bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From boundary maintenance to boundary crossing: Geography in the Norwegian national curriculum
Authors: Løken Ingrid , Wetlesen Annika
Published: January 2024

The integrated status of Social Studies in the Norwegian Curriculum for Knowledge Promotion in Primary and Secondary Education and Training 2020 reflects an international educational trend pertaining to a movement from knowledge and traditional disciplinary thinking to generic skills, competence and boundary crossing. This article addresses the changed organisation of geography as a subject within Social Studies in the national curriculum framework. Through a thematic analysis of how geographical knowledge is classified and represented in the curriculum, this article discusses opportunities and limitations in the curriculum when it comes to developing students' powerful geographical knowledge. The analysis shows that geographical knowledge is organised in an attempt to reduce content boundaries. Found across the curriculum, geographical knowledge includes geographical scale, geographic conditions and human–nature interconnections. However, geographical knowledge is represented through an understanding of space as absolute and fixed rather than relational and dynamic, as well as through a technical and mainly individual understanding of scale. We conclude that boundary crossing related to sustainability and citizenship as interdisciplinary topics opens opportunities for powerful geographical knowledge, although this potential is limited by the weak classification of geography in the curriculum for Social Studies.
How abundant is a species at the limit of its distribution range? Crested porcupine Hystrix cristata and its northern population
Authors: Palencia Pablo , Zanet Stefania , Barroso Patricia , Vada Rachele , Benatti Francesco , Occhibove Flavia , Meriggi Francesca , Ferroglio Ezio
Published: January 2024

The crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata) is a rodent present in Africa and southern Europe (Italy exclusively). The Italian population is expanding from the centre to the north and south, but little is known about the species' abundance. Reliable population density estimates are important for monitoring trends in wildlife populations and for developing effective conservation and management strategies. In this context, we aimed to first report crested porcupine population density on the northern limit of its current distribution range using a non‐invasive approach. Specifically, we randomly placed 38 camera traps in an area of 242 km2 in north Italy (Lombardy region), and we applied camera trap distance sampling. We estimated a porcupine density of 0.49 ind·km−2 (±0.33, standard error). The results presented here are the first crested porcupine density estimate accounting for imperfect detection (i.e. species present but not detected). The abundance estimate reported here is fundamental for a better understanding of the species status in Europe and for implementing conservation and management plans.
Dual species interaction and ecological community stability
Authors: Mougi Akihiko
Published: January 2024

How diverse species coexist in nature remains a challenging issue that is not yet resolved in ecology. The traditional approach to tackling this problem uses an ecological community network comprising various biological interaction links between species, such as predator–prey, mutualism, and competition. However, in nature, the interaction between any species pair is not limited to a singular interaction; instead, various interactions occur mostly in two ways, such as competition/facilitation in plants, mutualism/antagonism in consumer–resource mutualisms, and reciprocal predation. Here, using an ecological community model, I show that such so‐called dual interactions play a key role in stabilizing ecological communities. Theory predicts that dual interactions can stabilize ecological communities through the balance of positive and negative effects, which behave as if the interactions disappear. Communities with dual interactions are inherently more stable than a classical random community with multiple types of singular interactions, suggesting that dual interactions are more widespread than expected in nature and help to maintain ecological communities.
Synergistic mechanism of amidation on corrosion inhibition of laurate triethanolamine for HT300 gray cast iron in NaCl solution
Authors: Hang Zhijun
Published: January 2024

Sarcosine was inserted between fatty chain and carboxylic group of lauric acid to obtain lauroyl sarcosine, and the corrosion inhibition of lauroyl sarcosine triethanolamine (LSTEA) was significantly improved. The synergistic mechanism of amide group and lauric acid was investigated by comparing the corrosion behavior on the surface of HT300 gray cast iron in 330 mg/L NaCl solution. The results showed that both lauryl triethanolamine (LATEA) and LSTEA could prevent corrosion. At 298 K, when 1000 mg/L inhibitor was added, the inhibition rates are 71.93% and 83.89%, respectively. The morphology analysis also verified that LSTEA had better inhibition properties than LATEA. Comparing the adsorption parameters and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculation results, it was found that LATEA and LSTEA could spontaneously adsorb on the surface of gray cast iron as monolayer to form a stable protective layer. However, the chelation of amide group and the electron absorption effect could make the electron density distributed at the polar end of the whole molecule, covering the active sites at the interface to the maximum extent, so that LSTEA has more excellent corrosion inhibition for gray cast iron.
Improved classroom and child outcomes through mental health consultation in New York City subsidized early care and education programs
Authors: Kadik Fatima Zahra , Eng Elleanor , Pappas Kristen , Berger Shirley
Published: January 2024

This paper describes the evaluation of one year of infant/early childhood mental health consultation (IECMHC) in subsidized early care and education settings provided by the New York City Early Childhood Mental Health Network. The evaluation examined direct and indirect outcomes of IECMHC including (1) improved classroom practices by ECE teachers, and (2) improved social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes among children in the classroom. The study also reviewed child attributes that might have moderated outcomes. An analysis using paired t‐tests of pre‐and post‐assessment data found significant improvements over time in the classroom environment and management practices, as well as in teachers’ perceptions of the degree of difficulty presented by children's classroom behaviors. There were significant improvements in protective factors and problem behaviors among the subset of 138 children who received assessments. Improvements were greater for Black/African American children and for all children with pre‐assessment scores in the concern range. Males showed greater improvement in protective factors whereas females showed greater improvement in behavioral concerns. IECMHC is a powerful intervention to improve teachers’ classroom management and their perceptions of children's behavior and is important in the context of biases that place marginalized groups at risk of punitive actions by teachers and administrators.
Farmers on the front line: Perceptions, practices and discrepancies from the Aral Sea's Karakalpakstan and Khorezm regions
Authors: Djumaboev Kakhramon , Amirova Iroda , Primov Abdulla , Ishchanov Javlonbek
Published: January 2024

Undesirable changes in surface water and groundwater resources and land quality for biophysical and institutional reasons will further endanger the livelihoods of people in Central Asia. The farmers' understanding of these problems and the adaptation and solution strategies they opt for are the critical variables in devising relevant policies. Our findings captured significant disparities between farmer‐perceived water shortages and officially documented water availability, as well as soil salinity discrepancies. Farmers' coping strategies, including crop alterations and water‐saving measures, often lead to trade‐offs, such as reduced crop yields. The study highlights the need to consider farmer perceptions and practices along with official data when designing policies. Effective policymaking must consider this dynamic interplay and the multifaceted challenges faced by farmers in these vulnerable Aral Sea regions.
Titanium dioxide nanoparticles induce apoptosis through ROS‐Ca2+‐p38/AKT/mTOR pathway in TM4 cells
Authors: Wang Qianqian , Yang Yaqian , Li Pengfei , Dong Ruoyun , Sun Chenhao , Song Guanling , Wang Yan
Published: January 2024

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) can cause apoptosis in TM4 cells; however, the underlying mechanism has not been entirely elucidated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of TiO2 NPs on ROS, Ca2+ level, p38/AKT/mTOR pathway, and apoptosis in TM4 cells and to evaluate the role of Ca2+ in p38/AKT/mTOR pathway and apoptosis. After exposure to different concentrations (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 μg/mL) of TiO2 NPs for 24 h, cell viability, ROS, Ca2+ level, Ca2+‐ATPase activity, p38/AKT/mTOR pathway‐related proteins, apoptosis rate, and apoptosis‐related proteins (Bax, Bcl‐2, Caspase 3, Caspase 9, and p53) were detected. The ROS scavenger NAC was used to determine the effect of ROS on Ca2+ level. The Ca2+ chelator BAPTA‐AM was used to evaluate the role of Ca2+ in p38/AKT/mTOR pathway and apoptosis. TiO2 NPs significantly inhibited cell viability, increased ROS level, and elevated Ca2+ level while suppressing Ca2+‐ATPase activity. TiO2 NPs regulated the p38/AKT/mTOR pathway via increasing p‐p38 level and decreasing p‐AKT and p‐mTOR levels. TiO2 NPs significantly enhanced the apoptosis. NAC attenuated Ca2+ overload and reduction in Ca2+‐ATPase activity caused by TiO2 NPs. BAPTA‐AM alleviated TiO2 NPs‐induced abnormal expression of p38/AKT/mTOR pathway‐related proteins. BAPTA‐AM assuaged the apoptosis caused by TiO2 NPs. Altogether, this study revealed that TiO2 NPs elevated intracellular Ca2+ level through ROS accumulation. Subsequently, the heightened intracellular Ca2+ level was observed to exert regulation over the p38/AKT/mTOR pathway, ultimately culminating in apoptosis. These results provides a complementary understanding to the mechanism of TiO2 NPs‐induced apoptosis in TM4 cells.
Heat shock protein 90: biological functions, diseases, and therapeutic targets
Authors: Wei Huiyun , Zhang Yingying , Jia Yilin , Chen Xunan , Niu Tengda , Chatterjee Aniruddha , He Pengxing , Hou Guiqin
Published: January 2024

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is a predominant member among Heat shock proteins (HSPs), playing a central role in cellular protection and maintenance by aiding in the folding, stabilization, and modification of diverse protein substrates. It collaborates with various co‐chaperones to manage ATPase‐driven conformational changes in its dimer during client protein processing. Hsp90 is critical in cellular function, supporting the proper operation of numerous proteins, many of which are linked to diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's, neurodegenerative conditions, and infectious diseases. Recognizing the significance of these client proteins across diverse diseases, there is a growing interest in targeting Hsp90 and its co‐chaperones for potential therapeutic strategies. This review described biological background of HSPs and the structural characteristics of HSP90. Additionally, it discusses the regulatory role of heat shock factor‐1 (HSF‐1) in modulating HSP90 and sheds light on the dynamic chaperone cycle of HSP90. Furthermore, the review discusses the specific contributions of HSP90 in various disease contexts, especially in cancer. It also summarizes HSP90 inhibitors for cancer treatment, offering a thoughtful analysis of their strengths and limitations. These advancements in research expand our understanding of HSP90 and open up new avenues for considering HSP90 as a promising target for therapeutic intervention in a range of diseases.
Local existence results in Sobolev spaces for generalized magnetohydrodynamics equations
Authors: Kim Hyunseok , Zhou Yong
Published: January 2024

We consider generalized magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) equations in
with fractional diffusions
and
for the velocity
and magnetic field
, respectively, where
are nonnegative constants and
is the fractional Laplacian of order
. Using the smoothing effect of
for any
, we establish local existence results for the generalized MHD equations when the initial data
belong to
with possibly different orders
and
. Here,
denotes the standard
‐based Sobolev space on
of order
. To prove our existence results, we also derive new product and commutator estimates in fractional Sobolev spaces
which are of independent interest in themselves.
New analytic solutions in f(R)‐cosmology from Painlevé analysis
Authors: Leon Genly , Paliathanasis Andronikos , Leach Peter G. L.
Published: January 2024

Using the singularity analysis, we investigate the integrability properties and existence of analytic solutions in
‐cosmology. Specifically, for some power‐law
‐theories of particular interest, we apply the ARS algorithm to prove if the field equations possess the Painlevé property. Constraints for the free parameters of the power‐law models are derived, and new analytic solutions are derived, expressed in terms of Laurent expansions.
Detrusor underactivity after radical prostatectomy: A prospective observational study
Authors: Oszczudlowski Maciej , Cymbalista Grzegorz , Bilski Konrad , Dobruch Jakub
Published: January 2024

Objective

To evaluate the impact of radical prostatectomy (RP) on bladder function with special interest in detrusor underactivity (DU) and to appraise clinical significance of DU in postprostatectomy patients.

Material and Methods

This was a prospective, observational study conducted on male patients subjected to laparoscopic RP (LPR). Urodynamic studies were performed at the day before surgery (visit 1), 3−6 months postoperatively (visit 2) and more than 12 months after surgery (visit 3). Incidence of DU that occurred after LPR (de novo DU), incidence of persisting de novo DU after 12 months, clinical relevance of DU after LPR and predictive factors of de novo DU were assessed.

Results

99 of 100 patients underwent preoperative urodynamic study (visit 1) and those were included in further analysis. 84 and 76 patients were available for follow‐up at second and third visit respectively. De novo DU occurred after LPR in 25 (29.7%) patients at visit 2 (p < 0.001). Sixteen from 24 patients (66,7%) who developed de novo DU after RP (visit 2) continued to have DU 1 year after surgery (visit 3) (p = 0.04). On the multivariate analysis, urinary incontinence requiring more than 1 pad per day (odds ratio [OR] 5.11; confidence interval [CI] 1.69−17.19; p = 0.005) and preoperative IPSS storage sub‐score (OR 1.25; CI 1.03−1.63; p = 0.030) were significantly associated with de novo DU. Postprostatectomy patients with DU had significantly lower Urinary Assessment of the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) total score (819 vs. 911, p = 0.02), EPIC Function domain score (300 vs. 357, p = 0.002) and EPIC Urinary incontinence domain (137 vs. 224, p = 0.002) when compared to their counterparts without DU.

Conclusions

RP substantially influences bladder function, causing de novo DU, which persists in substantial number of patients 1 year postoperatively. Furthermore, significant correlation between DU and postprostatectomy urinary incontinence may play a role when anti‐incontinence surgery is considered.
Nature‐ınspired algorithms for optimizing fractional order PID controllers in time‐delayed systems
Authors: Güven Aykut Fatih , Mengi Onur Özdal
Published: January 2024

Time‐delayed systems frequently appear, especially in sectors such as fluid flow processes, chemical procedures, and the food industry. This paper addresses the optimization of parameters for a fractional order PID (FOPID) controller, which is used to control a time‐delayed system, using five distinct algorithms inspired by nature. These algorithms are NewBAT, Cuckoo search (CS), Firefly (FF), Gray Wolf Optimizer (GWO), and Whale optimization algorithm (WOA). The FOPID controller parameters, namely KP, KI, KD, λ and μ, have been optimized using these algorithms. During the optimization process, the integral of the time absolute error (ITAE) was considered as the primary measurement criterion. In addition to this value, the maximum overshoot, settling time, time to reach the maximum value, and error values were examined. Simulations conducted with the obtained parameters tested the system's resilience to disturbances introduced at the output, and the controller responses were also evaluated during these tests. The reactions of the determined parameters to different reference inputs were analyzed, and the results are presented in graphs and tables. The efficiency and reliability of the optimization algorithms were substantiated by comprehensive statistical analyses. These analyses play a critical role in algorithm selection and objective evaluation of the results. Simulation studies were conducted in the Matlab and Simulink environments. The FOMCON Toolbox was used for fractional‐order processes.
Transition density function expansion methods for portfolio optimization
Authors: Lu Yuxuan , Zhou Qing , Wu Weixing , Xiao Weilin
Published: January 2024

In this study, we introduce transition density function expansion methods inspired from Yang et al. (J Econom. 2019;209(2):256–288.) to stochastic control issues related to utility maximization, without imposing limitations on the variety of asset price models and utility functions. Utilizing Bellman's dynamic programming principle, we initially recast the conditional expectation via the transition density function pertinent to the diffusion process. Subsequently, we employ the Itô‐Taylor expansion and Delta expansion techniques to the transition density function associated with the multivariate diffusion process, facilitated by a quasi‐Lamperti transformation, aiming to derive explicit recursive expressions for expansion coefficient functions. Our main contributions are that we articulate detailed algorithms, stemming from the backward recursive formulations of the value function and optimal strategies, achieved through discretization methodologies with rigorous proof of expansion convergence in portfolio optimization. Both theoretical and practical demonstrations are presented to validate the convergence of these approximate techniques in addressing stochastic control challenges. To underscore the efficiency and precision of our proposed methods, we apply them to portfolio selection problems within several benchmark models, and highlight the reduced complexity in comparison to the current methodologies.
Holistic quality evaluation method of Epimedii Folium based on NIR spectroscopy and chemometrics
Authors: Chen Yuru , Zhang Jianyu , Feng Jiahao , Chen Wei , Liu Wengang , Chen Jingchao , Ye Jianming , Li Wenlong
Published: January 2024

Introduction

There are some problems in the quality control of Epimedii Folium (leaves of Epimedium brevicornum Maxim.), such as the mixed use of Epimedii Folium from different harvesting periods and regions, incomplete quality evaluation, and time‐consuming analysis methods.

Objective

Near‐infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was conducted to establish a rapid overall quality evaluation method for Epimedii Folium.

Materials and methods

Quantitative models of the total solid, moisture, total flavonoid, and flavonol glycoside (Epimedin A, Epimedin B, Epimedin C, Icariin) contents of Epimedii Folium were established by partial least squares regression (PLSR). The root mean square error (RMSE) and correlation coefficient (R) were used to evaluate the performance of models. The qualitative models of Epimedii Folium from different geographic origins and harvest periods were established based on K‐nearest neighbor (KNN), back‐propagation neural network (BPNN), and random forest (RF). Accuracy and Kappa values were used to evaluate the performance of models. A new multivariable signal conversion strategy was proposed, which combines NIR spectroscopy with the PLSR model to predict the absorbance values of retention time points in the high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint to obtain the predicted HPLC fingerprint. The Pearson correlation coefficient and cosine coefficient were used to evaluate the similarity between real and predicted HPLC fingerprints.

Results

Qualitative models, quantitative models, and the similarity between real and predicted HPLC fingerprints are satisfactory.

Conclusion

The method serves as a fast and green analytical quality evaluation method of Epimedii Folium and can replace traditional methods to achieve the overall quality evaluation of Epimedii Folium.
Field‐representative evaluation of PID‐polarization in TOPCon PV modules by accelerated stress testing
Authors: Hacke Peter , Spataru Sergiu , Habersberger Brian , Chen Yifeng
Published: January 2024

Potential‐induced degradation‐polarization (PID‐p) can reduce module power, but how to project the extent to which PID‐p may occur in field conditions considering the factors of system voltage, condensed moisture, temperature, and illumination has not been clarified. Using tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) modules, this work demonstrates a method to test full‐size crystalline silicon PV modules for PID‐p to provide field‐representative results. In initial screening tests with positive or negative 1000 V electrical bias applied at 60°C for 96 h using Al foil electrodes on the glass surfaces, the module type exhibited reversible PID‐p only on the front face when the cell circuit was in negative voltage potential. No PID was detected on the rear after testing in either polarity. We then evaluated the PID‐p sensitivity on the front side under different UV irradiances while maintaining the glass surface wet to estimate real‐world susceptibility to PID‐p. The magnitude of the observed behavior was fit using a previously developed charge transfer and depletion by light model. Whereas power loss with −1000 V applied to the cell circuit at 60°C for 96 h in the dark was about 30%, testing the module front under 0.051 W·m−2 nm−1 at 340 nm UVA irradiation using fluorescent tubes, the mean degradation was only 3%. When the modules were tested in the dark for PID‐p with in situ dark current–voltage (I‐V) characterization, the thermal activation energy for degradation was 0.71 eV; for recovery in the dark, it was 0.58 eV. Whereas recovery from the degraded state at 60°C in the dark without voltage bias was 5% absolute in 38 h, rapid recovery of about 5% absolute was observed with 1000 W·s/m2 exposure at 25°C using a flash tester.
Preparation and properties of antibacterial food‐preservative paper incorporating ceramic pigments
Authors: Lu Dongyan , Ning Yuping , Liu Xiangyao , Ren Shixue , Ni Baoxin , Song Yang , Li Jian , Li Zhiqiang , Liu Wenbo
Published: January 2024

Ag@ceramic composite papermaking pigment was prepared by coating silver onto red ceramic powder using the electroless plating method. SEM and XRD showed that the ceramic pigments have a porous crystalline structure and that silver particles had been successfully loaded onto the surface and into the pores of the Ag@ceramic. Untreated ceramic pigment and Ag@ceramic pigment were incorporated into paper sheets by coating, filling and filling‐coating. Using spinach as an example, the ability of the different papers to preserve food was then evaluated. Four indicators were used to assess the preservative effect of the papers: inhibition of growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, weight loss of the spinach and retention of vitamin C and chlorophyll in the spinach. Although the ceramic preservative paper has no antibacterial properties, it reduced weight loss from the spinach and increased retention of vitamin C and chlorophyll. The antibacterial preservative papers inhibited the growth of E. coli and S. aureus by >99%, and because of their additional antibacterial activity, these papers preserved the spinach more effectively. The experimental results showed that the antibacterial food‐preservative paper incorporating ceramic pigments had great potential in food packing applications.
Stabilization under unknown control directions and disturbed measurements via a time‐delay approach to extremum seeking
Authors: Zhang Jin , Fridman Emilia
Published: January 2024

We study stabilization of linear uncertain systems under unknown control directions using a bounded extremum seeking controller in the presence of a small time‐varying measurement delay. We assume that the measurements are subject to discontinuous disturbances. The main novelty is that these disturbances possess not only the constant part as in the existing results, but also small discontinuous part that may appear due to quantization. We consider two types of measurements: the state measurements and the state quadratic norm ones. In the latter case the constant part of the disturbances may be arbitrary large. By using the recently proposed time‐delay approach to Lie‐brackets‐based averaging, we transform the closed‐loop system to a time‐delay (neutral type) one with no terms depending on the disturbance derivative, which has a form of perturbed Lie brackets system. The input‐to‐state stability (ISS) of the time‐delay system guarantees the same for the original one. We further transform the neutral system to an ordinary differential equation (ODE) with delayed perturbations and employ variation of constants formula leading to explicit conditions in terms of simple inequalities with less conservative results in the most of numerical examples. Two numerical examples are provided to illustrate the efficiency of the method.
Light dilaton in rare meson decays and extraction of its CP property
Authors: Girmohanta Sudhakantha , Nakai Yuichiro , Shigekami Yoshihiro , Tobioka Kohsaku
Published: January 2024

Abstract

The dilaton ϕ is a pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone boson associated with the spontaneous breaking of scale invariance in a nearly conformal theory, and couples to the trace of the stress-energy tensor. We analyze experimental constraints on a light dilaton with mass in the MeV–GeV range from rare meson decays. New model-independent inclusive bounds for the b → sϕ transition largely exclude the parameter space of a light dilaton that could explain the muon g − 2 anomaly. Despite similarities between a dilaton and a Higgs-portal scalar, the dilaton-photon coupling is enhanced compared to the Higgs-portal scalar due to contributions from loops of the conformal sector. Consequently, the shortened lifetime of the dilaton relaxes bounds from K → π + invisible searches at the NA62 experiment and constraints from the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis. We utilize this fact to search for the dilaton signature at a lepton collider such as the ongoing Belle II experiment. Further, we demonstrate how to extract the CP property of the dilaton using the variation of the differential cross-section of e+e− → e+e−ϕ with the azimuthal angle between the outgoing leptons.
Remarks on BPS Wilson loops in non-conformal $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 gauge theories and localization
Authors: Billò M. , Griguolo L. , Testa A.
Published: January 2024

Abstract

We consider 1/2 BPS supersymmetric circular Wilson loops in four-dimensional $$ \mathcal{N} $$
N
= 2 SU(N) SYM theories with massless matter content and non-vanishing β-function. Following Pestun’s approach, we can use supersymmetric localization on the sphere $$ \mathbbm{S} $$
S
4 to map these observables into a matrix model, provided that the one-loop determinants are consistently regularized. Employing a suitable procedure, we construct the regularized matrix model for these theories and show that, at order g4, the predictions for the 1/2 BPS Wilson loop match standard perturbative renormalization based on the direct evaluation of Feynman diagrams on $$ \mathbbm{S} $$
S
4. Despite conformal symmetry begin broken at the quantum level, we also demonstrate that the matrix model approaches perfectly captures the expression of the renormalized observable in flat space at this perturbative order. Moreover, we revisit in detail the difference theory approach, showing that when the β-function is non-vanishing, this method does not account for evanescent terms which are made finite by the renormalization procedure and participate to the corrections at order g6.
Schwinger-Keldysh effective field theory for stable and causal relativistic hydrodynamics
Authors: Jain Akash , Kovtun Pavel
Published: January 2024

Abstract

We construct stable and causal effective field theories (EFTs) for describing statistical fluctuations in relativistic diffusion and relativistic hydrodynamics. These EFTs are fully non-linear, including couplings to background sources, and enable us to compute n-point time-ordered correlation functions including the effects of statistical fluctuations. The EFTs we construct are inspired by the Maxwell-Cattaneo model of relativistic diffusion and Müller-Israel-Stewart model of relativistic hydrodynamics respectively, and have been derived using both the Martin-Siggia-Rose and Schwinger-Keldysh formalisms. The EFTs non-linearly realise the dynamical Kubo-Martin-Schwinger (KMS) symmetry, which ensures that n-point correlation functions and interactions in the theory satisfy the appropriate fluctuation-dissipation theorems. Since these EFTs typically admit ultraviolet sectors that are not fixed by the low-energy infrared symmetries, we find that they simultaneously admit multiple realisations of the dynamical KMS symmetry. We also comment on certain obstructions to including statistical fluctuations in the recently-proposed stable and causal Bemfica-Disconzi-Noronha-Kovtun model of relativistic hydrodynamics.
Curriculum „Trachealkanülenmanagement in der Dysphagietherapie“
Authors: Ledl C. , Frank U. , Dziewas R. , Arnold B. , Bähre N. , Betz C. S. , Braune S. , Deitmer T. , Diesener P. , Fischer A. S. , Hamzic S. , Iberl G. , Konradi J. , Löhler J. , Platz T. , Rohlfes C. , Westhoff M. , Winkler S. , Wirth R. , Graf S.
Published: January 2024

Die Anzahl tracheotomierter dysphagischer PatientInnen im klinischen und außerklinisch-ambulanten Setting und der damit einhergehende Behandlungsbedarf steigen kontinuierlich. Die Neufassung der Richtlinie des Gemeinsamen Bundesausschusses über die Verordnung außerklinischer Intensivpflege (AKI) sieht zudem vor, dass PatientInnen in der AKI regelmäßig evaluiert werden, um Therapiepotenzial nach stationärer Entlassung zu erkennen und zu fördern. Eine besondere Rolle nimmt dabei die Dysphagietherapie ein, da ohne Besserung schwerer Dysphagien kaum die Möglichkeit einer Dekanülierung besteht. Tracheotomierte dysphagische PatientInnen werden von LogopädInnen und akademischen SprachtherapeutInnen behandelt. Inhalte zum Trachealkanülenmanagement (TKM) finden sich jedoch nicht obligatorisch in den sprachtherapeutisch-logopädischen Ausbildungs-Curricula, sodass Weiterbildungsbedarf im therapeutischen Umgang mit Trachealkanülen besteht und Behandlungsstandards gesichert werden müssen. Daher wurde von der Deutschen interdisziplinären Gesellschaft für Dysphagie (DGD) in Kooperation mit den beteiligten therapeutischen und medizinischen Fachgesellschaften ein Curriculum zum TKM entwickelt. Dieses soll Basis für das inhaltliche Vorgehen im TKM sein und als Qualifikationsnachweis der TherapeutInnen im Rahmen der Delegation ärztlicher Leistungen dienen. Ziele des TKM-Curriculums sind die Definition theoretischer und praktischer Weiterbildungsinhalte, die Befähigung zur Durchführung des TKM nach aktuellen Standards sowie die Qualitätssicherung. Das Curriculum definiert zwei Qualifikationsstufen (AnwenderIn und AusbilderIn), Eingangsvoraussetzungen, curriculare Inhalte, Prüfungs- und Qualifikationskriterien sowie Übergangsregelungen für bereits im TKM erfahrene TherapeutInnen.
Differentiated uniformization: a new method for inferring Markov chains on combinatorial state spaces including stochastic epidemic models
Authors: Rupp Kevin , Schill Rudolf , Süskind Jonas , Georg Peter , Klever Maren , Lösch Andreas , Grasedyck Lars , Wettig Tilo , Spang Rainer
Published: January 2024

We consider continuous-time Markov chains that describe the stochastic evolution of a dynamical system by a transition-rate matrix Q which depends on a parameter $$\theta $$
θ
. Computing the probability distribution over states at time t requires the matrix exponential $$\exp \,\left( tQ\right) \,$$

exp

t
Q

, and inferring $$\theta $$
θ
from data requires its derivative $$\partial \exp \,\left( tQ\right) \,/\partial \theta $$

∂
exp

t
Q

/
∂
θ

. Both are challenging to compute when the state space and hence the size of Q is huge. This can happen when the state space consists of all combinations of the values of several interacting discrete variables. Often it is even impossible to store Q. However, when Q can be written as a sum of tensor products, computing $$\exp \,\left( tQ\right) \,$$

exp

t
Q

becomes feasible by the uniformization method, which does not require explicit storage of Q. Here we provide an analogous algorithm for computing $$\partial \exp \,\left( tQ\right) \,/\partial \theta $$

∂
exp

t
Q

/
∂
θ

, the differentiated uniformization method. We demonstrate our algorithm for the stochastic SIR model of epidemic spread, for which we show that Q can be written as a sum of tensor products. We estimate monthly infection and recovery rates during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Austria and quantify their uncertainty in a full Bayesian analysis. Implementation and data are available at https://github.com/spang-lab/TenSIR.
Implementation of robot-assisted lymphaticovenous anastomoses in a microsurgical unit
Authors: Reilly Frank O. F. , Nilsson Anna , Frieberg Helena , Mayr-Riedler Michael S. , Mani Maria
Published: January 2024

Background

Numerous papers have been published evaluating the clinical benefits of robot-assisted microsurgery. In this study, we describe the incorporation of the MUSA-2 robot (Microsure, Eindhoven, The Netherlands) into a plastic surgery unit outside of its development centre. We aimed to assess robot implementation timeframes, areas of future development, and key learning points for centres considering the establishment of a robot-assisted microsurgery service.

Methods

We identified 12 female patients with upper limb lymphoedema secondary to breast cancer treatment, who consented to have a robotic-assisted lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) from September 2022 to March 2023. All patients had at least one robot-assisted LVA. Post operatively, a surgical evaluation of the robot’s performance and of the surgeon’s intraoperative workload was measured. Each patient completed a postoperative Likert scale, which measured their surgical experience.

Results

The mean robot time per case was 60.25 min. The mean time taken for the first robot-assisted anastomosis was 32 min. The second robot anastomoses was 30% faster than the first, taking a mean of 22.5 min. The average anastomosis had 4.5 sutures placed robotically. Initial mean scores in the workload survey completed by the surgeon were highest for frustration and effort, both reduced with increasing volume of cases. In 91% of cases, physical intraoperative discomfort was reported by the surgeon but completely resolved following repositioning.

Conclusions

The current technology can be readily incorporated into a microsurgical unit. We developed four key learning points from the implementation of robot-assisted LVA in our microsurgical unit.

Level of evidence: Level IV, risk/prognostic study
Yeast communities related to honeybees: occurrence and distribution in flowers, gut mycobiota, and bee products
Authors: Agarbati Alice , Gattucci Silvia , Canonico Laura , Ciani Maurizio , Comitini Francesca
Published: January 2024

Honeybee (Apis mellifera) is an important agricultural pollinator and a model for sociality. In this study, a deep knowledge on yeast community characterizing the honeybees’ environmental was carried out. For this, a total of 93 samples were collected: flowers as food sources, bee gut mycobiota, and bee products (bee pollen, bee bread, propolis), and processed using culture-dependent techniques and a molecular approach for identification. The occurrence of yeast populations was quantitatively similar among flowers, bee gut mycobiota, and bee products. Overall, 27 genera and 51 species were identified. Basidiomycetes genera were predominant in the flowers while the yeast genera detected in all environments were Aureobasidium, Filobasidium, Meyerozyma, and Metschnikowia. Fermenting species belonging to the genera Debaryomyces, Saccharomyces, Starmerella, Pichia, and Lachancea occurred mainly in the gut, while most of the identified species of bee products were not found in the gut mycobiota. Five yeast species, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, Debaryomyces hansenii, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, and Starmerella roseus, were present in both summer and winter, thus indicating them as stable components of bee mycobiota. These findings can help understand the yeast community as a component of the bee gut microbiota and its relationship with related environments, since mycobiota characterization was still less unexplored. In addition, the gut microbiota, affecting the nutrition, endocrine signaling, immune function, and pathogen resistance of honeybees, represents a useful tool for its health evaluation and could be a possible source of functional yeasts.

Key points

• The stable yeast populations are represented by M. guilliermondii, D. hansenii, H. uvarum, H. guilliermondii, and S. roseus.

• A. pullulans was the most abondance yeast detective in the flowers and honeybee guts.

• Aureobasidium, Meyerozyma, Pichia, and Hanseniaspora are the main genera resident in gut tract.
Humic acid biosynthesis and bacterial community evolution during aerobic composting of rice straw
Authors: Gao Yuwei , Liu Shuai , Wang Nan , Wang Yong-Zhong
Published: January 2024

In this study, the effects of inoculum ratio, substrate particle size and aeration rate on humic acid (HA) biosynthesis during aerobic composting of rice straw were investigated, respectively. The contents of total organic carbon, total nitrogen and HA, as well as lignocellulose degradation in the composting were evaluated, respectively. It is found that the maximal HA yield of 356.9 g kg−1 was obtained at an inoculum ratio of 20%, a substrate particle size of 0.83 mm and an aeration rate of 0.3 L·kg−1 DM min−1 in the process of composting. The changes of microbial communities and metabolic functions at different stages of the composting were also analyzed through high-throughput sequencing. The result demonstrates that Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria were the dominant phyla and their relative abundance significantly varied over time (p < 0.05), and Rhizobium, Phenylobacterium, Pseudoxanthomonas and Paenibacillus were positively related to HA content in the compost. Furthermore, the metabolic function profiles of bacterial community indicate that these functional genes in carbohydrate metabolism and amino acid metabolism were involved in lignocellulose biodegradation and HA biosynthesis. This work may be conducive to explore new regulation strategy to improve bioconversion efficiency of agricultural residues to applicable biofertilizers.

Key points

• Temperature, pH, TOC, TN and C/N caused a great influence on humic acids synthesis

• The succession of the microbial community during the composting were evaluated

• The metabolisms of carbohydrate and amino acids were involved in HA synthesis

Graphical abstract
Expression and purification of epinecidin-1 variant (Ac-Var-1) by acid cleavage
Authors: Jeyarajan Sivakumar , Peter Ansu Susan , Sathyan Aswathy , Ranjith Sukumar , Kandasamy Indira , Duraisamy Senbagam , Chidambaram Prahalathan , Kumarasamy Anbarasu
Published: January 2024

The demand for massive quantities of therapeutic active antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is high due to their potential as alternatives to antibiotics. However, each antimicrobial peptide has unique properties, necessitating distinct synthesis and purification strategies for their large-scale production. In this study, we bio-synthesized and purified a functional enhanced variant of the AMP epinecidin-1, known as Ac-Var-1 (acid-cleavable variant-1). To generate the active peptide, we cloned the gene for Ac-Var-1 with acid-cleavable site (aspartic acid-proline) into the pET-32a expression vector, purified the fusion protein by His tag enrichment chromatography, and performed acid cleavage to release the active Ac-Var-1 peptide. After acid cleavage, the active Ac-Var-1 was purified and characterized by SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry. The results from both techniques provided confirmation of the intactness of the purified Ac-Var-1. The Ac-Var-1 inhibited the growth of pathogenic Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

Key points

• Epinecidin-1 is a well-known antimicrobial peptide having multipotential bioactivities.

• Epinecidin-1 variant is developed via the site-directed mutagenesis method to improve its structural stability and bioactivity.

• AC-Var-1 development is an economical and easy method to remove peptide from tag protein.
Developing a clinical-radiomic prediction model for 3-year cancer-specific survival in lung cancer patients treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy
Authors: Huang Bao-Tian , Wang Ying , Lin Pei-Xian
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The study aims to develop and validate a combined model for predicting 3-year cancer-specific survival (CSS) in lung cancer patients treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) by integrating clinical and radiomic parameters.

Methods

Clinical data and pre-treatment CT images were collected from 102 patients treated with lung SBRT. Multivariate logistic regression and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator were used to determine the clinical and radiomic factors associated with 3-year CSS. Three prediction models were developed using clinical factors, radiomic factors, and a combination of both. The performance of the models was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve and calibration curve. A nomogram was also created to visualize the 3-year CSS prediction.

Results

With a 36-month follow-up, 40 patients (39.2%) died of lung cancer and 62 patients (60.8%) survived. Three clinical factors, including gender, clinical stage, and lymphocyte ratio, along with three radiomic features, were found to be independent factors correlated with 3-year CSS. The area under the curve values for the clinical, radiomic, and combined model were 0.839 (95% CI 0.735–0.914), 0.886 (95% CI 0.790–0.948), and 0.914 (95% CI 0.825–0.966) in the training cohort, and 0.757 (95% CI 0.580–0.887), 0.818 (95% CI 0.648–0.929), and 0.843 (95% CI 0.677–0.944) in the validation cohort, respectively. Additionally, the calibration curve demonstrated good calibration performance and the nomogram created from the combined model showed potential for clinical utility.

Conclusion

A clinical-radiomic model was developed to predict the 3-year CSS for lung cancer patients treated with SBRT.
A systematic literature review of pre-requirements specification traceability
Authors: Mucha Julia , Kaufmann Andreas , Riehle Dirk
Published: January 2024

Requirements traceability (RT) is the ability to link requirements to other software development artifacts. In pre-requirements (pre-RS) traceability, requirements are linked to their origin, such as interviews with stakeholders, meeting protocols, or legacy systems. Compared with post-RS traceability, which links requirements to source code and other later artifacts, pre-RS traceability has seen much less research. This article presents a systematic literature review of pre-RS traceability based on 77 articles published between 1992 and 2022, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview of its use cases, benefits, problems, and solutions. Through the analysis of existing literature, this review identifies gaps for future research and establishes a foundation for future investigations in the field of pre-RS traceability.
Prediction model of loess immersion settlement based on improved K-G model
Authors: Zhang Longfei , Hu Zaiqiang , Li Hongru , She Haicheng , Zhang Yao , Wang Xiaoliang
Published: January 2024

Loess is a problematic type of soil with a worldwide distribution due to its collapsibility. The temporal discontinuity and spatial nonuniformity of its collapsibility can bring severe damage to building foundations, roads and water pipelines. In this study, the relationship between the saturation and K-G model parameters is established based on indoor compression tests and collapsible tests; the deformation characteristics of loess immersed in water are studied via a large-scale trial immersion pit test. The test site is a circular pit with a diameter of 10 m. The loess is immersed for 46 days; the variation in its accumulated settlement over time is recorded for 60 days, and its deformation process is simulated using a self-designed programme. Results show that for the stress–strain relationship of unsaturated loess, the relationship between equivalent suction and saturation can be obtained through the principle of deformation equivalence and fitted using the exponential function. The maximum vertical displacements calculated in the simulation and on-site immersion pit experiment are 0.036 m and 0.032 m, respectively. Such relatively good consistency indicates that the proposed method can reasonably predict the collapse behaviour of loess due to immersion. This research provides a reliable method for the numerical simulation of loess immersion deformation, and the parameters in the model only need to be determined by conventional experiments.
Rationality and the exploitation of natural resources: a psychobiological conceptual model for sustainability
Authors: Ruiz Serrano Andres , Musumeci Andrea , Li Juan Julie , Ruiz Serrano Mauricio , Serrano Barquin Carolina
Published: January 2024

This article proposes a psychobiological conceptual model that incorporates the vulnerability and exhaustibility of the ecosystem into the notion of rational behavior. After providing a review of relevant literature in economics, psychology and sociology, we analyze the theoretical and practical limitations of economic rationality under conditions of climate devastation. By employing a logical consequence approach, we describe and broaden the cognitive process of rational choice to include the influence of externalities, institutions, markets, and the ecosystem. We propose two existing constructs as perceptual conditions restraining the rational exploitation of natural resources: restitution and substitution. These constructs are conditioned by the degree of the irreplaceability of materials. Under these premises, we purport that individuals act in a rational manner subject to the extent of restitution and substitution of resources, depending on their perception of economic, environmental, and social risk.
A Discovery Tour in Random Riemannian Geometry
Authors: Dello Schiavo Lorenzo , Kopfer Eva , Sturm Karl-Theodor
Published: January 2024

We study random perturbations of a Riemannian manifold $$(\textsf{M},\textsf{g})$$

(
M
,
g
)

by means of so-called Fractional Gaussian Fields, which are defined intrinsically by the given manifold. The fields $$h^\bullet : \omega \mapsto h^\omega $$

h
∙

:
ω
↦

h
ω

will act on the manifold via the conformal transformation $$\textsf{g}\mapsto \textsf{g}^\omega := e^{2h^\omega }\,\textsf{g}$$

g
↦

g
ω

:
=

e

2

h
ω

g

. Our focus will be on the regular case with Hurst parameter $$H>0$$

H
>
0

, the critical case $$H=0$$

H
=
0

being the celebrated Liouville geometry in two dimensions. We want to understand how basic geometric and functional-analytic quantities like diameter, volume, heat kernel, Brownian motion, spectral bound, or spectral gap change under the influence of the noise. And if so, is it possible to quantify these dependencies in terms of key parameters of the noise? Another goal is to define and analyze in detail the Fractional Gaussian Fields on a general Riemannian manifold, a fascinating object of independent interest.