bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lime microdosing: A new liming strategy for increased productivity in acid soils
Authors: Agyin‐Birikorang Sampson , Adu‐Gyamfi Raphael , Kadyampakeni Davie M. , Chambers Rachel A. , Tindjina Ignatius , Dauda Haruna W.
Published: November 2023

Despite the effectiveness of the fertilizer microdosing technique, lime microdosing (LMD) to alleviate the negative impacts of soil acidity has not been comprehensively assessed. In a 3‐year study at four sites across three countries (one in the United States, two in Ghana, and one in Burkina Faso), we evaluated the effectiveness of the microdosing technique for lime application to alleviate the adverse effects of soil acidity in cropping systems, using corn (Zea maysL.) as the study crop. LMD was evaluated at four lime application rates, including 5%, 10%, 25%, and 50% of the calculated lime‐requirement rate (LR), which was compared to the traditional lime broadcasting strategy using 75% and 100% LR. Averaged across all experimental sites for the duration of the study, LMD with 25% LR resulted in similar grain yield, and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium recovery efficiency as those of the traditional lime broadcast techniques with 100% LR, but significantly greater than those of the lime broadcast techniques with 75% LR. Postharvest rhizosphere aluminum saturation percentage of the LMD with 25% LR was similar to that of the traditional lime broadcast techniques with 100% LR. However, LMD with lime application rates lower than 25% LR was not agronomically effective. The combined results suggest that LMD could be an efficient liming technique, and that with this technique, as little lime material as 25% LR could be used to mitigate the negative impacts of Al toxicity associated with soil acidity. Nevertheless, economic analyses are required to determine the profitability of utilizing the LMD technique to mitigate the negative impacts of soil acidity on crop production relative to the traditional lime‐broadcast approach.
Making Nanofiber Membrane Stand on End to Construct Vertically Interfacial Evaporators for Efficient Solar Evaporation, Omnidirectional Solar Absorption, and Ultrahigh‐Salinity Brine Desalination
Authors: Liu Huijie , He Mantang , Gu Jiatai , Liu Ye , Yang Lei , Li Ailin , Yu Jianyong , Wang Liming , Qin Xiaohong
Published: November 2023

Solar‐driven interfacial desalination is widely considered to be a promising technology to address the global water crisis. This study proposes a novel electrospun nanofiber‐based all‐in‐one vertically interfacial solar evaporator endowed with a high steam generation rate, steady omnidirectional evaporation, and enduring ultrahigh‐salinity brine desalination. In particular, the electrospun nanofiber is collected into the tubular structure, followed by spraying with a dense crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) film, which renders them sufficiently strong for the preparation of a vertically array evaporator. The integrated evaporator made an individual capillary as a unit to form multiple thermal localization interfaces and steam dissipation channels, realizing zone heating of water. Thus a high steam generation rate exceeding 4.0 kg m−2 h−1 in pure water is demonstrated even under omnidirectional sunlight, and outperforms existing evaporators. Moreover, salt ions in the photothermal layer can be effectively transported to the water in capillaries and subsequently exchanged with the bulk water due to the strong action of capillary force, which ensures an ultrahigh desalination rate (≈12.5 kg m−2 h−1 under 3 sun) in 25 wt% concentration brine over 300 min. As such, this work provides a meaningful roadmap for the development of state‐of‐the‐art solar‐driven interfacial desalination.
Bidirectional Confined Redox Catalysis Manipulated Quasi‐Solid Iodine Conversion for Shuttle‐Free Solid‐State Zn‐I2 Battery
Authors: Wang Mingli , Ma Jingkang , Zhang Hong , Fu Lin , Li Xinliang , Lu Ke
Published: November 2023

Electrochemically reversible conversion of I2/I− redox couple in a controllable iodine speciation manner is the eternal target for practical metal‐iodine batteries. This contribution demonstrates an advanced polyiodide‐free Zn‐I2 battery achieved by the bidirectional confined redox catalysis‐directed quasi‐solid iodine conversion. A core‐shell structured iodine cathode is fabricated by integrating multiporous Prussian blue nanocubes as a catalytic mediator, and the polypyrrole sheath afforded a confinement environment that favored the iodine redox. The zincate Znx+1FeIII/II[Fe(CN)6]y has substantially faster zinc‐ion intercalation kinetics and overlapping kinetic voltage profiles compared with the I2/ZnI2 redox, and behave as a redox mediator that catalyze reduction of polyiodides via chemical redox reactions during battery discharging and an exemplary reaction is Zn(I3)2+2Znx+1FeII[Fe(CN)6]y=3ZnI2+2ZnxFeIII[Fe(CN)6]y,ΔG=−19.3 kJ mol−1). During the following recharging process, the electrodeposited ZnI2 can be facially activated by iron redox hotspots, and the ZnxFe[FeIII/II(CN)6]y served as a cation‐transfer mediator and spontaneously catalyze polyiodides oxidation (Zn(I3)2+2ZnxFe[FeIII(CN)6]y=3I2+2Znx+1Fe[FeII(CN)6]y,ΔG = −7.72 kJ mol−1), manipulating the reversible one‐step conversion of ZnI2 back to I2. Accordingly, a flexible solid‐state battery employing the designed cathode can deliver an energy density of 215 Wh kgiodine−1.
Largely Improving the Output Performance of Stretchable Triboelectric Nanogenerators via Thermo‐Compressive Technology
Authors: Chen Qianqian , Wang Aochen , Yang Dan , Wei Xuelian , Zhang Li'ang , Wu Zhiyi , Wang Longfei , Qin Yong
Published: November 2023

Stretchable triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are widely applied in wearable and implantable electronics, smart medical devices, and soft robots. However, it is still a challenge to produce stretchable TENGs with both exceptional elasticity and output performance, which limits their application scope. In this work, high‐performance stretchable TENGs are developed through a thermo‐compression (TC) fabrication process. In particular, a poly(vinylidene fluoride) film is compactly bound to the elastic thermoplastic polyurethane substrate, which inherits excellent stretchability with a strain of up to 815%. Furthermore, owing to the large surface area, tight contact, and effective vertical transport of tribo‐induced charges between the coupled fibrous tribo‐layer and soft substrate, the TC composite film‐based TENGs exhibit a greater output (2‐4 times) than unlaminated film‐based TENGs. Additionally, the broad universality of this method is proven using various tribo‐ and substrate materials. The proposed technology provides a novel and effective approach to conjointly boost the output and stretchability of TENGs, showing encouraging application prospects in self‐powered wearable and flexible electronics.
Unraveling the Role of Metal Vacancy Sites and Doped Nitrogen in Enhancing Pseudocapacitance Performance of Defective MXene
Authors: Chen Guanglei , Xie Yangyang , Tang Yi , Wang Tianshuai , Wang Zhenyu , Yang Chenhui
Published: November 2023

Nitrogen‐doped titanium carbides (MXene) films exhibit extraordinary volumetric capacitance when high‐concentration sulfuric acid electrolyte is utilized owing to the enhancement of pseudocapacitance. However, the energy storage mechanism of nitrogen‐doped MXene is unclear due to the complex electrode structure and electrolyte ions’ behavior. Here, based on pristine MXene (Ti3C2O2), three different MXene structures are constructed by introducing metal vacancy sites and doped nitrogen atoms, namely, defective MXene (Ti2.9C2O2), nitrogen‐doped MXene (Ti3C2O1.9N0.1), and nitrogen‐doped MXene with metal vacancy sites (Ti2.9C2O1.9N0.1). Then, the density functional theory (DFT)‐based calculations coupled with the effective screening medium reference interaction site method (ESM‐RISM) are applied to reveal the electrochemical behavior at the electrode/electrolyte interfacial area. Through analyzing the electronic structure, electrical double‐layer capacitance (EDLC), and equilibrium potential of the pseudocapacitance reaction, the specific effect of structural changes on their performance can be clarified: metal vacancy sites can reduce the potential difference of gap layer (Outer Helmholtz plane) at charged state and increase the electronic capacity of Ti, which can be used to explain the high pseudocapacitance, low charge transfer resistance and high‐rate capacity properties of nitrogen‐doped MXene observed in experiments.
Specifying features in terms of domain models: MuDForM method definition and case study
Authors: Deckers Robert , Lago Patricia
Published: November 2023

To enable the people involved in a software development process to communicate and reason close to their area of knowledge, we are investigating and engineering a method that formalizes and integrates knowledge of multiple domains into domain models and into specifications in terms of those domain models. We follow an action research approach, starting with a diagnosis phase, in which we have previously defined a set of method objectives, and performed a systematic literature review. During action planning, we defined how we are going to develop the method—called Multi‐Domain Formalization Method (MuDForM). This paper reports on the methodical support for using a domain model as the terminology for feature specifications. During action taking, we defined an initial version of the method and set up case studies. During the evaluation phase, we performed a case study to validate how well the method helps in the specification of processes and to realize the case‐specific objectives of the customer. The case study pertains to the formalization of the ISO26262 standard for functional safety in the automotive domain. The created models are explained to the involved experts to ensure their consistency with the original text. We found that MuDForM is suitable to systematically formalize processes described in natural language, such that the resulting process models are fully expressed in terms of domain concepts and concepts from outside the domains and processes of interest. Further, during the specifying learning phase, we have extended our method with concepts, steps, and guidelines for grammatical analysis, for formalization of constraints, and for the specification of processes.
Influence of talc particle size on the optical transparency, flame retardancy, and smoke release suppression of waterborne transparent fireproof coatings applied on wood surface
Authors: Yan Long , Huang Danrong , Xu Zhisheng , Xie Xiaojiang
Published: November 2023

Talc with particle sizes of 1250 mesh (Talc‐1250), 3000 mesh (Talc‐3000), and 5000 mesh (Talc‐5000), used as synergist, was added into transparent fireproof coatings applied in wood substrates, and the influence of talc particle size on the comprehensive properties of the coatings was analyzed carefully. The results show that adding talc exerts super synergistic effect on enhancing the flame retardancy and smoke release suppression properties in the resulting coatings, and the synergistic efficiency of talc is varied with the talc particle size. Fire resistance analysis shows that the MTPPE2 coating containing Talc‐3000 exhibits better synergistic effects, accompanying a minimum back temperature of 106.3°C at 900°C and a maximum intumescent factor of 116.3. SEM‐EDS and FTIR analyses show that adding Talc‐3000 in the MTPPE2 coating contributes to the formation of a more intumescent and compact char against fire concomitant with the highest P/C mass ratio of 0.36 in char. Transparency analysis shows that the transparency of the coatings gradually decreases with the decrease of talc particle size, and the Talc‐1250 with exfoliated morphology imparts less loss of transparency to the coating while the Talc‐3000 and Talc‐5000 with intercalated morphologies  induce more obvious light scattering in the coatings.

Highlights

Talc was used to enhance the comprehensive properties of transparent fireproof coatings.

Synergistic efficiency of talc on the fire safety of coatings varies with its particle size.

Talc with a particle size of 3000 mesh exerts an optimum synergism in the coatings.

Transparency of the coatings gradually decreases as talc particle size decreases.
“Reservoirs of the Subconscious of a People”: The Local, National, and Global Resonances of a Lost Hinterland
Authors: Woodward Kate
Published: November 2023

The flooding of Capel Celyn village in 1965—arguably the most dramatic hydropolitical event in the history of the United Kingdom—continues to hold a central place in the Welsh consciousness, leading to powerful collective cultural and political memories of loss. This chapter will explore the prominent role given to this act of flooding in contemporary film and television, from images of inundation inPen Talar(2010) to a saturated, sodden mise-en-scène in the horror filmYr Ymadawiad(2015) which explores what lies beneath the visible. The Welsh / Argentine feature filmPatagonia(2010) suggests how we might perceive articulations of global processes in the act of flooding a localized space, and a rippling out of resonances with other hinterlands across the globe.
Anomalous hydrodynamics effective actions from holography
Authors: Rangamani Mukund , Virrueta Julio , Zhou Shuyan
Published: November 2023

Abstract

We derive an effective action for charged plasmas with an anomalous (abelian) global current charge current using holography. The holographic description is captured by the dynamics of an Einstein-Maxwell-Chern-Simons theory in an asymptotically AdS spacetime. The ’t Hooft anomaly contribution, which is encoded in the Chern-Simons term, contributes at the Gaussian order in the effective action only in the momentum diffusion sector, where it leads to chiral shear waves. However, as we demonstrate, beyond the Gaussian order, there is non-trivial imprint of the parity-violating anomaly term in sound and charge diffusion dynamics as well.
A Lagrangian relaxation approach to an electricity system investment model with a high temporal resolution
Authors: Granfeldt Caroline , Strömberg Ann-Brith , Göransson Lisa
Published: November 2023

The global production of electricity contributes significantly to the release of carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, a transformation of the electricity system is of vital importance in order to restrict global warming. This paper proposes a modelling methodology for electricity systems with a large share of variable renewable electricity generation, such as wind and solar power. The model developed addresses the capacity expansion problem, i.e. identifying optimal long-term investments in the electricity system. Optimal investments are defined by minimum investment and production costs under electricity production constraints—having different spatial resolutions and technical detail—while meeting the electricity demand. Our model is able to capture a range of strategies to manage variations and to facilitate the integration of variable renewable electricity; it is very large due to the high temporal resolution required to capture the variations in wind and solar power production and the chronological time representation needed to model energy storage. Moreover, the model can be further extended—making it even larger—to capture a large geographical scope, accounting for the trade of electricity between regions with different conditions for wind and solar power. Models of this nature thus typically need to be solved using some decomposition method to reduce solution times. In this paper, we develop a decomposition method using so-called variable splitting and Lagrangian relaxation; the dual problem is solved by a deflected subgradient algorithm. Our decomposition regards the temporal resolution by defining 2-week periods throughout the year and relaxing the overlapping constraints. The method is tested and evaluated on some real-world cases containing regions with different energy mixes and conditions for wind power. Numerical results show shorter computation times as compared with the non-decomposed model and capacity investment options similar to the optimal solution provided by the latter model.
The use of an educational video on forensic autopsy in curricular teaching for medical students—is it worth the effort?
Authors: Schwarz Clara-Sophie , Kramer Stefan , Germerott Tanja , Walz Cleo , Elsner Katrin
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this work is to share our experience with an educational video on forensic autopsy. Using questionnaires, we attempted to answer the following questions: Does watching the video trigger emotions in students? Does the autopsy meet the expectations that they had before? Does the video help to prepare them for their subsequent autopsy participation?

Methods

A total of 365 medical students who attended their classes during the COVID-19 pandemic measures were provided with the video on an online platform. Links leading to questionnaires were positioned before and after the video. One hundred seventy-six students returned to face-to-face teaching during their course in forensic medicine. Those among them who chose to participate in an autopsy at our institute were given the link to a third questionnaire after their autopsy participation. The data was analyzed using IBM SPSS 27.0 and Microsoft Excel.

Results

One hundred seventy-two students completed a questionnaire before watching the educational video, 85 also completed one afterwards, and 28 completed the third questionnaire. The most intense feelings while watching the video were “curiosity” and “surprise”. Out of twelve students (14.1%) who had imagined the autopsy differently in advance, five perceived the autopsy shown in the video as rougher or more brutal than expected. All autopsy participants who had previously viewed the video felt adequately prepared.

Conclusion

Teaching should include an introduction to the handling of the corpse and the general procedures in the dissecting room. Although a video cannot substitute for personal interaction, it is useful to prepare students for their autopsy participation.
Cerebral glucose hypometabolism and hypoperfusion of cingulate gyrus: an imaging biomarker of autoimmune encephalitis with psychiatric symptoms
Authors: Sun Yueqian , Li Gongfei , Liu Xiao , Zhao Xiaobin , Ren Jiechuan , Ren Guoping , Liu Yaou , Ai Lin , Wang Qun
Published: November 2023

Background

About 60% of autoimmune encephalitis (AE) patients present psychiatric symptoms, but the underlying mechanism remains unknown. This study examined the role of the cingulate cortex in such patients to identify predictive poor psychiatric factors.

Methods

In this study, 49 AE patients and 39 healthy controls were enrolled. AE patients were further divided into two groups based on the presence/absence of psychiatric symptoms. The ratio of the standardized uptake value (SUVR) and relative cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in different regions of the cingulate cortex were calculated through positron emission tomography–computed tomography (PET/CT) and arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI, and the results were compared among the three groups. In addition, we followed-up on the psychiatric outcomes and identified the risk factors for poor psychiatric prognosis, focusing on the cingulate cortex.

Results

More than half of the AE patients (27/49) exhibited psychiatric symptoms. Agitation and thought blocking were typical psychiatric phenotypes, except for anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) encephalitis, which mainly presented with catatonia and a depressed mood. AE patients with psychiatric symptoms experienced reduced metabolism and perfusion of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), midcingulate cortex (MCC), and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). The SUVR of ACC can be used as an independent risk factor of poor psychiatric outcomes, which had an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.865.

Conclusion

Impaired cingulate cortex function in AE may be the potential mechanism of psychiatric symptoms. Hypometabolism of ACC is an independent prognostic factor predicting an unfavorable psychiatric prognosis in AE.
Facilitating cooperation of smallholders in developing countries: design principles for a cooperative-oriented decentralized autonomous organization
Authors: Amend Julia , Troglauer Patrick , Guggenberger Tobias , Urbach Nils , Weibelzahl Martin
Published: November 2023

Climate change and an increasing food demand due to a growing world population pose significant challenges for agriculture. Smallholders play a decisive role in establishing a sustainable and efficient future agricultural system since they already provide up to 80% of food in developing countries. However, they often face severe obstacles, especially in developing countries, hampering effective and efficient cooperation and productivity. Even though organizations in the form of cooperatives could help overcome some of the challenges of facilitating smallholders’ cooperation, they still suffer from structural problems. Further, in many countries, a lack of formal mechanisms to enforce contractual agreements exists. Given such challenges, decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) have already proven to provide alternative forms of governance independent of formal contracts or intermediaries. Therefore, this study follows the design science research paradigm to design, develop, and evaluate a decentralized autonomous organization in the agricultural sector that makes use of cooperative principles. This cooperative-oriented DAO is governed by smart contracts and technically enabled by blockchain technology as the underlying infrastructure. Through our developed and evaluated artifact, the AgriDAO, we guide researchers and practitioners on how such a cooperative-oriented DAO could look to solve existing problems related to smallholders and cooperatives. Additionally, we present eight design principles that will guide the development of cooperative-oriented DAOs. Finally, our research shall initiate lively discussion and extensive exploration of this new form of organization.
Durvalumab: A Review in Advanced Biliary Tract Cancer
Authors: Fung Simon , Syed Yahiya Y.
Published: November 2023

Durvalumab (Imfinzi®), a therapeutic human monoclonal antibody which binds to and blocks the activity of the immunosuppressive programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) protein, is approved in the USA, EU, Japan and other countries in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin for adults with advanced biliary tract cancer. In the pivotal phase 3 TOPAZ-1 trial, durvalumab plus gemcitabine and cisplatin significantly prolonged overall survival and progression-free survival compared with placebo plus gemcitabine and cisplatin in adults with advanced biliary tract cancer. Benefit from durvalumab was seen irrespective of primary tumour location, disease status at diagnosis (unresectable or recurrent), or initial levels of PD-L1 expression. The tolerability of durvalumab plus gemcitabine and cisplatin was manageable. Overall, the addition of durvalumab to gemcitabine and cisplatin is a valuable new treatment option for adults with advanced biliary tract cancer.
Adipose-derived stem cells applied to ankle pathologies: a systematic review
Authors: Arceri A. , Mazzotti A. , Artioli E. , Zielli S. O. , Barile F. , Manzetti M. , Viroli G. , Ruffilli A. , Faldini C.
Published: November 2023

The purpose of this systematic review was to analyze the current use of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) and present the available evidence on their therapeutic potential in the treatment of ankle orthopedic issues, evaluating the applications and results. A literature search of PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE and Cochrane Library database was performed. The review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Risk of bias assessment was conducted through the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) criteria. Initial search results yielded 4348 articles. A total of 8 articles were included in the review process. No clinical evidence has demonstrated the effectiveness of one isolation method over the other, but nonenzymatic mechanical method has more advantages. In all studies included significant clinical outcomes improvement were recorded in patients affected by osteochondral lesion and osteoarthritis of ankle. All studies performed a concomitant procedure. No serious complications were reported. ADMSC injection, especially through the nonenzymatic mechanical methods, looks to be simple and promising treatment for osteochondral lesions and osteoarthritis of the ankle, with no severe complications. The current scarcity of studies and their low-quality level preclude definitive conclusions presently.

Level of evidence

III.
Characteristics of Plastic Debris Ingested by Sea Turtles: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Moon Yelim , Shim Won Joon , Hong Sang Hee
Published: November 2023

Sea turtles, an ecologically vital marine species, face the mounting threat of plastic ingestion. To devise effective mitigation strategies, a nuanced understanding of the characteristics of ingested plastics is essential. Previous reviews have predominantly concentrated on the frequency of occurrence (%FO) and quantity of ingested plastics. In this study, we present an update to the literature on %FO and quantity of ingested plastics and also introduce a novel review of the morphology, color, and polymer composition of ingested plastics. This analysis draws upon 110 scholarly articles on plastic ingestion by sea turtles. Additionally, we explore geographical variations in both the quantity and characteristics of ingested plastics. Most of the analyzed studies were conducted in the Americas and Europe. We found that approximately 54% of examined sea turtles had ingested plastic debris. Loggerhead sea turtles ingested more foams than green sea turtles (Wilcoxon rank-sum test, p < 0.05). By contrast, green sea turtles exhibited a higher ingestion on films (Wilcoxon rank-sum test, p > 0.05). Our study also underscored the paucity of data regarding the original usage of ingested plastics. White and transparent plastics were most commonly ingested. Additionally, polymers with a lower density than seawater, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and their copolymers, were frequently found. We strongly advocate for future studies to furnish more comprehensive data regarding the ingested plastics, including quantities, morphological and chemical properties, and origins. Such detailed information is indispensable for shaping well-informed and effective strategies to combat plastic ingestion in marine life.
Unsupervised machine learning model for predicting anomalies in subsurface safety valves and application in offshore wells during oil production
Authors: Aranha Pedro Esteves , Policarpo Nara Angelica , Sampaio Marcio Augusto
Published: November 2023

Predicting oil well behavior regarding the integrity of its equipment during production and anticipating behavioral changes and anomalies are among the main challenges in oil production. In this context, this study focuses on the development of predictive models for real-time monitoring of well behavior using sensor data from production wells. An unsupervised Novelty and Outlier Detection model has been introduced with a specific focus on predicting instances of unexpected subsurface safety valve closures in subsea wells. This model effectively classifies anomalies observed in these systems by leveraging real-world pressure and temperature data sourced from published literature. The methodology involves the implementation of a floating window for assembling training and test sets. Additionally, a comprehensive investigation is conducted into the impact of hyperparameters and the model’s threshold value (cp threshold). The results highlight the effectiveness of the developed model, observed through the accuracy achieved around 99.9% in predicting spurious closure events of the Downhole Safety Valve. On the same dataset, previous works reported 99.9% accuracy by using long short-term memory (LSTM) autoencoder, 87.1% by using random forest, and 60% with the Decision Tree method. Looking at F1-SCORE values, the developed model performs the best, followed by the LSTM model, both of which are significantly superior to the Decision Tree and random forest models. Furthermore, the model’s applicability is validated through testing in ultradeep water subsea wells within the pre-salt area of the Santos Basin. The significance lies in the potential for this research to enhance anomaly prediction in offshore wells, consequently reducing the costly interventions due to equipment malfunctions. Timely detection and corrective actions, facilitated by the model, can mitigate production loss and safeguard well integrity, addressing critical concerns in the oil and gas industry.
Azygos vein preservation revisited: impact on early outcomes after repair of esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula in newborns
Authors: Daboos Mohammad , Abdelmaboud Mohamed , Hussein Mohamed , Salama Ahmed , Elshamy Ahmed
Published: November 2023

Since the first successful repair of esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula (EA–TEF) was performed approximately 8 decades ago, surgeons have made considerable technical advances in solving intraoperative surgical challenges and reducing postoperative complications. According to some surgeons, preserving the Azygos vein makes this modification attractive. This study aimed to evaluate the benefits of preserving the Azygos vein during surgery for esophageal atresia with tracheoesophageal fistula and to highlight its advantages in reducing anastomotic leak, stricture, and other postoperative outcomes. This prospective comparative series was conducted between April 2020 and April 2023. The study included all newborns with EA–TEF eligible for primary repair. Patients were randomized to either Group A or B. Group A underwent Azygos vein preservation, whereas the remaining patients (Group B) underwent Azygos vein disconnection. Sixty-four patients were included in this study. Thirty-two patients (Group A) underwent Azygos vein preservation during EA–TEF repair, and the remaining thirty-two patients (Group B) underwent Azygos vein ligation and disconnection. Both groups were comparable in terms of demographics, clinical data, and operative findings (P > 0.05). Pneumonitis occurred in 4 patients in Group A and 16 patients in Group B. Anastomotic leaks occurred in two (6.2%) patients in Group A and six (18.7%) patients in Group B. There were two deaths in Group A and six deaths in Group B, with a significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.0485). Preserving the Azygos vein during esophageal atresia repair reduces the occurrence of postoperative pneumonia, leakage, and stenosis, and decreases postoperative mortality. Therefore, we declare that this modification is a significant and valuable addition to the current surgical procedures.
Absolutely closed semigroups
Authors: Banakh Taras , Bardyla Serhii
Published: November 2023

Let $${\mathcal {C}}$$
C
be a class of topological semigroups. A semigroup X is called absolutely $${\mathcal {C}}$$
C
-closed if for any homomorphism $$h:X\rightarrow Y$$

h
:
X
→
Y

to a topological semigroup $$Y\in {\mathcal {C}}$$

Y
∈
C

, the image h[X] is closed in Y. Let $$\textsf {T}_{\!\textsf {1}}\textsf {S}$$

T

1

S

, $$\textsf {T}_{\!\textsf {2}}\textsf {S}$$

T

2

S

, and $$\textsf {T}_{\!\textsf {z}}\textsf {S}$$

T

z

S

be the classes of $$T_1$$

T
1

, Hausdorff, and Tychonoff zero-dimensional topological semigroups, respectively. We prove that a commutative semigroup X is absolutely $$\textsf {T}_{\!\textsf {z}}\textsf {S}$$

T

z

S

-closed if and only if X is absolutely $$\textsf {T}_{\!\textsf {2}}\textsf {S}$$

T

2

S

-closed if and only if X is chain-finite, bounded, group-finite and Clifford + finite. On the other hand, a commutative semigroup X is absolutely $$\textsf {T}_{\!\textsf {1}}\textsf {S}$$

T

1

S

-closed if and only if X is finite. Also, for a given absolutely $${\mathcal {C}}$$
C
-closed semigroup X we detect absolutely $${\mathcal {C}}$$
C
-closed subsemigroups in the center of X.
A case of relapsing anti-GBM disease secondary to alemtuzumab therapy
Authors: Leibowitz Saskia M. , Manickam Valli , Srivastava Vikas , Kan George
Published: November 2023

We report the first case of relapsing anti-GBM disease secondary to alemtuzumab in a 24-year-old female with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis. Initial anti-GBM disease was detected 10 months after alemtuzumab was given and was diagnosed by demonstrating high anti-GBM antibody titers and with a confirmatory kidney biopsy. The patient presented with a rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis with no pulmonary involvement. After appropriate treatment, the patient went into remission with undetectable anti-GBM antibodies. However, 20 months later, the patient re-presented with relapsing anti-GBM disease. Despite aggressive treatment, the patient became dialysis-dependent.
Optimal Sensor Planning for SSA Using System Identification Concepts
Authors: Hägg Per
Published: November 2023

The rapid growth of man-made objects in Earth’s orbit has created a need for planning and prioritizing sensor measurements of these objects in order to keep track of their motion in orbit. In this paper, we adapt a concept from the field of system identification, namely application-oriented input design, to the sensor-planning problem. Previous methods have predominantly focused on the problem of planning the measurements of different objects such that they are as accurate as possible (in a broad sense) from a given set of possible observations. Here we view the problem differently; the objective is to find the least costly number of measurement such that the estimated orbital parameters are good enough for their intended application. To this end, we introduce the concept of an application set. The application set contains all orbital parameters that are considered of sufficient accuracy for the intended use. The objective of the optimization is hence not to find the most accurate set of parameters but find the cheapest combinations of observations such that the estimated parameters are guaranteed to be within the application set with a high probability. We show how to formulate the planning problem as a convex optimization problem that can be solved efficiently with modern algorithms, even for large-scale problems. We then demonstrate the feasibility of the method in a simulation example. Finally, the paper discusses some interesting topics for future research.
Development of a Nanostructured Film Containing Palygorskite and Dermaseptin 01 Peptide for Biotechnological Applications
Authors: Oliveira Karla Costa Bezerra Fontenele , de Oliveira Farias Emanuel Airton , Teixeira Paulo Ronaldo Sousa , Brandão Vitor Schwenck , Sábio Rafael Miguel , de Araújo Alyne Rodrigues , Eaton Peter , Bertolino Luiz Carlos , Bemquerer Marcelo Porto , da Silva Barud Hernane , de Souza de Almeida Leite José Roberto , Eiras Carla
Published: November 2023

Clay minerals are suitable matrices to anchor organic molecules such as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) so that their bioactivity is maintained, enabling the formation of new materials with potential for new applications in biotechnology. The objective of the present study was to develop a nanostructured film where the properties of palygorskite (Plg) were combined at the molecular level with Dermaseptin 01 (DRS 01), in which the clay mineral also served as a substrate for the immobilization of this peptide. The films were prepared using the Layer-by-Layer (LbL) self-assembly technique. Crude palygorskite without purification (Plg IN) was subjected to physical and chemical procedures to increase its adsorptive properties. The structure, chemical composition, and morphology of Plg were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). LbL films were adsorbed onto ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) and characterized electrochemically by cyclic voltammetry (CV), UV-Visible spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). For the ITO/DRS 01 and ITO/Plg/DRS 01 films, an oxidation process at +0.77 V was observed, confirming that the DRS 01 maintained its electroactive behavior and intrinsic properties. The results also showed that Plg served as excellent support for the immobilization of DRS 01, increasing its concentration and availability in the film form. This work reported immobilizing the DRS 01 peptide with Plg for the first time in an ultrathin film with bioactive properties. Thus, the film developed can be explored for applications such as biosensor devices and antimicrobial coating materials as well as other biotechnological applications.
An interpolation-based reversible data hiding scheme for internet of things applications
Authors: Punia Riya , Malik Aruna , Singh Samayveer
Published: November 2023

The exponential growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) has led to an increased demand for secure and efficient data transmission methods. However, there is a tradeoff in the image quality and hiding capacity in the data hiding methods. Therefore, the maximum amount of data that could be stored in the image media is a difficult challenge while maintaining the image quality. Thus, to make the balance between the quality of the images and the embedding capacity, a novel interpolation-based revisable data hiding (RDH) approach is developed for IoT applications. The proposed interpolation technique takes the average of the root value for the product of two neighboring original pixel values and the third original pixel value. And for the central pixel, it takes an average of two interpolated pixels. By doing so, most of the original pixels are considered and the calculated interpolated pixel is much enhanced as its average value. Furthermore, the data hiding is performed in two stages. In the first stage, RSA is performed on the secret message, and then embedding is done based on which intensity range group. The experimental results indicate that the proposed technique enhanced the embedding capacity by 17.58% and produced 7.80% higher PSNR values for the test images as compared to the baseline methods.
Music and Musicians in Late Mughal India
Authors: Schofield Katherine Butler
Published: November 2023

Based on a vast, virtually unstudied archive of Indian writings alongside visual sources, this book presents the first history of music and musicians in late Mughal India c.1748–1858 and takes the lives of nine musicians as entry points into six prominent types of writing on music in Persian, Brajbhasha, Urdu and English, moving from Delhi to Lucknow, Hyderabad, Jaipur and among the British. It shows how a key Mughal cultural field responded to the political, economic and social upheaval of the transition to British rule, while addressing a central philosophical question: can we ever recapture the ephemeral experience of music once the performance is over? These rich, diverse sources shine new light on the wider historical processes of this pivotal transitional period, and provide a new history of music, musicians and their audiences during the precise period in which North Indian classical music coalesced in its modern form.
Black Women and Energies of Resistance in Nineteenth-Century Haitian and American Literature
Authors: Albanese Mary Grace
Published: November 2023

Black Women and Energies of Resistance in Nineteenth-Century Haitian and American Literature intervenes in traditional narratives of 19th-century American modernity by situating Black women at the center of an increasingly connected world. While traditional accounts of modernity have emphasized advancements in communication technologies, animal and fossil fuel extraction, and the rise of urban centers, Mary Grace Albanese proposes that women of African descent combated these often violent regimes through diasporic spiritual beliefs and practices, including spiritual possession, rootwork, midwifery, mesmerism, prophecy, and wandering. It shows how these energetic acts of resistance were carried out on scales large and small: from the constrained corners of the garden plot to the expansive circuits of global migration. By examining the concept of energy from narratives of technological progress, capital accrual and global expansion, this book uncovers new stories that center Black women at the heart of a pulsating, revolutionary world.
God in Moral Experience
Authors: Moser Paul
Published: November 2023

The Apostle Paul defined the moral values of love, joy, peace, patience, and kindness as 'the fruit of God's Spirit.' Paul Moser here argues that such values are character traits of an intentional God. When directly experienced, they can serve as evidence for the reality and goodness of such a God. Moser shows how moral conscience plays a key role in presenting intentional divine action in human moral experience. He explores this insight in chapters focusing on various facets of moral experience – regarding human persons, God, and theological inquiry, among other topics. His volume enables a responsible assessment of divine reality and goodness, without reliance on controversial arguments of natural theology. Clarifying how attention to moral experience can contribute to a limited theodicy for God and evil, Moser's study also acknowledges that the reality of severe evil does not settle the issue of God's existence and goodness.
Time, Metaphor, and Language
Authors: Duffy Sarah E. , Feist Michele I.
Published: November 2023

Across languages, time tends to be understood in terms of space. For instance, we might think of time as an unstoppable train heading towards us when we hear 'holidays are coming', or we might imagine time as a landscape that we move across as we 'approach the moment of truth'. In this pioneering book, Duffy and Feist bring together research from across disciplines to provide a more nuanced understanding of what metaphor is and how it underpins our conceptualizations of time. Illustrated with a wide range of authentic examples from natural language, the book offers a holistic understanding of metaphors for time, encompassing the varied ways in which people draw on spatial experiences, as well as the broader variety of 'human experience' on an individual level. In doing so, it highlights the importance of variation across cultures, across contexts, and across individuals for metaphoric conceptualization.
Scattering of swell by currents
Authors: Wang Han , Villas Bôas Ana B. , Young William R. , Vanneste Jacques
Published: November 2023

The refraction of surface gravity waves by currents leads to spatial modulations in the wave field and, in particular, in the significant wave height. We examine this phenomenon in the case of waves scattered by a localised current feature, assuming (i) the smallness of the ratio between current velocity and wave group speed, and (ii) a swell-like, highly directional wave spectrum. We apply matched asymptotics to the equation governing the conservation of wave action in the four-dimensional position–wavenumber space. The resulting explicit formulas show that the modulations in wave action and significant wave height past the localised current are controlled by the vorticity of the current integrated along the primary direction of the swell. We assess the asymptotic predictions against numerical simulations using WAVEWATCH III for a Gaussian vortex. We also consider vortex dipoles to demonstrate the possibility of ‘vortex cloaking’ whereby certain currents have (asymptotically) no impact on the significant wave height. We discuss the role of the ratio of the two small parameters characterising assumptions (i) and (ii) above, and show that caustics are significant only for unrealistically large values of this ratio, corresponding to unrealistically narrow directional spectra.
Direct numerical simulation of turbulent flow in pipes with realistic large roughness at the wall
Authors: De Maio Mariangela , Latini Beatrice , Nasuti Francesco , Pirozzoli Sergio
Published: November 2023

We carry out direct numerical simulation (DNS) of turbulent flow in rough pipes. Two types of irregular roughness are investigated, namely a grit-blasted and a graphite surface. A wide range of Reynolds numbers is tested, from the laminar up to the fully rough regime, attempting to replicate Nikuradse's pioneering study. Despite the large relative roughness, outer-layer similarity is achieved at high Reynolds number as hypothesised by Townsend, with deviations from the smooth wall case of 4 % for the grit-blasted surface and 13 % for the graphite surface. This makes it possible to define a roughness function and the equivalent sand-grain roughness. The results are compared with those obtained in plane channels, with small differences pointing to the residual influence of the duct cross-sectional shape in the presence of relatively large roughness. The computed friction factors behave similar to those Nikuradse's chart, with differences in terms of the friction factor in the laminar region and of the critical Reynolds number, which are partly absorbed by using the hydraulic radius as reference length scale. The distributions of the velocity fluctuations intensities point to a isotropisation of turbulence in the near-wall region resulting from the roughness, with influence of the roughness geometry. Comparison of the computed equivalent sand-grain roughness height suggest that existing correlations suffer from poor predictive power, at least for surfaces with large relative roughness.
Nasal mast cells: a preliminary report on their ultrastructure
Authors: Drake-Lee A. B. , Price J. M. , Milford C. M. , Bickerton R. C.
Published: November 2023

The ultrastructure of mast cells found in normal inferior turbinate was
compared with the features found in the inferior turbinate in two groups of
patients, those with allergic rhinitis due to dust mite hypersensitivity and
those with nasal polyps; the latter group also had their polyps studied.
Adenoid tissue was examined in children with secretory otitis media to see
if there was evidence of mast cell degranulation, which would support the
hypothesis that either local allergic or other mast cell-mediated reactions
caused the condition.

The mast cells from five normal turbinates varied considerably in size,
shape and distribution, but were found mainly in the submucosa. There was no
difference in the morphology of cells of different sizes and they could not
be sub-grouped into either connective tissue or mucosal mast cells. Most.
granules were electron dense and homogeneous, although scrolls and
crystalline structures were seen occasionally. Some of the granules
contained lighter material and others had become vacuoles. Mitochondria were
present in all cells suggesting active metabolism.

The three patients with allergic rhinitis showed extensive but variable
degranulation of the mast cells in all depths of the mucosa. Nine of the 10
cases with nasal polyps had mast cells identified in both the polyp and the
turbinate. They were only normal in one turbinate and in one patient it was
impossible to identify mast cells. All the mast cells were degranulated
extensively in all other specimens.

The adenoids from seven children had identifiable mast cells, which were
less frequently found than in the turbinates. There was some degranulation
in four of the patients and in one it was fairly extensive.