bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bending property of novel 3D woven variable thickness composites: Experiment and finite element analysis
Authors: Liu Ao , Zhou Xinghai , Gao Yuan , Wang Ying , Xiong Xiaoqing , Lyu Li‐hua
Published: January 2023

Variable thickness composites are essential engineering materials which have been used in various high‐performance products. However, the commonly used variable thickness composites are mainly lamination, which is prone to delamination and reduce the overall performance under load. To solve this problem, 3D woven fabrics with integrity and continuous variable thickness have been designed and weaved on ordinary looms using basalt yarns. The resin‐based variable thickness composites have been prepared by vacuum‐assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) process, and two different laminated composites have been produced for comparison. Compared with the two kinds of laminations, the bending strength of the 3D woven variable thickness (3DWVT) composites is increased by 12.28% and 16.22% under positive load; 16.74% and 17.08% under negative load. Finally, the meso‐finite element simulation analysis of the bending performance of 3DWVT composites was carried out by using the meso‐finite element analysis (FEA), and the damage mechanism and failure mode were explored.
Leaves of Cannabis sativa and their trichomes studied by DESI and MALDI mass spectrometry imaging for their contents of cannabinoids and flavonoids
Authors: Lorensen Marcus Daniel Brandbjerg Bohn , Hayat Sidra Yasmine , Wellner Niels , Bjarnholt Nanna , Janfelt Christian
Published: January 2023

Introduction

In recent years, industrial production of Cannabis sativa has increased due to increased demand of medicinal products based on the plant. In these medicinal products, it is mainly the contents of cannabinoids like THCA and CBDA which are of interest, but also the flavonoids of C. sativa have pharmaceutical interest.

Objectives

The primary aim is to study the distribution of the different cannabinoids in leaves of C. sativa and specifically to which extent they are located on the trichomes found on the surface of C. sativa leaves. Desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) provide non‐targeted imaging of numerous compounds in the same experiment. Therefore, the distribution of flavonoids is also mapped in the same experiments.

Material and methods

Fan leaves from C. sativa were imaged in the lateral dimension using direct DESI‐MSI as well as indirect DESI‐MSI via a porous PTFE surface using pixel sizes of 150–200 μm. For cross sections of sugar leaves, MALDI‐MSI was performed at 20 μm pixel size.

Results

From indirect DESI‐MSI experiments, a connection was made between the cannabinoid CBGA and capitate‐stalked trichomes. Other cannabinoids like THCA/CBDA (isomers, which are not resolved in an MSI experiment) were also detected in the capitate‐stalked trichomes, but in addition to this also in the small glandular trichomes. MALDI‐MSI experiments on cross sections of sugar leaves confirmed that the cannabinoids were not an integral part of the leaf tissue itself, but originated from the trichomes on the surface of the leaf.

Conclusion

The study provides visual evidence that the cannabinoids are produced and accumulated in the trichomes of C. sativa leaves.
Physicochemical parameters for design and development of lead herbicide molecules: Is ‘Lipinski's rule of 5′ appropriate for herbicide discovery?
Authors: Rani Priyanka , Rajak Bikash Kumar , Singh Durg Vijay
Published: January 2023

BACKGROUND

Herbicide use has been a great add‐on in agriculture, aiding weed management in crop fields, thereby escalating crop production. However, the development of resistance in weeds against the existing herbicides is a setback. The development of herbicide resistance has compelled the agrochemical industries to replace existing herbicides with novel agrochemicals. Developing new herbicide molecules through traditional methods is time‐consuming and cost‐prohibitive. The use of high‐throughput virtual screening (HTVS) through physicochemical properties, de novo design and combinatorial design of molecules with cutting‐edge computational methods is an alternative to the traditional techniques in lead molecule discovery. The lack of optimal physicochemical criteria for screening herbicide‐like molecules has become a hindrance in the process.

RESULTS

In this study, physicochemical parameters [molecular weight, aromatic atoms, rotatable bonds, hydrogen‐bonding capacity, topological polar surface area (TPSA), polarity and solubility] of known herbicide molecules have been studied and evaluated, and optimal criteria have been proposed for target‐specific herbicides. Properties including molecular weight and hydrogen (H)‐bond acceptor atoms tend to have higher values, but the range of H‐bond donor atoms is relatively lower. These are distinguishable characteristics in herbicides when compared with oral drugs. Significant variations in optimal physicochemical parameters between herbicides of different groups (targeting weeds with different modes of action) have been observed.

CONCLUSION

The proposed parameters for respective target sites could be used as filters for in silico screening, designing and developing of target‐specific lead herbicide molecules. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Development of nanomaterial enabling highly sensitive surface‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry peptide analysis
Authors: Cournut Aline , Hosu Ioana Silvia , Braud Flavie , Moustiez Paul , Coffinier Yannick , Enjalbal Christine , Bich Claudia
Published: January 2023

Rationale

Surface‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (SALDI‐MS) is an approach derived from matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)‐MS which overcomes the drawbacks associated with the use of organic matrices required to co‐crystallize with the analytes. Indeed, nanomaterials commonly used in SALDI‐MS as inert surfaces to promote desorption/ionization (D/I) ensure straightforward direct deposition of samples while providing mass spectra with ions only related to the compound of interest. The objective of this study was to develop a novel SALDI‐MS approach based on steel plates that are surfaces very rapidly and easily tuned to perform the most efficient peptide detection as possible. To compare the SALDI efficacy of such metal substrates, D/I efficiency and deposit homogeneity were evaluated according to steel plate fabrication processes.

Methods

The studied surfaces were nanostructured steel plates that were chemically modified by perfluorosilane and textured according to different frequencies and laser writing powers. The capacity of each tested 100 surfaces was demonstrated by comparative analyses of a mixture of standard peptides (m/z 600–3000) performed with a MALDI‐TOF instrument enabling MALDI, SALDI and imaging experiments.

Results

A peptide mix was used to screen the different surfaces depending on their D/I efficiency and their ability to ensure homogeneous deposit of the samples. For that purpose, deposition homogeneity was visualized owing to reconstructed ionic images from all protonated or sodiated ions of the 10 peptides constituting the standard mix.

Conclusions

Seven surfaces were then selected satisfying the required D/I efficiency and deposit homogeneity criteria. Results obtained with these optimal surfaces were then compared with those recorded by MALDI‐MS analyses used as references.
Distributed synchronization control for multiple tailless flying‐wing UAVs with predefined tracking accuracy and input nonlinearities
Authors: Zhou Yang , Dong Wenhan , Chen Yong , Lv Maolong , Zhang Boyang , Xue Jianping
Published: January 2023

This article addresses the distributed adaptive synchronization tracking control problem for multiple flying‐wing UAVs with predefined accuracy and unknown input nonlinearities. Considering that the multiple flying‐wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) system is a large‐scale nonlinear and strongly coupled system, the control schemes in existing literature which only consider longitudinal, lateral or attitude control may not be applicable in practical engineering. Thus, a full‐state flying‐wing UAV model containing both translational and rotational motions is established, whose dynamics are six‐degree‐of‐freedom with twelve‐state‐variables. Furthermore, to handle the problem that the prior knowledge of the actuator nonlinearities of multi‐UAV system are difficult to obtain, a more general input nonlinear model is established and the adaptive boundary estimation technique is developed. Finally, a performance‐oriented controller is proposed by incorporating a series of smooth functions into adaptive neural control design and Lyapunov analysis. Theoretical analysis and simulation results show that the presented control scheme can guarantee the satisfactory transient tracking error performance, and the tracking error converges to a user‐defined interval ultimately.
Reinforcement learning‐based optimal trajectory tracking control of surface vessels under input saturations
Authors: Wei Ziping , Du Jialu
Published: January 2023

This paper develops a reinforcement learning (RL)‐based optimal trajectory tracking control scheme of surface vessels with unknown dynamics, unknown disturbances, and input saturations of surface vessels. The control scheme is designed by combining the optimal control theory, adaptive neural networks, and the RL method in a unified actor‐critic NN framework. A hyperbolic‐type penalty function of the control input is designed so as to deal with the input saturations of surface vessels. An actor‐critic NN‐based RL mechanism is established to learn the optimal trajectory tracking control law without the knowledge of the surface vessel dynamics and disturbances, where NN weights are tuned online on the basis of devised tuning laws. Theoretical analysis and simulation results prove that the proposed RL‐based optimal trajectory tracking control scheme can ensure surface vessels track the desired trajectory, while guaranteeing the boundedness of all signals in the surface vessel optimal trajectory tracking closed‐loop control system.
Blind competition on the numerical simulation of continuous shallow steel‐fiber reinforced concrete beams failing in bending
Authors: Barros Joaquim , Sanz Beatriz , Filho Marcílio , Figueiredo Fabio , Kabele Petr , Yu Rena C. , Meschke Günther , Planas Jaime , Cunha Vitor , Caggiano Antonio , Ozyurt Nilüfer , Gouveia Ventura , van den Bos Ab , Poveda Elisa , Gal Erez , Cervenka Jan , Neu Gerrit E. , Rossi Pierre , Dias‐da‐Costa Daniel , Juhasz Peter K. , Cendon David , Ruiz Gonzalo , Valente Tiago
Published: January 2023

This article describes the second blind simulation competition (BSC) organized by the fib WG 2.4.1, which aims to assess the predictive performance of models based on the finite element method (FEM) for the analysis and design of fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) structures. Slabs supported on columns or piles have becoming competitive applications for FRC due to the technical and economic benefits may be obtained by combining properly the fiber reinforcement mechanisms to those provided by conventional reinforcement placed, as a strip, in the alignment of columns/piles. Therefore, a representative zone of this structural system, namely a hybrid fiber reinforced concrete (R/FRC) shallow beam, is chosen in this BSC to show the potentialities of FRC in these types of applications, as well as to assess the predictive performance of FEM‐based computational models on the design verification at serviceability and at ultimate limit state conditions (SLS and ULS, respectively). Two statically indeterminate shallow beams of two equal spans were tested up to their failure, by recording the applied loads, the strains in the conventional reinforcements and in the FRC of the critical zones of the structure. By using digital image correlation, the average crack width at the level of the flexural reinforcements was recorded. The participants had to predict these results by receiving information about the mechanical properties of the materials, the geometry of the prototypes and their loading and support conditions. In this article, the rules and the results of this 2nd BSC competition are presented, and the data obtained experimentally is thoroughly analyzed.
Recent Advances in the Synthesis of MXene Quantum Dots
Authors: Sun Jiuxiao , Shengping Zhang B. S. , Alomar Muneerah , Alqarni Areej S. , Najla Alotaibi M. S. , Badriah Alshahrani M. S. , Alghamdi Abeer A. , Kou Zongkui , Shen Wangqiang , Chen Yingquan , Zhang Jian
Published: January 2023

Quantum dots (QDs) with ultrahigh surface‐to‐volume ratio, abundant edge active sites, forceful quantum confinement and other remarkable physio‐chemical properties, have garnered considerable research interest. MXene QDs, as an emerging member of them, have also attracted wide attention in the last six years, and shown great achievements in many fields. This critical review systematically summarizes the various methods for synthesizing MXene QDs. The characteristics and corresponding applications of various MXene QDs are also presented. The advantages and disadvantages of various synthetic methods, and the limitations of corresponding MXene QDs are compared and highlighted. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of synthesizing MXene QDs are proposed. We hope this review will enlighten researchers to the fabrication of more advancing and promising MXene‐based QDs with proprietary properties in diverse applications.
Influence of inoculation ratio on the performance and microbial community of bacterial‐algal symbiotic system for rural wastewater treatment
Authors: Liyun Cai
Published: January 2023

In this study, co‐culture of microalgae and activated sludge in photobioreactors (PBRs) was investigated at different inoculation ratios (0:1, 0.3:1, 0.7:1, and 1.3:1 sludge wt./algae wt.) for rural domestic wastewater treatment under direct solar radiation. Effluent qualities (such as pH, NO2−, PO43−, and NH4+‐N concentrations) were assessed; bacterial and microalgal communities in co‐culture system were compared. The microalgal and bacterial biomass fraction played a significant role in the performance and microbial community structure of the treatment system. In reactors with inoculation ratio of 0.3:1 and 0.7:1, the pH exceeded 9 or 10 under solar radiation, which led to some functional bacteria being missing. In the reactor with inoculation ratio of 1.3:1, activated sludge effectively prevented excessive increase in pH in the reactor. Similar observations were made for reactors with inoculation ratios below 1.3:1 by adding sludge halfway through the process. The results show that activated sludge can inhibit excessive increase in pH caused by algal photosynthesis, maintain the activity of nitrite‐oxidizing bacteria in PBR, and reduce algae loss with the effluent.

Practitioner Points

Appropriate fraction of activated sludge can effectively inhibit the excessive increase in pH caused by algal photosynthesis in PBR.

Adding activated sludge could maintain the activity of nitrite‐oxidizing bacteria in PBR, and reduce microalgae loss with the effluent.

Considering the stability of operation and biodiversity in PBR, a 1.3:1 inoculation ratio of activated sludge and microalgae is preferred.
The medium-modified $$ g\to c\overline{c} $$ splitting function in the BDMPS-Z formalism
Authors: Attems Maximilian , Brewer Jasmine , Innocenti Gian Michele , Mazeliauskas Aleksas , Park Sohyun , van der Schee Wilke , Wiedemann Urs Achim
Published: January 2023

Abstract

The formalism of Baier-Dokshitzer-Mueller-Peigné-Schiff and Zakharov determines the modifications of parton splittings in the QCD plasma that arise from medium-induced gluon radiation. Here, we study medium-modifications of the gluon splitting into a quark-anti-quark pair in this BDMPS-Z formalism. We derive a compact path-integral formulation that resums effects from an arbitrary number of interactions with the medium to leading order in the $$ 1/{N}_c^2 $$
1
/

N
c
2

expansion. Analyses in the N = 1 opacity and the saddle point approximations reveal two phenomena: a medium-induced momentum broadening of the relative quark-anti-quark pair momentum that increases the invariant mass of quark-anti-quark pairs, and a medium-enhanced production of such pairs. We note that both effects are numerically sizeable if the average momentum transfer from the medium is comparable to the quark mass. In ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions, this condition is satisfied for charm quarks. We therefore focus our numerical analysis on the medium modification of $$ g\to c\overline{c} $$
g
→
c

c
¯

, although our derivation applies equally well to $$ g\to b\overline{b} $$
g
→
b

b
¯

and to gluons splitting into light-flavoured quark-anti-quark pairs.
One-loop hexagon integral to higher orders in the dimensional regulator
Authors: Henn Johannes M. , Matijašić Antonela , Miczajka Julian
Published: January 2023

Abstract

The state-of-the-art in current two-loop QCD amplitude calculations is at five-particle scattering. Computing two-loop six-particle processes requires knowledge of the corresponding one-loop amplitudes to higher orders in the dimensional regulator. In this paper we compute analytically the one-loop hexagon integral via differential equations. In particular we identify its function alphabet for general D-dimensional external states. We also provide integral representations for all one-loop integrals up to weight four. With this, the one-loop integral basis is ready for two-loop amplitude applications. We also study in detail the difference between the conventional dimensional regularization and the four-dimensional helicity scheme at the level of the master integrals and their function space.
Phases of $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev models
Authors: Heydeman M. , Turiaci G. J. , Zhao W.
Published: January 2023

Abstract

We study $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 supersymmetric Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) models with com- plex fermions at non-zero background charge. Motivated by multi-charge supersymmetric black holes, we propose a new $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 SYK model with multiple U(1) symmetries, integer charges, and a non-vanishing supersymmetric index, realizing features not present in known SYK models. In both models, a conformal solution with a super-Schwarzian mode emerges at low temperatures, signalling the appearance of nearly AdS2/BPS physics. However, in contrast to complex SYK, the fermion scaling dimension depends on the background charge in the conformal limit. For a critical charge, we find a high to low entropy phase transition in which the conformal solution ceases to be valid. This transition has a simple interpretation– the fermion scaling dimension violates the unitarity bound. We offer some comments on a holographic interpretation for supersymmetric black holes.
HvNCX, a prime candidate gene for the novel qualitative locus qS7.1 associated with salinity tolerance in barley
Authors: Zhu Juan , Zhou Hui , Fan Yun , Guo Yu , Zhang Mengna , Shabala Sergey , Zhao Chenchen , Lv Chao , Guo Baojian , Wang Feifei , Zhou Meixue , Xu Rugen
Published: January 2023

Key Message

A major QTL (qS7.1) for salinity damage score and Na+ exclusion was identified on chromosome 7H from a barley population derived from a cross between a cultivated variety and a wild accession. qS7.1 was fine-mapped to a 2.46 Mb physical interval and HvNCX encoding a sodium/calcium exchanger is most likely the candidate gene.

Soil salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses affecting crop yield. Developing salinity-tolerant varieties is critical for minimizing economic penalties caused by salinity and providing solutions for global food security. Many genes/QTL for salt tolerance have been reported in barley, but only a few of them have been cloned. In this study, a total of 163 doubled haploid lines from a cross between a cultivated barley variety Franklin and a wild barley accession TAM407227 were used to map QTL for salinity tolerance. Four significant QTL were identified for salinity damage scores. One (qS2.1) was located on 2H, determining 7.5% of the phenotypic variation. Two (qS5.1 and qS5.2) were located on 5H, determining 5.3–11.7% of the phenotypic variation. The most significant QTL was found on 7H, explaining 27.8% of the phenotypic variation. Two QTL for Na+ content in leaves under salinity stress were detected on chromosomes 1H (qNa1.1) and 7H(qNa7.1). qS7.1 was fine-mapped to a 2.46 Mb physical interval using F4 recombinant inbred lines. This region contains 23 high-confidence genes, with HvNCX which encodes a sodium/calcium exchanger being most likely the candidate gene. HvNCX was highly induced by salinity stress and showed a greater expression level in the sensitive parent. Multiple nucleotide substitutions and deletions/insertions in the promoter sequence of HvNCX were found between the two parents. cDNA sequencing of the HvNCX revealed that the difference between the two parents is conferred by a single Ala77/Pro77 amino acid substitution, which is located on the transmembrane domain. These findings open new prospects for improving salinity tolerance in barley by targeting a previously unexplored trait.
Adult life-course trajectories of psychological distress and economic outcomes in midlife during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from the 1958 and 1970 British birth cohorts
Authors: Moulton V. , Sullivan A. , Goodman A. , Parsons S. , Ploubidis G. B.
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Financial adversity in times of economic recession have been shown to have an unequal effect on individuals with prior mental health problems. This study investigated the relationship between mental health groupings across the adult life-course and change in financial situation and employment status during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the use of financial measures to mitigate the economic shock.

Methods

Using two nationally representative British birth cohorts, the National Child Development Study (1958) n = 17,415 and 1970 British Cohort Study n = 17,198, we identified 5 different life-course trajectories of psychological distress from adolescence to midlife which were similar but not identical across the two cohorts. We explored their relation to changes in financial and employment circumstances at different stages during the pandemic from May 2020 to March 2021, applying multinomial logistic regression and controlling for numerous early life covariates, including family socio-economic status (SES). In addition, we ran modified Poisson models with robust standard errors to identify whether different mental health trajectories were supported by government and used other methods to mitigate their financial situation.

Results

We found that the financial circumstances of pre-pandemic trajectories of psychological distress with differential onset, severity, and chronicity across the life-course were exacerbated by the COVID-19 economic shock. The ‘stable-high’ (persistent severe symptoms) and ‘adult-onset’ (symptoms developing in 30s, but later decreasing) groups were vulnerable to job loss. Compared to pre-pandemic trajectory groupings with no, minor, or psychological distress symptoms in early adulthood, the ‘stable-high’, ‘midlife-onset’ (symptoms developing in midlife), and ‘adult-onset’ trajectory groups were more likely to seek support from the UK governments economic response package. However, trajectories with pre-pandemic psychological distress were also at greater risk of reducing consumption, dis-saving, relying on increased financial help from family and friends, and also taking payment holidays (agreements with lenders to pause mortgage, credit card or loan payments for a set period) and borrowing.

Conclusion

This work highlights different trajectories of pre-pandemic psychological distress, compared to groups with no symptoms were more vulnerable to pandemic-related economic shock and job loss. By adopting unsustainable mitigating measures (borrowing and payment holidays) to support their financial circumstances during COVID-19, these mental health trajectories are at even more risk of lasting adverse impacts and future economic difficulties.
Disconnect between the effects of serelaxin on renal function and outcome in acute heart failure
Authors: Beldhuis I. E. , ter Maaten J. M. , Figarska S. M. , Damman K. , Pang P. S. , Greenberg B. , Davison B. A. , Cotter G. , Severin T. , Gimpelewicz C. , Felker G. M. , Filippatos G. , Teerlink J. R. , Metra M. , Voors A. A.
Published: January 2023

Background

We aimed to study whether improvement in renal function by serelaxin in patients who were hospitalized for acute heart failure (HF) might explain any potential effect on clinical outcomes.

Methods

We included 6318 patients from the RELAXin in AHF-2 (RELAX-AHF2) study. Improvement in renal function was defined as a decrease in serum creatinine of ≥ 0.3 mg/dL and ≥ 25%, or increase in estimated glomerular filtration rate of ≥ 25% between baseline and day 2. Worsening renal function (WRF) was defined as the reverse. We performed causal mediation analyses regarding 180-day all-cause mortality (ACM), cardiovascular death (CVD), and hospitalization for HF/renal failure.

Results

Improvement in renal function was more frequently observed with serelaxin when compared with placebo [OR 1.88 (95% CI 1.64–2.15, p < 0.0001)], but was not associated with subsequent clinical outcomes. WRF occurred less frequent with serelaxin [OR 0.70 (95% CI 0.60–0.83, p < 0.0001)] and was associated with increased risk of ACM, worsening HF and the composite of CVD and HF or renal failure hospitalization. Improvement in renal function did not mediate the treatment effect of serelaxin [CVD HR 1.01 (0.99–1.04), ACM HR 1.01 (0.99–1.03), HF/renal failure hospitalization HR 0.99 (0.97–1.00)].

Conclusions

Despite the significant improvement in renal function by serelaxin in patients with acute HF, the potential beneficial treatment effect was not mediated by improvement in renal function. These data suggest that improvement in renal function might not be a suitable surrogate marker for potential treatment efficacy in future studies with novel relaxin agents in acute HF.

Graphical abstract

Central illustration. Conceptual model explaining mediation analysis; treatment efficacy of heart failure therapies mediated by renal function.
Dynamical systems model of development of the action differentiation in early infancy: a requisite of physical agency
Authors: Fujihira Ryo , Taga Gentaro
Published: January 2023

Young infants are sensitive to whether their body movements cause subsequent events or not during the interaction with the environment. This ability has been revealed by empirical studies on the reinforcement of limb movements when a string is attached between an infant limb and a mobile toy suspended overhead. A previous study reproduced the experimental observation by modeling both the infant’s limb and a mobile toy as a system of coupled oscillators. The authors then argued that emergence of agency could be explained by a phase transition in the dynamical system: from a weakly coupled state to a state where the both movements of the limb and the toy are highly coordinated. However, what remains unexplained is the following experimental observation: When the limb is connected to the mobile toy by a string, the infant increases the average velocity of the arm’s movement. On the other hand, when the toy is controlled externally, the average arm’s velocity is greatly reduced. Since young infants produce exuberant spontaneous movements even with no external stimuli, the inhibition of motor action to suppress the formation of spurious action-perception coupling should be also a crucial sign for the emergence of agency. Thus, we present a dynamical system model for the development of action differentiation, to move or not to move, in the mobile task. In addition to the pair of limb and mobile oscillators for providing positive feedback for reinforcement in the previous model, bifurcation dynamics are incorporated to enhance or inhibit self-movements in response to detecting contingencies between the limb and mobile movements. The results from computer simulations reproduce experimental observations on the developmental emergence of action differentiation between 2 and 3 months of age in the form of a bifurcation diagram. We infer that the emergence of physical agency entails young infants’ ability not only to enhance a specific action-perception coupling, but also to decouple it and create a new mode of action-perception coupling based on the internal state dynamics with contingency detection between self-generated actions and environmental events.
Validation of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Pediatric Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ-CLUTS) for Spanish-speaking children
Authors: Blanco-Diaz Maria , Rodriguez-Rodriguez Alvaro Manuel , Casaña Jose , Hernandez-Sanchez Sergio
Published: January 2023

The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Pediatric Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ-CLUTS) is a 12-item self-administered tool to screen lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in children. The aim of this study is to translate and validate the ICIQ-CLUTS into Spanish (ICIQ-CLUTS-Sp) and to study its psychometric properties. The cross-cultural adaptation of the ICIQ-CLUTS was performed following international recommendations. The psychometric analysis of the ICIQ-CLUTS-Sp was carried out to determine the reliability, validity, and diagnostic accuracy in a sample of 155 children and parents who completed the Spanish version ICIQ-CLUTS. The reliability indicators for the ICIQ-CLUTS-Sp were excellent (Cronbach’s alpha was > 0.8 and ICC > 0.9 both for children’s and parents’ versions). There was a high Pearson r > 0.6 and a high agreement level between children’s and parents’ answers (ICC > 0.6), except in 4 items. For parents, the standard error of measurement (SEm) was 0.41, and the minimal detectable change (MDC) was 1.14 points. In children, these results were 0.42 and 1.16 points, respectively. Cut-off points greater than 15 points in the parent version or 16 points in the children version have the highest sensitivity and specificity for detecting LUTS.

  Conclusion: The Spanish version of the ICIQ-CLUTS questionnaire is a valid, reliable, and diagnostically accurate instrument to identify cases of children with LUTS. Therefore, it can be used to screen for lower urinary tract symptoms in Spanish speaking children and/or parents, as well as to monitor the effects of interventions.

What is Known:

• Lower urinary tract symptoms in children should be assessed multimodally using minimally invasive diagnostic procedures. One way to do this is to use the questionnaire to differentiate these cases in paediatric patients.

• A cross-cultural adaptation of the ICIQ-CLUTS questionnaire to Spanish has not yet been done.

What is New:

• Based on a comprehensive validation methodology, this study highlights that the ICIQ-CLUTSSp questionnaire has good psychometric properties.
Das gute Leben heute und morgen: Antibiotikaresistente Keime als Nachhaltigkeitsproblem in der Medizin
Authors: Bozzaro Claudia , Rupp Jan , Stolpe Michael , Schulenburg Hinrich
Published: January 2023

In einem ersten Kapitel wird am Beispiel der Entstehung von Antibiotikaresistenzen gezeigt, dass es in der Medizin spezifische Nachhaltigkeitsprobleme gibt, die letztlich zu einer Beeinträchtigung der Fähigkeit zukünftiger Patient:innen führen können, ihre Gesundheitsbedürfnisse zu befriedigen und ein gutes Leben zu leben. Nachdem in einem zweiten Kapitel auf den Nachhaltigkeitsbegriff genauer eingegangen wurde, wird im dritten Teil erläutert, dass und warum die Möglichkeit zur Befriedigung elementarer Gesundheitsbedürfnisse z. B. im Rahmen eines Capability-Ansatzes zu Recht als eine Bedingung für ein gutes Leben gilt. Das Konzept der Nachhaltigkeit der Vereinten Nationen fordert, die Ansprüche auf ein gutes Leben zukünftiger Patient:innen angemessen zu berücksichtigen. Im vierten Teil wird dargestellt, wie Nachhaltigkeitsforderungen im klinischen Kontext zu einem Nachhaltigkeits-Dilemma führen können, und geklärt, auf welche Weise mit diesem Dilemma umgegangen werden kann.
Non-Commutative Resolutions for the Discriminant of the Complex Reflection Group G(m, p, 2)
Authors: May Simon
Published: January 2023

We show that for the family of complex reflection groups G = G(m, p,2) appearing in the Shephard–Todd classification, the endomorphism ring of the reduced hyperplane arrangement A(G) is a non-commutative resolution for the coordinate ring of the discriminant Δ of G. This furthers the work of Buchweitz, Faber and Ingalls who showed that this result holds for any true reflection group. In particular, we construct a matrix factorization for Δ from A(G) and decompose it using data from the irreducible representations of G. For G(m, p,2) we give a full decomposition of this matrix factorization, including for each irreducible representation a corresponding maximal Cohen–Macaulay module. The decomposition concludes that the endomorphism ring of the reduced hyperplane arrangement A(G) will be a non-commutative resolution. For the groups G(m,1,2), the coordinate rings of their respective discriminants are all isomorphic to each other. We also calculate and compare the Lusztig algebra for these groups.
Among demons and killers: current and future potential distribution of two hyper successful invasive gammarids
Authors: Cancellario Tommaso , Laini Alex , Wood Paul J. , Guareschi Simone
Published: January 2023

Biological invasions represent one of the main contemporary pressures facing freshwater ecosystems, and a better understanding of invasive species potential distributions is essential to prepare for future stressors. Crustacean invaders contribute significantly to global invasions with the Ponto-Caspian region being one of the primary donor areas for the Palearctic. The amphipods Dikerogammarus villosus and Dikerogammarus haemobaphes, popularly known as “killer” and “demon” shrimps, are emblematic of successful Ponto-Caspian invaders of European freshwaters. However, the geographical areas in which the abiotic environment is potentially suitable for them have not been investigated. To address this gap, current and future potential distributions were studied for the European Western Palearctic considering two scenarios and time periods (2050 and 2070) as well as the association between anthropogenic activities and individual species habitat suitability. Results show large areas of central-western Europe are currently suitable for both species and indicate some potential for range expansion within colder European areas. In particular, D. haemobaphes has the potential to expand its range further west and within southern parts of Europe. Scenarios of future climate change don’t provide evidence for further range expansion compared to the current conditions and suggest a reduction of range overlap within the most suitable areas. Results reveal lowland areas are at greatest risk of colonisation as well as a significant association with anthropogenic activities for both amphipods. The outcomes of the research could be used by resource managers for preparing and managing future changes of both species distributions and facilitate decision-making for monitoring and control.
Vaccine Targeting Alpha 1D-Adrenergic Receptor Improved Metabolic Syndrome in Mice
Authors: Li Xin , Ma Wenrui , Zhou Yanzhao , Li Chang , Shi Dingyang , Kuang Wenlong , Wu Jiacheng , Liao Yuhua , Qiu Zhihua , Zhou Zihua
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex chronic disease that includes obesity and hypertension, with rising evidence demonstrating that sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation plays a key role. Our team designed a therapeutic vaccine called ADRQβ-004 targeting the α1D-adrenergic receptor (α1D-AR). This study was performed to investigate whether the ADRQβ-004 vaccine improves MetS by modulating SNS activity.

Methods

C57BL/6N mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) combination diet for 18 weeks to elicit MetS. The MetS mice were subcutaneously immunized with the ADRQβ-004 vaccine four times to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy in obesity and hypertension and other associated ﻿abnormalities related to MetS by conducting echocardiographic, histological, and biochemical analyses.

Results

The ADRQβ-004 vaccine induced strong antibody production and maintained a high anti-ADR-004 antibody titer in MetS mice. The ADRQβ-004 vaccine improved obesity (P < 0.001) and decreased systolic blood pressure (P < 0.001). Improvements in dysregulated glucose homeostasis and dyslipidemia resulting from the ADRQβ-004 vaccine were also confirmed. Furthermore, the ADRQβ-004 vaccine attenuated cardiovascular functional (P = 0.015) and structural changes (P < 0.001), decreased fat accumulation (P = 0.012) and inflammation (P = 0.050) in the epididymal white adipose tissue, and alleviated hepatic steatosis (P = 0.043) involved in MetS. Moreover, the ADRQβ-004 vaccine improved systematic and visceral organs SNS activities in the MetS.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated for the first time that the ADRQβ-004 vaccine targeting α1D-AR improved obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and dysglycemia, and further reduced end-organ damage, which may provide new motivation for MetS research.
Electrophysiological assessment of nutritional optic neuropathy: a case report
Authors: O’Neill Emily K. , Mankad Kshitij , Bowman Richard , Thompson Dorothy A.
Published: January 2023

Purpose

To report an unexpectedly asymmetric, progressive nutritional optic neuropathy associated with vitamin A deficient optic canal hyperostosis in a 15-year-old female with a long history of a restricted diet.

Methods

We performed comprehensive ophthalmic assessments in a fifteen-year-old female with a long history of restricted eating who presented with suspected nutritional optic neuropathy, predominantly affecting the right eye vision.

Results

A review of computerised tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed bilateral optic canal hyperostosis likely associated with vitamin A deficiency. Electrodiagnostic tests and optical coherence tomography provided structure–function evidence of bilateral retinal ganglion cell dysfunction and notably revealed severe loss of temporal fibres in the left eye which showed cecocentral scotoma but normal visual acuity. Although selective damage of the papillomacular bundle has been well-documented in nutritional and toxic optic neuropathies, compressive optic canal hyperostosis secondary to nutritional deficiency has been rarely reported.

Conclusions

Nutritional deficiencies are increasing in high-income countries and may be linked to the rise of gastrointestinal disorders, strict vegan and vegetarian diets and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) associated with conditions such as depression and autism spectrum syndrome (ASD). Our findings highlight the value of electrodiagnostic testing alongside imaging in complex nutritional optic neuropathies to help monitor, guide treatment and preserve remaining sight in a child.
Stakeholder perspectives on the use of VoiceThread as a multimodal alternative to conventional discussion board in distance education
Authors: Chen Julian , Bogachenko Tatiana
Published: January 2023

This pilot study explores and documents online students’ and their lecturer’s debut experiences of utilising VoiceThread (VT), a digital multimodal platform, as an alternative discussion space via Open Universities Australia (OUA). Feedback from the lecturer’s teaching log and interview was corroborated with his OUA students’ survey responses, and analysed in relation to student online learning experiences with VT and Discussion Board, as well as technological and affective aspects of both platforms. Findings indicate that VT has a stronger potential in boosting stakeholders’ online engagement and enjoyment of distance learning, thus fostering online community building. Specifically, VT creates not only a multimodal and dynamic platform in lieu of Discussion Board, but a supportive online learning environment that promotes more inclusive and ongoing interactions. Despite the positive results, VT was viewed by some students as technologically demanding, causing them to only read peer posts without responding. It is suggested that orientation training sessions and trial threads be made available to ease the students into VT. Aspects of tutorial group size and instructor support should also be considered for future online course delivery.
Comparison of voluntary and forced digital leaps in higher education – Teachers’ experiences of the added value of using digital tools in teaching and learning
Authors: Kallunki Veera , Katajavuori Nina , Kinnunen Päivi , Anttila Henrika , Tuononen Tarja , Haarala-Muhonen Anne , Pyörälä Eeva , Myyry Liisa
Published: January 2023

The study examines the benefits of digital tools in teaching and learning as experienced by university teachers in two different time periods: 1) during the controlled digital leap before the Covid-19 pandemic (2017–2019) and 2) during the emergency imposition of remote teaching in response to the lockdown aimed at containing the Covid-19 pandemic (2020). Teachers in different academic fields at a large multidisciplinary Finnish university (N1 = 303 and N2 = 265) responded to two open-ended questions as part of a broader questionnaire. The research identified four kinds of benefits related to digital teaching: (1) practical and administrative and (2) independence of time and place, implying practical and technical benefits; as well as (3) enhancing learning and (4) developing teaching, which are primarily pedagogical benefits, related to teaching and learning. Voluntary and forced digital leaps provided different kinds of consequences in teaching and learning. Digital tools generally provided practical and technological benefits for teaching and learning during the controlled digital leap, but they also had positive pedagogical effects. The forced digital leap, in turn, demonstrated the value of time-and-place-independent online teaching and learning. It also exposed differences among academic fields in how teachers experienced the benefits of using digital tools. Support of and training for university teachers should take into account the different needs of faculties and disciplines, and promote dialogue between pedagogical and technological interests.
Kinematic Modelling and Position Control of A 3-DOF Parallel Stabilizing Robot Manipulator
Authors: Latifinavid Masoud , Azizi Aydin
Published: January 2023

This paper focuses on investigating a parallel camera stabilizing manipulator with three angular degrees of freedom controlled by three linear actuators. An experimental setup is designed and manufactured to actively isolate the host vehicle's disturbing motions. The kinematic analysis of the manipulator combined with a controller is used to disturbance rejection coming from the base platform. Two inertia measurement units (IMU) are used for real-time feedback from the base and up-per platforms' orientation. A Kalman filter is implemented for handling the noises and drifts of the IMUs data. Inverse kinematics of the manipulator is used for calculating the actuating commands and velocity control of the linear motors. The experimental results of the proposed camera stabilizing system are shown. The results indicate its good capability in following the reference input of the controller. Considering the closed kinematic chain of the system and its stiff parallel architecture, this system can be a good choice for the stabilizing system of ground and aerial vehicles.
Association between School Contexts and the Development of Subjective Well-Being during Adolescence: A Context-Sensitive Longitudinal Study of Life Satisfaction and School Satisfaction
Authors: Wu Yi-Jhen , Becker Michael
Published: January 2023

The transition to secondary school may negatively impact adolescents’ psychosocial and subjective well-being development. However, how subjective well-being develops during secondary school and how school contextual factors, including aspects of ability grouping and achievement composition, are associated with the development of subjective well-being still require clarification. This study examined two measures of subjective well-being, life satisfaction and school satisfaction, to investigate the development of subjective well-being during secondary school. Moreover, school context variations in the form of school tracks and school-level achievement were analyzed to examine the extent to which ability grouping and achievement composition were associated with the development of subjective well-being. A large-scale longitudinal German dataset with four measurement points from grades 6 to 10 was analyzed (Time 1: N = 1,841; Mage = 12.20, SD = 0.81; 48.4% female; 45.3% immigrant students). The latent growth model revealed that life satisfaction and school satisfaction decreased statistically significantly during secondary school, yet school satisfaction showed a temporary increase between the end of primary school and right after the transition to secondary school. School tracks did not statistically significantly predict the magnitude of the decline in life satisfaction or school satisfaction. Only school-level achievement composition significantly negatively predicted the decline in life satisfaction, suggesting that students in schools with higher levels of achievement composition had a greater decrease in life satisfaction than their counterparts in schools with lower levels of achievement composition. Taken together, these findings contribute to the knowledge of how life and school satisfaction develop during secondary school and the long-term associations between subjective well-being and school context factors.
The Scott conjecture for large Coulomb systems: a review
Authors: Frank Rupert L. , Merz Konstantin , Siedentop Heinz
Published: January 2023

We review some older and more recent results concerning the energy and particle distribution in ground states of heavy Coulomb systems. The reviewed results are asymptotic in nature: they describe properties of many-particle systems in the limit of a large number of particles. Particular emphasis is put on models that take relativistic kinematics into account. While non-relativistic models are typically rather well understood, this is generally not the case for relativistic ones and leads to a variety of open questions.
The Spiral of Digital Falsehood in Deepfakes
Authors: Leone Massimo
Published: January 2023

The article defines the research field of a semiotically oriented philosophy of digital communication. It lays out its methodological perspective, pointing out how the fake has always been at the center of semiotic research. It traces the origin of deepfakes back to the conception of GANs, whose essential semiotic workings it expounds on. It enucleates the specificities of the digital fake, especially in the production of artificial faces. It reviews the deepfake phenomenon, enunciating its most recent statistics, prevalent areas of application, risks, and opportunities. It surveys the most current literature. It concludes by emphasizing the novelty of a situation in which the fake, in human societies and cultures, is produced mostly by machines. It stresses the desirability for a semiotic and interdisciplinary study of these productions.