bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ferulic Acid Inhibits Arsenic‐Induced Colon Injury by Improving Intestinal Barrier Function
Authors: Wang Shumin , Hong Yan , Li Yuxiu , Zhang Zhenfen , Han Jing , Yang Zhe , Yang Yanping , Ma Zhaolei , Wang Qi
Published: June 2024

The prolonged exposure to arsenic results in intestinal barrier dysfunction, which is strongly concerned with detrimental processes such as oxidative stress and the inflammatory response. Ferulic acid (FA), as a phenolic acid, possesses the capability to mitigate arsenic‐induced liver damage and cardiotoxic effects dependent on inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. FA can mitigate testicular tissue damage and alveolar epithelial dysfunction, the mechanism of which may rely on nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2/heme oxygenase 1 (Nrf2/HO‐1) activation and nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) pathway blocking. Based on the antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties of FA, we speculated that FA might have the potential to inhibit arsenic‐induced intestinal damage. To confirm this scientific hypothesis, mice exposed to sodium arsenite were treated with FA to observe colonic histopathology and TJ protein levels, and oxidative stress and TJ protein levels in Caco‐2 cells exposed to sodium arsenite were assessed after FA intervention. In addition, molecular levels of NF‐κB and Nrf2/HO‐1 pathway in colon and Caco‐2 cells were also detected. As shown in our data, FA inhibited arsenic‐induced colon injury, which was reflected in the improvement of mucosal integrity, the decrease of down‐regulated expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins (Claudin‐1, Occludin, and ZO‐1) and the inhibition of oxidative stress. Similarly, treatment with FA attenuated the inhibitory effect of arsenic on TJ protein expression in Caco‐2 cells. In addition to suppressing the activation of NF‐κB pathway, FA retrieved the activation of Nrf2/HO‐1 pathway in colon and intestinal epithelial cells induced by arsenic. In summary, our findings propose that FA has the potential to mitigate arsenic‐induced intestinal damage by preserving the integrity of intestinal epithelial TJs and suppressing oxidative stress. These results lay the groundwork for the potential use of FA in treating colon injuries caused by arsenic.
Do tight nosebands have an effect on the upper airways of horses?
Authors: Scholler Dominik , Wittenberg Jana , Zablotski Yury , May Anna
Published: June 2024

Background/Objectives

The public perception relating to the welfare of horses involved with equestrian sports is associated with training methods used and the presentation of horses at events. In this context, very tight nosebands, which are intended to prevent the horse from opening its mouth, also attract a lot of attention. Various studies have evaluated the impact of tight nosebands on stress parameters, whereas the effect of tight nosebands on upper airway function is unknown. Therefore, the aim of the study was to use overground endoscopy to evaluate changes in pharyngeal and laryngeal function when a tight noseband is fitted. Moreover, the ridden horse pain ethogram (RHpE) was applied to investigate signs of discomfort (Dyson et al., 2018).

Study design

A randomized, blinded, and prospective study was performed.

Methods

Sixteen warmblood horses consisting of twelve mares and four geldings with a mean age of 11.63 ± 3.53 years were ridden on 2 consecutive days with either loose or tight nosebands (two fingers or no space between bridge of the nose and noseband, respectively) and inserted endoscope in a random order. Videos were taken in a riding arena during a standardized exercise protocol involving beginner level tasks for 30 min in all gaits. For video analysis, freeze frames were prepared and analyzed at the beginning of the expiration phase. Pharyngeal diameter was measured using the pharynx‐epiglottis ratio. Other findings (swallowing, pharyngeal collapse, soft palate movements, and secretion) were also evaluated. Moreover, the RHpE was applied. Descriptive statistics and generalized linear mixed effects models were used. Results with a p‐value < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

While the pharynx‐epiglottis ratio did not change significantly in horses ridden with loose versus tight nosebands, there was an increase in mean grade and total counts of parameters assessed in the pharyngeal region, for example, grade of secretion (1.5 [±SD 0.89] vs. 3.13 [±SD 0.96]; p = 0.0001), axial deviation of the aryepiglottic folds (0.29 [±SD 0.73] vs. 1.33 [±SD 1.44]; p = 0.01), and pharyngeal collapse (0.69 [±SD 0.87] vs. 1.88 [±SD 1.54]; p = 0.005) in horses ridden with tight nosebands. There was no RHpE score above 8 indicating musculoskeletal pain, but the RHpE scores were significantly higher in horses ridden with tight nosebands (p < 0.001).

Main limitations

Video quality was limited when horses showed large amounts of secretion. Another limitation was the small number of horses.

Conclusions

Results add to the evidence obtained in other studies that tight nosebands do not only cause adverse reactions based on the RHpE score such as head behind the vertical or intense staring but also contribute to changes in the pharyngeal region, such as increased secretion and collapse of pharyngeal structures. This may provide further support for future decisions regarding regulations on nosebands.
Enhanced thermal conductivity of reduced graphene oxide reinforced polymer films through a novel GO reduction mechanism
Authors: Owais Mohammad , Pal Amit Kumar , Waris Zainab , Khoteeva Natalia , Shiverskii Aleksei , Yusupov Kamil , Abaimov Sergey G.
Published: June 2024

Graphene's remarkable thermal conductance characteristics makes it a very promising thermal interface material for polymeric composites. In this study, we propose an innovative approach aimed at augmenting the thermal conductivity of flexible composite films, employing reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the constituent materials. The fabrication process involves the utilization of solution casting coupled with a low‐temperature chemical reduction method for graphene oxide (GO). Given that the high thermal conductivity of polymer nanocomposites typically correlates with increased crystallinity and reduced defects, our primary objective is to investigate the impact of reduction of GO in order to associate enhance crystallinity within the graphene oxide‐polymer system, with the overall increased thermal conductivity of the resulting GO/PVA films. The diethylene glycol‐GO/PVA films thus, generated through this methodology exhibit an exceptional thermal conductivity of approximately 5.1 W/mK, achieved with a mere 10 wt.% filler loading. This surpasses the thermal conductivity observed in films comprised solely of GO/PVA. The notable enhancement in thermal conductivity can be attributed to several factors, including improved crystallinity and reduced defects of GO with effective polymeric bridging facilitated by the rGO with PVA. Collectively, these advancements contribute to the overall thermal performance of the material, presenting a promising methodology for future developments in the field of thermal conductivity materials.

Highlights

Reduction of GO through a streamlined and facile methodology.

Orchestrated a controlled reduction process at lower temperatures and simultaneously enhancing the crystallinity and decreasing the defects of GO.

Fabricated reduced GO/PVA polymer films exhibited an exceptional thermal conductivity of approximately 5.1 W/mK with just a 10 wt.% filler loading.
Understanding Area-Based Management in Shipping
Authors: Chircop Aldo , Goerlandt Floris , Pelot Ronald , Aporta Claudio
Published: June 2024

This chapter discusses area-based management (ABM) in shipping in view of developing an understanding of the broad range of tools used and how they are informed by risk and justified by social license. Their purposes are varied and include safety, environmental, security, and public health functions. The chapter first explores shipping-specific and non-shipping-specific ABM tools that have an impact on shipping and proposes an approach to taxonomy and classification. Subsequently, a risk perspective on ABM tools and processes is provided, addressing aspects of risk assessment, management, and governance. Connected especially to the latter, the importance of social license in the context of ABM tools and measures is examined closely. While at first blush the various ABM tools leave an impression of complexity and fragmentation, a closer look demonstrates flexible, nimble, multilevel, and multi-sectoral, problem-solving and management practices operating at the international and domestic levels that inform or guide each other.
Early snowmelt advances flowering phenology and disrupts the drivers of pollinator visitation in an alpine ecosystem
Authors: Rose-Person Annika , Spasojevic Marko J. , Forrester Chiara , Bowman William D. , Suding Katharine N. , Oldfather Meagan F. , Rafferty Nicole E.
Published: June 2024

Climate change is altering interactions among plants and pollinators. In alpine ecosystems, where snowmelt timing is a key driver of phenology, earlier snowmelt may generate shifts in plant and pollinator phenology that vary across the landscape, potentially disrupting interactions. Here we ask how experimental advancement of snowmelt timing in a topographically heterogeneous alpine-subalpine landscape impacts flowering, insect pollinator visitation, and pathways connecting key predictors of plant-pollinator interaction. Snowmelt was advanced by an average of 13.5 days in three sites via the application of black sand over snow in manipulated plots, which were paired with control plots. For each forb species, we documented flowering onset and counted flowers throughout the season. We also performed pollinator observations to measure visitation rates. The majority (79.3%) of flower visits were made by dipteran insects. We found that plants flowered earlier in advanced snowmelt plots, with the largest advances in later-flowering species, but flowering duration and visitation rate did not differ between advanced snowmelt and control plots. Using piecewise structural equation models, we assessed the interactive effects of topography on snowmelt timing, flowering phenology, floral abundance, and pollinator visitation. We found that these factors interacted to predict visitation rate in control plots. However, in plots with experimentally advanced snowmelt, none of these predictors explained a significant amount of variation in visitation rate, indicating that different predictors are needed to understand the processes that directly influence pollinator visitation to flowers under future climate conditions. Our findings demonstrate that climate change-induced early snowmelt may fundamentally disrupt the predictive relationships among abiotic and biotic drivers of plant-pollinator interactions in subalpine-alpine environments.
Unfallchirurgisch Relevantes zu Bissverletzungen von Mensch und Tier
Authors: Estel Katharina , Scheuermann-Poley Catharina , Goertz Ole , Urban Jennifer , Landscheidt Kristina , Wenzel Werner , Willy Christian
Published: June 2024

Bissverletzungen stellen wegen des tief inokulierten polymikrobiellen Erregerspektrums, möglicher Begleitverletzungen und ausgeprägter Weichteilschäden ein differenziert zu behandelndes Krankheitsbild dar. Hundebisse sind die häufigsten Bissverletzungen und heilen, verglichen mit Menschen- und Katzenbissen, weniger komplikativ. Die Bisslokalisation hängt stark vom Alter und von der Größe des Bissopfers sowie der Art des Bissverursachers ab. Bei jedem Biss ist der Erregernachweis anzustreben, um auf eine Exazerbation kalkuliert reagieren zu können. Die primäre Antibiotikatherapie sollte empirisch mit Amoxicillin + Clavulansäure oder Ampicillin + Sulbactam erfolgen und ggf. im Verlauf antibiogrammgemäß angepasst werden. Die chirurgische Sanierung beinhaltet je nach Befund das Ausschneiden des Bisskanals und das differenzierte Wund-Débridement. Wichtig sind die Überprüfung des Impfstatus der Beteiligten und, wenn indiziert, die Postexpositionsprophylaxe für Tetanus und Tollwut.
Thoracolumbar myelocele repair: how I do it
Authors: Zimmermann Nathalie , Messerer Mahmoud , Vandenbulcke Alberto
Published: June 2024

Background

Myelocele is a rare form of open spina bifida. Surgical repair is recommended prenatally or in the first 48 h. In some cases, the repair may be delayed, and specific surgical factors need to be considered.

Method

We give a brief overview of the surgical anatomy, followed by a description of the surgical repair of a thoracolumbar Myelocele in an 11-month-old child.

Conclusion

Surgical repair of the Myelocele stabilizes the neurological status, prevents local and central nervous system infections. The understanding of Myelocele anatomy enables its removal while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible and restoring normal anatomy.
Oral microbial dysbiosis in patients with oral cavity cancers
Authors: Unlu Ozge , Demirci Mehmet , Paksoy Tugce , Eden Arzu Baygul , Tansuker Hasan Deniz , Dalmizrak Aysegul , Aktan Cagdas , Senel Firdevs , Sunter Ahmet Volkan , Yigit Ozgur , Cakir Burak Omur , Kantarci Alpdogan
Published: June 2024

Objectives

The pathogenesis of oral cavity cancers is complex. We tested the hypothesis that oral microbiota dysbiosis is associated with oral cavity cancer.

Materials and methods

Patients with primary oral cavity cancer who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the study. Matching healthy individuals were recruited as controls. Data on socio-demographic and behavioral factors, self-reported periodontal measures and habits, and current dental status were collected using a structured questionnaire and periodontal chartings. In addition to self-reported oral health measures, each participant received a standard and detailed clinical examination. DNA was extracted from saliva samples from patients and healthy controls. Next-generation sequencing was performed by targeting V3-V4 gene regions of the 16 S rRNA with subsequent bioinformatic analyses.

Results

Patients with oral cavity cancers had a lower quality of oral health than healthy controls. Proteobacteria, Aggregatibacter, Haemophilus, and Neisseria decreased, while Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Lactobacillus, Gemella, and Fusobacteria increased in oral cancer patients. At the species level, C. durum, L. umeaens, N. subflava, A. massiliensis, and V. dispar were significantly lower, while G. haemolysans was significantly increased (p < 0.05). Major periodontopathogens associated with periodontal disease (P. gingivalis and F.nucleatum) increased 6.5- and 2.8-fold, respectively.

Conclusion

These data suggested that patients with oral cancer had worse oral health conditions and a distinct oral microbiome composition that is affected by personal daily habits and may be associated with the pathogenicity of the disease and interspecies interactions.

Clinical relevance

This paper demonstrates the link between oral bacteria and oral cancers, identifying mechanistic interactions between species of oral microbiome.
Image Analysis Using the Fluorescence Imaging of Nuclear Staining (FINS) Algorithm
Authors: Bramwell Laura R. , Spencer Jack , Frankum Ryan , Manni Emad , Harries Lorna W.
Published: June 2024

Finding appropriate image analysis techniques for a particular purpose can be difficult. In the context of the analysis of immunocytochemistry images, where the key information lies in the number of nuclei containing co-localised fluorescent signals from a marker of interest, researchers often opt to use manual counting techniques because of the paucity of available tools. Here, we present the development and validation of the Fluorescence Imaging of Nuclear Staining (FINS) algorithm for the quantification of fluorescent signals from immunocytochemically stained cells. The FINS algorithm is based on a variational segmentation of the nuclear stain channel and an iterative thresholding procedure to count co-localised fluorescent signals from nuclear proteins in other channels. We present experimental results comparing the FINS algorithm to the manual counts of seven researchers across a dataset of three human primary cell types which are immunocytochemically stained for a nuclear marker (DAPI), a biomarker of cellular proliferation (Ki67), and a biomarker of DNA damage (γH2AX). The quantitative performance of the algorithm is analysed in terms of consistency with the manual count data and acquisition time. The FINS algorithm produces data consistent with that achieved by manual counting but improves the process by reducing subjectivity and time. The algorithm is simple to use, based on software that is omnipresent in academia, and allows data review with its simple, intuitive user interface. We hope that, as the FINS tool is open-source and is custom-built for this specific application, it will streamline the analysis of immunocytochemical images.

Graphical Abstract

In this paper, we describe a new tool—the Fluorescence Imaging of Nuclear Staining (FINS) algorithm. This tool can automatically count images of cells that are immunocytochemically stained with a nuclear protein of interest, producing a spreadsheet of counts and a user interface for review.
A survey of safety and trustworthiness of large language models through the lens of verification and validation
Authors: Huang Xiaowei , Ruan Wenjie , Huang Wei , Jin Gaojie , Dong Yi , Wu Changshun , Bensalem Saddek , Mu Ronghui , Qi Yi , Zhao Xingyu , Cai Kaiwen , Zhang Yanghao , Wu Sihao , Xu Peipei , Wu Dengyu , Freitas Andre , Mustafa Mustafa A.
Published: June 2024

Large language models (LLMs) have exploded a new heatwave of AI for their ability to engage end-users in human-level conversations with detailed and articulate answers across many knowledge domains. In response to their fast adoption in many industrial applications, this survey concerns their safety and trustworthiness. First, we review known vulnerabilities and limitations of the LLMs, categorising them into inherent issues, attacks, and unintended bugs. Then, we consider if and how the Verification and Validation (V&V) techniques, which have been widely developed for traditional software and deep learning models such as convolutional neural networks as independent processes to check the alignment of their implementations against the specifications, can be integrated and further extended throughout the lifecycle of the LLMs to provide rigorous analysis to the safety and trustworthiness of LLMs and their applications. Specifically, we consider four complementary techniques: falsification and evaluation, verification, runtime monitoring, and regulations and ethical use. In total, 370+ references are considered to support the quick understanding of the safety and trustworthiness issues from the perspective of V&V. While intensive research has been conducted to identify the safety and trustworthiness issues, rigorous yet practical methods are called for to ensure the alignment of LLMs with safety and trustworthiness requirements.
Motivations to Enhance One’s Facial Hair: Affiliation, Rivalry, and Stress
Authors: Moroń Marcin , Jach Łukasz , Jonason Peter K.
Published: June 2024

Facial hair is a sexually dimorphic trait with potential evolutionary and sociocultural functions. Bearded men are perceived as dominant, aggressive, and masculine, but also as having better parenting skills. Men may intentionally manage the amount and shape of their facial hair as a part of their self-promotion strategy; however, facial hair management entails costs in terms of time, effort, and money. We explored psychological factors associated with facial hair enhancement motivation among men. A total of 414 men (aged 18–40 years) reported the current amount of their facial hair along with their facial hair enhancement motivations, gender role stress, intrasexual competitiveness, and fundamental social motives. Willingness to care for facial hair was associated with the amount of facial hair men claimed to have and correlated with the fundamental social motives of affiliation and social status, intrasexual competition, and gender role stress. Therefore, facial hair enhancement may be regarded as a self-presentation strategy aimed at acquiring a beneficial position in social networks.
From low-rank retractions to dynamical low-rank approximation and back
Authors: Séguin Axel , Ceruti Gianluca , Kressner Daniel
Published: June 2024

In algorithms for solving optimization problems constrained to a smooth manifold, retractions are a well-established tool to ensure that the iterates stay on the manifold. More recently, it has been demonstrated that retractions are a useful concept for other computational tasks on manifold as well, including interpolation tasks. In this work, we consider the application of retractions to the numerical integration of differential equations on fixed-rank matrix manifolds. This is closely related to dynamical low-rank approximation (DLRA) techniques. In fact, any retraction leads to a numerical integrator and, vice versa, certain DLRA techniques bear a direct relation with retractions. As an example for the latter, we introduce a new retraction, called KLS retraction, that is derived from the so-called unconventional integrator for DLRA. We also illustrate how retractions can be used to recover known DLRA techniques and to design new ones. In particular, this work introduces two novel numerical integration schemes that apply to differential equations on general manifolds: the accelerated forward Euler (AFE) method and the Projected Ralston–Hermite (PRH) method. Both methods build on retractions by using them as a tool for approximating curves on manifolds. The two methods are proven to have local truncation error of order three. Numerical experiments on classical DLRA examples highlight the advantages and shortcomings of these new methods.
Chemo-mechanical ageing of paper: effect of acidity, moisture and micro-structural features
Authors: Parsa Sadr A. , Maraghechi S. , Suiker A. S. J. , Bosco E.
Published: June 2024

A multi-scale modeling framework is proposed for the prediction of the chemo-mechanical degradation of paper, with the particular aim of uncovering the key factors affecting the degradation process. Paper is represented as a two-dimensional, periodic repetition of a fibrous network unit cell, where the fibers are characterized by a moisture-dependent chemo-hygro-mechanical constitutive behavior. The degradation of paper occurs primarily as a result of the hydrolysis of cellulose, which causes a reduction of the degree of polymerization and a consequent decrease of the effective mechanical properties, ultimately leading to fiber embrittlement and a loss of material integrity. The interplay between the acidity of the paper, the ambient environmental conditions, and its chemo-mechanical degradation behaviour is a complex process. In the model, these interactions are accounted for by determining the coupled temporal evolution of the degree of polymerization, the acidity of the paper, and the moisture content, from which the time-dependent tensile strength of the paper is calculated. The internal stresses developing in the fibrous network under a change in moisture content lead to brittle fiber fracture once they reach the fiber tensile strength. The successive breakage of individual fibers results in damage development in the fibrous network, altering its effective constitutive properties. The temporal evolution of the effective hygro-mechanical properties of the fibrous network is calculated by employing asymptotic homogenization. For obtaining accurate model input, the strength and stiffness properties of individual fibers and the degree of polymerization of paper samples are measured at different ageing times by carrying out dedicated experiments. Subsequently, a series of numerical simulations is performed to analyze the chemo-mechanical degradation process of paper, highlighting the influence of the time-evolving acidity and moisture content. The numerical study further considers the effects of micro-structural features (i.e., the anisotropy of the fibrous network orientation and the fiber longitudinal elastic modulus) on the macroscopic degradation response of paper. The results of this work may help conservators of cultural heritage institutions determining optimal environmental conditions to limit or delay the time-dependent degradation of valuable historical paper artefacts.
Phenotypic characterization of two-row barley (Hordeum vulgare L. ssp. vulgare) germplasm conserved in Osman Tosun Genebank of Türkiye by multivariate analysis model
Authors: Benlioglu Berk , Bilir Melih , Akdogan Guray , Ahmed Hussein Abdullah Ahmed , Ergun Namuk , Aydogan Sinan , Emrebas Tulay
Published: June 2024

Barley is a crucial cereal crop with a diverse genetic heritage that includes landraces-traditionally cultivated variants that have adapted to varying agro-climatic conditions over centuries. Preserving barley landraces in genebanks is of utmost importance for safeguarding genetic diversity and aiding future breeding endeavors.

This study aims an agro-morphological characterization of a selected collection of two row barley landraces conserved in the Osman Tosun Genebank. A total of 262 barley accessions were assessed in controlled field conditions to analyze various agro-morphological traits. The study unveiled notable disparities in the morphological traits of the genotypes, specifically in flag leaf anthocyanin, flag leaf sheath wax, spike shape, spike density, lemma color, grain color, lodging tendency, days to 50% flowering, plant height, spike length, spikelet quantity, and thousand grain weight, among other critical agronomical characteristics. To scrutinize the morphological disparities, the research utilized principal component analysis and ascertained that nearly 77.22% of the overall variance was accounted for by the first two principal components. The first four principal components accounted for 90.96% of the total variation, thus indicating significant genetic diversity among genotypes. The results of the cluster analysis revealed the presence of diverse genetic resources within the collection, with distinct groups of genotypes exhibiting similar traits being identified. The results of the agro-morphological characterization are a valuable resource for researchers and breeders, aiding them in making informed decisions regarding the management and application of barley landraces in breeding programs.
Discrete Approximations of Gaussian Smoothing and Gaussian Derivatives
Authors: Lindeberg Tony
Published: June 2024

This paper develops an in-depth treatment concerning the problem of approximating the Gaussian smoothing and the Gaussian derivative computations in scale-space theory for application on discrete data. With close connections to previous axiomatic treatments of continuous and discrete scale-space theory, we consider three main ways of discretizing these scale-space operations in terms of explicit discrete convolutions, based on either (i) sampling the Gaussian kernels and the Gaussian derivative kernels, (ii) locally integrating the Gaussian kernels and the Gaussian derivative kernels over each pixel support region, to aim at suppressing some of the severe artefacts of sampled Gaussian kernels and sampled Gaussian derivatives at very fine scales, or (iii) basing the scale-space analysis on the discrete analogue of the Gaussian kernel, and then computing derivative approximations by applying small-support central difference operators to the spatially smoothed image data.

We study the properties of these three main discretization methods both theoretically and experimentally and characterize their performance by quantitative measures, including the results they give rise to with respect to the task of scale selection, investigated for four different use cases, and with emphasis on the behaviour at fine scales. The results show that the sampled Gaussian kernels and the sampled Gaussian derivatives as well as the integrated Gaussian kernels and the integrated Gaussian derivatives perform very poorly at very fine scales. At very fine scales, the discrete analogue of the Gaussian kernel with its corresponding discrete derivative approximations performs substantially better. The sampled Gaussian kernel and the sampled Gaussian derivatives do, on the other hand, lead to numerically very good approximations of the corresponding continuous results, when the scale parameter is sufficiently large, in most of the experiments presented in the paper, when the scale parameter is greater than a value of about 1, in units of the grid spacing. Below a standard deviation of about 0.75, the derivative estimates obtained from convolutions with the sampled Gaussian derivative kernels are, however, not numerically accurate or consistent, while the results obtained from the discrete analogue of the Gaussian kernel, with its associated central difference operators applied to the spatially smoothed image data, are then a much better choice.
Heat of hydration in ultralight cementitious foams incorporating metakaolin and microencapsulated phase change material
Authors: Klemczak Barbara , Gołaszewska Małgorzata , Gołaszewski Jacek
Published: June 2024

The paper presents the results of a study on the hydration heat of ultralight cementitious foams envisaged as insulation materials for building envelopes. The examined porous foam-cement material was additionally enhanced by embedded microencapsulated phase change material (PCM) to improve the desired thermal properties of the material. The heat emission and heat flow were measured at 20 °C and 30 °C for 168 h using the isothermal calorimeter. The experimental study comprised composites with dry densities of 240 kg m−3 and 480 kg m−3, two concentrations of protein-based foaming agent (2% and 4%) and two dosages of the embedded PCM material (10% and 20%). The reference composite without PCM was also tested. The effect of the necessary admixtures used to achieve the stability of ultralight cementitious foams was also examined. The results showed that hydration in ultralight foam-cement composites is retarded, and the values of heat released are lower than those of the paste used to produce the composites. In this regard, the main factors contributing to the lower heat released and its lower rate are the excess water from the foam, the dosage of the foaming agent and the admixtures introduced to achieve the stability of the ultralight composite. The stabiliser was found to be the most retarding admixture. Considering PCM, which was added at 10% and 20% of the paste volume, a rather low influence on the course of the hydration process was observed due to the overall composition of ultralight cementitious foams specially modified for each assumed content of PCM.
Teaching and learning high-school mathematics via WhatsApp: teachers’ perspectives
Authors: Segal Ruti , Biton Yaniv
Published: June 2024

We investigated teachers’ perspectives about what opportunities for learning and teaching could be created using WhatsApp as a social network to help students prepare for the final secondary-school Bagrut (matriculation) exam in mathematics. Launched by the Ministry of Education and the Center for Educational Technology three months before the Bagrut examination, the “WhatsApp Bagroup” project was initiated to serve as an additional environment for learning mathematics. The formation of these WhatsApp groups was meant to provide an online review project during which teachers integrated blended learning, and students presented problems with which they were having difficulties. During this initiative, we applied a quantitative and qualitative research model to analyze the teachers’ points of view about what learning and teaching opportunities were created. The study used a mixed method, sequential explanatory procedure to acquire a complete understanding of the factors that constitute teachers’ perceptions of learning and teaching via the Bagroup project. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using three tools: a questionnaire with Likert-type statements and open questions, informal semi-structured interviews, and observations of four Bagroup study groups conducted during the three-month period. Factor analysis revealed three categories regarding the Bagroup environment: factors that contribute to learner’s emotional needs, factors that promote learning, and factors that inhibit learning. The findings may have implications for distance and remote learning and teaching opportunities.
Karl Löwith on the I–thou relation and interpersonal proximity
Authors: León Felipe
Published: June 2024

Current research on second-person relations has often overlooked that this is not a new topic. Addressed mostly under the heading of the “I–thou relation,” second-person relations were discussed by central figures of the phenomenological tradition, including Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger, but also quite extensively by much lesser-known authors, such as Karl Löwith, Ludwig Binswanger, and Semyon L. Frank, whose work has been undeservedly neglected in current research. This paper starts off by arguing that, in spite of the rightly acknowledged differences between the Husserlian and the Heideggerian approaches to the investigation of the social world, both approaches converge in the claim that the I–thou relation is founded on more basic forms of sociality. In a second step, against the background of Frank’s and Binswanger’s challenges to that claim, I argue that Löwith’s proposal that the I–thou relation is a primordial form of sociality can be vindicated by conceptualizing I–thou relations as close personal relationships (paradigmatically exemplified by companion friendships and romantic partnerships). After assessing how Löwith’s approach to the I–thou relation stands vis-à-vis Heidegger’s and Husserl’s views, I conclude by suggesting how Löwith’s approach can contribute to current research on second-person relations.
Continuity and Change in Substance Use Patterns During the Transition from Adolescence to Young Adulthood: Examining Changes in Social Roles
Authors: Merrin Gabriel J. , Bailey Jennifer A. , Kelly Adrian B. , Le Vi T. , Heerde Jessica A. , Doery Elizabeth , Batmaz Ebru A. , Toumbourou John W.
Published: June 2024

This study offers a model for using multidimensional growth mixture models to identify polysubstance use trajectories by examining transitions among conjoint substance use trajectories from adolescence to young adulthood and exploring potential moderators that may facilitate transitions towards healthier substance use trajectories in young adulthood. Longitudinal mixture modeling was used to examine six waves of data collected during adolescence (ages 13, 14, 15) and young adulthood (ages 25, 29, 31) in Seattle, Washington. Data were drawn from the International Youth Development Study, a longitudinal, cross-national study examining the life course patterns of substance use and development among youth. Participants (N = 961) completed questionnaires on six occasions that assessed demographics (sex, race, highest parent education), suspension and expulsion, individual substance use, partner substance use, and social role transitions (education, marriage, childbearing, employment). Four substance use classes were identified in adolescence and included low use (n = 572, 59.6%), alcohol dominant (n = 177, 18.4%), increasing use (n = 103, 10.7%), and poly-use (n = 109, 11.3%). Five substance use classes were identified in young adulthood and included low use (n = 134, 15.3%), alcohol only (n = 349, 39.8%), alcohol and tobacco (n = 97, 11.0%), alcohol and cannabis (n = 162, 18.5%), and poly-use (n = 135, 15.4%). The transition from adolescence to young adulthood showed the strongest continuity in the poly-use class and the weakest in the low use class, with a general trend toward adding substances rather than reducing them. College graduation moderated the transition in substance use patterns from adolescence to young adulthood for low use and alcohol dominant adolescent classes but not for the poly-use class. Delays in adult role assumptions were not consistently associated with substance use classes during this transition. However, where significant, delayed marriage and parenthood acted as protective factors against the progression of substance use leading into young adulthood. The findings underscore the need for early detection and tailored prevention efforts among adolescents. By identifying pivotal periods and specific substance use patterns, these findings inform the timing and focus of targeted interventions designed to reduce the escalation of substance use leading into young adulthood.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Literacy: a Cross-National Comparison
Authors: Burns Richard Andrew , Sargent Kerry , Crisp Dimity Ann
Published: June 2024

This cross-national study investigated the mental health and wellbeing literacy of adults through a series of discrimination tasks which assessed their ability to correctly discriminate statements of mental health and wellbeing. A cross-national sample of 1044 adults aged 18 years and older were recruited through Qualtrics Panels. Participants resided in Australia, the United Kingdom, Singapore, South Africa and Malaysia. Quota sampling was undertaken within countries for sex and age-groups (18 to 39 years, 40 to 59 years, and 60 + years). Participants were assigned into one of two conditions in which mental health and wellbeing statements were either negatively or positively framed. In the first task, participants reported moderate levels of mental health and wellbeing literacy and there was consistency between nations in participants’ discrimination of statements. In the second discrimination task, participants now classified most statements indicators as reflecting “both mental health and wellbeing”. The findings suggest that while community members can mostly discriminate between statements of wellbeing and mental health, they will generally define these statements as reflecting dimensions of both mental health and wellbeing. For community members, it may be less important to discriminate between mental health and wellbeing but instead simply focus on overall psychological health which reflects both absence of pathology and presence of wellbeing.
Distribution of plant species Iris sibirica and its vegetation affinity in Slovakia
Authors: Hrivnák Richard , Slezák Michal , Dudáš Matej , Galvánek Dobromil , Labovská Tereza , Miháliková Tatiana
Published: June 2024

Iris sibirica is a threatened plant species of the Central European flora, but its distribution and vegetation ecology in Slovakia have not been studied so far. Therefore, we aimed to compile a complex chorology of this species and to analyse phytosociological plots with the species occurrence. Our results suggest that Iris sibirica occurs almost in the whole Slovakia, with two distributional centres situated in the south-western region (Pannonian bioregion) and in the southern regions of central Slovakia (Carpathian bioregion), but a higher proportion of recent records was identified in the Carpathians. Vegetation classification using the TWINSPAN algorithm divided 80 vegetation plots into 5 clusters. They were interpreted syntaxonomically as follows: i) Calthion palustris alliance, ii) Deschampsion cespitosae alliance, iii) Molinion caeruleae alliance, iv) vegetation of the successional stages and transitional status between wet meadows (Calthion palustris and Molinion caeruleae) and fens (Scheuchzerio palustris-Caricetea fuscae), and v) vegetation with a transitional status between hygrophilous, fen vegetation of the alliances Molinion caeruleae, Caricion davallianae, Caricion fuscae and mesic habitats. Variation in the species composition of vegetation plots, analysed using detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and interpreted using Ellenberg indicator values for vascular plants, showed a shift along the first DCA axis from taxa typical for nutrient-rich and shaded but thermophilic sites to taxa of open and relatively cold habitats on nutrient-poor soils. The second DCA axis corresponded to the moisture gradient, which controlled the pattern of plant species richness.
Lifestyle Changes and Industrialization in the Development of Allergic Diseases
Authors: Ozdemir Cevdet , Kucuksezer Umut Can , Ogulur Ismail , Pat Yagiz , Yazici Duygu , Ardicli Sena , Akdis Mubeccel , Nadeau Kari , Akdis Cezmi A.
Published: June 2024

Purpose of Review

Modernization and Westernization in industrialized and developing nations is associated with a substantial increase in chronic noncommunicable diseases. This transformation has far-reaching effects on lifestyles, impacting areas such as economics, politics, social life, and culture, all of which, in turn, have diverse influences on public health. Loss of contact with nature, alternations in the microbiota, processed food consumption, exposure to environmental pollutants including chemicals, increased stress and decreased physical activity jointly result in increases in the frequency of inflammatory disorders including allergies and many autoimmune and neuropsychiatric diseases. This review aims to investigate the relationship between Western lifestyle and inflammatory disorders.

Recent Findings

Several hypotheses have been put forth trying to explain the observed increases in these diseases, such as ‘Hygiene Hypothesis’, ‘Old Friends’, and ‘Biodiversity and Dysbiosis’. The recently introduced ‘Epithelial Barrier Theory’ incorporates these former hypotheses and suggests that toxic substances in cleaning agents, laundry and dishwasher detergents, shampoos, toothpastes, as well as microplastic, packaged food and air pollution damage the epithelium of our skin, lungs and gastrointestinal system. Epithelial barrier disruption leads to decreased biodiversity of the microbiome and the development of opportunistic pathogen colonization, which upon interaction with the immune system, initiates local and systemic inflammation.

Gaining a deeper comprehension of the interplay between the environment, microbiome and the immune system provides the data to assist with legally regulating the usage of toxic substances, to enable nontoxic alternatives and to mitigate these environmental challenges essential for fostering a harmonious and healthy global environment.
Transcatheter Therapy for the Tricuspid Valve: A Focused Review of Edge-to-Edge Repair and Orthotopic Valve Replacement
Authors: Madhavan Mahesh V. , Agarwal Vratika , Hahn Rebecca T.
Published: June 2024

Purpose of Review

Patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) are at risk for significant morbidity and mortality. Transcatheter tricuspid valve interventions (TTVI) may offer patients less invasive treatment alternatives to surgery. This review evaluates the most common class of device currently used worldwide to treat TR, tricuspid transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (T-TEER) and orthotopic transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR), both of which are now approved in the USA and Europe.

Recent Findings

The first pivotal randomized clinical trial, TRILUMINATE, demonstrated that T-TEER can safely reduce TR and is associated with improved health status outcomes. However, results of this trial have raised questions about whether this device can provide sufficient TR reduction to impact clinical outcomes. Orthotopic TTVR has recently gained attention with initial data suggesting near-complete TR elimination.

The current review examines the technical features and anatomic limitations of the most commonly used devices for T-TEER and orthotopic TTVR, discusses the current clinical data for these devices, and offers a theoretical construct for device selection.
Cross-Cultural Patient Counseling and Communication in the Integrative Medicine Setting: Respecting the Patient's Health Belief Model of Care
Authors: Ben-Arye Eran , Lopez Gabriel , Rassouli Maryam , Ortiz Miriam , Cramer Holger , Samuels Noah
Published: June 2024

Purpose of Review

Communicating effectively with patients having a traditional, alternative or complementary medicine-related health-belief model is challenging in today’s cross-cultural society. This narrative review explores the integrative medicine setting of care, focusing on insights from the integrative oncology daily practice, while addressing the relevance to the mental health setting. The way in which healthcare providers can enhance cultural-sensitive communication with patients and informal caregivers; recognize and respect health-beliefs to bridge cultural gaps; and generate an open, non-judgmental and mindful dialogue are discussed.

Recent Findings

Identifying cross-cultural barriers to healthcare provider-patient communication is important in order to address the potential for conflict between conventional and “alternative” health beliefs; difficulties in creating a shared-decision making process; disagreement on therapeutic goals and treatment plan; and finally, the potential for non-compliance or non-adherence to the conventional oncology treatment.

Acquiring intercultural competencies is needed at all stages of medical education, and should be implemented in medical and nursing curricula, as well as during specialization and sub-specialization. As with patient-centered paradigms of care, integrative medicine entails a dual patient-centered and sensitive-cultural approach, based on a comprehensive bio-psycho-social-spiritual model of care.
Oral Papillary Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Histopathological and Immunohistochemical Comparative Study
Authors: Mahmoud Esraa Ashraf , Abdellatif Mohsen Kazem , Mahmoud Sarah Ahmed Mohammed
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The aim of the study is to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of both Alpha smooth muscle actin and Transforming Growth Factor beta and compare their expression in oral papillary squamous cell carcinoma with their expression in different histological grades of oral squamous cell carcinoma. A correlation between these immuno-histochemical expressions and histological findings will then be performed. The research question is “Do the percentages of α-SMA and TGF-β immune-expression in OPSCC differ from that in the conventional OSCC?”.

Methods

This will be achieved by collecting archival blocks of oral papillary squamous cell carcinoma and different grades of oral squamous cell carcinoma, staining the specimens with Transforming Growth Factor beta and alpha smooth muscle actin, then measuring the mean staining index of expression in each group and the area percent of both markers.

Results

Results revealed that transforming growth factor beta expression in the epithelium was high in all cases of well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, most oral papillary squamous cell carcinoma, and poorly differentiated oral squamous cell carcinoma. On the other hand, different grades of oral squamous cell carcinoma showed a high staining index of alpha smooth muscle actin expression in the stroma. While cases of oral papillary squamous cell carcinoma were either moderate or low-staining.

Conclusions

Oral papillary squamous cell carcinoma has a favourable prognosis compared to different histological grades, and the prognosis does not depend only on histological grade but also on other prognostic factors.
Poincaré Inequality and Topological Rigidity of Translators and Self-Expanders for the Mean Curvature Flow
Authors: Impera Debora , Rimoldi Michele
Published: June 2024

We prove an abstract structure theorem for weighted manifolds supporting a weighted f-Poincaré inequality and whose ends satisfy a suitable non-integrability condition. We then study how our arguments can be used to obtain full topological control on two important classes of hypersurfaces of the Euclidean space, namely translators and self-expanders for the mean curvature flow, under either stability or curvature asumptions. As an important intermediate step in order to get our results we get the validity of a Poincaré inequality with respect to the natural weighted measure on any translator and we prove that any end of a translator must have infinite weighted volume. Similar tools can be obtained for properly immersed self-expanders permitting to get topological rigidity under curvature assumptions.