bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of Three Research Methods: Logistic Regression, Decision Tree, and Random Forest to Reveal Association of Type 2 Diabetes with Risk Factors and Classify Subjects in a Military Population
Authors: Sahebhonar Mohammad , Gholampour Dehaki Mehrzad , Kazemi-Galougahi Mohammad Hassan , Soleiman-Meigooni Saeed
Published: June 2022

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the major non-communicable diseases, causing morbidity and mortality worldwide. There is no study on T2DM status in Iran Army Forces. Objectives: We aimed to measure the prevalence of T2DM in this population and identify variables associated with T2DM risk in order to classify individuals. Methods: Data from 3661 Iran Army Ground Forces were employed. Characteristics of the subjects with and without T2DM were compared. We examined the classification ability of logistic regression with two tree-based supervised learning algorithms, decision tree and random forest (RF). The ethical committee of AJA University of Medical Sciences approved this study by the approval code 995685. Results: The prevalence of T2DM was 3% less than in the general population. Our results showed that the incidence of T2DM increases as subjects become older. The proportions of staff members with T2DM were more than the other military ranks. T2DM is more common in obese and overweight groups. The highest prevalence of T2DM is in the subjects with high levels of lipid profile. The areas below the receiver operating characteristic curve for logistic regression, decision tree, and RF were 73.8%, 77.1%, and 97.1%, respectively. Conclusions: Age, body mass index, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride are associated with T2DM risk. The RF has superior classification performance in comparison with logistic regression and decision tree.
Impact of Social Media on Undergraduate Orthopaedics and Traumatology Education in Sudan
Authors: Mahmoud Elsiddig Elhadi , Husein Khalid Elfadil
Published: June 2022

Background: The use of social media (SM) in health profession education has been shown to be beneficial for the promotion of student collaboration and enhancement of learning. However, this is an evolving area where comparative studies are lacking, and further research is needed to determine the best ways to use SM in medical schools and identify the outcomes. Objectives: This study aimed to consider SM application-based discussion groups as a method of using SM in medical education to assess the effect on students’ examination grades and students’ attitudes toward it. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 182 fourth-year medical students taking the orthopedics and traumatology course were divided into two groups. In the study group (n = 78), SM-based discussion was adopted as a supplementary learning tool. No additional teaching methods were used in the control group (n = 104). The final grades of the students from the two groups were analyzed, together with the data collected from an online questionnaire completed by the students in the study group. Results: There was no statistically significant effect of using online discussions on the improvement of examination grades. However, 89.87% of the students felt that SM-based discussions motivated them to learn and enhanced their learning; nevertheless, 77.01% of the students believed that it is easier to ask questions in the forum than during outpatient clinics and clinical rounds, and lectures. The rates of students who agreed that this method was a helpful feedback and revision tool were 83.55% and 91.65%, respectively. Conclusions: WhatsApp and Telegram discussion groups represent a promising way to utilize SM in medical education as they promote students’ connection and learning. The SM applications could also provide valuable feedback and are regarded as revision tools. Nevertheless, there was no significant association between the implementation of this academic activity and better examination grades.
Specialevejledning fra studenterselvstændighed til vejlederdiktat: En vejledningsmatrix
Authors: Ankersborg Vibeke
Published: June 2022

Specialevejlederes grundlæggende syn på, hvordan viden skabes, har betydning for, hvordan de vejleder. Fra et hermeneutisk perspektiv undersøges specialevejlederes forståelse af specialevejledning og denne forståelses betydning for specialevejlederes mulighedsrum for konkret handlen i specialevejledningen. På baggrund af Dysthes (2002, 2006) vejledningsmodeller, Nexø Jensens (2010) vejlederroller, Ankersborg & Pogners (2022) vejledningsmatrix for specialestuderende samt semistrukturerede kvalitative forskningsinterview med specialevejledere udvikles i artiklen specialevejledernes vejledningsmatrix. Heri modificeres vejledningsmodellerne med Pogners (2007) diskurs- og praksisfællesskaber, mens vejlederrollerne empirisk udbygges med vejlederrollen tekstvejleder. Vejledningsmatrixen viser, hvordan specialevejlederes forståelseshorisont skaber horisontsammensmeltning med bestemte vejledningsmodeller frem for andre, hvilket udvider eller indsnævrer mulighedsrummet for at agere i forskellige vejlederroller. Endvidere vises, at jo mere selvstændighed de studerende tildeles, jo større er vejleders mulighedsrum og omvendt, jo mere vejleder dikterer, jo mere snævert er vejleders mulighedsrum. Vejledningsmatrixen giver forklaringskraft til at forstå sammenhængen imellem underliggende forståelser af vejledning, opfattelsen af de studerende og vejleders mulighedsrum i vejledningen.
Refleksionsdagbogen som en intervention mod præstationsangst: et blik på en uddannelsesskole
Authors: Thornberg Mark
Published: June 2022

Refleksionsdagbogen er en intervention, der skal forebygge præstationsangst ved skriftlige prøver. I første fase designes indholdselementer til en portfolio ud fra en faglig hypotese. I anden fase afprøves indholdselementerne i praksis. Refleksioner over brug af indholdet samles i en refleksionsdagbog, og refleksionsdagbogen revideres efterfølgende med de faglige hypoteser, forfatteren udforsker. I revisionsprocessen inddrages faglitteratur, og resultaterne på revisionen kan renskrives til brug i en akademisk sammenhæng. Interventionen blev brugt til at uddanne engelsklærere på læreruddannelsen, og resultatet viste en forbedring på 40 % i antallet af studerende, som gennemførte deres 1.-årsprøve. Artiklen bygger på en eksplorativ analyse af deltagernes udvikling af deres professionsdidaktiske literacy og fremmedsproglige fluency i løbet af en praktikperiode på to måneder. Undersøgelsen fokuserer på beskrivelser af succes og frustration med undervisningen og identificerer tre typiske udviklingsmønstre bag følelserne: didaktikeren, pædagogen og forskeren.
Stopklods eller trappe? En undersøgelse af overgangen fra ungdomsuddannelse til et sprogstudium
Authors: Dam Lotte , Bundgaard Kristine , Haugaard Rikke
Published: June 2022

Baseret på en generel opfattelse af, at overgangen mellem uddannelsestrin er central for fastholdelse af studerende, er formålet med denne artikel at undersøge de normer og adfærdsmønstre, som sprogstuderende har taget afsked med, såvel som deres oplevelse af overgangen til nye normer og adfærdsmønstre på første semester af deres universitetssprogstudium. Datagrundlaget omfatter undervisningsobservationer og uformelle samtaler på ungdomsuddannelser samt fokusgruppeinterviews med sprogstuderende på universitetet i starten af henholdsvis første og andet semester. Analyserne tydeliggør elementer i overgangen, som de studerende finder udfordrende.Dette gælder f.eks. grammatikundervisningen på universitetet, manglende sparring med medstuderende i studiegrupper, uklar relevans af bestemte fag og undervisernes praksis på den digitale læringsplatform. Resultaterne sammenholdes desuden med tidligere studier af overgange mellem uddannelsestrin.
Kroppen i læring, læring i kroppen: Kropsforankret sprogundervisning på Zoom og i auditoriet
Authors: Boeg Thomsen Ditte
Published: June 2022

Didaktiske eksperimenter på natur- og sundhedsvidenskab har vist at læringsaktiviteter der giver universitetsstuderende relevante sansemotoriske erfaringer, styrker forståelse og hukommelse, men betydningen af sansning og bevægelse i humanioraundervisning er underbelyst. Gennem to pilotstudier med fokus på design, deltagelse og evaluering undersøger denne artikel kropsforankret læring på Humaniora i to læringskontekster: digital undervisning på Zoom og auditorieundervisning på campus. Undersøgelsen viser at det også i humanioraundervisning er muligt at udvikle kropsforankrede læringsaktiviteter med stærk konceptuel integration, at de studerende deltog aktivt, og at de evaluerede aktiviteterne meget positivt. Sammenligningen af det fysiske og digitale læringsrum viser at kropsforankrede læringsaktiviteter fungerede godt i begge, med tilpasning til læringskonteksternes forskellige praktiske begrænsninger og muligheder. Auditoriet er en potentielt mere sårbar kontekst fordi deltagelse er synlig for alle, men samtidig åbner samværet i et fælles fysisk og socialt rum mulighed for aktiviteter hvor samspillet mellem de studerendes kroppe er grundlaget for læringsaktiviteternes konceptuelle integration.
Hvad er Digital pædagogik? – Konturer af et nyt praksis- og forskningsfelt
Authors: Hansen Jens Jørgen , Nørgård Rikke Toft
Published: June 2022

Baggrund: Den pædagogisk virkelighed er i forandring, og digitale teknologier spiller en betydelig rolle i universitetsundervisningens undervisningsformer.
Formål: Formålet er at skabe overblik over det faglige domæne Digital pædagogiks betydninger og bidrage til en robust definition, der giver legitimitet og identitet og fremadrettet kan bruges i universitetspædagogikkens praksis, forskning og udvikling.
Metode: Metodisk knyttes an til en induktiv analysestrategi, som indkredser en definition af Digital pædagogik, og en deduktiv analysestrategi, som tester definitionen i forhold til eksisterende definitioner og forskningsprojekter.
Resultater: Artiklen udvikler en definition af Digital pædagogik som et tværdisciplinært fagligt domæne, der er influeret af eksisterende faglige domæner som uddannelsesteknologi, didaktik og almenpædagogik.
Konklusion: Digital pædagogik kan fungere som et teoretisk grundlag til at forstå, udvikle og undersøge den digitale virkeligheds praksis. Digital pædagogik kan både forstærke videnskabelig forståelse af undervisning, læring og vejledning og på samme tid bidrage til at udvikle innovative og effektive læringsmiljøer og didaktiske design, som kan forbedre læringsomgivelserne.
The homology of the groupoid of the self-similar infinite dihedral group
Authors: Ortega Eduard , Sanchez Alvaro
Published: June 2022

We compute the $K$-theory of the $C^*$-algebra associated to the self-similar infinite dihedral group, and the homology of its associated étale groupoid. We see that the rational homology differs from the $K$-theory, strongly contradicting a conjecture posted by Matui. Moreover, we compute the abelianization of the topological full group of the groupoid associated to the self-similar infinite dihedral group.
On the Liouville and strong Liouville properties for a class of non-local operators
Authors: Berger David , Schilling René L.
Published: June 2022

We prove a necessary and sufficient condition for the Liouville and strong Liouville properties of the infinitesimal generator of a Lévy process and subordinate Lévy processes. Combining our criterion with the necessary and sufficient condition obtained by Alibaud et al., we obtain a characterization of (orthogonal subgroup of) the set of zeros of the characteristic exponent of the Lévy process.
Intermediate Jacobians and the slice filtration
Authors: Park Doosung
Published: June 2022

For every $n$-dimensional smooth projective variety $X$ over ℂ, the motive $M(X)$ is expected to admit a Chow-Künneth decomposition $M_0(X)\oplus \cdots \oplus M_{2n}(X)$. Inspired by the slice filtration of $M(X)$ we propose the definitions of $M_2(X)$ and $M_{2n-2}(X)$. In our construction we use intermediate Jacobians.
The weak min-max property in Banach spaces
Authors: Ouyang Zhengyong , Rasila Antti , Guan Tiantian
Published: June 2022

In this paper, we investigate the relationship between the weak min-max property and the diameter uniformity of domains in Banach spaces with dimension at least 2. As an application, we show that diameter uniform domains are invariant under relatively quasimöbius mappings.
The Perfekt theory of $M$-ideals
Authors: Werner Dirk
Published: June 2022

We revisit some ideas of K.-M. Perfekt who has provided an elegant framework to detect the biduality between function or sequence spaces defined in terms of some $o$- respectively $O$-condition. We present new proofs under somewhat weaker assumptions than before and apply the result to Lipschitz spaces.
The Evolution of A. Durer's Aesthetic views in the Context of Renaissance Philosophy
Authors: Bagrovnikov Nikolai Adrianovich , Fedorova Marina
Published: June 2022

The article investigates the peculiarities of Durer's aesthetic views in the context of Renaissance philosophy and the theory of cognition of Modern times. Its provisions are compared with fragments of texts by L.-B. Alberti, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael. The semantic interrelationships of Durer's positions with mysticism, pantheism, natural philosophy and empiricism of Modern Times are emphasized. The interrelation of the problem of knowledge with the theme of freedom and beauty is considered in detail. The authors analyze various opinions and ways of comprehending the beautiful, presented in the philosophical constructions of Durer, his concept of "rational knowledge", "scientific ignorance". Special attention is paid to the boundaries of freedom in Durer's representation. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that the presented concept of the evolution of A. Durer's aesthetic views helps to comprehend those contradictory trends that existed in the Renaissance itself. Thus, Durer believed that freedom conditioned by knowledge ends where attempts to transcend nature begin. A necessary condition for freedom is the understanding that the beautiful is relative. From the understanding of the relativity of the beautiful, from the concrete utopian program of its achievement (gradual and never-ending approach to it), an imperative grows, meaning denial, the completion of the aesthetics of Rebirth. According to him, the artist should not limit himself to one type, but should be knowledgeable in various ways of depicting all kinds of types. In order to make such an image as is required of him. Thus, the professionalism of the artist, his experience, knowledge, recognition of the power of knowledge and, at the same time, understanding of its relativity – all this, as an achievement of the Renaissance theory of art, loses its meaning. All this is sacrificed to the tastes of employers.
A Miniaturized Microstrip Antenna for Ultra-wideband Applications
Authors: Mishra N. , Beg S.
Published: June 2022

In this paper, the authors present an ultra-wideband (UWB) planar antenna with defected ground structure (DGS) for various wireless applications. The operating frequency of the proposed geometry is in the range of 3.1 to 10.6 GHz. The proposed compact geometry antenna is applicable for the UWB applications. In order to optimize the dimensions of the antenna, a parametric analysis has been performed. The measured S11 magnitude is less than -10 dB over the band, and it has an impedance bandwidth of 10.60 GHz. The designed UWB antenna gives maximum radiation efficiency and gain of 96.5% and 3.30 dBi, respectively. Also, it gives good time-domain characteristics over the entire resonating band. The designed UWB antenna is simple geometry, and it is applicable for numerous wireless applications.
A Review on Intranasal Covid Vaccines for SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Kumar R. Santosh , Karanam Pranathi
Published: June 2022

As the nasal mucosa is generally the first site of infection, intranasal vaccinations have a distinct advantage over conventional COVID-19 vaccines. According to preclinical and clinical investigations, intranasal vaccination results in significant neutralizing antibody production and mucosal IgA and T cell responses, which prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection in both the upper and lower respiratory tracts. The nasal formulations are non-invasive and have a lot of patient appeals. Intranasal vaccinations allow for self-administration and may be made to persist at room temperature, reducing transportation and storage logistics. We give an overview of nasal vaccinations in this review, with an emphasis on formulation development and ongoing preclinical studies and clinical investigations for SARS-CoV-2 intranasal vaccine preparations.
Analysis on Length of Growing Period use NDVI Value in Coimbatore Region
Authors: Govindaraj T. , Arthanari P. Muralai , Dheebakaran G. A.
Published: June 2022

Study has been conducted to analyses length of growing period use NDVI value. The LGP is normally analyses weather station data. In this study LGP analyses using NDVI data (1992-2015) from public domain AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) 1km resolution for Coimbatore regions. The duration of the growing period was calculated using the NDVI threshold value and compared to the NBSS&LUP normal length of growing period (1999). For J. Reddy technique validation, ground station data such as rainfall and PET analyzing LGP are used. According to the study, the maximum LGP was found in the Karamadai, Pollachi north, and Pollachi south regions, while the lowest LGP was found in the sulur region, and short-duration crops were recommended.
Terrace Gardening: A Sustainable yet Economic Approach
Authors: Medha M. , Lavanya T. , Sunandini G. P. , Meena A.
Published: June 2022

The study emphasizes the importance of terrace gardening in providing fresh, seasonal, and most importantly, chemical-free vegetables for everyday family requirements. It also tackles the problem of odorous, untouchable and unwanted kitchen waste by converting it into valuable organic manure that may be used as a low-cost, environmentally acceptable input for organic terrace gardening. This study was conducted with the ultimate aim to document the socio-economic profile of households practicing terrace gardening and list out the perceived benefits and constraints in adoption of terrace gardening. Ninety sample respondents who were practicing terrace gardening in Hyderabad were chosen for the study. Respondents who were practicing terrace gardening for the past 5 years were selected randomly from the list obtained from Horticulture Training Institute. The results inferred that majority of the respondents perceived that terrace gardening was providing them fresh fruits and vegetables with minimal investment as well as increased emotional well-being. Lack of availability suitable land near residential areas is identified as the major constraint and followed by lack of time was reported along with other constraints.
Leilões de biodiesel conduzidos pela ANP: uma avaliação preliminar
Authors: Prado Jefferson Nery do , Vieira Wilson da Cruz
Published: June 2022

Este trabalho teve como objetivo fazer uma avaliação preliminar dos leilões de biodiesel conduzidos pela Agência Nacional de Petróleo, Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis (ANP) sob a perspectiva da teoria de leilões. Até a realização deste trabalho, tinham sido conduzidos nove leilões que podem ser classificados como leilões de múltiplos objetos do tipo discriminatório de preços. Os resultados dessa avaliação preliminar evidenciaram que parcela significativa de biodiesel tem sido vendida a preços que não correspondem aos menores lances dos leilões. Concluiu-se que existe a necessidade de ampliar os incentivos à produção de biodiesel, de forma a aumentar a competição na comercialização desse insumo.
Fully Additive Electrohydrodynamic Inkjet‐Printed TiO2 Mid‐Infrared Meta‐Optics
Authors: Brunner Holly J. C. , Whitehead James , Gibson Ricky , Hendrickson Joshua R. , Majumdar Arka , MacKenzie J. Devin
Published: June 2022

Additive manufacturing at the micron and sub‐micron scale is a rapidly expanding field with electrohydrodynamic inkjet (EHDIJ) printing proving to be a critical fabrication technique that will enable continued advancement. Increasing the range of materials that can be used with EHDIJ printing to create micron and sub‐micron scale features is critical for increasing the variety of devices that can be fabricated with this method. Ceramic, semiconducting, and hybrid organic–inorganic materials are essential for meta‐optics and micro‐electromechanical systems devices, yet these materials are vastly underexplored for applications in EHDIJ printing. A novel printing solution is presented containing a titania alkoxide precursor that is compatible with EHDIJ printing and capable of producing final printed features of 1 µm and below; the highest resolution features ever reported for this family of materials and this method. This solution is used to fabricate the first EHDIJ printed and functioning mid‐infrared meta‐optics lens, capable of focusing 5 µm light.
Van der Waals Epitaxial Growth for High Performance Organic‐Free Perovskite Solar Cell: Experimental and Theoretical Insights
Authors: Faheem Muhammad Bilal , Khan Bilawal , Feng Chao , Subhani Waqas Siddique , Mabrouk Sally , Sayyad Muhammad Hassan , Yildiz Abdullah , Zhang Wen‐Hua , Qiao Quinn
Published: June 2022

All‐inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are most promising in yielding stabilized power conversion efficiencies (PCE) as compared to their hybrid organic–inorganic counterparts. However, all‐inorganic PSCs have suffered from low efficiency due to significant charge carrier recombination within perovskite active layer (PAL) bulk and at the carrier selective interfaces (CSI). Boosting the PCE through the remedy to both issues seems to be the only Achilles‐Heal on their way to commercialization. Here, a synergistic approach of liquid‐exfoliated molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) at the PAL (CsPbIBr2)/hole transport layer (NiO) interface to enhance the perovskite grain growth and stabilize the hole transport layer (HTL)/PAL interface against the carrier recombination within the PAL bulk and at the interface is reported. The in‐plane coupling between MoS2 crystal lattice and CsPbIBr2 is strongly revealed through transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results, which favored the van der Waals epitaxial growth of CsPbIBr2 PAL toward the larger crystalline grain sizes, preferential growth along (110), i.e., normal to MoS2, and low trap‐density. Therefore, the PCE of organic‐free CsPbIBr2 PSC is increased to as high as 10.98% under 1‐sun illumination, which is 48% higher than the pristine device (7.38%), which concludes that this strategy can be integrated to other analogous perovskite compositions.
Perovskite Phase Analysis by SEM Facilitating Efficient Quasi‐2D Perovskite Light‐Emitting Device Designs
Authors: Liu Wenbo , Jiang Zhengyan , Liu Pai , Wang Kai , Xu Baomin , Sun Xiao Wei , Wang Guoping
Published: June 2022

The performance of quasi‐2D perovskite light‐emitting devices (PeLEDs) has been greatly improved in the past several years. Characterizations such as transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy and absorption spectra have been widely adopted to confirm the phases in the quasi‐2D perovskite layers. However, all the above‐mentioned characterization techniques could only identify the n values of phases without providing information on the distribution of phases. Here, phase distributions on the quasi‐2D perovskite surfaces are identified by utilizing the charging effect during the scanning electron microscope (SEM) measurement. Then, compositional and antisolvent engineering are adopted to improve the quality of quasi‐2D perovskite films. Green PeLEDs with an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of >20% are achieved with more uniform condensed film morphology and proper phase distribution. The work shows that SEM measurement is a powerful tool for studying the phase distribution on the quasi‐2D perovskite surfaces.
Cuttlebone‐Derived Interfacial Solar Evaporators for Long‐Term Desalination and Water Harvesting
Authors: Li Lingxiao , Zhang Jiaxuan , Chen Kai , Zhang Junping
Published: June 2022

Interfacial solar‐vapor generation is very promising for obtaining freshwater, but suffers from serious evaporation rate degradation due to salt‐fouling and low freshwater collection rate under natural sunlight. Here, cuttlebone‐derived solar evaporators for long‐term desalination and water harvesting are reported. The solar evaporators are prepared by modifying the cuttlebone in turn with polydopamine, reduced graphene oxide, and polypyrrole as the photothermal composite. The solar evaporator shows i) excellent photothermal effect owing to a synergistic effect between the photothermal composite and its hierarchical micro‐/nanostructure, and ii) stable evaporation rate and good salt resistance even during the evaporation of concentrated brines (3.5–20 wt%) because of ultrafast water transport in the superhydrophilic 3D directional channels. The ultrafast water transport guarantees sufficient water supply, automatic very fast salt exchange, and a decline in salt concentration gradient. The transverse and longitudinal water streaming allows the increased salt concentration or even the temporarily deposited salt in/on the evaporator to be transferred back to the bulk brine in time. Consequently, 8.32 kg m−2 of freshwater is collected in 10 h solar desalination under weak natural sunlight, which is adequate for the daily drinking water demand of several people.
Competitive performance of Pinus massoniana is related to scaling relationships at the individual plant and branch levels
Authors: Zou Guiwu , Xu Kang , Yang Qingpei , Niklas Karl J. , Wang Genxuan
Published: June 2022

Premise

Competition is an important driver of tree mortality and thus affects forest structure and dynamics. Tree architectural traits, such as height‐to‐diameter (H‐D) and branch length‐to‐diameter (L‐d) relationships are thought to influence species competitiveness by affecting light capture. Unfortunately, little is known about how the H vs. D and L vs. d scaling exponents are related to tree performance (defined in the context of growth vigor) in competition.

Methods

Using data from field surveys of 1547 individuals and destructive sampling of 51 trees with 1086 first‐order branches from a high‐density Pinus massoniana forest, we explored whether the H vs. D and the L vs. d scaling exponents respectively differed numerically across tree performance and branch vertical position in crowns.

Results

The results indicated that (1) the H vs. D scaling exponent decreased as tree performance declined; (2) the L vs. d scaling exponent differed across tree performance classes (i.e., the scaling exponent of “inferior” trees was significantly larger than that of “moderate” and “superior” trees); (3) the L vs. d scaling exponent decreased as branch position approached ground level; and (4) overall, the branch scaling exponent decreased as tree performance improved in each crown layer, but decreased significantly in the intermediate layer.

Conclusions

This study highlights the variation within (and linkage among) length‐to‐diameter scaling relationships across tree performance at the individual and branch levels. This linkage provides new insights into potential mechanisms of tree growth variation (and even further mortality) under competition in subtropical forests.
On race, human variation, and who gets and dies of sepsis
Authors: Brinkworth Jessica F. , Shaw J. Grace
Published: June 2022

COVID‐19 has highlighted a brutal reality known for decades, that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color bear a disproportionate burden of US annual sepsis cases. While plentiful research funds have been spent investigating genetic reasons for racial disparities in sepsis, an abundance of research shows that sepsis incidence and mortality maps to indicators of colonial practices including residential segregation, economic and marginalization sepsis, and denial of care. Here we argue that sepsis risk is an immunological embodiment of racism in colonial states, that the factors contributing to sepsis disparities are insidious and systemic. We show that regardless of causative pathogen, or host ancestry, racialized people get and die of sepsis most frequently in a pattern repeatedly reiterated worldwide. Lastly, we argue that while alleviation of sepsis disparities requires radical, multiscale intervention, biological anthropologists have a responsibility in this crisis. While some of us can harness our expertise to take on the ground action in sepsis prevention, all of us can leverage our positions as the first point of contact for in depth human biology instruction on most college campuses. As a leading cause of death worldwide, and a syndrome that exhibits the interplay between human physiology, race and environment, sepsis is at the nexus of major themes in biological anthropology and is a natural fit for the field's curriculum. In adopting a discussion of race and sepsis in our courses, we not only develop new research areas but increase public awareness of both sepsis and the factors contributing to uneven sepsis burden.
Direct Synthesis of 2,6‐Dideoxy‐β‐glycosides and β‐Rhamnosides with a Stereodirecting 2‐(Diphenylphosphinoyl)acetyl Group
Authors: Liu Xianglai , Lin Yetong , Peng Wenyi , Zhang Zhaolun , Gao Longwei , Zhou Yueer , Song Zhe , Wang Yingjie , Xu Peng , Yu Biao , Sun Haopeng , Xie Weijia , Li Wei
Published: June 2022

Anomeric stereocontrol is usually one of the major issues in the synthesis of complex carbohydrates, particularly those involving β‐configured 2,6‐dideoxyglycoside and d/l‐rhamnoside moieties. Herein, we report that 2‐(diphenylphosphinoyl)acetyl is highly effective as a remote stereodirecting group in the direct synthesis of these challenging β‐glycosides under mild conditions. A deoxy‐trisaccharide as a mimic of the sugar chain of landomycin E was prepared stereospecifically in high yield. The synthetic potential was also highlighted in the synthesis of Citrobacter freundii O‐antigens composed of a [→4)‐α‐d‐Manp‐(1→3)‐β‐d‐Rhap(1→4)‐β‐d‐Rhap‐(1→] repeating unit, wherein the convergent assembly up to a nonasaccharide was realized with a strongly β‐directing trisaccharide donor. Variable‐temperature NMR studies indicate the presence of intermolecular H‐bonding between the donor and the bulky acceptor as direct spectral evidence in support of the concept of hydrogen‐bond‐mediated aglycone delivery.
Phase Transfer‐Mediated Degradation of Ether‐Based Localized High‐Concentration Electrolytes in Alkali Metal Batteries
Authors: Chen Xiaojuan , Qin Lei , Sun Jiaonan , Zhang Songwei , Xiao Dan , Wu Yiying
Published: June 2022

Localized high‐concentration electrolytes (LHCEs) have attracted interest in alkali metal batteries due to the advantages of forming stable solid‐electrolyte interphases (SEIs) on anodes and good chemical/electrochemical stability. Herein, a new degradation mechanism is revealed for ether‐based LHCEs that questions their compatibility with alkali metal anodes (Li, Na, and K). Specifically, the ether solvent reacts with alkali metals to generate solvated electrons (es−) that attack hydrofluoroether co‐solvents to form a series of byproducts. The ether solvent essentially acts as a phase‐transfer reagent that continuously transfers electrons from solid‐phase metals into the solution phase, thus inhibiting the formation of stable SEI and leading to continuous alkali metal corrosion. Switching to an ester‐based solvating solvent or intercalation anodes such as graphite or molybdenum disulfide has been shown to avoid such a degradation mechanism due to the absence of es−.
Fabrication of PVDF mixed matrix nanofiltration membranes incorporated with TiO2 nanoparticles and an amphiphilic PVDF‐g‐PMMA copolymer
Authors: Mahdavi Hossein , Zeinalipour Nazanin , Heidari Ali Akbar
Published: June 2022

In this work, the ATRP polymerization technique was first utilized for controlled grafting of methyl methacrylate monomers from a Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) backbone with a predefined molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution. After the successful formation of the copolymer, different amounts of the prepared PMMA‐g‐PVDF copolymer along with TiO2 nanoparticles were then employed for the fabrication of PVDF mixed matrix membranes (MMMs). The separation performance of the fabricated membranes was evaluated in rejection of different dyes including Methyl Green (MG), Rhodamine B (RDB), Crystal Violet (CV), and Methylene Blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. It was observed that a high rejection ability (99.6%, 99.1%, 98.9%, and 96.1% for MG, RDB, CV, and MB), a good permeate Flux of 8.35 L/m2 h along with an outstanding antifouling performance were provided by the membrane with 0.4% PVDF‐PMMA and 0.2%TiO2.
Separable spatio‐temporal kriging for fast virtual sensing
Authors: Lambardi di San Miniato Michele , Bellio Ruggero , Grassetti Luca , Vidoni Paolo
Published: June 2022

Environmental monitoring is a task that requires to surrogate system‐wide information with limited sensor readings. Under the proximity principle, an environmental monitoring system can be based on the virtual sensing logic and then rely on distance‐based prediction methods, foremostly spatio‐temporal kriging. The last one is cumbersome with large datasets, but we show that a suitable separability assumption reduces its computational cost to an extent broader than considered typically. Only spatial interpolation needs to be performed in a centralized way, while forecasting can be delegated to each sensor. This simplification is related to the fact that two separate models are involved, one in time and one in the space domain. Any of the two models can be replaced without re‐estimating the other under a composite likelihood (CL) approach. Moreover, the use of convenient spatial and temporal models eases up computation, not only in the CL approach, but also in maximum likelihood estimation. We show that this perspective on kriging allows to perform virtual sensing even in the case of tall datasets.
A conjunctive analysis of false accusations, official misconduct, and race in violent and sexual exonerations cases
Authors: Mogavero Melanie Clark , Hsu Ko‐Hsin , Bolger Philip Colin
Published: June 2022

The National Registry of Exonerations tracks cases of individuals who have been convicted and exonerated in the United States since 1989. The objective of the current study was to explore the misconduct patterns in violent and sexual offense cases using a novel method with a focus on cases where suspects were falsely accused, either deliberately or by mistaken witness identification. A conjunctive analysis of case configurations (CACC) was conducted using 1690 males convicted of murder/manslaughter, rape/sexual assault, and child sexual abuse. The results showed that compared to Whites, Blacks had a disproportionate amount of official misconduct in both sexual and non‐sexual homicide cases. Blacks also had a disproportionate amount of misconduct by multiple actors and multiple types. Blacks had more cases of mistaken witness identification and a disproportionate amount of official misconduct in sexual assault cases. Implications and recommendations are discussed.
Learning with remote laboratories: Designing control algorithms with both block diagrams and customized C code schemes
Authors: Xue Liwei , Hu Wenshan , Liu Guo‐Ping
Published: June 2022

This paper presents the design and implementation of the control algorithms design module based on a remote laboratory named NCSLab, which allows students, teachers, and researchers to do practical experiments with various control systems remotely via the Internet whenever and wherever they want. To meet the demand of students with different levels and provide more extensibility, a flexible control algorithm designing system is deployed using a frontend and backend separation framework. JointJS is selected to construct the graphic user interface and an algorithm server is developed to deal with the algorithms tasks. In this way, the users are able to customize control systems online with a visualized interactive interface. A control algorithm could be formed easily without programming, so the users could concentrate on the control algorithm itself. For advanced users, customized C‐MEX S‐Functions are available for extra sophisticated control systems. The designed control algorithms are converted into executable codes at the back‐end by the servers. They could be implemented into the remote test rigs and then the corresponding results would be sent back in real‐time. The overall implementation is based on the web, so only common browsers and Internet access are needed. By logging into the laboratory through the web, the users could start practical experiments quickly after acquiring the control right of the desired test rig. And the whole process, including designing, simulating, and generating codes, is integrated into the interface of the proposed system module, which is easy to use and could bring great convenience to the users.
Take a vacation: You really need it!
Authors: Hodges Dawn Z.
Published: June 2022

For two and a half years, the world has been held hostage by the COVID‐19 pandemic. For many of us, this period has been the most stressful years of our lives. For the most part, we've not been in control of our day‐to‐day freedoms. We've been told to stay home and, when not at home, wear masks, stay six feet apart from the next guy, and wash our hands often (we were even told how to wash our hands).
Report finds nearly 30% increase in firearm fatalities for children, teens
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: June 2022

Fatalities caused by firearms were up 13.5% for all Americans in 2020, but firearm fatalities were up in children and teens up the age of 19 were up 29.5% in 2020 from 2019. That finding comes from research recently published by the New England Journal of Medicine.
Promotion process from associate to full professor in counselor education
Authors: Hatchett Gregory T. , Ripley Dana , Fuegen Kathleen
Published: June 2022

We surveyed 230 associate and full professors of counselor education about their perceptions of the promotion process to full professor and to identify factors that differentiated associate from full professors. Promotion criteria and standards varied based on the nature of participants’ universities, and both experience and journal article publications predicted full professor rank.
Introduction to residuals and estimation by principal components analysis
Authors: Brereton Richard G.
Published: June 2022

Estimation of both models and individual objects together with their residuals using principal components are described graphically and numerically.
Graphene‐Enabled Electric‐Field Regulation and Ionic Redistribution Around Lithiophilic Aurum Nanoparticles Toward a Dendrite‐Free and 2000‐Cycle‐Life Lithium Metal Battery
Authors: Yan Jianping , Ye Minghui , Zhang Yufei , Tang Yongchao , Liu Xiaoqing , Li Cheng Chao
Published: June 2022

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) have attracted extensive attention owing to their high energy density. However, the uncontrolled volume changes and serious dendrite growth of the Li metal anode have hindered their commercialization. Herein, a three‐dimensional Cu foam decorated with Au nanoparticles and conformal graphene layer was designed to tune the Li plating/stripping behaviors. The 3D−Cu conductive host anchored by lithiophilic Au nanoparticles can effectively alleviate the volume expansion caused by the continuous plating/stripping of Li and reduce the nucleation energy barrier. Notably, the conductive graphene not only facilitates the transfer of electrons, but also acts as an ionic rectifier, thereby avoiding the aggregation of local current density and Li+ ions around Au nanoparticles and enabling the uniform Li+ flux. As a result, the G−Au@3D−Cu/Li anode ensures the non‐dendritic and homogeneous Li+ plating/stripping. Electrochemical results show that the symmetric G−Au@3D−Cu/Li cell delivers a low voltage hysteresis of 110 mV after 1000 h at 1 mA cm−2. Matched with a layered LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2 cathode, the NCM622||G−Au@3D−Cu/Li full cell exhibits a long cycle life of 2000 cycles and an ultra‐low capacity decay rate (0.01 % per cycle).
UNIConv: An enhanced U‐Net based InceptionV3 convolutional model for DR semantic segmentation in retinal fundus images
Authors: Kaur Jaspreet , Kaur Prabhpreet
Published: June 2022

Segmentation of diabetic retinopathy is a significant requirement for correct severity estimation level. Due to dissimilarity in shapes, size, and quantity of retinal lesions, the procedure of labor‐intensive type of grading becomes a more time‐consuming and challenging task. It imposes the prerequisite for an automated segmentation framework that can accurately identify the regions with margins and aid ophthalmologists in the early detection and monitoring of the severity level. The proposed work introduces a customized U‐Net model based on the InceptionV3 pre‐trained CNN network. It uses a periodic shuffling approach along with sub‐pixel convolution initialized to convolution nearest‐neighbor resize. The model performed training and validation for non‐proliferative diabetic retinopathy that is, microaneurysms, hemorrhages, hard and soft exudates on two standard datasets such as IDRiD and DIARETDB1. The proposed model achieves 99.82% accuracy, 88.39% sensitivity, and 99.94% specificity for hemorrhages, 99.95% accuracy, 70.76% sensitivity, and 99.98% specificity for microaneurysms, 99.83% accuracy, 85.9% sensitivity, and 99.95% specificity for hard exudates, along with 99.62% accuracy, 85.38% sensitivity, and 99.71% specificity for soft exudates segmentation on the IDRID dataset. In comparison with both datasets, the proposed system on the IDRID dataset performed accurately with superior state‐of‐the‐art outcomes for segmentation of the retinal lesions.
Efficient and Accurate Description of Diels‐Alder Reactions Using Density Functional Theory**
Authors: Loco Daniele , Chataigner Isabelle , Piquemal Jean‐Philip , Spezia Riccardo
Published: June 2022

Modeling chemical reactions using Quantum Chemistry is a widely used predictive strategy capable to complement experiments in order to understand the intrinsic mechanisms guiding the chemicals towards the most favorable reaction products. However, at this purpose, it is mandatory to use reliable and computationally tractable theoretical methods. In this work, we focus on six Diels‐Alder reactions of increasing complexity and perform an extensive benchmark of middle‐ to low‐cost computational approaches to predict the characteristic reactions energy barriers.

We found that Density Functional Theory, using the ωB97XD, LC‐ωPBE, CAM−B3LYP, M11 and MN12SX functionals, with empirical dispersion corrections coupled to an affordable 6‐31G basis set, provides quality results for this class of reactions, at a small computational effort.

Such efficient and reliable simulation protocol opens perspectives for hybrid QM/MM molecular dynamics simulations of Diels‐Alder reactions including explicit solvation.
DNA methylation patterns reflect individual's lifestyle independent of obesity
Authors: Klemp Ireen , Hoffmann Anne , Müller Luise , Hagemann Tobias , Horn Kathrin , Rohde‐Zimmermann Kerstin , Tönjes Anke , Thiery Joachim , Löffler Markus , Burkhardt Ralph , Böttcher Yvonne , Stumvoll Michael , Blüher Matthias , Krohn Knut , Scholz Markus , Baber Ronny , Franks Paul W , Kovacs Peter , Keller Maria
Published: June 2022

Objective

Obesity is driven by modifiable lifestyle factors whose effects may be mediated by epigenetics. Therefore, we investigated lifestyle effects on blood DNA methylation in participants of the LIFE‐Adult study, a well‐characterised population‐based cohort from Germany.

Research design and methods

Lifestyle scores (LS) based on diet, physical activity, smoking and alcohol intake were calculated in 4107 participants of the LIFE‐Adult study. Fifty subjects with an extremely healthy lifestyle and 50 with an extremely unhealthy lifestyle (5th and 95th percentiles LS) were selected for genome‐wide DNA methylation analysis in blood samples employing Illumina Infinium® Methylation EPIC BeadChip system technology.

Results

Differences in DNA methylation patterns between body mass index groups (<25 vs. >30 kg/m2) were rather marginal compared to inter‐lifestyle differences (0 vs. 145 differentially methylated positions [DMPs]), which identified 4682 differentially methylated regions (DMRs; false discovery rate [FDR <5%) annotated to 4426 unique genes. A DMR annotated to the glutamine‐fructose‐6‐phosphate transaminase 2 (GFPT2) locus showed the strongest hypomethylation (∼6.9%), and one annotated to glutamate rich 1 (ERICH1) showed the strongest hypermethylation (∼5.4%) in healthy compared to unhealthy lifestyle individuals. Intersection analysis showed that diet, physical activity, smoking and alcohol intake equally contributed to the observed differences, which affected, among others, pathways related to glutamatergic synapses (adj. p < .01) and axon guidance (adj. p < .05). We showed that methylation age correlates with chronological age and waist‐to‐hip ratio with lower DNA methylation age (DNAmAge) acceleration distances in participants with healthy lifestyles. Finally, two identified top DMPs for the alanyl aminopeptidase (ANPEP) locus also showed the strongest expression quantitative trait methylation in blood.

Conclusions

DNA methylation patterns help discriminate individuals with a healthy versus unhealthy lifestyle, which may mask subtle methylation differences derived from obesity.
Efficient deployment of roadside units in vehicular networks using optimization methods
Authors: Lehsaini Mohamed , Gaouar Nihal , Nebbou Tawfiq
Published: June 2022

Nowadays, vehicles have become more and more intelligent and equipped with highly sophisticated systems. This allows them to communicate with each other and with the roadside units (RSUs). Furthermore, to ensure efficient data dissemination in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs), it is recommended that a Vehicle‐to‐Infrastructure (V2I) architecture be chosen where RSUs will be installed at intersections. Nevertheless, it is not advisable to place an RSU at each intersection because of their high cost. It is therefore appropriate to reduce the number of RSUs by choosing locations at intersections that maximize the surface covered of the urban area and minimize the area of overlapping zones. Moreover, deploying an optimal number of RSUs in an urban area meeting the above requirements is an NP‐hard problem since the number of combinations is very high when the number of intersections is very large. For this purpose, we used metaheuristic approaches. The first approach is represented by the standard version of genetic algorithms (GA‐Basic) and its improved version (GA‐Improved) while the second approach is based on the standard version of simulated annealing (SA‐Basic) and its improved version (SA‐Improved). The proposed approaches are evaluated over OMNET++ simulator. The results obtained showed that the GA‐Improved approach deploys a reduced number of RSUs (37.5%) while guaranteeing acceptable routing performance compared to the GA‐Basic, SA‐Basic, and SA‐Improved approaches which deploy 46.25%, 65%, and 52.50%, respectively, for the same routing performance.