bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spin–Charge Conversion in Hybrid Structure PbZrO3/Y3Fe5O12/Pt
Authors: Yu Rui , Wang Yong , Li Teng , Chen Feng , Cao Jiefeng , Zhu Fangyuan , Zhang Xiangzhi , Tai Renzhong
Published: May 2023

Multifunctional oxide heterostructures exhibiting magnetoelectric properties show great potential in advanced applications which are attracting a number of recent investigations. Herein, hybrid structures are presented including the antiferroelectricity film PbZrO3 (PZO) and the ferrimagnetic insulator (FMI) yttrium iron garnet (Y3Fe5O12, (YIG)) film by means of pulse laser deposition and magnetron sputtering, respectively. A visible double ferroelectricity hysteresis loop for PZO at low electrical field and the distinct X‐ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectra for YIG are obtained. To study the spin current transfer processes between platinum (Pt) and the PZO/YIG system, the Pt film is deposited on the PZO/YIG bilayers as the conversion detector and the spin–charge conversion voltage can be obtained via inverse spin Hall effect (ISHE) under thermal gradient excitation. These results indicate that the hybrid structure PZO/YIG/Pt provides a potential route to realize an electric field control of spin–charge conversion and is instructive for future low‐power multiferroic heterostructures‐based spintronic devices.
Naringenin improves ovarian health by reducing the serum androgen and eliminating follicular cysts in letrozole‐induced polycystic ovary syndrome in the Sprague Dawley rats
Authors: Rashid Rumaisa , Tripathi Rupal , Singh Akanksha , Sarkar Sudarsan , Kawale Ajaykumar , Bader G. N. , Gupta Satish , Gupta Rakesh Kumar , Jha Rajesh Kumar
Published: May 2023

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is most common in women of reproductive age, giving rise to androgen excess and anovulation, leading to infertility and non‐reproductive complications. We explored the ameliorating effect of naringenin in PCOS using the Sprague Dawley (SD) rat model and human granulosa cells. Letrozole‐induced PCOS rats were given either naringenin (50 mg/kg/day) alone or in combination with metformin (300 mg/kg/day), followed by the estrous cycle, hormonal analysis, and glucose sensitivity test. To evaluate the effect of naringenin on granulosa cell (hGC) steroidogenesis, we treated cells with naringenin (2.5 μM) alone or in combination with metformin (1 mM) in the presence of forskolin (10 μM). To determine the steroidogenesis of CYP‐17A1, ‐19A1, and 3βHSD2, the protein expression levels were examined. Treatment with naringenin in the PCOS animal groups increased ovulation potential and decreased cystic follicles and levels of androgens. The expression levels of CYP‐17A1, ‐19A1, and 3βHSD2, were seen restored in the ovary of PCOS SD rats' model and in the human ovarian cells in response to the naringenin. We found an increased expression level of phosphorylated‐AKT in the ovary and hGCs by naringenin. Naringenin improves ovulation and suppress androgens and cystic follicles, involving AKT activation.
Local algorithms for maximum cut and minimum bisection on locally treelike regular graphs of large degree
Authors: El Alaoui Ahmed , Montanari Andrea , Sellke Mark
Published: May 2023

Given a graph of degree over vertices, we consider the problem of computing a near maximum cut or a near minimum bisection in polynomial time. For graphs of girth , we develop a local message passing algorithm whose complexity is , and that achieves near optimal cut values among all ‐local algorithms. Focusing on max‐cut, the algorithm constructs a cut of value , where is the value of the Parisi formula from spin glass theory, and (subscripts indicate the asymptotic variables). Our result generalizes to locally treelike graphs, that is, graphs whose girth becomes after removing a small fraction of vertices. Earlier work established that, for random ‐regular graphs, the typical max‐cut value is . Therefore our algorithm is nearly optimal on such graphs. An immediate corollary of this result is that random regular graphs have nearly minimum max‐cut, and nearly maximum min‐bisection among all regular locally treelike graphs. This can be viewed as a combinatorial version of the near‐Ramanujan property of random regular graphs.
Pair Interaction between Two Catalytically Active Colloids
Authors: Sharan Priyanka , Daddi‐Moussa‐Ider Abdallah , Agudo‐Canalejo Jaime , Golestanian Ramin , Simmchen Juliane
Published: May 2023

Due to the intrinsically complex non‐equilibrium behavior of the constituents of active matter systems, a comprehensive understanding of their collective properties is a challenge that requires systematic bottom–up characterization of the individual components and their interactions. For self‐propelled particles, intrinsic complexity stems from the fact that the polar nature of the colloids necessitates that the interactions depend on positions and orientations of the particles, leading to a 2d − 1 dimensional configuration space for each particle, in d dimensions. Moreover, the interactions between such non‐equilibrium colloids are generically non‐reciprocal, which makes the characterization even more complex. Therefore, derivation of generic rules that enable us to predict the outcomes of individual encounters as well as the ensuing collective behavior will be an important step forward. While significant advances have been made on the theoretical front, such systematic experimental characterizations using simple artificial systems with measurable parameters are scarce. Here, two different contrasting types of colloidal microswimmers are studied, which move in opposite directions and show distinctly different interactions. To facilitate the extraction of parameters, an experimental platform is introduced in which these parameters are confined on a 1D track. Furthermore, a theoretical model for interparticle interactions near a substrate is developed, including both phoretic and hydrodynamic effects, which reproduces their behavior. For subsequent validation, the degrees of freedom are increased to 2D motion and resulting trajectories are predicted, finding remarkable agreement. These results may prove useful in characterizing the overall alignment behavior of interacting self‐propelling active swimmer and may find direct applications in guiding the design of active‐matter systems involving phoretic and hydrodynamic interactions.
Controlling Hot Charge Carrier Transfer in Monolithic AlSiAl Heterostructures for Plasmonic On‐Chip Energy Harvesting
Authors: Song Zehao , Sistani Masiar , Schwingshandl Fabian , Lugstein Alois
Published: May 2023

The generation of hot carriers by Landau damping or chemical interface damping of plasmons is of particular interest to the fundamental aspects of extreme light‐matter interactions. Hot charge carriers can be transferred to an attached acceptor for photochemical or photovoltaic energy conversion. However, these lose their excess energy and relax to thermal equilibrium within picoseconds and it is difficult to extract useful work thereof with thermodynamic efficiencies that are of interest for practical devices. Without a detailed understanding of the underlying plasmon decay processes and transfer mechanisms, proper material matching and design considerations for novel plasmonic devices are extremely challenging. Here, a multifunctional AlSiAl heterostructure device with tunable Schottky barriers is presented to control plasmon‐induced hot carrier injection at an abrupt metal‐semiconductor interface. Light absorption, surface plasmon generation, and separation of hot carriers arising from the non‐radiative decay of surface plasmons are realized in a monolithic Schottky barrier field effect transistor. Aside from barrier modulation, a virtual p–n junction can be emulated in the semiconductor channel with the distinct merit that carrier concentration and polarity are tunable by electrostatic gating. The investigations are carried out with a view to possible use for CMOS‐compatible plasmonic photovoltaics, with versatile implementations for autonomous nanosystems.
Butyrate Modification Promotes Intestinal Absorption and Hepatic Cancer Cells Targeting of Ferroptosis Inducer Loaded Nanoparticle for Enhanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Therapy
Authors: Yu Yinglan , Shen Xinran , Xiao Xin , Li Lian , Huang Yuan
Published: May 2023

Sorafenib is an oral‐administered first‐line drug for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment. However, the therapeutic efficacy of sorafenib is relatively low. Here, an oral delivery platform that increases sorafenib uptake by HCC and induces potent ferroptosis is designed. This platform is butyrate‐modified nanoparticles separately encapsulated with sorafenib and salinomycin. The multifunctional ligand butyrate interacts with monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT‐1) to facilitate transcytosis. Specifically, MCT‐1 is differentially expressed on the apical and basolateral sides of the intestine, highly expressed on the surface of HCC cells but lowly expressed on normal hepatocytes. After oral administration, this platform is revealed to boost transepithelial transport effectively and continuously in the intestine, drug accumulation in the liver, and HCC cell uptake. Following drug release in cancer cells, sorafenib depletes glutathione peroxidase 4 and glutathione, consequently initiating ferroptosis. Meanwhile, salinomycin enhances intracellular iron and lipid peroxidation, thereby accelerating ferroptosis. In vivo experiments performed on the orthotopic HCC model demonstrate that this combination strategy induces pronounced ferroptosis damage and ignites a robust systemic immune response, leading to the effective elimination of tumors and establishment of systemic immune memory. This work provides a proof‐of‐concept demonstration that an oral delivery strategy for ferroptosis inducers may be beneficial for HCC treatment.
Understanding and Preventing Lubrication Failure at the Carbon Atomic Steps
Authors: Yan Wenmeng , Bhuiyan Fakhrul H. , Tang Chuan , Wei Liang , Jiang Yilong , Jang Seokhoon , Liu Yangqin , Wu Jiang , Wang Wen , Wang Yang , Martini Ashlie , Qian Linmao , Kim Seong H. , Chen Lei
Published: May 2023

Two‐dimensional (2D) lamellar materials are normally capable of rendering super‐low friction, wear protection, and adhesion reduction in nanoscale due to their ultralow shear strength between two basal plane surfaces. However, high friction at step edges prevents the 2D materials from achieving super‐low friction in macroscale applications and eventually leads to failure of lubrication performance. Here, taking graphene as an example, the authors report that not all step edges are detrimental. The armchair (AC) step edges are found to have only a minor topographic effect on friction, while the zigzag (ZZ) edges cause friction two orders of magnitude larger than the basal plane. The AC step edge is less reactive and thus more durable. However, the ZZ structure prevails when step edges are produced mechanically, for example, through mechanical exfoliation or grinding of graphite. The authors found a way to make the high‐friction ZZ edge superlubricious by reconstructing the (6,6) hexagon structure to the (5,7) azulene‐like structure through thermal annealing in an inert gas environment. This will facilitate the realization of graphene‐based superlubricity over a wide range of industrial applications in which avoiding the involvement of step edges is difficult.
Liquid Crystalline Elastomer for Separate or Collective Sensing and Actuation Functions
Authors: Jiang Jie , Zhao Yue
Published: May 2023

A porous liquid crystalline elastomer actuator filled with an ionic liquid (PLCE‐IL) is shown to exhibit the functions of two classes of materials: electrically responsive, deformable materials for sensing and soft active materials for stimuli‐triggered actuation. On one hand, upon the order–disorder phase transition of aligned mesogens, PLCE‐IL behaves like a typical actuator capable of reversible shape change and can be used to assemble light‐fuelled soft robot. On the other hand, at temperatures below the phase transition, PLCE‐IL is an elastomer that can sustain and sense large deformations of various modes as well as environmental condition changes by reporting the corresponding electrical resistance variation. The two distinguished functions can also be used collectively with PLCE‐IL integrated in one device. This intelligent feature is demonstrated with an artificial arm. When the arm is manually powered to fold and unfold, the PLCE‐IL strip serves as a deformation sensor; while when the manual power is not available, the role of the PLCE‐IL strip is switched to an actuator that enables light‐driven folding and unfolding of the arm. This study shows that electrically responsive LCEs are a potential materials platform that offers possibilities for merging deformable electronic and actuation applications.
Linker Independent Regioselective Protonation Triggered Detoxification of Sulfur Mustards with Smart Porous Organic Photopolymer
Authors: Paul Ratul , Kalita Priyanka , Dao Duy Quang , Mondal Indranil , Boro Bishal , Mondal John
Published: May 2023

The development of efficient metal‐free photocatalysts for the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) for sulfur mustard (HD) decontamination can play a vital role against the stockpiling of chemical warfare agents (CWAs). Herein, one novel concept is conceived by smartly choosing a specific ionic monomer and a donor tritopic aldehyde, which can trigger linker‐independent regioselective protonation/deprotonation in the polymeric backbone. In this context, the newly developed vinylene‐linked ionic polymers (TPA/TPD‐Ionic) are further explored for visible‐light‐assisted detoxification of HD simulants. Time‐resolved‐photoluminescence (TRPL) study reveals the protonation effect in the polymeric backbone by significantly enhancing the life span of photoexcited electrons. In terms of catalytic performance, TPA‐Ionic outperformed TPD‐Ionic because of its enhanced excitons formation and charge carrier abilities caused by the donor‐acceptor (D‐A) backbone and protonation effects. Moreover, the formation of singlet oxygen (1O2) species is confirmed via in‐situ Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) analysis, which explained the crucial role of solvents in the reaction medium to regulate the (1O2) formation. This study creates a new avenue for developing novel porous photocatalysts and highlights the crucial roles of sacrificial electron donors and solvents in the reaction medium to establish the structure‐activity relationship.
Halogen Interaction Effects on Chiral Self‐Assemblies on Cyclodipeptide Scaffolds Across Hierarchy
Authors: Wang Zhuoer , Hao Aiyou , Xing Pengyao
Published: May 2023

How halogenation affects protein or peptide folding and self‐assembly hierarchically? This study tries to answer this question by using the halogen bonding mediated self‐assemblies on cyclodipeptide scaffolds. Single‐functionalized cyclodipeptides (Cyclo‐GX) based on para‐halogenated phenylalanine in the solid state form homochiral helical nanotubes via consecutive X···O bonds (X = Cl, Br, and I) independent of halogen kinds. In contrast, double‐functionalized cyclodipeptides (Cyclo‐XX) feature versatile self‐assembly architectures depending on the para‐substituents (X = H, F, Cl, Br, and I), affording nanotubular, lamellar, and triple helical nanotubular architectures. Cyclo‐BrBr exclusively adopts intramolecular Type‐IV X···X interaction that alters the molecular folding and packing, which also gives rise to opposite chirality at molecular folding (secondary structure), stacking (tertiary structure), and self‐assembled nanohelices (quarternary structure) at macroscopic scale. It unveils how halogenation impacts on the self‐assembly and chirality at hierarchical levels in specific peptides. Clusteroluminescence is found for the cyclodipeptides, achieving high quantum yield up to 71%, whereby circularly polarized luminescence is realized with tunable handedness by controlling halogen substituents.
Metallaphotocatalytic Amination of Aryl Chlorides Enabled by Highly Crystalline Acetylene‐Based Hydrazone‐Linked Covalent Organic Frameworks
Authors: Yusran Yusran , Xing Jiabin , Lin Qihan , Wu Gang , Peng Wen‐Chang , Wu Yan , Su Tianhui , Yang Lingyi , Zhang Liming , Li Qiaowei , Wang Hui , Li Zhan‐Ting , Zhang Dan‐Wei
Published: May 2023

Amination of aryl chlorides by metallaphotocatalysis is highly desired but remains practically challenging. Meanwhile, relying on soluble noble‐metal photocatalysts suffers from resource scarcity and structural instability which limit their practical application. Here in, a highly crystalline acetylene‐based hydrazone‐linked covalent organic framewok‐1 (AC‐COF‐1) is reported that enables metallaphotocatalytic amination of aryl chlorides. The non‐planar effect of hydrazone linkage and weak interlayer attraction of acetylene bond are minimized by intralayer hydrogen‐bonding. As a result, the COF shows not only improved crystallinity and porosity, but also enhanced optical and electronic properties compared to a COF analog without hydrogen‐bonding. Notably, dual AC‐COF‐1/Ni system affords CN coupling products from broad aryl chloride substrates in excellent yields (up to 99%) and good functional tolerance. Furthermore, AC‐COF‐1 is recoverable and reusable for seven times photocatalysis cycles. This report demonstrates simple approach to tune the structure‐activity relationship in COFs at molecular level.
Characterization and Comparison of Wet Milling Fractions of Export Commodity Corn Originating from Different International Geographical Locations
Authors: Singh Shuchi , Bekal Sadia , Duan Jingxin , Singh Vijay
Published: May 2023

Soft endosperm corn has evident characteristics suitable for wet milling but is susceptible to breakage and fracture during transportation. In this study the millability of commodity corn samples with different endosperm hardness originating from different international locations is compared, and its economic impact on corn importers for wet milling is discussed. The broken corn and foreign material (BCFM) for the soft endosperm US commodity corn ranges from 1.13% to 5.57% which is higher than other commodity corn from other international locations exported to the same country. US corn exported to different international markets shows higher starch yield in a range of 5–8% compared to the corn from different geographical locations exported to the same market. The excess starch from US corn directly translates to an additional revenue of 8.13–13 million USD per year for a 2540 MT day−1 wet mill plant. Therefore, it can be concluded that the soft endosperm US commodity corn, despite higher breakage, has superior millability and gives higher starch yields compared to the hard endosperm corn from other international locations which has comparatively lower BCFM. There are technologies that can be used to process broken corn separately after the initial cleaning process.
Study on design, preparation, and performance of low‐temperature rising concrete with energy storage aggregate
Authors: Wang Liguo , Wang Lanxin , Ju Siyi , Miao Yanchun , Wang Yuncheng , Wang Fengjuan , Sui Shiyu , Jiang Jinyang
Published: May 2023

Alleviating cracks induced by the temperature rise in mass concrete has always been a research hotspot and engineering problem. In this study, a type of energy storage phase change low‐temperature rising concrete was designed and prepared to reduce the cracking risk of mass concrete. First, a type of energy storage coarse aggregate (ESA) was prepared using a semi‐dry method with cement and fly ash as matrix materials, mixed with carbon black (CB), carbon fiber (CF), and phase change material (PCM). Furthermore, the influence of these materials on the mechanical properties, microstructure, and pore structure of the ESA was studied. Subsequently, ESA was used to prepare phase change low‐temperature rising concrete, and its mechanical properties, thermal conductivity (TC), and internal temperature rise were investigated. The research results show that, except for the compressive strength of PCM‐15‐ESA, which is only 7% lower than that of the control, PC‐P0, other samples have no mechanical property deterioration. The double‐layer protection measures can effectively avoid the mechanical property deterioration of concrete induced by PCM leakage. The maximum internal temperature rise of concrete is reduced by 9.8°C, which greatly reduces the risk of cracking of concrete.
Pragmatic verification and validation of industrial executable SysML models
Authors: Horváth Benedek , Molnár Vince , Graics Bence , Hajdu Ákos , Ráth István , Horváth Ákos , Karban Robert , Trancho Gelys , Micskei Zoltán
Published: May 2023

In recent years, Model‐Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) practices have been applied in various industries to design, simulate and verify complex systems. The verification and validation (V&V) of such systems engineering models are crucial to develop high‐quality systems. However, this is a challenging problem due to the complexity of the models and semantic differences in how different tools interpret the models, which can undermine the validity of the obtained results if they go undiscovered. To address these issues, we propose (i) a subset of the SysML language for which the practical semantic integrity of tools can be achieved and (ii) a cloud‐based V&V framework for this subset, lifting verification to an industrial scale. We demonstrate the feasibility of our approach on an industrial‐scale model from the aerospace domain and summarize the lessons learned during transitioning formal verification tools to an industrial context.
Precise Clock Synchronization Strategy of Power Distribution Field Network Based on HPLC Communication
Authors: Deng Hanjun , Xiao Yu , Huang Rui , Liu Mouhai , Ren Weijun
Published: May 2023

In order to improve clock synchronization precision of the power distribution field network, a power distribution field network with high‐speed power line broadband carrier communication is designed, and a step‐by‐step precision clock synchronization strategy is developed based on modified timing‐sync protocol for sensor networks. In the strategy, the clock of the central node is calibrated in real‐time as the master clock of the field network by the communication master station through the long‐distance communication network, the time and frequency deviations of the clocks of each node in the network are accurately monitored using the broadcast mechanism and the network time base of the carrier communication, and the clock frequency is gradually amended by re‐calibrating the clock temperature compensation coefficient of the node so that the clock of the node is synchronized step‐by‐step within a clock synchronization cycle. The clock synchronization performances of the field network are tested in the laboratory and jobsite, and test results show that the clock synchronization accuracy of the field network is within ± 0.23 s/24 h, which is 28% higher than that of the power distribution field network based on narrowband power line carrier, and these phenomena of time gap or time repetition are avoided in the clock synchronization process. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Budding uninhibited by benzimidazoles 1 might be a poor prognosis biomarker promoting the progression of papillary thyroid cancer
Authors: Jiang Wenjie , Yu Yan , Bhandari Adheesh , Hirachan Suzita , Dong Xubin , Huang Xiaoli , Qu Jinmiao , Chen Chengze
Published: May 2023

Background

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is one of the most widespread malignant tumors of the endocrine system, with a high incidence. Budding uninhibited by benzimidazoles 1 (BUB1), one of the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) genes, is a multitask protein kinase required for eukaryotic chromosome segregation. Although BUB1 has been explored in several types of cancer, its biological role and molecular mechanisms in PTC remain unclear.

Methods

In this study, we performed an examination of four public datasets along with local PTC cohorts and discovered that BUB1 was elevated in PTC compared to non‐cancer tissues. High BUB1 expression was linked with the status of BRAFV600E, RAS, and TERT after statistical analysis.

Results

Clinically, BUB1 is associated with a variety of clinicopathological features in PTC patients. Interestingly, analysis of the TCGA database showed that BUB1 was closely associated with poor prognosis of PTC and significantly correlated with PFS. As determined by regression analysis, BUB1, and T stage were independent predictors of PTC and were related to BRAFV600E and lymph node metastatic status. By RT‐qPCR, BUB1 was considerably overexpressed in PTC cell lines in comparison with normal thyroid epithelial cells.

Conclusion

We confirmed that the knockdown of BUB1 in BCPAP and TPC1 cell lines significantly inhibited cell proliferation, cloning, and migration in vitro experiments. These results imply that BUB1 may be a significant oncogenic gene that is directly associated with the prognosis of PTC and may represent a future target for therapeutic intervention.
Diphenyl disulfide potentiates the apoptosis of breast cancer cells through Bax proteolytic activation with accompanying autophagy
Authors: Chen Sheng‐Yuan , Chiu Chien‐Chih , Hung Chun‐Tzu , Pan Wen‐Hsiung , Chen Yen‐Chun , Bow Yung‐Ding , Li Wan‐Ju , Hsu Sheng‐Kai , Lin I‐Ling , Wen Zhi‐Hong , Wu Chang‐Yi
Published: May 2023

Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer‐related death worldwide, and chemoresistance often leads to poor patient outcomes. In this study, we investigated the anticancer activity of synthetic diphenyl disulfide (DPDS) in breast cancer cell lines. DPDS inhibited cellular proliferation and viability in a dose‐dependent manner and reduced colony formation, an index of clonogenicity. Annexin‐V and 7‐AAD double staining showed that DPDS could induce the apoptosis of breast cancer cells. Western blotting of the expression of Bax p21 and its cleaved form p18 suggested the activation of p18 Bax‐induced apoptosis. Furthermore, the increased expression of the autophagy marker LC3B‐II indicated autophagic lysosome accumulation induced by DPDS. Our findings suggest that DPDS has potential as a candidate for treating breast cancer, and further modifications and optimizations are warranted.
Integrated multi‐omics analysis reveals drought stress response mechanism in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)
Authors: Kudapa Himabindu , Ghatak Arindam , Barmukh Rutwik , Chaturvedi Palak , Khan Aamir , Kale Sandip , Fragner Lena , Chitikineni Annapurna , Weckwerth Wolfram , Varshney Rajeev K.
Published: May 2023

Drought is one of the major constraints limiting chickpea productivity. To unravel complex mechanisms regulating drought response in chickpea, we generated transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics datasets from root tissues of four contrasting drought‐responsive chickpea genotypes: ICC 4958, JG 11, and JG 11+ (drought‐tolerant), and ICC 1882 (drought‐sensitive) under control and drought stress conditions. Integration of transcriptomics and proteomics data identified enriched hub proteins encoding isoflavone 4′‐O‐methyltransferase, UDP‐d‐glucose/UDP‐d‐galactose 4‐epimerase, and delta‐1‐pyrroline‐5‐carboxylate synthetase. These proteins highlighted the involvement of pathways such as antibiotic biosynthesis, galactose metabolism, and isoflavonoid biosynthesis in activating drought stress response mechanisms. Subsequently, the integration of metabolomics data identified six metabolites (fructose, galactose, glucose, myoinositol, galactinol, and raffinose) that showed a significant correlation with galactose metabolism. Integration of root‐omics data also revealed some key candidate genes underlying the drought‐responsive “QTL‐hotspot” region. These results provided key insights into complex molecular mechanisms underlying drought stress response in chickpea.
Prediction of fetal and neonatal outcomes after preterm manifestations of placental insufficiency: systematic review of prediction models
Authors: Kleuskens D. G. , van Veen C. M. C. , Groenendaal F. , Ganzevoort W. , Gordijn S. J. , van Rijn B. B. , Lely A. T. , Schuit E. , Kooiman J.
Published: May 2023

Objectives

To identify all prediction models for fetal and neonatal outcomes in pregnancies with preterm manifestations of placental insufficiency (gestational hypertension, pre‐eclampsia, HELLP syndrome or fetal growth restriction with its onset before 37 weeks' gestation) and to assess the quality of the models and their performance on external validation.

Methods

A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science and EMBASE. Studies describing prediction models for fetal/neonatal mortality or significant neonatal morbidity in patients with preterm placental insufficiency disorders were included. Data extraction was performed using the CHARMS checklist. Risk of bias was assessed using PROBAST. Literature selection and data extraction were performed by two researchers independently.

Results

Our literature search yielded 22 491 unique publications. Fourteen were included after full‐text screening of 218 articles that remained after initial exclusions. The studies derived a total of 41 prediction models, including four models in the setting of pre‐eclampsia or HELLP, two models in the setting of fetal growth restriction and/or pre‐eclampsia and 35 models in the setting of fetal growth restriction. None of the models was validated externally, and internal validation was performed in only two studies. The final models contained mainly ultrasound (Doppler) markers as predictors of fetal/neonatal mortality and neonatal morbidity. Discriminative properties were reported for 27/41 models (c‐statistic between 0.6 and 0.9). Only two studies presented a calibration plot. The risk of bias was assessed as unclear in one model and high for all other models, mainly owing to the use of inappropriate statistical methods.

Conclusions

We identified 41 prediction models for fetal and neonatal outcomes in pregnancies with preterm manifestations of placental insufficiency. All models were considered to be of low methodological quality, apart from one that had unclear methodological quality. Higher‐quality models and external validation studies are needed to inform clinical decision‐making based on prediction models. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Big ideas in sports analytics and statistical tools for their investigation
Authors: Baumer Benjamin S. , Matthews Gregory J. , Nguyen Quang
Published: May 2023

Sports analytics—broadly defined as the pursuit of improvement in athletic performance through the analysis of data—has expanded its footprint both in the professional sports industry and in academia over the past 30 years. In this article, we connect four big ideas that are common across multiple sports: the expected value of a game state, win probability, measures of team strength, and the use of sports betting market data. For each, we explore both the shared similarities and individual idiosyncracies of analytical approaches in each sport. While our focus is on the concepts underlying each type of analysis, any implementation necessarily involves statistical methodologies, computational tools, and data sources. Where appropriate, we outline how data, models, tools, and knowledge of the sport combine to generate actionable insights. We also describe opportunities to share analytical work, but omit an in‐depth discussion of individual player evaluation as beyond our scope. This article should serve as a useful overview for anyone becoming interested in the study of sports analytics.

This article is categorized under:

Applications of Computational Statistics > Education in Computational Statistics
Marine Pollution in Context
Authors: Reichelt-Brushett Amanda
Published: May 2023

You have opened this book because you have an interest in the ocean and the impact of humans upon it. This is a serious issue that gains plenty of media attention, but prior to the early 1950s it was generally considered that oceans were so expansive that they could absorb waste inputs indefinitely.
Multiple Stressors
Authors: O’Brien Allyson L. , Dafforn Katherine , Chariton Anthony , Airoldi Laura , Schäfer Ralf B. , Mayer-Pinto Mariana
Published: May 2023

This book has mostly considered marine contamination and the biological effects of contaminants acting as single stressors. However, marine environments are rarely exposed to a single stressor, but rather experience a complex mix of many stressors. These stressors may be contaminants, such as the ones discussed in previous chapters (nutrients, chemicals, plastics as well as carbon dioxide), or they may be other stressors, such as invasive species, built infrastructure, aquaculture or fisheries, or climatic changes which themselves can contribute to contaminant stress, for example, nutrient loading is a well-known impact of aquaculture activities. All these stressors are ubiquitous in marine environments worldwide and have the potential to interact and have very different impacts compared to if they occurred singularly.
Pollution Mitigation and Ecological Restoration
Authors: Reichelt-Brushett Amanda
Published: May 2023

Chapter1presented to you the problem of marine pollution and through the book we explored the wide range of polluting substances with many chapters highlighting specific management approaches. Chapter1also highlighted that we are all potentially part of the solution to marine pollution.
Oil and Gas
Authors: Carpenter Angela , Reichelt-Brushett Amanda
Published: May 2023

Oil is a generic term that can cover a very wide range of natural hydrocarbon-based substances and also refined petrochemical products. Crude oiland petroleum products can have a range of physical properties on the basis of which their behaviour in the marine environment can differ widely. These properties range from viscosity (the rate at which liquid flows), density, and specific gravity (density relative to water).
Pesticides and Biocides
Authors: Warne Michael St. J. , Reichelt-Brushett Amanda
Published: May 2023

Pesticidesare chemicals that have been specifically synthesised to “kill pests, including insects, rodents,fungiand unwanted plants” (WHO, WHO (World Health Organisation) (2020) The WHO recommended classification of pesticides by hazard and guidelines to classification, 2019 edition. Available at:https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240005662[Accessed 19 Aug 2020]). They are generally used with the aim of protecting plants or plant products and this is why they are referred to in European Union legislation as Plant Protection Products.Biocidesare chemicals that are also designed to have the same properties as pesticides but they are not used to protect plants or plant products.
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
Authors: Mortimer Munro , Reichelt-Brushett Amanda
Published: May 2023

Anyone interested in the history of environmental chemistry, and in particular the management and remediation of pollution, soon encounters the term POP along with the Stockholm Conventionand the dirty dozen.
The Knowledge-Evolving Project: Fundamentals to a Complete Project Knowledge Management Discipline
Authors: Dabbour Ghassan
Published: May 2023

This paper establishes a knowledge management doctrine unique to the field of project management. The paper investigates and expands on the theoretical frameworks and practices of organisational knowledge management – which is the dominate doctrine in the discipline of knowledge management – to deduce a theory and a practice of project knowledge management that is distinctive from other knowledge management fields. It is discovered that the knowledge dynamics at the foundational level of project knowledge management is a symmetrical transposition of that of organisational knowledge management. Thus, theKnowledge-Evolving Projectdoctrine is established as the inverse of theKnowledge-Creating Company. Exploring a knowledge management discipline distinctive to project management inevitably leads to new insights that are potentially significant to managing knowledge in projects in particular and to knowledge management discipline in general. Most of the current literature on project knowledge management is almost indistinguishable from organisational knowledge management. The very same theoretical and empirical concepts and ideas are applied interchangeably in both management fields. This paper takes the rare step of creating a new theory and practice of project knowledge management such that it is distinctive from other knowledge management fields.
Using Nearpod to Promote Engagement in Online ESL Classes: A Mixed-Methods Study in the Context of Higher Education
Authors: Alawadhi Azza , Thabet Rawy A.
Published: May 2023

Student Response Systems such as Kahoot!, Socrative and Nearpod have become one of the latest trends in teaching and learning across higher education. However, despite the popularity of these platforms, the integration of SRS in teaching is still an evolving field of study. This mixed-methods study draws on undergraduate students’ perceptions of using Nearpod to facilitate teaching and learning in an online English course at a federal higher education institution in the UAE during pandemic teaching. A combination of self-report surveys (N = 90) and in-depth interviews (N = 5) were used to collect data for this study. Findings suggest that students perceived Nearpod to promote fun and enjoyment, enhance knowledge and understanding, and improve classroom dynamics. Results indicate a generally positive response, with 93.3% of students reporting that the instant feedback afforded by Nearpod improved their understanding, while 83.4% reported an increase in interactivity. This study confirms previous findings, suggesting that SRS such as Nearpod could foster effective student engagement, increase participation, and enhance students’ online learning experience. The study also found that there were no significant gender differences in students’ perceptions of Nearpod. Pedagogical implications are further discussed, and future research suggestions are provided.
Investigating Emirati Students’ Practices of Learning Block-Based Programming in an Online Learning Context: Evidence from a UAE National Program
Authors: Elsawah Wafaa , Charles Tendai
Published: May 2023

Purpose The primary purpose of this study is to investigate Emirati students’ perceptions about a two-week online programming course.

Methodology A mixed-method approach was used to report a two-week program experience in which 913 Emirati students engaged in a programming course. During the program, students’ progress and achievements were observed. At the end of the program, a survey was distributed amongst students for them to report on their perceptions about the experience.

Findings - Results revealed that most of the students enjoyed learning programming in an online environment and they fully comprehended the newly presented concepts; however, a few of them experienced various forms of technical difficulties.

Implications - This study contributes to the growing body of literature on the value of programming skills and the role of online learning environments in developing these skills for school students, especially for students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Originality - The outcomes of this study may assist educational policymakers in the UAE to enhance their implementation of online learning, particularly in programming. Moreover, it may help educators better prepare for the problems that students face with online programming.
A Quantitative Study on the Impact of Online Learning on Reading Comprehension Skills
Authors: El Haddad Ranya Ahmed , Salhieh Sa’Ed Mohammad Issa
Published: May 2023

This quantitative study aims to investigate the relationship between e-education and reading comprehension skills acquisition. It also examines if the previous relationship may impact students’ results in the exams. It also analyses the relationship between students’ knowledge in ICT and their perception and acceptance of online education. To collect data, A survey was sent to students to measure their perception of and satisfaction with online learning. Moreover, the marks of 105 students in an on-campus test were compared to the marks of another one they did online during the pandemic. The study agreed with the previous studies that e-learning can impact the reading skills positively and that students are getting aware of its educational benefits. On the other hand, the study did not agree with other studies about students’ knowledge of ICT and how it can positively impact their perception of online education. The study showed that although secondary students have sufficient knowledge of ICT, they do not have positive perceptions of online education.

Purpose - to investigate the relationship between e-education and acquiring reading comprehension skills, and if this may impact students’ results in the exams.

Methodology - A quantitative study in which a survey and the scores of two reading exams are analysed.

Findings - this study agreed with other studies about the positive impact of e-learning with some differences regarding students’ satisfaction with IT.

Implications - teachers can integrate interactive websites within instruction and using online games and activities can make students more attentive and less distracted.

Originality/value - although most of the studies have proved that there is a positive relationship between the quality of ICT services and students’ satisfaction with online education, this study disagrees as unlike most of the studies, the study in hand was conducted in a secondary school, not in a university.
Simulation Study on the Effect of Courtyards Design on Natural Ventilation: The Case Study of a Beauty Centre in Germany
Authors: Eid Bana , Taleb Hanan M.
Published: May 2023

This paper examines how to enhance the indoor environmental quality and thermal comfort in a beauty centre in Germany, by implementing courtyard in the building as a natural ventilation method. The courtyard ventilation method will be discussed in the literature review and will apply it using IES VE computer software with different strategies in different scenarios to achieve the optimum natural ventilation with the best scenario. This will include designing the base case scenario, and next, the HVAC system will be switched off during the summer and apply 3 different strategies with 3 scenarios each to study the effect of natural ventilation of courtyards in terms of energy consumption and thermal comfort and choose the best-case scenario. The winning case scenario is “scenario 8” as it has dropped 2.3 MWh from the total energy based on the base case scenario. Natural ventilation is important as it helps in improving the thermal comfort of the indoor and outdoor environment and controlling the inside temperature along with the air quality and movement. Moreover, it helps in reducing the usage of energy and thus reducing costs. All the strategies, scenarios and simulations were done by the authors using IES VE software.
Summarising a Twitter Feed Using Weighted Frequency
Authors: Abohaia Zina Ahmed , Hassan Yousef Mamdouh
Published: May 2023

Data is growing exponentially every day, with 500 million tweets sent on Twitter alone (Desjardins 2021). Twitter feeds are long, take time to understand, are multilingual, and have multimedia. This makes it difficult to analyse in its raw form so the data needs to be extracted, cleaned, and structured, to be able to be used in research. This paper proposes summarising twitter feeds as a manner of structuring them. The objectives we sought to achieve are: (1) Use the Twitter API to retrieve tweets successfully, (2) Efficiently detect the language of text, and tokenize it to then analyse their content (in its language), (3) Use live tweets as the input instead of a database of tweets, (4) Create the interface as a plugin to make it accessible for computer scientists, and others, alike. We also aimed to test whether using weighted frequency to construct summaries of tweets would be successful, and by conducting a survey to test our results, we have found that our program is seen to be useful, accessible, and efficient at giving summarizations of twitter accounts. Weighted frequency also proved to be good at summarising text of any language, inputted.
Preventive Maintenance Using Recycled Asphalt: Review
Authors: Al Shehhi Aishah H. O. , Jokhio Gul Ahmed , Abu-Tair Abid
Published: May 2023

The article addresses the importance of using recycled asphalt with the integration of road maintenance procedures in the road network. The road network is considered the main element of any national infrastructure development plan. The research aims to study and highlight the using recycled asphalt as a suggested sustainable method for road maintenance procedures. Therefore, the study elaborates on the historical use of recycled asphalt, its advantages, and disadvantages. Besides that, maintenance process categories to ensure the suitable type that helps provide the best quality of the network. Since roadway pavement assessment is based on quality as well as different characteristics parameters such as rutting, cracking, pavement quality Index, and roughness in addition to other parameters. The primary method used in this study is the review of existing literature. It can be concluded that the use of recycled asphalt in road maintenance can become a viable and sustainable alternative to current road maintenance practices.
Enhancing Products Delivery Through the Application of Innovative Operating Model Based on Hybrid Agile Delivery Method: Case Information Communication Technologies “ICT” Service Providers
Authors: Al Jabri Madhad Ali Said
Published: May 2023

Purpose: the purpose of this study is to find out a cutting-edge innovative solution for enhancing ICT products delivery and proposing an implementation plan with transformation recommendations aiming higher success rate.

Methodology: This qualitative study is done through intensive literature review followed by qualitative analysis and selection of best product delivery method using cost benefit analysis and previous successful implementations benchmark. A proposed delivery operating model was also recommended accordingly.

Findings: Based on the problem analysis and subsequent literature review, the existing delivery methodologies of ICT services providers are not fully sufficient to cater for high complex products delivery which require high integration and customer centricity. Hence, a hybrid delivery method is recommended based on previous success stories of 5 major companies with a proposed transformative operating model (framework) including a transformation plan and implementation recommendations.

Implications: Information Communication Technologies services providers can benefit from the proposed hybrid product development approach and the suggested operating model as key differentiator for agility, customer centricity, and improved time to market. It enhances collaboration, innovation, culture, and Employee Engagement.

Originality/value: Previous literature has extensively explored projects delivery models in various industries where there was minimum focus on ICT industry. This paper uncovers and contribute positively in proposing a successful hybrid agile delivery method with a transformative operating model to support higher success rate in ICT Industry to assure high-value creation, maximize return on investments with high net present value.