bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nonlocal Theory for Submerged Cantilever Beams Undergoing Torsional Vibrations
Authors: Gulsacan Burak , Aureli Matteo
Published: November 2023

We propose a new theory for fluid–structure interactions of cantilever microbeams undergoing small amplitude vibrations in viscous fluids. The method is based on the concept of nonlocal modal hydrodynamic functions that accurately capture three-dimensional (3D) fluid loading on the structure. For short beams for which 3D effects become prominent, existing local theories based on two-dimensional (2D) fluid approximations are inadequate to predict the dynamic response. We discuss and compare model predictions in terms of frequency response functions, modal shapes, quality factors, and added mass ratios with the predictions of the local theory, and we validate our new model with experimental results.
State of Charge Estimation of Lithium-Ion Batteries Using Physics-Informed Transformer for Limited Data Scenarios
Authors: Ahn Hyunjin , Shen Heran , Zhou Xingyu , Kung Yung-Chi , Wang Junmin
Published: November 2023

Accurate estimation of the state of charge (SOC) is crucial for ensuring the safe and efficient operation of lithium-ion batteries. Machine learning (ML) models may achieve high SOC estimation accuracy, but typically require large training datasets that may not always be accessible in practical applications. To address this issue, this work proposes a hybrid model consisting of a transformer neural network and a single particle model with electrolyte dynamics (SPMe) for SOC estimation in limited data scenarios. The transformer can leverage the internal battery states estimated by the SPMe when necessary and learn to use information from multiple sources (i.e., experimental data and SPMe). Two limited data scenarios, partially available cycles and varying temperatures, are evaluated with experimental battery discharge cycles to identify the conditions under which the proposed model outperforms traditional ML models. Despite being highly dependent on the SPMe’s performance, the hybrid model demonstrated improved SOC estimation over the baseline models, with less than 2% error for most scenarios.
Experimental Study of the Thermal Management System of an Air-Cooled Li-Ion Battery Pack with Triangular Spoilers
Authors: Verma Satya Prakash , Saraswati Samir
Published: November 2023

This research experimentally examines the thermal behavior of an air-cooled Li-ion battery pack with triangular spoilers. The objective is to enhance temperature uniformity and reduce the maximum temperature of the battery pack by redirecting airflow toward regions of higher temperatures using triangular spoilers. The effects of spoiler angles (α) and spoiler positions (Ds) on the thermal performance of a 24V, 10Ah aligned battery pack are investigated. The parameters used to evaluate the thermal performance are temperature variation along as well as transverse to the airflow direction and temperature variation around the circumference of the cell. The maximum temperature (Tmax), average temperature (Tavg.), maximum temperature difference (ΔTmax), and standard deviation of the temperature (σT) are the other performance parameters that are assessed. It is observed that the temperature of the battery pack decreases along the airflow direction with both the increase in α and Ds. It happens due to the enhancement in the heat transfer rate caused by higher turbulence kinetic energy. The non-uniformity in the cell temperature around the circumference improves by 0.4 K and 1.8 K with the change in α and Ds, respectively. It is found that Tmax and Tavg of the battery pack are reduced by a maximum value of 2.5 K and 1.55 K, respectively, compared to the case when no spoiler is used. The maximum reduction in ΔTmax and σT is found to be 2.4 K and 1.02, respectively.
Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Unhelpful Thinking Toward Body Image With an Elite Figure Skater
Authors: Wood Samuel , Fletcher David
Published: November 2023

We outline the sport psychology service delivery provided to a 23-year-old elite figure skater who reported unhelpful thoughts about her body image that hindered her performance and concentration in training. An acceptance and commitment therapy intervention was implemented over 12 sessions across a 6-month period. The acceptance and commitment therapy matrix was used to conceptualize the client’s “stuckness” and provide a foundation for the techniques implemented. The aim of our work was to increase psychological flexibility, helping the client sit with, rather than change or remove, her unhelpful thoughts, moving her toward the athlete she wanted to be. This case reports how psychological flexibility was achieved through exercises to help the client “unhook” from her unhelpful thoughts about body image. Reflections from the client were obtained to monitor and evaluate the service delivery process. The trainee’s reflections on practice highlight the unpredictability of presenting problems disclosed during service delivery, the isolating and challenging nature of working with elite athletes in private practice, and the need for practitioners to understand the theoretical orientations of their approach.
Changes in fungal taxonomy: mycological rationale and clinical implications
Authors: Borman Andrew M. , Johnson Elizabeth M.
Published: November 2023

Numerous fungal species of medical importance have been recently subjected to and will likely continue to undergo nomenclatural changes as a result of the application of molecular approaches to fungal classification together with abandonment of dual nomenclature. Here, we summarize those changes affecting key groups of fungi of medical importance, explaining the mycological (taxonomic) rationale that underpinned the changes and the clinical relevance/importance (where such exists) of the key nomenclatural revisions. Potential mechanisms to mitigate unnecessary taxonomic instability are suggested, together with approaches to raise awareness of important changes to minimize potential clinical confusion.
Structure-function analysis of the heme-binding WWD domain in the bacterial holocytochrome
c
synthase, CcmFH
Authors: Grunow Amber L. , Carroll Susan C. , Kreiman Alicia N. , Sutherland Molly C.
Published: November 2023

Heme trafficking is a fundamental biological process, yet its direct study has been hampered due to heme’s tight intracellular regulation, heme cytotoxicity, and the transient nature of trafficking. The bacterial System I and System II cytochrome
c
biogenesis pathways are developing into models to interrogate heme trafficking mechanisms, as they function to transport heme from inside to outside the cell for attachment to apocytochrome
c
. Cytochromes
c
require heme for folding and to function in the context of electron transport chains for critical cellular functions, such as respiration. We focus on System I, comprised of eight membrane proteins, CcmABCDEFGH, proposed to function in two steps: CcmABCD mediates the transfer of heme and attachment to CcmE. HoloCcmE chaperones heme to CcmFH for attachment to apocytochrome
c
. While CcmFH is known to be the holocytochrome
c
synthase, the mechanism of heme interaction and positioning for attachment to apocytochrome
c
remains to be elucidated. A comprehensive structure-function analysis of the conserved WWD domain in CcmF was undertaken utilizing alanine-scanning and cysteine-scanning, revealing residues critical for CcmF’s synthase function and residues required for interaction with the 2- and 4-vinyls of heme. This analysis demonstrates for the first time that the CcmF WWD domain directly interacts with heme and that heme interactions within this domain are required for attachment to apocytochrome
c
. This in-depth interrogation of heme binding now allows for comparison across cytochrome
c
biogenesis proteins CcmF, CcmC, and CcsBA, revealing common mechanisms of heme interaction in these heme trafficking pathways.

IMPORTANCE

Heme is an essential co-factor for proteins involved with critical cellular functions, such as energy production and oxygen transport. Thus, understanding how heme interacts with proteins and is moved through cells is a fundamental biological question. This work studies the System I cytochrome
c
biogenesis pathway, which in some species (including
Escherichia coli
) is composed of eight integral membrane or membrane-associated proteins called CcmA-H that are proposed to function in two steps to transport and attach heme to apocytochrome
c
. Cytochrome
c
requires this heme attachment to function in electron transport chains to generate cellular energy. A conserved WWD heme-handling domain in CcmFH is analyzed and residues critical for heme interaction and holocytochrome
c
synthase activity are identified. CcmFH is the third member of the WWD domain-containing heme-handling protein family to undergo a comprehensive structure-function analysis, allowing for comparison of heme interaction across this protein family.
How does weathering influence geochemical proxies in Paleoproterozoic banded iron formations? A case study from outcrop samples of 2.46 Ga banded iron formation, Hamersley Basin, Western Australia
Authors: Li Zhiquan , Konhauser Kurt O. , Zhou Yongzhang , Adlakha Erin , Button Mark , Lazowski Cody , Pecoits Ernesto , Aubet Natalie R. , Lecumberri-Sanchez Pilar , Alessi Daniel S. , Robbins Leslie J.
Published: November 2023

Trace metal and rare earth element (REE) abundances in banded iron formations are critical for assessing the chemical composition of ancient seawater and the long-term evolution of the ocean-atmosphere system. Recent studies, however, have highlighted the potential effects of outcrop weathering, raising concerns about whether banded iron formation samples are suitable proxies for ancient redox conditions or if exposure to surficial weathering regimes may have altered key geochemical signals. Here, we present a detailed, high-resolution study of several banded iron formation outcrop samples from the Hamersley Basin, Western Australia, to investigate microscale differences in composition between banded iron formation and weathered surfaces (i.e., weathered crusts). Elemental mapping and bulk-rock geochemical analyses reveal that weathered crust is more enriched in most elements than the banded iron formation, except for silica, which is significantly depleted. There is also a significant loss of redox-sensitive elements (RSEs) in the weathered surface, which suggests that outcrop samples have been affected by higher degrees of chemical leaching than physical erosion. These results are significant, because we clearly show that the geochemical characteristics of the weathered surface—irrespective of how it formed—are distinct from those of the remainder of the sample. This means that with sufficient screening of samples for obvious signs of alteration, banded iron formation outcrop samples may indeed be used as a reliable proxy for the evolution of Earth’s coupled ocean-atmosphere system. This increases the volume of easily accessible Precambrian sample material, so that researchers no longer solely need to rely on core recovered through costly drilling programs.
Lipoid proteinosis; a rare pathology, requiring multidisciplinary input
Authors: Fenech Matthew Thomas , Yeo Damien
Published: November 2023

A male patient in his early childhood presented to rheumatology with a hoarse voice and recurrent oral and cutaneous ulceration. Serological investigation revealed persistently elevated inflammatory markers. Despite compliance to treatment, flare-ups persisted, prompting the use of further treatment. An airway endoscopy revealed cystic changes to the left vocal cord. Referral to ophthalmology revealed multiple, waxy, skin-coloured, beaded papules on thickened, irregular eyelid margins with distichiasis, in keeping with moniliform blepharosis. Enrolment into the 100 000-genome project helped clinch the diagnosis of lipoid proteinosis. Although this case highlights the diagnostic power of genetics, it also sheds light on the importance of targeted clinical referral. When one considers the typical symptoms and signs of lipoid proteinosis, referral to a centre of rare diseases would have proven effective in not only avoiding polypharmacy but also reducing the psychological burden of several years of uncertainty must have had on our patient.
Independent monitoring and the new pandemic agreement
Authors: Hanbali Layth , Hannon Elliot , Lehtimaki Susanna , McNab Christine , Schwalbe Nina R
Published: November 2023

Negotiations are underway at the WHO for a legally binding instrument for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. As seen in the International Health Regulations, however, countries signing up to an agreement is no guarantee of its effective implementation. We, therefore, investigated the potential design features of an accountability framework for the proposed pandemic agreement that could promote countries’ compliance with it. We reviewed the governance of a number of international institutions and conducted over 40 interviews with stakeholders and experts to investigate how the pandemic agreement could be governed.

We found that enforcement mechanisms are a key feature for promoting the compliance of countries with the obligations they sign up for under international agreements but that they are inconsistently applied. It is difficult to design enforcement mechanisms that successfully avoid inflicting unintended harm and, so, we found that enforcement mechanisms generally rely on soft political levers rather than hard legal ones to promote compliance. Identifying reliable information on states’ behaviour with regard to their legal obligations requires using a diverse range of information, including civil society and intergovernmental organisations, and maintaining legal, financial, and political independence.

We, therefore, propose that there should be an independent mechanism to monitor states’ compliance with and reporting on the pandemic agreement. It would mainly triangulate a diverse range of pre-existing information and have the authority to receive confidential reports and seek further information from states. It would report to a high-level political body to promote compliance with the pandemic agreement.
Systematic review of seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and appraisal of evidence, prior to the widespread introduction of vaccine programmes in the WHO European Region, January–December 2020
Authors: Vaughan Aisling , Duffell Erika , Freidl Gudrun S , Lemos Diogo Simão , Nardone Anthony , Valenciano M , Subissi Lorenzo , Bergeri Isabel , K Broberg Eeva , Penttinen Pasi , Pebody Richard , Keramarou Maria
Published: November 2023

Objectives

Systematic review of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence studies undertaken in the WHO European Region to measure pre-existing and cumulative seropositivity prior to the roll out of vaccination programmes.

Design

A systematic review of the literature.

Data sources

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and the preprint servers MedRxiv and BioRxiv in the WHO ‘COVID-19 Global literature on coronavirus disease’ database using a predefined search strategy. Articles were supplemented with unpublished WHO-supported Unity-aligned seroprevalence studies and other studies reported directly to WHO Regional Office for Europe and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Eligibility criteria

Studies published before the widespread implementation of COVID-19 vaccination programmes in January 2021 among the general population and blood donors, at national and regional levels.

Data extraction and synthesis

At least two independent researchers extracted the eligible studies; a third researcher resolved any disagreements. Study risk of bias was assessed using a quality scoring system based on sample size, sampling and testing methodologies.

Results

In total, 111 studies from 26 countries published or conducted between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2020 across the WHO European Region were included. A significant heterogeneity in implementation was noted across the studies, with a paucity of studies from the east of the Region. Sixty-four (58%) studies were assessed to be of medium to high risk of bias. Overall, SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity prior to widespread community circulation was very low. National seroprevalence estimates after circulation started ranged from 0% to 51.3% (median 2.2% (IQR 0.7–5.2%); n=124), while subnational estimates ranged from 0% to 52% (median 5.8% (IQR 2.3%–12%); n=101), with the highest estimates in areas following widespread local transmission.

Conclusions

The low levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibody in most populations prior to the start of vaccine programmes underlines the critical importance of targeted vaccination of priority groups at risk of severe disease, while maintaining reduced levels of transmission to minimise population morbidity and mortality.
How digital health translational research is prioritised: a qualitative stakeholder-driven approach to decision support evaluation
Authors: Bamgboje-Ayodele Adeola , McPhail Steven M , Brain David , Taggart Richard , Burger Mitchell , Bruce Lenert , Holtby Caroline , Pradhan Malcolm , Simpson Mark , Shaw Tim J , Baysari Melissa T
Published: November 2023

Objectives

Digital health is now routinely being applied in clinical care, and with a variety of clinician-facing systems available, healthcare organisations are increasingly required to make decisions about technology implementation and evaluation. However, few studies have examined how digital health research is prioritised, particularly research focused on clinician-facing decision support systems. This study aimed to identify criteria for prioritising digital health research, examine how these differ from criteria for prioritising traditional health research and determine priority decision support use cases for a collaborative implementation research programme.

Methods

Drawing on an interpretive listening model for priority setting and a stakeholder-driven approach, our prioritisation process involved stakeholder identification, eliciting decision support use case priorities from stakeholders, generating initial use case priorities and finalising preferred use cases based on consultations. In this qualitative study, online focus group session(s) were held with stakeholders, audiorecorded, transcribed and analysed thematically.

Results

Fifteen participants attended the online priority setting sessions. Criteria for prioritising digital health research fell into three themes, namely: public health benefit, health system-level factors and research process and feasibility. We identified criteria unique to digital health research as the availability of suitable governance frameworks, candidate technology’s alignment with other technologies in use,and the possibility of data-driven insights from health technology data. The final selected use cases were remote monitoring of patients with pulmonary conditions, sepsis detection and automated breast screening.

Conclusion

The criteria for determining digital health research priority areas are more nuanced than that of traditional health condition focused research and can neither be viewed solely through a clinical lens nor technological lens. As digital health research relies heavily on health technology implementation, digital health prioritisation criteria comprised enablers of successful technology implementation. Our prioritisation process could be applied to other settings and collaborative projects where research institutions partner with healthcare delivery organisations.
Workers’ compensation claims for COVID-19 among workers in healthcare and other industries during 2020–2022, Victoria, Australia
Authors: Kelsall Helen Louise , Di Donato Michael F , McGuinness Sarah L , Collie Alex , Zhong Shannon , Eades Owen , Sim Malcolm Ross , Leder Karin
Published: November 2023

Objective

To identify and characterise COVID-19 workers’ compensation claims in healthcare and other industries during the pandemic in Victoria, Australia.

Methods

We used workers’ compensation claims identified as COVID-19 infection related from 1 January 2020 to 31 July 2022 to compare COVID-19 infection claims and rates of claims by industry and occupation, and in relation to Victorian COVID-19 epidemiology. A Cox proportional hazards model assessed risk factors for extended claim duration.

Results

Of the 3313 direct and indirect COVID-19-related claims identified, 1492 (45.0%) were classified as direct COVID-19 infection accepted time-loss claims and were included in analyses. More than half (52.9%) of COVID-19 infection claims were made by healthcare and social assistance industry workers, with claims for this group peaking in July–October 2020. The overall rate of claims was greater in the healthcare and social assistance industry compared with all other industries (16.9 vs 2.4 per 10 000 employed persons) but industry-specific rates were highest in public administration and safety (23.0 per 10 000 employed persons). Workers in healthcare and social assistance were at increased risk of longer incapacity duration (median 26 days, IQR 16–61 days) than in other industries (median 17 days, IQR 11–39.5 days).

Conclusions

COVID-19 infection claims differed by industry, occupational group, severity and timing and changes coincided with different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Occupational surveillance for COVID-19 cases is important and monitoring of worker’s compensation claims and incapacity duration can contribute to understanding the impacts of COVID-19 on work absence.
Sarcoid optic neuropathy
Authors: Fraiman Pedro , Valente André Lopes , Barreto Maria Eduarda Slhsessarenko Fraife , Silva Nathália Lopes , Rezende Filho Flavio Moura , Braga Vinícius Lopes , Moraes Marianna Pinheiro , Pedroso José Luiz , Barsottini Orlando G P
Published: November 2023

A 45-year-old woman presented with sudden complete vision loss in her left eye and retroorbital pain worsened by eye movements. A previous milder episode of vision loss had occurred in the same eye 1 year before, with complete recovery after high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone. She had no light perception in the left eye with a swollen optic disc, but with a normal right optic disc. There were no systemic manifestations or infections. MR scan of the brain showed extensive enlargement and enhancement of the left optic nerve and optic chiasm. After excluding infections and autoimmune markers, a left optic nerve biopsy confirmed non-caseating granulomas, leading to a diagnosis of neurosarcoidosis.
Brown bear (Ursus arctos) foraging in a mosaic of spatially discrete and variable habitats over 25 years of shifting Pacific salmon densities
Authors: McElroy Katherine N. , Hilborn Ray , Cunningham Curry , Quinn Thomas P.
Published: November 2023

Many foraging models assume “perfect information” and “free movement” when describing predator foraging behavior, although this is rare in nature. Here, we quantified predation by brown bears ( Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758) on adult sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka (Walbaum, 1792)) in a series of spatially proximate ponds that largely satisfied both assumptions. Salmon abundance varied among years, but pond area and depth were fixed, allowing us to examine interactions between prey abundance and habitat features. We applied versions of two models to 25 years of data on the number and proportion of salmon killed by bears, modifying these models to include habitat features and temporal variability. The functional response model with a year effect fit the data well, indicating bears could take almost all salmon in ponds when salmon were scarce, but bears were sated when salmon were abundant. The proportion of salmon killed by bears was similar across habitats after correcting for pond depth and area. Overall, bears foraged across all habitats but killed higher proportions of salmon in smaller and shallower habitats, consistent with ease of capture.
Polarization study of a boosted W boson decaying hadronically at the LHC with jet substructures and a multivariate analysis
Authors: Dey Atri , Samui Tousik
Published: November 2023

The study of the polarization of heavy particles is an important branch of research in today’s collider physics. The massive W boson has two types of polarization states, which usually are studied via the angular distribution of its decay products. We present a jet substructure-based study on the polarization of a boosted W boson decaying hadronically, which forms a fat jet, in pp collision at the $$\sqrt{s}$$

s

= 14 TeV at the LHC. Two different methods, viz.N-subjettiness and Soft Drop, were used to find the subjets, which are approximately considered to be the two hadronic decay products of W, inside boosted W jets. These subjets were then used to calculate two variables $$p_\theta =|E_1-E_2|/p_T^W$$

p
θ

=

|

E
1

-

E
2

|

/

p
T
W

and $$z_j=\max (p_{T_1},p_{T_2})/p_T^W$$

z
j

=
max

(

p

T
1

,

p

T
2

)

/

p
T
W

, where the subscripts 1 and 2 are for two subjets and W represents the reconstructed W jet. We then prepared the templates for longitudinally and transversely polarized W. These templates were used to extract the fractions of different W polarization in a mixed sample with relatively good accuracy.
Pionic transitions from $$Z_c(4020)$$ to D wave charmonia
Authors: Qi Xiao-Yu , Wu Qi , Chen Dian-Yong
Published: November 2023

In the present work, we investigate the charmed meson loops contributions to the pionic transitions from $$Z_c(4020)^+$$

Z
c

(
4020
)

+

to the D wave triplets charmonia by using an effective Lagrangian approach. Our estimations indicate that the predicted branching fraction of $$Z_c(4020)^+ \rightarrow \pi ^+ \psi (1^3D_J), \ J=(1,2,3)$$

Z
c

(
4020
)

+

→

π
+

ψ

(

1
3

D
J

)

,

J
=

(
1
,
2
,
3
)

are much smaller than the one of $$Z_c(4020)^+ \rightarrow \pi ^+ h_c $$

Z
c

(
4020
)

+

→

π
+

h
c

. Thus, searching $$Z_c(4020)^\pm $$

Z
c

(
4020
)

±

in the $$\pi ^\pm \psi (1^3D_J) $$

π
±

ψ

(

1
3

D
J

)

invariant mass distributions is impossible. Thus, the observed peak structures at 4.04 and 4.13 GeV in the $$\pi ^\pm \psi (3770)$$

π
±

ψ

(
3770
)

invariant mass distributions should not come from the contributions of $$Z_c(4020)^\pm $$

Z
c

(
4020
)

±

, and further precise experimental measurements of the $$e^+ e^- \rightarrow \pi ^+ \pi ^- \psi (3770)$$

e
+

e
-

→

π
+

π
-

ψ

(
3770
)

process are needed to decode the nature of these two peak structures.
Isoliquiritigenin Inhibits Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Overcomes Chemoresistance by Destruction of Survivin
Authors: Zhou Zhongsu , Han Shuangze , Liao Jinzhuang , Wang Ruirui , Yu Xinfang , Li Ming
Published: November 2023

The oncoprotein survivin plays a pivotal role in controlling cell division and preventing apoptosis by inhibiting caspase activation. Its significant contribution to tumorigenesis and therapeutic resistance has been well established. Isoliquiritigenin (ISL), a natural compound, has been recognized for its powerful inhibitory effects against various tumors. However, whether ISL exerts regulatory effects on survivin and its underlying mechanism in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains unclear. Here, we found that ISL inhibited the viability and colony formation of OSCC, and promoted their apoptosis. The immunoblotting data showed that ISL treatment significantly decreased survivin expression. Mechanistically, ISL suppressed survivin phosphorylation on Thr34 by deregulating Akt-Wee1-CDK1 signaling, which facilitated survivin for ubiquitination degradation. ISL inhibited CAL27 tumor growth and decreased p-Akt and survivin expression in vivo. Meanwhile, survivin overexpression caused cisplatin resistance of OSCC cells. ISL alone or combined with cisplatin overcame chemoresistance in OSCC cells. Overall, our results revealed that ISL exerted potent inhibitory effects via inducing Akt-dependent survivin ubiquitination in OSCC cells.
SUSTAINABILITY-ENABLED ASSESSMENT OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
Authors: KOLB JENS , LEIBLE SARAH , MASLOWSKI LARA , SCHALLMO DANIEL
Published: November 2023

Companies now face two challenges in order to remain innovative and competitive. The first is to digitally transform their production, products and services. Second is to address sustainability topics to reduce their global footprint. However, introducing new digital technologies may contradict company’s sustainability goals, for example, introducing a digital technology improves assembly lines, but increases energy consumption. This paper introduces a sustainability-enabled assessment framework for digital technologies (SAFT) supporting companies to choose the best digital technology for them. The SAFT framework assesses digital technologies in terms of sustainability factors as well as crucial aspects such as technology potential, and the fit to the company. The paper concludes with a case study in which the SAFT framework is applied to a company in the construction industry.
LEADING IN THE DIGITAL AGE: CONCEPTUALISING DIGITAL LEADERSHIP AND ITS INFLUENCE ON SERVICE INNOVATION PERFORMANCE
Authors: SCHUSTER TOBIAS , BRUNNER TIMO J. J. , SCHNEIDER MALTE H. G. , LEHMANN CLAUDIA , KANBACH DOMINIK K.
Published: November 2023

Although firms rely on employees’ innovative work behaviour and effective leadership to achieve service innovation performance, these relations remain underexplored, especially regarding digital leadership. We conceptualise a digital leader’s capabilities and explore influences on innovative work behaviour and service innovation performance, using the dynamic capabilities view as a theoretical lens. Applying a multi-method exploratory research design, our qualitative results, based on 34 expert interviews, deliver a taxonomy of digital leadership capabilities along three dimensions. With 249 survey participants, we quantitatively tested dimensional influences individually (multidimensional view) and collectively (unidimensional view) using structural equation modelling. In line with our mediation results, both views are significantly positively related to innovative work behaviour; still, only the unidimensional view significantly influences service innovation performance. Our results underpin the comprehensive character of digital leadership capabilities contributing to innovation research with a new “antecedal” perspective. We also provide practical relevance by revealing innovation-effective leadership capabilities.
The impact of igneous intrusions on sedimentary host rocks: insights from field outcrop and subsurface data
Authors: Mark N.J. , Schofield N. , Watson D.A. , Holford S. , Pugliese S. , Muirhead D.
Published: November 2023

Pervasive igneous intrusive complexes have been identified in many sedimentary basins which are prospective for petroleum exploration and production. Seismic reflection and well data from these basins has characterized many of these igneous intrusions as forming networks of interconnected sills and dykes, and typically cross-cutting sedimentary host rocks. Intrusions have also been identified in close proximity to many oil & gas fields and exploration targets (e.g. Laggan-Tormore fields, Faroe Shetland Basin). It is therefore important to understand how igneous intrusions interact with sedimentary host rocks, specifically reservoir and source rock intervals, to determine the geological risk for petroleum exploration and production. The risks for petroleum exploration include low porosity and permeability within reservoirs, and overmaturity of source rocks, which are intruded. Additionally, reservoirs may be compartmentalized by low permeability igneous intrusions, inhibiting lateral and vertical migration of fluids. Based on a range of field studies and subsurface data, we demonstrate that sandstone porosity can be reduced by up to 20% (relative to background porosity) and the thermal maturity of organic rich claystones can be increased. The extent of host rock alteration away from igneous intrusions is highly variable and is commonly accompanied by mechanical compaction and fracturing of the host rock within the initial 10 to 20 cm of altered host rock. Reservoir quality and source rock maturity are key elements of the petroleum system and detrimental alteration of these intervals by igneous intrusions increases geological risk and should therefore be incorporated into any risk assessment of an exploration prospect or field development.

Thematic collection:
This article is part of the New learning from exploration and development in the UKCS Atlantic Margin collection available at:
https://www.lyellcollection.org/topic/collections/new-learning-from-exploration-and-development-in-the-ukcs-atlantic-margin
Laplacian Change Point Detection for Single and Multi-view Dynamic Graphs
Authors: Huang Shenyang , Coulombe Samy , Hitti Yasmeen , Rabbany Reihaneh , Rabusseau Guillaume
Published: November 2023

Dynamic graphs are rich data structures that are used to model complex relationships between entities over time. In particular, anomaly detection in temporal graphs is crucial for many real-world applications such as intrusion identification in network systems, detection of ecosystem disturbances, and detection of epidemic outbreaks. In this article, we focus on change point detection in dynamic graphs and address three main challenges associated with this problem: (i) how to compare graph snapshots across time, (ii) how to capture temporal dependencies, and (iii) how to combine different views of a temporal graph. To solve the above challenges, we first propose Laplacian Anomaly Detection (LAD) which uses the spectrum of graph Laplacian as the low dimensional embedding of the graph structure at each snapshot. LAD explicitly models short-term and long-term dependencies by applying two sliding windows. Next, we propose MultiLAD, a simple and effective generalization of LAD to multi-view graphs. MultiLAD provides the first change point detection method for multi-view dynamic graphs. It aggregates the singular values of the normalized graph Laplacian from different views through the scalar power mean operation. Through extensive synthetic experiments, we show that (i) LAD and MultiLAD are accurate and outperforms state-of-the-art baselines and their multi-view extensions by a large margin, (ii) MultiLAD’s advantage over contenders significantly increases when additional views are available, and (iii) MultiLAD is highly robust to noise from individual views. In five real-world dynamic graphs, we demonstrate that LAD and MultiLAD identify significant events as top anomalies such as the implementation of government COVID-19 interventions which impacted the population mobility in multi-view traffic networks.
Cross-modal Multiple Granularity Interactive Fusion Network for Long Document Classification
Authors: Liu Tengfei , Hu Yongli , Gao Junbin , Sun Yanfeng , Yin Baocai
Published: November 2023

Long Document Classification (LDC) has attracted great attention in Natural Language Processing and achieved considerable progress owing to the large-scale pre-trained language models. In spite of this, as a different problem from the traditional text classification, LDC is far from being settled. Long documents, such as news and articles, generally have more than thousands of words with complex structures. Moreover, compared with flat text, long documents usually contain multi-modal content of images, which provide rich information but not yet being utilized for classification. In this article, we propose a novel cross-modal method for long document classification, in which multiple granularity feature shifting networks are proposed to integrate the multi-scale text and visual features of long documents adaptively. Additionally, a multi-modal collaborative pooling block is proposed to eliminate redundant fine-grained text features and simultaneously reduce the computational complexity. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed model, we conduct experiments on the Food101 dataset and two constructed multi-modal long document datasets. The experimental results show that the proposed cross-modal method outperforms the single-modal text methods and defeats the state-of-the-art related multi-modal baselines.
An Improved GOMP Sparse Channel Estimation for Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications
Authors: Chen Xin , Zhang Xudong , Zhu Yaolin , Ma Ruiqing
Published: November 2023

Reliable channel estimation is critical for wireless communication performance, especially in vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication scenarios. Aiming at the major challenges of channel tracking and estimating as the highly dynamic nature of vehicle environments, an improved generalized orthogonal matching pursuit (iGOMP) is proposed for V2V channel estimation. The iGOMP algorithm transforms the channel estimation problem into a sparse signal recovery problem and replaces the classical inner product criterion with the Dice atom matching criterion. Additionally, the atomic weak progressive selection method is integrated to avoid the suboptimal selection of atoms from the redundant dictionary using the inner product criterion. The proposed iGOMP method can achieve optimal channel estimation by iterating feedback results. Simulation results demonstrate that the iGOMP method has superior estimation accuracy, mean square error (MSE), and bit error rate (BER) performance compared with traditional channel estimation methods in V2V communications.
Molecular Identification and Antioxidant Activity Determination among Coffee Varieties Cultivated in Nepal
Authors: Pokharel Shreejan , Pandey Gyanu Raj , Shrestha Asmita , Shrestha Rajkumar , Tiwari Dinesh , Khanal Bignya Chandra , Silwal Sudip
Published: November 2023

Coffee is the most popular beverage containing numerous phytochemical components that have antioxidant activity capable of scavenging free radicals. Antioxidant and phenolic contents have considerable benefits for human health. The aim of this study was the molecular identification of 9 coffee samples from the Nepal Agricultural Research Council, Lalitpur, Nepal, and the determination of the antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of green and roasted coffee beans. Molecular identification was performed using ITS-specific PCR followed by sequencing and phylogenetic tree construction using the maximum parsimony method. The DPPH assay was used to determine the antioxidant activity, and the Folin–Ciocalteu (F-C) assay was used to determine the total phenolic content. All the samples belonged to the taxa Coffea arabica. The antioxidant activity in roasted beans varied from 2.49 to 4.62 AAE mg/g and from 1.4 to 3.9 AAE mg/g in green beans. The total phenolic content varied from 2.58 to 3.38 GAE mg/g and from 4.16 to 5.36 GAE mg/g for the roasted beans and green beans, respectively. The data revealed that the highest antioxidant content (4.62 AAE mg/g) was found in roasted coffee and that the highest phenolic content (5.36 GAE mg/g) was found in green coffee. The study concludes that roasting increases the antioxidant activity but decreases the phenolic content of coffee.
Examining the Director of Nursing Role in Long-Term Care: An Integrative Review
Authors: Fineczko Julia , Chu Charlene H. , Cranley Lisa , Wills Aria , McGilton Katherine S.
Published: November 2023

Aim. To identify and examine the structures and processes that support the director of nursing role in long-term care homes. Background. The director of nursing in long-term care homes is central to overseeing and supporting the workforce and delivery of safe, quality resident care. With ongoing health human resource challenges and an aging population requiring care from long-term care homes, it is important to understand what individual and organizational factors support the director of nursing leadership in these settings. Evaluation. This review was guided by Cooper’s five stages of the integrative review process. Donabedian’s structure-process-outcome framework was applied to synthesize the literature. Key Issue(s). Five individual-level structures (years of experience, level of education, demonstrated leadership capabilities, completed certification and/or established linkages with a professional association, and completed continuing education); three organizational-level structures (physical presence of leadership across the organization, a clear job description, and salary); and four processes (nursing home administrators and the director of nursing relationship, availability of onsite continuing education opportunities targeting directors of nursing and support for continuing education, cultivating relationships and enhancing networks beyond the long-term care home, and orientation to the role) were identified across 11 articles to support the director of nursing role in long-term care homes. Conclusion(s). The findings indicate that there are individual characteristics that support the director of nursing in their role. Notably, there are organizational structures and processes that can be modified at the practice and policy level to better recruit, retain, and support the performance of directors of nursing. Implications for Nursing Management. There are actionable steps that leaders and decision-makers can take to support nursing leadership across long-term care homes and directly address health human resource challenges.
Spatial and Single-Cell Transcriptomics Reveal a Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Subset in HNSCC That Restricts Infiltration and Antitumor Activity of CD8+ T Cells
Authors: Li Chuwen , Guo Haiyan , Zhai Peisong , Yan Ming , Liu Chun , Wang Xiaoning , Shi Chaoji , Li Jiang , Tong Tong , Zhang Zhiyuan , Ma Hailong , Zhang Jianjun
Published: November 2023

Although immunotherapy can prolong survival in some patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), the response rate remains low. Clarification of the critical mechanisms regulating CD8+ T-cell infiltration and dysfunction in the tumor microenvironment could help maximize the benefit of immunotherapy for treating HNSCC. Here, we performed spatial transcriptomic analysis of HNSCC specimens with differing immune infiltration and single-cell RNA sequencing of five pairs of tumor and adjacent tissues, revealing specific cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) subsets related to CD8+ T-cell infiltration restriction and dysfunction. These CAFs exhibited high expression of CXCLs (CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL12) and MHC-I and enrichment of galectin-9 (Gal9). The proportion of MHC-IhiGal9+ CAFs was inversely correlated with abundance of a TCF1+GZMK+ subset of CD8+ T cells. Gal9 on CAFs induced CD8+ T-cell dysfunction and decreased the proportion of tumor-infiltrating TCF1+CD8+ T cells. Collectively, the identification of MHC-IhiGal9+ CAFs advances the understanding of the precise role of CAFs in cancer immune evasion and paves the way for more effective immunotherapy for HNSCC.

Significance:

Spatial analysis identifies IFN-induced MHC-IhiGal9+ CAFs that form a trap for CD8+ T cells, providing insights into the complex networks in the tumor microenvironment that regulate T-cell infiltration and function.
Comprehensive DNA Methylation Profiling of Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: Molecular Classification, Potential Therapeutic Target, and Classifier System
Authors: Shen Cenkai , Shi Xiao , Wen Duo , Zhang Yuqing , Du Yuxin , Zhang Yu , Ma Ben , Tang Haitao , Yin Min , Huang Naisi , Liao Tian , Zhang Ting-Ting , Kong Chang’e , Wei Wenjun , Ji Qinghai , Wang Yu
Published: November 2023

Purpose:

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) presents a distinct biological context from other thyroid cancers due to its specific cellular origin. This heterogeneous and rare tumor has a high prevalence of advanced diseases, making it crucial to address the limited therapeutic options and enhance complex clinical management. Given the high clinical accessibility of methylation information, we construct the largest MTC methylation cohort to date.

Experimental Design:

Seventy-eight fresh-frozen MTC samples constituted our methylation cohort. The comprehensive study process incorporated machine learning, statistical analysis, and in vitro experiments.

Results:

Our study pioneered the identification of a three-class clustering system for risk stratification, exhibiting pronounced epigenomic heterogeneity. The elevated overall methylation status in MTC-B, combined with the “mutual exclusivity” of hypomethylated sites displayed by MTC-A and MTC-C, distinctively characterized the MTC-specific methylation pattern. Integrating with the transcriptome, we further depicted the features of these three clusters to scrutinize biological properties. Several MTC-specific aberrant DNA methylation events were emphasized in our study. NNAT expression was found to be notably reduced in poor-prognostic MTC-C, with its promoter region overlapping with an upregulated differentially methylated region. In vitro experiments further affirmed NNAT's therapeutic potential. Moreover, we built an elastic-net logistic regression model with a relatively high AUC encompassing 68 probes, intended for future validation and systematic clinical application.

Conclusions:

Conducting research on diseases with low incidence poses significant challenges, and we provide a robust resource and comprehensive research framework to assist in ongoing MTC case inclusion and facilitate in-depth dissection of its molecular biological features.
Genetic Silencing of AKT Induces Melanoma Cell Death via mTOR Suppression
Authors: Parkman Gennie L. , Turapov Tursun , Kircher David A. , Burnett William J. , Stehn Christopher M. , O'Toole Kayla , Culver Katie M. , Chadwick Ashley T. , Elmer Riley C. , Flaherty Ryan , Stanley Karly A. , Foth Mona , Lum David H. , Judson-Torres Robert L. , Friend John E. , VanBrocklin Matthew W. , McMahon Martin , Holmen Sheri L.
Published: November 2023

Aberrant activation of the PI3K–AKT pathway is common in many cancers, including melanoma, and AKT1, 2 and 3 (AKT1–3) are bona fide oncoprotein kinases with well-validated downstream effectors. However, efforts to pharmacologically inhibit AKT have proven to be largely ineffective. In this study, we observed paradoxical effects following either pharmacologic or genetic inhibition of AKT1–3 in melanoma cells. Although pharmacological inhibition was without effect, genetic silencing of all three AKT paralogs significantly induced melanoma cell death through effects on mTOR. This phenotype was rescued by exogenous AKT1 expression in a kinase-dependent manner. Pharmacological inhibition of PI3K and mTOR with a novel dual inhibitor effectively suppressed melanoma cell proliferation in vitro and inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Furthermore, this single-agent–targeted therapy was well-tolerated in vivo and was effective against MAPK inhibitor–resistant patient-derived melanoma xenografts. These results suggest that inhibition of PI3K and mTOR with this novel dual inhibitor may represent a promising therapeutic strategy in this disease in both the first-line and MAPK inhibitor–resistant setting.
ORAOV1, CCND1, and MIR548K Are the Driver Oncogenes of the 11q13 Amplicon in Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Mahieu Céline I. , Mancini Andrew G. , Vikram Ellee P. , Planells-Palop Vicente , Joseph Nancy M. , Tward Aaron D.
Published: November 2023

11q13 amplification is a frequent event in human cancer and in particular in squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). Despite almost invariably spanning 10 genes, it is unclear which genetic components of the amplicon are the key driver events in SCC. A combination of computational, in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models leveraging efficient primary human keratinocyte genome editing by Cas9-RNP electroporation, identified ORAOV1, CCND1, and MIR548K as the critical drivers of the amplicon in head and neck SCC. CCND1 amplification drives the cell cycle in a CDK4/6/RB1-independent fashion and may confer a novel dependency on RRM2. MIR548K contributes to epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Finally, we identify ORAOV1 as an oncogene that acts likely via its ability to modulate reactive oxygen species. Thus, the 11q13 amplicon drives SCC through at least three independent genetic elements and suggests therapeutic targets for this morbid and lethal disease.

Implications:

This work demonstrates novel mechanisms and ways to target these mechanisms underlying the most common amplification in squamous cell carcinoma, one of the most prevalent and deadly forms of human cancer.