bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design and evaluation of collaborative decision‐making application for patient care in the emergency department
Authors: Shams‐Vahdati Neda , Shams Vahdati Samad , Samad‐Soltani Taha
Published: February 2024

Background and Aims

Collaboration has become a crucial element of effective healthcare delivery in the emergency department (ED). In high‐pressure environments, healthcare providers can prioritize patients by consulting with other specialists to gain diverse perspectives and arrive at a shared understanding of the best course of action. It was conducted for the purpose of designing and evaluating the collaborative decision‐making application for patient care in the ED.

Methods

The present applied research study was conducted between April 1, 2021 and May 31, 2023 at Imam Reza Hospital of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. The study was conducted in three phases: exploration, development, and evaluation, utilizing modern technologies such as Flutter and Node.js to design and program the application. The effectiveness of the system was evaluated using established measures, including the think‐aloud protocol, user experience questionnaire, and Likert‐scale questionnaires developed by Ghadri et al.

Results

The average scale for attractiveness was 2.03, perspicuity was 2.90, efficiency was 2.40, dependability was 1.93, stimulation was 2.48, and novelty was 2.78. Additionally, 71% of physicians gave a very good rating to the accessibility of necessary information at any time, motivation to use the system for accessing information, usefulness of the system compared to the time spent using it throughout the day. Furthermore, 57% of physicians gave a very positive rating to sharing information and knowledge, ease of using the search function and accessing the system, user control and monitoring, free access to the system, and support from colleagues and system users.

Conclusion

The study suggests that introducing Information and Communication Technology such as medical apps can improve healthcare delivery by streamlining patient care, promoting effective teamwork, and reducing medical errors and treatment delays.
Lethal disseminated intravascular coagulation induced by primary and metastatic neuroendocrine prostate cancer
Authors: Ando Takashi , Sasaki Taro , Naito Makoto
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Neuroendocrine prostate cancer has a poor prognosis. Although disseminated intravascular coagulation associated with malignancy can be lethal, it very rarely occurs among patients with primary neuroendocrine prostate cancer.

Case presentation

An 80‐year‐old man presented to our hospital with bloody sputum. Blood examination indicated disseminated intravascular coagulation. Serum levels of prostate‐specific antigen and neuron‐specific enolase were 44.274 and 176 ng/mL, respectively. Core needle biopsies of an irregular mass in the prostate and a metastatic tumor in the left iliac bone showed similar neuroendocrine carcinoma cells. Hence, the patient was diagnosed with disseminated intravascular coagulation associated with primary and metastatic neuroendocrine prostate cancer. Unfortunately, he passed away 3 weeks after the biopsies.

Conclusion

Given the difficulty of effectively treating metastatic neuroendocrine prostate cancer among patients in poor physical condition due to disease progression, identifying a new well‐tolerated treatment modality is imperative.
Black men's perceptions of mothers as primary support for wellness
Authors: Summers LaTonya M. , Robinson Michael , Montague Karlesia
Published: February 2024

Black men regard their mothers as the source of primary support and may benefit from having counselors incorporate their mothers into the counseling process. In this study, the researchers attempted to understand Black men's lived experiences and the impact of their mother's influence upon their wellbeing. Drawing on interviews with 10 Black men, the researchers excavated 5 themes related to development and wellness of Black men as clients. The researchers discussed the results with implications for counselors, along with current study's limitations.
JAM2 is a prognostic biomarker and inhibits proliferation, metastasis and epithelial–mesenchymal transition in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Dong Yanxin , Zhang Jiale , Xie Shun , Di Shouyin , Fan Boshi , Gong Taiqian
Published: February 2024

Background

Junctional adhesion molecule 2 (JAM2) plays a pivotal role in various biological processes, including proliferation, metastasis and angiogenesis, contributing to tumor progression. While previous studies have highlighted the polarizing functions of JAM2 in different cancer types, its specific role in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unclear.

Methods

In this study, we harnessed multiple public databases to analyze the expression and prognostic significance of JAM2 in LUAD. Using the Linkedomics database, Matescape database and R package, we explored the associated genes, the potential biological functions and the impact of JAM2 on the tumor microenvironment. Our findings from public databases were further validated using real‐time quantitative PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry. Additionally, in vitro experiments were conducted to assess the influence of JAM2 on LUAD cell proliferation, invasion, migration, apoptosis and epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Furthermore, we established a xenograft model to investigate the in vivo effects of JAM2 on tumorigenesis.

Results

Our results revealed a significant downregulation of JAM2 in LUAD, and patients with low JAM2 expression exhibited unfavorable overall survival outcomes. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that JAM2 may be associated with processes such as cell adhesion, extracellular matrix, cell junctions and regulation of proliferation. Notably, increased JAM2 expression correlated with higher tumor microenvironment scores and reduced immune cell abundance. Furthermore, overexpression of JAM2 induced apoptosis, suppressed tumor proliferation and exhibited potential inhibitory effects on tumor invasion and migration through the modulation of epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Additionally, in vivo experiments confirmed that JAM2 overexpression led to a reduction in tumor growth.

Conclusion

Overall, our study highlights the clinical significance of low JAM2 expression as a predictor of poor prognosis in LUAD patients. Moreover, JAM2 was found to exert inhibitory effects on various aspects of tumor progression. Consequently, JAM2 emerges as a promising prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for LUAD patients.
Regioselective synthesis of (Z)‐5‐methylene‐containing morpholin‐2‐ones
Authors: Camargo Adriano F. , Pereira Genilson S. , Mittersteiner Mateus , Marangoni Mário A. , Moraes Paulo A. , Bonacorso Helio G. , Martins Marcos A. P. , Zanatta Nilo
Published: February 2024

An efficient, one‐pot, protecting‐group‐free, and regioselective protocol to obtain enantiomerically pure (Z)‐5‐methylene‐containing morpholin‐2‐ones, using α‐amino acids and 5‐bromo‐4‐methoxy enones as selective starting materials, is reported. The reaction was fully selective in providing the (Z)‐regioisomer in all cases, regardless of the α‐amino acid used; however, when a secondary amino group was used, only the (E)‐isomer was observed. The synthesized compounds were obtained at yields of up to 92%, and their structure was unambiguously assigned by x‐ray and 2D‐NMR experiments.
Comparative costs and potential affordability of a multifaceted intervention to improve treatment outcomes among people with HIV who inject drugs in Russia: economic evaluation of the LINC‐II randomized controlled trial
Authors: Rosen Sydney , Blokhina Elena , Truong Ve , Bereznicka Agata , Gnatienko Natalia , Quinn Emily , Lioznov Dmitry , Krupitsky Evgeny , Michals Amy , Lunze Karsten , Samet Jeffrey H.
Published: February 2024

Introduction

The LINC‐II randomized controlled trial in St. Petersburg, Russia for HIV‐positive adults who inject drugs found that a multi‐component intervention including initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) during admission to an addiction hospital, strengths‐based case management and naltrexone significantly increased 12‐month HIV viral suppression and ART retention. We conducted a comparative cost analysis to determine if the 12‐month cost of the intervention is affordable within the current Russian health system.

Methods

We used LINC‐II trial records and questionnaire responses to calculate the resources utilized by each participant in the study, including inpatient days, medications, laboratory tests, outpatient consultations, case manager interactions and opioid medication treatment. Quantities of resources utilized were multiplied by unit costs for each resource estimated from the service fee or price lists used by the study facilities for each specific service delivered. We report the average cost/study primary (viral suppression at 12 months) or secondary (retention in care at 12 months) outcome/participant in 2021 USD and compare costs between study arms.

Results

The trial enrolled 225 participants (111 intervention, 114 control) between September 2018 and December 2020. Viral suppression, non‐suppression and missing suppression results were 28% and 14%, 49% and 37%, and 31% and 41% for the control and intervention arms, respectively. Retention results were 35% and 51% for the control and intervention arms, respectively. The average cost per study participant was $2714 in the control arm and $4342 in the intervention arm. The average cost per participant virally suppressed at 12 months was $3662 (control) and $6355 (intervention). The average cost per participant retained at 12 months was $4050 (control) and $5448 (intervention). For those retained, the cost difference between the arms was comprised of opioid treatment (35%), case management (31%), outpatient visits (18%) and additional days of ART (12%).

Conclusions

The LINC‐II intervention increased the cost of care for HIV‐positive people who inject drugs in Russia significantly, but some components of the intervention, particularly earlier initiation of ART and case management, may be justifiable due to their success in reaching a challenging subgroup of the population in need.

Clinical Trial Number

NCT03290391
The hidden costs of austerity for social programmes in the Global South: Qualitative insights from two complementary services in Ghana's Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty Programme
Authors: Mohammed Abdul‐Rahim
Published: February 2024

Promoted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in particular, fiscal austerity measures have been extensively implemented across the world in the last decade as a policy prescription to address the impacts of economic shocks. Consequently, the implementation of austerity has engendered a vast body of austerity impact assessment literature in the Global North, in particular. Although austerity measures have been equally implemented (and longer) in Global South contexts, the same level of intellectual curiosity has not been dedicated to understanding the human and social costs of austerity in the Global South. To help fill this gap, this paper examines the implications of fiscal austerity for the delivery of two complementary programmes linked to Ghana's conditional cash transfer (CCT) — the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme. The paper adopts a qualitative design where semi‐structured interviews are conducted with (a) two LEAP officers, (b) two headteachers and (c) 35 LEAP beneficiaries in northern Ghana. The findings show that within the current context of fiscal austerity, mainly mediated through the government's commitment to “cut expenditures to the bone”, the two complementary services have been unfunded and thus do not exist in practice. The non‐existence of complementary services has dire consequences for children's education as well as undermines Ghana's poverty reduction attempts through the implementation of the LEAP programme.
Simultaneous determination of selected ionophoric coccidiostats and amino acids in feed premixes using high‐performance liquid chromatography‐ultraviolet detection method
Authors: Zayed Sahar , Belal Fathalla , Barghash Sona , Fouad Fatma
Published: February 2024

The combination of ionophoric coccidiostats and amino acids (AAs) is important in poultry feeding to enhance immunity and improve the growth and feed efficiency of birds suffering from coccidiosis. A simple, rapid, and economical high‐performance liquid chromatography‐ultraviolet detection (HPLC‐UV) method for the simultaneous determination of three ionophoric coccidiostats, namely salinomycin (SAL), maduramicin (MAD), and monensin (MON) in addition to three AAs; L‐tryptophan (L‐TRP), alpha‐ketoleucin (KLEU), and L‐valine (L‐VAL) in feed premixes was developed and validated. Chromatographic separation was achieved in less than 12 min using a phenyl hexyl column with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile/methanol/water (25:20:55, v/v/v) adjusted to pH 3 using phosphoric acid. Isocratic elution was performed at a flow rate of 1 mL/min with UV detection at 210 nm. The method showed good linearity in the ranges 0.50–5.0 mg/mL for MON, 0.20–2.0 mg/mL for MAD and SAL, 10.0–100.0 μg/mL for L‐TRP and KLEU, and 50.0–500.0 μg/mL for VAL. The developed method was successfully applied to determine the studied analytes in feed premixes with good recoveries and precision. The good validation criteria of the proposed method allow its utilization in quality control laboratories.
Surface molecularly imprinted polymers based on magnetic multi‐walled carbon nanotubes for the highly selective purification of resveratrol from crude extracts of Vitis vinifera, Arachis hypogaea, and Polygonum cuspidatum
Authors: Cao Run‐Ze , Gai Qing‐Yan , Jiao Jiao , Wang Yuan , Fu Yu‐Jie , Nie Si‐Ming , Lu Yao
Published: February 2024

In this work, surface molecularly imprinted polymers based on magnetic multi‐walled carbon nanotubes were prepared for the specific recognition and adsorption of resveratrol. The functionalization of magnetic multi‐walled carbon nanotubes and the synthesis process of surface molecularly imprinted polymers were optimized. Characterizations were performed to demonstrate the successful synthesis of the imprinted materials. The imprinted materials showed satisfactory adsorption capacity of resveratrol (45.73 ± 1.72 mg/g) and excellent selectivity (imprinting factor 2.89 ± 0.15). In addition, the imprinted materials were used as adsorbents in molecularly imprinted solid‐phase extraction for the purification of resveratrol from crude extracts of some food and medicinal resources, achieving recoveries of 93.69%−95.53% with high purities of 88.37%−92.33%. Moreover, the purified products exhibited extremely strong free radical scavenging activity compared with crude extracts. Overall, this work provided a promising approach for the highly selective purification of resveratrol from natural resources, which would contribute to the application of this valuable compound in the food/nutraceutical fields.
Indigenous knowledge and species assessment for the Alexander Archipelago wolf: successes, challenges, and lessons learned
Authors: Brooks Jeffrey J. , Markegard Sarah I. , Langdon Stephen J. , Anderstrom Devlin Shaag̱aw Éesh , Douville Michael Gitwaayne , George Thomas A. , Jackson Michael Kauish , Jackson Scott Gus'tú , Mills Thomas Ḵaachkutí , Ramos Judith Dax̠ootsú , Rowan Jon Yaanasgít , Sanderson Tony , Smythe Chuck
Published: February 2024

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska, USA, conducted a species status assessment for a petition to list the Alexander Archipelago wolf (Canis lupus ligoni) under the Endangered Species Act in 2020‐2022. This federal undertaking could not be adequately prepared without including the knowledge of Indigenous People who have a deep cultural connection with the subspecies. Our objective is to communicate the authoritative expertise and voice of the Indigenous People who partnered on the project by demonstrating how their knowledge contributed to the species status assessment. The Indigenous knowledge applied in the assessment is the cultural and intellectual property of those who have shared it. We employed rapid appraisal research to expeditiously develop a preliminary and qualitative understanding of Indigenous People's cultural and ecological knowledge of Alexander Archipelago wolves. We used semi‐directed interviewing and inductive coding from grounded theory for text analysis. Indigenous knowledge contributed to the agency's understanding of the Alexander Archipelago wolf in Southeast Alaska and helped the agency with their classification decision. Indigenous research partners explained the rich cultural significance and position of wolves in Tlingit society and described human–wolf relationships and ecological interactions. The agency used a single‐species assessment approach based in species ecology and conservation biology, whereas the Indigenous wolf experts applied a multi‐species, community ecology approach based in a sociocultural context of balance and respect. The Indigenous wolf experts successfully addressed knowledge gaps identified by the agency. The partners were challenged by a short regulatory timeframe that did not allow for comprehensive study of Indigenous knowledge and constrained review and feedback by Indigenous experts. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service learned that its assessment framework was not designed to account for an Indigenous worldview. To level the playing field, the agency and Indigenous experts should discuss how to co‐develop an assessment framework that equitably applies both perspectives.
Salinity as a key factor affecting viral activity and life strategies in alpine lakes
Authors: Zang Lin , Liu Yongqin , Jiao Nianzhi , Zhong Kevin Xu , Song Xuanying , Yang Yunlan , Cai Lanlan , Liu Keshao , Mao Guannan , Ji Mukan , Zhang Rui
Published: February 2024

Viruses are major players in the biosphere, yet little is known about their dynamics and life strategies in alpine lakes, particularly those on the Tibetan Plateau. We investigated microbial abundance, viral dynamics, and viral life strategies in 10 high‐altitude Tibetan lakes and found that they harbor high levels of active viruses. Salinity was identified as a crucial factor influencing viral abundance, dynamics, as well as viral life strategies. Lytic and lysogenic viral productions in moderate‐ and high‐salinity lakes were significantly higher than those in freshwater lakes. A trade‐off between viral life strategies resulted in a switch from lysis to lysogeny in high‐salinity lakes. Virus‐mediated cell lysis and virus decay in sampled Tibetan lakes could release about 162.72 and 2.84 μg C L−1 d−1, respectively. These findings revealed the crucial role of viruses in the carbon cycle of Tibetan lakes, and a switch in viral life strategies may impact their contribution to the carbon cycle. The potential impact of salinity changes triggered by climate change on the carbon cycle in alpine lakes worldwide is highlighted.
Powders to Thin Films: Advances in Conjugated Microporous Polymer Chemical Sensors
Authors: Rajput Saurabh Kumar , Mothika Venkata Suresh
Published: February 2024

Chemical sensing of harmful species released either from natural or anthropogenic activities is critical to ensuring human safety and health. Over the last decade, conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) have been proven to be potential sensor materials with the possibility of realizing sensing devices for practical applications. CMPs found to be unique among other porous materials such as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) due to their high chemical/thermal stability, high surface area, microporosity, efficient host–guest interactions with the analyte, efficient exciton migration along the π‐conjugated chains, and tailorable structure to target specific analytes. Several CMP‐based optical, electrochemical, colorimetric, and ratiometric sensors with excellent selectivity and sensing performance were reported. This review comprehensively discusses the advances in CMP chemical sensors (powders and thin films) in the detection of nitroaromatic explosives, chemical warfare agents, anions, metal ions, biomolecules, iodine, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with simultaneous delineation of design strategy principles guiding the selectivity and sensitivity of CMP. Preceding this, various photophysical mechanisms responsible for chemical sensing are discussed in detail for convenience. Finally, future challenges to be addressed in the field of CMP chemical sensors are discussed.
Preparation and characterization of carboxymethyl cellulose/polyethylene glycol films containing bromelain/curcumin: In vitro evaluation of wound healing activity
Authors: Mojahedi Maryam , Zargar Kharazi Anousheh , Poorazizi Elahe
Published: February 2024

In this study, a wound‐healing membrane was fabricated based on carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) containing curcumin (Cur) and bromelain (Br). Citric acid (CA) was used as a cross‐linking agent. This membrane showed an ideal degree of swelling, which was significantly dependent on the concentration and duration of cross‐linked CA. The chemical characterization showed the CA cross‐linker mechanism was more associated with chemical reactions with CMC carboxyl groups, and PEG hydroxyl groups played an important role in forming a hybrid polymer network. It greatly enhanced mechanical and adhesive properties, so the stress strength was improved from 29.4 to 38.52 Mpa. The hydrophilicity of the membrane surface according to the water contact angle assay showed the membrane surface is suitable for adhesion, growth, migration, and proliferation of skin cells. The drug delivery assay demonstrated that the Br and Cur were released during 48 h, but the Br followed the burst release in comparison with Cur. Antibacterial properties showed that CMC/PEG‐Cur/Br have ideal antibacterial properties for preventing the growth of bacteria. In summary, the engineered CMC/PEG containing Cur/Br films with desired cell viability properties and antibacterial activity can potentially improve and accelerate skin regeneration for chronic wound healing.

Highlights

Hydrogel film was prepared based on carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and citric acid as cross‐linking agent.

CMC/PEG film were induced controlling curcumin (Cur) and bromelain (Br) release for wound healing process.

CMC/PEG film revealed a wide range of physiochemical, mechanical, adhesion, and biological properties behavior.

Incorporation of Cur and Br promoted in vitro biocompatibility, L‐929 cells attachments, and cell migration.
Azobenzene‐containing liquid crystalline poly(methacrylates) with different spacer length as media for holographic grating recording
Authors: Bugakov Miron , Shibaev Valery , Boiko Natalia
Published: February 2024

Liquid crystalline (LC) poly(methacrylates) with azobenzene moieties in their side chains have been synthesized and their chemical structure has been confirmed with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography. Azobenzene moieties are linked to polymer backbone via an alkyl spacer with length from 2 to 10 methylene units. Photooptical processes in thin amorphized polymer films are examined through measurements of optical anisotropy and holographic grating recording. Birefringence values induced with a linearly polarized green (532 nm) laser beam has strongly depended from the spacer length. Irradiation with two circularly polarized green laser beams leads to the formation of polarization and surface relief gratings, which have been visualized with polarized optical and atomic force microscopy, respectively. Diffraction efficiency of the recorded gratings is in correlation with the spacer length, namely, the shorter the spacer, the higher diffraction efficiency can be achieved. For polymers with short spacers polarization gratings can be easily erased by circularly polarized light, but only partial erasing of surface relief gratings is observed. The results presented offer the possibility of tailoring the chemical structure of azobenzene‐containing polymers for designing high‐efficiency media for the holographic recording.
A hybrid reversible crosslinked polysiloxane elastomer with high toughness and recyclability
Authors: Wang Fang , Zhang Chengshu , Han Yangjiao , Yi Gang , Mao Zhengnan , Li Juan , Li Zhongcheng , Wang Wenpin
Published: February 2024

The preparation of polysiloxane elastomers with outstanding mechanical properties, self‐healing capabilities, and high recyclability remains a formidable challenge despite their promising application prospects in flexible electronic devices. Herein, the polysiloxane elastomer is fortified with a hybrid reversible crosslinked network, incorporating Diels‐Alder (D‐A) and disulfide bonds for chemical crosslinking, as well as multiple hydrogen bonds for physical crosslinking, to effectively address this challenge. The presence of D‐A covalent bonds not only enhances the stability of the polymer network but also facilitates the reconstruction of dynamic disulfide and hydrogen bonds as sacrificial bonds for dissipating energy. This design further enhances the toughness of the obtained elastomer while simultaneously providing self‐healing capabilities and recyclability. Specially, relying on the hybrid reversible crosslinked network, the resulting polysiloxane elastomer PDMS3‐IPDI4‐SS‐F‐M demonstrates exceptional mechanical performance, boasting a toughness of 13.6 MJ/m3. Moreover, it exhibits commendable self‐healing ability with a self‐healing efficiency of 92% at 65°C for 24 h, as well as high thermal stability and recyclability without necessitating chemical treatment for polymer chain decomposition. The elastomer exhibits promising prospects for application in sustainable flexible support materials.
High‐Speed GaN‐Based 405 nm Violet Superluminescent Diode with Tilted Facet for Visible Light Communications
Authors: Dong Mengxi , Yi Shulan , Wang Junfei , Ma Chicheng , Li Dong , Wang Shanshan , Hou Yuqi , Li Ziwei , Zhang Junwen , Shi Jianyang , Chi Nan , Shen Chao
Published: February 2024

Visible light communication (VLC) based on superluminescent diode (SLD) is a promising technology with great potential for future 6G optical wireless network. In this work, a 405 nm violet SLD device is fabricated with an 8° tilted facet at one end of the waveguide based on InGaN/GaN quantum wells. The device has an optical power of 14.67 mW under continuous‐wave operation. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the SLD at 400 mA is 12.52 nm, which is significantly larger than that in a violet laser diode (LD). Using the SLD as transmitter in VLC system, a high data transmission rate of 3.299 Gbps has been achieved using the discrete multiple tone (DMT) modulation. The corresponding bit error ratio (BER) is measured to be 1.67 × 10−3, which satisfies the forward error correction (FEC) threshold of 3.8 × 10−3. The results suggest that such device can be used as a promising light source for VLC and light fidelity (LiFi) applications.
Bi‐Directional H‐Bonding Modulated Soft/Hard Polyethylene Glycol‐Polyaniline Coated Si‐Anode for High‐Performance Li‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Wang Kun , Li Han , Chen Xi , Wan Zhengwei , Wu Tong , Ahmad Waqar , Qian Dan , Wang Xiangxiang , Gao Jianhong , Khan Rashid , Ling Min , Yu Dongxu , Chen Jun , Liang Chengdu
Published: February 2024

Ultrahigh‐capacity silicon (Si) anodes are essential for the escalating energy demands driven by the booming e‐transportation and energy storage field. However, their practical applications are strictly hampered by their intrinsically low electroconductivity, sluggish Li‐ion diffusion, and undesirably large volume change. Herein, a high‐performance Si anode, comprised of a modulated soft/hard coating of polyethylene glycol (PEG) (as Li‐ion conductor) and polyaniline (PANI) (as electron conductor) on the surface of Si nanoparticles (NPs) through H‐bonding network, is introduced. In this design, the abundant ─OH groups of soft PEG allow it to uniformly cover Si NPs while the hard PANI binds to PEG through its ─N─H group, thus constructing a tight connectin between Si and PEG‐PANI (PP). Consequently, the elastic PP allows Si@PP to accommodate the huge volume expansion while possessing fine electronic/ionic conductivity. Therefore, the Si@PP anode exhibits a high initial Coulombic efficiency of 90.5% and a stable capacity of 1871 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at 1 A g−1 with a retention of 85.7%. Additionally, the Si@PP anode also demonstrates a high areal capacity of 3.01 mAh cm−2 after 100 cycles at 0.5 A g−1. This work reveals a scalable interface design of multi‐layer multifunctional coatings for high‐performance electrode materials in next‐generation Li‐ion batteries.
Lingual extramedullary plasmacytoma in a 9‐year‐old American Pitbull terrier
Authors: Parsons Kelsi A. , Lumbrezer‐Johnson Sarah , Hostnik Eric T. , Premanandan Christopher , Selmic Laura E.
Published: February 2024

A 9‐year‐old, female, spayed American Pitbull terrier presented for a month‐long history of lethargy, inappetence, altered breathing and unusual tongue movement. Severe anaemia was noted on bloodwork. Oral exam revealed an exophytic, pale, tan mass at the tongue base. A computed tomography scan was performed, followed by surgical removal of the mass. Histopathology confirmed the mass as an extramedullary plasmacytoma. Within 24 hours of removal, the clinical signs and anaemia were improving, and the dog was released from hospital. On follow‐up 2 weeks postoperatively, the dog's bloodwork was all within normal parameters, the anaemia was completely resolved, and the dog was doing well at home. After 692 days of successful removal of the tumour, the owner reports the dog is doing well at home.
Disentangling slope‐scale spatial variability of saturated hydraulic conductivity in the black soil region of northeast China using noise‐assisted multivariate empirical mode decomposition
Authors: Yang Yang , Peng Tingting , Zhang Hui , Wendroth Ole , Jin Zixin , Chen Xinyi , Liu Yingna
Published: February 2024

Reliable estimates of saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) are usually difficult to obtain, as Ks is regulated by a variety of soil processes acting at different spatial scales that may obscure each other's impacts. We hypothesized that these scale‐specific relationships could be well characterized with the aid of the noise‐assisted multivariate empirical mode decomposition (NA‐MEMD), thereby serving as a solid foundation for an accurate Ks prediction. The objective was to evaluate whether the incorporation of NA‐MEMD could improve the estimation of Ks based on the multiscale associations it unraveled. On a typical slope transect of 860 m in the black soil region of northeast China, Ks, mollic epipedon thickness, bulk density, soil organic carbon content, total (ϕ) and effective porosities (ϕe), and particle size distribution were investigated at every 20 m. Prior to NA‐MEMD, Ks was most strongly correlated with ϕe, and the linear regression models based on ϕe solely were satisfactory for Ks estimation at the scale of investigation. Adding other predictors significantly improved Ks prediction in calibration, but impaired it in validation. Upon decomposition by NA‐MEMD, Ks was found to be significantly associated with each attribute at two scales of oscillation at least. Summing up the estimates of each Ks component derived from the properties at the equivalent oscillation scales, the results outperformed the traditional multiple linear regressions made at the investigation scale, when the same sets of predictors were used. The application of NA‐MEMD, moreover, could save the tedious measurements of ϕe and ϕ. Excluding these two porosity‐related properties, Ks estimates obtained by incorporating NA‐MEMD were statistically similar or even better than those involving them before NA‐MEMD. These findings demonstrate the great potential of NA‐MEMD in untangling scale‐dependent relationships of Ks with various processes and hold important implications for future estimations of Ks and other hydraulic properties in the black soil region of northeast China and similar regions.
Managing forced migration: Overt and covert policies to limit the influx of Ukrainian refugees
Authors: Grosman Alex M. , Raadschelders Jos C. N.
Published: February 2024

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has resulted in massive refugee migration. In this article we consider how the European Union (EU) and the United States have so far managed this influx of people. For reasons explained in the article, the EU is more focused on humanitarian aid, while the United States is especially engaged through military aid. The EU and the United States have historically employed both overt and covert means of limiting refugee migration, and this has been especially the case with migrants of color. Ukrainian refugees have no problem entering EU countries and receiving help (work permits, housing, etc.), while the United States uses various ways that make entry into the United States fairly complicated and thus contain Ukrainian migration (e.g., difficulty filling out applications, finding a sponsor in the United States).
Extended commentary—Keeping the republic: A vision for America
Authors: Brunello Anthony R.
Published: February 2024

The United States is enduring an identity crisis characterized by a polarized political climate precipitating an American culture war. In this battle the Republican Party has been overtaken by “Anti‐wokeism” allied with antidemocratic “states' rights” beliefs claiming an exclusive, antipluralist definition of republic. The extremist right in America insists that America is not a democracy, but a “republic” built to respect the status of a minority characterized as white, nationalist and Christian. “Anti‐wokeism” is an extension of Trumpism and MAGA (Make America Great Again), gathering together antidemocratic forces, fueled by resentment and theories of racial displacement known as the Great Replacement Theory. These forces are overwhelming the modern Republican Party, inspiring homophobia, misogyny, racism, book bans, and violence. This essay addresses the following four elements of this crisis with an eye to a renewed vision of America: (1) the difference between an 18th Century and 21st Century definition of a republic; (2) the antidemocratic states' rights movement; (3) the nature of strongman populism in American politics; and (4) a vision of diversity as the core principle of the American Republic.
Nanomedicine against biofilm infections: A roadmap of challenges and limitations
Authors: Blanco‐Cabra Núria , Alcàcer‐Almansa Júlia , Admella Joana , Arévalo‐Jaimes Betsy Verónica , Torrents Eduard
Published: February 2024

Microbial biofilms are complex three‐dimensional structures where sessile microbes are embedded in a polymeric extracellular matrix. Their resistance toward the host immune system as well as to a diverse range of antimicrobial treatments poses a serious health and development threat, being in the top 10 global public health threats declared by the World Health Organization. In an effort to combat biofilm‐related microbial infections, several strategies have been developed to independently eliminate biofilms or to complement conventional antibiotic therapies. However, their limitations leave room for other treatment alternatives, where the application of nanotechnology to biofilm eradication has gained significant relevance in recent years. Their small size, penetration efficiency, and the design flexibility that they present makes them a promising alternative for biofilm infection treatment, although they also present set‐backs. This review aims to describe the main possibilities and limitations of nanomedicine against biofilms, while covering the main aspects of biofilm formation and study, and the current therapies for biofilm treatment.

This article is categorized under:

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Infectious Disease

Toxicology and Regulatory Issues in Nanomedicine > Toxicology of Nanomaterials

Toxicology and Regulatory Issues in Nanomedicine > Regulatory and Policy Issues in Nanomedicine
Christoph Scheiner’s The Eye, that is, The Foundation of Optics (1619): The Role of Contrived Experience at the Intersection of Psychology and Mathematics
Authors: Baker Tawrin
Published: February 2024

Accounts of the development of experimental methods (including controls, broadly understood) in the seventeenth century have tended to overlook Aristotelians. Until recently the consensus was that, because of the art-nature distinction and a focus on final causes, Aristotelianism had significant issues incorporating experiments and contrived experiences into the natural sciences, including “middle” sciences such as optics.

I argue that this picture relies, in part, on misreading Aristotle’sPosterior Analyticsas a treatise on epistemology. In particular, book 2 chapter 19 has been seen as an account of how Aristotle justified grasping the principles of a science based on so-called “common sense” experience. Recent Aristotle scholars have challenged this, instead arguing that this notorious chapter on “Aristotelian induction” is, instead, just a general psychological description of how sensation leads to memory, from memory to experience, and from there to the grasping the universal first principles of either an art or a science. The epistemic justification for those principles, for any particular art or science, is rather more complex and domain-specific.

What, then, did early modern Aristotelians in fact present as an account of how to actually grasp the first principles of any particular science? This contribution examines the Jesuit polymath Christoph Scheiner’s 1619 work,The Eye, that is, The Foundation of Optics, in which he argues for the revolutionary position that the retina, not the crystalline lens, is the seat of visual sensation. Scheiner relies on first-hand anatomy, contrived experiences, and experiments to establish at the axioms of optics, but I argue that his Aristotelianism presented no special obstacles to this. What Scheiner means by sensation, memory, and experience in this treatise are complex, and Scheiner’s implementation of control practices is rather sophisticated for the time. In this he was part of a general trend in the seventeenth century, most noticed in anti-Aristotelians such as Francis Bacon, in which we see scientific methodology being examined critically and experimental precepts, including control strategies, developed explicitly.
Feynman integrals in two dimensions and single-valued hypergeometric functions
Authors: Duhr Claude , Porkert Franziska
Published: February 2024

Abstract

We show that all Feynman integrals in two Euclidean dimensions with massless propagators and arbitrary non-integer propagator powers can be expressed in terms of single-valued analogues of Aomoto-Gelfand hypergeometric functions. The latter can themselves be written as bilinears of hypergeometric functions, with coefficients that are intersection numbers in a twisted homology group. As an application, we show that all one-loop integrals in two dimensions with massless propagators can be written in terms of Lauricella $$ {F}_D^{(r)} $$

F
D

r

functions, while the L-loop ladder integrals are related to the generalised hypergeometric L+1FL functions.
A Hausdorff-measure boundary element method for acoustic scattering by fractal screens
Authors: Caetano A. M. , Chandler-Wilde S. N. , Gibbs A. , Hewett D. P. , Moiola A.
Published: February 2024

Sound-soft fractal screens can scatter acoustic waves even when they have zero surface measure. To solve such scattering problems we make what appears to be the first application of the boundary element method (BEM) where each BEM basis function is supported in a fractal set, and the integration involved in the formation of the BEM matrix is with respect to a non-integer order Hausdorff measure rather than the usual (Lebesgue) surface measure. Using recent results on function spaces on fractals, we prove convergence of the Galerkin formulation of this “Hausdorff BEM” for acoustic scattering in $$\mathbb {R}^{n+1}$$

R

n
+
1

($$n=1,2$$

n
=
1
,
2

) when the scatterer, assumed to be a compact subset of $$\mathbb {R}^n\times \{0\}$$

R

n

×

{
0
}

, is a d-set for some $$d\in (n-1,n]$$

d
∈
(
n
-
1
,
n
]

, so that, in particular, the scatterer has Hausdorff dimension d. For a class of fractals that are attractors of iterated function systems, we prove convergence rates for the Hausdorff BEM and superconvergence for smooth antilinear functionals, under certain natural regularity assumptions on the solution of the underlying boundary integral equation. We also propose numerical quadrature routines for the implementation of our Hausdorff BEM, along with a fully discrete convergence analysis, via numerical (Hausdorff measure) integration estimates and inverse estimates on fractals, estimating the discrete condition numbers. Finally, we show numerical experiments that support the sharpness of our theoretical results, and our solution regularity assumptions, including results for scattering in $$\mathbb {R}^2$$

R

2

by Cantor sets, and in $$\mathbb {R}^3$$

R

3

by Cantor dusts.
Remote hideaways: first insights into the population sizes, habitat use and residency of manta rays at aggregation areas in Seychelles
Authors: Peel Lauren R. , Meekan Mark G. , Daly Ryan , Keating Clare A. , Collin Shaun P. , Nogués Josep , Stevens Guy M. W.
Published: February 2024

Understanding the aggregation and habitat use patterns of a species can aid the formulation and improved design of management strategies aiming to conserve vulnerable populations. We used photo-identification techniques and a novel remote underwater camera system to examine the population sizes, patterns of residency and habitat use of oceanic (Mobula birostris) and reef (Mobula alfredi) manta rays in Seychelles (5.42°S; 53.30°E) between July 2006 and December 2018. Sightings of M. birostris were infrequent (n = 5), suggesting that if aggregation areas for this species exist, they occur outside of the boundary of our study. A total of 236 individual M. alfredi were identified across all surveys, 66.5% of which were sighted at D’Arros Island (Amirante Group) and 22.5% at St. François Atoll (Alphonse Group). Males and females were evenly represented within the identified population. M. alfredi visited a cleaning station at D’Arros Island less frequently during dawn and dusk than at midday, likely due to the adoption of a crepuscular foraging strategy. The remote and isolated nature of the Amirante and Alphonse Group aggregation areas, coupled with the lack of a targeted mobulid fishery in Seychelles, suggests that with appropriate regulations and monitoring, the marine protected areas gazetted within these two groups will benefit the conservation of M. alfredi in Seychelles.
Internal dosimetry study of [82Rb]Cl using a long axial field-of-view PET/CT
Authors: Mercolli Lorenzo , Bregenzer Carola , Diemling Markus , Mingels Clemens , Rominger Axel , Sari Hasan , Seibel Sigrid , Sohlberg Antti , Viscione Marco , Caobelli Federico
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Long axial field-of-view (LAFOV) positron emission tomography (PET) systems allow to image all major organs with one bed position, which is particularly useful for acquiring whole-body dynamic data using short-lived radioisotopes like 82Rb.

Methods

We determined the absorbed dose in target organs of three subjects (29, 40, and 57 years old) using two different methods, i.e., MIRD and voxel dosimetry. The subjects were injected with 407.0 to 419.61 MBq of [82Rb]Cl and were scanned dynamically for 7 min with a LAFOV PET/CT scanner.

Results

Using the MIRD formalism and voxel dosimetry, the absorbed dose ranged from 1.84 to 2.78 μGy/MBq (1.57 to 3.92 μGy/MBq for voxel dosimetry) for the heart wall, 2.76 to 5.73 μGy/MBq (3.22 to 5.37 μGy/MBq for voxel dosimetry) for the kidneys, and 0.94 to 1.88 μGy/MBq (0.98 to 1.92 μGy/MBq for voxel dosimetry) for the lungs. The total body effective dose lied between 0.50 and 0.76 μSv/MBq.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that the radiation dose associated with [82Rb]Cl PET/CT can be assessed by means of dynamic LAFOV PET and that it is lower compared to literature values.
A Domain Adaptive Semantic Segmentation Method Using Contrastive Learning and Data Augmentation
Authors: Xiang Yixiao , Tian Lihua , Li Chen
Published: February 2024

For semantic segmentation tasks, it is expensive to get pixel-level annotations on real images. Domain adaptation eliminates this process by transferring networks trained on synthetic images to real-world images. As one of the mainstream approaches to domain adaptation, most of the self-training based domain adaptive methods focus on how to select high confidence pseudo-labels, i.e., to obtain domain invariant knowledge indirectly. A more direct means to explicitly align the data of the source and target domains globally and locally is lacking. Meanwhile, the target features obtained by traditional self-training methods are relatively scattered and cannot be aggregated in a relatively compact space. We offer an approach that utilizes data augmentation and contrastive learning in this paper to perform more effective knowledge migration with the basis of self-training. Specifically, the style migration and image mixing modules are first introduced for data augmentation to cope with the problem of large domain gaps in the source and target domains. To assure the aggregation of features from the same class and the discriminability of features from other classes during the training process, we propose a multi-scale pixel-level contrastive learning module. What’s more, a cross-scale contrastive learning module is proposed to help each level of the model gain the capability to obtain more information on the basis of its own original task. Experiments show that our final trained model can effectively classify the images from target domain.
Williamson’s Epistemicism and Properties Accounts of Predicates
Authors: Teller Paul
Published: February 2024

If the semantic values of predicates are, as Williamson assumes (Philsophical Perspectives,13, 505–517, 1999, 509) properties in the intensional sense, then epistemicism is immediate. Epistemicism fails, so also this properties account of predicates. I deploy examination of Williamson’s account as a foil against properties as semantic values, showing that his two positive arguments for bivalence fail, as do his efforts to rescue epistemicism from obvious problems. In Part II I argue that, despite the properties account’s problems, it has an important role to play in compositional semantics. We may separate the problem of how smallest parts of language get attached to the world from the problem of how those parts compose to form complex semantic values. For the latter problem we idealize and treat the smallest semantic values as properties (and referents). So doing functions to put to one side how the smallest parts get worldly attachment, a problem that would just get in the way of understanding composition. Attachment to the world must be studied separately, and I review some of the options. As a bonus we see why the requirement of higher order vagueness is an artifact of taking properties as semantic values literally instead of as a simplifying idealization.