. , Agullo J. L. , Iglesias P. , Martinoli C.
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Compartment syndrome is a surgical emergency that can occur in any part of the body and can cause cell necrosis when maintained over time. The resulting defects can affect the nerves, muscle cells, bone tissue, and other connective tissues inside the compartment, and fasciotomy has to be performed. The anatomical and histological characteristics of the leg make acute, chronic, and exertional compartment syndrome more likely in this limb. For these reasons, knowledge of the ultrasound, anatomical, and histological features of the crural fascia can help in the treatment of leg compartment syndrome.

Methods

Twenty-one cryopreserved lower limbs from adult cadavers and from one 29-week-old fetus were obtained from the dissection room. They were examined by ultrasound and a subsequent anatomical dissection and microscopy to study the crural fascia and its relationship with the different muscles. Anthropometric measurements were taken of the distances from the head of the fibula and lateral malleolus to the origin of the tibialis anterior muscle in the crural fascia, the exit of the superficial fibular nerve, and the fascia covering the deep posterior muscles of the leg.

Results

The crural fascia has very important clinical relationships, which can be identified by ultrasound, as the origin of the tibialis anterior muscle at 16.25 cm from the head of the fibula and the exit of the superficial fibular nerve that crosses this fascia at 21.25 cm from the head of the fibula. Furthermore, the presence of a septum that fixes the deep posterior muscles of the leg and the vessels and nerve can be seen by ultrasound and can explain the possible development of a posterior compartmental syndrome of the leg. Awareness of these features will help to keep these structures safe during the surgical treatment of compartment syndrome.

Conclusion

The ultrasound study allows identification of anatomical structures in the leg and, thus, avoids damage to them during surgery for compartmental syndromes.
Bilateral simultaneous knee arthroplasty shows comparable early outcome and complication rate as staged bilateral knee arthroplasty for patients scored ASA 1–3 if performed by a high-volume surgeon: a retrospective cohort study of 127 cases
Authors: Kirschbaum Stephanie , Hube Robert , Perka Carsten , Najfeld Michael
Published: October 2023

Background and purpose

The study compares early outcomes after simultaneous and staged knee arthroplasty in patients with bilateral knee osteoarthritis (OA) to evaluate whether simultaneous bilateral TKA shows comparable early outcomes and complication rates to staged bilateral TKA.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study including all patients scheduled for primary TKA for bilateral knee OA (n = 127) was conducted. Patients received either simultaneous (n = 53, 41.7%) or staged (n = 74, 58.3%) bilateral TKA by a single, high-volume surgeon—depending on their individual preference. Demographic data, haemoglobin drop (Hb), length of stay (LOS), operation time, 30-day complication rate and achievement of rehabilitation key points were evaluated.

Results

There was no difference between the groups concerning age, sex, BMI or complication rate. ASA scoring was better in the simultaneous group [2.2, (15.1% ASA 1, 49.1% ASA 2, 35.8% ASA 3) vs. 2.4 (2.7% ASA 1, 51.4% ASA 2, 45.9% ASA 3)]. Average LOS was 7.8 ± 2.1 days for simultaneous TKA, 7.4 ± 1.7 days for single procedure of staged group (p < 0.453) and 14.7 ± 3.1 days if combined (p < 0.001). Cumulative Hb loss was significantly higher in the staged group (3.8 ± 1.2 g/dl vs. 2.4 ± 0.8 g/dl, p < 0.001). Detailed comparison of early outcome parameters between staged and simultaneous procedure depending on ASA score only revealed slightly slower assessment of stairs (p < 0.001) and increased Hb drop per surgery in case of simultaneous procedure (p < 0.011) if ASA score was ≥ 2. Only patients scored ASA 3 demonstrated a significant longer LOS per procedure in simultaneous group (8.5 ± 2.4 vs.7.3 ± 1.6 days, p = 0.034).

Interpretation

Simultaneous bilateral TKA results in comparable early outcome and complication rate than staged bilateral procedure—even for patients scored ASA 3.

Level of evidence

Level IV.
Approximating Maximum Integral Multiflows on Bounded Genus Graphs
Authors: Huang Chien-Chung , Mari Mathieu , Mathieu Claire , Vygen Jens
Published: October 2023

We devise the first constant-factor approximation algorithm for finding an integral multi-commodity flow of maximum total value for instances where the supply graph together with the demand edges can be embedded on an orientable surface of bounded genus. This extends recent results for planar instances. Our techniques include an uncrossing algorithm, which is significantly more difficult than in the planar case, a partition of the cycles in the support of an LP solution into free homotopy classes, and a new rounding procedure for freely homotopic non-separating cycles.
Omissions and inferential meaning-making in audio description, and implications for automating video content description
Authors: Starr Kim , Braun Sabine
Published: October 2023

There is broad consensus that audio description (AD) is a modality of intersemiotic translation, but there are different views in relation to how AD can be more precisely conceptualised. While Benecke (Audiodeskription als partielle Translation. Modell und Methode, LIT, Berlin, 2014) characterises AD as ‘partial translation’, Braun (T 28: 302–313, 2016) hypothesises that what audio describers appear to ‘omit’ from their descriptions can normally be inferred by the audience, drawing on narrative cues from dialogue, mise-en-scène, kinesis, music or sound effects. The study reported in this paper tested this hypothesis using a corpus of material created during the H2020 MeMAD project. The MeMAD project aimed to improve access to audiovisual (AV) content through a combination of human and computer-based methods of description. One of the MeMAD workstreams addressed human approaches to describing visually salient cues. This included an analysis of the potential impact of omissions in AD, which is the focus of this paper. Using a corpus of approximately 500 audio described film extracts we identified the visual elements that can be considered essential for the construction of the filmic narrative and then performed a qualitative analysis of the corresponding audio descriptions to determine how these elements are verbally represented and whether any omitted elements could be inferred from other cues that are accessible to visually impaired audiences. We then identified the most likely source of these inferences and the conditions upon which retrieval could be predicated, preparing the ground for future reception studies to test our hypotheses with target audiences. In this paper, we discuss the methodology used to determine where omissions occur in the analysed audio descriptions, consider worked examples from the MeMAD500 film corpus, and outline the findings of our study namely that various strategies are relevant to inferring omitted information, including the use of proximal and distal contextual cues, and reliance on the application of common knowledge and iconic scenarios. To conclude, consideration is given to overcoming significant omissions in human-generated AD, such as using extended AD formats, and mitigating similar gaps in machine-generated descriptions, where incorporating dialogue analysis and other supplementary data into the computer model could resolve many omissions.
Sectional nonassociativity of metrized algebras
Authors: Fox Daniel J. F.
Published: October 2023

The sectional nonassociativity of a metrized (not necessarily associative or unital) algebra is defined analogously to the sectional curvature of a pseudo-Riemannian metric, with the associator in place of the Levi-Civita covariant derivative. For commutative real algebras nonnegative sectional nonassociativity is usually called the Norton inequality, while a sharp upper bound on the sectional nonassociativity of the Jordan algebra of Hermitian matrices over a real Hurwitz algebra is closely related to the Böttcher–Wenzel-Chern-do Carmo-Kobayashi inequality. These and other basic examples are explained, and there are described some consequences of bounds on sectional nonassociativity for commutative algebras. A technical point of interest is that the results work over the octonions as well as the associative Hurwitz algebras.
Quantifying the influence of tree species richness on community drought resistance using drone-derived NDVI and ground-based measures of Plant Area Index and leaf chlorophyll in a young tree diversity experiment
Authors: Hajek Peter , Mörsdorf Martin , Kovach Kyle R. , Greinwald Konrad , Rose Laura , Nock Charles A. , Scherer-Lorenzen Michael
Published: October 2023

Tree diversity may buffer the negative impact of drought events according to the diversity insurance hypothesis. During the extreme pan-European drought of 2018, we tested whether tree species richness modulated drought impacts on communities of a young tree diversity experiment in Freiburg, Germany. We utilized drone-based hyperspectral images to capture early symptoms of drought stress indicated by variation in Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and ground-based measures that are indicative of tree canopy function, including Plant Area Index (PAI) and leaf chlorophyll content (Chl). Measures were taken the fifth growing season after planting on six broadleaved and six conifer species originating from Europe and North America in monocultures, two-, four- and six-species mixtures. NDVI decreased successively in response to the summer drought. In contrast to our expectation, tree species richness did not reduce declines in NDVI at the plot level. NDVI values were generally lower in six-species mixtures, compared to monocultures or two-species mixtures, which may be indicative of antagonistic tree species interactions in mixtures of high diversity. Changes in PAI in response to the drought were similar to changes in NDVI; however, modeled differences in PAI between mixtures were not statistically significant. Chl initially decreased, but recovered within a period of two months following the drought. Remotely sensed NDVI facilitated monitoring of the drought response of our large field experiment and could aid in monitoring canopy health in response to extreme drought events. Our observations suggest that NDVI responses are likely more strongly related to leaf shedding within tree canopies than decreases in Chl. Tree stands with a high abundance of deciduous trees may therefore be especially sensitive in triggering NDVI changes in response to drought during the stages leading up to tree mortality. Future studies of drought-related canopy responses should include monitoring of leaf shedding as well as the Chl of shed leaves.
Treatment utilization and effectiveness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy comparing men and women diagnosed with breast cancer: a Swedish retrospective cohort study
Authors: Schiza Aglaia , Fredriksson Irma , Sund Malin , Valachis Antonios
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Evidence supporting the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in early breast cancer is based on studies mainly including women, whereas the utilization and effectiveness of NAC in men is less studied. The present study aimed to investigate the utilization and effectiveness of NAC in men and women with early breast cancer.

Methods

Eligible patients were identified through the Swedish National Breast Cancer Quality Register, that includes all newly diagnosed breast cancer cases in Sweden from 2008 and onwards. For the treatment utilization analysis, all patients with stage I–III between 2008 and 2020 were included (n = 82,888), whereas for the effectiveness analysis the cohort was restricted to patients receiving NAC (n = 6487). For both analyses, multivariate logistic regression models were applied to investigate potential sex disparities in NAC utilization and effectiveness, adjusted for patient- and tumor characteristics.

Results

In the NAC utilization analysis, 487 men and 82,401 women with stage I–III were included. No statistically significant difference between sexes in terms of NAC utilization was observed (adjusted Odds Ratio (adjOR): 1.135; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.606–2.128) with an overall utilization rate of 4.9% in men compared to 7.8% in women. Among the 24 men and 6463 women who received NAC, the pathologic complete response (pCR) rates were 16.7% and 21.2%, respectively (adjOR: 1.141; 95% CI 0.141–9.238).

Conclusion

The present study did not find any sex disparities in NAC utilization or effectiveness in terms of pCR. This supports the current recommendations of treating men with breast cancer with the same indications for NAC as women.
Spatio-temporal evolution and trend prediction of urban ecosystem service value based on CLUE-S and GM (1,1) compound model
Authors: Feng Hu , Lei Xu , Yu Guo , Changchun Zhang
Published: October 2023

Ecosystem service value (ESV) is a significant indicator related to regional ecological well-being. Evaluating ESV premised on continuous time series land benefit data can provide an accurate reference for regional ecological civilization construction and sustainable development. Taking Shijiazhuang, the capital city of Hebei Province as an example, the study analyzed land use changes based on the land use data of the continuous time series from 2000 to 2020 and introduced a socio-economic adjustment factor and biomass factor adjustment factor to construct a dynamic assessment model of ecosystem service value. The spatiotemporal changes of the ecosystem service value in Shijiazhuang City were evaluated, and the dynamic prediction of the ecosystem service value was made using the CLUE-S model and the GM (1,1) model. (1) The changes in the overall ESV and spatial pattern in Shijiazhuang are strongly linked to the change in land use, and the contribution of cultivated land, woodland, and grassland to ecosystem service value exceeds 90%. (2) Between 2000 and 2020, the value of ecosystem services illustrated a dynamic change and gradually declined, with the total amount falling from 28.003 to 19.513 billion yuan. Among individual ecosystem services, the value of regulation services suffered the most serious loss. (3) CLUE-S and GM (1,1) perform well in the prediction of ESV. The prediction outcomes illustrate that the ecosystem service value of Shijiazhuang will continue to decline by 2025, and the ecosystem value will drop to 16.771 billion yuan. This research may offer a reference for the dynamic assessment of ESV of the continuous sequence and help to promote regional ecological protection and sustainable development.
Sustaining agricultural economies: regional economic impacts of biochar production from waste orchard biomass in California's Central Valley
Authors: Nematian Maryam , Ng’ombe John N. , Keske Catherine
Published: October 2023

The prominent role of agriculture in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has increased global interest in biochar. This carbonaceous biomass product has emerging efficacy for GHG emissions reduction. While a growing body of literature indicates positive economic impacts of biomass-related products, scant evidence exists about the potential regional economic impacts of biochar production. Since biochar is a new industry and there is no North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for biochar, we modified the available industries in the IMPLAN database to estimate the direct, indirect, and induced economic impacts of six potential biochar pricing and production opportunities in Central Valley, California. Results suggest that depending on the biochar price and conversion rates, biochar would create between 16.56 and 17.69 new full- and part-time jobs per year that would contribute between $1.2 and $5.75 million per year to labor income. Biochar production would add to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) about $106,295 ($5.2 million) per year with a conversion rate of 15% (35%) and a biochar price of $280 ($2,512) per metric ton. Similarly, biochar’s impacts on gross output would be positive, regardless of the biochar conversion rate and price, which suggests the need for more investment in the sector. We find that all regions would benefit in terms of employment, labor compensation, value addition, and gross output though Madera County would have the least economic returns. Meanwhile, Fresno County with the most biomass would have the most economic impacts, suggesting that policy should be directed at encouraging biomass production and marketing in areas with the most biomass.
Genome-wide analysis of the NAC gene family and functional verification of the DcNAC043s in Dendrobium catenatum
Authors: Liu Miao , Tian Tian , Li Yong-quan , Tang Liu , Tian Yu-hang , Zhang Yu-jin , Shangguan Li-yang , Hang Ye , Huang Ming-jin , Zhang Ming-sheng
Published: October 2023

The NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2 and CUC2) domain protein plays an important role in plant growth and development. The function of members of NAC gene family has been deeply studied in many plants. However, the evolutionary relationships and characteristics of NAC family genes in Dendrobium catenatum (D. candidum) unclear. In this study, we identified 33 NAC genes in D.catenatum, all contain NAM conservative domain. Subcellular localization predictions indicated that all the DcNAC proteins are localized to the nucleus. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the DcNAC gene family could be divided into four groups. Then, the amino-acid composition, physicochemical properties, gene structure, motif, and promoter cis-acting elements were analyzed, the evolutionarily conservative gene DcNAC043-1 and DcNAC043-2 were found. Using qRT-PCR and phloroglucinol staining experiments, it was demonstrated that DcNAC043s can respond to drought stress in Dendrobium. Within a certain range, the longer the duration of drought stress, the higher the expression level of DcNAC043s, and the stronger the degree of plant lignification. We supplemented the relevant information of NAC gene family in D. catenatum. At the same time, the gene function of DcNAC043s and its contribution to the response of Dendrobium to drought stress were verified. These results provide a comprehensive evolutionary history of NAC genes in D. catenatum, and insight into the biological functions of DcNAC043s genes in response to drought stress.
Numerical and experimental investigation on the synthesis of extended Kalman filters for cable-driven parallel robots modeled through DAEs
Authors: Bettega Jason , Boschetti Giovanni , Frade Borja R. , González Francisco , Piva Giulio , Richiedei Dario , Trevisani Alberto
Published: October 2023

Cable-driven parallel robots are parallel robots where light-weight cables replace rigid bodies to move an end-effector. Their peculiar design allows obtaining large workspaces, high-dynamic handlings, ease of reconfigurability and, in general, low-cost architecture. Knowing the full state variables of a cable robot may be essential to implement advanced control and monitoring strategies and imposes the development of state observers. In this work a general approach to develop nonlinear state observers based on an extended Kalman filter (EKF) is proposed and validated both numerically and experimentally by referring to a cable-suspended parallel robot. The state observer is based on a system model obtained by converting a set of differential algebraic equations into ordinary differential equations through different formulations: the penalty formulation, the Udwadia–Kalaba formulation, and the Udwadia–Kalaba–Phohomsiri formulation, which have been chosen since they can handle the presence of redundant constraints as often happens in cable-driven parallel robots. In the numerical investigation, the EKF is validated simulating encoders heavily affected by quantization errors to demonstrate the filtering capabilities of EKF. In the experimental investigation, a very challenging validation is proposed: only two sensors measuring the rotations of two motors are used to estimate the actual position and velocity of the end-effector. This result cannot be achieved by sole forward kinematics and clearly proves the effectiveness of the proposed observer.
A dynamic programming based method for optimal control of a cascaded heat pump system with thermal energy storage
Authors: Diller Tim , Soppelsa Anton , Nagpal Himanshu , Fedrizzi Roberto , Henze Gregor
Published: October 2023

The residential heating and cooling sector has been increasingly electrifying, predominantly using electrically driven heat pumps (HP) in combination with thermal/electrical energy storage systems. While these developments contribute to increased renewable and low carbon energy shares in the sector, exploiting the full potential of the technology requires a smart control of these systems that can account for predicted renewable energy availability in the future and the corresponding HP system performance. However, modelling a system featuring complex internal dynamics, in a way that is suitable for smart control, is challenging. Models need to be sophisticated enough to accurately capture the system's nonlinearities and intricacies while at the same time fast enough to enable a thorough search of the solutions space, in suitable computational time. Dynamic programming (DP) is a promising approach to smart controls, as it combines the ability to use complex, non-linear models while being an exhaustive search algorithm, guaranteeing that the global optimum is found. This paper presents an innovative modelling framework that entails reduced order models (ROM) of an HP substation's main components (i.e., HP and thermal energy storage—TES), elaborated in a fashion suitable for use in DP; these have been shaped as to include significant physical operating constraints (e.g., HP compressor variable speed, non-linear coefficient of performance—COP—dependency on outdoor and distribution temperature) affecting the system performance, while at the same time minimising the amount of state variables (i.e., TES temperatures, HP thermal and electric capacity) the optimizer needs to handle. In an application to an exemplary HP system, our system models compare remarkably well to detailed TRNSYS counterparts, used as a reference ground truth. The system achieves significant cost-saving enabled by the dynamic programming optimization approach, facilitating a 13% decrease in power consumption compared to conventional rule-based control.
The Structure of Pandemic Vulnerability: Housing Wealth, Residential Segregation, and COVID-19 Mortality
Authors: Agbai Chinyere O.
Published: October 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly devastating for those with limited economic resources. Extensive research demonstrates the negative relationship between wealth and mortality at both the individual and area levels. In addition, residential segregation has been linked to poor health and greater mortality. Home equity is the largest asset that many Americans own, but residential segregation devalues homes located in Black neighborhoods. Despite the interlocking relationships between wealth, residential segregation, and mortality, it remains unclear how wealth and residential segregation work to predict COVID-19 deaths. Using U.S. Census data and county-level COVID-19 data from Johns Hopkins University (n = 1164), I deploy median home value as a wealth proxy and negative binomial regression models to interrogate two questions. (1) What is the relationship between home value and COVID-19 deaths? (2) How does the relationship vary by level of residential segregation? Results indicate that COVID-19 mortality is 64 percent greater in the lowest wealth counties than in the wealthiest counties. At average median home value, the most segregated counties with the largest Black populations suffer 28 percent more COVID-19 deaths than similarly situated counties with low levels of residential segregation and small Black populations. This study underscores the importance of accounting for residential segregation in examinations of the well-established relationship between socioeconomic status and health and mortality.