bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is reversal of anticoagulants necessary in neurologically intact traumatic intracranial hemorrhage?
Authors: Powell Kelly , Curtiss William , Sadek Erin , Hecht Jason
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Falls are the leading cause of injury in older individuals, with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) being a common complication. Anticoagulants, such as vitamin K antagonist and direct oral anticoagulants, are increasingly utilized, and clinicians may question the necessity of reversal in patients with minor ICH, especially in the setting of increased risk of adverse events. This study aimed to identify a population of patients with minor traumatic ICH at low risk for poor‐neurologic status where anticoagulant reversal may not improve outcomes.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study utilized data accessed from 35 trauma centers from 2018 to 2021. Patients included had a preinjury anticoagulant regimen, ICH due to blunt trauma, Glasgow Coma Scale score of 15, an Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) head score from 2 to 4, and an AIS of ≤1 for non‐head regions within 24 h of hospital arrival. Patients were excluded if they required an emergent neurosurgical procedure or were on a preinjury purinergic‐P2 receptor‐12 protein (P2Y12) inhibitor. The primary outcome was the rate of in‐hospital mortality or hospice.

Results

There were 654 patients on preinjury anticoagulation who were included with a minor traumatic ICH without neurologic deficits. Overall, 263 patients were reversed and 391 were not reversed. Twelve (4.6%) patients with in‐hospital mortality or hospice were reversed compared with 19 (4.91%) patients who were not reversed (p = 0.861). A composite of hospital complications occurred in 21 (8%) reversed patients and 34 (8.7%) not reversed patients (p = 0.748). The average intensive care unit length of stay was 1.4 ± 3.4 days in the reversed group and 1.1 ± 1.8 days in the not reversed group (p = 0.069).

Conclusion

This study found no difference in hospital outcomes between patients with minor traumatic ICH on oral anticoagulants who were neurologically intact that were reversed versus those who were not reversed. Further studies should continue to define the subset of traumatic ICH patients who may not require reversal of anticoagulation.
One‐pot synthesis, thermal analysis, and density functional theory study of methyl urotropine perchlorate
Authors: Zhao Meihua , Cao Jun , Chen Jun , Xu Jiani , Xiao Tingting , Ma Peng , Ma Congming
Published: December 2023

An energetic material methyl urotropine perchlorate (MUTP) was synthesized from urotropine, perchloric acid, and triethylenediamine. The single crystal structure of the energetic salt was characterized by X‐ray single crystal diffractometer. The results show that the single crystal of MUTP is an orthogonal crystal system with Pnma space group. The thermal decomposition process of MUTP was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technology. There were two exothermic peaks in TGA and DSC test, and the peak temperatures (Tp) were 261.61°C and 366.75°C, respectively. The thermal stability of MUTP was up to 247.10°C. Geometric optimization, frontier molecular orbitals, electrostatic potential (ESP), and weak interaction were explored by density functional theory using Gaussian 16. It is found that MUTP has a large energy gap (5.94 eV), which is larger than that of HMX (5.84 eV). The results of reduced density gradient method show that there are dense hydrogen bond interactions in MUTP with high electron density and intensity. In addition, a strong spatial repulsion is formed at the center of the cage.
Epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate promotes wound healing response in diabetic mice by activating keratinocytes and promoting re‐epithelialization
Authors: Ning Yongling , Yuan Zhiying , Wang Qing , He Jia , Zhu Weidong , Ren Dan‐ni , Wo Da
Published: December 2023

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a metabolic disorder that causes numerous complications including impaired wound healing and poses a significant challenge for the management of diabetic patients. Epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG) is a natural polyphenol that exhibits anti‐inflammatory and anti‐oxidative benefits in skin wounds, however, the direct effect of EGCG on epidermal keratinocytes, the primary cells required for re‐epithelialization in wound healing remains unknown. Our study aims to examine the underlying mechanisms of EGCG's ability to promote re‐epithelialization and wound healing in T2D‐induced wounds. Murine models of wound healing in T2D were established via feeding high‐fat high‐fructose diet (HFFD) and the creation of full‐thickness wounds. Mice were administered daily with EGCG or vehicle to examine the wound healing response and underlying molecular mechanisms of EGCG's protective effects. Systemic administration of EGCG in T2D mice robustly accelerated the wound healing response following injury. EGCG induced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (NRF2) and promoted cytokeratin 16 (K16) expression to activate epidermal keratinocytes and robustly promoted re‐epithelialization of wounds in diabetic mice. Further, EGCG demonstrated high binding affinity with Kelch‐like ECH‐associated protein 1 (KEAP1), thereby inhibiting KEAP1‐mediated degradation of NRF2. Our findings provide important evidence that EGCG accelerates the wound healing response in diabetic mice by activating epidermal keratinocytes, thereby promoting re‐epithelialization of wounds via K16/NRF2/KEAP1 signaling axis. These mechanistic insights into the protective effects of EGCG further suggest its therapeutic potential as a promising drug for treating chronic wounds in T2D.
The laser‐cooling of low‐lying states of gold‐aluminum MRCI+Q study including spin‐orbit coupling
Authors: Zhu Yu‐Hao , Li Rui
Published: December 2023

The possible laser cooling of AuAl molecules was investigated using high‐level ab initio calculations and considering the spin‐orbit coupling effect. Multi‐reference configuration interaction and the Davidson correction were also employed. Six Λ‐S electronic states were obtained, which were divided into 14 Ω states via spin‐orbit coupling. The optical transition showed potential for laser‐cooling applications owing to its highly diagonal Franck‐Condon factors and larger vibrational branching ratios. A possible optical cycling scheme using four lasers at near‐resonance wavelengths to eliminate vibrational branching loss is proposed. This scheme can be experimentally tested in future laser‐cooling experiments.
Density functional theory study of the adsorption of NO on CunX (n = 2–8; X = Cu, K) clusters
Authors: Cheng Yan , Shi Shunping , Song Yong , Liu Bingxin , Yao Chunyu , Jiang Jing , Li Yong , Chen Deliang
Published: December 2023

Density functional theory calculations are performed to analyze the structure and stability of Cu and Cu‐K clusters with 3 to 9 atoms. The results indicate that the stability of the clusters decreases after doping with a K atom. With the increase of cluster size, the stability of the clusters shows odd‐even alternation. Cu8 and Cu7K clusters exhibit the highest stability. Next, different adsorption sites are considered to investigate the geometry of CunNO and Cun−1KNO clusters. By calculating the adsorption energy and the HOMO‐LUMO energy gap, it is determined that both types of reactions are exothermic processes, indicating stable adsorption of NO. Notably, the CunK clusters are more active (stronger adsorption) for NO than the Cun clusters. The most chemically active clusters among CunNO and Cun−1KNO clusters are Cu8NO and Cu7KNO clusters. Finally, electron transfer and Mayer bond order analysis of Cu8NO and Cu7KNO clusters reveal that the NO bond order decreases due to electron transfer when Cu/Cu‐K clusters adsorb NO. In this process, the N atom is the electron donor and the Cu atom is the electron acceptor. Fundamental insights obtained in this study can be useful in the design of Cu/Cu‐K catalysts.
Scalable Quantum Spin Networks from Unitary Construction
Authors: Alsulami Abdulsalam H. , D'Amico Irene , Estarellas Marta P. , Spiller Timothy P.
Published: December 2023

Spin network (SN) systems can be used to achieve quantum state transfer with high fidelity and to generate entanglement. A new approach to design spin‐chain‐based spin network systems, for short‐range quantum information processing and phase‐sensing, has been proposed recently in Advanced Quantum Technologies. In this paper, the scalability of such systems is investigated, by designing larger SN systems that can be used for longer‐range quantum information tasks, such as connecting together quantum processors. Furthermore, more complex SN designs, which can produce different types of entangled states, are presented. Simulations of disorder effects show that even such larger SN systems are robust against realistic levels of disorder.
Follicle development and its prediction in patients with primary ovarian insufficiency: Possible treatments and markers to maximize the ability to conceive with residual follicles
Authors: Osuka Satoko , Kasahara Yukiyo , Iyoshi Shohei , Sonehara Reina , Myake Natsuki , Muraoka Ayako , Nakamura Tomoko , Iwase Akira , Kajiyama Hiroaki
Published: December 2023

Background

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is characterized by the development of hypergonadotropic hypogonadism before 40 years of age and leads to intractable infertility. Although in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer with donated eggs enables pregnancy, not a few patients desire pregnancy using their oocytes. However, follicular development is rare and unpredictable in patients with POI. Thus, there is a need for treatments that promote the development of residual follicles and methods to accurately predict infrequent ovulation.

Methods

This review discusses the effects of various treatments for obtaining eggs from POI patients. Furthermore, this study focused a potential marker for predicting follicular growth in patients with POI.

Main Findings

Different treatments such as hormone‐replacement therapy, dehydroepiandrosterone supplementation, platelet‐rich plasma injection, and in vitro activation have shown varying degrees of effectiveness in retrieving oocytes from patients with POI. To predict follicle development in the cycle, elevated serum estradiol and reduced follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) levels are important. However, these markers are not always reliable under continuous estradiol‐replacement therapy. As a novel marker for predicting follicle growth, serum anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels, measured using the picoAMH enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, were found to predict follicle growth in patients and the cycle.

Conclusion

This review highlights the challenges and available interventions for achieving pregnancy using a patient's oocytes in cases of POI. We believe that a combination of currently available treatments and prediction methods is the best strategy to enable patients with POI to conceive using their own eggs. Although AMH levels may predict follicle growth, further research is necessary to improve the chances of successful follicular development and conception in patients with POI.
Distributed cooperative control for power sharing of DC distribution network with event‐triggered communication mechanism
Authors: Jing Guoxiu , Huang Bonan , Sun Jiayue , Xie Xiangpeng , Sun Qiuye
Published: December 2023

This paper develops an effective distributed cooperative control approach with an event‐triggered communication mechanism (ETCM) for the active DC distribution network (DDN) system. Its control objective is to address the issues of voltage synchronization and power sharing among distributed renewable energy (DRE) while minimizing the utilization of communication resources. Firstly, a distribution network system model based on DC‐DC converters (DDCs) is established, and each DRE is regarded as a heterogeneous multi‐agent system (HMAS). Then, the distributed cooperative control problem of DREs is transformed into a cooperative output regulation (COR) problem with HMASs, which serves as an important foundation for controller strategy design. Secondly, considering different load demands in DDN system and the voltage of DC bus may deviate from its nominal value. Meanwhile, with the purpose of the proportional power sharing among DREs, this work proposes a distributed cooperative control approach under undirected communication topology, and designs a distributed observer based on dynamic ETCM while excluding Zeno behavior. In addition, the proposed control method can converge with a relatively fast speed, which improves the dynamic performance of the DDN system. Compared with the continuous time feedback control in DDN system, the proposed approach only needs the information of DRE itself and its neighboring DREs to accomplish the control objective, which further decreases the utilization of communication resources and reduces the update frequency of the controllers and switching loss of the DDCs. Finally, different simulation and experimental results are carried out to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Viscous Loading Regulates the Flagellar Energetics of Human and Bull Sperm
Authors: Yazdan Parast Farin , Veeraragavan Shibani , Gaikwad Avinash S. , Powar Sushant , Prabhakar Ranganathan , O'Bryan Moira K. , Nosrati Reza
Published: December 2023

The viscoelastic properties of the female reproductive tract influence sperm swimming behavior, but the exact role of these rheological changes in regulating sperm energetics remains unknown. Using high‐speed dark‐field microscopy, the flagellar dynamics of free‐swimming sperm across a physiologically relevant range of viscosities is resolved. A transition from 3D to 2D slither swimming under an increased viscous loading is revealed, in the absence of any geometrical or chemical stimuli. This transition is species‐specific, aligning with viscosity variations within each species’ reproductive tract. Despite substantial drag increase, 2D slithering sperm maintain a steady swimming speed across a wide viscosity range (20–250 and 75–1000 mPa s for bull and human sperm) by dissipating over sixfold more energy into the fluid without elevating metabolic activity, potentially by altering the mechanisms of dynein motor activity. This energy‐efficient motility mode is ideally suited for the viscous environment of the female reproductive tract.
Influence of slab structure on the behavioral analysis of hybrid outrigger system
Authors: John Neethu Elizabeth , Kamath Kiran
Published: December 2023

Outriggers are internal structural systems used to enhance the stiffness and strength of high‐rise structures. This research investigates the efficacy of a hybrid outrigger system (HOS) which consists of one conventional and one virtual outrigger at two distinct floor levels in high‐rise RCC buildings. A non‐dimensional quantity, ϒ, defined as the relative stiffness ratio between the core and the diaphragm is used to describe variations in the stiffness of the building's core, stiffness of floor diaphragm, breadth, and height of the structure, in the behavioral analysis of the HOS. To investigate the efficacy and optimum locations of the hybrid outriggers, static and dynamic analysis are carried out on models with four‐story heights of 140, 210, 280, and 350 m under static wind loading, uniform wind loading, equivalent static earthquake loading, and dynamic earthquake loading. Results are assessed based on the responses from roof displacement (Disptop), base bending moment, roof acceleration (Acctop), fundamental period, and absolute maximum inter‐story drift ratio (ISDabs.max). Based on the minimum responses of the aforementioned dependent parameters under wind and earthquake excitations, the corresponding optimum locations of hybrid outriggers are investigated. To investigate the impact of the slab on the functionality of the HOS, the behavior of shell stress variation in the tension and compression side of the slab at the outrigger floor level and the force transmission through the column at the outrigger level is analyzed. Also, the optimum location of the hybrid outriggers based on the ideal performance index (IdealPI) is investigated. IdealPIis defined as a parameter that considers the combined response of Disptop, Acctop, and ISDabs.maxand the criteria required for the structure under wind and seismic loads. From the behavioral analysis results, it is found that an increase in the stiffness of the slab showed an improved performance of the HOS compared to an increase in the stiffness of the core, and HOS performance can be maximized by increasing both thickness of the slab and outrigger arm length. The findings of the optimum location analysis could serve as a guide for structural engineers when selecting suitable positions for hybrid outriggers in high‐rise structures.
Air quality in Kuwait urban areas
Authors: Matar Hamad B. , Al‐Otaibi Fahad A. , Almutairi Saad K. , Alhubail Jamal A.
Published: December 2023

Air pollution is a serious issue that has an impact on human health all over the world. Improving air quality is a main part of environmental sustainability, and it begins with identifying contaminants and their sources. This paper examines air quality in urban areas and the background levels of pollutants in Kuwait by analyzing pollutant data from a number of fixed monitoring stations managed by the Environment Public Authority in the State of Kuwait. The concentrations of SO2, CO, O3, NO, and PM10 were measured at several sites in Kuwait. This study examines time series and wind rose plots for temporal and spatial variation, and pollutant sources. The results of this study show different variation patterns for SO2, which could be linked to traffic levels. There were similar daily profiles for CO, NO, and O3 at all the sites. Most of these pollutants exceeded the limits set by air quality standards.
Spatial and Temporal Characterization of Landslide Deformation Pattern with Sentinel-1
Authors: Poggi Francesco , Montalti Roberto , Intrieri Emanuele , Ferretti Alessandro , Catani Filippo , Raspini Federico
Published: December 2023

The results of multi-interferometric processing applied to radar images acquired by the European Space Agency (ESA) Sentinel-1 constellation, obtained in the framework of the IPL (International Programme on Landslides) project n.221, are presented in this manuscript. The target area is the Hunza-Nagar River valley, a remote area in northern Pakistan. The Humarri slide, a massive landslide located along the left side of the valley, is the most active phenomenon in the area, and poses a very high risk to the Humarri village built in the lowest part of the landslide, and a threat of damming the Hispar River. The highest deformation rates (with peaks higher than 300 mm/yr) were recorded in the middle and low part of the landslide. Where the Humarri village is located, the velocity values are lower and range between −30 and −80 mm/yr. The analysis of displacement time series, spanning from February 2017 to January 2020, reveal different deformation behaviors and different onset of accelerating behaviors within the landslide body. The global coverage, the wide-area mapping capabilities, and the regular acquisitions planning ensured by the Sentinel-1 constellation, coupled with InSAR ability to deliver very precise and spatially dense information, make it possible to scan wide areas and spot unstable zones, especially where remoteness, vast areal extension, and climatic conditions make it difficult to undertake field activities.
Scalar QNM spectra of Kerr and Reissner-Nordström revealed by eigenvalue repulsions in Kerr-Newman
Authors: Davey Alex , Dias Óscar J. C. , Santos Jorge E.
Published: December 2023

Abstract

Recent studies of the gravito-electromagnetic frequency spectra of Kerr-Newman (KN) black holes have revealed two families of quasinormal modes (QNMs), namely photon sphere modes and near-horizon modes. However, they can only be unambiguously distinguished in the Reissner-Nordström (RN) limit, due to a phenomenon called eigenvalue repulsion (also known as level repulsion, avoided crossing or the Wigner-Teller effect), whereby the two families can interact strongly near extremality. We find that these features are also present in the QNM spectra of a scalar field in KN, where the perturbation modes are described by ODEs and thus easier to explore. Starting from the RN limit, we study how the scalar QNM spectra of KN dramatically changes as we vary the ratio of charge to angular momentum, all the way until the Kerr limit, while staying at a fixed distance from extremality. This scalar field case clarifies the (so far puzzling) relationship between the QNM spectra of RN and Kerr black holes and the nature of the eigenvalue repulsions in KN, that ultimately settle the fate of the QNM spectra in Kerr. We study not just the slowest-decaying QNMs (both for ℓ = m = 0 and ℓ = m = 2), but several sub-dominant overtones as well, as these turn out to play a crucial role understanding the KN QNM spectra. We also give a new high-order WKB expansion of KN QNMs that typically describes the photon sphere modes beyond the eikonal limit, and use a matched asymptotic expansion to get a very good approximation of the near-horizon modes near extremality.
P − v criticalities, phase transitions and geometrothermodynamics of charged AdS black holes from Kaniadakis statistics
Authors: Luciano G. G. , Saridakis E. N.
Published: December 2023

Abstract

Boltzmann entropy-based thermodynamics of charged anti-de Sitter (AdS) black holes has been shown to exhibit physically interesting features, such as P − V criticalities and van der Waals-like phase transitions. In this work we extend the study of these critical phenomena to Kaniadakis theory, which is a non-extensive generalization of the classical statistical mechanics incorporating relativity. By applying the typical framework of condensed-matter physics, we analyze the impact of Kaniadakis entropy onto the equation of state, the Gibbs free energy and the critical exponents of AdS black holes in the extended phase space. Additionally, we investigate the underlying micro-structure of black holes in Ruppeiner geometry, which reveals appreciable deviations of the nature of the particle interactions from the standard behavior. Our analysis opens up new perspectives on the understanding of black hole thermodynamics in a relativistic statistical framework, highlighting the role of non-extensive corrections in the AdS black holes/van der Waals fluids dual picture.
Supersymmetric localization of (higher-spin) JT gravity: a bulk perspective
Authors: Griguolo Luca , Guerrini Luigi , Panerai Rodolfo , Papalini Jacopo , Seminara Domenico
Published: December 2023

Abstract

We study two-dimensional Jackiw-Teitelboim gravity on the disk topology by using a BF gauge theory in the presence of a boundary term. The system can be equivalently written in a supersymmetric way by introducing auxiliary gauginos and scalars with suitable boundary conditions on the hemisphere. We compute the exact partition function thanks to supersymmetric localization and we recover the result obtained from the Schwarzian theory by accurately identifying the physical scales. The calculation is then easily extended to the higher-spin generalization of Jackiw-Teitelboim gravity, finding perfect agreement with previous results. We argue that our procedure can also be applied to boundary-anchored Wilson lines correlators.
The ad-libitum taste test as measure of momentary alcohol use in the laboratory: an investigation of construct validity and confounding factors
Authors: Trautmann Sebastian , Kräplin Anja , Muehlhan Markus , Fuchs Fée Ona , Loesch Beate , Wittgens Charlotte
Published: December 2023

Rationale

The ad-libitum taste test is a widely used covert measure of motivation to consume alcohol in the laboratory. However, studies on its construct validity and potential confounding factors are scarce.

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the construct validity of the ad-libitum taste test by examining the association of ad-libitum alcohol consumption with typical alcohol use and craving, and investigating potential moderation by trait anxiety, depressiveness, current mood, and drinking motives.

Methods

A sample of 264 young male individuals were offered two 0.33 l glasses of beer. Participants were instructed to rate the characteristics of each drink, while the percentage of beverages containing alcohol consumed was assessed. Associations of ad-libitum consumption with typical alcohol use and craving were assessed using non-parametric and piecewise regressions. Moreover, moderator analysis with trait anxiety, depressiveness, current mood, and drinking motives was carried out.

Results

Ad-libitum alcohol consumption was associated with typical alcohol use and alcohol craving. However, these associations decreased at high consumption levels. Associations between ad-libitum consumption, typical alcohol use, and craving were stable across several conditions, except that the association between ad-libitum consumption and craving increased with higher social, conformity, and coping drinking motives.

Conclusions

The ad-libitum taste test appears to be a valid measure of the motivation to drink alcohol in laboratory studies in young male adults, although this validity might be compromised at high levels of ad-libitum consumption. Consideration of these factors can contribute to further refining the ad-libitum taste test as a valuable tool for assessing motivation to consume alcohol in laboratory studies.
Determination of technology-critical elements in seafood reference materials by inductively coupled plasma-tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Wippermann Dominik , Zonderman Alexa , Zimmermann Tristan , Pröfrock Daniel
Published: December 2023

The certified reference materials (CRMs) BCR-668 (mussel tissue), NCS ZC73034 (prawn), NIST SRM 1566a (oyster tissue) and NIST SRM 2976 (mussel tissue) were analyzed for their mass fractions of 23 elements using inductively coupled plasma tandem-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS). This study focused on the quantification of selected technology-critical elements (TCEs), specifically rare earth elements (REE) and the less studied TCEs Ga, Ge, Nb, In and Ta. Microwave assisted closed vessel digestion using an acid mixture of HNO3, HCl and H2O2 was applied to varying sample masses and two different microwave systems. Recoveries of 76% (Gd, NCS ZC73034) to 129% (Lu, BCR-668) were obtained for the REE and 83% (Ge, NCS ZC73034) to 127% (Nb, NCS ZC73034) for the less studied TCEs across all analyzed CRMs (compared to certified values) using the best-performing parameters. Mass fractions for all analyzed, non-certified elements are suggested and given with a combined uncertainty U (k = 2), including mass fractions for Ga (11 µg kg-1 ± 9 µg kg-1 to 67 µg kg-1 ± 8 µg kg-1) and In (0.4 µg kg-1 ± 0.3 µg kg-1 to 0.8 µg kg-1 ± 0.7 µg kg-1). This study provides mass fractions of possible new emerging contaminants and addresses the relevant challenges in quantification of less studied TCEs, thus allowing the application of existing CRMs for method validation in studies dealing with the determination of TCEs in seafood or other biota.

Graphical abstract
Efficient lipidomic approach for the discovery of lipid ligands for immune receptors by combining LC-HRMS/MS analysis with fractionation and reporter cell assay
Authors: Tomiyasu Noriyuki , Takahashi Masatomo , Toyonaga Kenji , Yamasaki Sho , Bamba Takeshi , Izumi Yoshihiro
Published: December 2023

C-type lectin receptors (CLRs), which are pattern recognition receptors responsible for triggering innate immune responses, recognize damaged self-components and immunostimulatory lipids from pathogenic bacteria; however, several of their ligands remain unknown. Here, we propose a new analytical platform combining liquid chromatography-high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry with microfractionation capability (LC-FRC-HRMS/MS) and a reporter cell assay for sensitive activity measurements to develop an efficient methodology for searching for lipid ligands of CLR from microbial trace samples (crude cell extracts of approximately 5 mg dry cell/mL). We also developed an in-house lipidomic library containing accurate mass and fragmentation patterns of more than 10,000 lipid molecules predicted in silico for 90 lipid subclasses and 35 acyl side chain fatty acids. Using the developed LC-FRC-HRMS/MS system, the lipid extracts of Helicobacter pylori were separated and fractionated, and HRMS and HRMS/MS spectra were obtained simultaneously. The fractionated lipid extract samples in 96-well plates were thereafter subjected to reporter cell assays using nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT)-green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter cells expressing mouse or human macrophage-inducible C-type lectin (Mincle). A total of 102 lipid molecules from all fractions were annotated using an in-house lipidomic library. Furthermore, a fraction that exhibited significant activity in the NFAT-GFP reporter cell assay contained α-cholesteryl glucoside, a type of glycolipid, which was successfully identified as a lipid ligand molecule for Mincle. Our analytical platform has the potential to be a useful tool for efficient discovery of lipid ligands for immunoreceptors.

Graphical Abstract
rTMS over the human medial parietal cortex impairs online reaching corrections
Authors: Breveglieri Rossella , Borgomaneri Sara , Bosco Annalisa , Filippini Matteo , De Vitis Marina , Tessari Alessia , Avenanti Alessio , Galletti Claudio , Fattori Patrizia
Published: December 2023

Indirect correlational evidence suggests that the posteromedial sector of the human parietal cortex (area hV6A) is involved in reaching corrections. We interfered with hV6A functions using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) while healthy participants performed reaching movements and in-flight adjustments of the hand trajectory in presence of unexpected target shifts. rTMS over hV6A specifically altered action reprogramming, causing deviations of the shifted trajectories, particularly along the vertical dimension (i.e., distance). This study provides evidence of the functional relevance of hV6A in action reprogramming while a sudden event requires a change in performance and shows that hV6A also plays a role in state estimation during reaching. These findings are in line with neurological data showing impairments in actions performed along the distance dimension when lesions occur in the dorsal posterior parietal cortex.
The Analysis of the Fracturing Mechanism and Brittleness Characteristics of Anisotropic Shale Based on Finite-Discrete Element Method
Authors: Li Hongtao , Chapman David N. , Faramarzi Asaad , Metje Nicole
Published: December 2023

Shale anisotropy characteristics have great effects on the mechanical behaviour of the rock. Understanding shale anisotropic behaviour is one of the key interests to several geo-engineering fields, including tunnel, nuclear waste disposal and hydraulic fracturing. This research adopted the finite discrete element method (FDEM) to create anisotropic shale models in ABAQUS. The FDEM models were calibrated using the mechanical values obtained from published laboratory tests on Longmaxi shale. The results show that the anisotropic features of shale significantly affect the brittleness and fracturing mechanism at the micro-crack level. The total fracture number in shale under the Uniaxial Compressive Strength (UCS) test is not only related to the brittleness of shale. It is also strongly dependent on the structure of the shale, which is sensitive to shale anisotropy. Two new brittleness indices, BIf and BICD, have been proposed in this paper. The expression for BIf directly incorporates the number of fractures formed inside of the rock, which provides a more accurate frac-ability using this brittleness index. It can be used to calculate the frac-ability of rocks in projects where there are concerns about fractures after excavation. Meanwhile, BICD links brittleness to the CD/UCS ratio in shale for the first time. BICD is easy to obtain in comparison to other brittleness indices because it is based on the Uniaxial Compressive Strength test only. In addition, it has been shown there is a relationship between tensile strength and the crack damage strength in shale. Based on this, an empirical relationship has been proposed to predict the tensile strength based on the Uniaxial Compressive Strength test.
Assessing Stress Variability in Fractured Rock Masses with Frictional Properties and Power Law Fracture Size Distributions
Authors: Lavoine Etienne , Davy Philippe , Darcel Caroline , Mas Ivars Diego , Kasani Hossein A.
Published: December 2023

The presence of fractures in rock masses plays a major role in its stress state and its variability. Each fracture potentially induces a stress perturbation, which is correlated to its geometrical and mechanical properties. This work aims to understand and quantitatively predict the relationship between fractured systems and the associated stress fluctuations distribution, considering any regional stress conditions. The approach considers the rock mass as an elastic rock matrix into which a population of discrete fractures is embedded—known as a Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) modeling approach. We develop relevant indicators and analytical solutions to quantify stress perturbations at the fracture network scale, supported by 3D numerical simulations, using various fracture size distributions. We show that stress fluctuations increase with fracture density and decrease as a function of the so-called stiffness length, a characteristic length that can be defined as the ratio between Young’s modulus of the matrix and fracture stiffness. Based on these considerations we discuss, depending on DFN parameters, which range of fractures should be modeled explicitly to account for major stress perturbations in fractured rock masses.
Nestlings reared by males are in better body condition than those reared by females in uniparental European Penduline Tits
Authors: Czyż Beata , Wasińska Aleksandra , Lukoszek Klaudia
Published: December 2023

Conditions encountered during early development affect future survival and reproduction in many bird species. For parents, it is important what body condition the nestlings will achieve at fledging because the condition affects the offspring’s chances to survive and reproduce in the future. However, there is a trade-off between the number of nestlings and their condition. We studied parental behaviour and nestling body condition in uniparental Penduline Tits. In this small passerine, the parental care (incubation and food provisioning) is provided by the female only (49% of clutches in the study population) or the male only (15%). In addition, over a third of clutches are deserted by both parents before the start of incubation. We found that female-only cared clutches had more eggs and nestlings and produced more fledglings than male-only cared clutches. The incubation behaviour and incubation temperature in both types of clutches were similar. The provisioning rate per brood was positively, and the provisioning rate per nestling was negatively, correlated with brood size. Although males cared for smaller clutches, parent sex was not significant in both models of provisioning rates (per brood and per nestling). Moreover, the provisioning rate did not predict the brood’s average nestling condition. However, nestlings reared in broods with male care were in better condition than those reared by females. At the age of 13 days, they had a higher scaled mass index (describes the relative size of energy reserves) and higher haemoglobin levels. The results suggest that the lower productivity of male-only cared clutches, compared to those cared for only by females, may be compensated by the higher condition of nestlings. Information about the recruitment success of broods cared for by males and females will be necessary to test this prediction.
Start of dawn singing as related to physical environmental variables in an alpine environment
Authors: Paterno Julia , Korner-Nievergelt Fränzi , Anderwald Pia , Amrhein Valentin
Published: December 2023

Birds often have a peak of singing activity at dawn, and the timing of dawn song is species-specific. However, the start of singing at dawn may also depend on environmental factors. We investigated the effects of different environmental variables on the start of dawn singing in six common songbird species in the woodlands of the Swiss National Park. Moon phase, aspect, temperature and road noise had the most consistent effects across species: dawn singing started earlier after brighter and warmer nights, on more east-exposed slopes, and in areas with more road noise. On average, birds started to sing 2.8 min earlier in areas with high road noise level compared to areas without road noise, and 4.7 min earlier in east-exposed slopes compared to west-exposed slopes. Further, birds started to sing on average 5.0 min earlier after full moon compared to new moon nights, 1.2 min earlier after warmer compared to colder nights, and 2.5 min earlier at 2200 m than at 1500 m a.s.l. The effects of date were more species-specific: Alpine Tits started to sing on average 4.9 min later at the end compared to the beginning of the study period, whilst Song Thrushes started to sing 9.0 min earlier. Our findings are in line with the results of previous studies on the effects of road noise, nocturnal light, and partly on temperature. Our study shows that variation in environmental variables may influence the start of dawn singing in different ways, and that anthropogenic factors like road noise can affect bird behaviour even in a highly protected area.
Transforming post-consumer cotton waste textiles into viscose staple fiber using hydrated zinc chloride
Authors: Bågenholm-Ruuth Edvin , Sanchis-Sebastiá Miguel , Hollinger Nadine , Teleman Anita , Larsson Per Tomas , Wallberg Ola
Published: December 2023

Large amounts of cellulose-based waste textiles are generated every year, yet little is done to recycle this waste. Alternatives such as fiber-to-fiber recycling, where a significant part of the value of the waste textiles is recovered, are attractive possibilities. In this study, we have investigated the viability of using hydrated zinc chloride (ZnCl2·4H2O) as a solvent and swelling agent to convert cotton waste textiles (the most abundant cellulose-based waste textile) into a dissolving pulp that can be used as raw material for the production and spinning of viscose fibers. The solvent produced an accessible dissolving pulp and exhibited excellent recyclability, maintaining good dissolving power even after repeated recycling. The dissolving pulp was subsequently used to produce viscose dope, a spinning solution which was spun and cut into viscose staple fibers. The viscose dope exhibited good properties (moderate filter clogging value and gamma number), and the resulting staple fibers were strong and of good quality (high linear density, elongation, and tenacity). These results illustrate the potential of using hydrated zinc chloride for the production of viscose grade dissolving pulp from cotton waste textiles.
eXplainable artificial intelligence for automatic defect detection in additively manufactured parts using CT scan analysis
Authors: Bordekar Harsh , Cersullo Nicola , Brysch Marco , Philipp Jens , Hühne Christian
Published: December 2023

Additive Manufacturing (AM) and in particular has gained significant attention due to its capability to produce complex geometries using various materials, resulting in cost and mass reduction per part. However, metal AM parts often contain internal defects inherent to the manufacturing process. Non-Destructive Testing (NDT), particularly Computed Tomography (CT), is commonly employed for defect analysis. Today adopted standard inspection techniques are costly and time-consuming, therefore an automatic approach is needed. This paper presents a novel eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) methodology for defect detection and characterization. To classify pixel data from CT images as pores or inclusions, the proposed method utilizes Support Vector Machine (SVM), a supervised machine learning algorithm, trained with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.94. Density-Based Spatial Clustering with the Application of Noise (DBSCAN) is subsequently applied to cluster the identified pixels into separate defects, and finally, a convex hull is employed to characterize the identified clusters based on their size and shape. The effectiveness of the methodology is evaluated on Ti6Al4V specimens, comparing the results obtained from manual inspection and the ML-based approach with the guidance of a domain expert. This work establishes a foundation for automated defect detection, highlighting the crucial role of XAI in ensuring trust in NDT, thereby offering new possibilities for the evaluation of AM components.
A component-based design approach for energy flexibility in cyber-physical manufacturing systems
Authors: Assad Fadi , Rushforth Emma J. , Harrison Robert
Published: December 2023

Energy flexibility of manufacturing systems helps to meet sustainable manufacturing requirements and is getting significant importance with rising energy prices and noticeable climate changes. Considering the need to proactively enable energy flexibility in modern manufacturing systems, this work presents a component-based design approach that aims to embed energy flexibility in the design of cyber-physical production systems. To this end, energy management using Industry 4.0 technologies (e.g., Internet of Things and Cyber-physical Systems) is compared to the literature on energy flexibility in order to evaluate to what extent the energy flexibility practice takes advantage of Industry 4.0 technologies. Another dimension is the coverage of the life cycle of the manufacturing system which guarantees its sustainable design and the ability to achieve energy flexibility by configuring the energy consumption behaviour. A data-based design approach of the energy-flexible components is proposed in the spirit of the Reference Architectural Model Industrie 4.0 (RAMI 4.0), and then it is exemplified using an electric drive (as a component) in order to show the practical applicability of the approach. The energy consumption behaviour of the component is modelled using machine learning techniques. The digital twin of the studied component is developed using Visual Components virtual engineering environment, then its energy consumption behaviour is included in the model allowing the system integrator/decision-maker to configure the component based on the energy availability/price. Finally, external services in terms of an optimisation module and a deep learning module are connected to the digital twin.
International inventor teams and technological variety in multinational enterprises
Authors: Damioli Giacomo , Jindra Björn , Kristiansen Annette
Published: December 2023

This study investigates the relationship between international inventor teams and the technological variety of multinational enterprises. We frame this relationship conceptually by considering two possible attributes of diversity in international inventor teams: cultural differences and heterogeneous knowledge. We employ a dataset for 454 multinational enterprises with 71,126 subsidiaries across 185 countries that applied for 139,066 priority patents during the period 2007–2014. Fixed-effects panel estimations indicate that international inventor teams are positively associated with both related and unrelated technological variety at the level of the MNE. Such relationships display diminishing marginal returns, pointing to management and coordination costs reducing the benefits from international inventor teams. In addition, we find that MNEs with higher technological innovation capability deal with the additional complexity from managing and coordinating international inventor teams by consolidating technological variety.
Assessment of compound occurrence of storm surge and river flood in Ise and Mikawa Bays, Japan using a framework of atmosphere–ocean–river coupling
Authors: Toyoda Masaya , Mori Nobuhito , Kim Sooyoul , Shibutani Yoko , Yoshino Jun
Published: December 2023

This study evaluated the compound flood risk of 11 different-sized rivers in the estuaries of the Ise and Mikawa Bays, Japan using an integrated framework of atmosphere–ocean–river developed in this study (one-way coupling). First, the framework was developed by incorporating the river channel into a coupled model of surge-wave-tide to include the interaction of the storm surge runup and river flow. In addition, the framework was validated by the Typhoon Trami (2018)-induced meteorological field, discharge, and storm surge with high accuracy. Second, the time difference between the storm surge and discharge at the estuary (ΔT) was investigated, assuming six typhoons with different tracks and similar distributions of intensity and precipitation using Typhoon Hagibis (2019) as a case study. The ΔT was highly positively correlated with the length of the river channel (correlation coefficient: 0.90). Moreover, the smaller rivers were more prone than large rivers to simultaneous storm surges and high river flow. The average ΔT for the smaller rivers was 180.4 min (normalized S.D. = 0.31) with a minimum of 15 min in the most severe case, while the average ΔT for the large-scale rivers was 614.1 min (normalized S.D. = 0.39). We clarified that the storm surge and high river flow occurred simultaneously (within 15 min) in the most severe river case (Yagyu River). These results infer that small rivers have a more significant impact on the co-occurrence of storm surge and high-river flow than large-scale rivers.
The importance of urban areas in supporting vulnerable and endangered mammals
Authors: Boakes Zach , Stafford Richard , Bramer Isobel , Cvitanović Marin , Hardouin Emilie A.
Published: December 2023

The fragmentation of habitats associated with urbanisation poses a significant threat to already vulnerable and endangered mammal species. While the county of Dorset has been identified as one of the UK’s biodiversity hotspots, it is characterised by large-scale urbanisation and intensive agriculture. Focusing on the largest urban area of Dorset—the conurbation of Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole—this study aims to investigate the importance of urban areas in supporting vulnerable and endangered mammals by comparing it to four other major land cover categories in the county: arable & horticulture, grassland, woodland, and heathland. The study utilises data collected by the county’s environmental records department through mainly volunteer-contributed ad-hoc sighting data of 10 872 georeferenced mammal records collected between 2000 and 2018. Our findings reveal that, despite having significantly different mammal communities to all other land covers, urban land cover was shown to host four out of five of the vulnerable and endangered species recorded in this study. These included the European rabbit (vulnerable on the IUCN red list), hazel dormouse (vulnerable on the UK red list), West European hedgehog (vulnerable on the UK red list) and European water vole (endangered on the UK red list). Our findings highlight the significance of urban areas as important habitats for mammal biodiversity, presenting an opportunity for the conservation of specific vulnerable and endangered species. Despite limitations in ad-hoc sighting data, our analysis indicates an overrepresentation of certain 'charismatic' species, like foxes and hedgehogs, in urban samples, likely due to their high intrinsic value to the population. While the recognition of urban habitats for 'red list' species is growing, it is also important to acknowledge the relative importance of charismatic species to urban human communities in conservation and management strategies.