bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An improved natural stabilized nodal integration for locking‐related materials in meshfree methods
Authors: Nguyen Huy Anh , Tanaka Satoyuki , Bui Tinh Quoc
Published: August 2024

An improved naturally stabilized nodal integration (NSNI) is presented for resolving displacement locking concerned with highly orthotropic and nearly incompressible materials in the linear setting. It is recognized that the original NSNI is susceptible to the locking when dealing with these types of materials. The proposed method utilizes spectral decomposition to split the elasticity matrix into stiff and nonstiff parts. The terms associated with the stiff modes in the bilinear form are sampled by nodal integration (NI) without stabilization, whereas the other terms are integrated with NSNI. This approach leads to a unified implementation to handle locking in both types of materials. The performance and convergence of the proposed formulation are verified through several two‐ and three‐dimensional numerical examples, illustrating the advantages of the presented method over its standard counterpart.
NMRK2 is an efficient diagnostic indicator for Xp11.2 translocation renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Feng Huayi , Cao Shouqing , Fu Shihui , Liu Junxiao , Gao Yu , Dong Zhouhuan , Cai Tianwei , Wen Lequan , Xiong Zhuang , Li Shangwei , Zhang Xu , Ma Xin , Li Xiubin
Published: August 2024

Xp11.2 translocation renal cell carcinomas (tRCC) are a rare and highly malignant type of renal cancer, lacking efficient diagnostic indicators and therapeutic targets. Through the analysis of public databases and our cohort, we identified NMRK2 as a potential diagnostic marker for distinguishing Xp11.2 tRCC from kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) and kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma (KIRP) due to its specific upregulation in Xp11.2 tRCC tissues. Mechanistically, we discovered that TFE3 fusion protein binds to the promoter of the NMRK2 gene, leading to its upregulation. Importantly, we established RNA‐ and protein‐based diagnostic methods for identifying Xp11.2 tRCC based on NMRK2 expression levels, and the diagnostic performance of our methods was comparable to a dual‐color break‐apart fluorescence in situ hybridization assay. Moreover, we successfully identified fresh Xp11.2 tRCC tissues after surgical excision using our diagnostic methods and established an immortalized Xp11.2 tRCC cell line for further research purposes. Functional studies revealed that NMRK2 promotes the progression of Xp11.2 tRCC by upregulating the NAD+/NADH ratio, and supplementation with β‐nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) or nicotinamide riboside chloride (NR), effectively rescued the phenotypes induced by the knockdown of NMRK2 in Xp11.2 tRCC. Taken together, these data introduce a new diagnostic indicator capable of accurately distinguishing Xp11.2 tRCC and highlight the possibility of developing novel targeted therapeutics. © 2024 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
PICKAPEP: An application for parameter calculation and visualization of cyclized and modified peptidomimetics
Authors: Erckes Vanessa , Hilleke Mattis , Isert Clemens , Steuer Christian
Published: August 2024

The interest in peptides and especially in peptidomimetic structures has risen enormously in the past few years. Novel modification strategies including nonnatural amino acids, sophisticated cyclization strategies, and side chain modifications to improve the pharmacokinetic properties of peptides are continuously arising. However, a calculator tool accompanying the current development in peptide sciences towards modified peptides is missing. Herein, we present the application PICKAPEP, enabling the virtual construction and visualization of peptidomimetics ranging from well‐known cyclized and modified peptides such as ciclosporin A up to fully self‐designed peptide‐based structures with custom amino acids. Calculated parameters include the molecular weight, the water–octanol partition coefficient, the topological polar surface area, the number of rotatable bonds, and the peptide SMILES code. To our knowledge, PICKAPEP is the first tool allowing users to add custom amino acids as building blocks and also the only tool giving the possibility to process large peptide libraries and calculate parameters for multiple peptides at once. We believe that PICKAPEP will support peptide researchers in their work and will find wide application in current as well as future peptide drug development processes. PICKAPEP is available open source for Windows and Mac operating systems (https://www.research-collection.ethz.ch/handle/20.500.11850/681174).
The ERA5 global reanalysis from 1940 to 2022
Authors: Soci Cornel , Hersbach Hans , Simmons Adrian , Poli Paul , Bell Bill , Berrisford Paul , Horányi András , Muñoz‐Sabater Joaquín , Nicolas Julien , Radu Raluca , Schepers Dinand , Villaume Sebastien , Haimberger Leopold , Woollen Jack , Buontempo Carlo , Thépaut Jean‐Noël
Published: August 2024

We provide a description and concise evaluation of the European Centre of Medium‐range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis v.5 (ERA5) global reanalysis from an additional extension back to 1940 that was released in March 2023, including its timely updates to the end of 2022. The ERA5 product from 1979 to end 2020 and a preliminary back extension from 1950 to 1978 have already been described elsewhere. The new back extension that spans 1940 to 1978 represents the official release and supersedes the preliminary product. Currently, the ERA5 data record extends over more than 83 years of hourly global three‐dimensional fields for many quantities that describe the global atmosphere, land surface, and ocean waves at a horizontal resolution of about 31 km. ERA5 relies on the ingestion of sub‐daily in‐situ and satellite observations, and the number of these increases from 17,000 per day in 1940 to 25 million per day by 2022. Accordingly, the quality of the reanalysis improves throughout the period. Over the Northern Hemisphere ERA5 generally provides a reliable representation of the synoptic situation from the early 1940s and provides long‐term variability that is in line with other datasets. Over the Southern Hemisphere, however, for the early period the description of ERA5 seems mainly statistical. Furthermore, there is a small deviation in surface temperature compared with reconstructions based on monthly aggregations of observations over land before 1946. For this period, the absence of upper air temperature observations reveals a model cold bias in the lower stratosphere. For the period from 1950 to 1978, the final release described here improves on the suboptimal treatment of International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship observations in the preliminary release, with, as a result, a much more homogeneous representation of tropical cyclones over the entire ERA5 record. Longer spin‐up periods also have a beneficial impact on soil moisture.
Sumsets and entropy revisited
Authors: Green Ben , Manners Freddie , Tao Terence
Published: August 2024

The entropic doubling of a random variable taking values in an abelian group is a variant of the notion of the doubling constant of a finite subset of , but it enjoys somewhat better properties; for instance, it contracts upon applying a homomorphism. In this paper we develop further the theory of entropic doubling and give various applications, including: (1) A new proof of a result of Pálvölgyi and Zhelezov on the “skew dimension” of subsets of with small doubling; (2) A new proof, and an improvement, of a result of the second author on the dimension of subsets of with small doubling; (3) A proof that the Polynomial Freiman–Ruzsa conjecture over implies the (weak) Polynomial Freiman–Ruzsa conjecture over .
Constructing Multi‐Electron Reactions by Doping Mn2+ to Increase Capacity and Stability in K3.2V2.8Mn0.2(PO4)4/C of Phosphate Cathodes for Potassium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Wang Shengmei , Xiong Shuangsheng , Li Zheng , Zhao Yueqi , Tao Xiwen , Gao Faming , Gao Yuan , Hou Li
Published: August 2024

Vanadium‐based phosphate cathode materials (e.g., K3V2(PO4)3) have attracted widespread concentration in cathode materials in potassium‐ion batteries owing to their stable structure but suffer from low capacity and poor conductivity. In this work, an element doping strategy is applied to promote its electrochemical performance so that K3.2V2.8Mn0.2(PO4)4/C is prepared via a simple sol‐gel method. The heterovalent Mn2+ is introduced to stimulated multiple electron reactions to improve conductivity and capacity, as well as interlayer spacing. Galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) and in situ X‐ray diffraction results further confirm that Mn‐doping in the original electrode can obtain superior electrode process kinetics and structural stability. The prepared K3.2V2.8Mn0.2(PO4)4/C exhibits a high‐capacity retention of 80.8% after 1 500 cycles at 2 C and an impressive rate capability, with discharge capacities of 87.6 at 0.2 C and 45.4 mA h g−1 at 5 C, which is superior to the majority of reported vanadium‐based phosphate cathode materials. When coupled K3.2V2.8Mn0.2(PO4)4/C cathode with commercial porous carbon (PC) anode as the full cell, a prominent energy density of 175 Wh kg−1 is achieved based on the total active mass. Overall, this study provides an effective strategy for meliorating the cycling stability and capacity of the polyanion cathodes for KIB.
Graphene Terahertz Devices for Sensing and Communication
Authors: Samaha Anna‐Christina , Doumani Jacques , Kritzell T. Elijah , Xu Hongjing , Baydin Andrey , Ajayan Pulickel M. , Tahchi Mario El , Kono Junichiro
Published: August 2024

Graphene‐based terahertz (THz) devices have emerged as promising platforms for a variety of applications, leveraging graphene's unique optoelectronic properties. This review explores recent advancements in utilizing graphene in THz technology, focusing on two main aspects: THz molecular sensing and THz wave modulation. In molecular sensing, the environment‐sensitive THz transmission and emission properties of graphene are utilized for enabling molecular adsorption detection and biomolecular sensing. This capability holds significant potential, from the detection of pesticides to DNA at high sensitivity and selectivity. In THz wave modulation, crucial for next‐generation wireless communication systems, graphene demonstrates remarkable potential in absorption modulation when gated. Novel device structures, spectroscopic systems, and metasurface architectures have enabled enhanced absorption and wave modulation. Furthermore, techniques such as spatial phase modulation and polarization manipulation have been explored. From sensing to communication, graphene‐based THz devices present a wide array of opportunities for future research and development. Finally, advancements in sensing techniques not only enhance biomolecular analysis but also contribute to optimizing graphene's properties for communication by enabling efficient modulation of electromagnetic waves. Conversely, developments in communication strategies inform and enhance sensing capabilities, establishing a mutually beneficial relationship.
Myocardial inefficiency in asynchronous segmental early relaxation with exercise: A case series
Authors: Allwood Richard P.
Published: August 2024

Asynchronous segmental early relaxation phenomenon (ASERP) is a condition infrequently reported in exercise stress echocardiography and is characterised by sudden localised outward motion of the left ventricle during the isovolumic relaxation period. ASERP has been seen on angiographic studies at rest, which examined the extent of wall motion from end‐diastolic and end‐systolic frames. However, this method does not allow for an assessment of the timing of wall motion. With technological advances in echocardiography, advanced tools such as two‐dimensional (2D) speckle‐tracking and myocardial work, may allow for the precise timing and extent of ASERP to be more accurately identified during systole and diastole and provide assessment of myocardial performance. Two cases of ASERP are reported occurring in those with a high hemodynamic response and exaggerated systolic blood pressure response with exercise. The diagnostic characteristics of ASERP will be explored, including the use of 2D speckle‐tracking and myocardial work.
The importance of early strength in structural applications: Obsidian‐based geopolymer mortars and silica fume substitution study
Authors: Cakmak Talip , Ustabas Ilker , Kurt Zafer , Gurbuz Ali
Published: August 2024

Geopolymer mortars, which cause less CO2 emissions than concrete and its raw material cement, are an innovative, environmentally friendly and sustainable building material. Geopolymers are formed by activating silica and alumina materials with alkaline activators. In this study, a geopolymer mortar containing obsidian (OB), also known as volcanic glass, which is free, and silica fume (SF), which is the waste material of the silicon and ferrosilicon industry, was investigated. The behavior of OB‐based geopolymer mortars under different curing times ranging from 2 to 120 h and different thermal treatment temperatures such as 90, 150, and 200°C were examined. The effectiveness of OB and SF on the physical features, compressive strength (CS), and micro‐structural of the geopolymers were characterized. Results demonstrated that the peak CSs were acquired in 96 h at 90 and 150°C heat treatment temperatures, while the highest CSs were acquired in 72 h for specimens subjected to 200°C heat treatment. Reduces in CSs were detected when the curing time exceeded the ideal limit. OB‐based geopolymer was found to be stable with SF and there was a linear relationship between SF substitution ratio and CS. The density of the mortar pieces decreased with increasing thermal curing hours. Devolving on the thermal temperature and curing time, the microstructures became more compact and microvoids and cracks decreased. It was observed that SF substitution reduced the total pore size of the geopolymers and allowed the pore structure size to be reduced. The results obtained from the study are expected to encourage the utilize of industrial wastes and new binders in the manufacture of geopolymers.
In conversation with the new RCVS president
Authors: Loeb Josh , Himmer Chaira
Published: August 2024

As equine vet Linda Belton takes the reins of the RCVS, becoming its 13th female president, Josh Loeb and Chaira Himmer chat to her about her plans for her presidential year, her views on professional regulation and her overseas work with Brooke.
Total intravenous anaesthesia maintenance with an infusion of butorphanol, ketamine and guaifenesin in two greater one‐horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis)
Authors: Vonfeld Irène , Leclerc Antoine , Zilberstein Luca , Pérot Maïalen , Avril Sandra , Lamglait Benjamin , Ordonneau Dorothée , Thorel Milan , Ménagerie La , Hennet Philippe , Brisson Lucie
Published: August 2024

This report describes the use of an ultrapotent, opioid‐free anaesthesia with an infusion of butorphanol, ketamine and guaifenesin in two captive adult male greater one‐horned rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis). Animals were premedicated intramuscularly with azaperone (0.05 mg/kg), butorphanol tartrate (0.05 and 0.02 mg/kg, respectively) and an α2‐agonist (detomidine 0.02 mg/kg and medetomidine 0.01 mg/kg, respectively). Once sternolaterally recumbent, rhinoceros were induced with intravenous ketamine (0.02 and 0.05 mg/kg, respectively) and midazolam (7.0 and 8.0 μg/kg, respectively). Intravenous infusions of guaifenesin (15.1 and 25 mg/kg/h, respectively) and of ketamine (22.5 and 29.1 μg/kg/h, respectively) and butorphanol (15.7 and 20.3 μg/kg/h, respectively), allowed stable anaesthesia maintenance for dental procedures to take place. Supplemental boluses of ketamine and α2‐agonist were required during noxious stimulation in both cases. Animals were reversed with intramuscular atipamezole (0.07–0.08 mg/kg) and naltrexone (0.06–0.08 mg/kg), with or without flumazenil (0.10 μg/kg), allowing smooth and quick recovery.
Common bile duct obstruction caused by synthetic linear foreign material in a dachshund
Authors: Zurbuchen Sarah , Stone Colin , Chambers Aidan , Womble Mandy , Mathews Kyle G.
Published: August 2024

A 1‐year‐old, female, spayed dachshund presenting with clinical signs associated with cholangiohepatitis and cholangitis was found to have synthetic linear foreign material causing a common bile duct obstruction. The patient underwent a cholecystectomy, and foreign material was removed from the common bile duct via retrograde flushing into the duodenal papilla and manual retrieval. At the 6‐month post‐operative follow up visit, the patient had an improved cholestatic hepatopathy, with only a mild alkaline phosphatase elevation, moderate dilation of the common bile duct on ultrasonography, and was doing clinically well at home. 8 months post‐operatively, the patient re‐presented for an episode of septic cholangiohepatitis, with linear foreign material visualised within a dilated common bile duct on ultrasound. This episode was medically managed and was resolved with a 2‐week course of antibiotics. 1.5 years post‐operatively, the patient is doing clinically well, but continues to have persistent, moderate elevations of alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatase.
Prognostic significance of T3b in papillary thyroid carcinoma: Appropriateness of classifying T3bN0M0 in patients aged 55 years or older into stage II
Authors: Ito Yasuhiro , Miyauchi Akira , Kawakami Makoto , Kihara Minoru , Miya Akihiro
Published: August 2024

Background

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) often extends to adjacent organs. According to the 8th Tumor‐Node‐Metastasis Classification, extension to the strap muscles was graded as T3b. We investigated the prognostic impact of T3b and the appropriateness of T3b in patients aged ≥55 years who were classified as stage II.

Methods

We enrolled 7811 patients with M0 PTC who underwent initial surgery at the Kuma Hospital (Kobe, Japan) between January 2007 and December 2016. Tumor extension was divided into T3b, T4a1 (extension to the tracheal adventitia, tracheal cartilage, esophageal muscle layer, recurrent laryngeal nerve, cricothyroid, and inferior constrictor muscles), and sT4a2 (extension to the subcutaneous soft tissues, tracheal mucosa, esophageal mucosa, internal jugular vein, brachiocephalic vein, larynx, pharynx, and sternocleidomastoid muscle).

Results

In patients ≥55 years, the local recurrence‐free survival (LR‐FS), distant recurrence‐free survival (DR‐FS), and cause‐specific survival (CSS) rates of T3bN0M0 were significantly poorer than those of T1/T2N0M0 but did not significantly differ from those of T3aN0M0. The LR‐FS, DR‐FS, and CSS rates of T3b stage II patients did not differ from those of T4a1 stage III patients but were significantly better than those of T4a2 stage III patients. T3b was an independent predictor of local recurrence and distant recurrence but not of death due to carcinoma in the multivariate analysis. In patients aged <55 years with M0 PTC, T3b had no prognostic value in both analyses.

Conclusions

T3bM0 patients are appropriate to be classified as stage II in patients ≥55 years but be kept in stage I in patients <55 years.
Functionalization of Si‐ and Al‐Based Materials with Phosphorus Dendrimers and their Properties
Authors: Caminade Anne‐Marie
Published: August 2024

The interactions of dendrimers having a phosphorus atom at each branching point, of type poly(phosphorhydrazone) (PPH), with different types of materials based on silicon and aluminum are reviewed. These dendrimers can be used for the functionalization of solid surfaces at the nanoscale, either by covalent immobilization, or by electrostatic interactions, especially for constructing perfectly controlled multi‐layers by layer‐by‐layer (LbL) deposit. The properties of such hybrid materials as chemical sensors, as very sensitive biological sensors, as well as substrates for the growing of cells are described. The PPH dendrimers can also be embedded inside materials. The resulting hybrid materials have been used for the capture of pollutants, in particular CO2 in air and chromate and methylene blue in waste water.
Anti-Sexism as Weaponized Discourse Against Muslim Immigration: A View from Social Psychology
Authors: Van Oost Pascaline , Klein Olivier , Yzerbyt Vincent
Published: August 2024

For fifty years, the Western world has witnessed a noticeable decrease in overt expressions of prejudice, reflecting evolving social norms, whereby racism is perceived as something immoral and is often illegal. At the same time, it is clear that racist prejudice persists, largely rooted in historical and cultural legacies like colonialism. Because our egalitarian norms make prejudice undesirable, prejudice is predominantly conveyed in subtle ways, and tends to be rationalized (Crandall & Eshleman, 2003). In this context, gender equality ideology has been brought to the debate to legitimize a racist discourse against Muslims across different European countries. Politicians who hardly ever showed any sympathy for or even blatantly opposed gender-rights movements are found to profess gender-based arguments to support an anti-Muslim agenda. Threatened by purportedly sexist and illiberal Islam, these leaders argue that the ‘European egalitarian culture’ must be protected and reasserted. This opportunistic support for the gender movement on behalf of politicians has been pointed out by several authors (e.g., Delphy, 2006; Farris, 2017). In the present chapter, we explore social psychological perspectives that have been developed to tackle this paradox. In particular, we focus on the concept of ‘ideological malleability’, as introduced by Knowles and colleagues in 2009.
Dreamers Moms and Their Struggle for Legal Reunification: Maternal Acts of Public Disclosure as a Form of Constructive Resistance
Authors: Busse Erika , Montes Veronica
Published: August 2024

Maternal activism is a long tradition in Latin America. Its research focuses on how women mobilize their identity as mothers to take the streets to reclaim their rights, their children’s, and their families’, and ultimately to resist the actions of the State. However, how does this maternal activism manifest itself when motherhood and deportation intersect? Drawing on our ongoing ethnographic research with Dreamers Moms (DM), a grassroots organization in Tijuana, Mexico composed by Mexican women, we argue that the acts displayed by members of DM are part of an ample repertoire of what Orozco Mendoza (2019) refers to as “maternal acts of public disclosures” through which these women engage in a form of constructive resistance. Rather than trying to change the world order and, particularly, the unjust U.S. migration policy, these women, by performing these acts, seek to achieve two goals: to fight against being stripped of their humanity and dignity as they were violently expelled from the U.S. due to their deportation, and to avoid the invisibility and otherization of their subjectivity once they become deported mothers.
Study on Hydraulic Characteristics of Horizontal and Vertical Cross Inlet
Authors: Zhang Mengzhen , Chen Ming , Sun Jiyang , Wu Bin , Chen Qingsheng
Published: August 2024

Inlet with horizontal and vertical discharge channels, as a new type, has certain advantages in flood discharge and diversion of water conservancy and hydropower engineering, but the water flow in this inlet is more complicated and lacks relevant systematic research. In this paper, a two-dimensional hydrodynamic mathematical model is used to investigate the hydraulic characteristics such as flow rate and velocity of each channel with respect to the area and head of horizontal and vertical diversion channels. According to the results, under different head ratios, confluence ratios are proportional to head ratios; however, the Froude number of horizontal hole and shaft are inversely proportional to head ratios. When the head ratios reach a certain extent, confluence rations and the Froude number tend to be a constant. In addition, under different area ratios, as the area ratios grow, the confluence ratios and the Froude number increase.
Fatigue Response Analysis of Steel Pipe Piles with Super Length to Diameter Ratio Under Adverse Sea Conditions
Authors: Zhang Bo , Lv Shuhui , Wu Jiaqi , Su Shiding
Published: August 2024

As an important component of seaport structures, steel pipe piles are subjected to cyclic loads over long periods of time in marine environments, especially when steel pipe piles are subjected to large bending moments, where the weld position is susceptible to fatigue damage. Based on an engineering example, a load-pile-soil triaxial fatigue analysis model was established to study the fatigue response rule of steel pipe piles under wave load, and the following conclusions were obtained: Regardless of whether the factor of weld is considered, the wave load with the wave height below 3.5 m will not cause fatigue damage to the steel pipe pile with the pile diameter of 1.2 m and wall thickness of 20 mm. The increased wave load will reinforce the effect of the weld on the steel pipe piles, resulting in a rapid reduction in the fatigue life of the steel pipe piles and a larger range of fatigue damage.
Fetal growth restriction and placental defects in obese mice are associated with impaired decidualisation: the role of increased leptin signalling modulators SOCS3 and PTPN2
Authors: Walewska Edyta , Makowczenko Karol G. , Witek Krzysztof , Laniecka Elżbieta , Molcan Tomasz , Alvarez-Sanchez Andrea , Kelsey Gavin , Perez-Garcia Vicente , Galvão António M.
Published: August 2024

Decidualisation of the endometrium is a key event in early pregnancy, which enables embryo implantation. Importantly, the molecular processes impairing decidualisation in obese mothers are yet to be characterised. We hypothesise that impaired decidualisation in obese mice is mediated by the upregulation of leptin modulators, the suppressor of cytokine signalling 3 (SOCS3) and the protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 2 (PTPN2), together with the disruption of progesterone (P4)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT3) signalling. After feeding mice with chow diet (CD) or high-fat diet (HFD) for 16 weeks, we confirmed the downregulation of P4 and oestradiol (E2) steroid receptors in decidua from embryonic day (E) 6.5 and decreased proliferation of stromal cells from HFD. In vitro decidualised mouse endometrial stromal cells (MESCs) and E6.5 deciduas from the HFD showed decreased expression of decidualisation markers, followed by the upregulation of SOCS3 and PTPN2 and decreased phosphorylation of STAT3. In vivo and in vitro leptin treatment of mice and MESCs mimicked the results observed in the obese model. The downregulation of Socs3 and Ptpn2 after siRNA transfection of MESCs from HFD mice restored the expression level of decidualisation markers. Finally, DIO mice placentas from E18.5 showed decreased labyrinth development and vascularisation and fetal growth restricted embryos. The present study revealed major defects in decidualisation in obese mice, characterised by altered uterine response to E2 and P4 steroid signalling. Importantly, altered hormonal response was associated with increased expression of leptin signalling modulators SOCS3 and PTPN2. Elevated levels of SOCS3 and PTPN2 were shown to molecularly affect decidualisation in obese mice, potentially disrupting the STAT3-PR regulatory molecular hub.
Characterization of novel CD8+ regulatory T cells and their modulatory effects in murine model of inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Fan Jia-Ning , Ho Hsin , Chiang Bor-Luen
Published: August 2024

Dysregulation of mucosal immune system has been proposed to be critical in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play an important role in regulating immune responses. Tregs are involved in maintaining intestinal homeostasis and exerting suppressive function in colitis. Our previous studies showed that a novel forkhead box protein P3 (Foxp3) negative Tregs (Treg-of-B cells), induced by culturing naïve CD4+ T cells with B cells, could protect against colitis and downregulate T helper (Th) 1 and Th17 cell cytokines in T cell-mediated colitis. In the present study, we aimed to induce Treg-of-B cells in the CD8+ T-cell population and investigate their characteristics and immunomodulatory functions. Our results showed that CD8+ Treg-of-B cells expressed Treg-associated markers, including lymphocyte-activation gene-3 (LAG3), inducible co-stimulator (ICOS), programmed death-1 (PD-1), cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein-4 (CTLA-4), tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member-4 (TNFRSF4, OX40), and tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member-18 (TNFRSF18, GITR), but did not express Foxp3. CD8+ Treg-of-B cells produced higher concentration of inhibitory cytokine interleukin (IL)-10, and expressed higher levels of cytotoxic factor granzyme B and perforin after stimulation, compared to those of CD8+CD25- T cells. Moreover, CD8+ Treg-of-B cells suppressed T cell proliferation in vitro and alleviated colonic inflammation in chronic dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. In conclusion, our study identified a novel subpopulation of CD8+ Tregs with suppressive effects through cell contact. These CD8+ Treg-of-B cells might have therapeutic potential for IBDs.
Elastic flow of curves with partial free boundary
Authors: Diana Antonia
Published: August 2024

We consider a curve with boundary points free to move on a line in$${{{\mathbb {R}}}}^2$$R2, which evolves by the$$L^2$$L2-gradient flow of the elastic energy, that is, a linear combination of the Willmore and the length functional. For this planar evolution problem, we study the short and long-time existence. Once we establish under which boundary conditions the PDE’s system is well-posed (in our case the Navier boundary conditions), employing the Solonnikov theory for linear parabolic systems in Hölder space, we show that there exists a unique flow in a maximal time interval [0, T). Then, using energy methods we prove that the maximal time is$$T= + \infty $$T=+∞.
Maintaining disorder: estimating the association between policing and psychiatric hospitalization among youth in New York City by neighborhood racial composition, 2006–2014
Authors: Packard Samuel E. , Verzani Zoe , Finsaas Megan C. , Levy Natalie S. , Shefner Ruth , Planey Arrianna M. , Boehme Amelia K. , Prins Seth J.
Published: August 2024

Purpose

To assess whether neighborhood-level measures of policing are spatio-temporally associated with psychiatric hospialization among adolescents and young adults in New York City, and whether this association varies by neighborhood racial composition.

Methods

We derived population-based measures of policing from the New York City Police Department (NYPD), psychiatric hospitalization from Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) data, and socio-demographic data from the American Community Survey (ACS), aggregated by month and ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) from 2006 to 2014. Multi-level negative binomial regression models assessed hospitalization-time of youth aged 10–24 as the dependent variable and the rate of policing events as the primary independent variable, adjusting for neighborhood poverty, unemployment, and educational attainment. Multiplicative interaction was assessed between policing and tertiles of the percentage of Black residents.

Results

A total of 11,900,192 policing incidents and 2,118,481 person-days of hospitalization were aggregated to 19,440 ZCTA-months. After adjusting for neighborhood-level sociodemographic characteristics, an increase in one policing incident per 1,000 residents was associated with a 0.3% increase in the rate of youth psychiatric hospitalization time (IRR 1.003 [1.001–1.005]). Neighborhood racial composition modified this effect; not only was the rate of psychiatric hospitalization and policing higher in neighborhoods with a higher proportion of Black residents, but the association between these was also significantly higher in neighorhoods with a larger share of Black residents compared with predominantly non-Black neighborhoods.

Conclusion

Neighborhoods experiencing higher rates of policing during the study period experienced higher burdens of psychiatric hospitalization among adolescent and young adult residents. This association was larger in neighborhoods of color which have been disproportionately targeted by “hot spot” and order-maintenance policing practices and policies.
Explainable artificial intelligence for spectroscopy data: a review
Authors: Contreras Jhonatan , Bocklitz Thomas
Published: August 2024

Explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) has gained significant attention in various domains, including natural and medical image analysis. However, its application in spectroscopy remains relatively unexplored. This systematic review aims to fill this gap by providing a comprehensive overview of the current landscape of XAI in spectroscopy and identifying potential benefits and challenges associated with its implementation. Following the PRISMA guideline 2020, we conducted a systematic search across major journal databases, resulting in 259 initial search results. After removing duplicates and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 21 scientific studies were included in this review. Notably, most of the studies focused on using XAI methods for spectral data analysis, emphasizing identifying significant spectral bands rather than specific intensity peaks. Among the most utilized AI techniques were SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), masking methods inspired by Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations (LIME), and Class Activation Mapping (CAM). These methods were favored due to their model-agnostic nature and ease of use, enabling interpretable explanations without modifying the original models. Future research should propose new methods and explore the adaptation of other XAI employed in other domains to better suit the unique characteristics of spectroscopic data.
A novel method for the detection and classification of multiple diseases using transfer learning-based deep learning techniques with improved performance
Authors: Natarajan Krishnamoorthy , Muthusamy Suresh , Sha Mizaj Shabil , Sadasivuni Kishor Kumar , Sekaran Sreejith , Charles Gnanakkan Christober Asir Rajan , A.Elngar Ahmed
Published: August 2024

A disease is a distinct abnormal state that significantly affects the functioning of all or part of an individual and is not caused by external harm. Diseases are frequently understood as medical conditions connected with distinct indications and symptoms. According to a fairly wide categorization, diseases can also be categorized as mental disorders, deficient diseases, genetic diseases, degenerative diseases, self-inflicted diseases, infectious diseases, non-infectious diseases, social diseases, and physical diseases. Prevention of the diseases is of multiple instances. Primary prevention seeks to prevent illness or harm before it ever happens. Secondary prevention tries to lessen the effect of an illness or damage that has already happened. This is done through diagnosing and treating illness or injury as soon as feasible to stop or delay its course, supporting personal ways to avoid recurrence or reinjury, and implementing programs to restore individuals to their previous health and function to prevent long-term difficulties. Tertiary prevention tries to lessen the impact of a continuing sickness or injury that has enduring repercussions. Diagnosis of the disease at an earlier stage is important for the treatment of the disease. Hence, in this study, deep learning algorithms, such as VGG16, EfficientNetB4, and ResNet, are utilized to diagnose various diseases, such as Alzheimer's, brain tumors, skin diseases, and lung diseases. Chest X-rays, MRI scans, CT scans, and skin lesions are used to diagnose the mentioned diseases. Transfer learning algorithms, such as VGG16, VGG19, ResNet, InceptionV3, and EfficientNetB4, are utilized to categorize various diseases. EfficientNetB4 with the learning rate annealing, having obtained an accuracy of 94.04% on the test dataset, is observed. As a consequence, we observed that every network has unique particular skills on the multi-disease dataset, which includes chest X-rays, MRI scans, etc.,
Post-traumatic stress disorder symptomatology is associated with insomnia among women engaged in opioid use disorder treatment with buprenorphine
Authors: Stadtler Hannah , Turkson Susie , Eglovitch Michelle , Svikis Dace S. , Neigh Gretchen , Martin Caitlin E.
Published: August 2024

This study aimed to explore the association between the degree of PTSD symptomatology and severity of insomnia symptoms in a clinical sample of women receiving buprenorphine for OUD. PTSD symptomatology was assessed via the PCL-5, and insomnia symptoms were determined via the Insomnia Severity Index. Analyses indicated that more participants experiencing clinically significant PTSD symptomatology also reported insomnia symptoms than their counterparts. Future work should investigate how holistic care (e.g., trauma-informed approaches) that addresses the overlap between trauma and sleep disturbance could inform gender-specific OUD treatment strategies in the overdose crisis.
Seismic performance of retrofitted and non-retrofitted RC school buildings after the February 6th, 2023, Kahramanmaraş earthquakes
Authors: Altıok Taha Yasin , Şevik Mehmet , Demir Ali
Published: August 2024

On February 6, 2023, two significant earthquakes struck Pazarcık and Elbistan/Kahramanmaraş with magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6, respectively. These earthquakes are considered the most devastating disaster in Turkey in the last century. According to official records, these earthquakes affected 11 provinces, resulting in the loss of more than 50,000 lives. Additionally, numerous buildings collapsed or became unusable due to the impact of the earthquakes and the schools constitute an important part of these structures. The schools are important facilities that need to be functional and safe following an earthquake. This study contains both post-earthquake field observations and numerical studies for the retrofitted and non-retrofitted schools. It investigates the retrofitted and non-retrofitted conditions of a total of 7 blocks, which consist of 4 different schools located in Kahramanmaraş. It is observed that the retrofitted school buildings weren’t damaged after these earthquakes. The numerical models underwent nonlinear time history analyses using the ETABS program. The ground accelerations used in the analyses were obtained from the nearest station to the school buildings. The analyses yielded several results, including the natural periods, story displacements, story drifts, and seismic energy inputs of the structures. These results were then compared with the field observations to assess their accuracy and validity. With the retrofit application, story displacements, the interstory drifts and seismic energy input have decreased. Both field studies and numerical analyses have shown that even school buildings with insufficient material and engineering services can become resistant to major earthquakes with an appropriate retrofit method.
Environmental Authenticity: Constructing Nature in Postindustrial Parks
Authors: Loughran Kevin
Published: August 2024

If nature is socially constructed, how do cultural producers construct it? Few social spaces materialize social constructions of nature as powerfully and as directly as parks, which represent cultural beliefs about nature’s form and function. This paper considers how landscape architects and other social actors involved in creating contemporary urban park landscapes think about nature and decide how to represent it through cultural objects. Drawing on the analysis of three case studies – New York’s High Line, Chicago’s Bloomingdale Trail/606, and Houston’s Buffalo Bayou Park – I consider the aesthetic judgments that cultural producers make about nature when designing and placing value on park landscapes. I find that in the cultural conditions of the twenty-first century, three aesthetic judgments prevail, converging to create a particular vision of nature that is both highly valued and tightly linked to racialized currents of cultural and economic capital. These aesthetic judgments prize nature as local, wild, and imbricated with urban space. They structure what I term “environmental authenticity”: the idea that socially valued forms of nature are rooted in classical understandings of a socially unmediated, nonhuman nature whose agency in creating landscapes is minimally violated by obvious human cultivation and that exists, seemingly organically, in postindustrial settings. Judgments about environmental authenticity, I argue, are centrally about who has the power to shape landscapes.
PSILCA database for social life cycle assessment: worker hours vs. raw values approach
Authors: Springer Sally K. , Wulf Christina , Zapp Petra
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Progressive development within the research area of social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) has recently occurred, for example, GreenDelta introduced a new direct quantification approach using raw values in the PSILCA database. This complements the concept of the activity variable worker hours, which has many advantages and disadvantages. This paper aims to assess this new approach by identifying its characteristics, opportunities, and challenges in comparison to the initial worker hours approach.

Methods

The general use of activity variables in S-LCA is outlined, followed by an elaboration of the characteristics, purposes, and functionalities of the worker hours approach as well as the raw values approach of PSILCA. This comparison of approaches includes different data components, calculation procedures, and their upsides and downsides and is based on materials provided by GreenDelta as well as our own elaborations. Two components of a fuel cell electric vehicle, the glider and the proton exchange membrane fuel cell, serve as sample applications for the comparison and are briefly described before their calculation is executed in the software openLCA, using both PSILCA approaches. The question of whether the differences in the approaches contradict a comparison is answered: The PSILCA results of the sample applications can be compared to derive further characteristics.

Results and discussion

The comparison comprises two modeling requirements for the raw values approach as well as their major consequence. They concern the execution by the practitioner: inventory indicators must be added to every unit process, the choice of inventory indicators must be the same for every unit process, the amount of the reference flow in the output always has to equal “1 USD,” and consequently, the number of unit processes has an influence on the results. Furthermore, the results of the S-LCA sample applications reveal that the direct impacts in the raw values approach tend to be greater than those in the worker hours approach. The reason can be found in the different calculation procedures as well as the different variables included.

Conclusions

Both approaches have benefits and drawbacks. Depending on the goal of the study to be pursued, the one or the other might be advantageous. In both cases, it is key to understand the modeling requirements and the calculation approach used to interpret the PSILCA results.
Youth Mental Health First Aid Training: Impact on the Ability to Recognize and Support Youth Needs
Authors: Geierstanger Sara , Yu Jessica , Saphir Melissa , Soleimanpour Samira
Published: August 2024

Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) trains individuals who regularly interact with youth to identify youth experiencing mental health challenges. Several studies demonstrate positive training impacts, but few assess whether the training equally impacts participants of different demographic and professional backgrounds or those who participate in different training modalities. Using a pre-post follow-up design with a comparison group, this study examined changes in participants’ confidence in their ability to recognize and support youth mental health needs 1 to 2 months after training. Data were collected over two years (2021–2023) from training participants (n = 480) and comparable non-participants (n = 51). The authors examined whether changes in confidence varied by participant race/ethnicity, professional role in the education or mental health fields, and training modality (online versus hybrid). Training participants’ confidence in supporting youth mental health increased significantly compared to non-participants. Although the training was effective for all participants, those with less mental health experience benefited more, consistent with previous research. While both in-person and hybrid training were effective, in-person training participants reported slightly higher confidence scores than virtual at follow-up. Study findings suggest that educational and social service organizations should offer this training to their staff and community members who interact with youth, prioritizing participants with less prior mental health training and delivering training through an in-person training modality when possible. However, additional research is needed to explore how aspects of in-person training, such as trainer characteristics and group dynamics, impact outcomes.
Artificial Intelligence Based Methods for Retrofit Projects: A Review of Applications and Impacts
Authors: Bocaneala Nicoleta , Mayouf Mohammad , Vakaj Edlira , Shelbourn Mark
Published: August 2024

The Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) sector faces severe sustainability and efficiency challenges. In recent years, various initiatives have demonstrated how artificial intelligence can effectively address these challenges and improve sustainability and efficiency in the sector. In the context of retrofit projects, there is a continual rising interest in the deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques and applications, but the complex nature of such projects requires critical insight into data, processes, and applications so that value can be maximised. This study aims to review AI applications and techniques that have been used in the context of retrofit projects. A review of existing literature on the use of artificial intelligence in retrofit projects within the construction industry was carried out through a thematic analysis. The analysis revealed the potential advantages and difficulties associated with employing AI techniques in retrofit projects, and also identified the commonly utilised techniques, data sources, and processes involved. This study provides a pathway to realise the broad benefits of AI applications for retrofit projects. This study adds to the AI body of knowledge domain by synthesizing the state-of-the-art of AI applications for Retrofit and revealing future research opportunities in this field to enhance the sustainability and efficiency of the AEC sector.