bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Event‐triggered annular finite‐time H∞$$ {H}_{\infty } $$ filtering for discrete‐time mean‐field stochastic systems
Authors: Zhuang Jijing , Liu Xikui , Li Yan
Published: October 2023

This article presents a framework for annular finite‐time filtering problem for discrete‐time mean‐field stochastic systems with state‐ and disturbance‐dependent noise. Both static and dynamic event‐triggered mechanisms are introduced, which are related to two different thresholds and internal variables, respectively. Based on mean‐field theory and the Lyapunov functional method, two groups of sufficient conditions are derived to ensure the filtering error systems have annular finite‐time boundedness under an performance level. Then, the desired filter gains can be obtained by solving two convex optimization problems. Finally, two numerical examples are given to show the validity of the proposed results.
Towards eco‐systemic living: learning with Indigenous leaders in Africa and Indonesia through a community of practice: implications for climate change and pandemics
Authors: McIntyre‐Mills Janet J. , Lethole Patricia , Makaulule Mphathe , Wirawan Rudolf , Widianingsih Ida , Romm Norma
Published: October 2023

The paper reflects on the lessons from two case studies in order to discuss (1) how they address Ostrom's eight principles and (2) implications for social, economic and environmental challenges. The two case studies are of forest communities in Venda in South Africa and Ciptagelar, West Java, discussed in terms of their social, environmental and economic approaches. In both cases, the communities see themselves as related to nature; in the case of Venda, they express this as a totemic relationship and have been inspired to apply an ecological calendar that was taught to them during the time Mphatheleni Makaulule spent learning from Amazonian leaders. In the case of Ciptagelar, the nomadic way of life is based on a sense of being stewards who do not commodify rice, a sacred source of life, which is in turn dependent upon all the co‐existent creatures and ultimately the forest, which is their home. In both communities, the environment and people are priorities managed by observing the natural cycle. In both communities, an ecological calendar guides the planning and harvesting of crops. In Tshidzivhe Venda, a rigorous approach to crops, harvesting from the forest and re‐planting the forest, is observed, and the entire community act as caretakers and are required to ask permission before harvesting from the forest. In Ciptagelar, West Java, the chief reads the signs when it is time to move to another area and follows a careful approach to biodiversity ensuring that paddy is grown only for certain months so that other creatures can thrive in other months. The Balancing Individualism and Collectivism Special Integration Group has focused on learning by doing using an applied mixed methods approach. It is based on a community of practice spanning NGOs, community projects and university departments. It is supported by a small NRF fund, some funding from UNISA and in kind support from participants. We work together because of shared values and mutual respect.
Distribution of Large‐Size Inclusions in Transition Slabs for Automotive Exposed Panel Steel
Authors: Ren Miaomiao , Zhi Jianjun , Fan Zhengjie , Yang Jun , Wang Ruizhi , Chen Yanli , Yang Jian
Published: October 2023

In order to improve the quality of the transition slabs, the large‐size inclusions in 28 m‐long transition slabs are studied by large sample electrolysis and thermodynamic analysis. The results reveal that the length of transition slabs influenced by ladle exchange is 17 m, which is 4 m before the second steel ladle casting and 13 m after the casting. Large‐size inclusions in transition slabs can be divided into five kinds of Al2O3, Al2O3‐CaO, Al2O3‐CaO‐SiO2, Al2O3‐CaO‐MgO, and entrapment slag. The average contents of total inclusions, the inclusions in the range of 30–100 μm, those of 100–200 μm, and those larger than 200 μm in the transition slabs are 4.8, 19, 2.8, and 4.2 times higher than those in the normal slabs, respectively. For the large inclusions greater than 200 μm, the average contents of the Al2O3, Al2O3‐CaO‐SiO2 inclusions, and entrapment slags significantly increase in the transition slabs, being 9.4, 13.1, and 2.4 times higher than those in the normal slabs, respectively. The sources of Al2O3, Al2O3‐CaO‐SiO2 inclusions, and entrapment slags should be the secondary oxidation in tundish, entrapment of tundish flux, and entrapment of mold powders, respectively.
A Carbon‐Stabilized Austenitic Steel with Lower Hydrogen Embrittlement Susceptibility
Authors: Khanchandani Heena , Zeiler Stefan , Strobel Lucas , Göken Mathias , Felfer Peter
Published: October 2023

High‐strength steels are susceptible to H‐induced failure, which is typically caused by the presence of diffusible H in the microstructure. The diffusivity of H in austenitic steels with face‐centered cubic (fcc) crystal structure is slow. The austenitic steels are hence preferred for applications in the hydrogen‐containing atmospheres. However, the fcc structure of austenitic steels is often stabilized by the addition of Ni, Mn, or N, which are relatively expensive alloying elements to use. Austenite can kinetically also be stabilized using C. Herein, an approach is applied to a commercial cold work tool steel, where C is used to fully stabilize the fcc phase. This results in a microstructure consisting of only austenite and M7C3 carbide. An exposure to H by cathodic hydrogen charging exhibits no significant influence on the strength and ductility of the C‐stabilized austenitic steel. While this material is only a prototype based on an existing alloy of different purposes, it shows the potential for low‐cost H‐resistant steels based on C‐stabilized austenite.
The Effect of Cooling Rate on the Banded Structure of 20CrMnTi Gear Steel Based on C Diffusion and Partitioning Analysis
Authors: Zhao Yina , Chen Yinli , Yu Wei , Sun Jiquan
Published: October 2023

This study, through experimental analysis and numerical calculations, not only identifies the critical cooling rate for eliminating banded structures in 20CrMnTi gear steel but also analyzes the impact of cooling rate on banded structures, including the mechanisms related to element distribution and interface migration. The results indicate that the fundamental cause of banded structure formation is the presence of chemical segregation bands, and increasing the cooling rate leads to a reduction in the grade of ferrite/pearlite banded structures, with a critical cooling rate of 0.55 °C s−1. Bainite and martensite banded structures are observed in samples cooled at rates of 3 and 5.8 °C s−1, respectively. As the cooling rate increases from 0.07 to 1 °C s−1. The ferrite phase transformation time in the solute‐poor zone is shortened from 171 to 12 s within the ferrite phase transformation temperature difference (Δ) between the poor and rich solute zones. The concentration difference of carbon (C) on both sides of the α/γ phase interface increases from 0.350 mass% to 0.431 mass%, and the diffusion distance of C decreases from 34.38 to 7.57 μm. When the diffusion distance of C is less than half of the width of the solute‐rich banding (12.5 μm), the ferrite banded structure disappears.
Microstructural Evolution and Its Influence on Low‐Temperature Toughness of Simulated Heat‐Affected Zone in Super Duplex Stainless Steel Welded Joint
Authors: Zhang Zhiqiang , Chu Haoran , Zhang Tiangang , Xu Lianyong , Lu Xuecheng , Qu Sicheng , Liu Bo
Published: October 2023

The microstructures of heat‐affected zone (HAZ) during multipass welding procedure of super duplex stainless steel (DSS) are simulated by a thermomechanical simulator. The influences of ferritization, 1st‐reheating, and 2nd‐reheating process on the microstructural evolution and toughness of the HAZ are studied. The results show that the alternating bands of ferrite and austenite are transformed into coarse equiaxed ferrite and different types of primary austenite (γ1). The austenite content significantly decreases and a great number of Cr2N precipitate in the ferritized HAZ comparing with as‐received super DSS. In addition, the 1st‐reheating temperature has significant influence on microstructure of the ferritized HAZ. The austenite content increases but the precipitation tendency of Cr2N reduces with the raising of 1st‐reheating temperature. Secondary austenite (γ2) is prone to precipitate after the 1st‐reheating at 1000 °C. A combined precipitation behavior of γ2 and Cr2N is clarified during the reheating process. Furthermore, the 2nd‐reheating at 900 °C promotes Cr2N precipitation again as well as austenite formation. The toughness is mainly related with ductile austenite content, hard‐brittle Cr2N amount, and N supersaturation degree in the ferrite. In order to raise toughness of the ferritized HAZ, it is recommended to reheat at above 1200 °C.
Portable non‐enzymatic electrochemical biosensor based on caffeine for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis
Authors: Zhang Xindan , Wang Audrey , Wang Chaojie , Tang Xiaoying , Jiang Zhenqi , Qin Jieling
Published: October 2023

Caffeine and its derivatives can effectively bind amyloid beta 16–22 (Aβ16–22) fragment of amyloid beta 1–42 (Aβ1–42), a biomarker for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), by means of conformation selection, π–π stacking, van der Waals forces, and hydrogen bonding, so as to achieve high specificity and quantitative detection of Aβ1–42. In this study, 3‐mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), conductive polymer poly(thiophene‐3‐acetic acid) (PTAA), and pine‐like/Au pine PTAA (pine PTAA) were applied to modify the electrodes, and the non‐enzymatic caffeine was used as specific biorecognition element to study the analytical performance of the electrochemical sensor platform for Aβ1–42 oligomer (AβO). It was found that caffeine/pine PTAA‐based sensor with large surface area, high active sites, and excellent electrical conductivity demonstrated the widest linear range (10−8 to 100 nM) and highest sensitivity (743.77 Ω/log nM) in comparison. The prepared caffeine‐based sensor was afterward applied to cerebrospinal fluid and blood tests for real sample analysis, demonstrating its potential for practical use in detecting AβO at the attomolar level. Furthermore, the non‐enzymatic caffeine was constructed on the pine‐like PTAA‐modified screen‐printed electrodes for the rapid detection of AβO using portable meter.
Optimization of stabilized anaerobic landfill leachate treatment using ozonation with metallic compound using response surface methodology
Authors: Zakaria Siti Nor Farhana , Aziz Hamidi Abdul , Mohamad Maheera , Mohamad Habib Musa , Sulaiman Mohd Fauzy
Published: October 2023

Malaysia encounters a consistent rise in the generation of solid waste and leachate on a daily basis. It should also be noted that leachate has a low degree of biodegradability (BOD5/chemical oxygen demand [COD]), as shown by its BOD5/COD ratio. Its high toxicity levels significantly threaten the environment, water bodies, and human well‐being. High concentrations of COD, color, and ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3‐N) in leachate prevent this wastewater from being allowed to be discharged directly into the water body. Therefore, an effective process to remove the pollutant is desired. The aims of this study are to investigate the performance of ozonation with two metallic compounds, ZrCl4 and SnCl4, and optimize their performance using response surface methodology (RSM). In this study, the performance of ozonation with ZrCl4 (O3/ZrCl4) recorded better pollutant removals compared with the ozonation with tin tetrachloride (O3/SnCl4), as seen in the removals of 99.8%, 93.5%, and 46.3% for color, COD, and NH3‐N, respectively. These removals were achieved by following the experimental model (optimum experiment condition) generated by RSM at O3 dosage of 31 g/m3, COD and ZrCl4 dosage ratio (COD, mg/L/ZrCl4, mg/L) of 1:1.35, with the pH solution of 8.78 and reaction time of 89 min. The R2 of each parameter for this model was recorded as 0.999 (COD), 0.999 (color), and 0.998 (NH3‐N), respectively. These data indicated that the model is well fitted as the predicted data by statistical calculation and in good agreement with the actual data.

Practitioner Points

The performance of O3/ZrCl4 and O3/SnCl4 was examined for remediate stabilized landfill leachate.

The performance of O3/ZrCl4 and O3/SnCl4 was optimized using RSM, and a set of experimental models was generated and tested.

O3/ZrCl4 recorded the higher removal of COD, color, and NH3‐N compared with O3/SnCl4.

At best condition, both methods recorded removal as 89% to 99.8% of pollutants in leachate and product clear effluent.

This finding gives a new approach to treat landfill leachate effectively and efficiently.
Leadership education as democracy‐in‐action: In pursuit of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: LeBlanc Julie , Odegard Stine
Published: October 2023

With the world growing in complexity and interconnectedness, the demand for leaders equipped to solve compound problems will only increase. Higher education is called upon to develop leadership in students and needs to engage relevant tools and techniques to prepare students for the tasks ahead. Democratic engagement—from voter education and engagement to critical service learning—and leadership development are powerful vehicles for student development. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals are effective and compelling tools to support student learning in academic and cocurricular arenas as part of democratic engagement and leadership education and development. The authors will explore some of the implications and considerations in advancing these initiatives and using these means to advance our local and global communities.
Leadership and the regenerative economy ‐ Concepts, cases, and connections: Leveraging the Sustainable Development Goals to move toward sustainability leadership
Authors: Balda Janis Bragan , Stanberry Joanna , Altman Barbara
Published: October 2023

How leadership is taught and applied must take into account the complexities of socio‐ecological systems, the opportunities found in diverse viewpoints, the ability to parse conflict and power differences, and the ability to resource expert knowledge for more sustainable futures. We discuss and chart resources linked to leadership concepts critical to constructively harness business engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), identifying eight that are primary to active learning and application: systems resilience, strength through interdependence, scaling adaption, innovation for transformation, context and collectiveness, diversity of learning, negotiating power, and elevating the normative nature of the Global Goals.
From Romantic Advances to Cyberstalking in the Field
Authors: Dall’Agnola Jasmin
Published: October 2023

So far, the implications of sexual advances and cyberstalking on fieldworkers’ personal and professional lives have been rarely discussed in published form. While collecting data for my postdoctoral project in Central Asia, I experienced various forms of sexual harassment, ranging from unwelcomed sexual verbal and physical advances, whistling and catcalling to stalking both off- and online. In being honest and transparent about my personal experiences with unwanted sexual advances in the field, I neither wish to draw generalisations about Central Asian men, nor to discourage other female scholars from conducting fieldwork in the region. By contrast, I hope that my personal reflections will help other researchers mitigate and avoid similar situations.
Pitfalls and Promise for Public Opinion Research in Central Asia
Authors: Ysmanova Kasiet
Published: October 2023

The Central Asia Barometer (CAB) is one of the most active opinion polling institutions in Central Asia. It conducts large-scale surveys in all countries of Central Asia, including Turkmenistan. As the director of CAB, I coordinate the groups’ various research initiatives, ranging in methodology from phone polls to in-person interviews and focus groups with experts and the wider public. In discussing some of the challenges that my team and I face when collecting public opinion data, I seek to offer useful tips and recommendations for organisations and researchers that plan to conduct public opinion research in Central Asia.
‘Swiping Right’—The Ethics of Using Tinder as a Recruitment Tool in the Field
Authors: Sorbello Paolo
Published: October 2023

This article delves into the risks and pitfalls of using dating apps as participant recruitment tools in the field. To source people who worked in Kazakhstan’s oil industry for my Ph.D. research in 2018, I made use of various popular social media apps such as Facebook and LinkedIn as well as the dating app Tinder. In an effort to “normalise” heterodox recruiting methods, in this essay, I seek to openly discuss how Tinder helped me recruit women working in the oil sector who, under less informal circumstances, would not have agreed to talk to me for my research.
The Power of a Multi-layered Identity in Central Asian Research
Authors: Gafu Gulzhanat
Published: October 2023

Conducting research in the Central Asian context is complex due to the competing historical, cultural, and linguistic narratives of the past(s) and present(s). In this essay, I, as a female Kazakh scholar, discuss how various aspects of my multi-layered positionality (e.g., gender, social status, motherhood, and institutional affiliation) shape my research in/on Central Asia. While critically reflecting on my insider versus outsider position, I also touch on my positionality as a single mother of three underaged children and how this influences the way I experience fieldwork.
Navigating Academic Repression in Central Asia
Authors: Norov Ruslan
Published: October 2023

While much has been written about the risks facing foreign researchers conducting fieldwork under the “watchful eyes” of the local authorities in Central Asia, personal accounts by local scholars are less common. In this chapter, I reflect on attempts by the local organs to suppress and silence my voice, as well as to recruit me to spread government propaganda. While doing so, I examine the various state-led threats to academic freedom and researcher safety. I also discuss how these threats have affected my ability to conduct research and what others can do to avoid or manage them.
The Historian as Pedagogue: On Hayden White’s Practical Past
Authors: Low Remy Y. S.
Published: October 2023

With all the panic about how the contemporary political and media landscape is awash with ‘fake news’, and the attempted response to that through fastidious ‘fact checks’, the late Hayden White’s lifelong exhortation to consider history as stories crafted by historians using fragments of the past must surely seem untimely. In his final scholarly intervention, White doubles down on this line, urging historians to consider practical uses of the past beyond the cloistered confines of disciplinary History (with a big ‘H’). Drawing on my experiences as a teacher in higher education, I want to show how practical pasts are regularly constructed: we are always selecting from fragments, stringing together facts, amplifying dramatic scenes, and muting minutiae. In other words, given the constraints of time and space—not to mention attention spans and working memory—teaching obliges us to treat the past in a practical manner.
How We Use Social Theory: Common Threads and Concluding Thoughts
Authors: Bell Amani
Published: October 2023

In this concluding chapter, I draw together the central themes and ideas to emerge in how each contributor has put social theory to work to make sense of aspects of our endeavours in higher education. I noticed four common threads: (1) Theory is personal and contextual; (2) What theory does; (3) Grappling; and (4) The collective individual. These are expanded on in this chapter, followed by a brief discussion of topics you may wish to explore beyond the book and some final reflections.
The Decolonial Imperative—Text and Context: A Response to Amani Bell and Gulwanyang Moran
Authors: Towers Lorraine
Published: October 2023

Research is not innocent, Linda Tuhiwai Smith tell us (2013). As a critical form of knowledge production about Indigenous people, research has been forged in the body of imperialism and the practice of colonialism and must now be the object of decolonisation. The revealing responses to this work of two contemporary academics, one Indigenous (Gulwanyang Moran) and one non-Indigenous (Amani Bell), have elicited my reflections on the significance of this work being understood through our subjectivities and everyday lives amidst the broader socio-political context. This contemplation has drawn me to consider how this work was both produced out of and through dynamic contexts of Indigenous resistance and activism, weaving through lives, thoughts and experiences, of those within and outside of the academy. My particular position as a settler, non-Indigenous academic in Aboriginal Education at a time of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander challenge to the coloniality of research and education becomes the prism through which I explore the limits of my initial reading of the work and the ongoing imperative of decoloniality in the institutions of research and education.
Interplay among gravitational waves, dark matter and collider signals in the singlet scalar extended type-II seesaw model
Authors: Ghosh Purusottam , Ghosh Tathagata , Roy Subhojit
Published: October 2023

Abstract

We study the prospect of simultaneous explanation of tiny neutrino masses, dark matter (DM), and the observed baryon asymmetry of the Universe in a Z3-symmetric complex singlet scalar extended type-II seesaw model. The complex singlet scalar plays the role of DM. Analyzing the thermal history of the model, we identify the region of the parameter space that can generate a first-order electroweak phase transition (FOEWPT) in the early Universe, and the resulting stochastic gravitational waves (GW) can be detected at future space/ground-based GW experiments. First, we find that light triplet scalars do favor an FOEWPT. In our study, we choose the type-II seesaw part of the parameter space in such a way that light triplet scalars, especially the doubly charged ones, evade the strong bounds from their canonical searches at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). However, the relevant part of the parameter space, where FOEWPT can happen only due to strong SM doublet-triplet interactions, is in tension with the SM-like Higgs decay to a pair of photons, which has already excluded the bulk of this parameter space. On the other hand, the latest spin-independent DM direct detection constraints from XENON-1T and PANDA-4T eliminate a significant amount of parameter space relevant for the dark sector assisted FOEWPT scenarios, and it is only possible when the complex scalar DM is significantly underabundant. In short, we conclude from our analysis that the absence of new physics at the HL-LHC and/or various DM experiments in the near future will severely limit the prospects of detecting a stochastic GW at future GW experiments and will exclude the possibility of electroweak baryogenesis within this model.
Symmetries for the 4HDM: extensions of cyclic groups
Authors: Shao Jiazhen , Ivanov Igor P.
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Multi-Higgs models equipped with global symmetry groups, either exact or softly broken, offer a rich framework for constructions beyond the Standard Model and lead to remarkable phenomenological consequences. Knowing all the symmetry options within each class of models can guide its phenomenological exploration, as confirmed by the vast literature on the two- and three-Higgs-doublet models. Here, we begin a systematic study of finite non-abelian symmetry groups which can be imposed on the scalar sector of the four-Higgs-doublet model (4HDM) without leading to accidental symmetries. In this work, we derive the full list of such non-abelian groups available in the 4HDM that can be constructed as extensions of cyclic groups by their automorphism groups. This list is remarkably restricted but it contains cases which have not been previously studied. Since the methods we develop may prove useful for other classes of models, we present them in a pedagogical manner.
Simultaneous Approximation via Laplacians on the Unit Ball
Authors: Marriaga Misael E. , Pérez Teresa E. , Recarte Marlon J.
Published: October 2023

We study the orthogonal structure on the unit ball $$\textbf{B}^d$$

B
d

of $$\mathbb {R}^d$$

R

d

with respect to the Sobolev inner products $$\begin{aligned} \left\langle f,g\right\rangle _{\Delta } =\lambda \, \mathscr {L}(f,g) + \int _{\textbf{B}^d}{\Delta [(1-\Vert x\Vert ^2) f(x)] \, \Delta [(1-\Vert x\Vert ^2) g(x)]\,\textrm{d}x}, \end{aligned}$$

f
,
g

Δ

=
λ

L

(
f
,
g
)

+

∫

B
d

Δ
[
(
1

-

‖
x
‖

2

)
f

(
x
)

]

Δ
[
(
1

-

‖
x
‖

2

)
g

(
x
)

]

d
x

,

where $$\mathscr {L}(f,g) = \int _{\textbf{S}^{d-1}}f(\xi )\,g(\xi )\,\textrm{d}\sigma (\xi )$$

L

(
f
,
g
)

=

∫

S

d
-
1

f

(
ξ
)

g

(
ξ
)

d
σ

(
ξ
)

or $$\mathscr {L}(f,g) = f(0) g(0)$$

L
(
f
,
g
)
=
f
(
0
)
g
(
0
)

, $$\lambda >0$$

λ
>
0

, $$\sigma $$
σ
denotes the surface measure on the unit sphere $$\textbf{S}^{d-1}$$

S

d
-
1

, and $$\Delta $$
Δ
is the usual Laplacian operator. Our main contribution consists in the study of orthogonal polynomials associated with $$\langle \cdot , \cdot \rangle _{\Delta }$$

⟨
·
,
·
⟩

Δ

, giving their explicit expression in terms of the classical orthogonal polynomials on the unit ball, and proving that they satisfy a fourth-order partial differential equation, extending the well-known property for ball polynomials, since they satisfy a second-order PDE. We also study the approximation properties of the Fourier sums with respect to these orthogonal polynomials and, in particular, we estimate the error of simultaneous approximation of a function, its partial derivatives, and its Laplacian in the $$L^2(\textbf{B}^d)$$

L
2

(

B
d

)

space.
Silencing circSERPINE2 restrains mesenchymal stem cell senescence via the YBX3/PCNA/p21 axis
Authors: Chen Fenglei , Wang Shan , Zeng Chenying , Tang Su’an , Gu Huimin , Wang Ziming , Li Jinteng , Feng Pei , Zhang Yunhui , Wang Peng , Wu Yanfeng , Shen Huiyong
Published: October 2023

Increasing evidence indicates that circular RNAs (circRNAs) accumulate in aging tissues and nonproliferating cells due to their high stability. However, whether upregulation of circRNA expression mediates stem cell senescence and whether circRNAs can be targeted to alleviate aging-related disorders remain unclear. Here, RNA sequencing analysis of differentially expressed circRNAs in long-term-cultured mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) revealed that circSERPINE2 expression was significantly increased in late passages. CircSERPINE2 small interfering RNA delayed MSC senescence and rejuvenated MSCs, while circSERPINE2 overexpression had the opposite effect. RNA pulldown followed by mass spectrometry revealed an interaction between circSERPINE2 and YBX3. CircSERPINE2 increased the affinity of YBX3 for ZO-1 through the CCAUC motif, resulting in the sequestration of YBX3 in the cytoplasm, inhibiting the association of YBX3 with the PCNA promoter and eventually affecting p21 ubiquitin-mediated degradation. In addition, our results demonstrated that senescence-related downregulation of EIF4A3 gave rise to circSERPINE2. In vivo, intra-articular injection of si-circSerpine2 restrained native joint-resident MSC senescence and cartilage degeneration in mice with aging-related osteoarthritis. Taken together, our findings provide strong evidence for a regulatory role for the circSERPINE2/YBX3/PCNA/p21 axis in MSC senescence and the therapeutic potential of si-circSERPINE2 in alleviating aging-associated syndromes, such as osteoarthritis.
t-Structures with Grothendieck hearts via functor categories
Authors: Saorín Manuel , Št’ovíček Jan
Published: October 2023

We study when the heart of a t-structure in a triangulated category $$\mathcal {D}$$
D
with coproducts is AB5 or a Grothendieck category. If $$\mathcal {D}$$
D
satisfies Brown representability, a t-structure has an AB5 heart with an injective cogenerator and coproduct-preserving associated homological functor if, and only if, the coaisle has a pure-injective t-cogenerating object. If $$\mathcal {D}$$
D
is standard well generated, such a heart is automatically a Grothendieck category. For compactly generated t-structures (in any ambient triangulated category with coproducts), we prove that the heart is a locally finitely presented Grothendieck category. We use functor categories and the proofs rely on two main ingredients. Firstly, we express the heart of any t-structure in any triangulated category as a Serre quotient of the category of finitely presented additive functors for suitable choices of subcategories of the aisle or the co-aisle that we, respectively, call t-generating or t-cogenerating subcategories. Secondly, we study coproduct-preserving homological functors from $$\mathcal {D}$$
D
to complete AB5 abelian categories with injective cogenerators and classify them, up to a so-called computational equivalence, in terms of pure-injective objects in $$\mathcal {D}$$
D
. This allows us to show that any standard well generated triangulated category $$\mathcal {D}$$
D
possesses a universal such coproduct-preserving homological functor, to develop a purity theory and to prove that pure-injective objects always cogenerate t-structures in such triangulated categories.
Pointwise stabilization of Bresse systems
Authors: Muñoz Rivera Jaime E. , Naso Maria Grazia
Published: October 2023

Bresse system over the interval (0, L) with pointwise dissipation at $$\xi \in (0,{L})$$

ξ
∈
(
0
,
L
)

is analyzed. The exponential stability of the related semigroup is shown provided the dissipative points are of the form $$\xi \in \mathbb {Q}{L}$$

ξ
∈
Q
L

and $$\xi \ne \frac{n}{2m+1}L$$

ξ
≠

n

2
m
+
1

L

, where $$n,m\in \mathbb {N}$$

n
,
m
∈
N

and n, and $$2m+1$$

2
m
+
1

are co-prime.
A short remark on inviscid limit of the stochastic Navier–Stokes equations
Authors: Chaudhary Abhishek , Vallet Guy
Published: October 2023

In this article, we study the inviscid limit of the stochastic incompressible Navier–Stokes equations in three-dimensional space. We prove that a subsequence of weak martingale solutions of the stochastic incompressible Navier–Stokes equations converges strongly to a weak martingale solution of the stochastic incompressible Euler equations in the periodic domain under the well-accepted hypothesis, namely Kolmogorov hypothesis (K41).
Pandemic, sentiments over COVID-19, and EU convergence
Authors: Anastasiou Athanasios , Apergis Nicholas , Zervoyianni Athina
Published: October 2023

This study examines the convergence/divergence of people's sentiments over Covid-19 in European economies and investigates the role of the support policies that were implemented by governments and central banks. The analysis focuses on 26 EU countries plus the UK, using changes in human mobility to essential places as a proxy for pessimistic/optimistic sentiments. Based on a panel-clustering methodology and multinomial logistic regressions, the results suggest heterogeneous effects of Covid-19 on people’s behavior in Europe, which were not drastically reduced through fiscal- or monetary-policy interventions. Heterogeneous Covid-19 impacts are a matter of concern in the EU context, where harmonization is a primary target. Thus, given the need for harmonization, additional EU-wide support policies are necessary in the post-Covid-19 era in order to effectively address asymmetries across member economies and restore the convergence process.
Genetic Variants in WNT16 and PKD2L1 Locus Affect Heel Ultrasound Bone Stiffness: Analyses from the General Population and Patients Evaluated for Osteoporosis
Authors: Kragl Angelique , Hannemann Anke , Nauck Matthias , Völker Uwe , Siggelkow Heide , Teumer Alexander , Tzvetkov Mladen V.
Published: October 2023

Osteoporosis, a complex chronic disease with increasing prevalence, is characterised by reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and increased fracture risk. The high heritability of BMD suggests substantial impact of the individual genetic disposition on bone phenotypes and the development of osteoporosis. In the past years, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identified hundreds of genetic variants associated with BMD or osteoporosis. Here, we analysed 1103 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), previously identified as associated with estimated BMD (eBMD) in the UK Biobank. We assessed whether these SNPs are related to heel stiffness index obtained by quantitative ultrasound in 5665 adult participants of the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP). We confirmed 45 significant associations after correction for multiple testing. Next, we analysed six selected SNPs in 631 patients evaluated for osteoporosis [rs2707518 (CPED1/WNT16), rs3779381 (WNT16), rs115242848 (LOC101927709/EN1), rs10239787 (JAZF1), rs603424 (PKD2L1) and rs6968704 (JAZF1)]. Differences in minor allele frequencies (MAF) of rs2707518 and rs3779381 between SHIP participants (higher MAF) and patients evaluated for osteoporosis (lower MAF) indicated a protective effect of the minor allele on bone integrity. In contrast, differences in MAF of rs603424 indicated a harmful effect. Co-localisation analyses indicated that the rs603424 effect may be mediated viastearoyl-CoA desaturase(SCD) expression, an enzyme highly expressed in adipose tissue with a crucial role in lipogenesis. Taken together, our results support the role of the WNT16 pathway in the regulation of bone properties and indicate a novel causal role ofSCDexpression in adipose tissue on bone integrity.
Comparative analysis of robot-assisted and open approach for PSMA-radioguided surgery in recurrent prostate cancer
Authors: Ambrosini Francesca , Falkenbach Fabian , Budäus Lars , Steuber Thomas , Graefen Markus , Koehler Daniel , Knipper Sophie , Maurer Tobias
Published: October 2023

Purpose

To compare the oncological and surgical outcomes of patients with recurrent prostate cancer (PCa) who underwent either open or newly established robot-assisted salvage prostate-specific membrane antigen–radioguided surgery (PSMA-RGS).

Materials and methods

Patients who consecutively underwent PSMA-RGS for PCa recurrence between January 2021 and December 2022 were identified. The rate of complete biochemical response, biochemical recurrence-free survival [BFS], and the rate of salvage therapy were evaluated. Univariable and multivariable regression models tested the association between the surgical approach and surgical outcomes.

Results

Overall, 85 patients were selected, with 61 patients (72%) undergoing open PSMA-RGS and 24 patients (28%) receiving a robot-assisted approach. The oncological outcomes of the two groups were comparable (12-month BFS: 41% (Confidence interval (CI): 29–58%) vs. 39% (CI: 19–79%), p = 0.9, respectively). According to multivariable regression models, the robotic approach did not significantly influence estimated blood loss (EBL) (β = −40, 95% CI: −103, 22; p = 0.2) and significantly increased operative time (OT) (β = 28, 95% CI: 10, 46; p = 0.002). No Clavien-Dindo III–V complications were reported in the robotic group.

Conclusion

Both, the open as well as the robot-assisted approach for PSMA-RGS had comparable oncological outcomes. No safety concerns arose for the robotic-assisted approach offering a potentially improved quality of life for patients.
Current Endovascular Management of Arterial Complications After Pediatric Liver Transplantation in a Tertiary Center
Authors: Marra Paolo , Muglia Riccardo , Capodaglio Carlo Alberto , Dulcetta Ludovico , Carbone Francesco Saverio , Sansotta Naire , Pinelli Domenico , Celestino Antonio , Muscogiuri Giuseppe , Bonanomi Ezio , Fagiuoli Stefano , D’Antiga Lorenzo , Colledan Michele , Sironi Sandro
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Pediatric liver transplant surgery is burdened by arterial complications whose endovascular treatment is not standardized. We report the outcomes of a cohort of pediatric recipients with hepatic artery complications treated by endoluminal procedures.

Materials and Methods

From December 2019 to December 2022, consecutive transplanted pediatric patients who underwent endovascular treatment of hepatic artery complications were reviewed. The analysis included: type of complication (occlusion, stenosis, pseudoaneurysm); onset (acute =  < 15 days, subacute = 15–90 days, late =  > 90 days); endovascular technique (angioplasty, stenting); complications and outcomes. Technical success was defined as the opacification of the hepatic artery at the final angiogram with < 50% residual stenosis and no pseudoaneurysms. Clinical success was defined by graft’s and patient’s survival.

Results

Seventeen patients (8 males; median age 33 months, IQR 9–103) underwent 21 hepatic arteriography procedures for predominantly acute or subacute occlusions (n = 7) or stenosis (n = 11) with concurrent pseudoaneurysms (n = 4). Primary and secondary technical success was achieved in 13/18 and 3/3 procedures, respectively, with overall technical success of 76%. Angioplasty alone was successful in 5/21 procedures; stent-retriever thrombectomy was performed in one occlusion with thrombosis; stenting was required in 9/17 (53%) patients. Clinical success was obtained in 14/17 (82%) patients with hepatic artery patency after a median of 367 days (IQR 114.5–500). Clinical failure occurred in 3 permanent occlusions, with 2 deaths and 1 re-transplantation. Procedure-related complications included minor events in 3/17 (18%) patients and 1/17 (6%) death.

Conclusion

In liver transplanted children with hepatic artery complications, endovascular treatment may provide clinical success, with stenting often required in acute and subacute conditions.

Level of Evidence

Level 4.

Graphical Abstract
450-nm blue diode laser: a novel medical apparatus for upper tract urothelial lesions
Authors: Jiang Dali , Liu Guoxiong , Yang Bing , Niu Haoming , Fan Hengtong , Ren Zejun , Mu Liyue , Xu Xiaofeng , Qiao Ximin , Wu Kaijie , He Dalin
Published: October 2023

Objective

To explore the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of the 450-nm blue diode laser (BL), novel blue laser in the treatment of upper tract urothelial carcinomas (UTUCs) and other lesions in a porcine model.

Material and methods

For in vitro experiment, the ureter tissue was vaporised and coagulated with BL, green-light laser (GL) and Ho:YAG laser (Ho). The efficiency, width and depth of vaporisation, and depth of coagulation were recorded and compared. For in vivo experiments, four swines weighing 70 kg were used. In the acute group, different modes of operations were performed to evaluate the thermal damage, perforation and bleeding. In the chronic group, the overall appearance of the ureter and laser wound healing were observed by the naked eyes and H&E staining 3 weeks after surgery.

Results

In in vitro study, the BL showed a higher efficiency of tissue vaporisation and less tissue coagulation for fresh ureter compared to GL and Ho. In the in vivo study, the power of BL set at 7 W was better, and the thickness of thermal damage varied with different surgery types in the range of 74–306 μm. After 3 weeks, the wound healed well static in vaporisation (SV), moving vaporisation (MV) and H&E staining indicated mucosal healing rather than scar healing.

Conclusion

5–10W blue diode laser achieved a higher efficiency of tissue vaporisation and less tissue coagulation in a porcine model, indicating its potential application in the endoscopic surgery of UTUC as an optional device with high performance and safety.
Hysteroscopic diode laser myolysis: from a case series to literature review of incisionless myolysis techniques for managing heavy menstrual bleeding in premenopausal women
Authors: Vitale Salvatore Giovanni , Saponara Stefania , Sicilia Gilda , Klarić Marko , Sorrentino Felice , D’Alterio Maurizio Nicola , Nappi Luigi , Angioni Stefano
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This case series examined the safety and effectiveness of hysteroscopic myolysis using laser-induced interstitial thermo-therapy (LITT) for treating heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) in premenopausal women with FIGO type 1 or 2 uterine fibroids, not planning for future fertility. Additionally, a comprehensive review of innovative, minimally invasive, incisionless myolysis techniques was conducted.

Methods

Women with HMB, sonographically diagnosed with a single FIGO type 1 or 2 fibroid, underwent hysteroscopic myolysis using the Leonardo® diode laser. Effectiveness was assessed via transvaginal ultrasound measurement of myoma size, volume and vascularization pre and post-procedure. Moreover, we also evaluated any improvements in symptoms using the Pictorial Blood Loss Assessment Chart (PBAC score) scores.

Results

The procedure resulted in significant HMB reductions and noticeable fibroid size, volume, and vascularization decrease in all three patients, with no reported complications. The literature review revealed both advantages and limitations of the minimally invasive, incisionless myolysis techniques.

Conclusions

Hysteroscopic laser myolysis is a safe and effective therapeutic intervention for patients experiencing HMB, diagnosed with FIGO type 1 or 2 fibroids, and not planning for future fertility. The procedure resulted in significant reductions in menstrual blood loss and fibroid size. Despite the promising results, it is essential to note the limitations of this report, including its case series design, a small number of patients, and a short follow-up period. Further research is necessary to confirm these results.
VEGF-A-induced changes in distal outflow tract structure and function
Authors: Oltmann Jannis , Morell Mark , Dakroub Mohamad , Verma-Fuehring Raoul , Hillenkamp Jost , Loewen Nils
Published: October 2023

Purpose

To investigate changes in distal outflow tract vessels caused by VEGF-A and their impact on outflow.

Methods

We compared VEGF-A perfused porcine anterior segments with and without trabecular meshwork (TM) to control eyes. In the first experiment (n=48), we analyzed live changes of the outflow tract with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) over 3 h and reconstructed them in 3D. In a second experiment (n=32), we measured the intraocular pressure (IOP) variation in response to VEGF-A over 48 h and computed the outflow facility.

Results

VEGF-A increased the vessel volume of the distal outflow tract by 16.8±10.6% while control eyes remained unchanged (0.5±6.8%). Volume changes occurred within the first 100 min before plateauing at 140 min. VEGF-A enhanced the outflow facility in eyes without TM by 38.6±25.5% at 24 h as compared to controls (p<0.05).

Conclusion

VEGF-A dilated vessels of the distal outflow tract and increased the outflow facility even after TM removal, pointing to a regulatory mechanism independent of proximal structures.
Bone health in children with Angelman syndrome at the ENCORE Expertise Center
Authors: Bindels-de Heus Karen G. C. B. , Hagenaar Doesjka A. , Mous Sabine E. , Dekker Ilonka , van der Kaay Daniëlle C. M. , Kerkhof Gerthe F. , Elgersma Ype , Moll Henriette A. , de Wit Marie-Claire Y.
Published: October 2023

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare genetic disorder due to lack of UBE3A function on chromosome 15q11.2q13 caused by a deletion, uniparental paternal disomy (UPD), imprinting center disorder (ICD), or pathological variant of the UBE3A gene. AS is characterized by developmental delay, epilepsy, and lack of speech. Although fractures are observed frequently in our clinical practice, there are few studies on bone health in AS. The aim of this study is to investigate bone health in children with AS. In this prospective cohort study, we describe bone health in 91 children with AS visiting the ENCORE Expertise Center for AS between April 2010 and December 2021. Bone health was assessed with the bone health index (BHI) in standard deviation score (SDS) measured by digital radiogrammetry of the left hand using BoneXpert software. Risk factors analyzed were age, sex, genetic subtype, epilepsy, anti-seizure medication use, mobility, body mass index (BMI), and onset of puberty. Children with AS had a mean BHI of −1.77 SDS (SD 1.4). A significantly lower BHI was found in children with a deletion (−2.24 SDS) versus non-deletion (−1.02 SDS). Other factors associated with reduced BHI-SDS were inability to walk and late onset of puberty. Children with a history of one or more fractures (22%) had a significantly lower BHI than children without fractures (−2.60 vs −1.56 SDS). Longitudinal analysis showed a significant decrease in BHI-SDS with age in all genetic subtypes.

  Conclusions: Children with AS have a reduced bone health. Risk factors are deletion genotype, no independent walking, and late onset of puberty. Bone health decreased significantly with age.

What is Known:• Children with neurological disorders often have a low bone health and higher risk of fractures.• Little is known about bone health in children with Angelman syndrome (AS).

What is New:• Children with AS showed a reduced bone health and this was significantly associated with having a deletion, not being able to walk independently, and late onset of puberty.• Longitudinal analysis showed a significant decrease in bone health as children got older.
Endoscopic management of esophageal mucosal bridges in children with esophageal atresia
Authors: Antoine Matthieu , Krishnan Usha , Manfredi Michael , Cervinskiene Julija , Viala Jérôme , Brendel Julia , Tzivinikos Christos , Vanrenterghem Audrey , Dimitrov Georges , Hauser Bruno , Laverdure Noémie , Rohmer Barbara , Behal Hélène , Nicolas Audrey , Gottrand Frédéric
Published: October 2023

Background and study aims

Esophageal mucosal bridge (EMB) may be diagnosed at the anastomotic site in children operated on for esophageal atresia (EA) but so far only a few cases (n = 4) have been reported. This study aimed to characterize EMB in children with EA, risk factors, and treatment.

Patients and methods

This retrospective multicenter study recorded patient’s characteristics, EMB diagnosis circumstances, endoscopic management, follow-up, and EMB recurrence in children with EA aged less than 18 years, compared with paired EA patients without EMB.

Results

Thirty patients were included (60% male, 90% EA/tracheoesophageal fistula, 43% associated malformations). Compared to 44 paired controls, EMB was associated with a history of nasogastric tube feeding (31% vs. 9.1%, p = 0.02) and severe gastroesophageal reflux disease (history of fundoplication: 41.4% vs. 13.6%, p < 0.01). 77% had symptoms (food impaction and/or dysphagia). Endoscopic management was performed in 53% of patients (83% electrocoagulation) with no technical difficulties or complications. 80% of the symptomatic patients with EMB improved after endoscopic treatment, independently of anastomotic stricture dilatation or not.

Conclusion

EMB endoscopic management by electrocoagulation is safe and often leads to symptom improvement.